bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
SMARCAL1, the annealing helicase and the transcriptional co‐regulator
Authors: Bansal Ritu , Hussain Saddam , Chanana Upasana Bedi , Bisht Deepa , Goel Isha , Muthuswami Rohini
Published: August 2020

The ATP‐dependent chromatin remodeling proteins play an important role in DNA repair. The energy released by ATP hydrolysis is used for myriad functions ranging from nucleosome repositioning and nucleosome eviction to histone variant exchange. In addition, the distant member of the family, SMARCAL1, uses the energy to reanneal stalled replication forks in response to DNA damage. Biophysical studies have shown that this protein has the unique ability to recognize and bind specifically to DNA structures possessing double‐strand to single‐strand transition regions. Mutations in SMARCAL1 have been linked to Schimke immuno‐osseous dysplasia, an autosomal recessive disorder that exhibits variable penetrance and expressivity. It has long been hypothesized that the variable expressivity and pleiotropic phenotypes observed in the patients might be due to the ability of SMARCAL1 to co‐regulate the expression of a subset of genes within the genome. Recently, the role of SMARCAL1 in regulating transcription has been delineated. In this review, we discuss the biophysical and functional properties of the protein that help it to transcriptionally co‐regulate DNA damage response as well as to bind to the stalled replication fork and stabilize it, thus ensuring genomic stability. We also discuss the role of SMARCAL1 in cancer and the possibility of using this protein as a chemotherapeutic target.
What are the ramifications and/or impacts of the US switching to a territorial tax system?
Authors: Gilman Jacquelyne , Anandane Leslie
Published: August 2020

In this article, we focus on the potential impacts of switching to a territorial tax system in the US. Under the worldwide tax system the US used over the years, income is included in the firm's taxable income, but their foreign income taxes paid can be claimed as deductions or credit to avoid double taxation With a territorial tax system approach, firms would only be paying taxes on the portion of their income being made in their home country. We focus on different studies that analyze the ways in which the US has moved towards a territorial tax system over the years. We also use studies done on the UK and Japan, G‐7 nations that have switched to a complete territorial tax system in recent years, to compare their motives and outcomes to what would potentially happen in the US.
Heat tolerance of reptile embryos: Current knowledge, methodological considerations, and future directions
Authors: Hall Joshua M. , Sun Bao‐jun
Published: August 2020

Aspects of global change result in warming temperatures that threaten biodiversity across the planet. Eggs of non‐avian, oviparous reptiles (henceforth “reptiles”) are particularly vulnerable to warming due to a lack of parental care during incubation and limited ability to behaviorally thermoregulate. Because warming temperatures will cause increases in both mean and variance of nest temperatures, it is crucial to consider embryo responses to both chronic and acute heat stress. Although many studies have considered embryo survival across constant incubation temperatures (i.e., chronic stress) and in response to brief exposure to extreme temperatures (i.e., acute stress), there are no standard metrics or terminology for determining heat stress of embryos. This impedes comparisons across studies and species and hinders our ability to predict how species will respond to global change. In this review, we compare various methods that have been used to assess embryonic heat tolerance in reptiles and provide new terminology and metrics for quantifying embryo responses to both chronic and acute heat stress. We apply these recommendations to data from the literature to assess chronic heat tolerance in 16 squamates, 16 turtles, five crocodilians, and the tuatara and acute heat tolerance for nine squamates and one turtle. Our results indicate that there is relatively large variation in chronic and acute heat tolerance across species, and we outline directions for future research, calling for more studies that assess embryo responses to acute thermal stress, integrate embryo responses to chronic and acute temperatures in predictive models, and identify mechanisms that determine heat tolerance.
The association of health behavioral risk factors with quality of life in northern Sweden—A cross‐sectional survey
Authors: Al‐Rubaye Ali K. Q. , Johansson Klara , Alrubaiy Laith
Published: August 2020

Background

It is well known that behavioral risk factors such as obesity, smoking, physical activity, diet, and excessive alcohol are linked to general health in northern Sweden. This study aimed to explore the joint relationship between these risk factors and the quality of life (QoL).

Methods

Data were collected from Sweden's national public health survey between February and May 2014 in the four northern counties in Sweden. QoL was assessed using the EuroQol (EQ‐5D). Multivariable regression analysis was used to examine the relationship between five risk factors: BMI, physical activity, smoking status, fruit and vegetable intake, and alcohol consumption and QoL.

Results

Data from 17 138 complete questionnaires showed that individuals who were not obese, did at least 30 minutes of physical activity daily, consumed at least 3 portions of vegetable or fruits, were not smoking daily, and who did not report being drunk at least once every week were found to have better QoL (P < .005). The mean EQ‐5D score ranged from 0.85 to 0.79. Approximately, two thirds of the studied population reported being physically active for at least 30 minutes every day and two fifths of them had a normal BMI. Only around 7% of the sample reported that they were eating the recommended daily level of fruits and vegetables.

Conclusions

The results of the study suggest that QoL has a significant relationship with lifestyle behaviors. This finding would emphasize the role of interventions to improve population health.
Synthesis of novel thiazol‐5‐ylpyrimidine derivatives and their antimicrobial evaluation
Authors: Deshmukh Sanjay U. , Toche Raghunath B. , Takate Sushama J. , Salve Supriya P. , Sabnis Ram W.
Published: August 2020

Novel thiazol‐5‐ylpyrimidine derivatives were designed and synthesized. The chemical structures of all new synthesized compounds were assigned by studying their elemental analyses and spectral data (FT‐IR, 1HNMR, 13C NMR, and MS). The target compounds, 8 and 9a‐9d were evaluated for their antimicrobial activity in vitro against gram‐positive bacteria, Bacillus subtilis and Staphylococcus aureus, gram‐negative bacteria, Salmonella abony and Escherichia coli and fungi, Aspergillus flavus and Fusarium oxysporum. In particular, compounds 9a‐9c exhibited moderate to good activity against gram‐positive bacteria, S. aureus, gram‐negative bacteria, S. abony and fungus, Fusarium oxysporum in comparison with reference drugs.
Impaired intracellular trafficking of sodium‐dependent vitamin C transporter 2 contributes to the redox imbalance in Huntington’s disease
Authors: Covarrubias‐Pinto Adriana , Parra Alejandra V. , Mayorga‐Weber Gonzalo , Papic Eduardo , Vicencio Isidora , Ehrenfeld Pamela , Rivera Francisco J. , Castro Maite A.
Published: August 2020

Huntington's disease (HD) is a neurodegenerative disorder caused by a glutamine expansion at the first exon of the huntingtin gene. Huntingtin protein (Htt) is ubiquitously expressed and it is localized in several organelles, including endosomes. HD is associated with a failure in energy metabolism and oxidative damage. Ascorbic acid is a powerful antioxidant highly concentrated in the brain where it acts as a messenger, modulating neuronal metabolism. It is transported into neurons via the sodium‐dependent vitamin C transporter 2 (SVCT2). During synaptic activity, ascorbic acid is released from glial reservoirs to the extracellular space, inducing an increase in SVCT2 localization at the plasma membrane. Here, we studied SVCT2 trafficking and localization in HD. SVCT2 is decreased at synaptic terminals in YAC128 male mice. Using cellular models for HD (STHdhQ7 and STHdhQ111 cells), we determined that SVCT2 trafficking through secretory and endosomal pathways is altered in resting conditions. We observed Golgi fragmentation and SVCT2/Htt‐associated protein‐1 mis‐colocalization. Additionally, we observed altered ascorbic acid‐induced calcium signaling that explains the reduced SVCT2 translocation to the plasma membrane in the presence of extracellular ascorbic acid (active conditions) described in our previous results. Therefore, SVCT2 trafficking to the plasma membrane is altered in resting and active conditions in HD, explaining the redox imbalance observed during early stages of the disease.
Are Convolutional Neural Networks Trained on ImageNet Images Wearing Rose‐Colored Glasses?: A Quantitative Comparison of ImageNet, Computed Tomographic, Magnetic Resonance, Chest X‐Ray, and Point‐of‐Care Ultrasound Images for Quality
Authors: Blaivas Laura , Blaivas Michael
Published: August 2020

Objectives

Deep learning for medical imaging analysis uses convolutional neural networks pretrained on ImageNet (Stanford Vision Lab, Stanford, CA). Little is known about how such color‐ and scene‐rich standard training images compare quantitatively to medical images. We sought to quantitatively compare ImageNet images to point‐of‐care ultrasound (POCUS), computed tomographic (CT), magnetic resonance (MR), and chest x‐ray (CXR) images.

Methods

Using a quantitative image quality assessment technique (Blind/Referenceless Image Spatial Quality Evaluator), we compared images based on pixel complexity, relationships, variation, and distinguishing features. We compared 5500 ImageNet images to 2700 CXR, 2300 CT, 1800 MR, and 18,000 POCUS images. Image quality results ranged from 0 to 100 (worst). A 1‐way analysis of variance was performed, and the standardized mean‐difference effect size value (d) was calculated.

Results

ImageNet images showed the best image quality rating of 21.7 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.41) except for CXR at 13.2 (95% CI, 0.28), followed by CT at 35.1 (95% CI, 0.79), MR at 31.6 (95% CI, 0.75), and POCUS at 56.6 (95% CI, 0.21). The differences between ImageNet and all of the medical images were statistically significant (P ≤ .000001). The greatest difference in image quality was between ImageNet and POCUS (d = 2.38).

Conclusions

Point‐of‐care ultrasound (US) quality is significantly different from that of ImageNet and other medical images. This brings considerable implications for convolutional neural network training with medical images for various applications, which may be even more significant in the case of US images. Ultrasound deep learning developers should consider pretraining networks from scratch on US images, as training techniques used for CT, CXR, and MR images may not apply to US.
Transoral Removal of an Extruded Odontoid Screw Causing Dysphagia and Dysphonia
Authors: Zhukhovitskaya Alisa , Shamie Arya N. , Chhetri Dinesh
Published: August 2020

A 77‐year‐old male underwent open reduction and internal fixation with placement of odontoid screws after sustaining C1 arch and odontoid fractures in a fall 14 months prior to presentation to the laryngology clinic for combined surgery with orthopedics. Serial imaging after the initial surgery demonstrated loosening of a screw and its entry into the pharyngeal lumen. The patient reported odynophagia, dysphagia, and dysphonia. He reported taking small bites and using liquid assist, vocal fatigue, and difficulty with pitch control. A surgical screw entering the pharynx just inferior to the level of the tip of the epiglottis was seen on flexible laryngoscopy. On phonation, the screw made intermittent contact with the right arytenoid resulting in restriction of full abduction of the right vocal fold. On flexible endoscopic evaluation of swallowing, there was pharyngeal and vallecular residue, and residue around the screw itself. The patient was taken to the operating room with orthopedic surgery, the screw was visualized with a combination of mouth gag and endoscopes. It was gently rocked with an orthopedic screw grabber and tapped toward the caudal pharynx. After successful removal, the mucosal defect was sutured. The patient reported improvement in swallowing postoperatively. Dysphagia is a described sequela of cervical spine surgery. We describe the presentation and treatment of a patient with a history of cervical spine surgery and subsequent exposure of an orthopedic screw in the pharynx. Laryngoscope, 131:1078–1080, 2021
Toward High‐Speed Nanoscopic Particle Tracking via Time‐Resolved Detection of Directional Scattering
Authors: Beck Paul , Neugebauer Martin , Banzer Peter
Published: August 2020

Owing to their immediate relevance for high precision position sensors, a variety of different sub‐wavelength localization techniques has been developed in the past decades. However, many of these techniques suffer from low temporal resolution or require expensive detectors. Here, a method is presented that is based on the ultrafast detection of directionally scattered light with a quadrant photodetector operating at a large bandwidth, which exceeds the speed of most cameras. The directionality emerges due to the position dependent tailored excitation of a high‐refractive index nanoparticle with a tightly focused vector beam. A spatial resolution of and a temporal resolution of is reached experimentally, which is not a fundamental but rather a technical limit. The detection scheme enables real‐time particle tracking and sample stabilization in many optical setups sensitive to drifts and vibrations.
The Effect of Antibacterial Particle Incorporation on the Mechanical Properties, Biodegradability, and Biocompatibility of PLA and PHBV Composites
Authors: Mazur Karolina , Singh Raminder , Friedrich Ralf P. , Genç Hatice , Unterweger Harald , Sałasińska Kamila , Bogucki Rafał , Kuciel Stanisław , Cicha Iwona
Published: August 2020

The composites based on polylactide (PLA) and poly (3‐hydroxybutyrate‐co‐3‐hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV) with the addition of antibacterial particles: silver (Ag) and copper oxide (CuO) are characterized. Basic mechanical properties and biodegradation processes, as well as biocompatibility of materials with human cells are determined. The addition of Ag or CuO to the polymers do not significantly affect their mechanical properties, flammability, or biodegradation rate. However, several differences between the base materials are observed. PLA‐based composites have higher tensile and impact strength values, while PHBV‐based ones have a higher modulus of elasticity, as well as better mechanical properties at elevated temperatures. Concerning biocompatibility, each of the tested materials support the growth of fibroblasts over time, although large differences are observed in the initial cell attachment. The analysis of hydrolytic degradation effects on the structure of materials shows that PHBV degrades much faster than PLA. The results of this study confirm the good potential of the investigated biodegradable polymer composites with antibacterial particles for future biomedical applications.
Novel mechanistic targets of forkhead box Q1 transcription factor in human breast cancer cells
Authors: Kim Su‐Hyeong , Hahm Eun‐Ryeong , Singh Krishna B. , Singh Shivendra V.
Published: August 2020

The transcription factor forkhead box Q1 (FoxQ1) is overexpressed in different solid tumors including breast cancer, but the mechanism underlying its oncogenic function is still not fully understood. In this study, we compared RNA‐seq data from FoxQ1 overexpressing SUM159 cells with that of empty vector‐transfected control cells to identify novel mechanistic targets of this transcription factor. Analysis of The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) data set revealed significantly higher expression of FoxQ1 in black breast cancer patients compared with white women with this disease. In contrast, expression of FoxQ1 was comparable in ductal and lobular carcinomas in the breast cancer TCGA data set. Complementing our published findings in basal‐like subtype, immunohistochemistry revealed upregulation of FoxQ1 protein in luminal‐type human breast cancer tissue microarrays when compared with normal mammary tissues. Many previously reported transcriptional targets of FoxQ1 (eg, E‐cadherin, N‐cadherin, fibronectin 1, etc) were verified from the RNA‐seq analysis. FoxQ1 overexpression resulted in the downregulation of genes associated with cell cycle checkpoints, M phase, and cellular response to stress/external stimuli as evidenced from the Reactome pathway analysis. Consequently, FoxQ1 overexpression resulted in mitotic arrest in basal‐like SUM159 and human mammary epithelial cell line, but not in luminal‐type MCF‐7 cells. Finally, we show for the first time that FoxQ1 is a direct transcriptional regulator of interleukin (IL)‐1α, IL‐8, and vascular endothelial growth factor in breast cancer cells as evidenced by chromatin immunoprecipitation assay. In conclusion, the present study reports novel mechanistic targets of FoxQ1 in human breast cancer cells.
Dynamics of modified improved Boussinesq equation via Galerkin Finite Element Method
Authors: Karaagac Berat , Ucar Yusuf , Esen Alaattin
Published: August 2020

The aim of this paper is to investigate numerical solutions of modified improved Boussinesq (MIBq) equation
, which is a modified type of Boussinesq equations born as an art of modelling water‐wave problems in weakly dispersive medium such as surface waves in shallow waters or ion acoustic waves. For this purpose, Lumped Galerkin finite element (LGFE) method, an effective, accurate, and cost‐effective method, is applied to model equation by the aid of quadratic B‐spline basis. The efficiency and accuracy of the method are tested with two problems, namely, propagation solitary wave and interaction of two solitary waves. The error norms L2 and L∞ have been computed in order to measure how “accurate” the numerical solutions. Also, the stability analysis has been investigated.
Regularity and energy conservation for compressible isentropic magnetohydrodynamic equations
Authors: Wu Zhonger , Tan Zhong
Published: August 2020

In this paper, we mainly study the local energy equation of the weak solutions of the compressible isentropic MHD equation defined on
. We prove that the regularity of the solution is sufficient to guarantee the balance of the total energy in the
space. We adopt a variant of the method of Feireisl et al.
Optimal control problem of the uncertain second‐order circuit based on first hitting criteria
Authors: Jin Ting , Xia Hongxuan , Chen Hao
Published: August 2020

First hitting criteria of a system are to initially achieve some performance indeces of the target state set. This paper primarily investigates the optimal control problem of the uncertain second‐order circuit based on first hitting criteria. First, considering time efficiency and different from the ordinary expected utility criterion over an infinite time horizon, two first hitting criteria which are reliability index and reliable time criteria are innovatively proposed. Second, assuming the circuit output voltage as an uncertain variable when the historical data is lacking, we better model the real circuit system with the uncertain second‐order differential equation which is essentially the uncertain fractional‐order differential equation. Then, based on the first hitting time theorem of the uncertain fractional‐order differential equation, the distribution function of the first hitting time under the second‐order circuit system is proposed and the uncertain second‐order circuit optimal control model (reliability index and reliable time‐based model) is transformed into corresponding crisp optimal problem. Lastly, analytic expressions of the optimal control for the reliability index model are obtained. Meanwhile, sufficient condition and guidance for parameters for the optimal solution of the reliable time‐based model are derived, and corresponding numerical examples are also given to demonstrate the fluctuation of our optimal solution for different parameters.
Estimating the effects of body mass index and central obesity on stroke in diabetics and non‐diabetics using targeted maximum likelihood estimation: Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities study
Authors: Mozafar Saadati Hossein , Mehrabi Yadollah , Sabour Siamak , Mansournia Mohammad Ali , Hashemi Nazari Seyed Saeed
Published: August 2020

Objectives

The association of body mass index (BMI) with the risk of cardiovascular disease among diabetic patients is controversial. This study compared the effects of BMI and central obesity on stroke in diabetics and non‐diabetics using targeted maximum likelihood estimation.

Materials and methods

This analysis included 12 725 adults aged 45–75 years, after excluding prevalence cases and participants with missing data, from the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities study. Obesity was defined with BMI, waist circumference, waist‐to‐hip ratio (WHR), waist‐to‐height ratio (WHtR), body shape index (BSI) and body roundness index (BRI), which categorized all participants as obese and non‐obese. Generalized linear models and TMLE (with the tmle package) were used to estimate risk ratio (RR).

Results

During 27 years of follow‐up, 1078 (8.47%) cases of stroke occurred. After adjustment for demographic, behavioural, biologic and central obesity variables, the effect of BMI decreased in both diabetics and non‐diabetics. The effect of BMI in diabetics was more attenuated, in full model, (RR: 1.04 [0.90, 1.20]) rather than non‐diabetics (RR: 1.11 [1.00, 1.24]). This attenuation was more related to biologic variables in non‐diabetics and central obesity in diabetics. With respect to central obesity, BSI (RR [95% CI]: 1.15 [0.96, 1.38]) and WHR (RR [95% CI]: 1.15 [0.87, 1.52]) had strongest and marginally significant effects for diabetics and BSI (RR [95% CI]: 1.10 [1.02, 1.20]) for non‐diabetics.

Conclusions

Among diabetics, BSI and WHR indices were associated with a higher incidence of stroke. Future studies should consider how central obesity affects higher incidence of stroke among diabetics stratified by sex and age groups.
Low‐Income Homeownership and the Role of State Subsidies: A Comparative Analysis of Mortgage Outcomes
Authors: Hembre Erik , Moulton Stephanie , Record Matthew
Published: August 2020

Between the late 1970s through 2013, state Housing Finance Agencies (HFAs) financed nearly $300 billion in mortgages to low‐ and moderate‐income first‐time homebuyers. Descriptive evidence indicates that HFAs help households retain their homes at higher rates than similar households purchasing homes in the private mortgage market. Using a matched sample of HFA originations between 2005 and 2014, we estimate a multinomial logit model of mortgage default (or foreclosure) and prepayment. We find that HFA borrowers are about 30 percent less likely to default or foreclose on their mortgages than otherwise similar non‐HFA borrowers. We find that 37 percent of this HFA effect can be explained by HFA origination and service delivery practices including direct servicing and homeownership counseling.
Baseline anticholinergic burden from medications predicts poorer baseline and long‐term health‐related quality of life in 16 675 men and women of EPIC‐Norfolk prospective population‐based cohort study
Authors: Yrjana Kaisa R. , Neal Samuel R. , Soiza Roy L. , Keevil Victoria , Luben Robert N. , Wareham Nicholas J. , Khaw Kay‐Tee , Myint Phyo Kyaw
Published: August 2020

Purpose

Previous studies investigating the association between anticholinergic burden (ACB) and health‐related quality of life (HRQoL) showed conflicting results and focused on older adults or specific patient groups only.

Methods

Participants from the European Prospective Investigation of Cancer‐Norfolk study were divided into three groups according to their ACB from medications at baseline, representing ACB scores of 0, 1 and ≥2. Outcomes of interest were the physical and mental component summary scores (PCS and MCS) of the Short Form‐36, collected at 18 months from the baseline and again after a mean 13 years of follow‐up. Linear regression and logistic regression for cross‐sectional and longitudinal associations between ACB and HRQoL were constructed adjusting for potential confounders.

Results

A total of 16 675 participants, mean age 58.9 ± 9.1 years (55.6% female) and 7133 participants, mean age at follow‐up 69.1 ± 8.7 years (56.8% female), were included in the cross‐sectional and longitudinal analyses, respectively. In cross‐sectional analysis, higher anticholinergic burden was associated with higher odds of being in the lowest quartile of PCS (ACB = 1; OR, 1.85[1.64, 2.09] and ACB ≥ 2:2.19[1.85, 2.58] and MCS (ACB = 1:1.47[1.30, 1.66] and ACB ≥ 2:1.68[1.42, 1.98]). In longitudinal analysis, higher anticholinergic burden was similarly associated with higher odds of being in the lowest quartile of PCS (ACB = 1:1.56[1.24, 1.95] and ACB ≥ 2:1.48[1.07, 2.03]) compared with ACB 0 group. The association with MCS scores did not reach statistical significance.

Conclusion

The use of anticholinergic medications is associated with both short and long‐term poorer physical functions but association with mental functioning appears more short‐term.
The use of 3D in‐mold decoration technology to form a film with printed circuits
Authors: Wu Cheng‐Hsien , Li Ji‐Huan
Published: August 2020

In‐mold decoration is an integrated process for plastic processes, such as printing, hot pressing, and injection molding. The process has simpler steps, the production time is shorter, products are more durable, and manufacturing costs are less than traditional methods. In‐mold decoration is affected by shape, mold design and the parameters for forming, and cracking, wrinkling or stress concentration can occur. A large curvature can produce cracks and wrinkles. This study designs a series of experimental methods for film forming, hot press forming, and injection molding. The effects of various features on the quality of the hot press forming and injection molding processes are determined. A three‐dimensional film forming process uses pressure thermoforming technology to form either without pretensioning, with pretensioning, and with local heating. The local heating method gives the best results. For injection molding processes, the mold temperature, the melt temperature, the injection speed, and the holding pressure are the parameters. The injection molding process is optimized using the Taguchi method, and the factor with the highest contribution is determined to be the holding pressure. The conductive line of the finished in‐mold decoration product can be formed smoothly by hot pressing using local heating, and the measured resistors are almost the same after each process.
Escherichia coli survival in plasma‐treated water and in a gas–liquid plasma reactor
Authors: Rodriguez Cesar , Wandell Robert J. , Zhang Zhiming , Neurohr Julie M. , Tang Youneng , Rhodes Ryan , Kinsey Stephen T. , Locke Bruce R.
Published: August 2020

The effects of post‐plasma exposure to deionized water treated by argon–water plasma and to direct plasma treatment of bacteria in a liquid solution of a strain of Escherichia coli, which was independently evolved to resist the bactericidal effects of hydrogen peroxide, were determined. The hydrogen peroxide resistant phenotype of the evolved strain was proportional to the initial cell density. The catalase activity was significantly elevated in the evolved strain as compared with the wild‐type strain, and the evolved strain resisted the bactericidal effects of plasma‐treated water (post‐plasma exposure) as compared with the wild‐type strain. The evolved strain remained viable after flowing through the plasma reactor and lysed less when exposed to (nonplasma control) hydrogen peroxide solutions as compared with the wild‐type cells.
The effect of vitamin D administration on vitamin D status and respiratory morbidity in late premature infants
Authors: Golan‐Tripto Inbal , Bistritzer Jacob , Loewenthal Neta , Staretz‐Chacham Orna , Dizitzer Yotam , Goldbart Aviv
Published: August 2020

Objective

To assess whether increment of vitamin D daily intake results in improved serum25(OH) vitamin D levels and reduced respiratory morbidity in premature infants.

Methods

A randomized double‐blind clinical pilot trial, including preterm infants born at 32 + 6 to 36 + 6 weeks of gestation. The control group received 400 international units (IU) of cholecalciferol daily compared to 800 IU daily in the intervention group. Levels of 25(OH) vitamin D were measured at birth and 6 and 12 months of age. Respiratory morbidity was followed until 1 year of age.

Results

Fifty subjects were recruited during the study period; the median measured 25(OH) vitamin D levels in the control vs intervention groups were: 26.5 vs 34 nmol/L (P = .271) at birth, 99 vs 75.5 nmol/L (P = .008) at 6 months and 72.5 vs 75 nmol/L (P = .95) at 12 months of age. Infants with insufficient vitamin D (<75 nmol/L) levels had higher respiratory morbidity. Serum vitamin 25(OH) D is a fair predictor for respiratory symptoms (area under the curve [AUC], 0.697; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.509‐0.885; P = .047) and for recorded acute respiratory illnesses (AUC, 0.745; 95% CI, 0.569‐0.922; P = .012).

Conclusion

Doubling the daily intake of vitamin D in premature infants did not increase serum 25(OH) vitamin D level, due to poor compliance in the intervention group. We found an inverse association between serum 25(OH) vitamin D and respiratory symptoms, indicating vitamin D deficiency is a fair predictor for respiratory morbidity.
DFT and CIS(D) theoretical study on the ground and excited states of pentanitrogen cation
Authors: Mkadmh Ahmed M.
Published: August 2020

Different isomers of N5+ were modeled at DFT(PBE0)/aug‐cc‐pV(Q + d)Z, and their ground(transition) state characteristics were assessed through frequency calculations. Single‐point energies were accomplished at PBE0/aug‐cc‐pV(5 + d)Z. Nonlinear optical susceptibilities (NLO) of isomers were accomplished using Firefly, while the linear optical invariant was examined using the finite‐field method, Firefly, and modified dipole field tensor in the presence of two different screening factors. The excited states, singlets and triplets, of were modeled at the CIS and CIS(D) and then their optical parameters were estimated at TDFT(PBE0)/aug‐cc‐pV(Q + d)Z using Firefly. The singlet is found the most stable isomer, with the inversional rate constant larger than that of the Cs isomer and high energy barrier with the triplet counterpart. Isomers 2, 3, and 4 are found local minima, while 5 and 6 are saddle points: transition states between equivalent invertomers. Energy calculations of the singlet and triplet isomers were in excellent agreement with the literature. An excellent correlation is found between the average polarizability and the impulse factor. Substantial variations were found between the singlet and triplet excited states in terms of energy, geometry, and optical properties from one side and with from the other side. Reactivity indices showed that N1 and N5 are the optimum nucleophilic and electrophilic reactivity sites.
Molecular structure determination of solid carbon dioxide phase IV at high pressures and temperatures based on Møller‐Plesset perturbation theory
Authors: Han Yanqiang , Liu Jinyun , Li Jinjin
Published: August 2020

Carbon dioxide has attracted considerable attention owing to its physics and abundant polymorphs. Despite decades of extensive experiments and theoretical simulations, the structure and properties of carbon dioxide under extreme pressures and temperatures are yet to be properly understood. Particularly, the intermediate phase IV of solid carbon dioxide, which separates the molecular phases at low pressures from the non‐molecular phases at high pressures, has not been fully investigated, and its structure remains controversial. Here, based on the second‐order Møller‐Plesset perturbation (MP2) theory and the embedded fragment method, we study the crystal structure, equation of state, and Raman spectra of solid carbon dioxide phase IV at high pressures and temperatures. We demonstrate that the solid carbon dioxide phase IV is a molecular structure that remains in a molecular state rather than the bent state shown in other literature works, which is consistent with the experimental work by Datchi et al and denies the observed results by Park et al. The proposed work is of great significance in determining the structure of the high‐pressure phases of carbon dioxide and further exploring the new phase of molecular crystals.
Computational classification of core and outer fucosylation of N‐glycoproteins in human plasma using collision‐induced dissociation in mass spectrometry
Authors: Jeong Hoi Keun , Hwang Heeyoun , Kang Young‐Mook , Lee Hyun Kyoung , Park Gun Wook , Lee Ju Yeon , Kim Dong Geun , Lee Ji Won , Lee Sang Yoon , An Hyun Joo , Kim Jin Young , Yoo Jong Shin
Published: August 2020

Rationale

Glycoprotein fucosylation, one of the major posttranslational modifications, is known to be highly involved in proteins related to various cancers. Fucosylation occurs in the core and/or outer sites of N‐glycopeptides. Elucidation of the fucosylation type of N‐glycoproteins is therefore important. However, it has remained a challenge to classify the fucosylation types of N‐glycopeptides using collision‐induced dissociation (CID) tandem mass (MS/MS) spectra.

Methods

The relative intensities of the Y1F, Y2F, Y3F, and Y4F product ions in the CID‐MS/MS spectra of the IgG N‐glycopeptides were measured for core fucosylation. The Core Fucose Index (CFI) was then calculated by multiplication of the relative intensities with a weight factor from logistic regression to differentiate between the core and none fucosylation. From the relative intensities of the B2F and B3SF ions of the MS/MS spectra of the AGP N‐glycopeptides for outer fucosylation, the Outer Fucose Index (OFI) was calculated to differentiate between the outer and none fucosylation.

Results

In order to classify core and/or outer fucosylation of N‐glycoproteins, we defined the fucosylation score (F‐score) by a sigmoidal equation using a combination of the CFI and the OFI. For application, we classified the fucosylation types of N‐glycoproteins in human plasma with 99.7% accuracy from the F‐score. Human plasma samples showed 54.4%, 33.3%, 10.3%, and 1.6% for none, core, outer, and dual fucosylated N‐glycopeptides, respectively. Core fucosylation was abundant at mono‐ and bi‐antennary N‐glycopeptides. Outer fucosylation was abundant at tri‐ and tetra‐antennary N‐glycopeptides. In total, 113 N‐glycopeptides of 29 glycoproteins from 3365 glycopeptide spectral matches (GPSMs) were classified for different types of fucosylation.

Conclusions

We established an F‐score to classify three different fucosylation types: core, outer, and dual types of N‐glycopeptides. The fucosylation types of 20 new N‐glycopeptides from 11 glycoproteins in human plasma were classified using the F‐score. Therefore, the F‐score can be useful for the automatic classification of different types of fucosylation in N‐glycoproteins of biological fluids including plasma, serum, and urine.
Review: An insight into coronaviruses: Challenges, security and scope
Authors: Shah Niyati , Davariya Vipul , Gupta Sanjeev K. , Gajjar Pankaj , Parmar Jitendra , D'Cruz Lancelot
Published: August 2020

SARS‐CoV2 is a novel coronavirus; the seventh of its species to infect humans. The spread of this virus emerged in Wuhan, China in late December, 2019. Since then, this virus has spread to more than 200 countries and has caused a worldwide pandemic. Being a new species of coronaviruses, any cure or vaccines for this virus has not yet been obtained. A large amount of scientific studies and clinical trials are being carried out across the world to find a potential vaccine for this virus. Current work reports a review of potential drugs and vaccines that may be effective against this virus. Different scientific therapies that may potentially be effective against the SARS‐CoV2 virus are also reviewed. The mechanisms of various drugs, their efficiency in various clinical trials and their side effects are also studied.
AMZ Driverless: The full autonomous racing system
Authors: Kabzan Juraj , Valls Miguel I. , Reijgwart Victor J. F. , Hendrikx Hubertus F. C. , Ehmke Claas , Prajapat Manish , Bühler Andreas , Gosala Nikhil , Gupta Mehak , Sivanesan Ramya , Dhall Ankit , Chisari Eugenio , Karnchanachari Napat , Brits Sonja , Dangel Manuel , Sa Inkyu , Dubé Renaud , Gawel Abel , Pfeiffer Mark , Liniger Alexander , Lygeros John , Siegwart Roland
Published: August 2020

This paper presents the algorithms and system architecture of an autonomous racecar. The introduced vehicle is powered by a software stack designed for robustness, reliability, and extensibility. To autonomously race around a previously unknown track, the proposed solution combines state of the art techniques from different fields of robotics. Specifically, perception, estimation, and control are incorporated into one high‐performance autonomous racecar. This complex robotic system, developed by AMZ Driverless and ETH Zürich, finished first overall at each competition we attended: Formula Student Germany 2017, Formula Student Italy 2018 and Formula Student Germany 2018. We discuss the findings and learnings from these competitions and present an experimental evaluation of each module of our solution.
Use of tolerance intervals for assessing biosimilarity
Authors: Chen Chian , Hsiao Chin‐Fu
Published: August 2020

A biosimilar is a biological product that is highly similar to an existing approved reference drug and has no clinically meaningful difference from it. Biosimilars are composed of or derived from living cells or organisms. Therefore, they are often sensitive to slight variations in the manufacturing process. Consequently, in demonstrating biosimilarity, it might be inappropriate to focus solely on the mean difference, or ratio of means, while ignoring the variabilities associated with the test and reference products. It is important to account for the entire population of clinical outcomes. Thus, we propose using the concept of tolerance intervals and related hypothesis testing for assessing biosimilarity. Our approach has the advantage of considering entire populations associated with both groups. A real example is used to illustrate our proposed method, and our approach is more stringent than those that employ confidence intervals. This is specifically the case when the mean difference of two drugs is not sufficiently large, but the biosimilar has a higher variability than that in the reference drug.
Reduction of CO2 to Value‐Added Products on a Cu(II)‐Salen Complex Coated Graphite Electrocatalyst
Authors: Bose Paulomi , Mukherjee Chandan , Kumar Golder Animes
Published: August 2020

This work synthesizes a four‐coordinate Cu(II) complex {[CuII(LNH2)]; 1} of the tetradentate H2LNH2 ligand. The synthesized complex acted as an electrocatalyst for the CO2 conversion towards C1 and C2 products by activating the stable C−O bond. The catalyst ink (complex 1+DMF+Nafion; catalyst concentration ∼2 mg cm−2) was surface‐coated over the graphite plate to carry out the reduction reaction in a three‐electrode electrochemical system. An H‐type electrolyzer was employed in 0.5 M KHCO3 electrolyte solution at neutral pH in the carbonated system. A maximum amount of 36 % FE was achieved at −1.80 V vs. Ag/AgCl for 60 min of reaction. The total TON and TOF of the catalyst were calculated to be 9230 and 2.6 s−1, respectively. The CO2‐reduced products were obtained as HCOOH>CH3COOH>CH3OH>C2H5OH, which were formed through multiple–electrons transfer (2 e− to 12 e−) proton‐insertion reactions. The catalytic activity of the Cu(II) complex was enhanced by the presence of the terminal ‐NH2 anchoring‐group in the ligand backbone. The fact was confirmed by electrocatalytic CO2 conversion experiments in the presence of complex 2 {[CuII(L)]; 2} as the electrocatalyst, which did not contain the anchoring group in the salen ligand structure.
Green Preparation and Environmental Application of Porous Carbon Microspheres
Authors: Sun Zhiwei , Liu Yanhua , Srinivasakannan Chandrasekar
Published: August 2020

Porous carbon microspheres (PCM) show bright application prospects in the fields of adsorption, supercapacitors, hydrogen storage, catalysis and sustained release. In this work, PCM were prepared by properly designed hydrothermal and activated processes using waste peanut shell as raw material. PCM maintained the size of hydrothermal carbon microspheres (HCM) with an ultra‐high specific surface area of 3126 m2⋅g−1 and a hierarchical pore structure from micropores to mesopores. X‐ray diffraction pattern and Raman spectrum indicated that the PCM were amorphous and locally graphitized. The adsorption test for methylene blue demonstrated that the PCM had a monolayer adsorption capacity of 1368 mg⋅g−1. The adsorption equilibrium was achieved at 3 h and reached 81.6% of the equilibrium adsorption amount in the initial 0.5 h. The adsorption thermodynamics analysis demonstrated that the adsorption was a spontaneous physicochemical process. In addition, the adsorption performance of PCM displayed satisfactory pH stability.
Flash Solid–Solid Synthesis of Silicon Oxide Nanorods
Authors: Yan Xiaoliang , Sun Wei , Wang Wu , Duchesne Paul N. , Deng Xiaonan , He Jiaqing , Kübel Christian , Li Ruifeng , Yang Deren , Ozin Geoffrey A.
Published: August 2020

1D silicon‐based nanomaterials, renowned for their unique chemical and physical properties, have enabled the development of numerous advanced materials and biomedical technologies. Their production often necessitates complex and expensive equipment, requires hazardous precursors and demanding experimental conditions, and involves lengthy processes. Herein, a flash solid–solid (FSS) process is presented for the synthesis of silicon oxide nanorods completed within seconds. The innovative features of this FSS process include its simplicity, speed, and exclusive use of solid precursors, comprising hydrogen‐terminated silicon nanosheets and a metal nitrate catalyst. Advanced electron microscopy and X‐ray spectroscopy analyses favor a solid–liquid–solid reaction pathway for the growth of the silicon oxide nanorods with vapor–liquid–solid characteristics.
An Alternative Perspective towards Reducing the Risk of Engineered Nanomaterials to Human Health
Authors: Clift Martin J. D. , Jenkins Gareth J. S. , Doak Shareen H.
Published: August 2020

To elucidate the impact of human exposure to engineered nanomaterials, advanced in vitro models are a valid non‐animal alternative. Despite significant gains over the last decade, implementation of these approaches remains limited. This work discusses the current state‐of‐the‐art and how future developments can lead to advanced in vitro models better supporting nano‐hazard assessment.
Stabilizing Atomically Dispersed Catalytic Sites on Tellurium Nanosheets with Strong Metal–Support Interaction Boosts Photocatalysis
Authors: Shi Li , Ren Xiaohui , Wang Qi , Li Yunxiang , Ichihara Fumihiko , Zhang Hongwei , Izumi Yasuo , Ren Long , Zhou Wei , Yang Yang , Ye Jinhua
Published: August 2020

The utilization of appropriate supports for constructing single‐atom‐catalysts is of vital importance to achieve high catalytic performances, as the strong mutual interactions between the atomically dispersed metal atoms and supports significantly influence their electronic properties. Herein, it is reported that atomic cobalt species (ACS) anchored 2D tellurium nanosheets (Te NS) can act as a highly active single‐atom cocatalyst for boosting photocatalytic H2 production and CO2 reduction reactions under visible light irradiation, wherein Te NS serves as the ideal support material to bridge the light absorbers and ACS catalytic sites for efficient electron transfer. X‐ray absorption near‐edge structure spectroscopy reveals that the ACS are built by a Co center coordinated with five CoO bonding, which are anchored on Te NS through one CoTe bonding. The strong mutual interaction between the Te NS and ACS alters the electronic structure of Te NS, inducing the introduction of intermediate energy states, which act as trap sites to accommodate the photogenerated electrons for promoting photocatalytic reactions. This work may inspire further capability in designing other Te‐based single‐atom‐catalysts for highly efficient solar energy conversion.
Spin‐Symmetry‐Selective Generation of Ultracompact Optical Vortices in Nanoapertures without Chirality
Authors: Cui Tong , Zhang Mingqian , Sun Lin , Zhang Shuyin , Wang Jia , Bai Benfeng , Sun Hong-Bo
Published: August 2020

Nanoscale optical vortices (OVs) carrying orbital angular momenta can be generated via photonic spin–orbit interaction (SOI) in nanostructures and have important applications in many emerging fields such as quantum communication and optical manipulations. Existing OV generators such as metasurfaces and chiral structures suffer from discontinuous wavefront modulation, single‐spin response, and bulk size. The photonic SOI in highly symmetric structures has been overlooked. Furthermore, there is no experimental study on the near‐field formation mechanism of nanoscale OVs. Here, by studying the SOI in a plasmonic annular nanoaperture, a simple and reliable way for generating ultracompact OVs and OV array in nanoapertures without chirality is reported. The generation of a 3 × 3 OV array within a small area of 6 × 6 μm2 is demonstrated experimentally. Using a homemade spin‐selective and phase‐resolved near‐field microscopic system, in the spin basis, the dynamic evolution of the wavefront of the generated OV is directly probed from the near field to the far field with subwavelength resolution, which intuitively reveals the SOI process. The findings provide a simple and effective solution for large‐scale, low‐cost OV beam generation and offer a powerful tool for experimental exploration of the nanoscale photonic SOI.
Controlling the Charge Transfer Mechanism and Efficiency by Means of Different C70 Regioisomeric Adducts
Authors: Plass Fabian , Lukyanov Daniil A. , Konev Alexander S. , Kahnt Axel , Amsharov Konstantin Y. , Khlebnikov Alexander F. , Guldi Dirk M.
Published: August 2020

Here, differences stemming from two newly synthesized electron donor–acceptor conjugates, α‐ or β‐regioisomeric adducts featuring orthogonal arrangements of an electron‐donating free‐base porphyrin (H2P) and electron‐accepting C70, are reported. Key to a full‐fledged investigation in terms of both experiments and theory is the use of a rigid linker to separate the electron acceptor and donor. Both conjugates are experimentally investigated by means of femtosecond/nanosecond transient absorption measurements, which is further supported by radiation chemical studies based on pulse radiolysis. Significant regioisomeric differences are seen in the charge recombination kinetics, in general, which are as large as 1.4‐fold, and in the relative distributions of the charge recombination pathways, in particular, which reach nearly 1.5‐fold. Clearly, α‐regioisomers of C70 adducts are much better suited for the construction of future energy conversion systems than β‐regioisomers; a fact that relates to the superior electron delocalization within the carbon caps of C70 made out of “corannulenoid” fragments relative to the equator region of fullerenes featuring extended “phenanthrenoid” rings.