bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Women's periconceptional diet and risk of biliary atresia in offspring
Authors: Carmichael Suzan L. , Ma Chen , Van Zutphen Alissa R. , Moore Cynthia A. , Shaw Gary M. ,   the National Birth Defects Prevention Study
Published: May 2018

Introduction

We examined the association of biliary atresia with maternal dietary intake, using National Birth Defects Prevention Study (NBDPS) data from 152 cases and 11,112 nonmalformed controls born 1997–2011.

Methods

NBDPS is a multisite, population‐based case‐control study. Exposure data were from maternal telephone interviews, which included a food frequency questionnaire. Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were generated from logistic regression models that included nutritional factors as continuous variables and were adjusted for energy intake only or energy intake plus covariates (maternal race‐ethnicity, education, age, prepregnancy body mass index, vitamin/mineral supplement intake, conception during summer). Models included a quadratic term for the nutrient if p < 0.10. ORs reflect odds of having biliary atresia for nutrient values at the 75th compared to 25th percentile values of each nutrient, based on distributions among controls.

Results

ORs for which the 95% CI excluded 1.00 were energy‐adjusted ORs for calcium (0.63), protein (0.65), riboflavin (0.71), and diet quality index (0.69), and fully adjusted ORs for calcium (0.68) and vitamin E (0.72). ORs that were fully adjusted for covariates tended to be closer to 1.0 than ORs adjusted only for energy intake. ORs for the other studied nutrients had 95% CIs that included 1.00.

Conclusions

NBDPS is the first study to include detailed information on maternal dietary intake and risk of biliary atresia. Our results suggest reduced risks associated with some nutrients, which may provide etiologic clues but should be interpreted with caution given the small number of cases and novelty of the investigation.
Einfluss der thermischen Behandlung auf die Festigkeiten von feinkörnigem ultrahochfestem Beton (UHPC/RPC)
Authors: Rhau Marcel , Schnellenbach‐Held Martina , Welsch Torsten
Published: May 2018

Durch eine gezielte thermische Nachbehandlung können die Biegezug‐ und Druckfestigkeiten von Ultrahochleistungsbetonen (Ultra‐High Performance Concrete, UHPC) deutlich erhöht werden. In den meisten Veröffentlichungen wird eine Vorlagerzeit von 1–2 Tagen, eine Haltetemperatur von 60–90 °C sowie eine Haltezeit von 24–48 Stunden empfohlen [1, 2]. Eigene Voruntersuchungen zur thermischen Behandlung von feinkörnigem UHPC (RPC) am Institut für Massivbau der Universität Duisburg‐Essen zeigten, dass durch andere Variationen bessere Ergebnisse erzielt werden konnten. Daher wurden detailliertere Untersuchungen zur Vorlagerzeit sowie zur Haltetemperatur an zwei unterschiedlichen UHPC‐Mischungen durchgeführt. Weiterhin wurde der Einfluss eines Schutzes der Proben vor dem Austrocknen während der thermischen Behandlung erforscht. Die Ergebnisse und die Auswertung dieser Untersuchungen werden in dieser Veröffentlichung dokumentiert. Es zeigte sich, dass die Behandlungstemperatur den größten Einfluss auf die Druckfestigkeit hat. Zur Steigerung der Biegezugfestigkeit war der Schutz der Proben entscheidend. Weiterhin ist festzuhalten, dass sich für die verschiedenen Mischungszusammensetzungen unterschiedliche Regimes für die thermische Behandlung als am effizientesten herausstellten.
An Online Compendium of CHO RNA‐Seq Data Allows Identification of CHO Cell Line‐Specific Transcriptomic Signatures
Authors: Singh Ankita , Kildegaard Helene F. , Andersen Mikael R.
Published: May 2018

Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell lines can fold, assemble, and modify proteins post‐translationally to produce human‐like proteins; as a consequence, it is the single most common expression systems for industrial production of recombinant therapeutic proteins. A thorough knowledge of cultivation conditions of different CHO cell lines has been developed over the last decade, but comprehending gene or pathway‐specific distinctions between CHO cell lines at transcriptome level remains a challenge. To address these challenges, a compendium of 23 RNA‐Seq studies from public and in‐house data on CHO cell lines, i.e., CHO‐S, CHO‐K1, and DG44 is compiled. Significantly differentially expressed (DE) genes particularly related to subcellular structure and macromolecular categories are used to identify differences between the cell lines. A R‐based web application is developed specifically for CHO cell lines to further visualize expression values across different cell lines, and make available the normalized full CHO data set graphically as a CHO research community resource. This study quantitatively categorizes CHO cell lines based on patterns at transcriptomic level and detects gene and pathway specific key distinctions among sibling cell lines. Studies such as this can be used to select desired characteristics across various CHO cell lines. Furthermore, the availability of the data as an internet‐based application can be applied to broad range of CHO engineering applications.
Lactoferricin B reverses cisplatin resistance in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma cells through targeting PD‐L1
Authors: Zhang Pei , Liu Jinzhong , Li Wenlu , Li Shanshan , Han Xinguang
Published: May 2018

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) ranks among the top most common cancers with a poor prognosis. The mechanism of chemoresistance is still not well known. This study is to investigate the programmed death‐ligand 1 (PD‐L1) expression in HNSCC, and test the effect of lactoferricin B (LfcinB) on chemoresistance and its mechanism. We analyzed 510 HNSCC patients in TCGA database and investigated how CD274 expression was related to patient prognosis. PD‐L1 was verified from HNSCC samples at local hospital with immunohistochemistry. PD‐L1 expression in the acquired cisplatin‐resistant HNSCC cells was examined by PCR and WB in order to test PD‐L1‐induced chemoresistance. LfcinB inoculation in cisplatin‐resistant HNSCC cells and in the nude mice was introduced to test the effect of LfcinB on targeting cisplatin resistance and its mechanism. High CD274 mRNA (>125 FPKM) from TCGA database had a significantly reduced 5‐year survival rate, and a lower 5‐year survival rate in the chemotherapy and radiotherapy‐treated patients (P < .05). PD‐L1 overexpression was further supported from analysis of 40 HNSCC specimens. PD‐L1 and IL‐6 in the established cisplatin‐resistant HNSCC cells were shown significantly higher (P < .05). IL‐6 and PD‐L1 expression were partially inhibited by the anti‐IL‐6/STAT3 antibody. LfcinB displayed a direct cytotoxic effect on cisplatin‐resistant HNSCC cells and HNSCC xenografts of cisplatin‐resistant cells in the nude mice displayed significant reduction in tumor volume after LfcinB injection (P < .05). Besides, the increase of IL‐6 and PD‐L1 in cisplatin‐resistant HNSCC cells was abolished in vitro by LfcinB (P < .05). PD‐L1 expression in HNSCC cells correlates with poor prognosis and chemoresistance, and LfcinB might provide therapeutic potential in HNSCC patients through modulating IL‐6 and PD‐L1.
Evaluation of the ThroLy score for the prediction of venous thromboembolism in newly diagnosed patients treated for lymphoid malignancies in clinical practice
Authors: Rupa‐Matysek Joanna , Brzeźniakiewicz‐Janus Katarzyna , Gil Lidia , Krasiński Zbigniew , Komarnicki Mieczysław
Published: May 2018

The utility in clinical practice of a recently developed and validated predictive model for venous thromboembolism (VTE) events in lymphoma patients, known as the thrombosis lymphoma (ThroLy) score, is unknown. We evaluated the association of ThroLy with VTE in patients treated for diffuse large B‐cell lymphoma (DLBCL) or Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) undergoing ambulatory first‐line chemotherapy. Retrospective analyses were performed on 428 patients (median age 50), 241 were newly diagnosed DLBCL, and 187 had HL. During initial chemotherapy, 64 (15%) patients developed VTE. According to the ThroLy, 322 (75.2%) patients were considered low risk, 88 (20.6%) patients had intermediate risk and 18 (4.2%) patients high risk for VTE development. Patients with DLBCL were more often in the high‐risk ThroLy group and had more VTE events than HL. VTE occurred in; 38.9% (n = 7) high‐risk patients, 29.5% (n = 26) intermediate risk, and 9.6% (n = 31) low risk according to the ThroLy score. However, in multivariate analysis, high ThroLy (OR 5.13; 95% CI: 1.83‐14.36, P = .002), intermediate ThroLy (OR 3.96; 95% CI: 2.19‐7.17, P < .001), and aggressive lymphoma‐DLBCL (OR 1.91; 95% CI: 1.05‐3.47, P = .034) were all significantly associated with development of VTE, 48% of the VTE events occurred in the low‐risk ThroLy score group (the ROC AUC (95% CI) 0.40‐0.70 and C statistic‐0.55). In our study, the ThroLy score was not a suitably accurate model for predicting VTE events in patients at higher risk of VTE. Further research should be conducted to identify new biomarkers that will predict these events and to establish a new VTE risk assessment model.
Systematic analyses of a novel lncRNA‐associated signature as the prognostic biomarker for Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Authors: Sui Jing , Miao Yan , Han Jiali , Nan Hongmei , Shen Bo , Zhang Xiaomei , Zhang Yan , Wu Yuan , Wu Wenjuan , Liu Tong , Xu Siyi , Yang Sheng , Yin Lihong , Pu Yuepu , Liang Geyu
Published: May 2018

Accumulating evidence implies that long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) play a crucial role in predicting survival for Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients. This study aims to capture the current research hotspots of HCC, based on the analysis of publications related to HCC research from 2013 to 2017, and to identify a novel lncRNA signature for HCC prognosis through the data mining in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). “Prognosis” and “biomarker” were located in the core of the HCC research hotspot. Moreover, long noncoding RNA was the top one research frontier in HCC research. The associations between survival outcome and the expression of lncRNAs were evaluated by the univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression analyses. Four lncRNAs (LINC00261, TRELM3P, GBP1P1, and CDKN2B‐AS1) were identified as significantly correlated with overall survival (OS). These four lncRNAs were gathered as a single prognostic signature. There was a significant positive correlation between HCC patients with low‐risk scores and overall survival (HR = 1.802, 95%CI [1.224‐2.652], P = .003). Further analysis suggested that the prognostic value of this four‐lncRNA signature was independent in clinical features. The enrichment analysis of prognostic lncRNA‐related gene was performed to find out the related pathways. Our study indicates that this novel lncRNA expression signature may be a useful biomarker of the prognosis for HCC patients, based on bioinformatics analysis.
The combination of a sphingosine kinase 2 inhibitor (ABC294640) and a Bcl‐2 inhibitor (ABT‐199) displays synergistic anti‐myeloma effects in myeloma cells without a t(11;14) translocation
Authors: Sundaramoorthy Pasupathi , Gasparetto Cristina , Kang Yubin
Published: May 2018

Multiple myeloma (MM) remains an incurable disease in need of the development of novel therapeutic agents and drug combinations. ABT‐199 is a specific Bcl‐2 inhibitor in clinical trials for MM; however, its activity as a single agent was limited to myeloma patients with the t(11;14) translocation who acquire resistance due to co‐expression of Mcl‐1 and Bcl‐xL. These limitations preclude its use in a broader patient population. We have recently found that a sphingosine kinase 2‐specific inhibitor (ABC294640) induces apoptosis in primary human CD138+ cells and MM cell lines. ABC294640 is currently in phase I/II clinical trials for myeloma (clinicaltrials.gov: #NCT01410981). Interestingly, ABC294640 down‐regulates c‐Myc and Mcl‐1, but does not have any effects on Bcl‐2. We first evaluated the combinatorial anti‐myeloma effect of ABC294640 and ABT‐199 in vitro in 7 MM cell lines, all of which harbor no t(11;14) translocation. Combination index calculation demonstrated a synergistic anti‐myeloma effect of the combination of ABC294640 and ABT‐199. This synergistic anti‐myeloma effect was maintained even in the presence of bone marrow (BM) stromal cells. The combination of ABC294640 and ABT‐199 led to enhanced cleavage of PARP and caspase‐3/9 and increased Annexin‐V expression, consistent with the induction of apoptosis by the combination treatment. In addition, the combination of ABC294640 and ABT‐199 resulted in the down‐regulation of the anti‐apoptotic proteins Mcl‐1, Bcl‐2, and Bcl‐xL and the cleavage of Bax and Bid. The combination induced both the mitochondrial mediated‐ and caspase‐mediated apoptosis pathways. Finally, the combination of ABC294640 and ABT‐199 resulted in augmented anti‐myeloma effect in vivo in a mouse xenograft model. These findings demonstrate that the co‐administration of ABC294640 and ABT‐199 exhibits synergistic anti‐myeloma activity in vitro and in vivo, providing justification for a clinical study of this novel combination in patients with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma.
Molecular features in young vs elderly breast cancer patients and the impacts on survival disparities by age at diagnosis
Authors: Wang Mei‐Xia , Ren Jun‐Ting , Tang Lu‐Ying , Ren Ze‐Fang
Published: May 2018

Young and elderly breast cancer patients are more likely to have a poorer outcome than middle‐aged patients. The intrinsic molecular features for this disparity are unclear. We obtained data from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) on May 15, 2017 to test the potential mediation effects of the molecular features on the association between age and prognosis with a four‐step approach. The relative contributions of the molecular features (PAM50 subtype, risk stratification, DNAm age, and mutations in TP53, PIK3CA, MLL3, CDH1, GATA3, and MAP3K1) to age disparities in survival were estimated by Cox proportional hazard models with or without the features. Young patients were significantly more likely to have basal‐like subtype, GATA3 mutations, and younger DNA methylation (DNAm) age than middle‐aged patients (P < .05). Both the young and elderly patients had a significantly increased risk of breast cancer recurrence after adjusted by race, tumor size, and node status (Hazard ratio [HR] (95% confidence interval [CI]): 2.81 [1.44, 5.45], 2.37 [1.45, 3.89], respectively). This increased risk was weakened in the young patients after further adjustments in the molecular features, particularly basal‐like subtype, GATA3 mutations, and DNAm age (HR [95%CI]: 1.87 [0.81, 4.32]), resulting in 33.5% decreased risk of recurrence. Meanwhile, the adjustments of the molecular features did not alter the recurrence risk for the elderly patients. Compared with middle‐aged patients of breast cancer, poorer prognosis of elderly patients may be caused by aging, while poorer prognosis of young patients was probably mediated through intrinsic characteristics, such as basal‐like subtype, GATA3 mutations, and DNAm age of the cancerous tissues.
Immediate breast reconstruction for women having inflammatory breast cancer in the United States
Authors: Patel Sameer A. , Ng Marilyn , Nardello Salvatore M. , Ruth Karen , Bleicher Richard J.
Published: May 2018

Inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) is an aggressive malignancy having a poor prognosis. Traditionally, reconstruction is not offered due to concerns about treatment delay, margin positivity, recurrence, and poor long‐term survival. There is a paucity of literature, however, evaluating whether immediate breast reconstruction (IBR) is associated with greater mortality in patients with IBC. A population‐based study was conducted via the SEER‐Medicare‐linked database (1991‐2009). Female patients greater than 65 years were reviewed who had mastectomy and reconstruction claims for nonmetastatic IBC. Competing risk and Cox regression were used to assess whether IBR was associated with higher breast cancer‐specific mortality (BCSM) or overall mortality (OM). Among 552 936 patients, 1472 (median age 74 years) were diagnosed with IBC and had a mastectomy. Forty‐four patients (3%) underwent IBR. Younger age, a lower Charlson comorbidity score, and a greater median income were predictors of IBR use. Tumor grade, hormone receptor status, and lymph node status were independent predictors of adjusted OM and BCSM. There was no difference by IBR status in BCSM or covariate‐adjusted BCSM (sHR 1.04; CI 0.71‐1.54; P = .83 and sHR 1.13; CI 0.84‐1.93; P = .58, respectively). Cumulative incidence of OM was lower among IR patients (P = .013), and IR did not influence the cumulative incidence of BCSM (P = .91). IBR was not associated with increased overall and BCSM mortality. Although further study of IBR in the IBC setting may be of value, these data suggest that IBC should not be considered an absolute contraindication to IBR.
Rituximab maintenance therapy of follicular lymphoma in clinical practice
Authors: Dührsen Ulrich , Broszeit‐Luft Stefanie , Dieing Annette , Lück Andreas , Porowski Piotr , Reiser Marcel , Schwinger Ulrike , Klawitter Sandra , Krumm Katja , Jentsch‐Ullrich Kathleen
Published: May 2018

Standard of care for patients with symptomatic, advanced‐stage follicular lymphoma (FL) is rituximab‐containing chemoimmunotherapy followed by rituximab maintenance. This prospective, multicenter, noninterventional study analyzed how efficacy and safety data from randomized controlled trials translate into clinical practice in Germany. Both treatment‐naïve and relapsed/refractory patients with FL, who responded to rituximab‐containing induction and were scheduled for rituximab maintenance, were observed for 24 months. Effectiveness was measured by response and Kaplan‐Meier survival analysis. In addition, treatment patterns of induction and maintenance, as well as adverse events, were documented. The evaluable study population consisted of 310 first‐line patients and 173 relapsed/refractory patients, including 116 patients with initial Ann‐Arbor stage I/II and 20 patients with FL grade 3B. Regarding first‐line induction, a shift from R‐CHOP (rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, prednisone) to R‐bendamustine was observed over time, as well as a decline in radiotherapy. 2‐year progression‐free survival rates were 88.3% (95% confidence interval [CI] 84.0‐92.6) for first‐line patients and 76.0% (95% CI: 68.8‐83.3) for relapsed/refractory patients. Conversion from partial to complete remission (PR, CR) occurred in 53.4% of analyzed first‐line patients with PR, resulting in 69.4% CRs at study end (relapsed/refractory: conversion in 42.9%, final CRs 57.9%). Safety results were consistent with the known safety profile of rituximab in this setting. Both treatment‐naïve and relapsed/refractory patients with FL show favorable 2‐year PFS rates and improvements in the remission status with postinduction rituximab monotherapy as maintenance and consolidation therapy.
On the potential role of intestinal microbial community in hepatocarcinogenesis in chronic hepatitis B
Authors: Mohamadkhani Ashraf
Published: May 2018

The chronic infection of hepatitis B virus (HBV) is the most potent risk factor for the development of cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The association of intestinal microbiota alteration with progressive liver disease has been investigated in recent studies. Overgrowth of potentially pathogenic bacteria of gram‐negative species and, in particular, a significant increase in the fecal count of Escherichia coli (E. coli) are characterized in the presence of HCC. This study was conducted to describe the characteristics of the intestinal microbiota related to the presence of HCC in HBV‐carrier patients. The available literature indicates the colonization of E. coli as principal source of portal vein lipopolysaccharide (LPS), in the gut may contribute to the carcinogenesis process by inducing chronic inflammation. This understanding could help to predict the clinical outcomes in HBV‐carrier patients and innovative strategies to reduce the virulence of liver disease from intestinal dysbiosis.
Chemical Constituents of the Seed Cake of Camellia oleifera and Their Antioxidant and Antimelanogenic Activities
Authors: Zhu Wan‐Fang , Wang Ci‐Li , Ye Feng , Sun Hao‐Peng , Ma Cong‐Yu , Liu Wen‐Yuan , Feng Feng , Abe Masahiko , Akihisa Toshihiro , Zhang Jie
Published: May 2018

There is a growing interest in the exploitation of agricultural byproducts. This study explored the potential beneficial health effects from the main biowaste, tea seed pomace of Camellia oleifera Abel (Theaceae), produced when tea seed is processed. Eighteen compounds were isolated from the 70% EtOH extract of the seed cake of C. oleifera. Their structures were determined by ESI‐MS, 1H‐ and 13C‐NMR together with literature data. All fractions and compounds were evaluated for the antioxidant and melanogenesis inhibitory activities. As the result, AcOEt fraction has the best in vitro antioxidant and antimelanogenesis activities, compounds 7 – 12 and 15 showed remarkable antioxidant activity, compounds 4, 6, 8, and 15 – 17 exhibited superior inhibitory activities against melanogenesis. Furthermore, tyrosinase inhibitory activity assay suggested that compound 8 could suppress melanogenesis by inhibiting the expression of tyrosinase.
Colchicine, a microtubule‐disassembling drug, in the therapy of cardiovascular diseases
Authors: Chaldakov George N.
Published: May 2018

Colchicum autumnale, from which colchicine has been isolated more than 100 years ago, has been used as a treatment for pain and swelling for thousands of years. It is one of the few drugs known from that time period whose use has survived to modernity. Over the past decades, advances in the knowledge of (i) cytoskeletal microtubules (МТ), and (ii) anti‐inflammatory and anti‐fibrotic effects of colchicine, a classical MT‐disassembling (tubulin‐targeting) agent, have led to potential new uses for this very old drug extended beyond acute gouty arthritis and familial Mediterranean fever. Here, in brief, I present the Bulgarian contribution to possible potential of colchicine in the therapy of cardiovascular diseases that has emerged in the early 1970s in the Laboratory of Electron Microscopy, Medical Institute, Varna, Bulgaria, studying the secretory function of vascular smooth muscle cells. From this time onward, low‐dose colchicine (0.5–1.0 mg/daily) was increasingly administered orally for therapy of cardiovascular diseases such as acute coronary syndromes, postoperative atrial fibrillation (in cardiac surgery), pericarditis, cardiac hypertrophy‐associated heart failure, restenosis after angioplasty, and systemic necrotizing vasculitis. Thus, colchicine might be a new tool in the present therapeutic armamentarium for cardiovascular diseases. It is simply an example of MT‐disassembling drugs. Further studies will definitely be required before gaining real confidence in this kind of antitubulin pharmacology and therapy. This may lead to developing new and more specific antitubulins for cardiovascular diseases.
TRIM22 knockdown suppresses chronic myeloid leukemia via inhibiting PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway
Authors: Li Liyin , Qi Yanhua , Ma Xiaobo , Xiong Guosheng , Wang Lijun , Bao Cuixia
Published: May 2018

Tripartite motif‐containing 22 (TRIM22) is reported to participate in numerous cellular activities. Recent studies confirm that TRIM22 is a target gene for P53, and inhibits clonogenic growth of leukemic U‐937 cells. The current study aims to discover the effect of TRIM22 in progression of human chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) and explore the related mechanism. TRIM22 was knocked down by siRNA transfection in CML cell K562. We observed that TRIM22 knockdown decreased proliferation and invasion in K562 cells. TRIM22 knockdown significantly induced cell cycle arrest by regulating the level of CDK4, Cyclin D1, P70S6K, and P53 in K562 cell. Moreover, loss of TRIM22 also promoted apoptosis through modulation of Bcl‐2, Bax and active Caspase 3 in K562 cell. Furthermore, we demonstrated that TRIM22 knockdown inhibited the activation of PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway by decreasing the level of the phosphorylated form p‐Akt and p‐mTOR in K562 cell. In conclusion, loss of TRIM22 suppresses the progression and invasion of CML through regulation of PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway, suggesting that TRIM22 might be as a potential target for the treatment strategy of CML.
Polymeric Hollow‐Fiber Bundles as Immersed Heat Exchangers
Authors: Weiß Klarissa , Astrouski Ilya , Reppich Marcus , Raudenský Miroslav
Published: May 2018

Plastic immersed heat exchangers are used in various applications where chemically neutral and noncorrosive equipment is required. Their potential competitors, namely, polymeric hollow‐fiber bundles, were investigated. Three different fiber bundles were tested as immersed coolers of a hot reservoir. Two types of polypropylene hollow fibers with various outside diameters were employed. Fibers were twisted with different curvature to achieve better distribution and improve natural convection on their outer surface. Calculation by experimental results was compared with the equation for natural convection across the horizontal cylinder, which overestimates heat transfer coefficients and can be applied for only rough estimation. Experimentally achieved pressure drops agreed well with theoretical prediction for laminar flow.
Towards Diastereomeric Pure Salts with Antisolvent Methods
Authors: Lőrincz László , Zsemberi Máté , Bánsághi György , Sohajda Tamás , Székely Edit
Published: May 2018

Chiral molecules, especially enantiomers and diastereomers of purity > 99 %, present a significant market share within the chemical, pharmaceutical, and flavor industries. Antisolvent precipitations, both batch and semicontinuous operations to serve the current trends in flow chemistry were demonstrated to be environmentally benign and efficient tools in achieving high optical purities. Although salts are known to be insoluble in supercritical CO2, instabilities of the nascent salts were detected and applied for increasing efficiency. Diastereomeric excess values of the crystalline products exceeded 99 % in maximum of three consecutive steps both by repeated resolution with half molar equivalent of the amine to the acid and by direct recrystallization of the salts.
Flow Properties of Drill Cuttings with Varying Drilling Fluid Content Using Jenike Shear Testing
Authors: Malagalage Anjana , Ratnayake Chandana , Saasen Arild , Thomassen Tonje , von Hafenbrädl Franz Otto
Published: May 2018

Drill cuttings generated by offshore drilling operations are handled as a hazardous waste. In sensitive marine environments, the concept of zero discharge of waste is implemented. Hence, the drill cuttings have to be stored within the drilling rig for a short time period until they are transported to the onshore treatment facilities. As the drill cuttings are wet and sticky, conventional single silos may face the problem of blockage and rat holing. This preliminary study focuses on conducting flow property measurements. From the experiments the hopper angle and the required minimum outlet width were calculated. A plane symmetric silo with 25.8° hopper angle is suitable for all the conditions. The viscosity of the fluids is affecting the results significantly.
Understanding the Chemical Reactivity of Phosphonium‐Based Ionic Liquids with Tellurium
Authors: Zhang Tao , Schwedtmann Kai , Weigand Jan J. , Doert Thomas , Ruck Michael
Published: May 2018

The chemical reactivity of phosphonium based ionic liquids (ILs) towards tellurium at temperatures above 220 °C was systematically investigated by a series of dissolution experiments, tracking the solute tellurium species by nuclear magnetic resonance, and characterizing the reaction products by X‐ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. The initial step is the thermal elimination of an alkyl group of the phosphonium cation of the ILs, most probably via an SN2 mechanism. The addition of tellurium follows to form trialkylphosphane tellurides as evidenced by 31P and 125Te NMR spectroscopic experiments. The trialkylphosphane tellurides can serve as a tellurium reservoir for the formation of metal tellurides, like Bi2Te3 and Ag2Te. It was observed that trihexyltetradecylphosphonium chloride ([P6 6 6 14]Cl) shows a very weak reactivity that is reflected by a low solubility of tellurium, while trihexyltetradecylphosphonium dicyanamide/decanoate ([P6 6 6 14][N(CN)2]/[P6 6 6 14][decanoate]) and tetrabutylphosphonium decanoate ([P4 4 4 4][decanoate]) dissolve tellurium to a much higher extent. We attribute these observations to the different Lewis basicity of the anions of the ILs as main influencing factor.
Cationic Europium Complexes for Visualizing Fluctuations in Mitochondrial ATP Levels in Living Cells
Authors: Mailhot Romain , Traviss‐Pollard Thomas , Pal Robert , Butler Stephen J.
Published: May 2018

The ability to study cellular metabolism and enzymatic processes involving adenosine triphosphate (ATP) is impeded by the lack of imaging probes capable of signalling the concentration and distribution of intracellular ATP rapidly, with high sensitivity. We report here the first example of a luminescent lanthanide complex capable of visualizing changes in the concentration of ATP in the mitochondria of living cells. Four cationic europium(III) complexes [Eu.1–4]+ have been synthesized and their binding capabilities towards nucleoside polyphosphate anions examined in aqueous solution at physiological pH. Complexes [Eu.1]+ and [Eu.3]+ bearing hydrogen bond donor groups in the pendant arms showed excellent discrimination between ATP, ADP and monophosphate species. Complex [Eu.3]+ showed relatively strong binding to ATP (logKa=5.8), providing a rapid, long‐lived luminescent signal that enabled its detection in a highly competitive aqueous medium containing biologically relevant concentrations of Mg2+, ADP, GTP, UTP and human serum albumin. This EuIII complex responds linearly to ATP within the physiological concentration range (1–5 mm), and was used to continuously monitor the apyrase‐catalyzed hydrolysis of ATP to ADP in vitro. We demonstrate that [Eu.3]+ can permeate mammalian (NIH‐3T3) cells efficiently and localize to the mitochondria selectively, permitting real‐time visualization of elevated mitochondrial ATP levels following treatment with a broad spectrum kinase inhibitor, staurosporine, as well as depleted ATP levels upon treatment with potassium cyanide under glucose starvation conditions.
Electronic Interactions in Illuminated Carbon Dot/MoS2 Ensembles and Electrocatalytic Activity towards Hydrogen Evolution
Authors: Canton‐Vitoria Ruben , Vallan Lorenzo , Urriolabeitia Esteban , Benito Ana M. , Maser Wolfgang K. , Tagmatarchis Nikos
Published: May 2018

The preparation, characterization, and photophysical and electrocatalytic properties of carbon dot (CD)/MoS2 ensembles is reported. Based on electrostatic interactions, ammonium‐functionalized MoS2, which was prepared upon reaction of 1,2‐dithiolane tert‐butyl carbamate with MoS2 followed by acidic deprotection, was coupled with CDs bearing multiple carboxylates on their periphery, as derived upon microwave‐assisted polycondensation of citric acid and ethylenediamine followed by alkaline treatment. Insights into electronic interactions between the two species within CD/MoS2 ensembles emanated from absorption and photoluminescence titration assays. Efficient fluorescence quenching of CDs by MoS2 was observed and attributed to photoinduced electron/energy transfer as the decay mechanism for the transduction of the singlet excited state of CDs. Finally, the electrocatalytic performance of the CD/MoS2 ensemble was assessed towards the hydrogen evolution reaction and found to be superior to that of individual CDs species.
Supramolecular Interactions of Fullerene C60 with 1,3,5‐Trifluoro‐2,4,6‐triiodobenzene: A Combined Theoretical and Experimental Study
Authors: Zhang Yu , Wang Jian‐Ge , Sun Xiaotian , Liu Qiaohong , Wang Weizhou , Wang Yi‐Bo
Published: May 2018

The noncovalent interactions between fullerene C60 and 1,3,5‐trifluoro‐2,4,6‐triiodobenzene (C6F3I3) have been investigated in detail by means of a combined theoretical and experimental study. The noncovalent interactions formed by C60 with C6F3I3 in the gas phase were modeled by means of quantum chemical calculations, and the noncovalent interactions formed between C60 and C6F3I3 in the solid state were explored by means of single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction studies at both low temperature and room temperature. In both the gas phase and solid state, formations of the π⋅⋅⋅π‐stacking interactions, halogen bonds, and F⋅⋅⋅π interactions were found in the supramolecular complexes of C60 with C6F3I3. The strength of these noncovalent interactions was characterized by means of dispersion‐corrected density functional theory (DFT) calculations, and the nature of these noncovalent interactions was revealed through energy‐component analyses.
Ruthenium Supported on High‐Surface‐Area Zirconia as an Efficient Catalyst for the Base‐Free Oxidation of 5‐Hydroxymethylfurfural to 2,5‐Furandicarboxylic Acid
Authors: Pichler Christian M. , Al‐Shaal Mohammad G. , Gu Dong , Joshi Hrishikesh , Ciptonugroho Wirawan , Schüth Ferdi
Published: May 2018

Several ZrO2‐supported ruthenium catalysts were prepared and utilized in the oxidation of 5‐hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) to 2,5‐furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA) under base‐free conditions. Full conversion of HMF and almost perfect selectivity towards FDCA (97 %) were achieved after 16 h by using pure O2 as an oxidant and water as a solvent. The catalytic tests show that the size of the Ru particles is crucial for the catalytic performance and that the utilization of high‐surface‐area ZrO2 leads to formation of very small Ru particles. Superior activity was obtained for catalysts based on ZrO2 that had been synthesized by a surface‐casting method and has high surface areas up to 256 m2 g−1. In addition to good activity and selectivity, these catalysts show also high stability and constant activity upon recycling, confirming the suitability of Ru/ZrO2 in the base‐free oxidation of HMF.
Utilizing Waste Thermocol Sheets and Rusted Iron Wires to Fabricate Carbon–Fe3O4 Nanocomposite‐Based Supercapacitors: Turning Wastes into Value‐Added Materials
Authors: Vadiyar Madagonda M. , Liu Xudong , Ye Zhibin
Published: May 2018

The synthesis of porous activated carbon (specific surface area=1883 m2 g−1), Fe3O4 nanoparticles, and carbon–Fe3O4 (C−Fe3O4) nanocomposites from local waste thermocol sheets and rusted iron wires is demonstrated herein. The resulting carbon, Fe3O4 nanoparticles, and C−Fe3O4 composites are used as electrode materials for supercapacitor applications. In particular, C−Fe3O4 composite electrodes exhibit a high specific capacitance of 1375 F g−1 at 1 A g−1 and longer cyclic stability with 98 % capacitance retention over 10 000 cycles. Subsequently, an asymmetric supercapacitor, namely, C−Fe3O4∥Ni(OH)2/carbon nanotube device, exhibits a high energy density of 91.1 Wh kg−1 and a remarkable cyclic stability, with 98 % capacitance retention over 10 000 cycles. Thus, this work has important implications not only for the fabrication of low‐cost electrodes for high‐performance supercapacitors, but also for the recycling of waste thermocol sheets and rusted iron wires for value‐added reuse.
Rational Design of Fe/N/S‐Doped Nanoporous Carbon Catalysts from Covalent Triazine Frameworks for Efficient Oxygen Reduction
Authors: Zhu Yuanzhi , Chen Xifan , Liu Jing , Zhang Junfeng , Xu DanYun , Peng Wenchao , Li Yang , Zhang Guoliang , Zhang Fengbao , Fan Xiaobin
Published: May 2018

Porous organic polymers (POPs) are promising precursors for developing high performance transition metal–nitrogen–carbon (M/N/C) catalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). The rational design of POP precursors remain a great challenge, because of the elusive structural association between the sacrificial POPs and the final M/N/C catalysts. Based on covalent triazine frameworks (CTFs), we developed a series of S‐doped Fe/N/C catalysts by selecting six different aromatic nitriles as building blocks. A new mixed solvent of molten FeCl3 and S was used for CTF polymerization, which benefited the formation of Fe–Nx sites and made the subsequent pyrolysis process more convenient. Comprehensive study of these CTF‐derived catalysts showed that their ORR activities are not directly dependent on the theoretical N/C ratio of the building block, but closely correlated to the ratio of the nitrile group to benzene ring (Nnitrile/Nbenzene) and geometries of the building blocks. The high ratios of Nnitrile/Nbenzene are crucial for ORR activity of the final catalysts owing to the formation of more N‐doped micropores and Fe–Nx sites in pyrolysis possess. The optimized catalyst shows high ORR performances in acid and superior ORR activity to the Pt/C catalysts under alkaline conditions.
When beggars are choosers—How nesting of a solitary bee is affected by temporal dynamics of pollen plants in the landscape
Authors: Persson Anna S. , Mazier Florence , Smith Henrik G.
Published: May 2018

Wild bees are declining in intensively farmed regions worldwide, threatening pollination services to flowering crops and wild plants. To halt bee declines, it is essential that conservation actions are based on a mechanistic understanding of how bee species utilize landscapes. We aimed at teasing apart how foraging resources in the landscape through the nesting season affected nesting and reproduction of a solitary bee in a farmland region. We investigated how availability of floral resources and potentially resource‐rich habitats surrounding nests affected nest provisioning and reproduction in the solitary polylectic bee Osmia bicornis. The study was performed in 18 landscape sectors dominated by agriculture, but varying in agricultural intensity in terms of proportion of organic crop fields and seminatural permanent pastures. Pasture‐rich sectors contained more oak (Quercus robur), which pollen analysis showed to be favored forage in early season. More oaks ≤100 m from nests led to higher proportions of oak pollen in nest provisions and increased speed of nest construction in early season, but this effect tapered off as flowering decreased. Late‐season pollen foraging was dominated by buttercup (Ranunculus spp.), common in various noncrop habitats. Foraging trips were longer with more oaks and increased further through the season. The opposite was found for buttercup. Oak and buttercup interacted to explain the number of offspring; buttercup had a positive effect only when the number of oaks was above the mean for the studied sectors. The results show that quality of complex and pasture‐rich landscapes for O. bicornis depends on preserving existing and generating new oak trees. Lignose plants are key early‐season forage resources in agricultural landscapes. Increasing habitat heterogeneity with trees and shrubs and promoting suitable late‐flowering forbs can benefit O. bicornis and other wild bees active in spring and early summer, something which existing agri‐environment schemes seldom target.
Automating analysis of vegetation with computer vision: Cover estimates and classification
Authors: McCool Chris , Beattie James , Milford Michael , Bakker Jonathan D. , Moore Joslin L. , Firn Jennifer
Published: May 2018

This study develops an approach to automating the process of vegetation cover estimates using computer vision and pattern recognition algorithms. Visual cover estimation is a key tool for many ecological studies, yet quadrat‐based analyses are known to suffer from issues of consistency between people as well as across sites (spatially) and time (temporally). Previous efforts to estimate cover from photograps require considerable manual work. We demonstrate that an automated system can be used to estimate vegetation cover and the type of vegetation cover present using top–down photographs of 1 m by 1 m quadrats. Vegetation cover is estimated by modelling the distribution of color using a multivariate Gaussian. The type of vegetation cover is then classified, using illumination robust local binary pattern features, into two broad groups: graminoids (grasses) and forbs. This system is evaluated on two datasets from the globally distributed experiment, the Nutrient Network (NutNet). These NutNet sites were selected for analyses because repeat photographs were taken over time and these sites are representative of very different grassland ecosystems—a low stature subalpine grassland in an alpine region of Australia and a higher stature and more productive lowland grassland in the Pacific Northwest of the USA. We find that estimates of treatment effects on grass and forb cover did not differ between field and automated estimates for eight of nine experimental treatments. Conclusions about total vegetation cover did not correspond quite as strongly, particularly at the more productive site. A limitation with this automated system is that the total vegetation cover is given as a percentage of pixels considered to contain vegetation, but ecologists can distinguish species with overlapping coverage and thus can estimate total coverage to exceed 100%. Automated approaches such as this offer techniques for estimating vegetation cover that are repeatable, cheaper to use, and likely more reliable for quantifying changes in vegetation over the long‐term. These approaches would also enable ecologists to increase the spatial and temporal depth of their coverage estimates with methods that allow for vegetation sampling over large spatial scales quickly.
Male‐biased dispersal and the potential impact of human‐induced habitat modifications on the Neotropical batTrachops cirrhosus
Authors: Halczok Tanja K. , Brändel Stefan D. , Flores Victoria , Puechmaille Sébastien J. , Tschapka Marco , Page Rachel A. , Kerth Gerald
Published: May 2018

Gene flow, maintained through natal dispersal and subsequent mating events, is one of the most important processes in both ecology and population genetics. Among mammalian populations, gene flow is strongly affected by a variety of factors, including the species’ ability to disperse, and the composition of the environment which can limit dispersal. Information on dispersal patterns is thus crucial both for conservation management and for understanding the social system of a species. We used 16 polymorphic nuclear microsatellite loci in addition to mitochondrialDNAsequences (1.61 kbp) to analyse the population structure and the sex‐specific pattern of natal dispersal in the frog‐eating fringe‐lipped bat,Trachops cirrhosus, in Central Panama. Our study revealed that—unlike most of the few other investigated Neotropical bats—gene flow in this species is mostly male‐mediated. Nevertheless, distinct genetic clusters occur in both sexes. In particular, the presence of genetic differentiation in the dataset only consisting of the dispersing sex (males) indicates that gene flow is impeded within our study area. Our data are in line with the Panama Canal in connection with the widening of the Río Chagres during the canal construction acting as a recent barrier to gene flow. The sensitivity ofT. cirrhosusto human‐induced habitat modifications is further indicated by an extremely low capture success in highly fragmented areas. Taken together, our genetic and capture data provide evidence for this species to be classified as less mobile and thus vulnerable to habitat change, information that is important for conservation management.
A guide to Bayesian model checking for ecologists
Authors: Conn Paul B. , Johnson Devin S. , Williams Perry J. , Melin Sharon R. , Hooten Mevin B.
Published: May 2018

Checking that models adequately represent data is an essential component of applied statistical inference. Ecologists increasingly use hierarchical Bayesian statistical models in their research. The appeal of this modeling paradigm is undeniable, as researchers can build and fit models that embody complex ecological processes while simultaneously accounting for observation error. However, ecologists tend to be less focused on checking model assumptions and assessing potential lack of fit when applying Bayesian methods than when applying more traditional modes of inference such as maximum likelihood. There are also multiple ways of assessing the fit of Bayesian models, each of which has strengths and weaknesses. For instance, BayesianPvalues are relatively easy to compute, but are well known to be conservative, producingPvalues biased toward 0.5. Alternatively, lesser known approaches to model checking, such as prior predictive checks, cross‐validation probability integral transforms, and pivot discrepancy measures may produce more accurate characterizations of goodness‐of‐fit but are not as well known to ecologists. In addition, a suite of visual and targeted diagnostics can be used to examine violations of different model assumptions and lack of fit at different levels of the modeling hierarchy, and to check for residual temporal or spatial autocorrelation. In this review, we synthesize existing literature to guide ecologists through the many available options for Bayesian model checking. We illustrate methods and procedures with several ecological case studies including (1) analysis of simulated spatiotemporal count data, (2) N‐mixture models for estimating abundance of sea otters from an aircraft, and (3) hidden Markov modeling to describe attendance patterns of California sea lion mothers on a rookery. We find that commonly used procedures based on posterior predictivePvalues detect extreme model inadequacy, but often do not detect more subtle cases of lack of fit. Tests based on cross‐validation and pivot discrepancy measures (including the “sampled predictivePvalue”) appear to be better suited to model checking and to have better overall statistical performance. We conclude that model checking is necessary to ensure that scientific inference is well founded. As an essential component of scientific discovery, it should accompany most Bayesian analyses presented in the literature.
Implantable cardioverter‐defibrillators in heart failure patients with reduced ejection fraction and diabetes
Authors: Sharma Abhinav , Al‐Khatib Sana M. , Ezekowitz Justin A. , Cooper Lauren B. , Fordyce Christopher B. , Michael Felker G. , Bardy Gust H. , Poole Jeanne E. , Thomas Bigger J. , Buxton Alfred E. , Moss Arthur J. , Friedman Daniel J. , Lee Kerry L. , Steinman Richard , Dorian Paul , Cappato Riccardo , Kadish Alan H. , Kudenchuk Peter J. , Mark Daniel B. , Peterson Eric D. , Inoue Lurdes Y.T. , Sanders Gillian D.
Published: May 2018

Aim

There is limited information on the outcomes after primary prevention implantable cardioverter‐defibrillator (ICD) implantation in patients with heart failure (HF) and diabetes. This analysis evaluates the effectiveness of a strategy of ICD plus medical therapy vs. medical therapy alone among patients with HF and diabetes.

Methods and results

A patient‐level combined‐analysis was conducted from a combined dataset that included four primary prevention ICD trials of patients with HF or severely reduced ejection fractions: Multicenter Automatic Defibrillator Implantation Trial I (MADIT I), MADIT II, Defibrillators in Non‐Ischemic Cardiomyopathy Treatment Evaluation (DEFINITE), and Sudden Cardiac Death in Heart Failure Trial (SCD‐HeFT). In total, 3359 patients were included in the analysis. The primary outcome of interest was all‐cause death. Compared with patients without diabetes (n = 2363), patients with diabetes (n = 996) were older and had a higher burden of cardiovascular risk factors. During a median follow‐up of 2.6 years, 437 patients without diabetes died (178 with ICD vs. 259 without) and 280 patients with diabetes died (128 with ICD vs. 152 without). ICDs were associated with a reduced risk of all‐cause mortality among patients without diabetes [hazard ratio (HR) 0.56, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.46–0.67] but not among patients with diabetes (HR 0.88, 95% CI 0.7–1.12; interaction P = 0.015).

Conclusion

Among patients with HF and diabetes, primary prevention ICD in combination with medical therapy vs. medical therapy alone was not significantly associated with a reduced risk of all‐cause death. Further studies are needed to evaluate the effectiveness of ICDs among patients with diabetes.