bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Generation of Pd@Ni‐CNTs from Polyethylene Wastes and Their Application in the Electrochemical Hydrogen Evolution Reaction
Authors: Gao Lei , Zhou Fei , Chen Qianwang , Duan Guotao
Published: May 2018

Most polyethylene‐based plastics are used only few times, but the wastes resulted from them need hundreds of years to degrade completely in natural environment. Consequently, innovative treatment methods are highly desired to deal with these wastes thoroughly and convert them into more useful materials. Here in, carbon nanotubes with Ni particles encapsulation (marked as Ni‐CNTs) were synthesized in supercritical carbon dioxide system at 650 °C for 3 h firstly. The prepared Ni‐CNTs were tens of microns in length and 100 nm in diameter, and 20 wt% of Ni nanoparticles with a diameter of 100 nm were contained at the top of the carbon nanotubes. About 60.7 wt% carbon in the polyethylene wastes was converted to carbon nanotubes. Then Ni‐CNTs were modified by Pd (marked as Pd@Ni‐CNTs), and a plenty of Pd nanoparticles with a size of 10 nm were prepared on the surfaces of CNTs. The water splitting performance of the products was also obviously improved, and the overpotential can reach to 62 mV in N2‐saturated 0.5 M H2SO4 electrolyte with 7.5 wt.% of Pd. As the content of Pd increased, the performance of the products was also reinforced. At last, the performance of the catalyst can be comparable with commercial Pt/C catalyst.
Synthesis of Hierarchically Structured Metal−Organic Frameworks by a Dual‐Functional Surfactant
Authors: Duan Chongxiong , Zhang Hang , Peng Anguo , Li Feier , Xiao Jing , Zou JiFei , Luo Shaojuan , Xi Hongxia
Published: May 2018

Hierarchically structured metal−organic frameworks (H−MOFs) are of great importance because of their widespread applicability in gas storage, separation, and catalysis. However, the synthesis of H−MOFs with tunable porosity and high stability is still a tremendous challenge. Herein, two strategies are developed to prepare classical porous MOFs—hierarchically structured HKUST−1 (H‐HKUST−1): (1) through utilizing a dual‐functional surfactant as a template individually, H‐HKUST−1 was successfully synthesized in a solvothermal system. The obtained H‐HKUST−1 products possess well‐ordered mesopores together with high thermal stability, the porosity of H‐HKUST−1 depends on the amount of the template and the type of extraction solvents. The multi‐ammonium head of the introduced surfactant bonded with BTC3− anion to form the main framework while the long alkyl chain filled the space to form mesopores. (2) H‐HKUST−1 was also prepared rapidly at room temperature and ambient pressure through the simultaneous addition of a dual‐functional surfactant and zinc oxide (ZnO). The synthesis time was only 1 min, with a space–time yield (STY) for the as‐synthesized H‐HKUST−1 as high as 3.1 × 104 kg⋅m−3⋅d−1, which is at least one order of magnitude higher than previously reported results. The present approach opens up new avenues for the templated synthesis of stable H−MOFs with tunable porosity and high stability for a wide range of applications.
Investigation of crack propagation of the concentric anchorage zones based on linear elastic fracture mechanics
Authors: Zhou Linyun , Liu Zhao , He Zhiqi
Published: May 2018

In the past decades, significant progress has been made in prediction of the structural behavior of the posttensioned anchorage zones, an aspect which has not yet been sufficiently clear up, however, is the serviceability behavior of posttensioned anchorage zones, especially with regard to the crack formation. To address this problem, a numerical method based on linear elastic fracture mechanics is proposed to investigate the crack propagation in posttensioned anchorage zones, and predict the structural behavior in the serviceability state. Following Irwin's approach, an effective crack length is proposed for I‐II mixed‐mode crack growth. The numerical analyses of the tested anchorage zone specimens show that the proposed procedure is able to accurately describe the crack propagation behavior, including crack length, crack width, and crack trace. Parameter analysis is performed to study the effects of the layout of the reinforcement on crack width in the service state. The results show that the proper bursting rebar diameters and rebar spacing can lead to the significant decrease of the crack width, while the longitudinal rebar makes little contribution to cracking control.
Impacts of using lakes and rivers for extraction and disposal of heat
Authors: Gaudard Adrien , Weber Christine , Alexander Timothy J. , Hunziker Stefan , Schmid Martin
Published: May 2018

The extraction and disposal of heat from lakes and rivers is a large yet scarcely exploited source of renewable energy, which can partly replace fossil fuel heating and electrical cooling systems. Its use is expected to increase in the near future, which brings attention to the impacts of discharging thermally altered water into aquatic systems. Our review indicates that thermal discharge affects physical and ecological processes, with impacts recorded at all levels of biological organization. Many in situ studies found local effects of thermal discharge (such as attraction or avoidance of mobile organisms), while impacts at the scale of the whole water body were rarely detected. In complex systems, diffuse impacts of thermal discharge are difficult to disentangle from natural variability or other anthropogenic influences. Discharge of warm water in summer is likely to be most critical, especially in the context of climate change. Under this scenario, water temperatures may reach maxima that negatively affect some species. Given the diversity and complexity of the impacts of thermal pollution on aquatic systems, careful planning and judicious management is required when using lakes and rivers for extraction and disposal of heat. We discuss the drivers that influence the severity of potential impacts of such thermal use, and the options available to avoid or mitigate these impacts (such as adapting the operating conditions).

This article is categorized under:

Science of Water > Water Quality

Water and Life > Stresses and Pressures on Ecosystems

Engineering Water > Sustainable Engineering of Water
Introducing an Exploitation/Fair Dealings Scale for Evaluating Living Organ Donor Policies Using Iran as the Test Case
Authors: Fry‐Revere Sigrid , Chen Deborah , Bastani Bahar , Golestani Simin , Agarwal Rachana , Kugathasan Howsikan , Le Melissa
Published: May 2018

This article presents a tool for evaluating whether living organ donor systems are exploitive or fair to donors. The exploitation/fair dealing scale introduced in this article relies on broadly accepted notions of exploitation and fair dealing from U.S. bioethics literature and U.S. jurisprudence. The 10‐factor/14‐point scale derived from those concepts is then applied to Iran as an illustrative example. It is our hope that the scale will be useful for evaluating living organ donor policies around the world.
TCP Performance over Current Cellular Access: A Comprehensive Analysis
Authors: Atxutegi Eneko , Arvidsson Åke , Liberal Fidel , Grinnemo Karl-Johan , Brunstrom Anna
Published: May 2018

Mobile Internet usage has increased significantly over the last decade and it is expected to grow to almost 4 billion users by 2020. Even after the great effort dedicated to improving the performance, there still exist unresolved questions and problems regarding the interaction between TCP and mobile broadband technologies such as LTE. This chapter presents a thorough investigation of the behavior of distinct TCP implementation under various network conditions in different LTE deployments including to which extent TCP is capable of adapting to the rapid variability of mobile networks under different network loads, with distinct flow types, during start-up phase and in mobile scenarios at different speeds. Loss-based algorithms tend to completely fill the queue, creating huge standing queues and inducing packet losses both under stillness and mobility circumstances. On the other side delay-based variants are capable of limiting the standing queue size and decreasing the amount of packets that are dropped in the eNodeB, but under some circumstances they are not able to reach the maximum capacity. Similarly, under mobility in which the radio conditions are more challenging for TCP, the loss-based TCP implementations offer better throughput and are able to better utilize available resources than the delay-based variants do. Finally, CUBIC under highly variable circumstances usually enters congestion avoidance phase prematurely, provoking a slower and longer start-up phase due to the use of Hybrid Slow-Start mechanism. Therefore, CUBIC is unable to efficiently utilize radio resources during shorter transmission sessions.
Prospective cohort study of pregnancy complications and birth outcomes in women with asthma
Authors: Fazel Nasrin , Kundi Michael , Jensen-Jarolim Erika , Pali-Schöll Isabella , Kazemzadeh Asghar , Abdizadeh Mojtaba Fattahi , Esmaily Habibollah , Akbarzadeh Roya , Ahmadi Raheleh
Published: May 2018

Background

Asthma is the most common potentially serious medical complication in pregnancy. The purpose of this study was to determine the association between maternal asthma and a spectrum of adverse neonatal and maternal outcomes.

Methods

Events during pregnancy and birth outcome were evaluated in 34 asthmatic as well as 1569 non-asthmatic pregnant women who were enrolled in a prospective cohort study undertaken at the antenatal clinics of Mobini Hospital in Iran. The women were interviewed and classified according to clinical severity and asthma control as per GINA guidelines. Information on asthma symptoms was collected by a questionnaire as well as by spirometry and physical examination. All subjects were followed until delivery, and postpartum charts were reviewed to assess neonatal and maternal outcomes. Eosinophil cells counts were obtained and total IgE was measured by ELISA. Results were assessed by multivariate logistic regression adjusting for maternal age and parity, and for birth outcomes, for gestational diabetes, and hypertension/pre-eclampsia.

Results

The well-known relationship between family history of asthma and asthma in pregnancy was again supported (p < 0.001). Women with asthma had more bleeding events 3 weeks or more before delivery (OR 3.30, 95% CI 1.41–7.26), more often placenta problems (OR 6.86, 95% CI 1.42–33.02), and gestational diabetes mellitus (OR 3.82, 95% CI 1.06–13.75). No significant differences between asthmatic and non-asthmatic mothers regarding duration of gestation, birthweight, low Apgar scores, or neonatal respiratory difficulties were found. Total IgE antibody levels and eosinophil counts did not differ by asthma control and severity.

Conclusions

Asthma in pregnancy poses some risk for pregnancy complications and adverse perinatal outcomes. Managing asthma effectively throughout pregnancy could benefit women and their babies and help to reduce the health burden associated with asthma during pregnancy.
Getting with the times: a narrative review of the literature on group decision making in virtual environments and implications for promotions committees
Authors: Acai Anita , Sonnadara Ranil R. , O’Neill Thomas A.
Published: May 2018

Introduction Concerns around the time and administrative burden of trainee promotion processes have been reported, making virtual meetings an attractive option for promotions committees in undergraduate and postgraduate medicine. However, whether such meetings can uphold the integrity of decision-making processes has yet to be explored. This narrative review aimed to summarize the literature on decision making in virtual teams, discuss ways to improve the effectiveness of virtual teams, and explore their implications for practice. Methods In August 2017, the Web of Science platform was searched with the terms ‘decision making’ AND ‘virtual teams’ for articles published within the last 20 years. The search yielded 336 articles, which was narrowed down to a final set of 188 articles. A subset of these, subjectively deemed to be of high-quality and relevant to the work of promotions committees, was included in this review. Results Virtual team functioning was explored with respect to team composition and development, idea generation and selection, group memory, and communication. While virtual teams were found to potentially offer a number of key benefits over face-to-face meetings including convenience and scheduling flexibility, inclusion of members at remote sites, and enhanced idea generation and external storage, these benefits must be carefully weighed against potential challenges involving planning and coordination, integration of perspectives, and relational conflict among members, all of which can potentially reduce decision-making quality. Discussion Avenues to address these issues and maximize the outcomes of virtual promotions meetings are offered in light of the evidence.
Premature Ejaculation Among Italian Men: Prevalence and Clinical Correlates From an Observational, Non-Interventional, Cross-Sectional, Epidemiological Study (IPER)
Authors: Verze Paolo , Arcaniolo Davide , Palmieri Alessandro , Cai Tommaso , La Rocca Roberto , Franco Marco , Venturino Luca , De Sio Marco , Mirone Vincenzo
Published: May 2018

Introduction

There is a great variability in the prevalence of premature ejaculation (PE) worldwide and only few data are available about the Italian population.

Aim

To determine the prevalence of PE in the adult male population in Italy.

Methods

Adult men 18 to 80 years old who were sexually active were randomly sampled from patient lists of general practitioners in Italy and were included in this observational, non-interventional, cross-sectional epidemiologic study from January to July 2015.

Main Outcome Measures

Subjects were asked to complete general questionnaires on anthropometric data, lifestyle, education, occupation, economic conditions, general health status, comorbidities, and sexual habits: the Premature Ejaculation Diagnostic Tool (PEDT), the 5-item International Index of Erectile Function, and the Sexual Quality of Life Questionnaire–Male.

Results

1,104 subjects were recruited. Mean age was 45.6 years. Mean prevalence of PE based on PEDT score (≥11) was 18.5%, and 12.4% self-reported an intravaginal ejaculatory latency time shorter than 1 minute. Prevalence of PE proportionally increased with age. 64.6% of patients presented lifelong PE vs 35.4% of patients who reported acquired PE. Estimated prevalence of coexisting PE and erectile dysfunction was 7.0%. Furthermore, overall quality of sexual life was significantly worse in men with PE (P = .006). Enrolled men reported an overall rate of sexual problems in their partners of approximately 30%. 31.3% of patients with PE did not seek help for their dysfunction. No significant differences were noted between patients with and without PE for body mass index, alcohol consumption, smoking habits, physical activity, education, economic conditions, and marital status.

Conclusions

PE has a high prevalence in the Italian male population, increases with age, and heavily affects quality of life in patients and their partners. Encouraging data exist concerning the percentage of patients seeking help for their condition.
Colorectal adenocarcinoma staging of patients in a public tertiary hospital in the state of Grande do Sul
Authors: Berg Elias de Mattos , Ruszczyk Juliana Vasconcelos de Abreu , Moschetti Laura , Carvalho Luciano Pinto de , Koshimizu Ruy Takashi , Koppe Daniela Cerqueira
Published: May 2018

Introduction Colorectal cancer has the second highest prevalence and the third highest incidence in the world. Mortality is directly related to the stage of the disease.

Objective To evaluate the staging of patients with colorectal adenocarcinoma treated at the Coloproctology Department of the Hospital Nossa Senhora da Conceição between 2010 and 2015.

Method Prevalence study. Data collection was performed retrospectively through a survey in the electronic system of the Hospital Group Conceição, seeking all patients with ICD 10 C18, C19 and C20 who were attended at the Coloproctology Department between 2010 and 2015.

Results Four hundred and twenty patients were eligible for the study. The mean age was 65.6 years (±12.8). Regarding staging, we observed the following distribution: 7.9%, stage I; 23.6%, stage II; 37.6%, stage III; and 30.2%, stage IV. The percentage of patients with advanced colorectal adenocarcinoma (stage III + stage IV) is 67.8%. Regarding the origin, 51% of the patients were attended at the emergency department.

Conclusion Most patients treated at this hospital have advanced disease (67%) and come from the emergency department (51%).
The Feasibility of Blood Flow Restriction Exercise in Patients With Incomplete Spinal Cord Injury
Authors: Stavres Jon , Singer Tyler J. , Brochetti Amber , Kilbane Martin J. , Brose Steven W. , McDaniel John
Published: May 2018

Background

Blood flow restriction (BFR) exercise, which already has shown promise in the able‐bodied population, may be a novel method for improving muscle function in the incomplete spinal cord injury (iSCI) population. However, the feasibility and tolerance for BFR exercise in this population is unknown.

Objective

To determine the feasibility and safety of BFR exercise in the iSCI population, with special attention paid to acute hemodynamic changes and the risk of deep vein thrombosis (DVT).

Design

Within‐subjects repeated measures design.

Setting

Outpatient SCI rehabilitation unit in a Veterans Affairs medical center.

Participants

Nine individuals with varying levels of iSCI and varying functional abilities.

Methods

Subjects performed a trial of unilateral BFR knee extension (3 × 10) with, and without, BFR (125% of venous occlusion pressure) in a counterbalanced order.

Main Outcome Measurements

Acute autonomic dysreflexia risk, total work, pain, perceived difficulty, muscle activation, lactate, hemodynamics, and tissue oxygenation were compared between conditions. Each subject was screened for a DVT at baseline and returned for a quantitative D‐dimer assessment 3‐4 days after the protocol.

Results

All subjects were able to complete each BFR trial without showing signs of autonomic dysreflexia or DVT formation. No differences were observed for pain, perceived effort, muscular activation, or lactate between BFR and control exercise. Mean arterial pressure and systolic pressure both increased with exercise (18.8% and 17.6% in BFR, and 19.4% and 19.6% in control, respectively; P < .05) but were not different between conditions. Oxyhemoglobin and deoxyhemoglobin saturation both increased during BFR exercise (+12.3 ± 96.7 and +105.4 ± 76.7, respectively), whereas tissue oxygenation index decreased (–6.5 ± 3.0%; P < .05 for all comparisons).

Conclusions

Results suggest that controlled BFR exercise can be safely performed by individuals with iSCI without added cardiovascular strain or heightened pain.

Level of Evidence

IV
Digital technologies as biomarkers, clinical outcomes assessment, and recruitment tools in Alzheimer's disease clinical trials
Authors: Gold Michael , Amatniek Joan , Carrillo Maria C. , Cedarbaum Jesse M. , Hendrix James A. , Miller Bradley B. , Robillard Julie M. , Rice J. Jeremy , Soares Holly , Tome Maria B. , Tarnanas Ioannis , Vargas Gabriel , Bain Lisa J. , Czaja Sara J.
Published: May 2018

Digital technology is transforming the development of drugs for Alzheimer's disease and was the topic of the Alzheimer's Association's Research Roundtable on its May 23–24, 2017 meeting. Research indicates that wearable devices and unobtrusive passive sensors that enable the collection of frequent or continuous, objective, and multidimensional data during daily activities may capture subtle changes in cognition and functional capacity long before the onset of dementia. The potential to exploit these technologies to improve clinical trials as both recruitment and retention tools as well as for potential end points was discussed. The implications for the collection and use of large amounts of data, lessons learned from other related disease areas, ethical concerns raised by these new technologies, and regulatory issues were also covered in the meeting. Finally, the challenges and opportunities of these new technologies for future use were discussed.
Predictors of antidepressant use in the English population: analysis of the Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey
Authors: Boyle S. , Murphy J. , Rosato M. , Boduszek D. , Shevlin M.
Published: May 2018

Objectives

The rate of antidepressant use in the United Kingdom has outpaced diagnostic increases in the prevalence of depression. Research has suggested that personal and socioeconomic risk factors may be contributing to antidepressant use. To date, few studies have addressed these possible contributions. Thus, this study aimed to assess the relative strength of personal, socioeconomic and trauma-related risk factors in predicting antidepressant use.

Methods

Data were derived from the Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey (n=7403), a nationally representative household sample of adults residing in England in 2007. A multivariate binary logistic regression model was developed to assess the associations between personal, socioeconomic and trauma-related risk factors and current antidepressant use.

Results

The strongest predictor of current antidepressant use was meeting the criteria for an ICD-10 depressive episode [odds ratio (OR)=9.04]. Other significant predictors of antidepressant use in this analysis included English as first language (OR=3.45), female gender (OR=1.98), unemployment (OR=1.82) and childhood sexual abuse (OR=1.53).

Conclusions

Several personal, socioeconomic and trauma-related factors significantly contributed to antidepressant use in the multivariate model specified. These findings aid our understanding of the broader context of antidepressant use in the United Kingdom.
Bridging the Research-to-Practice Gap: Implementing the Research-to-Practice Model
Authors: Grima-Farrell Christine
Published: May 2018

In recent years, researchers have worked closely with parents, teachers, other school staff, and external stakeholders to increase knowledge on ways to effectively teach children and adolescents with disabilities in mainstream school settings. State, national, and global directives have encouraged the implementation of research-based practices and contributed to advocacy efforts for students with and without disabilities. In a longitudinal comparative case study, Grima-Farrell (2017) responded to these movements by striving to enhance teacher knowledge on how to effectively implement and sustain the use of validated teaching approaches to maximise the student engagement and success of all students. This paper specifically reports on the school-based efforts of 6 experienced teachers as they strive to implement research-based practices to respond to the diverse needs of their students. Results are presented using the research-to-practice model (Grima-Farrell, 2017) as a conceptual framework for guiding instructional decision-making through the implementation and sustained use of validated educational research approaches.
Resiliency and Pitfalls of Crisis Regimes: Reimagining The Future of Turkey's Democracy through the Lens of the Indian Emergency
Authors: Sezgin Yüksel
Published: May 2018

Five days after the attempted coup d’état of 15 July 2016, a state of emergency was declared in Turkey. Under the emergency rule, constitutional rights and liberties are suspended and parliament and the courts are reduced to the regime's rubber stamp, while the country is ruled by one man through decrees. While many question how the legal and political developments in Turkey will unfold, and whether and how the democratic backslide and decline in rule of law can be reversed, Indira Gandhi's emergency (1975–77) offers a useful historical heuristic case. With striking similarities to the conditions in Turkey today, during the Indian emergency the judiciary, especially the Indian Supreme Court (ISC), was subjugated to the will of Prime Minister Gandhi through means of constitutional amendments and political appointments that compromised the integrity of justices. Yet, shortly after the end of emergency the ISC regained the trust and respect of the Indian people, thereby playing an instrumental role in the restoration of Indian democracy. Through a close analysis of the Indian emergency rule, the present article explores the conditions of democratic survival and whether and how the Turkish judiciary can reclaim its independence, spearhead a rights revolution, and help restore the democratic order.
Dialectics of Reform and Repression: Unpacking Turkey's Authoritarian “Turn”
Authors: Erensü Sinan , Alemdaroğlu Ayça
Published: May 2018

Twenty-first century Turkey has been shaped by two conflicting trends: all-encompassing reform in almost all aspects of law that were transformative if not altogether progressive, and an increasing erosion of the rule of law, which finally culminated in a nation-wide emergency regime and the April 2017 constitutional referendum. The pressing question for many is why the promising reform era was abandoned for crude repression? In this essay, we answer this question by challenging its very foundation and pointing instead to an alternative line of inquiry concerning Turkish politics and society, one that focuses precisely on the interplay between reform and repression. The constitutional referendum of April 2017 compels observers and scholars of Turkey to reevaluate the interplay between reform and repression. Rather than reading contemporary Turkey as a case of relapse from reform into repression, as many commentators do, we suggest approaching reform and repression as concomitant and complementary modes of government.
Role of neutrophils in equine asthma
Authors: Uberti Benjamin , Morán Gabriel
Published: May 2018

Neutrophilic bronchiolitis is the primary lesion in asthma-affected horses. Neutrophils are key actors in host defense, migrating toward sites of inflammation and infection, where they act as early responder cells toward external insults. However, neutrophils can also mediate tissue damage in various non-infectious inflammatory processes. Within the airways, these cells likely contribute to bronchoconstriction, mucus hypersecretion, and pulmonary remodeling by releasing pro-inflammatory mediators, including the cytokines interleukin (IL)-8 and IL-17, neutrophil elastase, reactive oxygen species (ROS), and neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs). The mechanisms that regulate neutrophil functions in the tissues are complex and incompletely understood. Therefore, the inflammatory activity of neutrophils must be regulated with exquisite precision and timing, a task achieved through a complex network of mechanisms that regulates neutrophil survival. The discovery and development of compounds that can help regulate ROS, NET formation, cytokine release, and clearance would be highly beneficial in the design of therapies for this disease in horses. In this review, neutrophil functions during inflammation will be discussed followed by a discussion of their contribution to airway tissue injury in equine asthma.
Neonatal intake of oleanolic acid attenuates the subsequent development of high fructose diet-induced non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in rats
Authors: Nyakudya T. T. , Mukwevho E. , Nkomozepi P. , Erlwanger K. H.
Published: May 2018

Dietary manipulations during the early postnatal period are associated with the development of metabolic disorders including non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) or long-term protection against metabolic dysfunction. We investigated the potential hepatoprotective effects of neonatal administration of oleanolic acid (OA), a phytochemical, on the subsequent development in adulthood, of dietary fructose-induced NAFLD. Male and female suckling rats (n=112) were gavaged with; distilled water (DW), OA (60 mg/kg), high fructose solution (HF; 20% w/v) and OA+HF (OAHF) for 7 days. The rats were weaned onto normal rat chow on day 21 up to day 55. From day 56, half of the rats in each treatment group were continued on plain water or HF as drinking fluid for 8 weeks. Hepatic lipid accumulation and hepatic histomorphometry were then determined. Fructose consumption in adulthood following neonatal fructose intake (HF+F) caused a 47–49% increase in hepatic lipid content of both male and female rats (P<0.05). However, fructose administered in adulthood only, caused a significant increase (P<0.05) in liver lipid content in females only. NAFLD activity scores for inflammation and steatosis were higher in the fructose-fed rats compared with other groups (P<0.05). Steatosis, low-grade inflammation and fibrosis were observed in rats that received HF+F. NAFLD area fraction for fibrosis was three times higher in rats that received fructose neonatally and in adulthood compared with the rats in the negative control group (P<0.05). Treatment with OA during a critical window of developmental plasticity in rats prevented the development of fructose-induced NAFLD.
An Initial Examination of Parent Satisfaction Following Intensive Rehabilitation for Pediatric Chronic Pain
Authors: Buchannan Kristen , Banez Gerard A. , Benore Ethan , Senders Pam , Coker Clarence
Published: May 2018

The purpose of this research was to examine global judgment of satisfaction with an intensive interdisciplinary pain treatment (IIPT) program for adolescents. The program combined inpatient and day hospital care and was designed to assist adolescents with chronic pain that interferes with their normal activities. Parents of 125 predominantly high school-age patients treated in the program anonymously completed a satisfaction survey shortly after discharge. The survey included 29 Likert scale items reflecting different aspects of the program and three open-ended questions regarding patient experience. The majority of parents (64% to 95%) rated the seven aspects of the IIPT “good” to “very good.” The admission process was the most highly rated aspect of the program, followed by ratings of both the treatment team and inclusion of the persons served. Clear themes emerged in parents’ open-ended responses, with the most frequent comments focused on specific program components/services, patient outcomes, and the helpfulness of staff. Parents’ recommendations suggested clear directions for specific quality improvement efforts. The most frequent request was for more of the services offered. The next highest were recommendations focused on improving the food served to patients and the need for more assistance with postdischarge planning. This research provides an example of the potential for using a mixed methods study to improve clinical care.

Implications for Impact Statement

Patient satisfaction has been recommended as a core outcome domain in studies of the effectiveness of treatments for chronic pain in children and adolescents. This mixed-methods study found that parents of adolescent patients were highly satisfied with an intensive interdisciplinary treatment for chronic pain. This research demonstrates the potential for qualitative research methods to evaluate patient satisfaction and improve clinical care.
Clinical isolates of the modern Mycobacterium tuberculosis lineage 4 evade host defense in human macrophages through eluding IL-1β-induced autophagy
Authors: Romagnoli Alessandra , Petruccioli Elisa , Palucci Ivana , Camassa Serena , Carata Elisabetta , Petrone Linda , Mariano Stefania , Sali Michela , Dini Luciana , Girardi Enrico , Delogu Giovanni , Goletti Delia , Fimia Gian Maria
Published: May 2018

Mycobacterium tuberculosis(Mtb), the causative agent of tuberculosis (TB), has infected over 1.7 billion people worldwide and causes 1.4 million deaths annually. Recently, genome sequence analysis has allowed the reconstruction of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC) evolution, with the identification of seven phylogeographic lineages: four referred to as evolutionarily “ancient”, and three “modern”. The MTBC strains belonging to “modern” lineages appear to show enhanced virulence that may have warranted improved transmission in humans over ancient lineages through molecular mechanisms that remain to be fully characterized. To evaluate the impact of MTBC genetic diversity on the innate immune response, we analyzed intracellular bacterial replication, inflammatory cytokine levels, and autophagy response in human primary macrophages infected with MTBC clinical isolates belonging to the ancient lineages 1 and 5, and the modern lineage 4. We show that, when compared to ancient lineage 1 and 5, MTBC strains belonging to modern lineage 4 show a higher rate of replication, associated to a significant production of proinflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α) and induction of a functional autophagy process. Interestingly, we found that the increased autophagic flux observed in macrophages infected with modern MTBC is due to an autocrine activity of the proinflammatory cytokine IL-1β, since autophagosome maturation is blocked by an interleukin-1 receptor antagonist. Unexpectedly, IL-1β-induced autophagy is not disadvantageous for the survival of modernMtbstrains, which reside within Rab5-positive phagosomal vesicles and avoid autophagosome engulfment. Altogether, these results suggest that autophagy triggered by inflammatory cytokines is compatible with a high rate of intracellular bacilli replication and may therefore contribute to the increased pathogenicity of the modern MTBC lineages.
FAM188B enhances cell survival via interaction with USP7
Authors: Choi Eun-Seok , Lee Hanna , Sung Jee Young , Lee Chang-Hun , Jang Hyonchol , Kim Kyung Tae , Kim Yong-Nyun , Kim Hyoung-Pyo , Goh Sung-Ho
Published: May 2018

We have previously reported that FAM188B showed significant differential exon usage in cancers (NCBI GEO GSE30727), but the expression and function of FAM188B is not well characterized. In the present study, we explored the functions of FAM188B by a knockdown strategy, using siRNAs specific for FAM188B in colon cancer cell lines. FAM188B is a novel gene that encodes a protein that is evolutionarily conserved among mammals. Its mRNA has been found to be highly expressed in most solid tumors, including colorectal cancer. FAM188B knockdown induced cell growth inhibition due to an increase in apoptosis in colon cancer cell lines. Interestingly, siFAM188B treatment induced the upregulation and activation of p53, and consequently increased p53-regulated pro-apoptotic proteins, PUMA and BAX. Proteomic analysis of FAM188B immunocomplexes revealed p53 and USP7 as putative FAM188B-interacting proteins. Deletion of the putative USP7-binding motif in FAM188B reduced complex formation of FAM188B with USP7. It is noteworthy that FAM188B knockdown resulted in a decrease in overall ubiquitination in the p53 immunocomplexes, as well as p53 ubiquitination, because USP7 is involved in p53 deubiquitination. FAM188B knockdown inhibited both colony formation and anchorage-independent growth in vitro. In addition, FAM188B knockdown by siRNA reduced tumor growth in xenografted mice, with an increase in p53 proteins. Taken together, our data suggest that FAM188B is a putative oncogene that functions via interaction with USP7. Therefore, control of FAM188B could be a possible target to inhibit tumor growth.
OGG1-initiated base excision repair exacerbates oxidative stress-induced parthanatos
Authors: Wang Ruoxi , Li Chunshuang , Qiao Ping , Xue Yaoyao , Zheng Xu , Chen Hongyu , Zeng Xianlu , Liu Wenguang , Boldogh Istvan , Ba Xueqing
Published: May 2018

Oxidative stress-induced DNA damage has been well acknowledged as a major cause leading to cell death, which is etiologically linked to ischemic injury and degenerative alterations. The most common oxidation product of DNA is base lesion 8-oxo-7,8-dihydroguanine (8-oxoG), which is repaired by 8-oxoG glycosylase1 (OGG1)-initiated baseexcision repair (BER) pathway (OGG1-BER); however, the role of OGG1-BER in oxidative stress-induced cell death is poorly investigated. DNA strand breaks and apurinic/apyrimidinic (AP) sites are effective substrates to activate DNA damage sensor poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase 1 (PARP1). Overactivation of PARP1 is associated with apoptosis-inducing factor (AIF)-mediated and caspase-independent cell death (parthanatos). We hypothesized that after an excessive oxidative insult, OGG1-BER-generated strand breaks result in hyperactivation of PARP1 and consequently cell death. To test, wild type, knockout, siRNA-depleted MEFs and neuroblastoma cells, or those expressing repair-deficient OGG1 mutants were oxidatively stressed and the role of OGG1 was examined. Results showed that OGG1-BER further increases the levels of ROS-induced DNA damage by generating repair intermediates, leading to PARP1 overactivation and cell death. Cells lacking or expressing repair-deficient OGG1 showed lower levels of DNA strand lesions, PARP1 activation, and nuclear translocation of apoptosis-inducing factor, resulting in the increased resistance to ROS-induced parthanatos. These results suggested that OGG1 guards genome integrity through either lesion repair or elimination of cells with malignant potential, to maintain the homeostasis of the host, which might depend on the magnitude of guanine oxidation.
ATG5 overexpression is neuroprotective and attenuates cytoskeletal and vesicle-trafficking alterations in axotomized motoneurons
Authors: Leiva-Rodríguez Tatiana , Romeo-Guitart David , Marmolejo-Martínez-Artesero Sara , Herrando-Grabulosa Mireia , Bosch Assumpció , Forés Joaquim , Casas Caty
Published: May 2018

Injured neurons should engage endogenous mechanisms of self-protection to limit neurodegeneration. Enhancing efficacy of these mechanisms or correcting dysfunctional pathways may be a successful strategy for inducing neuroprotection. Spinal motoneurons retrogradely degenerate after proximal axotomy due to mechanical detachment (avulsion) of the nerve roots, and this limits recovery of nervous system function in patients after this type of trauma. In a previously reported proteomic analysis, we demonstrated that autophagy is a key endogenous mechanism that may allow motoneuron survival and regeneration after distal axotomy and suture of the nerve. Herein, we show that autophagy flux is dysfunctional or blocked in degenerated motoneurons after root avulsion. We also found that there were abnormalities in anterograde/retrograde motor proteins, key secretory pathway factors, and lysosome function. Further, LAMP1 protein was missorted and underglycosylated as well as the proton pump v-ATPase. In vitro modeling revealed how sequential disruptions in these systems likely lead to neurodegeneration. In vivo, we observed that cytoskeletal alterations, induced by a single injection of nocodazole, were sufficient to promote neurodegeneration of avulsed motoneurons. Besides, only pre-treatment with rapamycin, but not post-treatment, neuroprotected after nerve root avulsion. In agreement, overexpressing ATG5 in injured motoneurons led to neuroprotection and attenuation of cytoskeletal and trafficking-related abnormalities. These discoveries serve as proof of concept for autophagy-target therapy to halting the progression of neurodegenerative processes.
Precise synthesis of sulfur-containing polymers via cooperative dual organocatalysts with high activity
Authors: Zhang Cheng-Jian , Wu Hai-Lin , Li Yang , Yang Jia-Liang , Zhang Xing-Hong
Published: May 2018

Metal-free and controlled synthesis of sulfur-containing polymer is still a big challenge in polymer chemistry. Here, we report a metal-free, living copolymerization of carbonyl sulfide (COS) with epoxides via the cooperative catalysis of organic Lewis pairs including bases (e.g.: phosphazene, amidine, and guanidine) and thioureas as hydrogen-bond donors, afford well-defined poly(monothiocarbonate)s with 100% alternating degree, >99% tail-to-head content, controlled molecular weights (up to 98.4 kg/mol), and narrow molecular weight distributions (1.13–1.23). The effect of the types of Lewis pairs on the copolymerization of COS with several epoxides is investigated. The turnover frequencies (TOFs) of these Lewis pairs are as high as 112 h−1 at 25 °C. Kinetic and mechanistic results suggest that the supramolecular specific recognition of thiourea to epoxide and base to COS promote the copolymerization cooperatively. This strategy provides commercially available Lewis pairs for metal-free synthesis of sulfur-containing polymers with precise structure.
Circulating microRNAs as potential diagnostic biomarkers for osteoporosis
Authors: Mandourah Abdullah Y. , Ranganath Lakshminarayan , Barraclough Roger , Vinjamuri Sobhan , Hof Robert Van’T , Hamill Sandra , Czanner Gabriela , Dera Ayed A. , Wang Duolao , Barraclough Dong L.
Published: May 2018

Osteoporosis is the most common age-related bone disease worldwide and is usually clinically asymptomatic until the first fracture happens. MicroRNAs are critical molecular regulators in bone remodelling processes and are stabilised in the blood. The aim of this project was to identify circulatory microRNAs associated with osteoporosis using advanced PCR arrays initially and the identified differentially-expressed microRNAs were validated in clinical samples using RT-qPCR. A total of 161 participants were recruited and 139 participants were included in this study with local ethical approvals prior to recruitment. RNAs were extracted, purified, quantified and analysed from all serum and plasma samples. Differentially-expressed miRNAs were identified using miRNA PCR arrays initially and validated in 139 serum and 134 plasma clinical samples using RT-qPCR. Following validation of identified miRNAs in individual clinical samples using RT-qPCR, circulating miRNAs, hsa-miR-122-5p and hsa-miR-4516 were statistically significantly differentially-expressed between non-osteoporotic controls, osteopaenia and osteoporosis patients. Further analysis showed that the levels of these microRNAs were associated with fragility fracture and correlated with the low bone mineral density in osteoporosis patients. The results show that circulating hsa-miR-122-5p and hsa-miR-4516 could be potential diagnostic biomarkers for osteoporosis in the future.
Ubiquitin Proteasome pathway proteins as potential drug targets in parasite Trypanosoma cruzi
Authors: Gupta Ishita , Aggarwal Suruchi , Singh Kanika , Yadav Amit , Khan Sameena
Published: May 2018

Trypanosomiasis infects more than 21 million people and claims approximately 2 million lives annually. Due to the development of resistance against currently available anti-trypanosomal drugs, there is a growing need for specific inhibitors and novel drug targets. Of late, the proteins from the Ubiquitin Proteasome Pathway (UPP): ubiquitin ligases and deubiquitinase have received attention as potential drug targets in other parasites from the apicomplexan family. The completion of Trypanosoma cruzi (Tc) genome sequencing in 2005 and subsequent availability of database resources like TriTrypDB has provided a platform for the systematic study of the proteome of this parasite. Here, we present the first comprehensive survey of the UPP enzymes, their homologs and other associated proteins in trypanosomes and the UPPs from T. cruzi were explored in detail. After extensive computational analyses using various bioinformatics tools, we have identified 269 putative UPP proteins in the T. cruzi proteome along with their homologs in other Trypanosoma species. Characterization of T. cruzi proteome was done based on their predicted subcellular localization, domain architecture and overall expression profiles. Specifically, unique domain architectures of the enzymes and the UPP players expressed exclusively in the amastigote stage provide a rationale for designing inhibitors against parasite UPP proteins.
Effective BAC clone anchoring with genotyping-by-sequencing and Diversity Arrays Technology in a large genome cereal rye
Authors: Borzęcka Ewa , Hawliczek-Strulak Anna , Bolibok Leszek , Gawroński Piotr , Tofil Katarzyna , Milczarski Paweł , Stojałowski Stefan , Myśków Beata , Targońska-Karasek Małgorzata , Grądzielewska Agnieszka , Smolik Miłosz , Kilian Andrzej , Bolibok-Brągoszewska Hanna
Published: May 2018

Identification of bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) clones containing specific sequences is a prerequisite for many applications, such as physical map anchoring or gene cloning. Existing BAC library screening strategies are either low-throughput or require a considerable initial input of resources for platform establishment. We describe a high-throughput, reliable, and cost-effective BAC library screening approach deploying genotyping platforms which are independent from the availability of sequence information: a genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS) method DArTSeq and the microarray-based Diversity Arrays Technology (DArT). The performance of these methods was tested in a very large and complex rye genome. The DArTseq approach delivered superior results: a several fold higher efficiency of addressing genetic markers to BAC clones and anchoring of BAC clones to genetic map and also a higher reliability. Considering the sequence independence of the platform, the DArTseq-based library screening can be proposed as an attractive method to speed up genomics research in resource poor species.
Stability and reproducibility of proteomic profiles measured with an aptamer-based platform
Authors: Kim Claire H. , Tworoger Shelley S. , Stampfer Meir J. , Dillon Simon T. , Gu Xuesong , Sawyer Sherilyn J. , Chan Andrew T. , Libermann Towia A. , Eliassen A. Heather
Published: May 2018

The feasibility of SOMAscan, a multiplex, high sensitivity proteomics platform, for use in studies using archived plasma samples has not yet been assessed. We quantified 1,305 proteins from plasma samples donated by 16 Nurses’ Health Study (NHS) participants, 40 NHSII participants, and 12 local volunteers. We assessed assay reproducibility using coefficients of variation (CV) from duplicate samples and intra-class correlation coefficients (ICC) and Spearman correlation coefficients (r) of samples processed (i.e., centrifuged and aliquoted into separate components) immediately, 24, and 48 hours after collection, as well as those of samples collected from the same individuals 1 year apart. CVs were <20% for 99% of proteins overall and <10% for 92% of proteins in heparin samples compared to 66% for EDTA samples. We observed ICC or Spearman r (comparing immediate vs. 24-hour delayed processing) ≥0.75 for 61% of proteins, with some variation by anticoagulant (56% for heparin and 70% for EDTA) and protein class (ranging from 49% among kinases to 83% among hormones). Within-person stability over 1 year was good (ICC or Spearman r ≥ 0.4) for 91% of proteins. These results demonstrate the feasibility of SOMAscan for analyses of archived plasma samples.