bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Implementing evidence-informed deliberative processes in health technology assessment: a low income country perspective
Authors: Kapiriri Lydia , Baltussen Rob , Oortwijn Wija
Published: January 2020

The purpose of this paper is to discuss the potential feasibility and utility of evidence-informed deliberative processes (EPDs) in low income country (LIC) contexts. EDPs are implemented in high and middle income countries and thought to improve the quality, consistency, and transparency of decisions informed by health technology assessment (HTA). Together these would ultimately improve the legitimacy of any decision making process. We argue—based on our previous work and in light of the priority setting literature—that EDPs are relevant and feasible within LICs. The extreme lack of resources necessitates making tough decisions which may mean depriving populations of potentially valuable health technologies. It is critical that the decisions and the decision making bodies are perceived as fair and legitimate by the people that are most affected by the decisions. EDPs are well aligned with the political infrastructure in some LICs, which encourages public participation in decision making. Furthermore, many countries are committed to evidence-informed decision making. However, the application of EDPs may be hampered by the limited availability of evidence of good quality, lack of interest in transparency and accountability (in some LICs), limited capacity to conduct HTA, as well as limited time and financial resources to invest in a deliberative process. While EDPs would potentially benefit many LICs, mitigating the identified potential barriers would strengthen their applicability. We believe that implementation studies in LICs, documenting the contextualized enablers and barriers will facilitate the development of context specific improvement strategies for EDPs.
Prenominal bon and bonne in French liaison and enchaînement: An acoustic description
Authors: McBride Adam F.
Published: January 2020

This article investigates the treatment of oronasal vowel /ↄ̃/ of the prenominal adjective bon (/bↄ̃/) in liaison, as produced by 19 speakers of Northern Metropolitan French. The oronasal vowel of this word has traditionally been identified as a denasalized vowel in liaison, which, when paired with the liaison consonant [n], is typically understood to be produced identically to the feminine form of the adjective bonne (/bↄn/). To verify this supposition, the adjective pair bon/bonne is produced in various contexts and word sequences by each speaker in a series of reading tasks. Six acoustic measures (i.e., A1−P0, A3−P0, center of gravity, F1 bandwidth, F2 and vowel duration) are taken for each token and the resulting data are analysed in a series of regression models. A brief acoustic description is given for the vowel /ↄ̃/ both in and out of liaison, and comparison is made between bon in liaison and the feminine bonne in prevocalic position (e.g., bon ami vs. bonne amie). Analyses indicate that 15 of the 19 speakers seem to produce bon in liaison distinctly from non-liaison bon, but not distinctly from pre-vocalic bonne, which may support suppletive analyses of adjectives in liaison.
Evaluation of exit skin dose for intra-cavitary brachytherapy treatments by the BEBIG 60Co machine using thermoluminescent dosimeters
Authors: Marvi Mina , Gholami Somayeh , Barough Mehdi Salehi , Hosseini Mojtaba , Nabavi Mansooreh , Jaberi Ramin , Mohammadkarim Alireza
Published: January 2020

Purpose:

This study aims to evaluate the application of the exit skin dose (ESD) in verifying the accuracy of intra-cavitary brachytherapy treatments performed by the BEBIG 60Co machine using thermoluminescent dosimeters (TLDs).

Materials and methods:

Eleven patients who were treated for gynaecological (GYN) malignancy by high-dose-rate (HDR) brachytherapy machine have been considered in this study. A combination of tandem, cylinder and interstitial needles was applied for eight patients while tandem ovoid (TO) applicators were used for the rest (three patients). In order to measure ESD, thermoluminescent dosimetry was performed for each patient. TLDs were placed precisely on the patient’s skin along her symphysis pubis bone (anterior) and left (L)/right (R) sides of her pelvic. Positioning of the dosimeter was accurately determined using fiducial markers in computed tomography (CT) scan imaging, prior to the treatment. Finally, a comparison was made between the calculated dose from the treatment planning system (TPS) and the dose measured by TLDs.

Results:

About 90% of all cases showed a good agreement (while considering TLD uncertainty ∼5·5%) between TPS dose calculations and TLD measurements. The measured mean values of ESD received to anterior, left and right positions were 56·72, 12·18 and 12·82 cGy, respectively. For three patients, differences up to 11·9% were detected.

Conclusion:

To conclude, ESD measurement method can be a suitable practical approach for verifying the accuracy of GYN HDR treatment delivery.
A Modern Manual for Marsquake Monitoring
Authors: Cartier Kimberly
Published: January 2020

Thanks to some extraordinary engineering, the InSight mission has led the new field of Martian seismology to the development of a new planetary magnitude scale in less than a year.
Digging Into 100 Years of AGU Treasures
Authors: Garcia de Jesus Erin , Edwards Sara
Published: January 2020

AGU staff members spent an afternoon exploring the organization’s archives and unearthing gems from the past.
Laying Proper Foundations for Diversity in the Geosciences
Authors: L�pez Robin , Cesspooch Ataya
Published: January 2020

Diversity constructed on the tenets of justice and accountability will create a truly better community that creates truly better science.
Location, Location, Location: The How-to's of Asteroid Sampling
Authors: Cartier Kimberly
Published: January 2020

Finding the right spot to grab a sample of Bennu was more of a challenge than the OSIRIS-REx team had originally planned.
Working Together to Close Climate Change Information Gaps
Authors: Graham Robin , Negri Cristina , Wall Thomas , Kotamarthi V.
Published: January 2020

Scientists and managers on the ground gathered to identify information gaps that pose barriers to evaluating climate change risks and responses.
What Do You Get When You Cross a Thunderstorm with a Wildfire?
Authors: Duncombe Jenessa
Published: January 2020

Lightning, fire vortices, and black hail are some of the frightening features of fire-fueled storms, which may become more common in the future.
Empirical Green's Function Retrieval Using Ambient Noise Source‐Receiver Interferometry
Authors: Chen Yunfeng , Saygin Erdinc
Published: January 2020

Empirical Green's function (EGF) retrieval commonly relies on cross‐correlating the long‐term ambient seismic wavefield that is simultaneously recorded at multiple stations. Recent studies have demonstrated observationally that cross‐correlating the coda of ambient noise cross‐correlation functions enables reconstruction of the EGFs, regardless of the operating time of the stations. In this study, we examine the feasibility of using the nondiffuse energy (i.e., surface waves) of the ambient noise cross‐correlation functions to retrieve EGFs between asynchronous stations. We show that source‐receiver interferometry (SRI), which is conventionally applied to reconstruct virtual seismograms between earthquake‐station pairs, provides an effective framework to retrieve EGFs between asynchronous stations. Our implementation of SRI exploits the nondiffuse wavefield rather than the scattered coda waves that may be contaminated by incoherent energy under nonideal (e.g., sparse, noisy, and short‐duration) network configurations. We demonstrate the robustness of SRI by retrieving asynchronous EGFs and performing seismic tomography between (1) nearby stations and (2) distant temporary arrays from southern Australia. The additional raypaths from asynchronous EGFs provide better illumination of small‐scale crustal structures beneath the regional network. In the larger‐scale example, involving two asynchronous arrays, SRI offers new constraints to the sparsely sampled region along the continental margin of southern Australia. The resulting velocity model agrees well with the independent structural constraints from each seismic array study and sedimentary thickness measurements. This study demonstrates that SRI is a promising tool for integrating seismic arrays operated at different times and can greatly benefit the efforts of improving data coverage and resolution in seismic imaging.
Field‐Aligned Photoelectron Energy Peaks at High Altitude and on the Nightside of Titan
Authors: Cao Y.‐T. , Wellbrock A. , Coates A. J. , Caro‐Carretero R. , Jones G. H. , Cui J. , Galand M. , Dougherty M. K.
Published: January 2020

The ionization of N
by strong solar He II 30.4‐nm photons produces distinctive spectral peaks near 24.1 eV in Titan's upper atmosphere, which have been observed by the Electron Spectrometer (ELS) as part of the Cassini Plasma Spectrometer. The ELS observations reveal that, in addition to the dayside, photoelectron peaks were also detected on the deep nightside where photoionization is switched off, as well as at sufficiently high altitudes where the ambient neutral density is low. These photoelectron peaks are unlikely to be produced locally but instead must be contributed by transport along the magnetic field lines from their dayside source regions. In this study, we present a statistical survey of all photoelectron peaks identified with an automatic finite impulse response algorithm based on the available ELS data accumulated during 56 Titan flybys. The spatial distribution of photoelectron peaks indicates that most photoelectrons detected at an altitude above 4,000 km and a solar zenith angle above 100° are field aligned, which is consistent with the scenario of photoelectron transport along the magnetic field lines. Our analysis also reveals the presence of a photoelectron gap in the deep nightside ionosphere where almost no photoelectrons were detected. It appears to be very difficult for photoelectrons to travel to this region, and such a feature may not be driven by the changes in the orientation between the solar and corotation wakes.
Microbial and Reactive Transport Modeling Evidence for Hyporheic Flux‐Driven Cryptic Sulfur Cycling and Anaerobic Methane Oxidation in a Sulfate‐Impacted Wetland‐Stream System
Authors: Ng Gene‐Hua Crystal , Rosenfeld Carla E. , Santelli Cara M. , Yourd Amanda R. , Lange Jack , Duhn Kelly , Johnson Nathan W.
Published: January 2020

This study reexamines the common expectations that in freshwater systems, sulfur plays a minor role in carbon cycling, and aerobic processes dominate methane oxidation. In anoxic sediments of a sulfate‐impacted wetland‐stream system in Minnesota (USA), a reactive transport model calibrated to geochemical observations predicted sulfate reduction to be the major terminal electron accepting process, and it showed that anaerobic oxidation of methane predominantly coupled with sulfate reduction attenuated methane concentrations near the sediment‐water interface. Consistent with model results, 16S rRNA microbiome analysis revealed a high relative abundance of taxa capable of dissimilatory sulfate reduction. It further supported the conclusion that high simulated sulfate reduction rates could be maintained by a “cryptic” sulfur cycle coupled to iron and methane. Low relative abundance of known iron reducing bacteria raised the possibility of abiotic ferric iron (Fe) reduction driving sulfide reoxidation to intermediate‐valence sulfur forms; widespread potential for microbially mediated disproportionation, oxidation, and reduction of sulfur intermediates provided mechanisms for completing redox cycles; and archaea comprising up to 25% of the microbial community could include consortia capable of anaerobic oxidation of methane. These biogeochemical processes were found to be controlled by hyporheic fluxes. Lower‐magnitude fluxes in wetland compared to channel sediments created sharper geochemical gradients that generated greater heterogeneity in microbial distributions and reaction rates. Changes in upward flux caused fluctuations in sulfate concentrations that led to alternating simulations of methane production and transport. Our work supports the importance of hyporheic flux‐driven iron‐sulfur‐methane cycling in sulfate‐impacted wetlands and prompts further investigations under freshwater conditions.
Improving the Predictive Skill of a Distributed Hydrological Model by Calibration on Spatial Patterns With Multiple Satellite Data Sets
Authors: Dembélé Moctar , Hrachowitz Markus , Savenije Hubert H. G. , Mariéthoz Grégoire , Schaefli Bettina
Published: January 2020

Hydrological model calibration combining Earth observations and in situ measurements is a promising solution to overcome the limitations of the traditional streamflow‐only calibration. However, combining multiple data sources in model calibration requires a meaningful integration of the data sets, which should harness their most reliable contents to avoid accumulation of their uncertainties and mislead the parameter estimation procedure. This study analyzes the improvement of model parameter selection by using only the spatial patterns of satellite remote sensing data, thereby ignoring their absolute values. Although satellite products are characterized by uncertainties, their most reliable key feature is the representation of spatial patterns, which is a unique and relevant source of information for distributed hydrological models. We propose a novel multivariate calibration framework exploiting spatial patterns and simultaneously incorporating streamflow and three satellite products (i.e., Global Land Evaporation Amsterdam Model [GLEAM] evaporation, European Space Agency Climate Change Initiative [ESA CCI] soil moisture, and Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment [GRACE] terrestrial water storage). The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) land surface temperature data set is used for model evaluation. A bias‐insensitive and multicomponent spatial pattern matching metric is developed to formulate a multiobjective function. The proposed multivariate calibration framework is tested with the mesoscale Hydrologic Model (mHM) and applied to the poorly gauged Volta River basin located in a predominantly semiarid climate in West Africa. Results of the multivariate calibration show that the decrease in performance for streamflow (−7%) and terrestrial water storage (−6%) is counterbalanced with an increase in performance for soil moisture (+105%) and evaporation (+26%). These results demonstrate that there are benefits in using satellite data sets, when suitably integrated in a robust model parametrization scheme.
Understanding High-Energy Physics in Earth’s Atmosphere
Authors: Chilingarian Ashot
Published: January 2020

Thunderstorms present a variety of hazards, including emissions of ionizing radiation. An international group of scientists met at an Armenian observatory to share their findings.
2020 Hindsight: A Website for All Paleo-CO2 Data
Authors: Malsbury Erin
Published: January 2020

A new website will soon compile and display all ancient atmospheric CO2 data.
First U.S. Airline Goes Carbon Neutral
Authors: Duncombe Jenessa
Published: January 2020

JetBlue will buy carbon offsets for all domestic flights starting in July, but are carbon offsets enough to clean up a dirty industry?
Snowflakes, SDGs, and Other Winter Wonders of the Week
Authors:   AGU
Published: January 2020

What Earth and space science stories are we recommending this week?
Modern Farming Kick-Starts Large Landslides in Peruvian Deserts
Authors: Palmer Jane
Published: January 2020

Large-scale irrigation programs have triggered giant, slow-moving landslides in arid valleys, leading to the destruction of both traditional and modern farmland.
A hierarchically assembled 88-nuclei silver-thiacalix[4]arene nanocluster
Authors: Wang Zhi , Su Hai-Feng , Gong Yi-Wen , Qu Qing-Ping , Bi Yan-Feng , Tung Chen-Ho , Sun Di , Zheng Lan-Sun
Published: January 2020

Thiacalix[4]arenes as a family of promising ligands have been widely used to construct polynuclear metal clusters, but scarcely employed in silver nanoclusters. Herein, an anion-templated Ag88 nanocluster (SD/Ag88a) built from p-tert-butylthiacalix[4]arene (H4TC4A) is reported. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction reveals that C4-symmetric SD/Ag88a resembles a metal-organic super calix comprised of eight TC4A4− as walls and 88 silver atoms as base, which can be deconstructed to eight [CrO4@Ag11(TC4A)(EtS)4(OAc)] secondary building units arranged in an annulus encircling a CrO42− in the center. Local and global anion template effects from chromates are individually manifested in SD/Ag88a. The solution stability and hierarchical assembly mechanism of SD/Ag88a are studied by using electrospray mass spectrometry. The Ag88 nanocluster represents the highest nuclearity metal cluster capped by TC4A4−. This work not only exemplify the specific macrocyclic effects of TC4A4− in the construction of silver nanocluster but also realize the shape heredity of TC4A4− to overall silver super calix.
Edible unclonable functions
Authors: Leem Jung Woo , Kim Min Seok , Choi Seung Ho , Kim Seong-Ryul , Kim Seong-Wan , Song Young Min , Young Robert J. , Kim Young L.
Published: January 2020

Counterfeit medicines are a fundamental security problem. Counterfeiting medication poses a tremendous threat to patient safety, public health, and the economy in developed and less developed countries. Current solutions are often vulnerable due to the limited security levels. We propose that the highest protection against counterfeit medicines would be a combination of a physically unclonable function (PUF) with on-dose authentication. A PUF can provide a digital fingerprint with multiple pairs of input challenges and output responses. On-dose authentication can verify every individual pill without removing the identification tag. Here, we report on-dose PUFs that can be directly attached onto the surface of medicines, be swallowed, and digested. Fluorescent proteins and silk proteins serve as edible photonic biomaterials and the photoluminescent properties provide parametric support of challenge-response pairs. Such edible cryptographic primitives can play an important role in pharmaceutical anti-counterfeiting and other security applications requiring immediate destruction or vanishing features.
Epigenetic reprogramming at estrogen-receptor binding sites alters 3D chromatin landscape in endocrine-resistant breast cancer
Authors: Achinger-Kawecka Joanna , Valdes-Mora Fatima , Luu Phuc-Loi , Giles Katherine A. , Caldon C. Elizabeth , Qu Wenjia , Nair Shalima , Soto Sebastian , Locke Warwick J. , Yeo-Teh Nicole S. , Gould Cathryn M. , Du Qian , Smith Grady C. , Ramos Irene R. , Fernandez Kristine F. , Hoon Dave S. , Gee Julia M. W. , Stirzaker Clare , Clark Susan J.
Published: January 2020

Endocrine therapy resistance frequently develops in estrogen receptor positive (ER+) breast cancer, but the underlying molecular mechanisms are largely unknown. Here, we show that 3-dimensional (3D) chromatin interactions both within and between topologically associating domains (TADs) frequently change in ER+ endocrine-resistant breast cancer cells and that the differential interactions are enriched for resistance-associated genetic variants at CTCF-bound anchors. Ectopic chromatin interactions are preferentially enriched at active enhancers and promoters and ER binding sites, and are associated with altered expression of ER-regulated genes, consistent with dynamic remodelling of ER pathways accompanying the development of endocrine resistance. We observe that loss of 3D chromatin interactions often occurs coincidently with hypermethylation and loss of ER binding. Alterations in active A and inactive B chromosomal compartments are also associated with decreased ER binding and atypical interactions and gene expression. Together, our results suggest that 3D epigenome remodelling is a key mechanism underlying endocrine resistance in ER+ breast cancer.
Tunable light and drug induced depletion of target proteins
Authors: Deng Wen , Bates Jack A. , Wei Hai , Bartoschek Michael D. , Conradt Barbara , Leonhardt Heinrich
Published: January 2020

Biological processes in development and disease are controlled by the abundance, localization and modification of cellular proteins. We have developed versatile tools based on recombinant E3 ubiquitin ligases that are controlled by light or drug induced heterodimerization for nanobody or DARPin targeted depletion of endogenous proteins in cells and organisms. We use this rapid, tunable and reversible protein depletion for functional studies of essential proteins like PCNA in DNA repair and to investigate the role of CED-3 in apoptosis during Caenorhabditis elegans development. These independent tools can be combined for spatial and temporal depletion of different sets of proteins, can help to distinguish immediate cellular responses from long-term adaptation effects and can facilitate the exploration of complex networks.
Surface-reaction induced structural oscillations in the subsurface
Authors: Sun Xianhu , Zhu Wenhui , Wu Dongxiang , Li Chaoran , Wang Jianyu , Zhu Yaguang , Chen Xiaobo , Boscoboinik Jorge Anibal , Sharma Renu , Zhou Guangwen
Published: January 2020

Surface and subsurface are commonly considered as separate entities because of the difference in the bonding environment and are often investigated separately due to the experimental challenges in differentiating the surface and subsurface effects. Using in-situ atomic-scale transmission electron microscopy to resolve the surface and subsurface at the same time, we show that the hydrogen–CuO surface reaction results in structural oscillations in deeper atomic layers via the cycles of ordering and disordering of oxygen vacancies in the subsurface. Together with atomistic calculations, we show that the structural oscillations in the subsurface are induced by the hydrogen oxidation-induced cyclic loss of oxygen from the oxide surface. These results demonstrate the propagation of the surface reaction dynamics into the deeper layers in inducing nonstoichiometry in the subsurface and have significant implications in modulating various chemical processes involving surface–subsurface mass transport such as heterogeneous catalysis, oxidation, corrosion and carburization.
Towards full-colour tunability of inorganic electrochromic devices using ultracompact fabry-perot nanocavities
Authors: Wang Zhen , Wang Xiaoyu , Cong Shan , Chen Jian , Sun Hongzhao , Chen Zhigang , Song Ge , Geng Fengxia , Chen Qin , Zhao Zhigang
Published: January 2020

Intercalation-based inorganic materials that change their colours upon ion insertion/extraction lay an important foundation for existing electrochromic technology. However, using only such inorganic electrochromic materials, it is very difficult to achieve the utmost goal of full-colour tunability for future electrochromic technology mainly due to the absence of structural flexibility. Herein, we demonstrate an ultracompact asymmetric Fabry-Perot (F-P) nanocavity-type electrochromic device formed by using partially reflective metal tungsten as the current collector and reflector layer simultaneously; this approach enables fairly close matching of the reflections at both interfaces of the WO3 thin layer in device form, inducing a strong interference. Such an interference-enhanced device that is optically manipulated at the nanoscale displays various structural colours before coloration and, further, can change to other colours including blue, red, and yellow by changing the optical indexes (n, k) of the tungsten oxide layer through ion insertion.
A spontaneous mitonuclear epistasis converging on Rieske Fe-S protein exacerbates complex III deficiency in mice
Authors: Purhonen Janne , Grigorjev Vladislav , Ekiert Robert , Aho Noora , Rajendran Jayasimman , Pietras Rafał , Truvé Katarina , Wikström Mårten , Sharma Vivek , Osyczka Artur , Fellman Vineta , Kallijärvi Jukka
Published: January 2020

We previously observed an unexpected fivefold (35 vs. 200 days) difference in the survival of respiratory chain complex III (CIII) deficient Bcs1lp.S78G mice between two congenic backgrounds. Here, we identify a spontaneous homoplasmic mtDNA variant (m.G14904A, mt-Cybp.D254N), affecting the CIII subunit cytochrome b (MT-CYB), in the background with short survival. We utilize maternal inheritance of mtDNA to confirm this as the causative variant and show that it further decreases the low CIII activity in Bcs1lp.S78G tissues to below survival threshold by 35 days of age. Molecular dynamics simulations predict D254N to restrict the flexibility of MT-CYB ef loop, potentially affecting RISP dynamics. In Rhodobacter cytochrome bc1 complex the equivalent substitution causes a kinetics defect with longer occupancy of RISP head domain towards the quinol oxidation site. These findings represent a unique case of spontaneous mitonuclear epistasis and highlight the role of mtDNA variation as modifier of mitochondrial disease phenotypes.
Publisher Correction: Spectroelectrochemical study of water oxidation on nickel and iron oxyhydroxide electrocatalysts
Authors: Francàs Laia , Corby Sacha , Selim Shababa , Lee Dongho , Mesa Camilo A. , Godin Robert , Pastor Ernest , Stephens Ifan E. L. , Choi Kyoung-Shin , Durrant James R.
Published: January 2020

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper.
Boron arsenide heterostructures: lattice-matched heterointerfaces and strain effects on band alignments and mobility
Authors: Bushick Kyle , Chae Sieun , Deng Zihao , Heron John T. , Kioupakis Emmanouil
Published: January 2020

BAs is a III–V semiconductor with ultra-high thermal conductivity, but many of its electronic properties are unknown. This work applies predictive atomistic calculations to investigate the properties of BAs heterostructures, such as strain effects on band alignments and carrier mobility, considering BAs as both a thin film and a substrate for lattice-matched materials. The results show that isotropic biaxial in-plane strain decreases the band gap independent of sign or direction. In addition, 1% biaxial tensile strain increases the in-plane electron and hole mobilities at 300 K by >60% compared to the unstrained values due to a reduction of the electron effective mass and of hole interband scattering. Moreover, BAs is shown to be nearly lattice-matched with InGaN and ZnSnN2, two important optoelectronic semiconductors with tunable band gaps by alloying and cation disorder, respectively. The results predict type-II band alignments and determine the absolute band offsets of these two materials with BAs. The combination of the ultra-high thermal conductivity and intrinsic p-type character of BAs, with its high electron and hole mobilities that can be further increased by tensile strain, as well as the lattice-match and the type-II band alignment with intrinsically n-type InGaN and ZnSnN2 demonstrate the potential of BAs heterostructures for electronic and optoelectronic devices.
Proneural and mesenchymal glioma stem cells display major differences in splicing and lncRNA profiles
Authors: Guardia Gabriela D. A. , Correa Bruna R. , Araujo Patricia Rosa , Qiao Mei , Burns Suzanne , Penalva Luiz O. F. , Galante Pedro A. F.
Published: January 2020

Therapy resistance and recurrence in high-grade gliomas are driven by their populations of glioma stem cells (GSCs). Thus, detailed molecular characterization of GSCs is needed to develop more effective therapies. We conducted a study to identify differences in the splicing profile and expression of long non-coding RNAs in proneural and mesenchymal GSC cell lines. Genes related to cell cycle, DNA repair, cilium assembly, and splicing showed the most differences between GSC subgroups. We also identified genes distinctly associated with survival among patients of mesenchymal or proneural subgroups. We determined that multiple long non-coding RNAs with increased expression in mesenchymal GSCs are associated with poor survival of glioblastoma patients. In summary, our study established critical differences between proneural and mesenchymal GSCs in splicing profiles and expression of long non-coding RNA. These splicing isoforms and lncRNA signatures may contribute to the uniqueness of GSC subgroups, thus contributing to cancer phenotypes and explaining differences in therapeutic responses.
Combined proteomics/miRNomics of dendritic cell immunotherapy-treated glioblastoma patients as a screening for survival-associated factors
Authors: Erhart Friedrich , Hackl Matthias , Hahne Hannes , Buchroithner Johanna , Meng Chen , Klingenbrunner Simone , Reitermaier René , Fischhuber Katrin , Skalicky Susanna , Berger Walter , Spiegl-Kreinecker Sabine , Lötsch Daniela , Ricken Gerda , Kuster Bernhard , Wöhrer Adelheid , Widhalm Georg , Hainfellner Johannes , Felzmann Thomas , Dohnal Alexander M. , Marosi Christine , Visus Carmen
Published: January 2020

Glioblastoma is the most prevalent and aggressive brain cancer. With a median overall survival of ~15–20 months under standard therapy, novel treatment approaches are desperately needed. A recent phase II clinical trial with a personalized immunotherapy based on tumor lysate-charged dendritic cell (DC) vaccination, however, failed to prolong survival. Here, we investigated tumor tissue from trial patients to explore glioblastoma survival-related factors. We followed an innovative approach of combining mass spectrometry-based quantitative proteomics (n = 36) with microRNA sequencing plus RT-qPCR (n = 38). Protein quantification identified, e.g., huntingtin interacting protein 1 (HIP1), retinol-binding protein 1 (RBP1), ferritin heavy chain (FTH1) and focal adhesion kinase 2 (FAK2) as factor candidates correlated with a dismal prognosis. MicroRNA analysis identified miR-216b, miR-216a, miR-708 and let-7i as molecules potentially associated with favorable tissue characteristics as they were enriched in patients with a comparably longer survival. To illustrate the utility of integrated miRNomics and proteomics findings, focal adhesion was studied further as one example for a pathway of potential general interest.

Taken together, we here mapped possible drivers of glioblastoma outcome under immunotherapy in one of the largest DC vaccination tissue analysis cohorts so far—demonstrating usefulness and feasibility of combined proteomics/miRNomics approaches. Future research should investigate agents that sensitize glioblastoma to (immuno)therapy—potentially building on insights generated here.
High-performance ceramic/epoxy composite adhesives enabled by rational ceramic bandgaps
Authors: Hu J. B.
Published: January 2020

High over-all properties, including low dielectric loss, high breakdown strength, high mechanical shock strength, high thermal conductivity and high weight stability, are very difficult to simultaneously achieve in electrical-insulation applicable cured potting-adhesive materials. To deal with this challenge, in this work, we have designed and fabricated a series of epoxy based composite potting-adhesives filled with low-cost and high-performance inorganic micro-particles including alpha-silica, alpha-alumina and alpha-SiC. Combination employment of high-molecular-weight and low-molecular-weight epoxy resins as matrices has been made. Heat-induced curing or crosslink of resin matrices has been carried out. Large band gap of silica filler has endowed the cured composite with high breakdown strength and ageing breakdown strength, and meanwhile relatively high deformation trait of silica has led to high shock strength of cured composite. Silica filler has been found to be superior to other two fillers, namely, optimal over-all properties such as dielectric, breakdown, mechanical and thermal features have been obtained in silica filled cured composite. High breakdown strength of ~48 MV m−1 and shock strength of ~9950 J m−2 have been achieved in silica loaded composite. This work might open up the way for large-scale fabrication of promising epoxy-based hybrid potting-adhesives.
Chronotherapy of Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs May Enhance Postoperative Recovery
Authors: Al-Waeli H. , Nicolau B. , Stone L. , Abu Nada L. , Gao Q. , Abdallah MN. , Abdulkader E. , Suzuki M. , Mansour A. , Al Subaie A. , Tamimi F.
Published: January 2020

Postoperative pain relief is crucial for full recovery. With the ongoing opioid epidemic and the insufficient effect of acetaminophen on severe pain; non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are heavily used to alleviate this pain. However, NSAIDs are known to inhibit postoperative healing of connective tissues by inhibiting prostaglandin signaling. Pain intensity, inflammatory mediators associated with wound healing and the pharmacological action of NSAIDs vary throughout the day due to the circadian rhythm regulated by the clock genes. According to this rhythm, most of wound healing mediators and connective tissue formation occurs during the resting phase, while pain, inflammation and tissue resorption occur during the active period of the day. Here we show, in a murine tibia fracture surgical model, that NSAIDs are most effective in managing postoperative pain, healing and recovery when drug administration is limited to the active phase of the circadian rhythm. Limiting NSAID treatment to the active phase of the circadian rhythm resulted in overexpression of circadian clock genes, such as Period 2 (Per2) at the healing callus, and increased serum levels of anti-inflammatory cytokines interleukin-13 (IL-13), interleukin-4 (IL-4) and vascular endothelial growth factor. By contrast, NSAID administration during the resting phase resulted in severe bone healing impairment.
Mesenchymal stem cells used as carrier cells of oncolytic adenovirus results in enhanced oncolytic virotherapy
Authors: Mahasa Khaphetsi Joseph , de Pillis Lisette , Ouifki Rachid , Eladdadi Amina , Maini Philip , Yoon A-Rum , Yun Chae-Ok
Published: January 2020

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) loaded with oncolytic viruses are presently being investigated as a new modality of advanced/metastatic tumors treatment and enhancement of virotherapy. MSCs can, however, either promote or suppress tumor growth. To address the critical question of how MSCs loaded with oncolytic viruses affect virotherapy outcomes and tumor growth patterns in a tumor microenvironment, we developed and analyzed an integrated mathematical-experimental model. We used the model to describe both the growth dynamics in our experiments of firefly luciferase-expressing Hep3B tumor xenografts and the effects of the immune response during the MSCs-based virotherapy. We further employed it to explore the conceptual clinical feasibility, particularly, in evaluating the relative significance of potential immune promotive/suppressive mechanisms induced by MSCs loaded with oncolytic viruses. We were able to delineate conditions which may significantly contribute to the success or failure of MSC-based virotherapy as well as generate new hypotheses. In fact, one of the most impactful outcomes shown by this investigation, not inferred from the experiments alone, was the initially counter-intuitive fact that using tumor-promoting MSCs as carriers is not only helpful but necessary in achieving tumor control. Considering the fact that it is still currently a controversial debate whether MSCs exert a pro- or anti-tumor action, mathematical models such as this one help to quantitatively predict the consequences of using MSCs for delivering virotherapeutic agents in vivo. Taken together, our results show that MSC-mediated systemic delivery of oncolytic viruses is a promising strategy for achieving synergistic anti-tumor efficacy with improved safety profiles.
Measurement of diallyl disulfide and allyl methyl sulfide emanating from human skin surface and influence of ingestion of grilled garlic
Authors: Sato Shodai , Sekine Yoshika , Kakumu Yuya , Hiramoto Tadahiro
Published: January 2020

Diallyl disulfide (DADS) and allyl methyl sulfide (AMS) have been known as a metabolic product of sulfur-containing foods, typically garlic. The odour of such organosulfur compounds following garlic ingestion is often considered as an unpleasant element. Although previous studies have identified the DADS and AMS associated with garlic breath, no study has been reported on the determination of both compounds emanating from human skin surface. This study aimed to demonstrate the effect of garlic ingestion on the dermal emissions of DADS and AMS using a passive flux sampler coupled with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Firstly, baseline levels were investigated for 30 healthy volunteers in their daily life. The results of 1 h-sampling at the forearm showed the emission fluxes of both compounds followed the lognormal distribution with a geometric mean of 0.18 ng cm−2 h−1 for DADS and 0.22 ng cm−2 h−1 for AMS. Subsequently, the garlic ingestion tests were conducted for selected volunteers. The emission flux of DADS increased just after grilled garlic ingestion and decreased gradually thereafter. In contrast, the dermal emission flux of AMS reached a peak at 30 min after ingestion, and then gradually decreased. This peak shift suggests AMS is relatively latent in the skin organs.
Evolution and Determinants of Lung Function until Late Infancy among Infants Born Preterm
Authors: Lai Shen-Hao , Chiang Ming-Chou , Chu Shih-Ming , Hsu Jen-Fu , Yao Tsung-Chieh , Tsai Ming-Han , Hua Man-Chin , Chiu Chih-Yung , Yeh Kuo-Wei , Huang Jing-Long , Liao Sui-Ling
Published: January 2020

To investigate the evolution of lung function in preterm infants with and without bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) and to determine the perinatal characteristics associated with indexes of lung function in later infancy. Longitudinal lung function assessments were performed at approximately 6, 12, 18, and 24 months of corrected age in preterm infants. Perinatal characteristics were further analyzed to ascertain the determinants of lung function indexes. Although all preterm infants (n = 121; 61 without BPD and 60 with BPD) exhibited decreased lung function in early infancy (6 months of age), after body length was adjusted for, only infants with BPD exhibited poor performance. Furthermore, the lung function of infants with mild to moderate BPD caught up gradually, but the generally poor lung function performance of infants with severe BPD, especially in forced expiratory flow, persisted until later age (24 months). Regarding perinatal characteristics, the z-score of body length at the time of examination and total number of days on positive-pressure ventilation are the major determinants of lung function in later infancy.
Risk factors for carpal tunnel syndrome or trigger finger following distal radius fracture: a nationwide study
Authors: Yeh Kuang-Ting , Lee Ru-Ping , Yu Tzai-Chiu , Wang Jen-Hung , Liu Kuan-Lin , Peng Cheng-Huan , Chen Hao-Wen , Chen Ing-Ho , Hsu Chung-Yi , Lin Cheng-Li , Wu Wen-Tien
Published: January 2020

New-onset carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) and trigger finger after distal radius fractures (DRFs) with or without open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) have been reported inconsistently across different studies. This study assessed the incidence of CTS and trigger finger after DRFs using Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database. In total, 1454 patients in the case (ORIF) cohort and 1454 patients in the control (non-ORIF) cohort were included in this retrospective study. The mean age was approximately 55 years old, and the female to male ratio was approximately 3/2. Nine patients underwent carpal tunnel release (CTR) surgery after diagnosis of CTS in the case group, and no patients did in the control group; whereas 19 cases of CTS were diagnosed without CTR in the case group, and 4 such cases were observed in the control group. Five cases of trigger finger were diagnosed in the case group, and 3 cases were diagnosed in the control group. CTS were significantly associated with ORIF for DRFs within 9 months after the fracture, whereas trigger finger was not significantly different between groups. Diabetes mellitus was a significant risk factor for CTS and trigger finger within 9 months after the incidence of DRFs.
The Difference in the Changes of Indoxyl Sulfate after Catheter Ablation among Atrial Fibrillation Patients with and without Kidney Dysfunction
Authors: Koike Hideki , Morita Toshisuke , Tatebe Junko , Watanabe Ippei , Shinohara Masaya , Kinoshita Toshio , Yuzawa Hitomi , Suzuki Takeya , Fujino Tadashi , Ikeda Takanori
Published: January 2020

Indoxyl sulfate (IS), a protein-bound uremic toxin, induces chronic kidney disease (CKD) and atrial fibrillation (AF). Catheter ablation (CA) of AF improves the renal function. However, the transition of uremic toxins is unclear. This study aimed to investigate the transition of the serum IS level in AF patients with and without CKD after CA. A total of 138 consecutive AF patients who underwent CA and maintained sinus rhythm were prospectively enrolled (paroxysmal AF 67.4%). The patients were divided into 4 groups (non-CKD/low-IS:68, non-CKD/high-IS:28, CKD/low-IS:13, and CKD/high-IS:29). The plasma IS levels and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) were determined before and 1-year after CA. CKD was defined as CKD stage III and a high-IS according to the mean IS (IS ≥ 1.1 μg/ml). CA significantly improved the eGFR in CKD patients (p < 0.001). The serum IS level in the non-CKD/high-IS group was significantly decreased (from 1.7 ± 0.7 to 1.1 ± 0.6 μg/ml, p < 0.001). However, the serum IS level in the CKD/high-IS group did not improve (from 1.9 ± 0.9 to 1.7 ± 0.7 μg/ml, p = 0.22). The change in the IS in the CKD patients significantly differed from that in those without CKD. In the CKD patients, CA did not significantly decrease the IS, a risk factor of CKD, regardless of an improved eGFR.
Positron Annihilation Spectroscopy Study of Carbon-Vacancy Interaction in Low-Temperature Bainite
Authors: Rementeria Rosalia , Domínguez-Reyes Ricardo , Capdevila Carlos , Garcia-Mateo Carlos , Caballero Francisca G.
Published: January 2020

Nano-scale investigations of bainitic structures formed at temperatures below 350 °C have shown that the bainitic ferrite lattice is super-saturated in carbon. A high density of intrinsic defects would be playing a part in the carbon-supersaturation levels detected. In this work, the role of C−vacancy complexes on carbon-supersaturation in low temperature bainite is investigated by means of Positron Annihilation Spectroscopy. Results reveal the presence of a significant amount of monovacancies in the structures that plays an important role on the formation of carbon clusters in the ferrite lattice of nano-scale bainitic structures.
The matrix vesicle cargo miR-125b accumulates in the bone matrix, inhibiting bone resorption in mice
Authors: Minamizaki Tomoko , Nakao Yuko , Irie Yasumasa , Ahmed Faisal , Itoh Shota , Sarmin Nushrat , Yoshioka Hirotaka , Nobukiyo Asako , Fujimoto Chise , Niida Shumpei , Sotomaru Yusuke , Tanimoto Kotaro , Kozai Katsuyuki , Sugiyama Toshie , Bonnelye Edith , Takei Yuichiro , Yoshiko Yuji
Published: January 2020

Communication between osteoblasts and osteoclasts plays a key role in bone metabolism. We describe here an unexpected role for matrix vesicles (MVs), which bud from bone-forming osteoblasts and have a well-established role in initiation of bone mineralization, in osteoclastogenesis. We show that the MV cargo miR-125b accumulates in the bone matrix, with increased accumulation in transgenic (Tg) mice overexpressing miR-125b in osteoblasts. Bone formation and osteoblasts in Tg mice are normal, but the number of bone-resorbing osteoclasts is reduced, leading to higher trabecular bone mass. miR-125b in the bone matrix targets and degrades Prdm1, a transcriptional repressor of anti-osteoclastogenic factors, in osteoclast precursors. Overexpressing miR-125b in osteoblasts abrogates bone loss in different mouse models. Our results show that the MV cargo miR-125b is a regulatory element of osteoblast-osteoclast communication, and that bone matrix provides extracellular storage of miR-125b that is functionally active in bone resorption.
Sol–gel synthesis of large-sized polycrystalline stannous oxide and its oxidation behavior
Authors: Deng Peimiao , Xie Weiguang , Fang Zhiqiang , Ning Honglong , Liang Zhihao , Zhang Xu , Yuan Weijian , Wang Yiping , Yao Rihui , Peng Junbiao
Published: January 2020

The large-sized polycrystalline stannous oxide (SnO) synthesized by a sol–gel method was found to have attractive crystal structural properties and thermo-oxidative stability.
Enhanced light harvesting ability in zeolitic imidazolate frameworks through energy transfer from CdS nanowires
Authors: Zhou Yixuan , Hu Wenhui , Yang Sizhuo , Huang Jier
Published: January 2020

We report the enhanced light harvesting ability of ZIF-67 through efficient energy transfer from CdS nanowires to ZIF-67.
Pt-Substituted polyoxometalate modification on the surface of low-cost TiO2with highly efficient H2evolution performance
Authors: Cao Yun-Dong , Yin Di , Wang Ming-Liang , Pang Tao , Lv Yuguang , Liu Bo , Gao Guang-Gang , Ma Lulu , Liu Hong
Published: January 2020

An efficient photocatalyst has been synthesized by modification of Pt-polyoxometalate on commercial TiO2surface. The proposed nanocomposite demonstrates a new model complex for efficient and stable H2evolution.
Carvacryl acetate, a semisynthetic monoterpenic ester obtained from essential oils, provides neuroprotection against cerebral ischemia reperfusion-induced oxidative stress injury via the Nrf2 signalling pathway
Authors: Song Ying , Wang Li-Bo , Bei Yun , Qin Dong-Xu , Ai Li-Yao , Ma Qi-Zhuang , Lin Pei-Yao
Published: January 2020

Carvacryl acetate (CA) is a semisynthetic monoterpenic ester obtained from essential oils, and it exerts an antioxidation effect.
Catalytic O–H bond insertion reactions using surface modified sewage sludge as a catalyst
Authors: Zhang Zhipeng , Yu Yang , Huang Fei , Yi Xiangyan , Xu Yao , He Yide , Baell Jonathan B. , Huang He
Published: January 2020

More economically and greener surface modified sewage sludge for carbene insertion of diazo compounds into O–H bond of phenols with good yields and high functional group tolerance.
Symbiotic, low-temperature, and scalable synthesis of bi-magnetic complex oxide nanocomposites
Authors: Sayed F. , Kotnana G. , Muscas G. , Locardi F. , Comite A. , Varvaro G. , Peddis D. , Barucca G. , Mathieu R. , Sarkar T.
Published: January 2020

Low-temperature, symbiotic synthesis of nanocomposites, with heat of formation of phase1 crystallizing phase2, and phase2 preventing grain growth of phase1.
Computational insights into structural, electronic and optical characteristics of GeC/C2N van der Waals heterostructures: effects of strain engineering and electric field
Authors: Nguyen Hong T. T. , Vu Tuan V. , Pham Van Thinh , Hieu Nguyen N. , Phuc Huynh V. , Hoi Bui D. , Binh Nguyen T. T. , Idrees M. , Amin B. , Nguyen Chuong V.
Published: January 2020

Vertical heterostructures from two or more than two two-dimensional materials are recently considered as an effective tool for tuning the electronic properties of materials and for designing future high-performance nanodevices.
Continuous-flow synthesis of dimethyl fumarate: a powerful small molecule for the treatment of psoriasis and multiple sclerosis
Authors: Lima Marcelo T. , Finelli Fernanda G. , de Oliveira Alline V. B. , Kartnaller Vinicius , Cajaiba João F. , Leão Raquel A. C. , de Souza Rodrigo O. M. A.
Published: January 2020

Dimethyl fumarate (DMF) has recently gained attention due to its use as a pro-drug in different pharmaceutical preparations, here in we present our work on a cascade methodology in short reaction times and quantitative yields.
Electrochemical CO2 reduction on nanostructured metal electrodes: fact or defect?
Authors: Kas Recep , Yang Kailun , Bohra Divya , Kortlever Ruud , Burdyny Thomas , Smith Wilson A.
Published: January 2020

Do self-standing porous electrodes truly offer better selectivity, activity, stability and lower onset potentials?