bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Novel redox-active enzymes for ligninolytic applications revealed from multiomics analyses of Peniophora sp. CBMAI 1063, a laccase hyper-producer strain
Authors: Brenelli Lívia B. , Persinoti Gabriela F. , Cairo João Paulo L. Franco , Liberato Marcelo V. , Gonçalves Thiago Augusto , Otero Igor V. R. , Mainardi Pedro H. , Felby Claus , Sette Lara D. , Squina Fabio M.
Published: November 2019

The repertoire of redox-active enzymes produced by the marine fungusPeniophorasp. CBMAI 1063, a laccase hyper-producer strain, was characterized by omics analyses. The genome revealed 309 Carbohydrate-Active Enzymes (CAZymes) genes, including 48 predicted genes related to the modification and degradation of lignin, whith 303 being transcribed under cultivation in optimized saline conditions for laccase production. The secretome confirmed that the fungus can produce a versatile ligninolytic enzyme cocktail. It secretes 56 CAZymes, including 11 oxidative enzymes classified as members of auxiliary activity families (AAs), comprising two laccases, Pnh_Lac1 and Pnh_Lac2, the first is the major secretory protein of the fungi. The Pnh_Lac1-mediator system was able to promote the depolymerization of lignin fragments and polymeric lignin removal from pretreated sugarcane bagasse, confirming viability of this fungus enzymatic system for lignocellulose-based bioproducts applications.
Multimodal Cleavable Reporters for Quantifying Carboxy and Amino Groups on Organic and Inorganic Nanoparticles
Authors: Nirmalananthan-Budau Nithiya , Rühle Bastian , Geißler Daniel , Moser Marko , Kläber Christopher , Schäfer Andreas , Resch-Genger Ute
Published: November 2019

Organic and inorganic nanoparticles (NPs) are increasingly used as drug carriers, fluorescent sensors, and multimodal labels in the life and material sciences. These applications require knowledge of the chemical nature, total number of surface groups, and the number of groups accessible for subsequent coupling of e.g., antifouling ligands, targeting bioligands, or sensor molecules. To establish the concept of catch-and-release assays, cleavable probes were rationally designed from a quantitatively cleavable disulfide moiety and the optically detectable reporter 2-thiopyridone (2-TP). For quantifying surface groups on nanomaterials, first, a set of monodisperse carboxy-and amino-functionalized, 100 nm-sized polymer and silica NPs with different surface group densities was synthesized. Subsequently, the accessible functional groups (FGs) were quantified via optical spectroscopy of the cleaved off reporter after its release in solution. Method validation was done with inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES) utilizing the sulfur atom of the cleavable probe. This comparison underlined the reliability and versatility of our probes, which can be used for surface group quantification on all types of transparent, scattering, absorbing and/or fluorescent particles. The correlation between the total and accessible number of FGs quantified by conductometric titration, qNMR, and with our cleavable probes, together with the comparison to results of conjugation studies with differently sized biomolecules reveal the potential of catch-and-release reporters for surface analysis. Our findings also underline the importance of quantifying particularly the accessible amount of FGs for many applications of NPs in the life sciences.
Mass production of a S-layer protein of Bacillus thuringiensis and its toxicity to the cattle tick Rhipicephalus microplus
Authors: Lormendez Caleb C. , Fernandez-Ruvalcaba Manuel , Adames-Mancebo Markis , Hernandez-Velazquez Victor Manuel , Zuñiga-Navarrete Fernando , Flores-Ramirez Gabriela , Lina-Garcia Laura , Peña-Chora Guadalupe
Published: November 2019

The most commonly used biopesticides to control agricultural, forest and insect vectors of human diseases are derived from the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis, which begins to produce Cry and Cyt insecticidal proteins during the onset of the sporulation phase. Some B. thuringiensis strains also produce S-layer proteins that are toxic to certain pests. S-layer proteins are the most abundant proteins in bacteria and archaea. This proteins’ key trait to design high performace processes for mass production is their continuous expression during the vegetative phase, unlike Cry and Cyt, which are restricted to the sporulation phase. In this work, a S-layer protein expressed by the GP543 strain of B. thuringiensis that is toxic to the cattle tick Rhipicephalus microplus was mass produced using the batch culture fermentation technique. In addition, the spore-protein complex showed a mortality rate of 75% with a dose of 300 µg·mL−1 on adult females of R. microplus after fourteen days. The lethal concentration 50 was 69.7 µg·mL−1. The treatment also caused a decrease of 13% in the weight of the mass of oviposited eggs with 200 µg·mL−1 of the spore-protein complex and inhibition of the hatching of eggs from 80 to 92%. Therefore, this could be a good option for controlling this parasite. The advantages of S-layer protein synthesis are focused on the production of a new generation of proteins in pest control. This is the first report on the mass production of an S-layer protein that is responsible for toxicity.
Tumor core biopsies adequately represent immune microenvironment of high-grade serous carcinoma
Authors: Lara Olivia D. , Krishnan Santhoshi , Wang Zhihui , Corvigno Sara , Zhong YanPing , Lyons Yasmin , Dood Robert , Hu Wei , Qi Lisha , Liu Jinsong , Coleman Robert L. , Westin Shannon N. , Fleming Nicole D. , Cristini Vittorio , Rao Arvind , Burks Jared , Sood Anil K.
Published: November 2019

The prognostic and therapeutic value of the tumor microenvironment (TME) in various cancer types is of major interest. Characterization of the TME often relies on a small representative tissue sample. However, the adequacy of such a sample for assessing components of the TME is not yet known. Here, we used immunohistochemical (IHC) staining and 7-color multiplex staining to evaluate CD8 (cluster of differentiation 8), CD68, PD-L1 (programmed death-ligand 1), CD34, FAP (fibroblast activation protein), and cytokeratin in 220 tissue cores from 26 high-grade serous ovarian cancer samples. Comparisons were drawn between a larger tumor specimen and smaller core biopsies based on number and location (central tumor vs. peripheral tumor) of biopsies. Our analysis found that the correlation between marker-specific cell subsets in larger tumor versus smaller core was stronger with two core biopsies and was not further strengthened with additional biopsies. Moreover, this correlation was consistently strong regardless of whether the biopsy was taken at the center or at the periphery of the original tumor sample. These findings could have a substantial impact on longitudinal assessment for detection of biomarkers in clinical trials.
Identification of Sero-Diagnostic Antigens for the Early Diagnosis of Johne’s Disease using MAP Protein Microarrays
Authors: Li Lingling , Bannantine John P. , Campo Joseph J. , Randall Arlo , Grohn Yrjo T. , Schilling Megan A. , Katani Robab , Radzio-Basu Jessica , Easterling Laurel , Kapur Vivek
Published: November 2019

Considerable effort has been directed toward controlling Johne’s disease (JD), a chronic granulomatous intestinal inflammatory disease caused by Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP) in cattle and other ruminants. However, progress in controlling the spread of MAP infection has been impeded by the lack of reliable diagnostic tests that can identify animals early in the infection process and help break the transmission chain. To identify reliable antigens for early diagnosis of MAP infection, we constructed a MAP protein array with 868 purified recombinant MAP proteins, and screened a total of 180 well-characterized serum samples from cows assigned to 4 groups based on previous serological and fecal test results: negative low exposure (NL, n = 30); negative high exposure (NH, n = 30); fecal-positive, ELISA-negative (F + E−, n = 60); and both fecal- and ELISA-positive (F + E+, n = 60). The analyses identified a total of 49 candidate antigens in the NH, F + E−, and F + E+ with reactivity compared with the NL group (p < 0.01), a majority of which have not been previously identified. While some of the antigens were identified as reactive in only one of the groups, others showed reactivity in multiple groups, including NH (n = 28), F + E− (n = 26), and F + E+ (n = 17) groups. Using combinations of top reactive antigens in each group, the results reveal sensitivities of 60.0%, 73.3%, and 81.7% in the NH, F + E−, and F + E+, respectively at 90% specificity, suggesting that early detection of infection in animals may be possible and enable better opportunities to reduce within herd transmission that may be otherwise missed by traditional serological assays that are biased towards more heavily infected animals. Together, the results suggest that several of the novel candidate antigens identified in this study, particularly those that were reactive in the NH and F + E− groups, have potential utility for the early sero-diagnosis of MAP infection.
Predictive and prognostic significance of telomerase levels/telomere length in tissues and peripheral blood in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma
Authors: Boscolo-Rizzo Paolo , Rampazzo Enrica , Polesel Jerry , Giunco Silvia , Menegaldo Anna , Mantovani Monica , Stellin Marco , Bandolin Luigia , Spinato Giacomo , Del Mistro Annarosa , Borsetto Daniele , Fussey Jonathan , Tirelli Giancarlo , Da Mosto Maria Cristina , De Rossi Anita
Published: November 2019

A growing body of evidence indicates that the expression of TERT, the catalytic subunit of telomerase, is a biological marker of progression in several cancers. We investigated the predictive and prognostic role of TERT levels and telomere length in tissues and peripheral blood in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). High TERT levels in cancer tissues were independently associated with worse response to therapy (odds ratio [OR]:6.26), regional failure (hazard ratio [HR]:5.75), progression (HR:2.12), and death (HR:3.53). Longer telomeres in the mucosa surrounding the tumor (SM) were independently associated with a lower risk of mucosal failure (HR:0.39). While telomere length in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) significantly decreased with age, no correlation was found between age and telomere length in SM. No associations were found between TERT levels in plasma and telomere length in PBMC and the prognostic variables. High levels of TERT transcripts in cancer cells represent a reliable prognostic marker for identifying HNSCC patients with risk of progression. The altered relationship of telomere length to age in SM compared with PBMC suggests that in a subset of cases the phenotypically normal SM constitutes an acquired telomere-shortened epithelial field prone to genetic instability.
Spa-RQ: an Image Analysis Tool to Visualise and Quantify Spatial Phenotypes Applied to Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
Authors: Bao Jie , Walliander Margarita , Kovács Ferenc , Nagaraj Ashwini S. , Hemmes Annabrita , Sarhadi Virinder Kaur , Knuutila Sakari , Lundin Johan , Horvath Peter , Verschuren Emmy W.
Published: November 2019

To facilitate analysis of spatial tissue phenotypes, we created an open-source tool package named ‘Spa-RQ’ for ‘Spatial tissue analysis: image Registration & Quantification’. Spa-RQ contains software for image registration (Spa-R) and quantitative analysis of DAB staining overlap (Spa-Q). It provides an easy-to-implement workflow for serial sectioning and staining as an alternative to multiplexed techniques. To demonstrate Spa-RQ’s applicability, we analysed the spatial aspects of oncogenic KRAS-related signalling activities in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Using Spa-R in conjunction with ImageJ/Fiji, we first performed annotation-guided tumour-by-tumour phenotyping using multiple signalling markers. This analysis showed histopathology-selective activation of PI3K/AKT and MAPK signalling in Kras mutant murine tumours, as well as high p38MAPK stress signalling in p53 null murine NSCLC. Subsequently, Spa-RQ was applied to measure the co-activation of MAPK, AKT, and their mutual effector mTOR pathway in individual tumours. Both murine and clinical NSCLC samples could be stratified into ‘MAPK/mTOR’, ‘AKT/mTOR’, and ‘Null’ signature subclasses, suggesting mutually exclusive MAPK and AKT signalling activities. Spa-RQ thus provides a robust and easy to use tool that can be employed to identify spatially-distributed tissue phenotypes.
Myotonia in a patient with a mutation in an S4 arginine residue associated with hypokalaemic periodic paralysis and a concomitant synonymous CLCN1 mutation
Authors: Thor Michael G. , Vivekanandam Vinojini , Sampedro-Castañeda Marisol , Tan S. Veronica , Suetterlin Karen , Sud Richa , Durran Siobhan , Schorge Stephanie , Kullmann Dimitri M. , Hanna Michael G. , Matthews Emma , Männikkö Roope
Published: November 2019

The sarcolemmal voltage gated sodium channel NaV1.4 conducts the key depolarizing current that drives the upstroke of the skeletal muscle action potential. It contains four voltage-sensing domains (VSDs) that regulate the opening of the pore domain and ensuing permeation of sodium ions. Mutations that lead to increased NaV1.4 currents are found in patients with myotonia or hyperkalaemic periodic paralysis (HyperPP). Myotonia is also caused by mutations in the CLCN1gene that result in loss-of-function of the skeletal muscle chloride channel ClC-1. Mutations affecting arginine residues in the fourth transmembrane helix (S4) of the NaV1.4 VSDs can result in a leak current through the VSD and hypokalemic periodic paralysis (HypoPP), but these have hitherto not been associated with myotonia. We report a patient with an Nav1.4 S4 arginine mutation, R222Q, presenting with severe myotonia without fulminant paralytic episodes. Other mutations affecting the same residue, R222W and R222G, have been found in patients with HypoPP. We show that R222Q channels have enhanced activation, consistent with myotonia, but also conduct a leak current. The patient carries a concomitant synonymous CLCN1 variant that likely worsens the myotonia and potentially contributes to the amelioration of muscle paralysis. Our data show phenotypic variability for different mutations affecting the same S4 arginine that have implications for clinical therapy.
Early pregnancy loss in 15-hydroxyprostaglandin dehydrogenase knockout (15-HPGD−/−) mice due to requirement for embryo 15-HPGD activity
Authors: Roizen Jeffrey D. , Asada Minoru , Tong Min , Tai Hsin-Hsiung , Muglia Louis J.
Published: November 2019

Prostaglandins (PGs) have critical signaling functions in a variety of processes including the establishment and maintenance of pregnancy, and the initiation of labor. Most PGs are non-enzymatically degraded, however, the two PGs most prominently implicated in the termination of pregnancy, including the initiation of labor, prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and prostaglandin F2α (PGF2α), are enzymatically degraded by 15-hydroxyprostaglandin dehydrogenase (15-HPGD). The role of PG metabolism by 15-HPGD in the maintenance of pregnancy remains largely unknown, as direct functional studies are lacking. To test the hypothesis that 15-PGDH-mediated PG metabolism is essential for pregnancy maintenance and normal labor timing, we generated and analyzed pregnancy in 15-HPGD knockout mice (Hpgd−/−). We report here that pregnancies resulting from matings between 15-HPGD KO mice (Hpgd−/− X Hpgd−/−KO mating) are terminated at mid gestation due to a requirement for embryo derived 15-HPGD. Aside from altered implantation site spacing, pregnancies from KO matings look grossly and histologically normal at days post coitum (dpc) 6.5 and 7.5 of pregnancy. However, virtually all of these pregnancies are resorbed by dpc 8.5. This resorption is preceded by elevation of PGF2∝ but is not preceded by a decrease in circulating progesterone, suggesting that pregnancy loss is a local inflammatory phenomenon rather than a centrally mediated phenomena. This pregnancy loss can be temporarily deferred by indomethacin treatment, but treated pregnancies are not maintained to term and indomethacin treatment increases maternal mortality. We conclude that PG metabolism to inactive products by embryo derived 15-HPGD is essential for pregnancy maintenance in mice, and may serve a similar function during human pregnancy.
Thromboinflammatory changes in plasma proteome of pregnant women with PCOS detected by quantitative label-free proteomics
Authors: Arffman R. K. , Saraswat M. , Joenväärä S. , Khatun M. , Agarwal R. , Tohmola T. , Sundström-Poromaa I. , Renkonen R. , Piltonen T. T.
Published: November 2019

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common endocrinological disorder of fertile-aged women. Several adverse pregnancy outcomes and abnormalities of the placenta have been associated with PCOS. By using quantitative label-free proteomics we investigated whether changes in the plasma proteome of pregnant women with PCOS could elucidate the mechanisms behind the pathologies observed in PCOS pregnancies. A total of 169 proteins with ≥2 unique peptides were detected to be differentially expressed between women with PCOS (n = 7) and matched controls (n = 20) at term of pregnancy, out of which 35 were significant (p-value < 0.05). A pathway analysis revealed that networks related to humoral immune responses, inflammatory responses, cardiovascular disease and cellular growth and proliferation were affected by PCOS. Classification of cases and controls was carried out using principal component analysis, orthogonal projections on latent structure-discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA), hierarchical clustering, self-organising maps and ROC-curve analysis. The most significantly enriched proteins in PCOS were properdin and insulin-like growth factor II. In the dataset, properdin had the best predictive accuracy for PCOS (AUC = 1). Additionally, properdin abundances correlated with AMH levels in pregnant women.
Obesity during pregnancy results in maternal intestinal inflammation, placental hypoxia, and alters fetal glucose metabolism at mid-gestation
Authors: Wallace Jessica G. , Bellissimo Christian J. , Yeo Erica , Fei Xia Yu , Petrik Jim J. , Surette Michael G. , Bowdish Dawn M. E. , Sloboda Deborah M.
Published: November 2019

We investigated whether diet-induced changes in the maternal intestinal microbiota were associated with changes in bacterial metabolites and their receptors, intestinal inflammation, and placental inflammation at mid-gestation (E14.5) in female mice fed a control (17% kcal fat, n = 7) or a high-fat diet (HFD 60% kcal fat, n = 9; ad libitum) before and during pregnancy. Maternal diet-induced obesity (mDIO) resulted in a reduction in maternal fecal short-chain fatty acid producing Lachnospiraceae, lower cecal butyrate, intestinal antimicrobial peptide levels, and intestinal SCFA receptor Ffar3, Ffar2 and Hcar2 transcript levels. mDIO increased maternal intestinal pro-inflammatory NFκB activity, colonic CD3+ T cell number, and placental inflammation. Maternal obesity was associated with placental hypoxia, increased angiogenesis, and increased transcript levels of glucose and amino acid transporters. Maternal and fetal markers of gluconeogenic capacity were decreased in pregnancies complicated by obesity. We show that mDIO impairs bacterial metabolite signaling pathways in the mother at mid-gestation, which was associated with significant structural changes in placental blood vessels, likely as a result of placental hypoxia. It is likely that maternal intestinal changes contribute to adverse maternal and placental adaptations that, via alterations in fetal hepatic glucose handling, may impart increased risk of metabolic dysfunction in offspring.
Defining a standardized methodology for the determination of the antioxidant capacity: case study of Pistacia atlantica leaves
Authors: Ben Ahmed Ziyad , Mohamed Yousfi , Johan Viaene , Dejaegher Bieke , Demeyer Kristiaan , Vander Heyden Yvan
Published: November 2019

Antioxidant activity can be measured by a variety of methods, that include hydrogen atom transfer (HAT) and single electron transfer (ET) methods.
Generating linear oxygen gradients across 3D cell cultures with block-layered oxygen controlled chips (BLOCCs)
Authors: Boyce Matthew W. , Simke William C. , Kenney Rachael M. , Lockett Matthew R.
Published: November 2019

BLOCCs are readily assembled structures of laser cut acrylic and silicone, capable of imposing physiologically relevant oxygen gradients across 3D cell cultures. With sensors and cell-based readouts, we quantified cell-microenvironment relationships.
Dual luminescent lanthanide coordination polymers for ratiometric sensing and efficient removal of Hg2+
Authors: Lv Peiyao , Cao Ying , Liu Zi , Wang Rong , Ye Baoxian , Li Gaiping
Published: November 2019

Here, we report a fluorescence ratiometric method for Hg2+ assay based on the dual-ligand fluorescent probe GMP–Tb–luminol CPs, which can be excited at the same wavelength and reveal characteristic luminescence peaks of Tb3+ and luminol.
Ligand-activated BRET9 imaging for measuring protein–protein interactions in living mice
Authors: Bae Kim Sung , Fujii Rika , Natarajan Arutselvan , Massoud Tarik F. , Paulmurugan Ramasamy
Published: November 2019

We engineered a conceptually unique ligand-activatable BRET system (termed BRET9). This system simultaneously enhanced both the total bioluminescence spectrum and the BRET signal in the far-red region as a robust optical platform for animal imaging.
Fluorescent COFs with a highly conjugated structure for visual drug loading and responsive release
Authors: Wang Bin , Liu Xicheng , Gong Peiwei , Ge Xingxing , Liu Zhe , You Jinmao
Published: November 2019

For the first time, a facile solvothermal method to synthesize COFs with a nanosized structure and bright fluorescence was reported to monitor drug loading with the naked eye and realize responsive release.
Exploration of a KI-catalyzed oxidation system for direct construction of bispyrrolidino[2,3-b]indolines and the total synthesis of (+)-WIN 64821
Authors: Chen Si-Kai , Yang Ju-Song , Dai Kun-Long , Zhang Fu-Min , Zhang Xiao-Ming , Tu Yong-Qiang
Published: November 2019

A facile and environmentally benign KI(cat.)/NaBO3·4H2O oxidation system has been developed for the tandem oxidative aminocyclization/coupling of tryptamines, affording a series of 3a,3a′-bispyrrolidino[2,3-b]indolines with high efficiency (up to 94% yield).
The Fischer–Tropsch reaction in the aqueous phase over rhodium catalysts: a promising route to selective synthesis and separation of oxygenates and hydrocarbons
Authors: Peregudova Aleksandra S. , Barrios Alan J. , Ordomsky Vitaly V. , Borisova Nataliya E. , Khodakov Andrei Y.
Published: November 2019

In the present communication, we uncovered the aqueous phase Fischer–Tropsch reaction over rhodium catalysts with high alcohol selectivity and separation of hydrocarbons and oxygenates into two phases.
Three 3D LnIII-MOFs based on a nitro-functionalized biphenyltricarboxylate ligand: syntheses, structures, and magnetic properties
Authors: Gao Wei , Huang Hong , Zhou Ai-Mei , Wei Han , Liu Jie-Ping , Zhang Xiu-Mei
Published: November 2019

Cluster, chain or layer-based 3D Ln-MOFs have been synthesized and they exhibit ferromagnetic or antiferromagnetic interactions. Furthermore, the Dy-MOF shows slow relaxation behavior.
Photoluminescence control and abnormal Eu3+orange emission in Ln3+(Ln3+= Ce3+, Eu3+)-doped oxyapatite-type phosphors
Authors: Wang Wei , Yang Hang , Liu Yixin , Yun Xiaohan , Wei Yi , Li Guogang
Published: November 2019

Controllable photoluminescence adjustment of Ce3+/Eu3+-doped phosphors.
ReacNetGenerator: an automatic reaction network generator for reactive molecular dynamics simulations
Authors: Zeng Jinzhe , Cao Liqun , Chin Chih-Hao , Ren Haisheng , Zhang John Z. H. , Zhu Tong
Published: November 2019

The ReacNetGenerator program can automatically extract reaction information from the reactive MD trajectory and construct reaction networks.
A new continuous system of enzymatic hydrolysis coupled with membrane separation for isolation of peptides with angiotensin I converting enzyme inhibitory capacity from defatted corn germ protein
Authors: Musa Abubakr , Gasmalla Mohammed A. A. , Ma Haile , Karrar Emad , Sarpong Frederick , Wali Asif , Duan Yuqing
Published: November 2019

Production of peptides with Angiotensin I converting enzyme (ACE)-inhibitory capacity from ultrasonically pretreated defatted corn germ protein (DCGP) by using a new continuous system of enzymatic hydrolysis coupled with membrane separation (EHC-MS).
Catalytic transfer hydrogenation of furfural to furfuryl alcohol over a magnetic Fe3O4@C catalyst
Authors: Li Feng , Jiang Shanshan , Huang Jin , Wang Yue , Lu Shiyu , Li Cuiqin
Published: November 2019

Carbon-encapsulated Fe3O4 (Fe3O4@C) catalysts were prepared by a solvothermal method using glucose as the carbon source and their physicochemical properties were characterized via various analytical techniques.
Approaches for improving the sustainability of conjugated polymer synthesis using direct arylation polymerization (DArP)
Authors: Pankow Robert M. , Thompson Barry C.
Published: November 2019

Emerging strategies to enhance the sustainability of Direct Arylation Polymerization (DArP) are discussed, illustrating the great potential of this method.
Retracted Article: Long noncoding RNA ANRIL knockdown increases sensitivity of non-small cell lung cancer to cisplatin by regulating the miR-656-3p/SOX4 axis
Authors: Wang Xianfang , Shi Jun , Chen Ying , Wang Caihong , Shi Huifang , Xie Xuefang
Published: November 2019

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are implicated in the development of chemoresistance in many cancers.
Panax notoginseng saponins radiosensitize colorectal cancer cells by regulating the SNHG6/miR-137 axis
Authors: Xu Caihui , Liu Teng , Liu Haiyan , Chen Gongbin , Guo Yinmou
Published: November 2019

Panax notoginseng saponins (PNS) have recently attracted great attention for their anti-cancer activity in colorectal cancer (CRC).
Experimental and DFT studies of carbon nanotubes covalently functionalized with an imidazole derivative for electrochemical stability and green corrosion inhibition as a barrier layer on the nickel alloy surface in a sulphuric acidic medium
Authors: N. Palaniappan , Cole I. S. , Kuznetsov A. E. , Justin Thomas K. R.
Published: November 2019

(A) The electrostatic interaction of a functionalized carbon material with a 111 nickel surface, (B) the OPT structure of 4,5-DPM + CNT, and (C) 4,5-DPIM + CNT material chemisorbed on a 111 nickel alloy surface.
Effect of extremely high CO2 pressure on the formation of the corrosion film on 13Cr stainless steel
Authors: Zhu Jinyang , Li Dapeng , Zhang Yunan , Zhang Lei
Published: November 2019

The effect of CO2 partial pressure (up to 28 MPa) on the corrosion of 13Cr stainless steel.
In situ reduction of chloroauric acid (HAuCl4) for generation of catalytic Au nanoparticle embedded triazine based covalent organic polymer networks
Authors: Dursun Sami , Yavuz Emine , Çetinkaya Zeynep
Published: November 2019

A facile synthetic route was applied to generate Au@COPN-1 hybrids via in situ reduction of Au3+ with no additional reducing agent. Au@COPN-1 is a promising catalyst platform and good biocompatibility confirmed by dynamic real-time cell analysis.
A novel photoredox-active group for the generation of fluorinated radicals from difluorostyrenes
Authors: Zubkov Mikhail O. , Kosobokov Mikhail D. , Levin Vitalij V. , Kokorekin Vladimir A. , Korlyukov Alexander A. , Hu Jinbo , Dilman Alexander D.
Published: November 2019

A new photoredox-active group was applied for the generation of fluorinated radicals from difluorostyrenes under blue light irradiation.
Two-dimensional lanthanide coordination polymer nanosheets for detection of FOX-7
Authors: Singha Mahapatra Tufan , Dey Ananta , Singh Harwinder , Hossain Sk Saddam , Mandal Amal Kumar , Das Amitava
Published: November 2019

A new class of luminescent lanthanide 2D nanosheets for detection of FOX-7.
A self-enhanced and recyclable catalytic system constructed from magnetic bi-nano-bionic enzymes for real-time control of RAFT polymerization
Authors: Liu Maosheng , Chen Tao , Cai Jintao , Zhang Aitang , Liu Ying , Yan Guowen , Barrow Colin J. , Yang Wenrong , Xu Jiangtao , Liu Jingquan
Published: November 2019

Flower-like Fe3O4@Au nanoparticles are constructed as bi-nano-bionic enzymes to catalyze the generation of hydroxyl radicals as an initiator for RAFT controlled polymerizations.
Charge transport through a water-assisted hydrogen bond in single-molecule glutathione disulfide junctions
Authors: Yang Wei-Yu , Zheng Jueting , Zhang Xia-Guang , Chen Li-Chuan , Si Yu , Huang Fei-Zhou , Hong Wenjing
Published: November 2019

This work demonstrates that single-molecule conductance measurements can identify reduced and oxidized glutathiones and thus have potential application in clinical diagnosis.
Two-step phosphorescent mechanochromism due to intramolecular deformation
Authors: Zhang Xu , Zhang Li-Yi , Wang Jin-Yun , Dai Feng-Rong , Chen Zhong-Ning
Published: November 2019

The Pt2Cu complex exhibits unusual stepwise phosphorescent changes from green to yellow first and then to orange-red emission when gentle and intense mechanical stimuli are exerted, arising from gradual intramolecular deformation.
LRRK2 regulation of immune-pathways and inflammatory disease
Authors: Wallings Rebecca L. , Tansey Malú G.
Published: November 2019

Mutations in the leucine-rich-repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2) gene are associated with familial and sporadic cases of Parkinson's disease but are also found in immune-related disorders such as inflammatory bowel disease, tuberculosis and leprosy. LRRK2 is highly expressed in immune cells and has been functionally linked to pathways pertinent to immune cell function, such as cytokine release, autophagy and phagocytosis. Here, we examine the current understanding of the role of LRRK2 kinase activity in pathway regulation in immune cells, drawing upon data from multiple diseases associated with LRRK2 to highlight the pleiotropic effects of LRRK2 in different cell types. We discuss the role of the bona fide LRRK2 substrate, Rab GTPases, in LRRK2 pathway regulation as well as downstream events in the autophagy and inflammatory pathways.
Optimising the dielectric property of carbon nanotubes/P(VDF‐CTFE) nanocomposites by tailoring the shell thickness of liquid crystalline polymer modified layer
Authors: Zhou Yang , Luo Hang , Chen Sheng , Han Xianghui , Zhang Dou
Published: November 2019

Interfacial modification is a good approach to improve the dielectric properties of nanocomposites. However, there are few reports to study the influence of interfacial modified thickness. In this study, the graft‐from strategy was adopted to introduce the rigid liquid crystalline fluoropolymer (poly[2,5‐bis[(4‐trifluoromethoxyphenyl)‐oxycarbonyl]] styrene (PTFMS) onto the surface of carbon nanotubes (CNT). The shell thickness increased from 20 ± 3 to 62 ± 6 nm via controlling the ratio of monomer to the initiator. The results indicated that the dielectric properties of the P(VDF‐CTFE) nanocomposites with the modified CNT were significantly enhanced compared with those original CNT, and the maximum dielectric constant of nanocomposites with 1.25 vol% CNT@PTFMS containing the thickest thickness reached 36 at 40 Hz due to the highest micro‐capacitors, which was 360% than the neat P(VDF‐CTFE). This work provides the perspective to understand the relationship between the shell thickness and dielectric property of polymer nanocomposites based on conductive fillers.
Overlap‐time compensation technique for current‐source power inverter
Authors: Suroso  , Winasis  , Noguchi Toshihiko
Published: November 2019

A current source type power inverter is an inverter converting the dc current source to be ac current with magnitude, frequency and phase angle can be controlled. In a voltage source inverter, a short circuit condition is prohibited, because an excessive current may destroy the inverter circuits. In contrast, because inductors are used as energy buffer, an open circuit must be avoided in the operation of a current source inverter. In order to operate inverter properly, overlap‐time is attached in the firing signals of power switches to avoid open circuit condition. However, adding overlap‐time will generate distortion of the ac output current. Hence, compensation of overlap‐time is absolutely needed for current source inverter to output high quality current waveform. A new overlap‐time compensation method for current source inverter is proposed in this paper. The method utilized triangular carriers and sinusoidal signal for modulation strategy to generate gating signals of inverter with overlap‐time compensation capability. The new method was examined using computer simulations. Further, experimental tests of inverter circuits applying overlap‐time compensation method were also presented and discussed. The test results verified that the proposed method worked well suppressing distortions and harmonics of the ac current waveform caused by the overlap‐time.
Finite‐time composite control scheme for three‐phase four‐leg inverter under variable operating conditions
Authors: Sun Yuge , Niu Xitong , Zhang Chuanlin , Jiang Nannan
Published: November 2019

Three‐phase four‐leg inverters widely used in microgrid can effectively provide the power for the non‐linear/unbalanced loads. Here, the non‐linear composite controller is proposed for three‐phase four‐leg inverter system under reference frame by integrating a higher order sliding mode observer and finite‐time control technique. The observer adopts the soft sensing manner to feedforward compensate external disturbances caused by current variation of AC bus node, which relaxes some physical constraints. Meanwhile, the higher order sliding mode observer realises the decoupling of the inverter system, which paves the way for the construction of the non‐smooth finite‐time control law. Finally, the simulation results with PI comparison illustrate the feasibility of the proposed method for improving the robustness, stability, and rapid recovery capability of system.
Multi‐fractal detrended fluctuation half‐spectrum analysis of HRV
Authors: Zhang Daoming , Wang Cong , Li Chuangye , Dai Wei
Published: November 2019

Electrocardiogram is a comprehensive reflection of cardiac electrical activity on the surface of the body. It is of great research value to analyse ECG signals and diagnose heart diseases. Since the heartbeat process is a chaotic system, this study proposes a multi‐fractal detrended fluctuation half‐spectrum analysis method of short‐term heart rate variability‐y (HRV) signals from the perspective of non‐linear dynamics, for patients with normal heart rate, sporadic heart rate variation and supraventricular rate, the heart rate mutation signal of patients with heart rate variation is calculated, and the statistical value distribution of multi‐fractal parameter α has a certain change trend with the change of disease condition. The classification accuracy can reach >75% through box plot analysis.
Comparative study of two types of mini chicanes concentrators implanted in solar collector
Authors: Sari Hassoun Zakaria , Aliane Khaled
Published: November 2019

Saving energy and protecting the environment are the cornerstones of the modern concept of energy consumption. Following the Algerian program on renewable energies and energy consumption, dictated by Algeria's new energy transition policy, 40% of electricity production should come from renewable energies by the year 2030. The present article accompanies this policy and makes an attempt to improve the energy efficiency. This work presents a comparative experimental study of two models of flat plate air solar collectors, namely a solar collector with black mini solar concentrators (BMSC) and another model, similar to the first one, with the same geometry and dimensions, and supplied with mini solar concentrators and mirrors (MSCMR) instead of black mini solar concentrators. A comparison of the temperature profiles for these two models of solar collectors is performed in this work, in the two cases of free convection and forced convection. Comments on this innovative design are presented and the results obtained are found encouraging.
Investigation on the skidding dynamic response of rolling bearing with local defect under elastohydrodynamic lubrication
Authors: Kang Jianxiong , Lu Yanjun , Zhang Yongfang , Liu Cheng , Li Sha , Müller Norbert
Published: November 2019

The rolling element skidding may lead to the failure of the rolling bearing. The skidding characteristics can be effectively analyzed by using dynamic response of the rolling bearing. A dynamic model is established to investigate the vibration response of the rolling bearing with local defect on inner/outer race in this paper. In the proposed model, the rolling element skidding, contact stiffness and displacement, the interaction force between ball and race, the interaction force between cage and race, elastohydrodynamic lubrication are taken into consideration. The dynamic responses of the rolling bearing with the rolling element skidding are solved by the proposed model in the time and frequency domains. The effects of defect size, rotational speed, external load, and compound factors on skidding characteristics are investigated. The proposed model is verified by the experiments. The results show that the rolling element skidding leads to the significant difference of dynamic characteristics in the time and frequency domains, which aggravates the failure of the rolling bearings.
Study on microstructure and texture of a new-type low Si high Mn non-oriented silicon steel 50W250
Authors: Fan Lifeng , Li Sai , Xiao Lijun , Tang Guangbo , Bai Liang , Huang Jiao
Published: November 2019

A new method to fabricate a high grade non-oriented silicon steel was provided, in which the significant feature is low Si high Mn. Metallographic microscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were used to investigate the microstructure, texture evolution and precipitates characteristics, respectively. It is found that hot rolled sheet had a distinct stratification appearance. Fine equiaxed grains occupy the surface while subsurface and center regions were dominated by deformed microstructure and equiaxed grains. After normalizing, the microstructure of hot rolled sheet completely recrystallized. A number of shear bands were observed attributed to cold rolling. With the increase of annealing temperature or time, the average grain size of final annealed sheet increases. Annealed at 1000 °C for 7 min, annealed sheet exhibits highest and lowest fraction of {001}<100> cube texture and {112}<11-1> copper texture, respectively. The average grain size of final sheet also reaches peak, and it is 117.65 µm. In addition, the fine precipitates mainly include spherical MnS, CuS, regular hexahedral AlN, TiN and partly approximate spherical composite precipitates. The average size and distribution density are 132.10 nm and 1.62 × 1012 cm−3, respectively. Under the condition annealed at 1000 °C for 7 min, the core loss P1.5/50 is 2.461 W · Kg−1 and the magnetic induction B50 is 1.699 T.
Übung des Monats – Der Handwalk
Authors: Volker Hacker , Bauer Natascha , Keller Matthias
Published: November 2019

Der Handwalk (engl.: Inchworm) zählt zu den sogenannten Movement Preps. Durch die Komplexität seines Anforderungsprofils kann man ihn dem Warm-up, dem Beweglichkeitstraining sowie den aktivierenden Übungen zuordnen.
Die homöopathische Behandlung von chronischen und Autoimmunkrankheiten
Authors: Ilhan Fulya , Saltık Gülbin
Published: November 2019

Bei der Behandlung von Autoimmunerkrankungen und chronischen Erkrankungen stellt die Homöopathie eine ganzheitliche und günstige Therapieoption dar. Eine homöopathische Behandlung kann bei vielen Krankheiten zumindest die Häufigkeit und Anzahl der Krankheitsphasen und -schübe reduzieren. Hier werden 7 Fälle mit unterschiedlichen Diagnosen präsentiert, die erfolgreich homöopathisch behandelt wurden. So kann dies ein Referenzartikel für den homöopathischen Behandlungsansatz in der Türkei sein.
Verifikationen – Plädoyer für einen Neustart
Authors: Lucae Christian
Published: November 2019

Die Rubrik „Verifikationen“ wurde in der Zeitschrift für Klassische Homöopathie (ZKH) seit 1987 regelmäßig geführt und soll in der AHZ ab 2020 neu aufgenommen werden. Damit haben alle Leserinnen und Leser die Möglichkeit, zur Verbesserung der Qualität der homöopathischen Materia medica beizutragen.
Evaluation of 18F-FDG uptake in lung parenchyma compensating for tissue fraction: Comparison between non-enhanced low dose CT and intravenous contrast-enhanced diagnostic CT
Authors: Garpered Sabine , Minarik David , Frantz Sophia , Valind Sven , Wollmer Per
Published: November 2019

Aim To determine how the presence of intravenous (IV) contrast-enhanced CT influences SUV measurements corrected for both attenuation and tissue fraction.

Material and Methods Eighteen patients with different malignancies, free from lung disorders, lung cancer or metastasis, were prospectively recruited when referred for staging with combined 18F-FDG-PET/CT examination. A non-enhanced low-dose CT over the chest was immediately followed by a whole-body IV contrast-enhanced diagnostic CT and finally the PET acquisition. PET data were reconstructed with attenuation correction based on the two CT data sets. The lungs were segmented in the CT images and lung density was measured. Uptake of 18F-FDG in lung parenchyma was recorded using both non-enhanced and IV contrast-enhanced CT as well as with and without compensation for lung aeration. A comparison of SUV values of corrected and uncorrected PET images was performed.

Results There was no significant difference between low dose PET/CT and IV contrast-enhanced PET/CT when removing the impact of air fraction (p = 0.093 for the right lung and p = 0.085 for the left lung). When tissue fraction was not corrected for, there was a significant difference between low dose PET/CT and IV contrast enhanced PET/CT used for attenuation correction (p = 0.006 for the right lung and p = 0.015 for the left lung).

Conclusion There was only a marginal effect on the assessement of SUV in the lung tissue when using IV contrast enhanced CT for attenuation correction when the air fraction was accounted for.
Aza-Morita–Baylis–Hillman Reaction with Vinyl-oxadiazoles: An Expeditious Approach to Access New Heterocyclic Arrangements
Authors: Capretz-Agy André , Fernandes Fábio S. , Rodrigues Manoel T. , Conti Caroline , Coelho Fernando
Published: November 2019

In this communication, we disclosed a new aza-MBH reaction in which traditional nucleophilic partners of these reactions (e.g., acrylates, nitroolefins or enones) were replaced by vinyl-1,2,4-oxadiazoles. Thus, the aza-MBH reaction between 5-aryl-3-vinyl-1,2,4-oxadiazoles and N-sulfonylimines, catalyzed by the mixture DABCO/AcOH, provides a class of new adduct in yields varying from 31% up to 93% in reaction times from 30 minutes to 24 hours. Due to the biological activities and technological applications associated with the 1,2,4-oxadiazole motifs, this new class of heterocycles offers great synthetic and commercial potentiality.
3 Diboron Compounds: Synthesis and Applications
Authors: Yoshida H.
Published: November 2019

This chapter describes the synthesis of symmetrical and unsymmetrical diboron compounds, and their synthetic applications for installing boron into organic molecules via activation of the boron–boron σ-bond under transition-metal/transition-metal-free catalysis. Because of the vast scale of these diboron-based boron-installing reactions, this chapter focuses mainly on the reactions with unsaturated carbon–carbon bonds such as alkynes and alkenes, α,β-unsaturated carbonyl componds, organic halides, and Caryl–H bonds. A discussion of the regio-, stereo-, and enantioselectivities of the boron-installing reactions is also included.
5 anti Boron Addition to Alkynes
Authors: Sawamura M. , Ohmiya H.
Published: November 2019

Boron additions, such as carboboration, silaboration, diboration, or hydroboration of alkynes, offer efficient strategies for the synthesis of alkenylborons, which are versatile synthetic intermediates. Most of the reported reactions occur in syn addition mode. Accordingly, anti-selective boron addition to alkynes is an important challenge in modern organic synthesis. This chapter describes successful examples of anti-selective boron additions.
Ontological and epistemological challenges of measuring the effectiveness of urban counterterrorism measures
Authors: Jore Sissel H.
Published: November 2019

Cities and their citizens are increasingly seen as vulnerable targets for terrorist attacks, and nowadays city planners have become important actors in making decisions about urban security. Multiple urban counterterrorism measures that have affected the urban landscape have been implemented in recent years. Simultaneously, new legislation requires security measures to be effective. This article outlines and discusses the epistemological and ontological challenges of acquiring knowledge about the effectiveness of urban counterterrorism measures from a local city planner’s perspective. This piece of work is a discussion paper based on a literature review. We conclude that, despite the knowledge limitations regarding the threat of urban terrorism and associated countermeasures, local planners should refrain from just uncritically implementing urban countermeasures without considering the effectiveness of such measures. Without knowledge on what constitutes the effectiveness of urban security measures, the city might end up infringing the same values that it aims to protect, without achieving security.
Weighted number operators on Bernoulli functionals and quantum exclusion semigroups
Authors: Wang Caishi , Tang Yuling , Ren Suling
Published: November 2019

Quantum Bernoulli noises (QBN for short) are the family of annihilation and creation operators acting on Bernoulli functionals, which satisfy a canonical anticommutation relation in equal-time. In this paper, by using QBN, we first introduce a class of self-adjoint operators acting on Bernoulli functionals, which we call the weighted number operators. We then make clear spectral decompositions of these operators and establish their commutation relations with the annihilation as well as the creation operators. We also obtain a necessary and sufficient condition for a weighted number operator to be bounded. Finally, as an application of the above results, we construct a class of quantum Markov semigroups associated with the weighted number operators, which belong to the category of quantum exclusion semigroups. Some basic properties of these quantum Markov semigroups are shown and examples are given.