bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
In vivo study of gene expression with an enhanced dual-color fluorescent transcriptional timer
Authors: He Li , Binari Richard , Huang Jiuhong , Falo-Sanjuan Julia , Perrimon Norbert
Published: May 2019

Fluorescent transcriptional reporters are widely used as signaling reporters and biomarkers to monitor pathway activities and determine cell type identities. However, a large amount of dynamic information is lost due to the long half-life of the fluorescent proteins. To better detect dynamics, fluorescent transcriptional reporters can be destabilized to shorten their half-lives. However, applications of this approach in vivo are limited due to significant reduction of signal intensities. To overcome this limitation, we enhanced translation of a destabilized fluorescent protein and demonstrate the advantages of this approach by characterizing spatio-temporal changes of transcriptional activities in Drosophila. In addition, by combining a fast-folding destabilized fluorescent protein and a slow-folding long-lived fluorescent protein, we generated a dual-color transcriptional timer that provides spatio-temporal information about signaling pathway activities. Finally, we demonstrate the use of this transcriptional timer to identify new genes with dynamic expression patterns.
Board Independence and Financial Performance of Deposit Money Banks in Nigeria and Canada
Authors: Ayodeji Ajibade , Okunade Richard Adeleye
Published: May 2019

Introduction: In current eras, supervisory bodies have interceded in the operations of Deposit Money Banks. This is because they are confronted with plethora of problems such as overexpansion; corruption of bank officers, inappropriate risk management and these resulted to poor financial performance.

Aims: The present study aims to focus on the link amid board independence and financial performance of Deposit Money Banks as well as providing a comparative view by focusing on Nigeria and Canada.

Methods: This study seeks to observe the association amid board independence and corporate financial performance of Deposit Money Banks in Nigeria and Canada. The panel data methodology is widely recommended for it is useful when data is a blend of time-series and cross-sectional features. The study applied secondary data extracted from annual financial statements of Deposit Money Banks quoted on the Nigerian Stock Market and in the Canadian stock market between the ten years period of 2008 and 2017.

Results: The variables considered in this study are return on asset (ROA) (dependent variable), proportion of independent non-executive directors on board (BIND) and audit committee independence (ACI) (independent variables), earnings per share (EPS) and firm size (FSIZE) which are control variables. From the findings, it is revealed that there exists a significant relationship between board independence and profitability of deposit money banks in Nigeria and Canada.

Conclusion: Empirical results obtained reveal that audit committee independence promoted financial performance of the deposit money banks in Nigeria while in Canada it was positive and insignificant. Thus, a greater proportion of audit committee independence would bring about a greater level of financial performance in deposit money banks in Nigeria and Canada.  The aspect of corporate governance implies that banks will profit by increasing the number of its independent directors and independent audit committee members.
Fatty Acid Compositions of Mixed Microalgae from Tilapia Fish Ponds
Authors: Osman Norhafizah , Omar Hishamuddin
Published: May 2019

Microalgae has been getting broad attention of researchers and investors lately, especially when discussing on healthy food and energy sources for the future. In this study, twelve samples of mixed microalgae from outdoor ponds were analyzed for their fatty acid compositions. The potential of microalgae to solve variety of world’s problems was not realized because of bottleneck in microalgal supplies at reasonable cost. Therefore, the objective of this study is to determine fatty acid profiles of mixed microalgae from tilapia fish ponds. The study was conducted in Tapak Ternakan Ikan, Taman Pertanian Universiti and Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Universiti Putra Malaysia. Mixed microalgae were extracted for their lipids with methanol: chloroform mixture and after transesterification, the fatty acid methyl ester were analyzed using gas chromatography equipped with flame ionization detector. Results showed that saturated was the major constituent fatty acids. The average percentages of saturated fatty acids, monounsaturated fatty acids, and polyunsaturated fatty acids obtained were 45.62 ± 1.37%, 20.05 ± 1.14%, and 34.33 ± 3.17% respectively. The most dominant fatty acid profiles were C18:3n3 (α-linolenic acid) and C16:0 (palmitic acid), with the overall percentages of 19.97% and 19.40% respectively. The fatty acid profiles of mixed microalgae was good with a decent balance of saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids.
Evaluation of the Phenol Production Potential in Maize (Zea mays L.) in Response to Infection Caused by Fusariun verticillioides (Niren.)
Authors: Oriyomi I. L. , Sobowale A. A. , Akanmu A. O. , Odebode A. C.
Published: May 2019

This study investigated phenol production in five maize varieties in response to infection caused by Fusarium verticillioides. Pure culture of the pathogen was obtained from Plant Pathology Laboratory of the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Ibadan, Nigeria. The screen house experiment was laid out in a completely randomized design. Dual inoculation was done where soil was infected separately before planting and seedlings were infected separately two weeks after planting with two volumes (10ml and 20ml) containing 1.4×107 spores/ml suspension of F. verticillioides. The maize plants were harvested at 4th, 5th and 6th weeks after inoculation and the maize plants were dried at room temperature before determination of phenol content in each of the varieties. Data gathered on the agronomic parameters and phenol contents were subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA) using SAS 9.1 statistical package.

All the maize varieties recorded more than 70% stalk rot incidence while the severity ranged from 19.01% in variety ART-98-SW1 to 25.21% in ART-98-SW6. ART-98-SW6 showed the most (p<0.05) phenol content (21.28 mg/g). Soil inoculation produced the highest percentage stalk rot severity while seedling inoculation showed significantly higher phenol contents across the period of study. Similarly, disease severity increased with increasing inoculum levels with highest attained using 20 ml (23.99%) while higher phenol content was obtained at inoculum level 10 ml (18.61 mg/g) compared to results using 20 ml (15.63 mg/g) and control (7.88 mg/g). The maize variety; ART-98-SW6 with highest stalk rot severity also produced the highest phenol content. Overall, the rate of phenol production in maize corresponded with the extent of severity F. verticillioides infections.
Analysis of Regression and Correlation on Production of Sugarcane in the States of Paraná, São Paulo and Minas Gerais, Brazil
Authors: Cordeiro Noélle Khristinne , Souza Dablieny Hellen Garcia , Bernardi Daiane , Cardoso Kerolém Prícila Sousa , Lazaretti Norma Schlickmann , Abraão Patrícia Clemente , Mata Tatiane Calandrino da , Júnior Eurides Kuster Macedo
Published: May 2019

Brazil is one of the world's largest producers of sugarcane. Studies considering the production of a culture in informatic function of time allow to verify the behavior of it in a certain homologated. The aims of this work were to analyze the production of the states of Paraná, São Paulo and Minas Gerais, as well as the national production of sugarcane crops, based on statistical tools of regression analysis, and correlation. Sugar cane production data were collected from the Sugarcane Industry Union (UNICA). The work was done in the State University of Western Paraná, Post-Graduation in Agronomy, between July 2018 and December 2018. The data used were obtained from various institutions and, made available by the Sugarcane Industry Union (UNICA), constituting a historical series of 1980/81 to 2016/17. The regression models that best fit the states of Paraná and São Paulo were the linear model, with correlation equal to 0.9711 and 0.9934 respectively, while for Minas Gerais was the quadratic, with 0.9708 of correlation with the national production. The results obtained showed a greater similarity of the behavior of the production of São Paulo with the national, evidencing its importance in participating in the sugarcane agroindustry sector. Based on the regression and correlation analyses obtained, it was found that the state of Paraná and São Paulo obtained a behavior of sugarcane production like that of the national. In the sugarcane production of the state of Minas Gerais, the growth was observed only from the year 2000. Thus, it is concluded that the productions from the states of São Paulo and Paraná contributed more significantly to the national production of sugarcane in relation to the production of the state of Minas Gerais.
Visualization of Biogenic Amines and In Vivo Ratiometric Mapping of Intestinal pH by AIE‐Active Polyheterocycles Synthesized by Metal‐Free Multicomponent Polymerizations
Authors: Hu Yubing , Han Ting , Yan Neng , Liu Junkai , Liu Xiaolin , Wang Wen‐Xiong , Lam Jacky W. Y. , Tang Ben Zhong
Published: May 2019

Acid‐base homeostasis is crucial for normal physiology, metabolism, and functions of living organisms. Thus, the development of effective techniques to monitor it either in vitro or in vivo is in great demand. Herein, a series of multifunctional oxazine‐containing polyheterocycles with aggregation‐induced emission characteristics are in situ generated by metal‐free one‐pot A3 polymerizations of terminal diynes, dialdehydes, and ureas. Most of the polymers are synthesized with high molecular weights (Mw up to 49 900) in nearly quantitative yields and display intense solid‐state emission and remarkable fluorescence response to protonation and deprotonation. Based on the unique photophysical properties, a fast responsive and reversible fluorescent sensor for ammonia with a detection limit of 960 ppb is achieved and applied for detecting biogenic amines and seafood spoilage. Besides, the polymeric nanoparticles show excellent lysosome‐targeting specificity in cell imaging. The polyheterocycles show ratiometric pH sensing behavior with a broad acid‐base response window from pH 1 to 9, which shed light on visualizing physiologic pH in gastrointestinal tract. Taking freshwater Cladocera Moina macrocopa as a model organism, in vivo mapping of its intestinal pH shows an increased pH gradient approximately from 4.2 to 7.8 along the foregut, midgut, and hindgut.
Transparent, Highly Stretchable, Rehealable, Sensing, and Fully Recyclable Ionic Conductors Fabricated by One‐Step Polymerization Based on a Small Biological Molecule
Authors: Dang Chao , Wang Ming , Yu Jie , Chen Yian , Zhou Shenghui , Feng Xiao , Liu Detao , Qi Haisong
Published: May 2019

To date, various stretchable conductors have been fabricated, but simultaneous realization of the transparency, high stretchability, electrical conductivity, self‐healing capability, and sensing property through a simple, fast, cost‐efficient approach is still challenging. Here, α‐lipoic acid (LA), a naturally small biological molecule found in humans and animals, is used to fabricate transparent (>85%), electrical conductivity, highly stretchable (strain up to 1100%), and rehealable (mechanical healing efficiency of 86%, electrical healing efficiency of 96%) ionic conductor by solvent‐free one‐step polymerization. Furthermore, the ionic conductors with appealing sensitivity can be served as strain sensors to detect and distinguish various human activities. Notably, this ionic conductor can be fully recycled and reprocessed into new ionic conductors or adhesives by a direct heating process, which offers a promising prospect in great reduction of electronic wastes that have brought acute environmental pollution. In consideration of the extremely facile preparation process, biological available materials, satisfactory functionalities, and full recyclability, the emergence of LA‐based ionic conductors is believed to open up a new avenue for developing sustainable and wearable electronic devices in the future.
Photostationary RGB Selective Reflection from Self‐Organized Helical Superstructures for Continuous Photopatterning
Authors: Qin Lang , Wei Jia , Yu Yanlei
Published: May 2019

Light‐driven cholesteric liquid crystals (CLCs) are intriguing materials due to the dynamic tuning of their selective reflection, which originates from self‐organized helical superstructures, in response to light. However, CLC systems are restricted to displaying static optically addressed images and need to be initialized or refreshed before every new image can be displayed. Herein, a novel tuning mechanism based on a partial photochemical phase transition is proposed to enable continuous patterning of photostationary red, green, and blue (RGB) colors in a CLC system, which contains nonresponsive chiral dopants and o‐fluoroazobenzenes (Fazo) to serve as the photoswitch. Distinct isomer ratios of Fazo result in precise light‐directed RGB colors for the photostationary states, and, thus, a fixed relationship is established between the light stimulus and the reflection color. Accordingly, the RGB color patterns can be continuously erased and rewritten under light irradiation with different wavelengths. A photocontrollable “Tetris game” is demonstrated for the first time according to the programmable modulation of the CLC reflection, providing a new concept for optically rewritable displays.
Molecular Dynamics Simulation of Nanofilm Boiling on Graphene‐Coated Surface
Authors: Tang Yuan‐Zheng , Zhang Xiao‐Guang , Lin Yan , Xue Juan , He Yan , Ma Lian‐Xiang
Published: May 2019

Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations are conducted to investigate the effect of graphene coating on nanofilm boiling on an atomically smooth surface. Transition of boiling modes from normal evaporation to explosive boiling is observed on both bare and graphene‐coated surfaces. The onset temperature of explosive boiling on the graphene‐coated surface is approximately 170 K, which is extremely close to the value of approximately 160 K on the bare surface. A hydrophobic surface is also artificially fabricated to verify the effect of surface wettability on nanofilm boiling and the significance of graphene coating. The onset temperature of explosive boiling on the hydrophobic surface is much higher than that on the hydrophilic and graphene‐coated surfaces. Additionally, the critical heat flux of the nanofilm boiling on the graphene‐coated surface is slightly lower than that on the bare hydrophilic surface. Results confirm that graphene coating is almost useless, and even harmful to the heat transfer enhancement of the nanofilm boiling.
Targeted Drug Delivery in Plants: Enzyme‐Responsive Lignin Nanocarriers for the Curative Treatment of the Worldwide Grapevine Trunk Disease Esca
Authors: Fischer Jochen , Beckers Sebastian J. , Yiamsawas Doungporn , Thines Eckhard , Landfester Katharina , Wurm Frederik R.
Published: May 2019

Nanocarrier (NC)‐mediated drug delivery is widely researched in medicine but to date has not been used in agriculture. The first curative NC‐based treatment of the worldwide occurring grapevine trunk disease Esca, with more than 2 billion infected plants causing a loss yearly of $1.5 billion, is presented. To date, only repetitive spraying of fungicides is used to reduce chances of infection. This long‐term treatment against Esca uses minimal amounts of fungicide encapsulated in biobased and biodegradable lignin NCs. A single trunk injection of <10 mg fungicide results in curing of an infected plant. Only upon Esca infection, ligninolytic enzymes, secreted by the Esca‐associated fungi, degrade the lignin NC to release the fungicide. The specific antifungal activity is confirmed in vitro and in planta (in Vitis vinifera L. cv. ‘Portugieser’). All treated plants prove to exhibit significantly fewer symptoms several weeks after treatment, and their condition is monitored for 5 years (2014–2018), proving a long‐term curative effect of this NC treatment. This study proves the efficacy of this NC‐mediated drug delivery for agriculture, using a minimum amount of fungicides. It is believed that this concept can be extended to other plant diseases worldwide to reduce extensive spraying of agrochemicals.
Self‐Powered Bio‐Inspired Spider‐Net‐Coding Interface Using Single‐Electrode Triboelectric Nanogenerator
Authors: Shi Qiongfeng , Lee Chengkuo
Published: May 2019

Human–machine interfaces are essential components between various human and machine interactions such as entertainment, robotics control, smart home, virtual/augmented reality, etc. Recently, various triboelectric‐based interfaces have been developed toward flexible wearable and battery‐less applications. However, most of them exhibit complicated structures and a large number of electrodes for multidirectional control. Herein, a bio‐inspired spider‐net‐coding (BISNC) interface with great flexibility, scalability, and single‐electrode output is proposed, through connecting information‐coding electrodes into a single triboelectric electrode. Two types of coding designs are investigated, i.e., information coding by large/small electrode width (L/S coding) and information coding with/without electrode at a predefined position (0/1 coding). The BISNC interface shows high scalability with a single electrode for detection and/or control of multiple directions, by detecting different output signal patterns. In addition, it also has excellent reliability and robustness in actual usage scenarios, since recognition of signal patterns is in regardless of absolute amplitude and thereby not affected by sliding speed/force, humidity, etc. Based on the spider‐net‐coding concept, single‐electrode interfaces for multidirectional 3D control, security code systems, and flexible wearable electronics are successfully developed, indicating the great potentials of this technology in diversified applications such as human–machine interaction, virtual/augmented reality, security, robotics, Internet of Things, etc.
16q22.1 microdeletion and anticipatory guidance
Authors: Abdullah Sarah , Helal Mayada , Dupuis Lucie , Stavropoulos D. James , Louro Pedro , Ramos Lina , Mendoza‐Londono Roberto
Published: May 2019

The widespread availability of comparative genomic hybridization (CGH) array analysis has led to the discovery of several genomic microdeletion‐associated syndromes and has identified possible genetic causes for patients with previously unexplained clinical features. We report the case of four unrelated patients who share common clinical characteristics, namely failure to thrive, developmental delay, dysmorphic features, and congenital anomalies. CGH array analysis revealed that all four patients had a de novo microdeletion at 16q22.1. In this case report, we describe the clinical features of these patients and offer possible explanations for how their 16q22.1 microdeletion may account for their symptoms. We also suggest guidelines for the management of 16q22.1 microdeletion based on the phenotypes seen in our patients and the function of the genes affected by this microdeletion.
An index of Chinese surname distribution and its implications for population dynamics
Authors: Chen Jiawei , Chen Liujun , Liu Yan , Li Xiaomeng , Yuan Yida , Wang Yougui
Published: May 2019

Objective

We propose an index to characterize the key feature of Chinese surname distributions and investigate its implications for population structure and dynamics.

Materials and methods

The surname dataset was obtained from the National Citizen Identity Information Center, which contains 1.28 billion Chinese citizens enrolled in 2007, excluding those of Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan. An index, the coverage ratio of stretched exponential distribution (CRSED), is proposed based on the crossover point of stretched exponential truncated power‐law distribution, where the stretched exponential term and the power‐law term contribute equally. We use multidimensional scaling technique to demonstrate the dependence of the similarity of one prefecture to the others on the CRSED.

Results

The CRSEDs of 362 prefectures exhibit an uneven distribution. The consistency of this index is evident by strong positive correlations of CRSEDs at the three administrative levels. This new index has a strong negative correlation with the proportion of the rare surnames. The prefectures with similar CRSEDs tend to adjoin each other on the administrative map, resulting in several distinct regions, each of which shares similar terrain features or historical migrations. The prefectures with lower CRSEDs are more dissimilar to the other prefectures, while the ones with higher CRSEDs are more similar to the others.

Discussion

The population dynamics of the prefectures with higher CRSEDs are more likely dominated by migratory movements, the dominant evolutionary forces of the prefectures with lower CRSEDs can be attributed to drift and mutation.
Cu(II)‐promoted cyclization of hydrazonophthalazine to triazolophthalazine; Synthesis and structure diversity of six novel Cu(II)‐triazolophthalazine complexes
Authors: Soliman Saied M. , Albering Jörg H. , El‐Faham Ayman
Published: May 2019

A novel route for the synthesis of Cu(II)‐triazolophthalazine complexes using the Cu(II)‐promoted cyclization dehydrogenation reactions of hydrazonophthalazines under reflux was presented. Two hydrazonophthalazines were cyclized to the corresponding triazolophthalazine ligands, 3‐pyridin‐2‐yl‐3,10b‐dihydro‐[1,2,4]triazolo[3,4‐a]phthalazine (TPP) and 3‐(3,10b‐dihydro‐[1,2,4]triazolo[3,4‐a]phthalazin‐3‐yl)‐benzoic acid (TP3COOH), followed by in situ complexation with Cu(II) yielding six novel Cu(II)‐triazolophthalazine complexes depending on the reaction conditions. The molecular and supramolecular structures of the Cu(II)‐triazolophthalazine complexes were discussed. The metal sites have rectangular pyramidal geometry in the [Cu(TPP)Cl2]2; 1 and [Cu(TP3COOEt)Cl2(H2O)]2; 4 dinuclear complexes, distorted square planar in [Cu(TP3COOMe)2Cl2]; 3, [Cu(TP3COOH)2Cl2]; 5 and [Cu(TP3COOH)2Cl2]·H2O; 6 and a distorted octahedral in [Cu(TPP)(H2O)2(NO3)2]; 2. Hirshfeld analysis showed that the O…H, C…H, Cl…H (except TP3COOH and 2), N…H and π‐π stacking interactions are the most important intermolecular contacts. The π‐π stacking interactions are the maximum for TP3COOH and complex 6 with net C…C/C…N contacts of 19.4% and 15.4%, respectively. The orbital–orbital interaction energies of the Cu‐N/Cu‐Cl bonds correlated inversely with the corresponding Cu‐N/Cu‐Cl distances, respectively. The charge transfer processes between Cu(II) and ligand groups were also discussed. The charge densities of the Cu(II) centers are reduced to 0.663–0.995 e due to the interactions with the ligand groups coordinating it.
Facile synthesis of a triptycene‐based porous organic polymer with a high efficiency and recyclable adsorption for organic dyes
Authors: Li Yajing , Wang Haijiang , Zhao Weifeng , Wang Xiaoqin , Shi Yidong , Fan Haojun , Sun Hui , Tan Lin
Published: May 2019

Water contamination resulting from organic dyes has had severe detrimental effects on human health and environmental tolerance. To address this issue, a delicate strategy for taking host–guest function in porous organic polymers via a facile Friedel–Crafts reaction of triptycene and post‐modification was achieved. By means of this route, a sulfonic acid functionalized triptycene‐based porous organic polymer (TPOP–SO3H) with a hierarchical structure and a desirable Brunauer–Emmett–Teller value of 1002 m2/g was synthesized this study. The TPOP–SO3H material demonstrated a maximum adsorption capacity for methylene blue of 97.1 mg/g. Remarkably, an absorption efficiency of more than 90% of TPOP–SO3H was observed even after five cycles. Therefore, such a hierarchical porous organic polymer can be highly recommended as one type of promising material for the treatment of organic dye‐polluted wastewater. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2019, 136, 47987.
Adsorption characteristics of monodisperse magnetic cation‐exchange microspheres prepared based on swell‐penetration method
Authors: Jia Bo , Cui Meng‐Jiao , Yang Ceng‐Ceng , Hu Si‐Yu , Lv Yun‐Kai
Published: May 2019

A simple swell‐penetration method for the controlled preparation of magnetic polymer microspheres (MPMs) was developed. The polymer microspheres (PMs) were prepared using glycidyl methacrylate as monomer and trimethylolpropane trimethacrylate as crosslinker. The PMs was functionalized by coupling sulfonate groups, and then formation of the MPMs in the presence of ferrous sulfate by swell‐penetration method. The morphology, size, and magnetic properties of the MPMs were characterized by SEM, using a vibrating sample magnetometer, and by FTIR. The results showed that the average particle size was about 1.1 μm, the surface of the microspheres was smooth, and saturated magnetization was 13.8 emu g−1. The adsorption isotherms and kinetics between bovine serum albumin and the MPMs under the optimized adsorption conditions were investigated. The MPMs were further applied to the selective separation of serum albumin from human whole blood. Simultaneously, the adsorption and separation of melamine from milk using the MPMs was investigated. The MPMs showed promising potential for separation of protein and cationic small molecular compound. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2019, 136, 48019.
Highly Regio‐ and Stereoselective Hydrosilylation of Alkynes Catalyzed by Tridentate Cobalt Complexes
Authors: Kong Degong , Hu Bowen , Chen Dafa
Published: May 2019

Several cobalt complexes bearing tridentate (NNN) ligands were synthesized and served as precatalysts for alkyne hydrosilylation with Ph2SiH2. For terminal alkynes, the catalyst L2 b‐CoCl2 was selected, and resulted in the corresponding α‐vinylsilanes with high (Markovnikov) regioselectivity and extensive functional‐group tolerance. For internal diaryl alkynes, the catalyst L2 c‐CoCl2 exhibited the best activity, and afforded E‐selective vinylsilanes through syn‐addition in excellent yield under mild conditions.
Achieving World Class
Authors: Dozier Clifford Mustaafa
Published: May 2019

An overhaul of the human resources department—including improvements to processes, personnel, and strategies—was a key component of DC water's ambition to become a utility of the future.
Green synthesis and bactericidal activities of isotropic and anisotropic spherical gold nanoparticles produced using Peganum harmala L leaf and seed extracts
Authors: Moustafa Nagy E. , Alomari Abdulaziz Ali
Published: May 2019

Shape, size, and homogeneity affect the biological activity of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) in nanomedicine and catalytic applications. Here we biosynthesized monodispersed isotropic and polydispersed anisotropic spherical AuNPs from leaf and seed extract broths of the medicinal plant Peganum harmala L. (Ph. L). Synthesized AuNPs were characterized by ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy, Fourier‐transform infrared spectroscopy (FT‐IRS), field‐emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), X‐ray diffraction (XRD), energy‐dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy (EDX), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The antimicrobial activity of AuNPs against Gram‐negative (Escherichia coli) and Gram‐positive (Staphylococcus aureus) human pathogens was also assessed. Leaf‐ and seed‐derived AuNPs had characteristic localized surface plasmon resonances of 530 and 578 nm, respectively. TEM, FE‐SEM, EDX, and XRD revealed the formation of elemental face‐centered cubic spherical monodispersed isotropic AuNPs of average size 43.44 nm and polydispersed anisotropic AuNPs of average size 52.04 nm from leaf and seed extract broths, respectively. FT‐IR revealed polyphenols and alcohols as responsible for AuNP capping, reduction, and protection. Anisotropic AuNPs showed no antibacterial activity, whereas isotropic AuNPs showed good inhibition of both E. coli and S. aureus. This represents a simple and ecofriendly protocol for the green synthesis of monodispersed isotropic spherical AuNPs, which may have value in a variety of applications.
Expanding Metabolic Capabilities Using Novel Pathway Designs: Computational Tools and Case Studies
Authors: Saa Pedro A. , Cortés María P. , López Javiera , Bustos Diego , Maass Alejandro , Agosin Eduardo
Published: May 2019

Design and selection of efficient metabolic pathways is critical for the success of metabolic engineering endeavors. Convenient pathways should not only produce the target metabolite in high yields but also are required to be thermodynamically feasible under production conditions, and to prefer efficient enzymes. To support the design and selection of such pathways, different computational approaches have been proposed for exploring the feasible pathway space under many of the above constraints. In this review, an overview of recent constraint‐based optimization frameworks for metabolic pathway prediction, as well as relevant pathway engineering case studies that highlight the importance of rational metabolic designs is presented. Despite the availability and suitability of in silico design tools for metabolic pathway engineering, scarce—although increasing—application of computational outcomes is found. Finally, challenges and limitations hindering the broad adoption and successful application of these tools in metabolic engineering projects are discussed.
Comparative Fluxome and Metabolome Analysis of Formate as an Auxiliary Substrate for Penicillin Production in Glucose‐Limited Cultivation of Penicillium chrysogenum
Authors: Wang Guan , Wang Xinxin , Wang Tong , van Gulik Walter , Noorman Henk J. , Zhuang Yingping , Chu Ju , Zhang Siliang
Published: May 2019

During glucose‐limited growth, a substantial input of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) is required for the production of β‐lactams by the filamentous fungus Penicillium chrysogenum. Formate dehydrogenase has been confirmed in P. chrysogenum for formate oxidation allowing an extra supply of ATP, and coassimilation of glucose and formate has the potential to increase penicillin production and biomass yield. In this study, the steady‐state metabolite levels and fluxes in response to cofeeding of formate as an auxiliary substrate in glucose‐limited chemostat cultures at the dilution rates (D) of both 0.03 h−1 and 0.05 h−1 are determined to evaluate the quantitative impact on the physiology of a high‐yielding P. chrysogenum strain. It is observed that an equimolar addition of formate is conducive to an increase in both biomass yield and penicillin production at D = 0.03 h−1, while this is not the case at D = 0.05 h−1. In addition, a higher cytosolic redox status (NADH/NAD+), a higher intracellular glucose level, and lower penicillin productivity are only observed upon formate addition at D = 0.05 h−1, which are virtually absent at D = 0.03 h−1. In conclusion, the results demonstrate that the effect of formate as an auxiliary substrate on penicillin productivity in the glucose‐limited chemostat cultivations of P. chrysogenum is not only dependent on the formate/glucose ratio as published before but also on the specific growth rate. The results also imply that the overall process productivity and quality regarding the use of formate should be further explored in an actual industrial‐scale scenario.
A forum where french‐speaking faculty can exchange research on teaching
Authors: Vicens Quentin , Coumoul Xavier , Souciet Jean‐Luc
Published: May 2019

In order to help promote instructional change at French‐speaking universities in Europe, we initiated a series of 1‐day events centered on learning innovations. Since 2015, these events have been taking place every 6 months at the Université Paris Descartes, with the moral support of three learned scientific societies, the French Academy of Sciences, and sponsoring by leaders in textbook editing and classroom technologies. Each event gathers ~ 40 participants (faculty members, postdocs, and educational specialists) from four countries (Belgium, France, Luxemburg, Switzerland) and invitees, who share their active learning practices, flipped classroom variations representing the most popular strategy. Their experience revealed that faculty who invest themselves in revamping teaching are still isolated at their institutions, although institutional and national support have now been gaining momentum. In particular, the role of educational specialists (known as ingénieurs pédagogiques in France) is key to help faculty move away from lecturing. Overall, our event series illustrates that a hands‐off approach is effective to foster a cross‐border community of committed academics in a context where the process of changing the way we teach at universities is still in its infancy. © 2019 International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 47(5):599–606, 2019.
Combined protein A imprinting and cryogelation for production of spherical affinity material
Authors: Aslıyüce Sevgi , Mattiasson Bo , Denizli Adil
Published: May 2019

Cryogels have been demonstrated to be efficient when applied for protein isolation. Owing to their macroporous structure, cryogels can also be used for treating particle‐containing material, e.g. cell homogenates. Another challenging development in protein purification technology is the use of molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs). These MIPs are robust and can be used repeatedly. The paper presents a new technology that combine the formation of cryogel beads concomitantly with making imprints of a protein. Protein A was chosen as the print molecule which was also be the target in the purification step. The present paper describes a new method to produce protein‐imprinted cryogel beads. The protein‐imprinted material was characterized and the separation properties were evaluated with regard to both the target protein and whole cells with target protein exposed on the cell surface. The maximum protein A adsorption was 18.1 mg/g of wet cryogel beads. The selectivity coefficient of protein A‐imprinted cryogel beads for protein A was 5.44 and 12.56 times greater than for the Fc fragment of IgG and protein G, respectively.
Hippocampal transcriptome reveals novel targets of FASD pathogenesis
Authors: Lunde‐Young Raine , Ramirez Josue , Naik Vishal , Orzabal Marcus , Lee Jehoon , Konganti Kranti , Hillhouse Andrew , Threadgill David , Ramadoss Jayanth
Published: May 2019

Introduction

Prenatal alcohol exposure can contribute to fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD), characterized by a myriad of developmental impairments affecting behavior and cognition. Studies show that many of these functional impairments are associated with the hippocampus, a structure exhibiting exquisite vulnerability to developmental alcohol exposure and critically implicated in learning and memory; however, mechanisms underlying alcohol‐induced hippocampal deficits remain poorly understood. By utilizing a high‐throughput RNA‐sequencing (RNA‐seq) approach to address the neurobiological and molecular basis of prenatal alcohol‐induced hippocampal functional deficits, we hypothesized that chronic binge prenatal alcohol exposure alters gene expression and global molecular pathways in the fetal hippocampus.

Methods

Timed‐pregnant Sprague–Dawley rats were randomly assigned to a pair‐fed control (PF) or binge alcohol (ALC) treatment group on gestational day (GD) 4. ALC dams acclimatized from GDs 5–10 with a daily treatment of 4.5 g/kg alcohol and subsequently received 6 g/kg on GDs 11–20. PF dams received a once daily maltose dextrin gavage on GDs 5–20, isocalorically matching ALC counterparts. On GD 21, bilateral hippocampi were dissected, flash frozen, and stored at −80°C. Total RNA was then isolated from homogenized tissues. Samples were normalized to ~4nM and pooled equally. Sequencing was performed by Illumina NextSeq 500 on a 75 cycle, single‐end sequencing run.

Results

RNA‐seq identified 13,388 genes, of these, 76 genes showed a significant difference (p < 0.05, log2 fold change ≥2) in expression between the PF and ALC groups. Forty‐nine genes showed sex‐dependent dysregulation; IPA analysis showed among female offspring, dysregulated pathways included proline and citrulline biosynthesis, whereas in males, xenobiotic metabolism signaling and alaninine biosynthesis etc. were altered.

Conclusion

We conclude that chronic binge alcohol exposure during pregnancy dysregulates fetal hippocampal gene expression in a sex‐specific manner. Identification of subtle, transcriptome‐level dysregulation in hippocampal molecular pathways offers potential mechanistic insights underlying FASD pathogenesis.
CD26 expression is attenuated by TGF‐β and SDF‐1 autocrine signaling on stromal myofibroblasts in human breast cancers
Authors: Mezawa Yoshihiro , Daigo Yataro , Takano Atsushi , Miyagi Yohei , Yokose Tomoyuki , Yamashita Toshinari , Morimoto Chikao , Hino Okio , Orimo Akira
Published: May 2019

Human breast carcinoma‐associated fibroblasts (CAFs) increasingly acquire both transforming growth factor‐β (TGF‐β) and stromal cell‐derived factor‐1 (SDF‐1) signaling in an autocrine fashion during tumor progression. Such signaling mediates activated myofibroblastic and tumor‐promoting properties in these fibroblasts. CD26/dipeptidyl peptidase‐4 is a serine protease that cleaves various chemokines including SDF‐1. Stromal CD26 expression is reportedly undetectable in human skin squamous cell carcinomas. However, whether stromal CD26 expression is also downregulated in human breast cancers and which stromal cells potentially lack CD26 expression remain elusive. To answer these questions, sections prepared from 239 human breast carcinomas were stained with antibodies against CD26 and α‐smooth muscle actin (α‐SMA), a marker for activated myofibroblasts. We found that tumor‐associated stroma involving α‐SMA‐positive myofibroblasts stained negative or negligible for CD26 in 118 out of 193 (61.1%) tumors, whereas noncancerous stromal regions of the breast showed considerable staining for CD26. This decreased stromal CD26 staining in tumors also tends to be associated with poor outcomes for breast cancer patients. Moreover, we demonstrated that CD26 staining is attenuated on stromal myofibroblasts in human breast cancers. Consistently, CD26 expression is significantly downregulated in cultured CAF myofibroblasts extracted from human breast carcinomas as compared to control human mammary fibroblasts. Inhibition of TGF‐β or SDF‐1 signaling in CAFs by shRNA clearly upregulated the CD26 expression. Taken together, these findings indicate that CD26 expression is attenuated by TGF‐β‐ and SDF‐1‐autocrine signaling on stromal myofibroblasts in human mammary carcinomas, and that decreased stromal CD26 expression has potential as a prognostic marker.
TCF19 contributes to cell proliferation of non‐small cell lung cancer by inhibiting FOXO1
Authors: Zhou Zi‐Hao , Chen Gang , Deng Cheng , Tang Ji‐Ming , Xie Liang , Zhou Hai‐Yu , Ye Xiong , Zhang Dong‐Kun , Shi Rui‐Qing , Tian Dan , Qiao Gui‐Bin , Ben Xiao‐Song
Published: May 2019

Transcription factor 19 (TCF19) harbors a forkhead association (FHA) domain, a proline‐rich region, a PHD or RING finger region, suggesting that TCF19 possesses a powerful function. However, its expression and function remains unknown in non‐small‐cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The function cluster analysis was carried out using Metascape website. 3‐(4,5‐Dimethyl‐2‐thiazolyl)2,5‐diphenyl‐2H‐tetrazolium bromide (MTT), colony formation, and anchorage‐independent growth ability assay were carried out to detect the effect of TCF19 on cell proliferation. Bromodeoxyuridine (Brdu) labeling and flow cytometry assay were used to evaluate the effect of TCF19 on cell‐cycle progression. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction and chromatin immunoprecipitation assay were performed to investigate the mechanism by which TCF19 is involved in cell‐cycle transition. By analyzing the publicly available dataset, The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), we found that TCF19 is significantly increased in the lung adenocarcinoma (LAC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), two primary histological subtype of NSCLC. Besides, further function cluster analysis exhibited that TCF19 may mainly participate in cell cycle. MTT, colony formation, and anchorage‐independent growth ability assay confirmed that overexpression of TCF19 enhances the proliferation of both LAC and SCC cells. Besides, further experiments revealed that TCF19 contributes to cell cycle G1/S transition. Not only that, upregulation of TCF19 can inhibit the expression of p21, p27, and p57, while promote the expression of cyclin D1 by inhibiting FOXO1. Our research offers important evidence that TCF19 can promote cell‐cycle progression of NSCLC cells, and TCF19 may served as novel therapeutic targets.
Kinetics of thermal dewaxing of injection‐molded silicon carbide
Authors: Chinn Richard E. , Enneti Ravi K. , Kate Kunal H. , Atre Sundar V.
Published: May 2019

Powder injection molding is a near‐net shape, high‐speed fabrication process that has been studied only lightly with silicon carbide (SiC) as the powder. The addition of nanoparticles to the monomodal powder to form a bimodal powder increases the solid fraction in the feedstock but may also adversely affect other properties. In this paper, the kinetic properties of thermally dewaxed SiC mono‐ and bimodal feedstocks by three models were compared to solvent‐dewaxed SiC and thermally dewaxed powder metal from other studies. The activation energy Ea of pyrolytic dewaxing was graphically estimated by the master dewaxing curve model as ~80 kJ/mol for monomodal and ~60 kJ/mol for bimodal SiC powder size distributions, a little higher than the ~50 kJ/mol by solvent dewaxing of the same compositions. The Ea in the Flynn‐Wall model was 64 kJ/mol for monomodal and 53 kJ/mol for bimodal. The Ea was 49 kJ/mol for monomodal and 42 kJ/mol for bimodal SiC powder by the Kissinger thermal analysis model. The lower Ea of the bimodal feedstock was attributed to its increased nucleation sites. These results provide the basis for dewaxing models—part of the rate‐limiting step in powder injection molding—for SiC powder‐binder systems.
Functionalized bacterial cellulose nanowhiskers as long‐lasting drug nanocarrier for antibiotics and anticancer drugs
Authors: Khattab Mohamed M. , Dahman Yaser
Published: May 2019

A nano drug carrier based on sustainable and biocompatible nanocellulose was developed for use in prolonged drug releases. The grafting of β‐cyclodextrin (βCD) on bacterial cellulose nanowhiskers (BCNC) using citric acid (CA) as a green linker was performed. This led to the formation of functionalized BCNC‐grafted‐βCD (BCNC‐g‐βCD). Broad‐spectrum antibiotic Ciprofloxacin (CIP) and anticancer drugs Doxorubicin (DOX) and Paclitaxel (PTX) were used as model drugs. These model drugs were conjugated to BCNC‐g‐βCD to form the drug‐nanocarrier systems (BCNC‐g‐βCD‐drug). The change in the nanowhiskers’ surface chemistry, morphology, and crystallinity was characterized by FTIR, solid‐state 13C NMR, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and x‐ray diffraction (XRD). The functionalized nanowhiskers showed a significant increase in the drug payloads, which ranged from 495 ±4–810 ±7 μg/mg, along with a radical improvement in the drug release profiles. For all of the developed drug‐conjugated nanocarriers, the initial burst releases were reduced effectively. The observed drug releases showed a sustained and controlled manner, with cumulative releases of 75–90 % over 5–5.5 days. Nevertheless, an improved drug release performance was observed in the acidic pH of 6.4 that mimicked extracellular tumor cells. In vitro drug release data were fitted zero‐order kinetic model with drug release constants (K0) of 0.68, 0.74, and 0.79 μg drug/h (at pH 6.4 and 37 °C) for BCNC‐g‐βCD‐CIP, BCNC‐g‐βCD‐DOX, and BCNC‐g‐βCD‐PTX nanosystems, respectively. The observed higher payloads along with the slow releases of drugs from the developed nanocarrier suggests its promising potential for reducing the frequent daily dosing and minimizing systemic toxicity of loaded drugs.
Influence of nonlinear effects on 6.4 Tb/s dual polarization quadrature phase shift keying modulated dense wavelength division multiplexed system
Authors: Kassegne Djima , Singh Simranjit , Ouro‐Djobo S. Sanoussi , Mao Barerem‐Melgueba
Published: May 2019

In this paper, we have proposed a high‐performance transmission system of 32 channels based on dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM) through an optical fiber link consisting of 110 km per span. To check the influence of nonlinear effects, we have considered phase modulation (SPM), cross‐phase modulation (XPM), four‐wave mixing (FWM), stimulated Raman scattering (SRS), and self‐steepening (SS) which limits the performance of optical communication systems. In the proposed system, each channel is modulated at 200 Gbps of dual‐polarization quadrature phase shift keying (DP‐QPSK) format, with a 50‐GHz grid yield whole data rate of 6.4 Tbps. The results have proved that the nonlinear phenomena degrade the performance of proposed optical fiber communication systems, and XPM has the most dominant effect, followed by SS, SRS, and SPM. The simulation was carried out with Optisystem 14 which is powerful software for modeling and simulation of optical fiber transmission.
Linseed Oil‐Based Thermosets by Aza‐Michael Polymerization
Authors: Ecochard Yvan , Auvergne Rémi , Boutevin Bernard , Caillol Sylvain
Published: May 2019

Aza‐Michael addition on acrylated linseed oil (AELO) is performed to synthetize biobased bulk thermosets without any catalyst. First, acrylation of epoxidized linseed oil (ELO) allows to obtain acrylate functions with vicinal hydroxyl groups which enhance the reactivity of acrylates. The autocatalytic effect of hydroxyl groups on acrylate monomers is highlighted by kinetic studies monitored by NMR and FTIR analyses on model molecules. Then, Priamine 1071, amine terminated poly(propyleneoxide) (PPO) and meta‐xylylenediamine (MXDA) are used as cross‐linkers with AELO. Curing kinetics are studied by DSC analyses to compare the reactivity of these structures. Priamine 1071 shows the highest reactivity; curing at room temperature is performed and high conversion is reached. Two enthalpies are observed with MXDA and only one at high temperature for PPO‐based materials. Thermosets with a large range of mechanical properties are finally obtained from soft materials with PPO‐diamine to hard materials with MXDA.

Practical Applications: Thermosets are obtained by curing AELO with various diamines via aza‐Michael reaction. Model reaction allows to demonstrate catalytic effect of hydroxyl groups on Aza‐Michael reaction of acrylated oil with amines. Hence, linseed oil is a promising resource in terms of sustainable development in polymer science.
Synthesis of Racemic 2‐(Aminomethyl)cyclopropane‐1,1‐dicarboxylic Acid as a New Constrained γ‐Amino Dicarboxylic Acid Bypassing Alkyl 3‐Aza‐2‐oxobicyclo[3.1.0]hexane‐1‐carboxylates
Authors: Mangelinckx Sven , Kostić Marina , Backx Simon , Petrović Biljana , De Kimpe Norbert
Published: May 2019

The first synthesis of racemic 2‐(aminomethyl)cyclopropane‐1,1‐dicarboxylic acid was developed involving sequential iodocarbocyclization, azidation, saponification and reduction of dimethyl 2‐allylmalonate. The developed synthetic pathway avoids reactions such as ring opening of the cyclopropane ring toward acyclic δ‐amino carboxylic acid derivatives or lactamisation toward bicyclic methyl 3‐aza‐2‐oxobicyclo[3.1.0]hexane‐1‐carboxylates which occur in alternative synthetic strategies.