bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Reservoir frogs: seasonality of Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis infection in robber frogs in Dominica and Montserrat
Authors: Hudson Michael A. , Griffiths Richard A. , Martin Lloyd , Fenton Calvin , Adams Sarah-Louise , Blackman Alex , Sulton Machel , Perkins Matthew W. , Lopez Javier , Garcia Gerardo , Tapley Benjamin , Young Richard P. , Cunningham Andrew A.
Published: June 2019

Emerging infectious diseases are an increasingly important threat to wildlife conservation, with amphibian chytridiomycosis, caused by Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, the disease most commonly associated with species declines and extinctions. However, some amphibians can be infected with B. dendrobatidis in the absence of disease and can act as reservoirs of the pathogen. We surveyed robber frogs (Eleutherodactylus spp.), potential B. dendrobatidis reservoir species, at three sites on Montserrat, 2011–2013, and on Dominica in 2014, to identify seasonal patterns in B. dendrobatidis infection prevalence and load (B. dendrobatidis genomic equivalents). On Montserrat there was significant seasonality in B. dendrobatidis prevalence and B. dendrobatidis load, both of which were correlated with temperature but not rainfall. B. dendrobatidis prevalence reached 35% in the cooler, drier months but was repeatedly undetectable during the warmer, wetter months. Also, B. dendrobatidis prevalence significantly decreased from 53.2% when the pathogen emerged on Montserrat in 2009 to a maximum 34.8% by 2011, after which it remained stable. On Dominica, where B. dendrobatidis emerged seven years prior to Montserrat, the same seasonal pattern was recorded but at lower prevalence, possibly indicating long-term decline. Understanding the dynamics of disease threats such as chytridiomycosis is key to planning conservation measures. For example, reintroductions of chytridiomycosis-threatened species could be timed to coincide with periods of low B. dendrobatidis infection risk, increasing potential for reintroduction success.
Investigating Carriage, Contamination, Antimicrobial Resistance and Assessment of Colonization Risk Factors of Campylobacter spp. in Broilers from Selected Farms in Thika, Kenya
Authors: Abubakar Mwajuma K. , W. T. Muigai Anne , Ndung’u Perpetual , Kariuki Samuel
Published: June 2019

Aims: To investigate carriage and contamination rates of chicken broiler meat, the factors that are associated with Campylobacter spp. colonization and its phenotypic and genotypic antimicrobial resistance from Thika small-scale poultry farms.

Study Design: The study design was cross-sectional and laboratory based, it employed simple random sampling across 18 small-scale farms.

Site and Duration of Study: The study was conducted between August and December 2017 at Thika sub-county, a town located 42 Km North East of Nairobi.

Methodology: One hundred and eighty five cloaca swab samples from live broilers and 158 neck swab samples from broiler carcasses were collected. Isolates were obtained by plating method using mCCDA, conventional methods and duplex PCR were used for the isolation and identification of Campylobacter species.

Results: Carriage prevalence was at 15.67%, significantly (P = .000) lower than contamination prevalence detected at 30.37%. While the overall Campylobacter spp. prevalence was 22.45%.  Risk of Campylobacter colonization in the flock doubled in feeding broilers with chicken waste and older poultry, at (OR: 2.57, 95% CI: 0.19 - 34.47) and (OR: 2.00, 95% CI: 0.312 - 12.84) respectively. The Campylobacter spp. were resistant (P < .05) against Ciprofloxacin, Streptomycin, and Trimethoprim between carriage and contamination. MDR was 79.22%; XDR was 12.98% while no PDR recorded.

Conclusion: Broilers in Thika region are potentially important source of human infection and possible continuity of infection from the threat posed by Campylobacter carrier broilers. Presence of sulI and dhfr genes with high resistance observed for quinolones, sulfonamides, ß-lactams and trimethoprim, thus posing a major public health problem for consumers of poultry products.
Replication fork pausing at protein barriers on chromosomes
Authors: Hizume Kohji , Araki Hiroyuki
Published: June 2019

When a cell divides prior to completion of DNA replication, serious DNA damage may occur. Thus, in addition to accuracy, the processivity of the replication forks is important. DNA synthesis at replication forks should be completed in time, and forks overcome aberrant structures on the template DNA, including damaged sites, using trans‐lesion synthesis, occasionally introducing mutations. By contrast, the protein barrier built on the DNA is known to block the progression of replication forks at specific chromosomal loci. Such protein barriers avert any collision of replication and transcription machineries, or control the recombination of specific loci. The components and the mechanisms of action of protein barriers have been revealed mainly using genetic and biochemical techniques. In addition to proteins involved in replication fork pausing, the interaction of the replicative helicase and DNA polymerase is also essential for replication fork pausing. Here, we provide an overview of replication fork pausing at protein barriers.
Mechanisms of cellular rejuvenation
Authors: Denoth‐Lippuner Annina , Jessberger Sebastian
Published: June 2019

Aging leads to changes on an organismal but also cellular level. However, the exact mechanisms of cellular aging in mammals remain poorly understood and the identity and functional role of aging factors, some of which have previously been defined in model organisms such as Saccharomyces cerevisiae, remain elusive. Remarkably, during cellular reprogramming most if not all aging hallmarks are erased, offering a novel entry point to study aging and rejuvenation on a cellular level. On the other hand, direct reprogramming of old cells into cells of a different fate preserves many aging signs. Therefore, investigating the process of reprogramming and comparing it to direct reprogramming may yield novel insights about the clearing of aging factors, which is the basis of rejuvenation. Here, we discuss how reprogramming might lead to rejuvenation of a cell, an organ, or even the whole organism.
Diabetes‐mediated promotion of colon mucosa carcinogenesis is associated with mitochondrial dysfunction
Authors: Del Puerto‐Nevado Laura , Santiago‐Hernandez Aranzazu , Solanes‐Casado Sonia , Gonzalez Nieves , Ricote Marta , Corton Marta , Prieto Isabel , Mas Sebastian , Sanz Ana Belen , Aguilera Oscar , Gomez‐Guerrero Carmen , Ayuso Carmen , Ortiz Alberto , Rojo Federico , Egido Jesus , Garcia‐Foncillas Jesus , Minguez Pablo , Alvarez‐Llamas Gloria ,   on behalf of the DiabetesCancerConnect Consortium
Published: June 2019

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) has been associated with an increased risk of cancer, including colon cancer (CC). However, we recently reported no influence of T2DM on CC prognosis, suggesting that any effect might be at the early stages of tumor development. We hypothesized that T2DM may create an environment in the healthy tissue, which acts as a carcinogenesis driver in agreement with the field of cancerization concept. Here, we focused on early carcinogenesis by analyzing paired tumor and normal colonic mucosa samples from the same patients. The proteome of CC and paired mucosa was quantitatively analyzed in 28 individuals (12 diabetics and 16 nondiabetics) by mass spectrometry with isobaric labeling. Out of 3076 identified proteins, 425 were differentially expressed at the tumor in diabetics compared with nondiabetics. In the adjacent mucosa, 143 proteins were differentially expressed in diabetics and nondiabetics. An enrichment analysis of this signature pointed to mitochondria, ribosome, and translation. Only six proteins were upregulated by diabetes both in tumor and mucosa, of which five were mitochondrial proteins. Differential expression in diabetic versus nondiabetic mucosa was confirmed for MRPL53, MRPL18, and TIMM8B. Higher levels of MRPL18, TIMM8B, and EIF1A were also found in normal colon epithelial cells exposed to high‐glucose conditions. We conclude that T2DM is associated with specific molecular changes in the normal mucosa of CC patients, consistent with field of cancerization in a diabetic environment. The mitochondrial protein signature identifies a potential therapeutic target that could underlie the higher risk of CC in diabetics.
Communication of CD8+ T cells with mononuclear phagocytes in multiple sclerosis
Authors: Konjevic Sabolek Matea , Held Kathrin , Beltrán Eduardo , Niedl Anna G. , Meinl Edgar , Hohlfeld Reinhard , Lassmann Hans , Dornmair Klaus
Published: June 2019

Objective

CD8+ T cells are the most prevailing lymphocyte population in inflammatory lesions of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) but it is not even known whether they are merely passive bystanders or actively communicate with other cells in the brain. To identify their potential interaction partners, we analyzed CD8+ T cells that contained vectorially oriented cytotoxic granules and analyzed the areas to which the granules pointed.

Methods

We stained cryo‐sections of active MS lesions of an index patient with antibodies to CD8 and perforin, searched for vectorially oriented perforin granules, and isolated target areas opposing the granules and control areas by laser‐microdissection. From both areas, we analyzed cell‐type specific transcripts by next‐generation sequencing. In parallel, we stained samples from the index‐patient and other patients by four‐color immunohistochemistry (IHC).

Results

We found transcripts of the mononuclear phagocyte (MP) specific markers CD163 and CD11b only in the microdissected target areas but not in control areas. We validated the finding that MPs are communication partners of CD8+ T cells in MS lesions by classical IHC in samples from the index‐patient and other patients with acute and progressive MS and other inflammatory neurological diseases.

Interpretation

Because CD163 and CD11b are specifically expressed in MPs, our findings suggest that CD8+ T cells communicate with local MPs. Although it is still unclear if these interactions lead to killing of the communication partners by CD8+ T cells, our data underline that CD8+ T cells play an active role in the pathogenesis of MS.
Association of Anxiety With Pain and Disability but Not With Increased Measures of Inflammation in Adolescent Patients With Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis
Authors: Hanns Laura , Radziszewska Anna , Suffield Linda , Josephs Francesca , Chaplin Hema , Peckham Hannah , Sen Debajit , Christie Deborah , Carvalho Livia A. , Ioannou Yiannis
Published: June 2019

Objective

To explore whether anxiety and depression are associated with clinical measures of disease for adolescent patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) and whether anxiety and depression are associated with increased peripheral proinflammatory cytokine levels in adolescent patients with JIA and in healthy adolescent controls.

Methods

A total of 136 patients with JIA and 88 healthy controls ages 13–18 years completed questionnaires on anxiety and depressive symptoms. For patients with JIA, pain, disability, physician global assessment (using a visual analog scale [VAS]), and number of joints with active inflammation (active joint count) were recorded. In a subsample, we assessed lipopolysaccharide‐stimulated interleukin 6 (IL‐6) production from peripheral blood mononuclear cells, serum IL‐6, cortisol, and C‐reactive protein levels. Data were analyzed by linear regression analysis.

Results

Levels of anxiety and depressive symptoms in patients with JIA were not significantly different than those in healthy controls. For patients with JIA, anxiety was significantly associated with disability (β = 0.009, P = 0.002), pain (β = 0.029, P = 0.011), and physician global assessment VAS (β = 0.019, P = 0.012), but not with active joint count (β = 0.014, P = 0.120). Anxiety was not associated with any laboratory measures of inflammation for JIA patients. These relationships were also true for depressive symptoms. For healthy controls, there was a trend toward an association of anxiety (but not depressive symptoms) with stimulated IL‐6 (β = 0.004, P = 0.052).

Conclusion

Adolescent patients with JIA experience equivalent levels of anxiety and depressive symptoms as healthy adolescents. For adolescent patients with JIA, anxiety and depressive symptoms are associated with pain, disability, and physician global assessment VAS, but not with inflammation.
A Human Liver‐on‐a‐Chip Platform for Modeling Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease
Authors: Lasli Soufian , Kim Han‐Jun , Lee KangJu , Suurmond Ceri‐Anne E. , Goudie Marcus , Bandaru Praveen , Sun Wujin , Zhang Shiming , Zhang Niyuan , Ahadian Samad , Dokmeci Mehmet R. , Lee Junmin , Khademhosseini Ali
Published: June 2019

The liver possesses a unique microenvironment with a complex internal vascular system and cell–cell interactions. Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common form of chronic liver disease, and although much effort has been dedicated to building models to target NAFLD, most in vitro systems rely on simple models failing to recapitulate complex liver functions. Here, an in vitro system is presented to study NAFLD (steatosis) by coculturing human hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2) cells and umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) into spheroids. Analysis of colocalization of HepG2–HUVECs along with the level of steatosis reveals that the NAFLD pathogenesis could be better modeled when 20% of HUVECs are presented in HepG2 spheroids. Spheroids with fat supplements progressed to the steatosis stage on day 2, which could be maintained for more than a week without being harmful for cells. Transferring spheroids onto a chip system with an array of interconnected hexagonal microwells proves helpful for monitoring functionality through increased albumin secretions with HepG2–HUVEC interactions and elevated production of reactive oxygen species for steatotic spheroids. The reversibility of steatosis is demonstrated by simply stopping fat‐based diet or by antisteatotic drug administration, the latter showing a faster return of intracellular lipid levels to the basal level.
Ordered Structures with Functional Units as a Paradigm of Material Design
Authors: Chen Kexin , Li Liang
Published: June 2019

Realizing new functions through the construction of ordered structures not only exists naturally in nature, but also in artificial materials. However, much research focuses more on the relationship between structure and performance rather than on the impact of functional units themselves. Reviewing previous research findings, a “paradigm” of material research is proposed, which is based on ordered structures with functional units (OSFU) such as compositions, phases, domains, and twins. The goal is to draw more intensive attention of researchers to this concept and thus to promote the development of this field toward a deeper and broader direction, producing highly influential research results.
Energy‐Tailorable Spin‐Selective Multifunctional Metasurfaces with Full Fourier Components
Authors: Liu Wenwei , Li Zhancheng , Li Zhi , Cheng Hua , Tang Chengchun , Li Junjie , Chen Shuqi , Tian Jianguo
Published: June 2019

Compact integrated multifunctional metasurface that can deal with concurrent tasks represent one of the most profound research fields in modern optics. Such integration is expected to have a striking impact on minimized optical systems in applications such as optical communication and computation. However, arbitrary multifunctional spin‐selective design with precise energy configuration in each channel is still a challenge, and suffers from intrinsic noise and complex designs. Here, a design principle is proposed to realize energy tailorable multifunctional metasurfaces, in which the functionalities can be arbitrarily designed if the channels have no or weak interference in k‐space. A design strategy is demostrated here with high‐efficiency dielectric nanopillars that can modulate full Fourier components of the optical field. The spin‐selective behavior of the dielectric metasurfaces is also investigated, which originates from the group effect introduced by numerous nanopillar arrays. This approach provides straightforward rules to control the functionality channels in the integrated metasurfaces, and paves the way for efficient concurrent optical communication.
Palladium‐Catalyzed Annulation of Aryltriazoles and Arylisoxazoles with Alkynes
Authors: Yuan Hairui , Wang Min , Xu Zhenghu , Gao Hongyin
Published: June 2019

We developed herein a palladium‐catalyzed annulation of aryltriazoles and arylisoxazoles with internal alkynes via C−H bond activation process. 4,5‐disubstituted‐3H‐naphtho[1,2‐d][1,2,3]triazoles and 4,5‐disubstituted‐naphtho[2,1‐d]isoxazoles could be afforded in good yields, respectively. The starting materials are readily available and the scope and applications of this transformation were explored. The reaction offers a practical approach to naphthalene fused heterocycles.

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Self‐Healing Hydrogels: The Next Paradigm Shift in Tissue Engineering?
Authors: Talebian Sepehr , Mehrali Mehdi , Taebnia Nayere , Pennisi Cristian Pablo , Kadumudi Firoz Babu , Foroughi Javad , Hasany Masoud , Nikkhah Mehdi , Akbari Mohsen , Orive Gorka , Dolatshahi‐Pirouz Alireza
Published: June 2019

Given their durability and long‐term stability, self‐healable hydrogels have, in the past few years, emerged as promising replacements for the many brittle hydrogels currently being used in preclinical or clinical trials. To this end, the incompatibility between hydrogel toughness and rapid self‐healing remains unaddressed, and therefore most of the self‐healable hydrogels still face serious challenges within the dynamic and mechanically demanding environment of human organs/tissues. Furthermore, depending on the target tissue, the self‐healing hydrogels must comply with a wide range of properties including electrical, biological, and mechanical. Notably, the incorporation of nanomaterials into double‐network hydrogels is showing great promise as a feasible way to generate self‐healable hydrogels with the above‐mentioned attributes. Here, the recent progress in the development of multifunctional and self‐healable hydrogels for various tissue engineering applications is discussed in detail. Their potential applications within the rapidly expanding areas of bioelectronic hydrogels, cyborganics, and soft robotics are further highlighted.
In Situ Mechanical Analysis of the Nanoscopic Solid Electrolyte Interphase on Anodes of Li‐Ion Batteries
Authors: Moeremans Boaz , Cheng Hsiu‐Wei , Merola Claudia , Hu Qingyun , Oezaslan Mehtap , Safari Mohammadhosein , Van Bael Marlies K. , Hardy An , Valtiner Markus , Renner Frank Uwe
Published: June 2019

The interfacial decomposition products forming the so‐called solid–electrolyte interphase (SEI) significantly determine the destiny of a Li‐ion battery. Ultimate knowledge of its detailed behavior and better control are required for higher rates, longer life‐time, and increased safety. Employing an electrochemical surface force apparatus, it is possible to control the growth and to investigate the mechanical properties of an SEI in a lithium‐ion battery environment. This new approach is here introduced on a gold model system and reveals a compressible film at all stages of SEI growth. The demonstrated methodology provides a unique tool for analyzing electrochemical battery interfaces, in particular in view of alternative electrolyte formulations and artificial interfaces.
An Interfacial Solar Heating Assisted Liquid Sorbent Atmospheric Water Generator
Authors: Wang Xueyang , Li Xiuqiang , Liu Guoliang , Li Jinlei , Hu Xiaozhen , Xu Ning , Zhao Wei , Zhu Bin , Zhu Jia
Published: June 2019

Harvesting water from air is a promising strategy for fresh‐water production, and it is particularly desirable for areas that lack direct access to clean water. While high‐concentration liquid sorbent is well‐known for high sorption, it has not been widely used for atmospheric water collection, being primarily limited by the difficulty in desorption. Interfacial solar heating based on a salt‐resistant GO‐based aerogel is now shown to enable a high‐concentration liquid sorbent (CaCl2 50 wt % solution) based atmospheric water generator. Fresh water (2.89 kg m−2 day−1) can be produced at about 70 % relative humidity, with only solar energy input and energy efficiency of desorption as high as 66.9 %. This low‐cost and effective approach provides an attractive pathway to extract water from air, to relieve the thirst of arid, land‐locked, and other areas where fresh water is scarce.
Electro‐conductive modification of polyethylene terephthalate fabric with nano carbon black and washing fastness improvement by dopamine self‐polymerized layer
Authors: Keshavarz Amir Hossein , Mohseni Mahsa , Montazer Majid
Published: June 2019

Modification of textiles with new applications target such as electroconductive fabrics has recently attracted researchers. In this article, carbon black nanoparticles (CB NPs) were applied to polyester fabric through two separate high temperature (HT) exhaustion processing with NaOH and cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) as alkali hydrolysis catalyst and dispersing agents. To improve the stability of CB NPs on the fabric a self‐polymerized compound, dopamine (DA) was used in a simple dipping method at room temperature for 24 h to form a thin layer of PDA on CB NPs‐treated fabric. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) was used to study the morphology of the fabrics confirming presence of CB NPs. EDX and mapping patterns showed the percentage and distribution of carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen elements on the fabric surface. The treated fabric indicated an electrical resistance of 14 kΩ turns a LED device on with a 10 V power supply. Self‐polymerized DA on the fabric surface led to more nitrogen and oxygen caused higher CB NPs stability. Furthermore, the tensile strength results revealed a 25.8% lower tenacity on the treated fabric. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2019, 136, 48035.
Low fractal dimension modified drilling‐hole wall for PTFE high‐frequency board copper plating with plasma treatment
Authors: Zhou Guoyun , Gou Xueping , Jin Xiaofeng , Wang Shuai , He Wei , Wang Shouxu , Deng Longjiang , Chen Shijin , Liu Gen
Published: June 2019

The development of fifth generation communication has raised the demand of advanced polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) board in high‐frequency signal transmission. Drilling holes are fabricated on PTFE substrate for subsequent copper plating to achieve interlayer electrical connection between the thin dielectric layers. In this article, we propose O2/CF4 plasma treatment to clean the after‐drilling PTFE hole, achieving highly activated surface for following copper plating. The plating results, in contrast with control experiments which were performed without plasma treatment, demonstrate multiple advantages of O2/CF4 plasma treatment including qualified copper plating, excellent thermal shock reliability, and improved wettability. X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis for plasma‐treated samples confirms the emergence of hydrophilic groups such CO and COO/COF on PTFE hole wall. In addition, optimized parameters with particle gas flow combination and process time were obtained through parameter sweeping. The best qualified sample was associated with the lowest roughness (fractal dimension) of PTFE hole wall, indicating its promising application in high‐frequency signal transmission in PTFE board. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2019, 136, 48052.
Evaluation of a modified spray‐applied interfacial polymerization method for preparation of nanofiltration membranes
Authors: Morales‐Cuevas José Braulio , Pérez‐Sicairos Sergio , Lin Shui Wai , Salazar‐Gastélum Moisés Israel
Published: June 2019

Nanofiltration (NF) membranes were fabricated by using piperazine (PIP) and trimesoyl chloride (TMC) by conventional and spray‐applied interfacial polymerization methods, studying the effect of the application method for both phases, the number of applied layers, and the displacement speed for the spray application. A polysulfone ultrafiltration membrane was used as support. NF membranes were characterized by different spectroscopic, microscopic, and physicochemical techniques. Rejection capacity was evaluated for sodium chloride (NaCl), sodium sulfate (Na2SO4), and magnesium sulfate (MgSO4) salts; the decreasing rejection order was Na2SO4 > MgSO4 > NaCl for each NF membrane. NF membrane prepared with one layer of the sprayed out TMC solution and conventional application of PIP solution exhibited the highest salt rejection (99% for 1000 ppm Na2SO4) and a permeated flux of 10.28 L m−2 h−1 at 0.55 MPa. The modified method is a facile‐reproducible preparation methodology that reduces the consumption of time, effort, and reagents leading to a scalable manufacturing process for separation technology. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2019, 136, 48129.
3D conservation planning: Including aquifer protection in freshwater plans refines priorities without much additional effort
Authors: Linke Simon , Turak Eren , Asmyhr Maria Gulbrandsen , Hose Grant
Published: June 2019

Groundwater has very rarely been included in modern systematic conservation planning methods that identify key areas for protection of aquatic organisms.

Three conservation plans were developed for aquatic ecosystems in the Hunter Valley, NSW, Australia using the planning software Marxan: one model for rivers and wetlands and two that consider groundwater ecosystems. The first of these groundwater inclusive models included aquifers in the initial planning process; the second retrofitted groundwater onto an existing conservation plan.

The results demonstrate that, if groundwater protection was included at the planning stage, the overall land that was needed only increased marginally. When included, groundwater protection led to an emphasis on groundwater recharge zones.A posterioriinclusion of GW protections, however, yielded a 30% increase in surface area needing protection.

We conclude that groundwater can be included in conservation planning but it is much more efficient to do so at the beginning of the planning process.

The next step is to refine the planning methods by including data on groundwater‐dependent organisms, either by genetic means or novel statistical techniques, and hence using a direct biotic signal instead of environmental surrogates.
Quantification of a cell culture contaminant using 16S rDNA
Authors: Xu Xuebo , Lai Yueyang , Zhou Wenzhao , Wu Leyang , Hua Zichun
Published: June 2019

In this study, we identified a “black dot”‐like cell culture contaminant as a species belonging to the genus of Pusillimonas using 16S rDNA sequencing. Among all antibiotics tested, a combinatorial treatment of ampicillin and gentamicin both at 100 µg/mL was able to eliminate this contaminant. The contaminant was then visualized by fluorescence microscopy using propidium iodide staining and was found inside the cytosol of contaminated A549 cells. To characterize the efficacy of antibiotics for contaminant removal, we devised a quantitative method to determine the average number of 16S rDNA copies associated with a single A549 cell, which is directly proportional to the average number of contaminant per A549 cell. By using primers specific to the 16S rDNA sequence of the contaminant, we were able to estimate contaminants per single contaminated cell using both qPCR‐based relative and absolute quantification.
Trichloroethylene in drinking water throughout gestation did not produce congenital heart defects in Sprague Dawley rats
Authors: DeSesso John M. , Coder Prägati S. , York Raymond G. , Budinsky Robert A. , Pottenger Lynn H. , Sen Shiladitya , Lucarell Joelle M. , Bevan Christopher , Bus James S.
Published: June 2019

Background

Trichloroethylene (TCE) was negative for developmental toxicity after inhalation and oral gavage exposure of pregnant rats but fetal cardiac defects were reported following drinking water exposure throughout gestation. Because of the deficiencies in this latter study, we performed another drinking water study to evaluate whether TCE causes heart defects.

Methods

Groups of 25 mated Sprague Dawley rats consumed water containing 0, 0.25, 1.5, 500, or 1,000 ppm TCE from gestational day 1–21. TCE concentrations were measured at daily formulation, when placed into water bottles each day and when water bottles were removed from cages. Four additional mated rats per group were used for plasma measurements. At termination, fetal hearts were carefully dissected fresh and examined.

Results

All TCE concentrations were >90% of target when initially placed in water bottles and when bottles were placed on cages. All dams survived with no clinical signs. Rats in the two higher dose groups consumed less water/day than other groups but showed no changes in maternal or fetal weights. The only fetal cardiac observation was small (<1 mm) membranous ventricular septal defect occurring in all treated and water control groups; incidences were within the range of published findings for naive animals. TCE was not detected in maternal blood, but systemic exposure was confirmed by detecting its primary oxidative metabolite, trichloroacetic acid, although only at levels above the quantitation limit in the two higher dose groups.

Conclusions

Ingesting TCE in drinking water ≤1,000 ppm throughout gestation does not cause cardiac defects in rat offspring.
Sentence processing is modulated by the current linguistic environment and a priori information: An fMRI study
Authors: Weber Kirsten , Micheli Cristiano , Ruigendijk Esther , Rieger Jochem W.
Published: June 2019

Introduction

Words are not processed in isolation but in rich contexts that are used to modulate and facilitate language comprehension. Here, we investigate distinct neural networks underlying two types of contexts, the current linguistic environment and verb‐based syntactic preferences.

Methods

We had two main manipulations. The first was the current linguistic environment, where the relative frequencies of two syntactic structures (prepositional object [PO] and double‐object [DO]) would either follow everyday linguistic experience or not. The second concerned the preference toward one or the other structure depending on the verb; learned in everyday language use and stored in memory. German participants were reading PO and DO sentences in German while brain activity was measured with functional magnetic resonance imaging.

Results

First, the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) showed a pattern of activation that integrated the current linguistic environment with everyday linguistic experience. When the input did not match everyday experience, the unexpected frequent structure showed higher activation in the ACC than the other conditions and more connectivity from the ACC to posterior parts of the language network. Second, verb‐based surprisal of seeing a structure given a verb (PO verb preference but DO structure presentation) resulted, within the language network (left inferior frontal and left middle/superior temporal gyrus) and the precuneus, in increased activation compared to a predictable verb‐structure pairing.

Conclusion

In conclusion, (1) beyond the canonical language network, brain areas engaged in prediction and error signaling, such as the ACC, might use the statistics of syntactic structures to modulate language processing, (2) the language network is directly engaged in processing verb preferences. These two networks show distinct influences on sentence processing.
Opening up the firm: What explains participation and effort in voluntary carbon disclosure by global businesses? An analysis of internal firm factors and dynamics
Authors: Hsueh Lily
Published: June 2019

A voluntary climate initiative that has emerged over the past two decades as an institutional arrangement for corporations around the globe to signal and demonstrate their proactive climate leadership is the CDP (formerly known as the Carbon Disclosure Project). Unlike the extant literature that has emphasized stakeholder and regulatory pressures, this paper argues that voluntary carbon disclosure is both beneficial and costly for corporations with respect to the existence of supportive management structures, explicit CSR practices, and the existence of complementary assets. Moreover, there is variation between European firms and other global businesses because of Europe's distinctive national business systems framework in conjunction with global supply chain imperatives. Empirically, this study employs a novel discrete‐continuous modeling approach to distinguish between a corporation's decision to disclose and the linked but subsequent decision of how much to disclose climate change information. Results indicate that the main drivers of participation in voluntary carbon disclosure by the Global 500 firms is the existence of senior managers and executive‐level officers and the adoption of ESG principles by global businesses. Conditional on participation, European Union‐based and other global businesses that articulate a corporate vision for environmental sustainability, adopt ESG principles, and invest in complementary assets disclose climate change strategies and emissions at higher levels than companies without these internal firm capabilities. This study has implications for national climate policy and global climate change governance more generally, both of which increasingly focus on concrete climate solutions by corporations.
Prognostic value of neutrophil‐to‐lymphocyte ratio and platelet‐to‐lymphocyte ratio for breast cancer patients: An updated meta‐analysis of 17079 individuals
Authors: Guo Wanying , Lu Xin , Liu Qipeng , Zhang Ting , Li Peng , Qiao Weiqiang , Deng Miao
Published: June 2019

Aims

This study aimed to evaluate the prognostic effect of neutrophil‐to‐lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet‐to‐lymphocyte ratio (PLR) for patients with breast cancer (BC).

Methods

A literature search was performed by searching medical databases. Basic characteristics and prognostic data were extracted from included studies. Primary outcomes, such as overall survival (OS) and disease‐free survival (DFS), were synthesized and compared. Subgroup analyses were performed according to pathology, geographical region, cut‐off value, and tumor progression.

Results

A total of 39 studies comprising 17079 BC patients were included in this meta‐analysis. Among them, 28 studies with 142 64 BC patients investigated predicting role of NLR for OS, showing elevated NLR were associated poor prognosis (hazard ratio [HR]: 1.78, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.49‐2.13, P < 0.001). Twenty‐seven studies containing 115 04 patients explored the role of NLR in predicting DFS, showing elevated NLR was associated with poor DFS with HR of 1.60 (95% CI: 1.42‐1.96, P < 0.001). Twelve studies explored the role of PLR in predicting OS, showing patients with higher PLR were associated with a significantly worse prognosis with a pooled HR of 1.32 (95% CI: 1.11‐1.57, P = 0.002). Eleven studies with 5013 patients shown patients with elevated PLR were associated shorter DFS (HR: 1.43, 95% CI: 1.09‐1.86, P = 0.009). Subgroup analyses shown a greater magnitude of association between NLR and OS in triple‐negative BC patients than in HER2‐positive ones.

Conclusions

Our study suggested that elevated NLR and PLR were associated with poor OS as well as high risk of recurrence for BC patients. Subgroup analyses confirmed the prognostic effect of NLR and PLR in HER2‐positive BC patients. As easily accessible parameters, NLR and PLR should be identified as useful biomarkers in the management of BC.
Advanced cancer patients’ understanding of prognostic information: Applying insights from psychological research
Authors: Derry Heather M. , Reid M. Carrington , Prigerson Holly G.
Published: June 2019

Purpose

Informed medical decision‐making at the end of life often requires engaging in highly emotional, potentially upsetting discussions about prognosis, while ensuring that patients grasp its personal meaning. Behavioral science offers insights into ways to promote prognostic understanding among patients with advanced cancer.

In this literature review, we synthesize complementary findings from basic behavioral science and applied clinical research, which suggest that psychological factors can significantly influence both patients’ clinical interactions and their prognostic understanding. For example, stress and emotion can affect cognition, which may shape how patients process complex medical information. Additionally, clinicians may be less likely to share prognostic information with distressed patients who, in turn, may be hesitant to ask about their prognosis for fear of the answer. Although traditional approaches for increasing advanced cancer patients’ understanding focus on improving information delivery, these efforts may not be sufficient without corresponding interventions that assist patients in managing distress.

Conclusions

Psychological barriers may limit opportunities for patients to fully understand their prognosis and to receive high quality of end‐of‐life care that is linked with an accurate understanding of their disease and treatment options. Failure to attend to patients’ emotional distress may undermine efforts to improve medical communication. This underscores the importance of increased attention to the psychological factors that impede patients’ comprehension of material shared in cancer clinic visits, in order to inform interventions that address patient distress both before and after receiving “bad news." Integrating findings from psychological research into prognostic discussions may not only improve advanced cancer patients’ mental health, but may also promote their ability to make informed, value‐consistent medical decisions.
Incidence, predictors and impact of stroke on mortality among patients with acute coronary syndromes following percutaneous coronary intervention—Results from the PROMETHEUS registry
Authors: Chandiramani Rishi , Chen Huazhen , Aoi Shunsuke , Giustino Gennaro , Claessen Bimmer , Sartori Samantha , Aquino Melissa , Sorrentino Sabato , Cao Davide , Goel Ridhima , Kini Annapoorna , Rao Sunil , Weintraub William , Henry Timothy D. , Kapadia Samir , DeFranco Anthony , Muhlestein Joseph B. , Toma Catalin , Effron Mark B. , Keller Stuart , Baker Brian A. , Pocock Stuart , Baber Usman , Mehran Roxana
Published: June 2019

Background

Stroke represents a potentially calamitous complication among patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) undergoing percutaneous intervention (PCI). Data on the distribution of stroke occurrence post‐PCI and its impact on mortality are scarce.

Objectives

We sought to determine the incidence, predictors and impact of stroke on mortality in ACS patients undergoing PCI.

Methods

A total of 19,914 ACS patients underwent PCI in the PROMETHEUS multicenter observational study. We calculated the cumulative stroke incidence at 30 days and 1 year using the Kaplan Meier method. We also compared the distribution of stroke, myocardial infarction (MI), and bleeding across time and evaluated their overlap. Predictors of stroke were identified through multivariable Cox‐regression. Stroke, MI, and bleeding were assessed as time‐updated covariates to estimate how each impacts subsequent mortality.

Results

We found that 244 patients had a stroke within 1 year, a cumulative incidence of 1.5%. Previous cerebrovascular disease was the strongest predictor for post‐PCI stroke, followed by ST‐elevation MI presentation, hypertension, non‐ST‐elevation MI presentation, smoking, female sex, and age. Mortality risk was significantly higher among those who had a stroke versus those who did not (adjusted HR 4.84, p < .0001). However, the association attenuated over time with a much larger effect in the first 30 days of its occurrence (adjusted HR 17.7; 95% CI: 12.3–25.4, p < .0001) versus beyond 30 days (adjusted HR 1.22; 95% CI: 0.6–2.46, p = .58).

Conclusions

Stroke occurrence within 1 year was not uncommon for ACS patients undergoing PCI. When compared with MI and bleeding, stroke had a substantial impact on mortality that attenuated rapidly over time.
Acne keloidalis in an Asian female patient
Authors: Togo Sayaka , Sugawara Koji , Tsuruta Daisuke
Published: June 2019

Although AK is uncommon in Asians, this diagnosis must be suspected if specific clinical picture is seen. Early treatment is advised to avoid scarring alopecia but to avoid firmness of these plaques. Although we need to further investigate, IL‐6 could be a new target for the development of novel treatments.
Nucleophilic Isomerization of Epoxides by Pincer‐Rhodium Catalysts: Activity Increase and Mechanistic Insights
Authors: Tian Yingying , Jürgens Eva , Mill Katharina , Jordan Ronja , Maulbetsch Theo , Kunz Doris
Published: June 2019

Herein, we present the efficient isomerization of epoxides into methyl ketones with a novel pincer‐rhodium complex under very mild conditions. The catalyst system has an excellent functional group tolerance and a wide array of epoxides was tested. The corresponding methyl ketones were obtained in very high yields with excellent chemo‐ and regioselectivity. In addition, we investigated mechanistic details like the isomerization of the catalyst, and we obtained evidence that the catalytic cycle follows a β‐hydride elimination‐reductive elimination pathway after the nucleophilic ring opening of the epoxide.
Effective Hydrogenolysis of Glycerol to 1,3‐Propanediol over Metal‐Acid Concerted Pt/WOx/Al2O3 Catalysts
Authors: Lei Nian , Zhao Xiaochen , Hou Baolin , Yang Man , Zhou Maoxiang , Liu Fei , Wang Aiqin , Zhang Tao
Published: June 2019

Selective cleavage of secondary C−O bond is an important yet challenging strategy in glycerol valorization, and the product 1,3‐propanediol (1,3‐PDO) is of great value in polyester industry. Herein, we report a series of Pt/WOx/Al2O3 catalysts for selective hydrogenolysis of glycerol in a fixed‐bed reactor and obtain the highest space‐time yield of 1,3‐PDO (191.7*10−3 g1,3‐PDO h−1 g−1cat.) to date. Both Pt and W have substantial effects on the 1,3‐PDO yield with the optimum Pt/W atomic ratio of 1/2∼1/4. Spectroscopy characterizations as well as chemisorption experiments reveal that at the medium domain size of WOx, hydrogen spillover can take place to the greatest extent due to the improved dispersion of Pt and the suitable reducibility of WOx. Dehydration/dehydrogenation tests of 2‐butanol suggest that strong Brønsted acid sites are created via hydrogen dissociation at the Pt−WOx interface and spillover to the neighboring oxygen atom. Such in situ formed protons are critical to the selective cleavage of secondary C−O bonds of polyols.
Facile Carbon Fluoride/Sulfur Hybrid Cathode for High‐Rate Lithium Batteries
Authors: Peng Sikan , Wang Chen , Yan Shaojiu , Wang Nan , Wang Jixian , Dai Shenglong
Published: June 2019

A win‐win design and application of carbon fluoride/sulfur (CFx/S) hybrid cathode is demonstrated successfully for both high‐rate primary lithium/carbon fluoride battery and secondary lithium sulfur (Li−S) battery for the first time. Ex situ X‐ray diffraction and Raman analyses are involved to shed light on the discharge mechanism of the CFx/S cathode. The maximum power density breaks through 32023 W kg−1 within the primary discharge by the low fluorine content CFx/S cathode. The high‐fluorine content one can retain an appreciable reversible capacity after 200 cycles at ultra‐fast rate of over 10 C. To the best of our knowledge, it is the first time investigating the effect of CFx as a sulfur carrier in Li−S batteries. This facile and effective strategy of CFx/S hybrid cathode opens a new avenue for high performance lithium batteries.
Enabling chiral separations in discovery chemistry with open‐access chiral supercritical fluid chromatography
Authors: Michaels Philip , Neef James , Galyan Keith , Ginsburg‐Moraff Carol , Zhou Xilin , Dunstan David , Poirier Jennifer , Reilly John
Published: June 2019

Work from this paper details a novel walk‐up open‐access (OA) approach to enable chiral analytical method development and preparative separation of enantiomers in early discovery chemistry using supercritical fluid chromatography (SFC). We have demonstrated the success of this OA approach using immobilized chiral stationary phases (CSPs). After screening a diverse set of racemic drug candidates, we have concluded that a simplified OA chiral SFC platform can successfully purify approximately 60% of the analysed racemates. This streamlined OA workflow enables medicinal chemists with limited expertise in chiral method development to successfully and rapidly purify enantiomers for their projects using Waters UPC2 and Prep100‐SFC instrumentation.
Experimental investigation and modelling of CO2‐foam flow in heavy oil systems
Authors: Zhao Jing , Torabi Farshid
Published: June 2019

In this work, the C14‐16alpha olefin sulphonate (AOS) surfactant, octylphenol ethoxylate (TX‐100), and methyl bis[Ethyl(Tallowate)]‐2‐hydroxyethyl ammonium methyl sulphate (VT‐90) surfactant were selected as representatives of anionic, nonionic, and cationic surfactant to stabilize foam. The effects of surfactant concentration and gas/liquid injection rates on foam performance were examined by performing a series of oil‐free foam flow tests by injecting CO2and a foaming surfactant simultaneously into sandpacks. Foam flooding was conducted as a tertiary enhanced oil recovery (EOR) method after conventional water flooding and surfactant flooding. Furthermore, a new method was proposed to determine the residual oil saturation. The foam stability in the presence and absence of heavy oil was studied by a comparative evaluation of the mobility reduction factor (FMR) in both cases. The foam fractional flow modelling by Dholkawala and Sarma[36]was modified based on experimental results obtained in this study. The range of the ratio of two important model parameters (Cg/Cc) at various foam qualities was determined and could be used for large‐scale predictions. The results showed that during the oil‐free foam displacement experiments higher foam apparent viscosities () were attained at lower gas flow rates and the maximum was attained at a total gas and liquid injection rate of 0.25 cm3/min with a gas fractional flow ratio of 0.8 for the foam in the absence of oil. The presence of oil reduced the foam mobility reduction factors (FMR) to different degrees withFMR‐without oil/FMR‐with oilranging from 4.25–13.69, indicating that the oil had a detrimental effect on the foam texture. The foam flooding successfully produced an additional 8.1–21.52  % of OOIP, which can be attributed to the combined effect of increasing the pressure gradient and oil transporting mechanisms.
Entity emotion mining in social media environment
Authors: Fu Xuefeng , Luo Xiangfeng , Guo Yike
Published: June 2019

With the thriving of the social media (eg, Sina Microblog and Twitter), the public is keen on expressing their opinions or views on entities as celebrities and products. Emotion mining on social media can be applied in diverse areas, such as helping government or organizations understand people's attitudes so as to make right decisions for business services or political campaigns. One kind of the mainstream approaches for emotion mining are based on topic models, while most of these existing approaches aim at analyzing entire sentiments for the whole Microblog, rather than explicitly assigning the relevant sentiments to the specific entities. In addition, topic model is mainly based on the bag‐of‐words model but ignores the semantic relations of entity‐word in the modeling process, which brings low accuracy and poor interpretability to the sentiment analysis. To overcome the aforementioned difficulties, an Entity Sentiment Topic Model (ESTM) is proposed, which carries out entity‐dependent sentiment analysis. To improve the accuracy of sentiment analysis and enhance the interpretability of the results, ESTM is integrated with relations of entity‐word and a six‐dimensional emotion lexicon as weakly supervised information. Experiments have shown promising results on sentiment classification accuracy, interpretability, and quality of coherent topics for entities.