bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Sleep Disturbance and Depression Symptoms Mediate Relationship Between Pain and Cognitive Dysfunction in Lupus
Authors: Lillis Teresa A. , Tirone Vanessa , Gandhi Nisarg , Weinberg Stacy , Nika Ailda , Sequeira Winston , Hobfoll Stevan E. , Block Joel A. , Jolly Meenakshi
Published: May 2018

Objective

To determine whether sleep disturbance and symptoms of depression mediate the relationship between pain and cognitive dysfunction (CD) in a sample of 115 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

Methods

A total of 115 patients with SLE completed questionnaires regarding pain, perceived stress, depression, sleep, and CD. Relationships among pain, sleep, depression, and CD were assessed using bootstrap mediation models, controlling for race/ethnicity, fibromyalgia diagnosis, current corticosteroid use, disease activity and damage, and perceived stress.

Results

Mediation analyses indicated that the effect of pain on CD was mediated by sleep disturbance (β = 0.30) and depression symptoms (β = 0.33). These effects were maintained even after controlling for the aforementioned covariates, of which only disease activity (β = 0.20) and stress (β = 0.22) remained significantly linked to CD (overall model R2 = 0.53; all P < 0.05).

Conclusion

After controlling for disease activity and perceived stress, the relationship between pain and CD was explained by sleep disturbance and depression symptoms. Although these relationships need validation in longitudinal studies with additional measurement modalities, our findings may indicate promising, nonpharmacologic intervention avenues for SLE patients with pain and CD. Specifically, cognitive behavioral therapies for depression and sleep are known to reduce distress and enhance functioning across various psychosocial domains. Given the symptom burden of SLE, interventions that maximize potential benefits without the use of additional pharmacologic treatments may be of particular utility.
Synergistic Gating of Electro‐Iono‐Photoactive 2D Chalcogenide Neuristors: Coexistence of Hebbian and Homeostatic Synaptic Metaplasticity
Authors: John Rohit Abraham , Liu Fucai , Chien Nguyen Anh , Kulkarni Mohit R. , Zhu Chao , Fu Qundong , Basu Arindam , Liu Zheng , Mathews Nripan
Published: May 2018

Emulation of brain‐like signal processing with thin‐film devices can lay the foundation for building artificially intelligent learning circuitry in future. Encompassing higher functionalities into single artificial neural elements will allow the development of robust neuromorphic circuitry emulating biological adaptation mechanisms with drastically lesser neural elements, mitigating strict process challenges and high circuit density requirements necessary to match the computational complexity of the human brain. Here, 2D transition metal di‐chalcogenide (MoS2) neuristors are designed to mimic intracellular ion endocytosis–exocytosis dynamics/neurotransmitter‐release in chemical synapses using three approaches: (i) electronic‐mode: a defect modulation approach where the traps at the semiconductor–dielectric interface are perturbed; (ii) ionotronic‐mode: where electronic responses are modulated via ionic gating; and (iii) photoactive‐mode: harnessing persistent photoconductivity or trap‐assisted slow recombination mechanisms. Exploiting a novel multigated architecture incorporating electrical and optical biases, this incarnation not only addresses different charge‐trapping probabilities to finely modulate the synaptic weights, but also amalgamates neuromodulation schemes to achieve “plasticity of plasticity–metaplasticity” via dynamic control of Hebbian spike‐time dependent plasticity and homeostatic regulation. Coexistence of such multiple forms of synaptic plasticity increases the efficacy of memory storage and processing capacity of artificial neuristors, enabling design of highly efficient novel neural architectures.
Fe Isolated Single Atoms on S, N Codoped Carbon by Copolymer Pyrolysis Strategy for Highly Efficient Oxygen Reduction Reaction
Authors: Li Qiheng , Chen Wenxing , Xiao Hai , Gong Yue , Li Zhi , Zheng Lirong , Zheng Xusheng , Yan Wensheng , Cheong Weng‐Chon , Shen Rongan , Fu Ninghua , Gu Lin , Zhuang Zhongbin , Chen Chen , Wang Dingsheng , Peng Qing , Li Jun , Li Yadong
Published: May 2018

Heteroatom‐doped Fe‐NC catalyst has emerged as one of the most promising candidates to replace noble metal‐based catalysts for highly efficient oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). However, delicate controls over their structure parameters to optimize the catalytic efficiency and molecular‐level understandings of the catalytic mechanism are still challenging. Herein, a novel pyrrole–thiophene copolymer pyrolysis strategy to synthesize Fe‐isolated single atoms on sulfur and nitrogen‐codoped carbon (Fe‐ISA/SNC) with controllable S, N doping is rationally designed. The catalytic efficiency of Fe‐ISA/SNC shows a volcano‐type curve with the increase of sulfur doping. The optimized Fe‐ISA/SNC exhibits a half‐wave potential of 0.896 V (vs reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE)), which is more positive than those of Fe‐isolated single atoms on nitrogen codoped carbon (Fe‐ISA/NC, 0.839 V), commercial Pt/C (0.841 V), and most reported nonprecious metal catalysts. Fe‐ISA/SNC is methanol tolerable and shows negligible activity decay in alkaline condition during 15 000 voltage cycles. X‐ray absorption fine structure analysis and density functional theory calculations reveal that the incorporated sulfur engineers the charges on N atoms surrounding the Fe reactive center. The enriched charge facilitates the rate‐limiting reductive release of OH* and therefore improved the overall ORR efficiency.
No Longer Silent: How Accurate Are Recent Criticisms of Employment Arbitration?
Authors: Murray Christopher C.
Published: May 2018

Employment arbitration has come under sustained attack in some quarters of the popular media. Contending that “corporations effectively control the arbitration process,” the New York Times editorial board in November 2015 declared arbitration to be “a stacked deck if ever there was one.” Editorial, “Arbitrating Disputes, Denying Justice,” N.Y. Times (Nov. 7, 2015)(available at https://nyti.ms/2v0oa6q).
Application of recycled polyol and benzimidazole to the enhancement of antifungal activity of polyurethane
Authors: Chung Yong‐Chan , Lee Dong Hyun , Choi Jae Won , Chun Byoung Chul
Published: May 2018

Recycled polyol and benzimidazole were both grafted onto polyurethane (PU) to enhance the surface hydrophilicity and antifungal activity, respectively. The two grafted groups affected the viscosity, crosslink density, soft segment glass transition, breaking stress, flexibility at freezing temperature, shape recovery at −10 °C, surface hydrophilicity, and antifungal activity. The glass transition temperature increased from −67.5 °C for plain PU up to −60.8 °C after the grafting of polyol. The breaking stress and shape recovery of the grafted PU increased up to 425% and 200%, respectively, relative to plain PU because of the chemical linking by the grafted polyol. The hydrophilicity of PU, evaluated by the water contact angle and water swelling ratio, increased with increasing polyol content. A PU sample demonstrated excellent low‐temperature flexibility in comparison to plain PU and control sample. Finally, the PUs modified with grafted polyol and benzimidazole completely suppressed fungal growth. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2018, 135, 46600.
What are the drivers of the occurrence of illegal fishing and conservation barriers of sturgeons in the Caspian Sea?
Authors: Aghilinejhad Seyed Mostafa , Gorgin Saeid , van Uhm Daan , Joolaie Ramtin , Ghorbani Rasoul , Paighambari Seyed Yousef , Mohammadi Jahangir , Jalali Ali
Published: May 2018

Overfishing, exacerbated by illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, is a serious threat to the conservation of the Caspian sturgeon populations, exposing them to the brink of extinction. This indicates the importance of investigating the causes and eliminating the consequences of the occurrence of IUU fishing.

This study aimed to determine the barriers to sturgeon conservation, and to evaluate the importance of variables involved in the occurrence of IUU fishing in the southern Caspian Sea using field‐ and questionnaire‐based surveys of 520 Iranian fishers and 40 fishery experts.

Modelling the data using the Logit regression model indicated that several social, economic, conservation, and fishery‐related variables (including fisheries knowledge, fish price, fishing method, fishing time, catch/vessel ownership, conservation importance, and penalty awareness) significantly contributed to the occurrence of illegal fishing. Fishers with poorer fisheries knowledge who owned fishing vessels were more likely to be involved in IUU fishing. In addition, fishers who were less concerned about sturgeon conservation and who used non‐standard fishing gear at night had a higher probability of committing IUU fishing.

Exploring the opinions of fishery experts through the analytical hierarchy process also showed that economic, social, fishing, and conservation criteria were respectively attributed the highest weights as the contributing criteria to the occurrence of IUU fishing.

Overall, close associations were observed between the range of determinants, with the probability of the occurrence of IUU fishing indicating that illegal fishing is a complex event that should be studied in different dimensions because of the involvement of a combination of drivers. The knowledge obtained here can assist the relevant agencies in preventing this widespread problem, and with the practical rebuilding and more efficient conservation planning of sturgeon stocks.
GARCH processes and the phenomenon of misleading and unambiguous signals
Authors: Sousa Beatriz , Cabral Morais Manuel , Okhrin Yarema , Schmid Wolfgang
Published: May 2018

In finance, it is quite usual to assume that a process behaves according to a previously specified target generalized autoregressive conditionally heteroscedastic process. The impact of rumors or other events on this process can be frequently described by an outlier responsible for a short‐lived shift in the process mean or by a sustained change in the process variance. This calls for the use of joint schemes for the process mean and variance. Since changes in the mean and in the variance require different actions from the traders/brokers, this paper provides an account on the probabilities of misleading and unambiguous signals of those joint schemes, thus adding insights on their out‐of‐control performance.
Effects of delaying demands on noncompliance and escape‐maintained problem behavior
Authors: Bloom Sarah E. , Clark Daniel R. , Boyle Megan A. , Clay Casey J.
Published: May 2018

A recommendation for caregivers of individuals who engage in noncompliance (i.e., any behavior other than compliance) and escape‐maintained problem behavior is to provide a choice for when to complete a nonpreferred task. Although this may immediately abate problem behavior, it is unclear whether problem behavior and noncompliance are just as likely to occur when the task is re‐presented. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine the extent to which allowing participants (3 children with developmental disabilities) to delay a nonpreferred task decreased problem behavior and/or increased compliance when that task was re‐presented and to determine whether the effectiveness of such an intervention could be augmented by the addition of escape extinction. Results showed that when delayed tasks were re‐presented, participants emitted more problem behavior than when those tasks were unavoidable from the outset and, further, that participants continued to engage in noncompliance with tasks despite the ability to delay them. Including escape extinction resulted in a decrease in problem behavior and an increase in compliance for all participants.
Metabolic profiles of neratinib in rat by using ultra‐high‐performance liquid chromatography coupled with diode array detector and Q‐Exactive Orbitrap tandem mass spectrometry
Authors: Liu Wen , Li Sha , Wu Yangke , Yan Xiao , Zhu Y.‐M. , Huang J.‐H. , Chen Zhuo
Published: May 2018

Neratinib is a tyrosine kinase inhibitor that has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of breast cancer. However, its metabolism remains unknown. This study was carried out to investigate the in vitro and in vivo metabolism of neratinib using an UHPLC‐DAD‐Q Exactive Orbitrap‐MS instrument with dd‐MS2 on‐line data acquisition mode. The post‐acquisition data was processed using MetWorks software. Under the current conditions, a total of 12 metabolites were detected and structurally identified based on their accurate masses, fragment ions and chromatographic retention times. Among these metabolites, M3, M10 and M12 were unambiguously identified using chemically synthesized reference standards. M6 and M7 (GSH conjugates) were the major metabolites. The metabolic pathways of neratinib were proposed accordingly. Our findings suggested that neratinib was mainly metabolized via O‐dealkylation (M3), oxygenation (M8), N‐demethylation (M10), N‐oxygenation (M12), GSH conjugation (M1, M2, M4, M5, M6 and M7) and N‐acetylcysteine conjugation (M9 and M11). The α,β‐unsaturated ketone was the major metabolic site and GSH conjugation was the predominant metabolic pathway. In conclusion, this study provided valuable metabolic data and would benefit the assessment of the contributions to the overall activity or toxicity from the key metabolites.
Development and validation of a UPLC–MS method for the determination of galantamine in guinea pig plasma and its application to a pre‐clinical bioavailability study of novel galantamine formulations
Authors: Wang Jiang , Pavurala Naresh , Xu Xiaoming , Krishnaiah Yellela S. R. , Faustino Patrick J.
Published: May 2018

To evaluate the bioavailability and pharmacokinetic profiles of two novel galantamine formulations as medical countermeasure products, an ultra‐performance liquid chromatography–single quadrupole mass spectrometry (UPLC–MS) method was developed and validated for quantifying galantamine in guinea pig plasma using solid‐phase extraction with a mixed mode strong cation exchange reversed‐phase cartridge. Chromatographic separation was achieved on a Waters Acquity UPLC BEH C18 column maintained at 40°C. The mobile phases were solution A, acetonitrile–water, 5:95 (v/v) and solution B, acetonitrile–water 90:10 (v/v), both containing 2 mM ammonium formate and 0.2% formic acid. The mobile phase was delivered utilizing a 3 min gradient program start with 95%A–5%B at a flow rate of 0.6 mL/min. The analyte and internal standard, galantamine‐d3, were detected by selected ion monitoring mode on a Waters 3100 single quadrupole mass spectrometer with positive electrospray ionization. The method was validated according to the US Food and Drug Administration bioanalytical guidance. The method was selective and was linear over the analytical range of 2–2000 ng/mL. Accuracy and precision were acceptable with intra‐ and inter‐day accuracies between 96.8 and 101% and precisions (RSD) <4.88%. The method was successfully implemented to measure galantamine plasma levels in a series of pre‐clinical bioavailability studies for the evaluation of novel galantamine formulations.
The impact of diabetes on the prognostic value of left ventricular function following percutaneous coronary intervention: Insights from the British Cardiovascular Intervention Society
Authors: Jackson Matthew , Austin David , Kwok Chun Shing , Rashid Muhammad , Kontopantelis Evangelos , Ludman Peter , de Belder Mark , Mamas Mamas A. , Zaman Azfar
Published: May 2018

Objectives

To study the relationship between diabetes mellitus (DM) and left ventricular (LV) function on outcomes following percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

Background

DM is a growing public health challenge worldwide and a significant risk factor for cardiovascular disease and heart failure.

Methods

All PCI procedures performed between 2006 and 2013 with LV function and diabetic status recorded in the BCIS‐NICOR database were included. Demographic, procedural, and clinical outcomes data were collected. Multivariable logistic regression was used to provide adjusted estimates of clinical outcome by LV function and DM, including DM sub‐type.

Results

Of 260,726 patients, DM was present in 52,160 (20%); moderate LV systolic dysfunction (LVSD) was present in 51,266 (20%), and severe LVSD in 18,148 (7%). Worsening LVSD in diabetic patients was associated with poorer prognosis following PCI; moderate LVSD odds ratio (OR) 2.03 (95% CI 1.72–2.38) and severe LVSD OR 4.17 (95% CI 3.52–4.93). There was a higher crude and adjusted mortality rate for patients with DM across all grades of LVSD. However, the relative effect of DM appeared attenuated in the severe LVSD group compared with moderate or good LV function, particularly evident in patients with insulin requiring DM (good LV OR 2.09 [95% CI 1.66–2.65]; moderate LVSD OR 1.56 [95% CI 1.26–1.93], poor LV OR 1.40 [95% CI 1.13–1.74]).

Conclusions

DM was associated with increased 30‐day mortality for all grades of LV function. The prognostic impact of DM was strongest in patients with normal LV function and less evident in patients with severe LV systolic dysfunction.
Computational simulation of vibrationally resolved spectra for spin‐forbidden transitions
Authors: Egidi Franco , Fusè Marco , Baiardi Alberto , Bloino Julien , Li Xiaosong , Barone Vincenzo
Published: May 2018

In this computational study, we illustrate a method for computing phosphorescence and circularly polarized phosphorescence spectra of molecular systems, which takes into account vibronic effects including both Franck‐Condon and Herzberg‐Teller contributions. The singlet and triplet states involved in the phosphorescent emission are described within the harmonic approximation, and the method fully takes mode‐mixing effects into account when evaluating Franck‐Condon integrals. Spin‐orbit couplings, which are responsible for these otherwise forbidden phenomena, are accounted for by means of a relativistic two‐component time‐dependent density functional theory method. The model is applied to two types of chiral systems: camphorquinone, a rigid organic system that allows for an extensive benchmark, and some members of a class of iridium complexes. The merits and shortcomings of the methods are discussed, and some perspectives for future developments are offered.
Thermodynamic Insight into the Effects of Water Displacement and Rearrangement upon Ligand Modifications using Molecular Dynamics Simulations
Authors: Wahl Joel , Smieško Martin
Published: May 2018

Computational methods, namely molecular dynamics (MD) simulations in combination with inhomogeneous fluid solvation theory (IFST) were used to retrospectively investigate various cases of ligand structure modifications that led to the displacement of binding site water molecules. Our findings are that water displacement per se is energetically unfavorable in the discussed examples, and that it is merely the fine balance between change in protein–ligand interaction energy, ligand solvation free energies, and binding site solvation free energies that determine if water displacement is favorable or not. We furthermore evaluated if we can reproduce experimental binding affinities by a computational approach combining changes in solvation free energies with changes in protein–ligand interaction energies and entropies. In two of the seven cases, this estimation led to large errors, implying that accurate predictions of relative binding free energies based on solvent thermodynamics is challenging. Nevertheless, MD simulations can provide insight regarding which water molecules can be targeted for displacement.
Fast approximation algorithms for task‐based runtime systems
Authors: Beaumont Olivier , Eyraud‐Dubois Lionel , Kumar Suraj
Published: May 2018

In High Performance Computing, heterogeneity is now the norm with specialized accelerators like GPUs providing efficient computational power. Resulting complexity led to the development of task‐based runtime systems, where complex computations are described as task graphs, and scheduling decisions are made at runtime to perform load balancing between all the resources of the platforms. Developing good scheduling strategies, even at the scale of a single node, and analyzing them both theoretically and in practice are expected to have a very high impact on the performance of current HPC systems. The special case of 2 kinds of resources, typically CPUs and GPUs, is already of great practical interest. The scheduling policy HeteroPrio has been proposed in the context of fast multipole computations (FMM) and has been extended to general task graphs with very promising results. In this paper, we provide a theoretical study of the performance of HeteroPrio, by proving approximation bounds compared to the optimal schedule, both in the case of independent tasks and in the case of general task graphs. Interestingly, our results establish that spoliation (a technique that enables resources to restart uncompleted tasks on another resource) is enough to prove bounded approximation ratios for a list scheduling algorithm on two unrelated resources, which is known to be impossible otherwise. This result holds true both for the independent and dependent tasks graphs. Additionally, we provide an experimental evaluation of HeteroPrio on real task graphs from dense linear algebra computation, which establishes its strong performance in practice.
Zebrafish: Development of a Vertebrate Model Organism
Authors: Meyers Jason R.
Published: May 2018

Zebrafish (Danio rerio) are a small‐bodied tropical, freshwater fish species originally from South Asia. The ease of care, year‐round prolific breeding, and transparent, external development have made these fish a popular model vertebrate for many fields of biology. Over the past 40 years, the development of methods for genetic and developmental manipulation have driven a rapid rise in their use in research. This review provides an orientation to the zebrafish as a model system, from its ecology and life history to its early use in research and adoption as a key genetic model for vertebrate development. Its current uses and key techniques that highlight future areas of development of the system are also discussed. Finally, an introduction to the essentials of zebrafish use and care are presented, highlighting the ease of adoption of this system for teaching and research use. © 2018 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Reconstitution and Electrophysiological Characterization of Ion Channels in Lipid Bilayers
Authors: Klaerke Dan A. , Tejada Maria de los Angeles , Christensen Vibeke Grøsfjeld , Lassen Mette , Pedersen Per Amstrup , Calloe Kirstine
Published: May 2018

Detergent‐solubilized purified ion channels can be reconstituted into lipid bilayers for electrophysiological analysis. Traditionally, ion channels were inserted into vesicles and subsequently fused with planar “black lipid membranes” formed from lipids dissolved in a hydrophobic solvent such as decane. Provided in this article is a step‐by‐step guide to reconstitute purified ion channel proteins into giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs). This procedure results in the formation of proteoliposomes that can be used for planar bilayer formation and electrophysiological characterization of single‐channel currents. By using preformed GUVs it is possible to omit the membrane solvent. Compared to traditional preparations, the lipid bilayers formed from GUVs provide an environment that more closely resembles the native cell membrane. Also described is an alternate protocol that entails the production of planar lipid bilayers from GUVs onto which proteins in detergent are added. © 2018 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Diabetic foot syndrome in patients with diabetes. A multicenter German/Austrian DPV analysis on 33 870 patients
Authors: Bohn Barbara , Grünerbel Arthur , Altmeier Marcus , Giesche Carsten , Pfeifer Martin , Wagner Christian , Heise Nikolai , Best Frank , Fasching Peter , Holl Reinhard W.
Published: May 2018

Aims

The diabetic foot syndrome (DFS) is a serious complication in patients with diabetes increasing the risk for minor/major amputations. This analysis aimed to examine differences in diabetes patients with or without DFS stratified by type 1 (T1D) or type 2 diabetes (T2D).

Material and Methods

Adult patients (≥20y of age) with diabetes from the German/Austrian diabetes patients follow‐up registry (DPV) were included. The cross‐sectional study comprised 45 722 subjects with T1D (nDFS = 2966) and 313 264 with T2D (nDFS = 30 904). In DFS, minor/major amputations were analysed. To compare HbA1C, neuropathy, nephropathy, cardiovascular disease risk factors, and macrovascular complications between patients with or without DFS, regression models were conducted. Confounders: age, sex, diabetes duration.

Results

In patients with DFS, a minor amputation was documented in 27.2% (T1D) and 25.9% (T2D), a major amputation in 10.2% (T1D) and 11.3% (T2D). Regression models revealed that neuropathy was more frequent in subjects with DFS compared with patients without DFS (T1D: 70.7 vs 29.8%; T2D: 59.4% vs 36.9%; both P < 0.0001). Hypertension, nephropathy, peripheral vascular disease, stroke, or myocardial infarction was more common compared with patients without DFS (all P < 0.0001). In T1D with DFS, a slightly higher HbA1C (8.11% vs 7.95%; P < 0.0001) and in T2D with DFS a lower HbA1C (7.49% vs 7.69%; P < 0.0001) was observed.

Conclusions

One third of the patients with DFS had an amputation of the lower extremity. Especially neuropathy or peripheral vascular disease was more prevalent in patients with DFS. New concepts to prevent DFS‐induced amputations and to reduce cardiovascular risk factors before the occurrence of DFS are necessary.
Phase I metabolism of the carbazole‐derived synthetic cannabinoids EG‐018, EG‐2201, and MDMB‐CHMCZCA and detection in human urine samples
Authors: Mogler Lukas , Franz Florian , Wilde Maurice , Huppertz Laura M. , Halter Sebastian , Angerer Verena , Moosmann Bjoern , Auwärter Volker
Published: May 2018

Synthetic cannabinoids (SCs) are a structurally diverse class of new psychoactive substances. Most SCs used for recreational purposes are based on indole or indazole core structures. EG‐018 (naphthalen‐1‐yl(9‐pentyl‐9H‐carbazol‐3‐yl)methanone), EG‐2201 ((9‐(5‐fluoropentyl)‐9H‐carbazol‐3‐yl)(naphthalen‐1‐yl)methanone), and MDMB‐CHMCZCA (methyl 2‐(9‐(cyclohexylmethyl)‐9H‐carbazole‐3‐carboxamido)‐3,3‐dimethylbutanoate) are 3 representatives of a structural subclass of SCs, characterized by a carbazole core system. In vitro and in vivo phase I metabolism studies were conducted to identify the most suitable metabolites for the detection of these substances in urine screening. Detection and characterization of metabolites were performed by liquid chromatography–electrospray ionization–tandem mass spectrometry (LC–ESI–MS/MS) and liquid chromatography–electrospray ionization–quadrupole time‐of‐flight–mass spectrometry (LC–ESI–QToF–MS). Eleven in vivo metabolites were detected in urine samples positive for metabolites of EG‐018 (n = 8). A hydroxypentyl metabolite, most probably the 4‐hydroxypentyl isomer, and an N‐dealkylated metabolite mono‐hydroxylated at the carbazole core system were most abundant. In vitro studies of EG‐018 and EG‐2201 indicated that oxidative defluorination of the 5‐fluoropentyl side chain of EG‐2201 as well as dealkylation led to common metabolites with EG‐018. This has to be taken into account for interpretation of analytical findings. A differentiation between EG‐018 and EG‐2201 (n = 1) uptake is possible by the detection of compound‐specific in vivo phase I metabolites evaluated in this study. Out of 30 metabolites detected in urine samples of MDMB‐CHMCZCA users (n = 20), a metabolite mono‐hydroxylated at the cyclohexyl methyl tail is considered the most suitable compound‐specific consumption marker while a biotransformation product of mono‐hydroxylation in combination with hydrolysis of the terminal methyl ester function provides best sensitivity due to its high abundance.
Insights into the phylogenetic and molecular evolutionary histories of Fad and Elovl gene families in Actiniaria
Authors: Surm Joachim M. , Toledo Tarik M. , Prentis Peter J. , Pavasovic Ana
Published: May 2018

The biosynthesis of long‐chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC‐PUFAs, ≥ C20) is reliant on the action of desaturase and elongase enzymes, which are encoded by the fatty acyl desaturase (Fad) and elongation of very long‐chain fatty acid (Elovl) gene families, respectively. In Metazoa, research investigating the distribution and evolution of these gene families has been restricted largely to Bilateria. Here, we provide insights into the phylogenetic and molecular evolutionary histories of the Fad and Elovl gene families in Cnidaria, the sister phylum to Bilateria. Four model cnidarian genomes and six actiniarian transcriptomes were interrogated. Analysis of the fatty acid composition of a candidate cnidarian species, Actinia tenebrosa, was performed to determine the baseline profile of this species. Phylogenetic analysis revealed lineage‐specific gene duplication in actiniarians for both the Fad and Elovl gene families. Two distinct cnidarian Fad clades clustered with functionally characterized Δ5 and Δ6 proteins from fungal and plant species, respectively. Alternatively, only a single cnidarian Elovl clade clustered with functionally characterized Elovl proteins (Elovl4), while two additional clades were identified, one actiniarian‐specific (Novel ElovlA) and the another cnidarian‐specific (Novel ElovlB). In actiniarians, selection analyses revealed pervasive purifying selection acting on both gene families. However, codons in the Elovl gene family show patterns of nucleotide variation consistent with the action of episodic diversifying selection following gene duplication events. Significantly, these codons may encode amino acid residues that are functionally important for Elovl proteins to target and elongate different precursor fatty acids. In A. tenebrosa, the fatty acid analysis revealed an absence of LC‐PUFAs > C20 molecules and implies that the Elovl enzymes are not actively contributing to the elongation of these LC‐PUFAs. Overall, this study has revealed that actiniarians possess Fad and Elovl genes required for the biosynthesis of some LC‐PUFAs, and that these genes appear to be distinct from bilaterians.
Everything Should Be as Simple as It Can Be. But Not Simpler. Does Food Lipid Oxidation Require an Omics Approach?
Authors: Paradiso Vito M. , Pasqualone Antonella , Summo Carmine , Caponio Francesco
Published: May 2018

Lipid oxidation remains a major challenge for the food industry and for researchers. Current methods and knowledge often fail to adequately represent what is consistently observed in real systems. Practical experience strongly suggests the need for new paradigms to fully comprehend lipid oxidation. This viewpoint article aims to mention some critical aspects of current approaches in evaluating lipid oxidation in food systems, and to search for new epistemological and therefore experimental approaches by adopting an interdisciplinary perspective. Herein, suggestions are formulated for a holistic perspective by combining elements ranging from philology to community ecology and systems biology. Lipids undergoing oxidation are compared to ecological communities and living systems, to be considered as a whole, whose patterns change with space and time. As omics is an inductive, hypothesis‐generating, circular approach, involving multiparametric analysis, data integration/fusion, and multivariate statistical analysis (both supervised and unsupervised), it could thus provide a useful contribution to better understanding of oxidation and antioxidation processes, enabling laboratory results to be matched with what is observed in real complex foods.

Practical applications: There is still a large gap between the wealth of natural compounds with antioxidant activity and the availability of natural products able to prevent rancidity in food products. Moreover, healthy, highly unsaturated fatty acids still require appropriate methods to monitor oxidative spoilage. Dispersed systems and multidomain foods pose new daily challenges regarding oxidation assessment and control. These are critical issues in the food industry, indicating the need to identify a new approach to lipid oxidation in food systems, and this viewpoint article is a contribution to the ongoing debate.

A new epistemological paradigm for lipid oxidation in food systems. It consists of the reiteration of hypothesis‐generating studies (oxidomics), requiring multiparametric, comprehensive profiling of the oxidation patterns (oxidome) and their changes. The outcome is a progressive improvement in the knowledge of complex systems and the selection of appropriate predisposition, prognostic and diagnostic marker patterns for the oxidation process.
Sediment accumulation in embayments controlled by bathymetric slope and wave energy: Implications for beach formation and persistence
Authors: Preston John , Hurst Martin D. , Mudd Simon M. , Goodwin Guillaume C.H. , Newton Anthony J. , Dugmore Andrew J.
Published: May 2018

High energy, rocky coastlines often feature sandy beaches within headland‐bound embayments. Not all such embayments have beaches however, and beaches in embayments can be removed by storms and may subsequently reform. What dictates the presence or absence of an embayed beach and its resilience to storms? In this paper, we explore the effect of offshore slope and wind conditions on nearshore sediment transport within idealised embayments to give insight into nearshore sediment supplies. We use numerical simulations to show that sand can accumulate near shore if the offshore slope is >0.025 m/m, but only under persistent calm conditions. Our modelling also suggests that if sediment in an embayment with an offshore gradient steeper than 0.025 m/m is removed during a period of persistent stormy conditions, it will be unlikely to return in sub‐decadal timescales. In contrast, sediment located in embayments with shallower gradients can reform swiftly in both calm and stormy conditions. Our findings have wide implications for contemporary coastal engineering in the face of future global climate change, but also for Quaternary environmental reconstruction. Our simple method to predict beach stability based on slope can be used to interpret differing responses of embayments to periods of changing coastal storminess such as the medieval climate anomaly‐little ice age (MCA‐LIA) transition. © 2018 The Authors. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Deterioration processes affecting prehistoric rock art engravings in granite in NW Spain
Authors: Pozo‐Antonio J.S. , Rivas T. , Carrera F. , García L.
Published: May 2018

Prehistoric rock art sites are endangered despite conservation efforts. The lack of scientific documentation regarding weathering agents affecting rock art and the absence of specific diagnostic protocols hinder the development of conservation strategies. The aim of this research was to investigate active deterioration processes in a granite petroglyph site located in Mougás (Galicia, NW Spain) by characterizing the granite, conducting a geotechnical study of the outcrop and describing and analysing the main weathering processes. Two main deterioration factors were identified. First, water favours block disjunction at the massif scale and causes pitting and surface erosion at the millimetre scale that affects the readability of the engravings. Second, high temperatures associated with wildfires cause mineral transformations that increase the susceptibility of the rock to weathering. Identifying deterioration factors is a first step in developing appropriate preventive conservation measures, which should aim to reduce rock contact time with water (technically affordable in the short term) and to reduce the probability of wildfire occurrence (technically more complex and possibly with longer‐term results). Copyright © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Provably secure and authenticated data sharing protocol for IoT‐based crowdsensing network
Authors: Karati Arijit , Biswas G. P.
Published: May 2018

With the rapid developments in embedded sensor technology, the internet of things (IoT) becomes the most focused research trend in the recent years. However, the integration of such technology into mobile crowdsensing networks results in many security challenges. Data confidentiality and authenticity are the two key privacy concerns in any IoT‐based crowdsensing environment. Focusing on these security issues, we present a new cryptographic protocol to meet those challenges. Our protocol is based on two new schemes; first is an encryption scheme, which utilizes the idea of identity‐based encryption, and the second is a designated verifier signature scheme. Here, we design a pairing‐free and random oracle‐free encryption scheme with a small‐size public parameter where the anonymity of IoT‐recipient is maintained. Besides, the proposed designated verifier signature scheme facilitates the signatory to send a signature without sending the original message. The security of the encryption and signature schemes are proven in the standard security model based on the difficulty of proposed modified interactive quadratic residuosity “(MIQR)” assumption. Moreover, the schemes are compared with other relevant schemes and found several merits in terms of functionality. Thus, the proposed protocol is applicable in many IoT‐enabled crowdsourcing environments where the authenticity of confidential data is the major concern.
Batch‐based security‐aware spectrum sharing with simultaneous assignment decisions in time‐critical IoT networks with cognitive radio capabilities
Authors: Bany Salameh Haythem , Almajali Sufyan , Ayyash Moussa , Elgala Hany
Published: May 2018

Cognitive radio (CR) is considered as a key enabling communication technology that offers efficient wireless connectivity to Internet of Things (IoT) devices. Its integration with the future 5G architecture is expected to advance the IoT paradigm. Security attacks can severely degrade the performance of such CR‐based IoT (CRIoT) networks. The effect of security attacks can be reduced by implementing defensive approaches. However, such solutions come at the expense of degrading spectrum efficiency and consuming more network resources. In this paper, we investigate the spectrum sharing and access problem in a multidevice single‐transceiver CRIoT network with time‐critical applications under jamming attacks. Our main goal is to maximize the number of simultaneously served IoT devices over all available idle channels while ensuring delay requirement, hardware, link quality, security attacks, and spectrum utilization constraints. This problem is formulated as a total unimodular binary linear programming, which is shown to be solvable in polynomial time. Unlike most of previous security‐aware channel assignment solutions that conduct the channel assignment sequentially, our solution simultaneously provides secured distributed channel‐assignment decisions for multiple CRIoT links (batching method). Batching can be realized through an admission control stage for CR IoT devices to announce their control packets. Simulation results reveal that our solution significantly improves network performance compared to previous security‐aware schemes.
A unified performance analysis of decode‐and‐forward dual‐hop relaying‐based wireless energy harvesting with space modulation
Authors: Badarneh Osamah S. , Althunibat Saud , Mesleh Raed , Magableh Amer M.
Published: May 2018

Space modulation techniques (SMTs) are a group of multiple‐input–multiple‐output wireless systems in which the spatial indexes of transmit antennas are utilized to convey additional information bits. The SMTs promise significant enhancements in terms of spectral and energy efficiencies and attract significant research interest in literature. Several SMTs have been proposed including spatial modulation (SM) and quadrature SM. In this study, the performance of dual‐hop decode‐and‐forward relaying SM and quadrature SM in the presence of wireless power transfer is analyzed and thoroughly discussed. Specifically, we derive exact closed‐form expressions for the pairwise error probability (PEP). In addition, we derive simple and accurate asymptotic expressions for the PEP at high signal‐to‐noise ratio, which provides insight into the influence of different system parameters. The obtained PEP expressions are then employed to evaluate the overall average bit error rate (BER). It is worth highlighting that the derived expressions are unified in the sense that they are valid for the aforementioned SMTs and for two well‐known practical energy harvesting protocols, namely, power‐splitting receiver and time‐switching receiver. In addition, we derive a unified closed‐form expressions for the outage probability and achievable throughput at the destination node. The impact of diverse system parameters, such as the power‐splitting factor, the energy‐harvesting time factor, and the distance between the source and the relay nodes, on the overall system performance is studied. The accuracy of the analytical derivations is validated through Monte Carlo simulations results.
From funding liquidity to market liquidity: Evidence from the index options market
Authors: Liu Chunbo , Zhang Cheng , Zhou Zhiping
Published: May 2018

This study examines the relationship between funding liquidity and market liquidity using daily data on the S&P 500 index options. We find that options market liquidity is positively correlated with funding liquidity after controlling for market uncertainty. Further analysis reveals that the positive relationship between funding liquidity and market liquidity in the options market is mainly driven by short‐term and deep out‐of‐the‐money options. Our results remain robust after controlling for the confounding effects of the equity market and different data frequencies.
The deletion of dicer in mature myelinating glial cells causes progressive axonal degeneration but not overt demyelination in adult mice
Authors: Li Tao , Wang Jingjing , Wang Hongkai , Yang Yujian , Wang Shouyu , Huang Nanxin , Wang Fei , Gao Xing , Niu Jianqin , Li Zhifang , Mei Feng , Xiao Lan
Published: May 2018

Myelinating glial cells (MGCs), oligodendrocytes (OLs) in the central nervous system (CNS) and Schwann cells (SCs) in the peripheral nervous system (PNS), generate myelin sheaths that insulate axons. After myelination is completed in adulthood, MGC functions independent from myelin are required to support axon survival, but the underlying mechanisms are still unclear. Dicer is a key enzyme that is responsible for generating functional micro‐RNAs (miRNAs). Despite the importance of Dicer in initiating myelination, the role of Dicer in mature MGCs is still unclear. Here, Dicer was specifically deleted in mature MGCs in 2‐month old mice (PLP‐CreERT; Dicer fl/fl) by tamoxifen administration. Progressive motor dysfunction was observed in the Dicer conditional knockout mice, which displayed hind limb ataxia at 3 months post recombination that deteriorated into paralysis within 5 months. Massive axonal degeneration/atrophy in peripheral nerves was responsible for this phenomenon, but overt demyelination was not observed in either the CNS or PNS. In contrast to the PNS, signs of axonal degeneration were not observed in the CNS of these animals. We induced a Dicer deletion in oligodendroglia at postnatal day 5 in NG2‐CreERT; Dicer fl/fl mice to evaluate whether Dicer expression in OLs is essential for axonal survival. Dicer deletion in oligodendroglia did not cause motor dysfunction at the age of 7 months. Neither axonal atrophy nor demyelination was observed in the CNS. Based on our results, Dicer expression in SCs is required to maintain axon integrity in adult PNS, and Dicer is dispensable for maintaining myelin sheaths in MGCs.
USING SINGLE‐CASE DESIGNS TO EVALUATE COMPONENTS OF TRIBAL HOME‐VISITATION PROGRAMS
Authors: Chomos Julianna C. , Evans William P. , Bolan Marc , Merritt Lindsay , Meyer Aleta , Novins Douglas K.
Published: May 2018

Single‐case designs are typically used in classroom and clinical settings to assess the behavioral impacts of an intervention with an individual child. Using two illustrative case studies, this article describes the extension of this model to home‐visitation programs serving tribal communities and examines the lessons learned throughout the process of adapting this approach. Our experience suggests that the benefits of using this design outweigh the associated challenges and allows researchers to expand the use of single‐case designs to previously unexplored settings. Specifically, some of the benefits discussed include allowing for evaluative rigor in contexts with small samples, allowing everyone who qualifies to immediately participate, providing visual representations of the outcome—making the results more tangible and accessible to a broader audience, and allowing for a deep level of cultural sensitivity. The article also provides some general guidelines to address the practical challenges one may face when attempting to use single‐case designs in novel ways within nonschool settings.
Integrated microRNA and mRNA sequencing analysis of age‐related changes to mouse thymic epithelial cells
Authors: Jia Hong‐Ling , Zeng Xiao‐Qin , Huang Feng , Liu Ya‐Meng , Gong Bi‐Shuang , Zhang Kai‐Zhao , Zeng Jiang‐Hui , Guo Dong‐Guang , Wang Zhuo‐Ya , Li Yu‐Gu
Published: May 2018

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play key roles in the regulation of gene expression during multiple physiological processes, including early development, differentiation, and ageing. However, their involvement in age‐related thymic involution is not clear. In this study, we profiled the global transcriptome and miRNAome of thymic epithelial cells in 1‐ and 3‐month‐old male and female mice, and predicted the possible transcription factors and target genes of the four most significantly differentially expressed miRNAs (DEMs) (miR‐183‐5p, miR‐199b‐5p, miR‐205‐5p, and miR‐200b‐3p) by performing bioinformatics analyses. We also evaluated the relationships between the significantly DEMs and mRNAs. We performed quantitative polymerase chain reaction to confirm the changes in the expression of the miRNAs and their predicted target genes. We found that miR‐183‐5p, miR‐199b‐5p, miR‐205‐5p, and miR‐200b‐3p can be used as a biomarker group for mouse thymus development and involution. In addition, the predicted target genes (Ptpn4, Slc2a9, Pkib, Pecam1, and Prkdc), which were identified by mRNA sequencing analysis, were mainly involved in growth, development, and accelerated senescence. In conclusion, miRNAs and their predicted target genes likely play important roles in thymus development and involution. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to systematically analyze the relevance of miRNAs and their targets by mRNA sequencing in mouse thymic epithelial cells. © 2018 IUBMB Life, 70(7):678–690, 2018
Injectable hydrogels and nanocomposite hydrogels for cartilage regeneration
Authors: Jeznach Oliwia , Kołbuk Dorota , Sajkiewicz Pawe
Published: May 2018

Cartilage loss due to age‐related degeneration and mechanical trauma is a significant and challenging problem in the field of surgical medicine. Unfortunately, cartilage tissue can be characterized by the lack of regenerative ability. Limitations of conventional treatment strategies, such as auto‐, allo‐, and xenografts or implants stimulate an increasing interest in the tissue engineering approach to cartilage repair. This review discusses the application of polymer‐based scaffolds, with an emphasis on hydrogels in cartilage tissue engineering. We highlight injectable hydrogels with various micro‐ and nanoparticles, as they constitute a novel and attractive type of scaffolds. We discuss advantages, limitations, and future perspectives of injectable nanocomposite hydrogels for cartilage tissue regeneration. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A: 106A: 2762–2776, 2018.