bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Bachelorutdanning for yrkesfaglærere, i et historisk og utviklingsorientert perspektiv
Authors: Rokkones Klara Lillevik , Landro Jarle , Utvær Britt Karin
Published: January 2019

The article describes the development of the Bachelor’s Programme or Vocational Teacher Education (VTE) at Institute of Teacher Education at The Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU). The programme is important, as vocational education is increasingly prioritized as a growth area for the future, integrating practical skills with academic knowledge. Initially we provide a historical overview on the preparation and the establishment of VTE at NTNU in Trondheim. This is followed by a presentation of the content and organization of the bachelor programme of today. After that, the results of a review of student dropout is discussed and we go on with describing some changes that have been made, as a part of the programme’s quality development. The article concludes by describing how we intend to continue the work of recruiting students, strengthening cooperation between universities, schools and working life, and becoming involved in internationalization projects across Europe, through strategic partnerships and student mobility. Finally, we describe how we work to reach the goal to become a robust and full-fledged research environment.
Kvalitetsutveckling av digitala trepartssamtal i svensk yrkeslärarutbildning
Authors: Walkert Michael
Published: January 2019

This article describes the developmental work of feedback for students during their practicum periods at the vocational teacher education programme at Karlstad University. The vocational teacher education programme is based on distance studies which implies that the students can be spread all over the country. Although the students participate in some campus meetings, the university teachers are not able to visit students during their practicum periods of the programme. A digital conference tool, Adobe Connect, is therefore used for communication with the students and their supervisors in practicum. This article describes the developmental work of using the digital conference tool, which includes a filmed sequence of the student’s teaching. The filmed sequences are later shared and discussed in a group of fellow students and a teacher. The article also describes how a model inspired by the research-based Plato manual of discussing these teaching sequences is taking form. The intention of using this model is to proceed towards a joint research-based approach among the colleagues, and in this way improve the feedback to students regarding teaching strategies and instruction.
A Novel Biostimulant, Belonging to Protein Hydrolysates, Mitigates Abiotic Stress Effects on Maize Seedlings Grown in Hydroponics
Authors: Trevisan Sara , Manoli Alessandro , Quaggiotti Silvia
Published: January 2019

The main challenge to agriculture worldwide is feeding a rapidly growing human population, developing more sustainable agricultural practices that do not threaten human and ecosystem health. An innovative solution relies on the use of biostimulants, as a tool to enhance nutrient use efficiency and crop performances under sub-optimal conditions. In this work a novel biostimulant (APR®, ILSA S.p.A., Arzigano VI, Italy), belonging to the group of protein hydrolysates, was supplied to maize seedlings in hydroponic and its effects were assessed in control conditions and in the presence of three different kinds of stresses (hypoxia, salt and nutrient deficiency) and of their combination. Our results indicate that APR® is soluble and is able to influence root and shoot growth depending on its concentration. Furthermore, its effectiveness is clearly increased in condition of single or combination of abiotic stresses, thus confirming the previously hypothesised action of this substance as enhancer of the response to environmental adversities. Moreover, it also regulates the transcription of a set of genes involved in nitrate transport and ROS metabolism. Further work will be needed to try to transfer this basic knowledge in field experiments.
Selection and Characterization of a Nanobody Biosensor of GTP-Bound RHO Activities
Authors: Keller Laura , Bery Nicolas , Tardy Claudine , Ligat Laetitia , Favre Gilles , Rabbitts Terence H. , Olichon Aurélien
Published: January 2019

RHO (Ras HOmologous) GTPases are molecular switches that activate, in their state bound to Guanosine triphosphate (GTP), key signaling pathways, which involve actin cytoskeleton dynamics. Previously, we selected the nanobody RH12, from a synthetic phage display library, which binds the GTP-bound active conformation of RHOA (Ras Homologous family member A). However, when expressed as an intracellular antibody, its blocking effect on RHO signaling led to a loss of actin fibers, which in turn affected cell shape and cell survival. Here, in order to engineer an intracellular biosensor of RHOA-GTP activation, we screened the same phage nanobody library and identified another RHO-GTP selective intracellular nanobody, but with no apparent toxicity. The recombinant RH57 nanobody displays high affinity towards GTP-bound RHOA/B/C subgroup of small GTPases in vitro. Intracellular expression of the RH57 allowed selective co-precipitation with the GTP-bound state of the endogenous RHOA subfamily. When expressed as a fluorescent fusion protein, the chromobody GFP-RH57 was localized to the inner plasma membrane upon stimulation of the activation of endogenous RHO. Finally, the RH57 nanobody was used to establish a BRET-based biosensor (Bioluminescence Resonance Energy Transfer) of RHO activation. The dynamic range of the BRET signal could potentially offer new opportunities to develop cell-based screening of RHOA subfamily activation modulators.
Investigations into the Potential Abrasive Release of Nanomaterials due to Material Stress Conditions-Part A: Carbon Black Nano-Particulates in Plastic and Rubber Composites
Authors: Bott Johannes , Franz Roland
Published: January 2019

Plastic and rubber based composites containing carbon black (CB) were investigated for the potential to release CB nano-particulates under stress conditions into food simulants. Nanocomposites were exposed to thermal, chemical, and mechanical stress, followed by mechanical abrasion of their surface. Particle sensitive asymmetric flow field-flow fractionation (AF4) with multi angle laser light scattering (MALLS) detection was used to detect and quantify CB nano-particulates. This study demonstrates that, even under dynamic stress conditions, CB nano-particulates are not released from the plastic or rubber compounds into food. This study intends also to propose a general nano-release stress test protocol for plastic materials coming into contact with foodstuff.
A Synthetic Approach for Biosynthesis of Miquelianin and Scutellarin A in Escherichia coli
Authors: Pandey Ramesh Prasad , Jung Ha Young , Parajuli Prakash , Nguyen Thi Huyen Trang , Bashyal Puspalata , Sohng Jae Kyung
Published: January 2019

Grapevine (Vitis vinifera) glycucuronosyltransferase (VvGT5) specifically catalyzes flavonol-3-O-glucuronosylation and the blue flowers of Veronica persica (Lamiales, Scrophulariaceae) uridine diphosphate (UDP)-dependent glycosyltransferase (UGT88D8) as flavonoid 7-O-specific glucuronosyltransferases, were chosen, codon optimized, and employed to synthesize the high valued flavonoids glucuronoids, miquelianin and scutellarin A in Escherichia coli. A single vector system was constructed to overexpress entire UDP-glucuronic acid biosynthesis pathway genes, along with a glucokinase gene in Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3). The newly generated E. coli BL21 (DE3) piBR181-glk.pgm2.galU.ugd.UGT88D8 strain produced 12 mg/L (28 µmol/L) of scutellarin A from apigenin, representing only 14% of maximum conversion percentage. Similarly, the strain E. coli BL21 (DE3) piBR181-glk.pgm2.galU.ugd.VvGT5 produced 30 mg/L (62 µmol/L) of miquelianin, representing a 31% conversion of quercetin. This production profile is a good starting point for further host engineering, and for production of respective compounds.
Investigations into the Potential Abrasive Release of Nanomaterials due to Material Stress Conditions—Part B: Silver, Titanium Nitride, and Laponite Nanoparticles in Plastic Composites
Authors: Bott Johannes , Franz Roland
Published: January 2019

Three plastic nanocomposites containing the nanomaterials silver, titanium nitride, and laponite were investigated on the potential to release nanoparticulates under stress conditions into food simulants. Nanocomposites were exposed to thermal, chemical, and mechanical stress followed by mechanical abrasion of their surface. Particle sensitive asymmetric flow field-flow fractionation (AF4) with multi-angle laser light scattering (MALLS) as well as inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) detection was used to detect and quantify the respective nanoparticulates. The results of this study demonstrate that even under dynamic stress conditions nanoparticulates are not released from the nanocomposites into food.
Sparse Representation and SVM Diagnosis Method for Inter-Turn Short-Circuit Fault in PMSM
Authors: Liang Siyuan , Chen Yong , Liang Hong , Li Xu
Published: January 2019

Permanent magnet synchronous motors (PMSM) has the advantages of simple structure, small size, high efficiency, and high power factor, and a key dynamic source and is widely used in industry, equipment and electric vehicle. Aiming at its inter-turn short-circuit fault, this paper proposes a fault diagnosis method based on sparse representation and support vector machine (SVM). Firstly, the sparse representation is used to extract the first and second largest sparse coefficients of both current signal and vibration signals, and then they are composed into four-dimensional feature vectors. Secondly, the feature vectors are input into the support vector machine for fault diagnosis, which is suitable for small sample. Experiments on a permanent magnet synchronous motor with artificially set inter-turn short-circuit fault and a normal one showed that the method is feasible and accurate.
Acknowledgement to Reviewers of Appl. Syst. Innov. in Volume 1, 2018
Authors:   Appl. Syst. Innov. Editorial Office
Published: January 2019

Rigorous peer-review is the corner-stone of high-quality academic publishing [...]
The Response of Spring Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) to Climate Change in Northern Serbia
Authors: Daničić Milena , Zekić Vladislav , Mirosavljević Milan , Lalić Branislava , Putnik-Delić Marina , Maksimović Ivana , Dalla Marta Anna
Published: January 2019

The present study assessed the effect of projected climate change on the sowing time, onset, and duration of flowering, the duration of the growing season, and the grain yield of spring barley in Northern Serbia. An AquaCrop simulation covered two climate model integration periods (2001–2030 and 2071–2100) using a dual-step approach (with and without irrigation). After considering the effect of climate change on barley production, the economic benefit of future supplemental irrigation was assessed. The model was calibrated and validated using observed field data (2006–2014), and the simulation’s outcomes for future scenarios were compared to those of the baseline period (1971–2000) that was used for the expected climate analysis. The results showed that the projected features of barley production for the 2001–2030 period did not differ much from current practice in this region. On the contrary, for the 2071–2100 period, barley was expected to be sown earlier, to prolong its vegetation, and to shorten flowering’s duration. Nevertheless, its yield was expected to remain stable. An economic feasibility assessment of irrigation in the future indicated a negative income, which is why spring barley will most likely remain rain-fed under future conditions.
Lipid Production in Nannochloropsis gaditana during Nitrogen Starvation
Authors: Janssen Jorijn H. , Wijffels René H. , Barbosa Maria J.
Published: January 2019

The microalga Nannochloropsis gaditana is a natural producer of triacylglycerol (TAG) and the omega-3 fatty acid eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). TAG accumulation is induced by nitrogen starvation. The biomass-specific photon supply rate used had an effect on EPA and TAG accumulation during nitrogen starvation as well as on the localization of EPA accumulation. Clear differences in TAG yield on light were found for different biomass-specific photon supply rates and light regimes during nitrogen starvation. De novo EPA synthesis or the translocation of EPA between lipid fractions might be limiting for EPA accumulation in TAG. Further studies are needed to fully understand EPA accumulation in TAG during nitrogen starvation. To elucidate the function of EPA in TAG nitrogen recovery, experiments are suggested. The overexpression of genes involved in de novo EPA synthesis and translocation is proposed to elucidate the exact metabolic routes involved in these processes during nitrogen starvation. This work addresses future opportunities to increase EPA accumulation.
Specialized Roles for Actin in Osteoclasts: Unanswered Questions and Therapeutic Opportunities
Authors: Han Guanghong , Zuo Jian , Holliday Lexie Shannon
Published: January 2019

Osteoclasts are cells of the hematopoietic lineage that are specialized to resorb bone. In osteoclasts, the actin cytoskeleton engages in at least two unusual activities that are required for resorption. First, microfilaments form a dynamic and structurally elaborate actin ring. Second, microfilaments bind vacuolar H+-ATPase (V-ATPase) and are involved in forming the V-ATPase-rich ruffled plasma membrane. The current review examines these two specialized functions with emphasis on the identification of new therapeutic opportunities. The actin ring is composed of substructures called podosomes that are interwoven to form a cohesive superstructure. Studies examining the regulation of the formation of actin rings and its constituent proteins are reviewed. Areas where there are gaps in the knowledge are highlighted. Microfilaments directly interact with the V-ATPase through an actin binding site in the B2-subunit of V-ATPase. This binding interaction is required for ruffled membrane formation. Recent studies show that an inhibitor of the interaction blocks bone resorption in pre-clinical animal models, including a model of post-menopausal osteoporosis. Because the unusual actin-based resorption complex is unique to osteoclasts and essential for bone resorption, it is likely that deeper understanding of its underlying mechanisms will lead to new approaches to treat bone disease.
Acknowledgement to Reviewers of Brain Sciences in 2018
Authors:   Brain Sciences Editorial Office
Published: January 2019

Rigorous peer-review is the corner-stone of high-quality academic publishing.[...]
Analysis of Sleep Macrostructure in Patients Diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease
Authors: González-Naranjo Justa Elizabeth , Alfonso-Alfonso Maydelin , Grass-Fernandez Daymet , Morales-Chacón Lilia María , Pedroso-Ibáñez Ivón , Ricardo-de la Fe Yordanka , Padrón-Sánchez Arnoldo
Published: January 2019

Patients diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease present sleep disorders with a higher frequency than the general population. The sleep architecture in these patients shows variations with respect to the normal population, so in this work it was decided to investigate the characteristics of the macroarchitecture of sleep in patients diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. A polysomnographic study was carried out on 77 patients diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. All the studies were processed according to the AASM Manual for the Scoring of Sleep and Associated Events v.2.2, and to the criteria of the International Classification of Sleep Disorders 3rd ed. (2014). Processing was carried out using descriptive statistics, as well as non-parametric analysis for comparison between cases and controls. The group of patients showed significant reductions of the N2, N3, and REM sleep stages when compared with a control group, as well as a significant increase in intra-sleep wakefulness. The number of REM–NoREM sleep cycles and sleep efficiency showed marked reduction compared to the control group. There was a statistically significant difference in the macroarchitecture of sleep between patients diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease and healthy controls.
The impact of Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) Phases on Project Performance: A Case of Large-scale Residential Construction Project
Authors: Kabirifar Kamyar , Mojtahedi Mohammad
Published: January 2019

The Construction Industry is a complex and fragmented industry worldwide with regards to its supply chain, products, and processes, and is faced with a similar dilemma as faced by manufacturers during its time in past decades. Scope, time, and cost are the triple constraints of project management and leading factors in defining the project performance. Productivity and efficiency of each construction project is measured through its triple constraints, therefore the factors that affect project success are significantly important. Despite the importance of understanding project performance indicators, few empirical studies have been conducted over the last decade in terms of analyzing the factors that determine the performance of high-rise buildings in Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) projects. Hence, the aim of this paper is to analyze and rank EPC critical activities across large-scale residential construction projects in Iran, by using the TOPSIS method as a multi-attribute group decision-making technique. Results indicate that engineering design, project planning and controls are significant factors contributing to the project performance. In addition, engineering has a pivotal role in project performance and this significance is followed by the construction phase. On the contrary, all believe procurement is more important than Construction phase.
Acknowledgement to Reviewers of Buildings in 2018
Authors:   Buildings Editorial Office
Published: January 2019

Rigorous peer-review is the corner-stone of high-quality academic publishing [...]
Endothelial Protein C Receptor (EPCR), Protease Activated Receptor-1 (PAR-1) and Their Interplay in Cancer Growth and Metastatic Dissemination
Authors: Wojtukiewicz Marek Z. , Hempel Dominika , Sierko Ewa , Tucker Stephanie C. , Honn Kenneth V.
Published: January 2019

Endothelial protein C receptor (EPCR) and protease activated receptor 1 (PAR-1) by themselves play important role in cancer growth and dissemination. Moreover, interactions between the two receptors are essential for tumor progression. EPCR is a cell surface transmembrane glycoprotein localized predominantly on endothelial cells (ECs). It is a vital component of the activated protein C (APC)—mediated anticoagulant and cytoprotective signaling cascade. PAR-1, which belongs to a family of G protein–coupled cell surface receptors, is also widely distributed on endothelial and blood cells, where it plays a critical role in hemostasis. Both EPCR and PAR-1, generally considered coagulation-related receptors, are implicated in carcinogenesis and dissemination of diverse tumor types, and their expression correlates with clinical outcome of cancer patients. Existing data explain some mechanisms by which EPCR/PAR-1 affects cancer growth and metastasis; however, the exact molecular basis of cancer invasion associated with the signaling is still obscure. Here, we discuss the role of EPCR and PAR-1 reciprocal interactions in cancer progression as well as potential therapeutic options targeted specifically to interact with EPCR/PAR-1-induced signaling in cancer patients.
Enumerating Circulating Tumor Cells with a Self-Assembled Cell Array (SACA) Chip: A Feasibility Study in Patients with Colorectal Cancer
Authors: Chu Hsueh-Yao , Lu Long-Sheng , Cho Wanying , Wu Shin-Yao , Chang Yu-Cheng , Lin Chien-Ping , Yang Chih-Yung , Lin Chi-Hung , Jiang Jeng-Kai , Tseng Fan-Gang
Published: January 2019

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second most common cause of cancer-related death worldwide. Detecting and enumerating circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in patients with colorectal cancer emerged as an important prognostic tool which provides a direct estimate of metastatic potential. Improving the turnaround time and decreasing sample volume is critical for incorporating this liquid biopsy tool into routine practice. The objective of the current study was to validate the clinical feasibility of a self-assembled cell array (SACA) chip, a CTC counting platform with less than 4 h turnaround time, in patients with newly diagnosed colorectal cancers. In total, 179 patients with newly diagnosed colorectal cancers from a single institute were enrolled. Epithelial cell adhesion molecule positive (EpCAM(+)), cluster of differentiation 45 negative (CD45(−)) cells were isolated and enumerated from 2 mL of peripheral vein blood (PB) and inferior mesenteric vein blood (IMV) samples obtained during surgery. We found that the CTC count in PB but not IMV correlates with disease stages. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy did not lead to decreased CTC count in both types of blood samples. With cutoffs of four CTCs per 2 mL of blood, and serum carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) level of 5 ng/mL, patients with non-metastatic disease were more likely to experience recurrence if they had high PB CTC count and high serum CEA concentration (odds ratio, 8.9). Our study demonstrates the feasibility of enumerating CTCs with a SACA chip in patients with colorectal cancer.
Reading Cancer: Chromatin Readers as Druggable Targets for Cancer Treatment
Authors: Mio Catia , Bulotta Stefania , Russo Diego , Damante Giuseppe
Published: January 2019

The epigenetic machinery deputed to control histone post-translational modifications is frequently dysregulated in cancer cells. With epigenetics being naturally reversible, it represents a good target for therapies directed to restore normal gene expression. Since the discovery of Bromodomain and Extra Terminal (BET) inhibitors, a great effort has been spent investigating the effects of chromatin readers’ inhibition, specifically the class of proteins assigned to bind acetylated and methylated residues. So far, focused studies have been produced on epigenetic regulation, dissecting a specific class of epigenetic-related proteins or investigating epigenetic therapy in a specific tumor type. In this review, recent steps toward drug discovery on the different classes of chromatin readers have been outlined, highlighting the pros and cons of current therapeutic approaches.
A Review on the Synthesis and Characterization of Metal Organic Frameworks for Photocatalytic Water Purification
Authors: Bedia Jorge , Muelas-Ramos Virginia , Peñas-Garzón Manuel , Gómez-Avilés Almudena , Rodríguez Juan , Belver Carolina
Published: January 2019

This review analyzes the preparation and characterization of metal organic frameworks (MOFs) and their application as photocatalysts for water purification. The study begins by highlighting the problem of water scarcity and the different solutions for purification, including photocatalysis with semiconductors, such as MOFs. It also describes the different methodologies that can be used for the synthesis of MOFs, paying attention to the purification and activation steps. The characterization of MOFs and the different approaches that can be followed to learn the photocatalytic processes are also detailed. Finally, the work reviews literature focused on the degradation of contaminants from water using MOF-based photocatalysts under light irradiation.
Enhanced Visible Light Photocatalytic Reduction of Cr(VI) over a Novel Square Nanotube Poly(Triazine Imide)/TiO2 Heterojunction
Authors: Yan Xin , Ning Guotao , Zhao Peng
Published: January 2019

Hexavalent chromium Cr(VI) pollution makes has a harmful impact on human health and the ecological environment. Photocatalysis reduction technology exhibits low energy consumption, high reduction efficiency and stable performance, and is playing an increasingly important role in chromium pollution control. Graphite-phase carbon nitride has been used to reduce Cr(VI) to the less harmful Cr(III) due to its visible light catalytic activity, chemical stability and low cost. However, it has a low specific surface area and fast recombination of electron–hole pairs, which severely restrict its practical application. In this work, a TiO2-modified poly(triazine imide) (PTI) square nanotube was prepared by the one-step molten salts method. The results showed the PTI had a square hollow nanotube morphology, with an about 100–1000 nm width and 60–70 nm thickness. During the formation of the PTI square tube, TiO2 nanoparticles adhere to the surface of the square tube wall by strong adsorption, and eventually form a PTI/TiO2 heterojunction. The PTI/TiO2-7 wt% heterojunction exhibited very good Cr(VI) reduction efficiency within 120 min. The enhanced photocatalytic activity was mainly attributed to the efficient separation and transport of photo-induced electron–hole pairs and the high specific surface area in the heterojunction structure.
Ce- and Y-Modified Double-Layered Hydroxides as Catalysts for Dry Reforming of Methane: On the Effect of Yttrium Promotion
Authors: Świrk Katarzyna , Rønning Magnus , Motak Monika , Beaunier Patricia , Da Costa Patrick , Grzybek Teresa
Published: January 2019

Ce- and Y-promoted double-layered hydroxides were synthesized and tested in dry reforming of methane (CH4/CO2 = 1/1). The characterization of the catalysts was performed using X-ray fluorescence (XRF), X-ray diffraction (XRD), N2 sorption, temperature-programmed reduction in H2 (TPR-H2), temperature-programmed desorption of CO2 (TPD-CO2), H2 chemisorption, thermogravimetric analysis coupled by mass spectrometry (TGA/MS), Raman, and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). The promotion with cerium influences textural properties, improves the Ni dispersion, decreases the number of total basic sites, and increases the reduction temperature of nickel species. After promotion with yttrium, the increase in basicity is not directly correlated with the increasing Y loading on the contrary of Ni dispersion. Dry reforming of methane (DRM) was performed as a function of temperature and in isothermal conditions at 700 °C for 5 h. For catalytic tests, a slight increase of the activity is observed for both Y and Ce doped catalysts. This improvement can of course be explained by Ni dispersion, which was found higher for both Y and Ce promoted catalysts. During DRM, the H2/CO ratio was found below unity, which can be explained by side reactions occurrence. These side reactions are linked with the increase of CO2 conversion and led to carbon deposition. By HRTEM, only multi-walled and helical-shaped carbon nanotubes were identified on Y and Ce promoted catalysts. Finally, from Raman spectroscopy, it was found that on Y and Ce promoted catalysts, the formed C is less graphitic as compared to only Ce-based catalyst.
Bimetallic AgFe Systems on Mordenite: Effect of Cation Deposition Order in the NO Reduction with C3H6/CO
Authors: Sánchez-López Perla , Kotolevich Yulia , Miridonov Serguei , Chávez-Rivas Fernando , Fuentes Sergio , Petranovskii Vitalii
Published: January 2019

Mono- and bimetallic systems of Ag, Fe, and Ag–Fe exchanged in sodium mordenite zeolite were studied in the reaction of NO reduction. The transition metal cations Ag and Fe were introduced by ion exchange method both at room temperature and 60 °C; modifying the order of component deposition in bimetallic systems. These materials were characterized by Inductively Coupled Plasma-Optical Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-OES), ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis), X-Ray photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) and High-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM). The XPS and UV–Vis spectra of bimetallic samples revealed that under certain preparation conditions Ag+ is reduced with the participation of the Fe2+/Fe3+ ions transition and is present in the form of a Ag reduced state in different proportions of Agm clusters and Ag0 NPs, influenced by the cation deposition order. The catalytic results in the NO reduction reaction using C3H6/CO under an oxidizing atmosphere show also that the order of exchange of Ag and Fe cations in mordenite has a strong effect on catalytic active sites for the reduction of NO.
A Novel High-Throughput Assay Enables the Direct Identification of Acyltransferases
Authors: Reisky Lukas , Srinivasamurthy Vishnu S. T. , Badenhorst Chris P. S. , Godehard Simon P. , Bornscheuer Uwe T.
Published: January 2019

Acyltransferases are enzymes that are capable of catalyzing the transesterification of non-activated esters in an aqueous environment and therefore represent interesting catalysts for applications in various fields. However, only a few acyltransferases have been identified so far, which can be explained by the lack of a simple, broadly applicable high-throughput assay for the identification of these enzymes from large libraries. Here, we present the development of such an assay that is based on the enzymatic formation of oligocarbonates from dimethyl carbonate and 1,6-hexanediol. In contrast to the monomers used as substrates, the oligomers are not soluble in the aqueous environment and form a precipitate which is used to detect enzyme activity by the naked eye, by absorbance or by fluorescence measurements. With activity detected and thus confirmed for the enzymes Est8 and MsAcT, the assay enabled the first identification of acyltransferases that act on carbonates. It will thus allow for the discovery of further efficient acyltransferases or of more efficient variants via enzyme engineering.
Dehydrogenation of Ethanol to Acetaldehyde over Different Metals Supported on Carbon Catalysts
Authors: Ob-eye Jeerati , Praserthdam Piyasan , Jongsomjit Bunjerd
Published: January 2019

Recently, the interest in ethanol production from renewable natural sources in Thailand has been receiving much attention as an alternative form of energy. The low-cost accessibility of ethanol has been seen as an interesting topic, leading to the extensive study of the formation of distinct chemicals, such as ethylene, diethyl ether, acetaldehyde, and ethyl acetate, starting from ethanol as a raw material. In this paper, ethanol dehydrogenation to acetaldehyde in a one-step reaction was investigated by using commercial activated carbon with four different metal-doped catalysts. The reaction was conducted in a packed-bed micro-tubular reactor under a temperature range of 250–400 °C. The best results were found by using the copper doped on an activated carbon catalyst. Under this specified condition, ethanol conversion of 65.3% with acetaldehyde selectivity of 96.3% at 350 °C was achieved. This was probably due to the optimal acidity of copper doped on the activated carbon catalyst, as proven by the temperature-programmed desorption of ammonia (NH3-TPD). In addition, the other three catalyst samples (activated carbon, ceria, and cobalt doped on activated carbon) also favored high selectivity to acetaldehyde (>90%). In contrast, the nickel-doped catalyst was found to be suitable for ethylene production at an operating temperature of 350 °C.
Dielectric and Ferroelectric Studies on High Dense Pb(Zr0.52Ti0.48)O3 Nanocrystalline Ceramics by High Energy Ball Milling and Spark Plasma Sintering
Authors: Mudinepalli Venkata Ramana , Leng Feng
Published: January 2019

In our previous work, we synthesized Pb(Zr0.52Ti0.48)O3 (PZT) ceramics by conventional and microwave sintering methods and studied their structural and electrical properties. We observed that the microwave sintered PZT ceramics show higher densification, fine and uniform grain size, higher dielectric constant, remnant polarization (Pr), and spontaneous polarization (Ps) in comparison to conventional sintered ones. In the present work, we studied the microstructure, phase formation, dielectric, ferroelectric and piezoelectric properties of the PZT ceramics synthesized by using Spark plasma Sintering (SPS) method. The SPS sintering temperature is lower (300 to 400 °C) than both conventional and microwave sintering methods. The dielectric constant at room temperature and at transition temperature shows higher values compared to the microwave and conventional sintering methods. This SPS sintering technique is currently attracting growing attention among productions engineers and materials researchers.
Recurrent Cholera Outbreaks in Sub-Saharan Africa: Moving beyond Epidemiology to Understand the Environmental Reservoirs and Drivers
Authors: Gwenzi Willis , Sanganyado Edmond
Published: January 2019

Recurrent cholera outbreaks in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) attracted a lot of research interest, raising questions about the effectiveness of current prevention and control methods. However, research on cholera and other water-borne diseases in Africa is dominated by epidemiological studies, while investigations on the environmental drivers and reservoirs of cholera remain scarce. The current discourse relating cholera to the environment in SSA is often limited to the rudimentary statement that, “cholera is caused by the consumption of contaminated water and food”. Yet, beyond this simplistic view, literature elsewhere shows that cholera outbreaks are controlled by its complex interactions with environmental drivers and reservoirs. This brings to question whether cholera can be eradicated in SSA without understanding these complex interactions. The current review seeks to (1) highlight the nature and dynamics of recent cholera outbreaks in SSA, (2) discuss the importance of environmental reservoirs of Vibrio cholerae, and anthropogenic and hydroclimatic drivers in controlling the dynamics of cholera outbreaks, and (3) highlight key knowledge gaps and future research directions, and the need to harness emerging research tools such as modeling, machine learning, data mining, and genomics techniques to better understand the cholera dynamics. By bringing to fore these often-overlooked issues in cholera research, we seek to stimulate discussion, and promote a shift toward cross-disciplinary research on cholera and other water-borne diseases in SSA and beyond.
Response to Temperature and Virulence Assessment of Fusarium circinatum Isolates in the Context of Climate Change
Authors: Quesada Tania , Lucas Sunny , Smith Katherine , Smith Jason
Published: January 2019

With future global temperatures predicted to increase, the relationship between a host, pathogen, and environment, becomes less predictable and epidemics may pose a greater risk to forests worldwide. Resistance breeding is an important disease management tool, but because tree species require long breeding times, it is necessary to develop techniques for testing current pathogen isolates against their hosts. Pitch canker disease of pines, caused by the pathogen Fusarium circinatum, is no exception and represents a threat to pine forests and commercial plantations worldwide, as it thrives at warm temperatures and high humidity. We tested growth of 15 F. circinatum isolates in culture at three temperatures: 25, 27, and 31 °C. We also evaluated the sporulation and pathogenicity of eight of the isolates on two susceptible Pinus elliotti (slash pine) open-pollinated families and one tolerant open-pollinated Pinus taeda (loblolly pine) family. Our results showed significant differences among isolates in the temperature and pathogenicity tests. All isolates showed a significant decrease in growth at 31 °C, although some showed similar growth at 25 and 27 °C. Several of the new isolates tested were more pathogenic than the isolates that the USDA Forest Service Resistance Screening Center (RSC) had been using. The new isolates have now been incorporated into their operational screening program.
Acknowledgement to Reviewers of Humanities in 2018
Authors:   Humanities Editorial Office
Published: January 2019

Rigorous peer-review is the corner-stone of high-quality academic publishing [...]
Comparison of Potentially Inappropriate Medications for People with Dementia at Admission and Discharge during An Unplanned Admission to Hospital: Results from the SMS Dementia Study
Authors: Kable Ashley , Fullerton Anne , Fraser Samantha , Palazzi Kerrin , Hullick Carolyn , Oldmeadow Christopher , Pond Dimity , Searles Andrew , Edmunds Kim , Attia John ,   On behalf of SMS Dementia Study investigators
Published: January 2019

People with dementia (PWD) and cognitive impairment are particularly vulnerable to medication problems, and unplanned admission to hospital presents an opportunity to address polypharmacy, potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) and anticholinergic burden. This study aimed to compare PIMS and other medication data for PWD to determine whether these changed during hospitalization. Medications documented in patient’s records at admission and discharge were evaluated for PWD recruited to phase one of a prospective quasi-experimental pre/post-controlled trial that was conducted at two regional hospitals in NSW, Australia. The study sample included PWD or cognitive impairment having an unplanned admission to hospital. Data were collected using a purpose developed audit tool for medications and PIMs, and a Modified Anticholinergic Burden Scale. Total participants were 277, and results determined that the cognitive status of PWD is not always detected during an unplanned admission. This may make them more vulnerable to medication problems and poor outcomes. Polypharmacy and PIMS for PWD were high at admission and significantly reduced at discharge. However, PWD should be routinely identified as high risk at admission; and there is potential to further reduce polypharmacy and PIMs during admission to hospital, particularly psychotropic medications at discharge. Future studies should focus on evaluating targeted interventions designed to increase medication safety for PWD.
Eye in the Sky: Using UAV Imagery of Seasonal Riverine Canopy Growth to Model Water Temperature
Authors: Willis Ann , Holmes Eric
Published: January 2019

Until recently, stream temperature processes controlled by aquatic macrophyte shading (i.e., the riverine canopy) was an unrecognized phenomenon. This study aims to address the question of the temporal and spatial scale of monitoring and modeling that is needed to accurately simulate canopy-controlled thermal processes. We do this by using unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) imagery to quantify the temporal and spatial variability of the riverine canopy and subsequently develop a relationship between its growth and time. Then we apply an existing hydrodynamic and water temperature model to test various time steps of canopy growth interpolation and explore the balance between monitoring and computational efficiencies versus model performance and utility for management decisions. The results show that riverine canopies modeled at a monthly timescale are sufficient to represent water temperature processes at a resolution necessary for reach-scale water management decisions, but not local-scale. As growth patterns were more frequently updated, negligible changes were produced by the model. Spatial configurations of the riverine canopy vary interannually; new data may need to be gathered for each growth season. However, the risks of inclement field conditions during the early growth period are a challenge for monitoring via UAVs at sites with access constraints.
An Integrated Graphic Modeling System for Three-Dimensional Hydrodynamic and Water Quality Simulation in Lakes
Authors: Huang Mutao , Tian Yong
Published: January 2019

Understanding the complex hydrodynamics and transport processes are of primary importance to alleviate and control the eutrophication problem in lakes. Numerical models are used to simulate these processes. However, it is often difficult to perform such a numerical modeling simulation for common users. This study presented an integrated graphic modeling system designed for three-dimensional hydrodynamic and water quality simulation in lakes. The system, called the Lake Modeling System (LMS), provides necessary functionalities streamlined for hydrodynamic modeling. The LMS provides a geographic information system (GIS)-based data processing framework to establish a model and provides capabilities for displaying model input and output information. The LMS also provides mapping and visualization tools to support the model development process. All of these features in a GIS-based framework makes the task of complex hydrodynamic and water quality modeling easier. The applicability of the LMS is demonstrated by a case study in Lake Donghu, which is a large urban lake in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River in China. The LMS was utilized to setup and calibrate a model for Lake Donghu. Then the model was used to study the effects of a water diversion project on the change in hydrodynamics and the water quality.
Mobile Phone Indicators and Their Relation to the Socioeconomic Organisation of Cities
Authors: Cottineau Clémentine , Vanhoof Maarten
Published: January 2019

Thanks to the use of geolocated big data in computational social science research, the spatial and temporal heterogeneity of human activities is increasingly being revealed. Paired with smaller and more traditional data, this opens new ways of understanding how people act and move, and how these movements crystallise into the structural patterns observed by censuses. In this article we explore the convergence between mobile phone data and more traditional socioeconomic data from the national census in French cities. We extract mobile phone indicators from six months worth of Call Detail Records (CDR) data, while census and administrative data are used to characterize the socioeconomic organisation of French cities. We address various definitions of cities and investigate how they impact the statistical relationships between mobile phone indicators, such as the number of calls or the entropy of visited cell towers, and measures of economic organisation based on census data, such as the level of deprivation, inequality and segregation. Our findings show that some mobile phone indicators relate significantly with different socioeconomic organisation of cities. However, we show that relations are sensitive to the way cities are defined and delineated. In several cases, changing the city delineation rule can change the significance and even the sign of the correlation. In general, cities delineated in a restricted way (central cores only) exhibit traces of human activity which are less related to their socioeconomic organisation than cities delineated as metropolitan areas and dispersed urban regions.
Transcriptome Analysis Reveals the Mechanism of Fluoride Treatment Affecting Biochemical Components in Camellia sinensis
Authors: Zhu Jiaojiao , Pan Junting , Nong Shouhua , Ma Yuanchun , Xing Anqi , Zhu Xujun , Wen Bo , Fang Wanping , Wang Yuhua
Published: January 2019

Tea (Camellia sinensis (L.) O. Kuntze), one of the main crops in China, is high in various bioactive compounds including flavonoids, catechins, caffeine, theanine, and other amino acids. C. sinensis is also known as an accumulator of fluoride (F), and the bioactive compounds are affected by F, however, the mechanism remains unclear. Here, the effects of F treatment on the accumulation of F and major bioactive compounds and gene expression were investigated, revealing the molecular mechanisms affecting the accumulation of bioactive compounds by F treatment. The results showed that F accumulation in tea leaves gradually increased under exogenous F treatments. Similarly, the flavonoid content also increased in the F treatment. In contrast, the polyphenol content, free amino acids, and the total catechins decreased significantly. Special amino acids, such as sulfur-containing amino acids and proline, had the opposite trend of free amino acids. Caffeine was obviously induced by exogenous F, while the theanine content peaked after two day-treatment. These results suggest that the F accumulation and content of bioactive compounds were dramatically affected by F treatment. Furthermore, differentially expressed genes (DEGs) related to the metabolism of main bioactive compounds and amino acids, especially the pivotal regulatory genes of catechins, caffeine, and theanine biosynthesis pathways, were identified and analyzed using high-throughput Illumina RNA-Seq technology and qRT-PCR. The expression of pivotal regulatory genes is consistent with the changes of the main bioactive compounds in C. sinensis leaves, indicating a complicated molecular mechanism for the above findings. Overall, these data provide a reference for exploring the possible molecular mechanism of the accumulation of major bioactive components such as flavonoid, catechins, caffeine, theanine and other amino acids in tea leaves in response to fluoride treatment.
Chromosome Conformation Capture Reveals Two Elements That Interact with the PTBP3 (ROD1) Transcription Start Site
Authors: Kubiak Marta , Jurek Anna , Kamińska Katarzyna , Kowalewski Janusz , Huang Sui , Lewandowska Marzena Anna
Published: January 2019

The long-range control of gene expression is facilitated by chromatin looping and can be detected using chromosome conformation capture—3C. Here we focus on the chromatin architecture of the PTBP3 (Polypyrimidine tract binding protein 3) locus to evaluate its potential role in regulating expression of the gene. PTBP3 expression in prostate cancer cell lines is found significantly higher compared to skin fibroblasts using real-time PCR (p < 0.05) and digital droplet PCR (p < 0.01). Exploration of the chromatin spatial architecture of a nearly 200-kb fragment of chromosome 9 encompassing the PTBP3 gene identified two elements located 63 kb upstream and 48 kb downstream of PTBP3, which looped specifically to the PTBP3 promoter. These elements contain histone acetylation patterns characteristic of open chromatin regions with active enhancers. Our results reveal for the first time that long-range chromatin interactions between the −63 kb and +48 kb loci and the PTBP3 promoter regulate the expression of this gene in prostate cancer cells. These interactions support an open chromatin form for the PTBP3 locus in cancer cells and the three-dimensional structural model proposed in this paper.
In Vitro Cytotoxicity and In Vivo Antitumor Efficacy of Tetrazolato-Bridged Dinuclear Platinum(II) Complexes with a Bulky Substituent at Tetrazole C5
Authors: Komeda Seiji , Uemura Masako , Yoneyama Hiroki , Harusawa Shinya , Hiramoto Keiichi
Published: January 2019

Tetrazolato-bridged dinuclear platinum(II) complexes ([{cis-Pt(NH3)2}2(μ-OH)(μ-5-R-tetrazolato-N2,N3)]2+; tetrazolato-bridged complexes) are a promising source of next-generation platinum-based drugs. β-Cyclodextrin (β-CD) forms inclusion complexes with bulky organic compounds or substituents, changing their polarity and molecular dimensions. Here, we determined by 1H-NMR spectroscopy, the stability constants for inclusion complexes formed between β-CD and tetrazolato-bridged complexes with a bulky, lipophilic substituent at tetrazole C5 (complexes 1–3, phenyl, n-nonyl, and adamantyl substitution, respectively). We then determined the in vitro cytotoxicity and in vivo antitumor efficacy of complexes 1–3 against the Colon-26 colorectal cancer cell line in the absence or presence of equimolar β-CD. Compared with the platinum-based anticancer drug oxaliplatin (1R,2R-diaminocyclohexane)oxalatoplatinum(II)), complex 2 had similar cytotoxicity, complex 3 was moderately cytotoxic, and complex 1 was the least cytotoxic. The cytotoxicity of the complexes decreased in the presence of β-CD. When we examined the in vivo antitumor efficacy of complexes 1–3 (10 mg/kg) against homografted Colon-26 colorectal tumors in male BALB/c mice, they showed a relatively low tumor growth inhibition compared with oxaliplatin. However, in the presence of β-CD, complex 3 had higher in vivo antitumor efficacy than oxaliplatin, suggesting a new direction for future research into tetrazolato-bridged complexes with high in vivo antitumor activity.