bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Neck dissection does not add to morbidity or mortality of laryngectomy
Authors: Xiao Christopher C. , Imam Sarah A. , Nguyen Shaun A. , Camilon Marc P. , Baker Andrew B. , Day Terry A. , Lentsch Eric J.
Published: December 2019

Objectives

To examine the national rates of complications, readmission, reoperation, death and length of hospital stay after laryngectomy. To explore the risks of neck dissection with laryngectomy using outcomes.

Methods

The American College of Surgeons National Quality Improvement Program (ACS‐NSQIP) database was reviewed retrospectively. The database was analyzed for patients undergoing laryngectomy with and without neck dissection. Demographic, perioperative complication, reoperation, readmission, and death variables were analyzed.

Results

754 patients who underwent total laryngectomy during this time were found. Demographic analysis showed average age was 63 years old, 566 (75.1%) were white, and 598 (79.3%) were male. Of these patients, 520 (69.0%) included a neck dissection while 234 (31.0%) did not. When comparing patients who received a neck dissection to those who did not, there were no significant differences in median length of hospital stay (12.5 days w/vs. 13.3 days w/o, P = 0.99), rates of complication (40% w/vs. 35% w/o, P = 0.23), reoperation (13.5% w/vs. 14% w/o, P = 0.81), readmission (14% w/vs. 18% w/o, P = 0.27), and death (1.3% w/vs. 1.3% w/o, P > 0.99). Furthermore, neck dissection did not increase the risk of complication (P = 0.23), readmission (P = 0.27), reoperation (P = 0.81), death (P = 0.94), or lengthened hospital stay (P = 0.38).

Conclusions

Concurrent neck dissection does not increase postoperative morbidity or mortality in patients undergoing total laryngectomies. These results may help physicians make decisions regarding concurrent neck dissection with total laryngectomy.
REACHING A BEQUEST GOAL WITH LIFE INSURANCE: AMBIGUITY ABOUT THE RISKY ASSET'S DRIFT AND MORTALITY'S HAZARD RATE
Authors: Liang Xiaoqing , Young Virginia R.
Published: December 2019

We determine the optimal robust strategy of an individual who seeks to maximize the (penalized) probability of reaching a bequest goal when she is uncertain about the drift of the risky asset and her hazard rate of mortality. We assume the individual can invest in a Black–Scholes market. We solve two optimization problems with ambiguity. The first is to maximize the penalized probability of reaching a bequest goal without life insurance in the market. In the second problem, in addition to investing in the financial market, the individual is allowed to purchase term life insurance to help her reach her bequest goal. As the individual becomes more ambiguity averse concerning the drift of the risky asset, she becomes more conservative with her investment strategy. Also, as she becomes more ambiguity averse about her hazard rate of mortality, numerical work indicates she is more likely to buy life insurance when the ambiguity towards the return of the risky asset is not too large.
“Heaven and Earth Conspire”: Grace and Nature in Sor Juana'sThe Divine Narcissus
Authors: Abril Michael Anthony
Published: December 2019

This essay highlights the dynamic theology of nature and grace expressed withinThe Divine Narcissusby Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz (1651–95). Inspired by thinkers such as Augustine and Bernard of Clairvaux and, later in her life, an emphasis on the Immaculate Conception, she details an aesthetic relationship between grace and nature: human nature is created to reflect, in grace, the perfect beauty of the incarnate Son of God. Moreover, by securing positive roles for the contributions of women and for indigenous Mexican religious devotion, she highlights the way in which this dynamic between nature and grace recovers the authentic voice of the least in society—those whose voices have been unjustly suppressed by violent domination.
Ethics at the Edges of Law: Christian Moralists and American Legal Thought
Authors: Coughlin John
Published: December 2019

At the outset of Ethics at the Edges of Law: Christian Moralists and American Legal Thought, Cathleen Kaveny explains that the purpose of her book is to impart new energy to the interdisciplinary conversation between Christian ethicists and legal scholars. Kaveny observes that the tête-à-tête has tended to be one directional, with legal scholars drawing on theological principles in order to offer critiques of public policy, law, and case precedent. As significant as the theological critique may be, Kaveny proposes that the dialogue would be enriched if it were to be expanded beyond the unilateral direction. On the one hand, she writes to invite theologians and ethicists to turn to the law. On the other hand, she affirms the role played by religious ethics in contributing to debates about controversial public issues. Pointing to the promise of interdisciplinary work between religious ethics and law, Kaveny comments:

The extensive normative reflections on the overarching nature and purpose of human society can provide vantage points from which to critique the quotidian decision of the legislatures and courts. Conversely, the manner in which the legal system settles specific cases offers rich material with which to test and to hone more abstract theological and philosophical reflections about personal and social obligations. (90)
Prolegomena to Any “Metaphysics of the Future”: A Critical Appraisal of John Haught's Evolutionary Theology
Authors: Hohman Benjamin J.
Published: December 2019

This article examines John Haught's proposal for a “metaphysics of the future” within his program for an evolutionary theology. After offering an overview of Haught's metaphysics and its roots in process thought, it argues that Haught's account undermines his larger goal of dialogue between science and religion by making all knowledge of reality dependent on a prior and explicitly religious experience. This critique is brought into greater relief through a comparison with the thought of Bernard Lonergan, whose epistemology and metaphysics Haught has engaged numerous times throughout his career. The final section suggests one way of reframing Haught's project that avoids these serious issues without jettisoning his important core insights.
Looking at Vatican I's Pastor aeternus 150 Years Later: A Fresh Consideration of the Council's Significance Yesterday and Today
Authors: Colberg Kristin
Published: December 2019

Many pressing issues facing the church today require a deeper appreciation of Vatican I, marking its one hundred and fiftieth year. We can now return it to its context and accept its “incompleteness” rather than insist upon its “wrongness.” The distance provided by time shows that its teachings are not as rigid or extreme as they are often perceived to be, but rather stand open to significantly broader interpretations. Pastor Aeternus has faced Vatican II, the social leveling brought about by democracy and the mass media, and an erosion of confidence in hierarchical institutions. Yet the council cannot be left behind. This essay's goal is to contextualize Vatican I's voice so that we can hear what it intended to say in its own day and see how it might contribute to some of our own most urgent conversations today.
A Theologian's Call
Authors: Schrein Shannon
Published: December 2019

“Theology is Taught by God, Teaches of God and Leads to God.”

(Theologia a Deo docetur, Deum docet, et ad Deum ducit)

—Thomas Aquinas

In 1972, I was twenty-two years old and had recently made my first vows with the Sisters of St. Francis. The sisters gave me a New American Bible; I had never before owned a Bible, and I promptly put it in my storage trunk for the move to my new mission to teach fifth grade in Minneapolis. Once I arrived, the Bible remained in the trunk.
Effectiveness of foam disinfectants in reducing sink-drain gram-negative bacterial colonization
Authors: Jones Lucas D. , Mana Thriveen S.C. , Cadnum Jennifer L. , Jencson Annette L. , Silva Sandra Y. , Wilson Brigid M. , Donskey Curtis J.
Published: December 2019

Background:

Sink drainage systems are not amenable to standard methods of cleaning and disinfection. Disinfectants applied as a foam might enhance efficacy of drain decontamination due to greater persistence and increased penetration into sites harboring microorganisms.

Objective:

To examine the efficacy and persistence of foam-based products in reducing sink drain colonization with gram-negative bacilli.

Methods:

During a 5-month period, different methods for sink drain disinfection in patient rooms were evaluated in a hospital and its affiliated long-term care facility. We compared the efficacy of a single treatment with 4 different foam products in reducing the burden of gram-negative bacilli in the sink drain to a depth of 2.4 cm (1 inch) below the strainer. For the most effective product, the effectiveness of foam versus liquid-pouring applications, and the effectiveness of repeated foam treatments were evaluated.

Results:

A foam product containing 3.13% hydrogen peroxide and 0.05% peracetic acid was significantly more effective than the other 3 foam products. In comparison to pouring the hydrogen peroxide and peracetic acid disinfectant, the foam application resulted in significantly reduced recovery of gram-negative bacilli on days 1, 2, and 3 after treatment with a return to baseline by day 7. With repeated treatments every 3 days, a progressive decrease in the bacterial load recovered from sink drains was achieved.

Conclusions:

An easy-to-use foaming application of a hydrogen peroxide- and peracetic acid-based disinfectant suppressed sink-drain colonization for at least 3 days. Intermittent application of the foaming disinfectant could potentially reduce the risk for dissemination of pathogens from sink drains.
Exploring the impact of adolescent exposure to cannabinoids and nicotine on psychiatric risk: insights from translational animal models
Authors: Laviolette Steven R.
Published: December 2019

Adolescence represents a highly sensitive period of mammalian neurodevelopment wherein critical synaptic and structural changes are taking place in brain regions involved in cognition, self-regulation and emotional processing. Importantly, neural circuits such as the mesocorticolimbic pathway, comprising the prefrontal cortex, sub-cortical mesolimbic dopamine system and their associated input/output centres, are particularly vulnerable to drug-related insults. Human adolescence represents a life-period wherein many individuals first begin to experiment with recreational drugs such as nicotine and cannabis, both of which are known to profoundly modulate neurochemical signalling within the mesocorticolimbic pathway and to influence both long-term and acute neuropsychiatric symptoms. While a vast body of epidemiological clinical research has highlighted the effects of adolescent exposure to drugs such as nicotine and cannabis on the developing adolescent brain, many of these studies are limited to correlative analyses and rely on retrospective self-reports from subjects, making causal interpretations difficult to discern. The use of pre-clinical animal studies can avoid these issues by allowing for precise temporal and dose-related experimental control over drug exposure during adolescence. In addition, such animal-based research has the added advantage of allowing for in-depth molecular, pharmacological, genetic and neuronal analyses of how recreational drug exposure may set up the brain for neuropsychiatric risk. This review will explore some of the advantages and disadvantages of these models, with a focus on the common, divergent and synergistic effects of adolescent nicotine and cannabis exposure on neuropsychiatric risk.
Representing Grasslands Using Dynamic Prognostic Phenology Based on Biological Growth Stages: 1. Implementation in the Simple Biosphere Model (SiB4)
Authors: Haynes K. D. , Baker I. T. , Denning A. S. , Stöckli R. , Schaefer K. , Lokupitiya E. Y. , Haynes J. M.
Published: December 2019

Grasslands grow in a sequence of seasonal growth stages that respond to both climate and weather, and these relationships can be used to establish a strategy for predicting plant phenology. Current plant states (phenophase) can be represented as one of established growth stages that dictate carbon allocation and leaf photosynthetic capacity. Calculating daily phenophases from climate and environmental relationships allows for sequential growth stages (i.e., well‐defined seasonal cycles with a single growth period) or dynamic growth stages (i.e., multiple growth periods during a growing season). Senescence results from biomass mortality in response to environmental conditions. This approach uses a single mechanistic framework to represent grassland ecology, removing the dependence on satellite‐based vegetation indices and individual site tuning of parameters. Rather than being specified, a variety of properties emerge, from allometric relationships such as root‐shoot ratios, to behavior across moisture gradients, to interannual variability in growing season lengths, carbon stores, and land surface fluxes. Using dynamic phenology stages to link biophysical and biogeochemical processes provides a mechanism to predict self‐consistent land‐atmosphere exchanges of carbon, water, energy, radiation, and momentum, as well as carbon storage in cascading pools of biomass; and describing these processes in a mathematically determinate model makes them clear, testable, and usable for predictions. This paper describes this new phenology method as it is implemented in the Simple Biosphere Model Version 4 (SiB4), and a companion paper evaluates this method at grassland sites worldwide.
Mapping Regional Turbulent Heat Fluxes via Assimilation of MODIS Land Surface Temperature Data into an Ensemble Kalman Smoother Framework
Authors: He Xinlei , Xu Tongren , Bateni Sayed M. , Neale Christopher M.U. , Liu Shaomin , Auligne Thomas , Wang Kaicun , Zhu Shoudong
Published: December 2019

Estimation of turbulent heat fluxes via variational data assimilation (VDA) approaches has been the subject of several studies. The VDA approaches need an adjoint model that is difficult to derive. In this study, remotely sensed land surface temperature (LST) data from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) are assimilated into the heat diffusion equation within an ensemble Kalman smoother (EnKS) approach to estimate turbulent heat fluxes. The EnKS approach is tested in the Heihe River Basin (HRB) in northwest China. The results show that the EnKS approach can estimate turbulent heat fluxes by assimilating low temporal resolution LST data from MODIS. The findings indicate that the EnKS approach performs fairly well in various hydrological and vegetative conditions. The estimated sensible (H) and latent (LE) heat fluxes are compared with the corresponding observations from large aperture scintillometer systems at three sites (namely, Arou, Daman, and Sidaoqiao) in the HRB. The turbulent heat flux estimates from EnKS agree reasonably well with the observations, and are comparable to those of the VDA approach. The EnKS approach also provides statistical information on the H and LE estimates. It is found that the uncertainties of H and LE estimates are higher over wet and/or densely vegetated areas (grassland and forest) compared to the dry and/or slightly vegetated areas (cropland, shrubland, and barren land).
Convergence of Convective Updraft Ensembles With Respect to the Grid Spacing of Atmospheric Models
Authors: Sueki Kenta , Yamaura Tsuyoshi , Yashiro Hisashi , Nishizawa Seiya , Yoshida Ryuji , Kajikawa Yoshiyuki , Tomita Hirofumi
Published: December 2019

Atmospheric deep moist convection can organize into cloud systems, which impact the Earth's climate significantly. High‐resolution simulations that correctly reproduce organized cloud systems are necessary to understand the role of deep convection in the Earth's climate system. However, there remain issues regarding convergence with respect to grid spacing. To investigate the resolution necessary for a reasonable simulation of deep convection, we conducted grid‐refinement experiments using state‐of‐the‐art atmospheric models. We found that the structure of an updraft ensemble in an organized cloud system converges at progressively smaller scales as the grid spacing is reduced. The gap between two adjacent updrafts converges to a particular distance when the grid spacing becomes as small as 1/20–1/40 of the updraft radius. We also found that the converged inter‐updraft distance value is not significantly different between Reynolds‐averaged Navier–Stokes simulations and large eddy simulations for grid spacings in the terra incognita range.
On the Observation of Electrostatic Harmonics Associated With EMIC Waves
Authors: Zhu Hui , Chen Lunjin
Published: December 2019

In this study, we report two events of electrostatic harmonics associated with electromagnetic ion cyclotron (EMIC) waves recorded by the Van Allen Probes. Based on the wave and plasma measurements, the wave features are investigated and the possible generation mechanism is discussed. The frequencies of these electrostatic emissions are at the integer and fractional frequencies of the fundamental EMIC waves, which can be across and above the local proton gyrofrequencies. When the frequencies increase, the electric power spectral densities of the electrostatic waves decrease, and their durations become shorter. Considering the bidirectional propagation of the fundamental EMIC waves, we propose that wave‐wave resonance probably accounts for the generation of the observed electrostatic emissions. The calculation of cross bicoherence index supports this scenario. This study analyzes a type of electrostatic harmonic wave associated with EMIC waves, essentially different from the electromagnetic harmonics reported before, and provides new insight into the evolution of EMIC waves.
Anatomy of a Caldera Collapse: Kīlauea 2018 Summit Seismicity Sequence in High Resolution
Authors: Shelly David R. , Thelen Weston A.
Published: December 2019

The 2018 Kīlauea eruption and caldera collapse generated intense cycles of seismicity tied to repeated large seismic (Mw ~ 5) collapse events associated with magma withdrawal from beneath the summit. To gain insight into the underlying dynamics and aid eruption response, we applied waveform‐based earthquake detection and double‐difference location as the eruption unfolded. Here, we augment these rapid results by grouping events based on patterns of correlation‐derived phase polarities across the network. From April 29 to August 6, bracketing the eruption, we used ~2,800 events cataloged by the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory to detect and precisely locate 44,000+ earthquakes. Resulting hypocentroids resolve complex, yet coherent structures, concentrated at shallow depths east of Halema'uma'u crater, beneath the eventual eastern perimeter of surface collapse. Based on a preponderance of dilatational P wave first motions and similarities with previously inferred dike structures, we hypothesize that failure was dominated by coupled shear and crack closure.
Periodical Dipolarization Processes in Earth's Magnetotail
Authors: Huang S. Y. , Jiang K. , Fu H. S. , Yuan Z. G. , Deng X. H. , Li H. M. , Xu S. B. , He L. H. , Wei Y. Y. , Zhang J. , Zhang Z. H.
Published: December 2019

Using high‐resolution data of Magnetospheric Multiscale mission, we observed a gradual but periodical dipolarization process (DPs) in the Earth's magnetotail for the first time. These sub‐DPs, characterized by increase of Bz component and magnetic magnitude Bt, have a period of ~16 s. The electrons have a cigar distribution in the first three sub‐DPs but have a pancake distribution in the last sub‐DP, which excites two oppositely propagating whistler waves. At the trailing boundary of the last sub‐DP, Bz decreases sharply. Meanwhile, strong tailward and duskward plasma flow, intense current, ion and electron demagnetization, and positive energy conversion from the fields to the plasmas are observed at this boundary. By comparing the motion of this boundary with the plasma flow, we infer that the flow rebounds in longer period of the last DP and causes perpendicular electron acceleration. The periodical sub‐DPs and kinetic effects on the DP could improve our understanding of substorm and the magnetotail dynamics.
A de novo variant in the human HIST1H4J gene causes a syndrome analogous to the HIST1H4C-associated neurodevelopmental disorder
Authors: Tessadori Federico , Rehman Atteeq U. , Giltay Jacques C. , Xia Fan , Streff Haley , Duran Karen , Bakkers Jeroen , Lalani Seema R. , van Haaften Gijs
Published: December 2019

We report here a de novo missense variant in HIST1H4J resulting in a complex syndrome combining growth delay, microcephaly and intellectual disability. Trio whole exome sequencing (WES) revealed that the proband was heterozygous for a de novo c.274 A > G p.(K91E) variant in HIST1H4J, a gene not yet associated with human disease. The patient presented with profound intellectual disability, microcephaly, and dysmorphic facial features. Functional consequences of the identified de novo missense variant were evaluated in zebrafish embryos, where they affected general development, especially resulting in defective head organs and reduced body axis length. Our results show that the monoallelic p.K91E substitution on HIST1H4J underlies a human syndrome that is genetically and phenotypically akin to the HIST1H4C-associated neurodevelopmental disorder resulting from p.K91A and p.K91Q substitions in HIST1H4C. The highly overlapping patient phenotypes highlight functional similarities between HIST1H4J and HIST1H4C perturbations, establishing the singular importance of K91 across histone H4 genes for vertebrate development.
Molecular response of Deinococcus radiodurans to simulated microgravity explored by proteometabolomic approach
Authors: Ott Emanuel , Fuchs Felix M. , Moeller Ralf , Hemmersbach Ruth , Kawaguchi Yuko , Yamagishi Akihiko , Weckwerth Wolfram , Milojevic Tetyana
Published: December 2019

Regarding future space exploration missions and long-term exposure experiments, a detailed investigation of all factors present in the outer space environment and their effects on organisms of all life kingdoms is advantageous. Influenced by the multiple factors of outer space, the extremophilic bacterium Deinococcus radiodurans has been long-termly exposed outside the International Space Station in frames of the Tanpopo orbital mission. The study presented here aims to elucidate molecular key components in D. radiodurans, which are responsible for recognition and adaptation to simulated microgravity. D. radiodurans cultures were grown for two days on plates in a fast-rotating 2-D clinostat to minimize sedimentation, thus simulating reduced gravity conditions. Subsequently, metabolites and proteins were extracted and measured with mass spectrometry-based techniques. Our results emphasize the importance of certain signal transducer proteins, which showed higher abundances in cells grown under reduced gravity. These proteins activate a cellular signal cascade, which leads to differences in gene expressions. Proteins involved in stress response, repair mechanisms and proteins connected to the extracellular milieu and the cell envelope showed an increased abundance under simulated microgravity. Focusing on the expression of these proteins might present a strategy of cells to adapt to microgravity conditions.
Plasma dephosphorylated-uncarboxylated Matrix Gla-Protein (dp-ucMGP): reference intervals in Caucasian adults and diabetic kidney disease biomarker potential
Authors: Griffin Tomás Patrick , Islam Md Nahidul , Wall Deirdre , Ferguson John , Griffin Damian Gerard , Griffin Matthew Dallas , O’Shea Paula M.
Published: December 2019

Recent studies suggest a possible association between dephosphorylated-uncarboxylated MGP (dp-ucMGP) and glomerular filtration rate (GFR). This study aimed to establish normative data in an adult Caucasian population and to explore the potential utility of dp-ucMGP in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) with and without diabetic kidney disease (DKD). Healthy volunteers (HVs) (cross-sectional study) and participants with DM (prospective cohort study) were recruited. Plasma dp-ucMGP was measured using the IDS®-iSYS Ina Ktif (dp-ucMGP) assay. Of the HVs recruited (n = 208), 67(32.2%) were excluded leaving a reference population of 141(67.8%) metabolically healthy participants with normal kidney function. Plasma dp-ucMGP RIs were <300–532 pmol/L. There were 100 eligible participants with DKD and 92 with DM without DKD. For the identification of participants with DKD, the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) for dp-ucMGP was 0.842 (95%CI:0.799–0.880; p < 0.001). Plasma dp-ucMGP demonstrated similar ability to urine albumin:creatinine ratio (uACR) to detect participants with DM and renal function decline. Among patients with DM, there was a negative correlation between natural log (LN) dp-ucMGP and eGFR (r = −0.7041; p < 0.001) and rate of change in renal function [%change (r = −0.4509; p < 0.001)] and a positive correlation between LN dp-ucMGP and LN uACR (r = 0.3392; p < 0.001). These results suggest the potential for plasma dp-ucMGP with well-defined RIs to identify adults at high risk for vascular disease in the context of progressive DKD.
HIV-Negative Cryptococcal Meningoencephalitis Results in a Persistent Frontal-Subcortical Syndrome
Authors: Traino Katherine , Snow Joseph , Ham Lillian , Summers Angela , Segalà Laura , Shirazi Talia , Biassou Nadia , Panackal Anil , Anjum Seher , Marr Kieren A. , Kreisl William C. , Bennett John E. , Williamson Peter R.
Published: December 2019

Twenty-seven previously healthy (of 36 consecutive eligible patients), HIV-negative cryptococcal meningoencephalitis (CM) patients underwent comprehensive neuropsychological evaluation during the late post-treatment period (1.3–4 years post diagnosis), assessing attention, language, learning, memory, visuospatial, executive function, information processing, psychomotor functioning, as well as mood symptoms. Seven of eight domains (all except attention) showed increased percentages of CM patients scoring in the less than 16th percentile range compared to standardized normative test averages, adjusted for education level and age. Comparison with a matched archival dataset of mild cognitive impairment/Alzheimer’s disease patients showed that CM patients exhibited relative deficits in psychomotor and executive function with fewer deficits in memory and learning, consistent with a frontal-subcortical syndrome. MRI evaluation at the time of testing demonstrated an association of lower neuropsychological functioning with ventriculomegaly. These studies suggest that CM should be included in the list of treatable causes of dementia in neurological work ups. Future studies are needed to identify diagnostic and treatment regimens that may enhance neurological function after therapy.
Metabolic alterations in acute myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury and necrosis using in vivo hyperpolarized [1-13C] pyruvate MR spectroscopy
Authors: Moon Chung-Man , Kim Yun-Hyeon , Ahn Young-Keun , Jeong Myung-Ho , Jeong Gwang-Woo
Published: December 2019

This study aimed to investigate real-time early detection of metabolic alteration in a rat model with acute myocardial ischemia-reperfusion (AMI/R) injury and myocardial necrosis, as well as its correlation with intracellular pH level using in vivo hyperpolarized [1-13C] pyruvate magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS). Hyperpolarized 13C MRS was performed on the myocardium of 8 sham-operated control rats and 8 rats with AMI/R injury, and 8 sham-operated control rats and 8 rats with AMI-induced necrosis. Also, the correlations of levels of [1-13C] metabolites with pH were analyzed by Spearman’s correlation test. The AMI/R and necrosis groups showed significantly higher ratios of [1-13C] lactate (Lac)/bicarbonate (Bicar) and [1-13C] Lac/total carbon (tC), and lower ratios of 13C Bicar/Lac + alanine (Ala), and 13C Bicar/tC than those of the sham-operated control group. Moreover, the necrosis group showed significantly higher ratios of [1-13C] Lac/Bicar and [1-13C] Lac/tC, and lower ratios of 13C Bicar/Lac + Ala and 13C Bicar/tC than those of the AMI/R group. These results were consistent with the pattern for in vivo the area under the curve (AUC) ratios. In addition, levels of [1-13C] Lac/Bicar and [1-13C] Lac/tC were negatively correlated with pH levels, whereas 13C Bicar/Lac + Ala and 13C Bicar/tC levels were positively correlated with pH levels. The levels of [1-13C] Lac and 13C Bicar will be helpful for non-invasively evaluating the early stage of AMI/R and necrosis in conjunction with reperfusion injury of the heart. These findings have potential application to real-time evaluation of cardiac malfunction accompanied by changes in intracellular pH level and enzymatic activity.
Investigation on peculiar SNR variation at TianMa radio telescope
Authors: He Qingbao
Published: December 2019

Chinese lunar spacecraft Chang’E-3 (CE3) and Chang’E5-T1 (CE5T1) were launched in 2013 and 2014, respectively and very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) observations were performed. Signal to noise ratio (SNR) of the Tianma (TM) station experienced peculiar variation, whereas SNRs of other stations were rather stable. Further, it happened only when observing spacecraft, and showed no such variation when performing astronomical observations. Moreover, it was distinctive on X band signals, whereas it was not noticed on S band signals. Analysis showed that the SNR variation was closely related with changing rate of elevation angle. Further investigations discovered that there were two sets of antenna control software at TM station, and the SNR variation originated from a bug in elevation control software used for observing spacecraft, not for astronomical observations. The bug caused big pointing error (around ± 30 as) on elevation angle of TM, which resulted in the peculiar SNR variation. It was not noticed on S band signals due to its relatively wide and flat main beam comparing with ± 30 as pointing error. However, the bug was fixed in software update in July, 2016, and the SNR of TM showed no such variation in 2017 and 2018.
Synchronous inhibition of mTOR and VEGF/NRP1 axis impedes tumor growth and metastasis in renal cancer
Authors: Pal Krishnendu , Madamsetty Vijay Sagar , Dutta Shamit Kumar , Wang Enfeng , Angom Ramcharan Singh , Mukhopadhyay Debabrata
Published: December 2019

Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is known for its highly vascular phenotype which is associated with elevated expression of vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF), also known as vascular permeability factor (VPF). Accordingly, VEGF has been an attractive target for antiangiogenic therapies in ccRCC. Two major strategies have hitherto been utilized for VEGF-targeted antiangiogenic therapies: targeting VEGF by antibodies, ligand traps or aptamers, and targeting the VEGF receptor signaling via antibodies or small-molecule tyrosine-kinase inhibitors (TKIs). In the present article we utilized two entirely different approaches: targeting mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway that is known to be involved in VEGF synthesis, and disruption of VEGF/Neuroplin-1 (NRP1) axis that is known to activate proangiogenic and pro-tumorigenic signaling in endothelial and tumor cells, respectively. Everolimus (E) and a small-molecule inhibitor EG00229 (G) were used for the inhibition of mTOR and the disruption of VEGF/NRP1 axis, respectively. We also exploited a liposomal formulation decorated with a proprietary tumor-targeting-peptide (TTP) to simultaneously deliver these two agents in a tumor-targeted manner. The TTP-liposomes encapsulating both Everolimus and EG00229 (EG-L) demonstrated higher in vitro and in vivo growth retardation than the single drug-loaded liposomes (E-L and G-L) in two different ccRCC models and led to a noticeable reduction in lung metastasis in vivo. In addition, EG-L displayed remarkable inhibition of tumor growth in a highly aggressive syngeneic immune-competent mouse model of ccRCC developed in Balb/c mice. Taken together, this study demonstrates an effective approach to achieve improved therapeutic outcome in ccRCC.
Phylogenetic rewiring in mycorrhizal–plant interaction networks increases community stability in naturally fragmented landscapes
Authors: Montesinos-Navarro Alicia , Díaz Gisela , Torres Pilar , Caravaca Fuensanta , Roldán Antonio
Published: December 2019

Although ecological networks are usually considered a static representation of species’ interactions, the interactions can change when the preferred partners are absent (rewiring). In mutualistic networks, rewiring with non-preferred partners can palliate extinction cascades, contributing to communities’ stability. In spite of its significance, whether general patterns can shape the rewiring of ecological interactions remains poorly understood. Here, we show a phylogenetic constraint in the rewiring of mycorrhizal networks, so that rewired interactions (i.e., with non-preferred hosts) tend to involve close relatives of preferred hosts. Despite this constraint, rewiring increases the robustness of the fungal community to the simulated loss of their host species. We identify preferred and non-preferred hosts based on the probability that, when the two partners co-occur, they actually interact. Understanding general patterns in the rewiring of interactions can improve our predictions of community responses to interactions’ loss, which influences how global changes will affect ecosystem stability.
Can we trust kinetic methods of thermal analysis?
Authors: Skrdla Peter J.
Published: December 2019

Solid-state reactions/phase transformations where the activation energy changes with the extent of conversion, e.g. multi-step or dispersive kinetic processes, cannot be reliably treated using current thermal methods under non-isothermal conditions.
Model self-assembling arginine-based tripeptides show selective activity againstPseudomonasbacteria
Authors: Castelletto Valeria , Edwards-Gayle Charlotte J. C. , Hamley Ian W. , Barrett Glyn , Seitsonen Jani , Ruokolainen Janne , de Mello Lucas Rodrigues , da Silva Emerson Rodrigo
Published: December 2019

Three model arginine-rich tripeptides RXR (X = W, F or non-natural residue 2-napthylalanine) were investigated as antimicrobial agents, with a specific focus to targetPseudomonas aeruginosathrough membrane lysis.
Recombination and regeneration dynamics in FeNHC(ii)-sensitized solar cells
Authors: Marchini Edoardo , Darari Mohamed , Lazzarin Luca , Boaretto Rita , Argazzi Roberto , Bignozzi Carlo Alberto , Gros Philippe C. , Caramori Stefano
Published: December 2019

The first Fe(ii)-based sensitizer to give 1% efficiency in a DSSC.
Chemoselective 18F-incorporation into pyridyl acyltrifluoroborates for rapid radiolabelling of peptides and proteins at room temperature
Authors: Chiotellis Aristeidis , Ahmed Hazem , Betzel Thomas , Tanriver Matthias , White Christopher J. , Song Haewon , Da Ros Sara , Schibli Roger , Bode Jeffrey W. , Ametamey Simon M.
Published: December 2019

A new prosthetic group is reported for quantitative 18F-labelling of peptides and proteins based on the chemoselective ligation of potassium acyltrifluoroborates (KATs) and hydroxylamines without any detectable 18F/19F isotope exchange at the KAT moiety.
Tunable multi-color luminescence from a self-assembled cyanostilbene and cucurbit[7]uril in aqueous media
Authors: Bhaumik Shubhra Kanti , Banerjee Supratim
Published: December 2019

A tunable multicolor luminescent supramolecular system was designed in aqueous media employing the self-assembly of a cationic amphiphilic cyanostilbene and the host–guest chemistry of cucurbit[7]uril.
The effect of surface polarity on the structure and collective dynamics of liquid ethanol
Authors: Ren Kezhou , Liu Shule
Published: December 2019

Typical configurations of ethanol during polarity modulation.
On the interplay of solvent and conformational effects in simulated excited-state dynamics of a copper phenanthroline photosensitizer
Authors: Levi Gianluca , Biasin Elisa , Dohn Asmus O. , Jónsson Hannes
Published: December 2019

QM/MM direct dynamics simulations in acetonitrile reveal the interplay between solvent and conformational effects in the photoinduced ultrafast flattening of a copper photosensitizer.
Formazanate coordination compounds: synthesis, reactivity, and applications
Authors: Gilroy Joe B. , Otten Edwin
Published: December 2019

Inorganic complexes of an emerging class of chelating N-donor ligands, formazanates, offer a unique combination of structurally tunable coordination modes, redox activity, and optoelectronic properties.
Heteroleptic cationic iridium(iii) complexes bearing phenanthroline derivatives with extended π-conjugation as potential broadband reverse saturable absorbers
Authors: Wang Li , Cui Peng , Lystrom Levi , Lu Jiapeng , Kilina Svetlana , Sun Wenfang
Published: December 2019

Fluorenyl substitution at the diimine ligand broadened the excited-state absorption to near-IR, and enhanced reverse saturable absorption at 532 nm for the cationic Ir(iii) complexes.
Co-Doped FeS2 with a porous structure for efficient electrocatalytic overall water splitting
Authors: Gao Lingfeng , Guo Chengying , Liu Xuejing , Ma Xiaojing , Zhao Mingzhu , Kuang Xuan , Yang Hua , Zhu Xiaojiao , Sun Xu , Wei Qin
Published: December 2019

The development of earth-abundant and high-efficiency electrocatalysts for overall water splitting is highly fascinating and still presents a challenge caused by the low activity for both the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) at the same time.
Fast construction of isoquinolin-1(2H)-ones by direct intramolecular C–H/N–H functionalization under metal-free conditions
Authors: Wen Li-Rong , Ren Guang-Yi , Geng Rui-Sen , Zhang Lin-Bao , Li Ming
Published: December 2019

Polycyclic six-, seven- and eight-membered N-heterocycles can be rapidly synthesized employing PIDA under metal-free conditions within 1 min.
“In situ immobilization” of a multicomponent chiral catalyst (MCC) via non-covalent interactions for heterogeneous asymmetric hydrogenation reactions
Authors: Hao Er-Jun , Li Gong-Xin , Lv Zhen-Zhen , Li Fu-Sheng , Chen Yu-Qing , Lin Shuang-Jie , Shi Cai-Zhe , Shi Lei
Published: December 2019

Novel hybrid catalysts that resulted from the anchoring of pyrene-tagged Rh(i) complexes onto graphene materials via π–π stacking interactions show excellent catalytic activity towards the hydrogenation of dehydroamino acid.
Application of Enteromorpha polysaccharides as a new coagulant aid to remove silver nanoparticles: role of dosage sequence and solution pH
Authors: Zhao Shuang , Wang Feng , Jia Wenlin , Sun Qianshu , Zou Zhangjian
Published: December 2019

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) could be removed effectively due to bridging-sweep role of Enteromorpha polysaccharides (Ep), and flocs exhibited larger sizes, better shear resistance, higher recovery ability and denser structure when Ep was added.
Better together: building protein oligomers naturally and by design
Authors: Gwyther Rebecca E.A. , Jones D. Dafydd , Worthy Harley L.
Published: December 2019

Protein oligomers are more common in nature than monomers, with dimers being the most prevalent final structural state observed in known structures. From a biological perspective, this makes sense as it conserves vital molecular resources that may be wasted simply by generating larger single polypeptide units, and allows new features such as cooperativity to emerge. Taking inspiration from nature, protein designers and engineers are now building artificial oligomeric complexes using a variety of approaches to generate new and useful supramolecular protein structures. Oligomerisation is thus offering a new approach to sample structure and function space not accessible through simply tinkering with monomeric proteins.
Multitalented actors inside and outside the cell: recent discoveries add to the number of moonlighting proteins
Authors: Jeffery Constance J.
Published: December 2019

During the past few decades, it's become clear that many enzymes evolved not only to act as specific, finely tuned and carefully regulated catalysts, but also to perform a second, completely different function in the cell. In general, these moonlighting proteins have a single polypeptide chain that performs two or more distinct and physiologically relevant biochemical or biophysical functions. This mini-review describes examples of moonlighting proteins that have been found within the past few years, including some that play key roles in human and animal diseases and in the regulation of biochemical pathways in food crops. Several belong to two of the most common subclasses of moonlighting proteins: trigger enzymes and intracellular/surface moonlighting proteins, but a few represent less often observed combinations of functions. These examples also help illustrate some of the current methods used for identifying proteins with multiple functions. In general, a greater understanding about the functions and molecular mechanisms of moonlighting proteins, their roles in the regulation of cellular processes, and their involvement in health and disease could aid in many areas including developing new antibiotics, predicting the functions of the millions of proteins being identified through genome sequencing projects, designing novel proteins, using biological circuitry analysis to construct bacterial strains that are better producers of materials for industrial use, and developing methods to tweak biochemical pathways for increasing yields of food crops.
Vowel and Tone Identification for Mandarin Congenital Amusics: Effects of Vowel Type and Semantic Content
Authors: Li Mingshuang , Tang Wei , Liu Chang , Nan Yun , Wang Wenjing , Dong Qi
Published: December 2019

Purpose

This study aimed to explore the effects of Mandarin congenital amusia with or without lexical tone deficit (i.e., tone agnosia and pure amusia) on Mandarin vowel and tone identification in different types of vowels (e.g., monophthong, diphthongs, and triphthongs) embedded in consonant–vowel contexts with and without semantic content.

Method

Thirteen pure amusics (i.e., amusics with normal lexical processing), 5 tone agnosics (i.e., with lexical tone deficit), and 12 controls were screened with Montreal Battery of Evaluation of Amusia and lexical tone tests (Nan et al., 2010;Peretz et al., 2003). Vowel-plus-tone identification tasks with the factors of vowel type and syllables with and without semantic content (e.g., real and nonsense words) were examined among the 3 groups, and identification scores were calculated in 3 formats: vowel-plus-tone identification, vowel identification, and tone identification.

Results

Tone agnosics showed significantly poorer performances on identifications of vowel, tone, and vowel plus tone across monophthongs, diphthongs, and triphthongs in both real and nonsense words compared to pure amusics and controls. Their deficits were similar across the 3 types of vowels, while the deficit on vowel-plus-tone identification was more severe in nonsense words than in real words. On the other hand, pure amusics performed similarly with controls across all these conditions.

Conclusions

Tone agnosia might affect both musical pitch and phonological processing, resulting in deficits in lexical tone and vowel perception. On the contrary, pure amusics's effect is primarily on musical pitch perception but not on lexical tone or phonemic deficit. Vowel type did not affect speech deficits for tone agnosics, while they relied more on semantic content as a compensation.
Physiological Correlates of Fluent and Stuttered Speech Production in Preschool Children Who Stutter
Authors: Walsh Bridget , Usler Evan
Published: December 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to compare physiological indices of sympathetic nervous system arousal recorded during fluent and stuttered utterances in a preschool children who stutter (CWS).

Method

Twenty-two 4- to 5-year-old CWS participated in the experiment. We recorded children's skin conductance response amplitude and frequency, blood pulse volume amplitude, and pulse rate as they completed a picture description task. We then compared indices of phasic sympathetic arousal recorded during stuttered versus fluent utterances. In addition, children's communication attitudes were evaluated with a self-report measure.

Results

We detected significantly higher sympathetic arousal during stuttered utterances compared to fluent utterances. Specifically, we found larger skin conductance responses occurring at an increased frequency and decreased blood pulse volume amplitudes during stuttered speech. The behavioral measure indicated a negative communication attitude in only one-third of the participants.

Conclusion

Our findings suggest that preschool CWS may exhibit higher levels of sympathetic arousal during stuttered speech compared to when they are speaking fluently. We discuss the potential impact of increased sympathetic arousal on speech regulatory mechanisms in early childhood stuttering and present questions to guide future research.
Ethical Considerations in Supervision: Familiarity Is Your Friend
Authors: Passe Melissa
Published: December 2019

Purpose

This article will discuss the ASHA Code of Ethics and its application to the supervision of various individuals throughout the continuum of professional practice. Additionally, it will discuss the pitfalls of social media where ethics is concerned. Although the focus of this article will remain in the field of speech-language pathology, the Code and circumstances surrounding such can easily be applied to the supervision/precepting of audiologists as well.

Conclusion

Applying the Code to a variety of scenarios, the reader will be able to identify where violations occur and describe possible solutions to each case.
Wie können postoperativ ein Delir und eine neurokognitive Störung verhindert werden?
Authors: Yürek Fatima , Olbert Maria , Müller-Werdan Ursula , Held Heike , Knaak Cornelia , Hermes Carsten , Dubb Rolf , Kaltwasser Arnold , Monke Stefanie , Spies Claudia
Published: December 2019

Ein postoperatives Delir (POD) geht mit einem hohen Leidensdruck für die betroffenen Patienten und ihre Angehörigen und einem großen Mehraufwand für das klinische Personal einher. Darüber hinaus belasten die entstehenden Kosten erheblich das Gesundheitssystem. Der Beitrag beleuchtet die Optionen der Risikoreduktion in der postoperativen Versorgung, um ein POD und eine postoperative neurokognitive Störung zu vermeiden.
Ernährung von Frühgeborenen mit gespendeter Muttermilch
Authors: Klotz Daniel , Stamm Anja
Published: December 2019

Sehr unreife Frühgeborene und kranke Neugeborene profitieren besonders von der Ernährung mit Muttermilch. Doch gerade bei Müttern nach Frühgeburt ist die Laktation oft nicht ausreichend, um das eigene Kind mit Muttermilch zu versorgen. Die Frauenmilchbank des Universitätsklinikums Freiburg bietet diesen Müttern eine Ernährung ihres Babys mit gespendeter, kontrollierter, pasteurisierter und angereicherter Muttermilch an. Dr. med. Daniel Klotz über Herausforderungen der Gründung einer Frauenmilchbank, Vorteile für die versorgten Säuglinge und den tatsächlichen Bedarf in Deutschland.
Construction of C–C Bond via C–N and C–O Cleavage
Authors: Pang Xiaobo , He Rong-De , Shu Xing-Zhong
Published: December 2019

The construction of a C–C bond is a center subject in synthetic organic chemistry. The cross-electrophile coupling has provided a powerful tool to forge the C–C bond. However, this process generally requires organic halides, which has severely restricted the design space for new reactions. Herein, we highlight our recent work on the coupling reaction between C–N and C–O electrophiles. This work demonstrates the possibility of construction of C–C bond via C–N and C–O cleavage. A number of reactions between benzyl ammoniums and vinyl acetates, aryl ammoniums and vinyl acetates, and benzyl ammoniums and aryl C–O electrophiles have been studied. We also disclosed that benzyl ammonium salts can be activated by low-valent nickel to be radicals.

1 Introduction

2 Cross-Coupling of C–N and C–O Electrophiles

3 Summary and Outlook