bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Reconfigurable beam system for non-line-of-sight free-space optical communication
Authors: Cao Zizheng , Zhang Xuebing , Osnabrugge Gerwin , Li Juhao , Vellekoop Ivo M. , Koonen Antonius M. J.
Published: July 2019

In this paper, we propose a reconfigurable beam-shaping system to permit energy-efficient non-line-of-sight (NLOS) free-space optical communication. Light is steered around obstacles blocking the direct communication pathway and reaches a receiver after reflecting off of a diffuse surface. A coherent array optical transmitter (CAO-Tx) is used to spatially shape the wavefront of the light incident on a diffuse surface. Wavefront shaping is used to enhance the amount of diffusely reflected light reaching the optical receiver. Synthetic NLOS experiments for a signal reflected over an angular range of 20° are presented. A record-breaking 30-Gbit/s orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing signal is transmitted over a diffused optical wireless link with a >17-dB gain.
Structural insights into E1 recognition and the ubiquitin-conjugating activity of the E2 enzyme Cdc34
Authors: Williams Katelyn M. , Qie Shuo , Atkison James H. , Salazar-Arango Sabrina , Alan Diehl J. , Olsen Shaun K.
Published: July 2019

Ubiquitin (Ub) signaling requires the sequential interactions and activities of three enzymes, E1, E2, and E3. Cdc34 is an E2 that plays a key role in regulating cell cycle progression and requires unique structural elements to function. The molecular basis by which Cdc34 engages its E1 and the structural mechanisms by which its unique C-terminal extension functions in Cdc34 activity are unknown. Here, we present crystal structures of Cdc34 alone and in complex with E1, and a Cdc34~Ub thioester mimetic that represents the product of Uba1-Cdc34 Ub transthiolation. These structures reveal conformational changes in Uba1 and Cdc34 and a unique binding mode that are required for transthiolation. The Cdc34~Ub structure reveals contacts between the Cdc34 C-terminal extension and Ub that stabilize Cdc34~Ub in a closed conformation and are critical for Ub discharge. Altogether, our structural, biochemical, and cell-based studies provide insights into the molecular mechanisms by which Cdc34 function in cells.
A safe and non-flammable sodium metal battery based on an ionic liquid electrolyte
Authors: Sun Hao , Zhu Guanzhou , Xu Xintong , Liao Meng , Li Yuan-Yao , Angell Michael , Gu Meng , Zhu Yuanmin , Hung Wei Hsuan , Li Jiachen , Kuang Yun , Meng Yongtao , Lin Meng-Chang , Peng Huisheng , Dai Hongjie
Published: July 2019

Rechargeable sodium metal batteries with high energy density could be important to a wide range of energy applications in modern society. The pursuit of higher energy density should ideally come with high safety, a goal difficult for electrolytes based on organic solvents. Here we report a chloroaluminate ionic liquid electrolyte comprised of aluminium chloride/1-methyl-3-ethylimidazolium chloride/sodium chloride ionic liquid spiked with two important additives, ethylaluminum dichloride and 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide. This leads to the first chloroaluminate based ionic liquid electrolyte for rechargeable sodium metal battery. The obtained batteries reached voltages up to ~ 4 V, high Coulombic efficiency up to 99.9%, and high energy and power density of ~ 420 Wh kg−1 and ~ 1766 W kg−1, respectively. The batteries retained over 90% of the original capacity after 700 cycles, suggesting an effective approach to sodium metal batteries with high energy/high power density, long cycle life and high safety.
EOMES interacts with RUNX3 and BRG1 to promote innate memory cell formation through epigenetic reprogramming
Authors: Istaces Nicolas , Splittgerber Marion , Lima Silva Viviana , Nguyen Muriel , Thomas Séverine , Le Aurore , Achouri Younes , Calonne Emilie , Defrance Matthieu , Fuks François , Goriely Stanislas , Azouz Abdulkader
Published: July 2019

Memory CD8+ T cells have the ability to provide lifelong immunity against pathogens. Although memory features generally arise after challenge with a foreign antigen, naïve CD8 single positive (SP) thymocytes may acquire phenotypic and functional characteristics of memory cells in response to cytokines such as interleukin-4. This process is associated with the induction of the T-box transcription factor Eomesodermin (EOMES). However, the underlying molecular mechanisms remain ill-defined. Using epigenomic profiling, we show that these innate memory CD8SP cells acquire only a portion of the active enhancer repertoire of conventional memory cells. This reprograming is secondary to EOMES recruitment, mostly to RUNX3-bound enhancers. Furthermore, EOMES is found within chromatin-associated complexes containing BRG1 and promotes the recruitment of this chromatin remodelling factor. Also, the in vivo acquisition of EOMES-dependent program is BRG1-dependent. In conclusion, our results support a strong epigenetic basis for the EOMES-driven establishment of CD8+ T cell innate memory program.
Indomethacin reduces rates of aortic dissection and rupture of the abdominal aorta by inhibiting monocyte/macrophage accumulation in a murine model
Authors: Tomida Shota , Aizawa Kenichi , Nishida Norifumi , Aoki Hiroki , Imai Yasushi , Nagai Ryozo , Suzuki Toru
Published: July 2019

Aortic dissection is a life-threatening condition, which is characterised by separation of the constituent layers of the aortic wall. We have recently shown that monocyte/macrophage infiltration into the aortic wall is a pathogenic mechanism of the condition. In the present study, we investigated whether the anti-inflammatory agent, indomethacin, could inhibit monocyte/macrophage accumulation in the aortic wall and ensuing dissection. Indomethacin was administered (from 3 days prior with daily oral administration) to mice in which aortic dissection was induced using beta-aminopropionitrile (BAPN) and angiotensin II (Ang II) infusion (2 weeks). Indomethacin prevented death from abdominal aortic dissection and decreased incidence of aortic dissection by as high as 40%. Histological and flow cytometry analyses showed that indomethacin administration resulted in inhibition of monocyte transendothelial migration and monocyte/macrophage accumulation in the aortic wall. These results indicate that indomethacin administration reduces rate of onset of aortic dissection in a murine model of the condition.
Differential responses of epithelial cells from urinary and biliary tract to eggs of Schistosoma haematobium and S. mansoni
Authors: Nacif-Pimenta Rafael , da Silva Orfanó Alessandra , Mosley Ilana A. , Karinshak Shannon E. , Ishida Kenji , Mann Victoria H. , Coelho Paulo Marcos Zech , da Costa José M. Correia , Hsieh Michael H. , Brindley Paul J. , Rinaldi Gabriel
Published: July 2019

Chronic urogenital schistosomiasis can lead to squamous cell carcinoma of the bladder. The International Agency for Research on Cancer classifies the infection withS.haematobiumas a group 1 carcinogen, a definitive cause of cancer. By contrast, hepatointestinal schistosomiasis due to the chronic infection withS.mansoniorS.japonicumassociated with liver periportal fibrosis, does not apparently lead to malignancy. The effects of culturing human epithelial cells, HCV29, established from normal urothelium, and H69, established from cholangiocytes, in the presence ofS.haematobiumorS.mansonieggs were investigated. Cell growth of cells co-cultured with schistosome eggs was monitored in real time, and gene expression analysis of oncogenesis, epithelial to mesenchymal transition and apoptosis pathways was undertaken. Schistosome eggs promoted proliferation of the urothelial cells but inhibited growth of cholangiocytes. In addition, the tumor suppressor P53 pathway was significantly downregulated when exposed to schistosome eggs, and downregulation of estrogen receptor was predicted in urothelial cells exposed only toS.haematobiumeggs. Overall, cell proliferative responses were influenced by both the tissue origin of the epithelial cells and the schistosome species.
Understanding Calcium-Mediated Adhesion of Nanomaterials in Reservoir Fluids by Insights from Molecular Dynamics Simulations
Authors: Chen Hsieh , Eichmann Shannon L. , Burnham Nancy A.
Published: July 2019

Interest in nanomaterials for subsurface applications has grown markedly due to their successful application in a variety of disciplines, such as biotechnology and medicine. Nevertheless, nanotechnology application in the petroleum industry presents greater challenges to implementation because of the harsh conditions (i.e. high temperature, high pressure, and high salinity) that exist in the subsurface that far exceed those present in biological applications. The most common subsurface nanomaterial failures include colloidal instability (aggregation) and sticking to mineral surfaces (irreversible retention). We previously reported an atomic force microscopy (AFM) study on the calcium-mediated adhesion of nanomaterials in reservoir fluids (S. L. Eichmann and N. A. Burnham, Sci. Rep. 7, 11613, 2017), where we discovered that the functionalized and bare AFM tips showed mitigated adhesion forces in calcium ion rich fluids. Herein, molecular dynamics reveal the molecular-level details in the AFM experiments. Special attention was given to the carboxylate-functionalized AFM tips because of their prominent ion-specific effects. The simulation results unambiguously demonstrated that in calcium ion rich fluids, the strong carboxylate-calcium ion complexes prevented direct carboxylate-calcite interactions, thus lowering the AFM adhesion forces. We performed the force measurement simulations on five representative calcite crystallographic surfaces and observed that the adhesion forces were about two to three fold higher in the calcium ion deficient fluids compared to the calcium ion rich fluids for all calcite surfaces. Moreover, in calcium ion deficient fluids, the adhesion forces were significantly stronger on the calcite surfaces with higher calcium ion exposures. This indicated that the interactions between the functionalized AFM tips and the calcite surfaces were mainly through carboxylate interactions with the calcium ions on calcite surfaces. Finally, when analyzing the order parameters of the tethered functional groups, we observed significantly different behavior of the alkanethiols depending on the absence or presence of calcium ions. These observations agreed well with AFM experiments and provided new insights for the competing carboxylate/calcite/calcium ion interactions.
The Impact of Vascular Access Types on Hemodialysis Patient Long-term Survival
Authors: Yeh Li-Mei , Chiu Sherry Yueh-Hsia , Lai Ping-Chin
Published: July 2019

Vascular access (VA) is the cornerstone for carrying out hemodialysis, yet it may bring in complications and leads to hemodialysis quality decline. This study aimed to explore the impact of vascular access types, including arteriovenous shunts and central venous catheter on all-cause mortality after adjustment of other risk factors. Total 738 ESRD patients aged over 40 year old receiving regular hemodialysis therapies were recruited between January 2001 and December 2010 from a single hemodialysis center in northern Taiwan. We ascertained the causes and date of death by linking our hospital database with Nationwide Mortality Registry Database. VA types and biochemistry parameters were extracted from the electronic hospital records. Patients were categorized into three groups, including (1)arteriovenous shunts (AVF)/arteriovenous shunts with Gortex®(AVG); (2)AVF/AVG combined central venous catheter; (3)catheter only. The time-dependent influence of vascular types i.e. initiation and follow-up period was also assessed. The mean follow-up time was 4.5 years. In patients using central venous catheter for initiation of hemodialysis, the adjusted hazard ratio (HR) for all-cause mortality was 1.55(95%CI: 1.09, 2.21), when compared with AVF/AVG. In the follow-up period, after adjustment for other risk factors, the multivariable analysis showed that the adjusted HRs were 3.23(95%CI: 1.85, 5.64) and 1.45(95%CI: 1.11, 1.91) for catheter only and AVF/AVG plus catheter, respectively. Our results showed that vascular accesses used for hemodialysis had different and time-dependent impact on patients’ long-term survival. Patients who started hemodialysis with central venous catheter had significantly higher all-cause mortality rate. Furthermore, in the follow-up period, patients both in the catheter only and AVF/AVG plus catheter groups also had the significant all-cause mortality rates. Our results support the early establishment of arteriovenous shunt for the chronic kidney disease patients.
Uncovering the Networks of Topological Neighborhoods in β-Strand and Amyloid β-Sheet Structures
Authors: Zhai Luhan , Otani Yuko , Ohwada Tomohiko
Published: July 2019

Although multiple hydrophobic, aromatic π–π, and electrostatic interactions are proposed to be involved in amyloid fibril formation, the precise interactions within amyloid structures remain poorly understood. Here, we carried out detailed quantum theory of atoms-in-molecules (QTAIM) analysis to examine the hydrophobic core of amyloid parallel and antiparallel β-sheet structures, and found the presence of multiple inter-strand and intra-strand topological neighborhoods, represented by networks of through-space bond paths. Similar bond paths from side chain to side chain and from side chain to main chain were found in a single β-strand and in di- and tripeptides. Some of these bond-path networks were enhanced upon β-sheet formation. Overall, our results indicate that the cumulative network of weak interactions, including various types of hydrogen bonding (X-H—Y; X, Y = H, C, O, N, S), as well asnon-H-non-H bond paths, is characteristic of amyloid β-sheet structure. The present study postulated that the presence of multiple through-space bond-paths, which are local and directional, can coincide with the attractive proximity effect in forming peptide assemblies. This is consistent with a new view of the van der Waals (vdW) interactions, one of the origins of hydrophobic interaction, which is updating to be a directional intermolecular force.
QuEST and High Performance Simulation of Quantum Computers
Authors: Jones Tyson , Brown Anna , Bush Ian , Benjamin Simon C.
Published: July 2019

We introduce QuEST, the Quantum Exact Simulation Toolkit, and compare it to ProjectQ, qHipster and a recent distributed implementation of Quantum++. QuEST is the first open source, hybrid multithreaded and distributed, GPU accelerated simulator of universal quantum circuits. Embodied as a C library, it is designed so that a user’s code can be deployed seamlessly to any platform from a laptop to a supercomputer. QuEST is capable of simulating generic quantum circuits of general one and two-qubit gates and multi-qubit controlled gates, on pure and mixed states, represented as state-vectors and density matrices, and under the presence of decoherence. Using the ARCUS and ARCHER supercomputers, we benchmark QuEST’s simulation of random circuits of up to 38 qubits, distributed over up to 2048 compute nodes, each with up to 24 cores. We directly compare QuEST’s performance to ProjectQ’s on single machines, and discuss the differences in distribution strategies of QuEST, qHipster and Quantum++. QuEST shows excellent scaling, both strong and weak, on multicore and distributed architectures.
Deep Learning Fundus Image Analysis for Diabetic Retinopathy and Macular Edema Grading
Authors: Sahlsten Jaakko , Jaskari Joel , Kivinen Jyri , Turunen Lauri , Jaanio Esa , Hietala Kustaa , Kaski Kimmo
Published: July 2019

Diabetes is a globally prevalent disease that can cause visible microvascular complications such as diabetic retinopathy and macular edema in the human eye retina, the images of which are today used for manual disease screening and diagnosis. This labor-intensive task could greatly benefit from automatic detection using deep learning technique. Here we present a deep learning system that identifies referable diabetic retinopathy comparably or better than presented in the previous studies, although we use only a small fraction of images (<1/4) in training but are aided with higher image resolutions. We also provide novel results for five different screening and clinical grading systems for diabetic retinopathy and macular edema classification, including state-of-the-art results for accurately classifying images according to clinical five-grade diabetic retinopathy and for the first time for the four-grade diabetic macular edema scales. These results suggest, that a deep learning system could increase the cost-effectiveness of screening and diagnosis, while attaining higher than recommended performance, and that the system could be applied in clinical examinations requiring finer grading.
A combined experimental and theoretical study of radon solubility in fat and water
Authors: Sanjon Elvira P. , Maier Andreas , Hinrichs Annika , Kraft Gerhard , Drossel Barbara , Fournier Claudia
Published: July 2019

Radon is a radioactive noble gas that can enter the human body, thus increasing the risk of lung cancer. But it is also used for treatment of various ailments, most notably rheumatoid arthritis. The accumulation of radon differs between tissues, with particularly high concentrations in fat tissue. To understand the underlying mechanisms, a combination of γ-spectroscopy and molecular dynamics simulations were performed, to study the accumulation of radon gas in contact with several liquids (water, fatty acids). The solubilities, specific for a defined radon activity concentration, are in good agreement and differ by two orders of magnitude between water and fat, caused by radon disrupting the hydrogen bond network of water. In contrast, the energy cost of introducing radon atoms into fat is low due to the dispersive interaction between radon and fat, which is a non-polar solvent. This correlation was also explicitly demonstrated in our simulations by changing the polarization of the solvent.
Response of Chloris truncata to moisture stress, elevated carbon dioxide and herbicide application
Authors: Weller S. L. , Florentine S. K. , Mutti N. K. , Jha Prashant , Chauhan Bhagirath S.
Published: July 2019

Herbicide resistance has been observed in Chloris truncata, an Australian native C4 grass and a summer-fallow weed, which is common in no-till agriculture situations where herbicides are involved in crop management. To investigate the role of drought and increased atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) in determining weed growth, three trials were conducted using a ‘glyphosate-resistant’ and a ‘glyphosate-susceptible’ biotype. The first two trials tested the effect of herbicide (glyphosate) application on plant survival and growth under moisture stress and elevated CO2 respectively. A third trial investigated the effect on plant growth and reproduction under conditions of moisture stress and elevated CO2 in the absence of herbicide. In the first trial, water was withheld from half of the plants prior to application of glyphosate to all plants, and in the second trial plants were grown in either ambient (450 ppm) or elevated CO2 levels (750 ppm) prior to, and following, herbicide application. In both biotypes, herbicide effectiveness was reduced when plants were subjected to moisture stress or if grown in elevated CO2. Plant productivity, as measured by dry biomass per plant, was reduced with moisture stress, but increased with elevated CO2. In the third trial, growth rate, biomass and seed production were higher in the susceptible biotype compared to the resistant biotype. This suggests that a superior ability to resist herbicides may come at a cost to overall plant fitness. The results indicate that control of this weed may become difficult in the future as climatic conditions change.
In vitro and in vivo effects of insulin-producing cells generated by xeno-antigen free 3D culture with RCP piece
Authors: Ikemoto Tetsuya , Feng Rui , Iwahashi Shu-ichi , Yamada Shinichiro , Saito Yu , Morine Yuji , Imura Satoru , Matsuhisa Munehide , Shimada Mitsuo
Published: July 2019

To establish widespread cell therapy for type 1 diabetes mellitus, we aimed to develop an effective protocol for generating insulin-producing cells (IPCs) from adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs). We established a 3D culture using a human recombinant peptide (RCP) petaloid μ-piece with xeno-antigen free reagents. Briefly, we employed our two-step protocol to differentiate ADSCs in 96-well dishes and cultured cells in xeno-antigen free reagents with 0.1 mg/mL RCP μ-piece for 7 days (step 1), followed by addition of histone deacetylase inhibitor for 14 days (step 2). Generated IPCs were strongly stained with dithizone, anti-insulin antibody at day 21, and microstructures resembling insulin secretory granules were detected by electron microscopy. Glucose stimulation index (maximum value, 4.9) and MAFA mRNA expression were significantly higher in 3D cultured cells compared with conventionally cultured cells (P < 0.01 and P < 0.05, respectively). The hyperglycaemic state of streptozotocin-induced diabetic nude mice converted to normoglycaemic state around 14 days after transplantation of 96 IPCs under kidney capsule or intra-mesentery. Histological evaluation revealed that insulin and C-peptide positive structures existed at day 120. Our established xeno-antigen free and RCP petaloid μ-piece 3D culture method for generating IPCs may be suitable for clinical application, due to the proven effectiveness in vitro and in vivo.
Genetic predictors of weight loss in overweight and obese subjects
Authors: Lamiquiz-Moneo Itziar , Mateo-Gallego Rocío , Bea Ana M. , Dehesa-García Blanca , Pérez-Calahorra Sofía , Marco-Benedí Victoria , Baila-Rueda Lucía , Laclaustra Martín , Civeira Fernando , Cenarro Ana
Published: July 2019

The aim of our study was to investigate a large cohort of overweight subjects consuming a homogeneous diet to identify the genetic factors associated with weight loss that could be used as predictive markers in weight loss interventions. We retrospectively recruited subjects (N = 788) aged over 18 years with a Body Mass Index (BMI) between 25 and 40 kg/m2 who were treated at our lipid unit for at least one year from 2008 to 2016, and we also recruited a control group (168 patients) with normal BMIs. All participants received counselling from a nutritionist that included healthy diet and physical activity recommendations. We genotyped 25 single nucleotide variants (SNVs) in 25 genes that were previously associated with obesity and calculated genetic scores that were derived from 25 SNVs. The risk allele in CADM2 showed a higher frequency in overweight and obese subjects than in controls (p = 0.007). The mean follow-up duration was 5.58 ± 2.68 years. Subjects with lower genetic scores showed greater weight loss during the follow-up period. The genetic score was the variable that best explained the variations in weight from the baseline. The genetic score explained 2.4% of weight change variance at one year and 1.6% of weight change variance at the end of the follow-up period after adjusting for baseline weight, sex, age and years of follow-up.
Temporal distribution and biological determinants of thrombotic events after interventions for dialysis vascular access
Authors: Hsieh Mu-Yang , Lee Chih-Kuo , Lo Chien-Ming , Chen Chiu-Hui , Chuang Shao-Yuan , Wu Chih-Cheng
Published: July 2019

Endovascular therapy is the principal therapy for haemodialysis vascular access dysfunction. Nonetheless, the incidence and determinants of post-intervention thrombotic events are unclear. This prospective cohort study evaluated the incidence and timing of thrombotic events after endovascular therapy and analysed the clinical, angiographic, and biological determinants of thrombosis. Of the 236 patients enrolled, 91 experienced post-intervention thrombotic events within 1 year. The 1-year thrombosis-free patency was 28% for thrombosed accesses, 53% for non-thrombosed grafts, and 78% for non-thrombosed fistulas. Forty-one of the 91 thrombotic events (45%) occurred within 3 months post-intervention. In the univariate analysis, early thrombosis was associated with longer haemodialysis duration (hazard ratio [HR], 1.01; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.01–1.02), graft access (HR, 7.69; 95% CI, 3.33–20.0), multiple stenoses (HR, 2.69; 95% CI, 1.36–5.37), and high indoxyl sulphate (IS) levels (HR, 1.55; 95% CI, 1.32–1.82). Late thrombosis was associated with diabetes (HR, 1.89; 95% CI, 1.01–3.57), cardiovascular disease (HR, 2.38; 95% CI, 1.27–4.54), and endothelial progenitor cell counts (HR, 0.97; 95% CI, 0.93–0.99). After multivariate adjustment, high IS was the major predisposing factor for early post-intervention thrombosis (HR, 1.41; 95% CI, 1.18–1.69). Our findings suggest that measures to decrease IS could target the most critical period of thrombosis.
A brain-permeable inhibitor of the neurodegenerative disease target kynurenine 3-monooxygenase prevents accumulation of neurotoxic metabolites
Authors: Zhang Shaowei , Sakuma Michiyo , Deora Girdhar S. , Levy Colin W. , Klausing Alex , Breda Carlo , Read Kevin D. , Edlin Chris D. , Ross Benjamin P. , Wright Muelas Marina , Day Philip J. , O’Hagan Stephen , Kell Douglas B. , Schwarcz Robert , Leys David , Heyes Derren J. , Giorgini Flaviano , Scrutton Nigel S.
Published: July 2019

Dysregulation of the kynurenine pathway (KP) leads to imbalances in neuroactive metabolites associated with the pathogenesis of several neurodegenerative disorders, including Huntington’s disease (HD). Inhibition of the enzyme kynurenine 3-monooxygenase (KMO) in the KP normalises these metabolic imbalances and ameliorates neurodegeneration and related phenotypes in several neurodegenerative disease models. KMO is thus a promising candidate drug target for these disorders, but known inhibitors are not brain permeable. Here, 19 new KMO inhibitors have been identified. One of these (1) is neuroprotective in a Drosophila HD model but is minimally brain penetrant in mice. The prodrug variant (1b) crosses the blood–brain barrier, releases 1 in the brain, thereby lowering levels of 3-hydroxykynurenine, a toxic KP metabolite linked to neurodegeneration. Prodrug 1b will advance development of targeted therapies against multiple neurodegenerative and neuroinflammatory diseases in which KP likely plays a role, including HD, Alzheimer’s disease, and Parkinson’s disease.
Carbene-catalyzed asymmetric Friedel–Crafts alkylation-annulation sequence and rapid synthesis of indole-fused polycyclic alkaloids
Authors: Anwar Muhammad , Yang Shuang , Xu Weici , Liu Jinggong , Perveen Saima , Kong Xiangwen , Zehra Syeda Tazeen , Fang Xinqiang
Published: July 2019

Organocatalyzed asymmetric Friedel–Craft reactions have enabled the rapid construction of chiral molecules with highly enantioselectivity enriching the toolbox of chemists for producing complex substances. Here, we report N-heterocyclic carbene-catalyzed asymmetric indole Friedel–Crafts alkylation-annulation with α,β-unsaturated acyl azolium as the key intermediate, affording a large variety of indole-fused polycyclic alkaloids with excellent diastereo- and enantioselectivities. The reaction mechanism is also investigated, and the reaction products can be easily converted to highly functionalized indole frameworks with different core structures.
A sample pre-treatment-free electrochemical immunosensor with negative electro-pulsion for the quantitative detection of acrylamide in coffee, cocoa and prune juice
Authors: Lau Pei Ying , Ng Khan Loon , Yusof Nor Azah , Liu Guozhen , Alias Yatimah , Khor Sook Mei
Published: July 2019

Displacement of an antibody enhanced by negative electro-pulsion.
A label-free turn ON–OFF chemiluminescence strategy for lysozyme detection by target-triggered Cu2−xSe aggregation
Authors: Zou Hong Yan , Zhang Fang Fang , Guo Qing Juan , Yang Tong , Huang Cheng Zhi
Published: July 2019

A label-free and sensitive turn on-off CL probe for Lys by modulating the biocatalytic ability of the Cu2−xSe was developed. The good catalytic ability of Cu2−xSe were suppressed for the aggregation when Lys was added, inducing the CL signal off.
A light activated CMP conjugated 8-aminoquinoline turn-on fluorescent optode for selective determination of Th4+in an aqueous environment
Authors: Kumar R. Selva , Ashok Kumar S. K.
Published: July 2019

A new dibutyl(2-oxo-2-(quinolin-8-ylamino)ethyl)phosphinate (L) was designed, synthesised and developed as a light activated optode for Th4+determination.
Bioaccessibility, antioxidant activity and modulation effect on gut microbiota of bioactive compounds from Moringa oleifera Lam. leaves during digestion and fermentation in vitro
Authors: Dou Zuman , Chen Chun , Fu Xiong
Published: July 2019

This study aims to investigate the bioaccessibility, bioactivity and gut microbiota modulation effect of Moringa oleifera Lam. leaves after in vitro gastrointestinal digestion and colonic fermentation.
Dual targeting of folate receptor-expressing glioma tumor-associated macrophages and epithelial cells in the brain using a carbon nanosphere–cationic folate nanoconjugate
Authors: Elechalawar Chandra Kumar , Bhattacharya Dwaipayan , Ahmed Mohammed Tanveer , Gora Halley , Sridharan Kathyayani , Chaturbedy Piyush , Sinha Sarmistha Halder , Chandra Sekhar Jaggarapu Madhan Mohan , Narayan Kumar Pranav , Chakravarty Sumana , Eswaramoorthy Muthusamy , Kundu Tapas Kumar , Banerjee Rajkumar
Published: July 2019

A carbon nanosphere-based dual strategy to target tumor-associated macrophages and tumor cells in glioma lesions within the brain.
Defect-enriched tunability of electronic and charge-carrier transport characteristics of 2D borocarbonitride (BCN) monolayers fromab initiocalculations
Authors: Yadav Vivek K. , Chakraborty Himanshu , Klein Michael L. , Waghmare Umesh V. , Rao C. N. R.
Published: July 2019

Development of inexpensive and efficient photo- and electro-catalysts is vital for clean energy applications.
Halide ion influence on the formation of nickel nanoparticles and their conversion into hollow nickel phosphide and sulphide nanocrystals
Authors: Himstedt Rasmus , Hinrichs Dominik , Sann Joachim , Weller Anica , Steinhauser Georg , Dorfs Dirk
Published: July 2019

Halide ions facilitate the formation of crystalline tri-n-octylphosphine-capped Ni nanoparticles, enabling their conversion to hollow nickel phosphide or sulphide nanocrystals.
Tunable aggregation-induced circularly polarized luminescence of chiral AIEgens via the regulation of mono-/di-substituents of molecules or nanostructures of self-assemblies
Authors: Zhang Shuwei , Fan Jie , Wang Yuxiang , Li Dong , Jia Xiaodong , Yuan Yu , Cheng Yixiang
Published: July 2019

Tunable aggregation-induced CPL signals with the maximal glum up to 0.02 were obtained from chiral AIEgens through the regulation of mono-/di-substituents of molecules or nanostructures of self-assemblies.
Heavy metal removal from aqueous systems using hydroxyapatite nanocrystals derived from clam shells
Authors: Núñez Dariela , Serrano Jon Ander , Mancisidor Aritz , Elgueta Elizabeth , Varaprasad Kokkarachedu , Oyarzún Patricio , Cáceres Rodrigo , Ide Walther , Rivas Bernabé L.
Published: July 2019

Removal of Pb(ii), Cu(ii) and Cd(ii) was attained using hydroxyapatite nanocrystals derived from clam shells, in batch and column experiments.
Achieving high performance poly(vinylidene fluoride) dielectric composites via in situ polymerization of polypyrrole nanoparticles on hydroxylated BaTiO3 particles
Authors: Xie Xu , He Zhen-zhen , Qi Xiao-dong , Yang Jing-hui , Lei Yan-zhou , Wang Yong
Published: July 2019

PPy@BTOH composite particles with a ‘mulberry-like’ structure are fabricated to prepare dielectric composites with excellent comprehensive dielectric properties.
Martensitic organic crystals as soft actuators
Authors: Li Liang , Commins Patrick , Al-Handawi Marieh B. , Karothu Durga Prasad , Halabi Jad Mahmoud , Schramm Stefan , Weston James , Rezgui Rachid , Naumov Panče
Published: July 2019

Being capable of rapid and complete structure switching, the martensitic phase transitions in molecular crystals are thought to hold a tremendous potential as thermally driven organic actuators.
Core–shell TiO2@C ultralong nanotubes with enhanced adsorption of antibiotics
Authors: Wang Zhe , Tang Hongmei , Li Wenyao , Li Jianwei , Xu Ruoyu , Zhang Kenan , He Guanjie , Shearing Paul R. , Brett Dan J. L.
Published: July 2019

As materials capable of adsorbing antibiotics continue to be developed, composite adsorbents have been shown to offer advantages over mono-material adsorbents.
Enhancement of superconductivity in FeNbxSe0.95 by hole carrier doping
Authors: Ma Qingshuang , Lan Feng , Qiu Wenbin , Li Xinhua , Ma Zongqing , Li Huijun , Liu Yongchang
Published: July 2019

FeSe has attracted considerable attention over the past few years due to its unique superconductivity and electronic properties.
An Investigation of Taste Intensity, Palatability, Effervescence, and Sip Volumes of Carbonated Liquid Stimuli for Use in Videofluoroscopic Studies
Authors: Turkington Leisa , Ward Elizabeth C. , Farrell Anna M.
Published: July 2019

Purpose

Existing studies examining the effect of carbonated fluids on swallow physiology under videofluoroscopy (videofluoroscopic swallowing studies [VFSSs]) have significant variability across the fluids tested and limited consideration of the stability of the carbonation or fluid palatability. This study compared the effervescence behavior, carbonation intensity (sour, bite, bubble), palatability, and sip volumes of carbonated liquids as used in VFSSs and control samples.

Method

Forty-two healthy women (20 supertasters, 22 nontasters; 20–61 years old) took sips of 4 different liquids (water, carbonated water, barium sulfate with sodium bicarbonate granules, and barium sulfate with carbonated water) across 2 time conditions (on preparation and 5 min postpreparation). The 8 conditions were presented in 100-ml amounts, in randomized order. At presentation of each fluid, participants immediately rated effervescence via visual inspection. Then after sips of each fluid, participants rated perceived intensity of sour, “bubbles” and “bite,” and palatability. Sip size was derived from residual volumes. Participant perceptions of fluids were also collected.

Results

The effervescence of barium sulfate with sodium bicarbonate granules, as used in the majority of published studies, was most impacted by time (
p
< .05), rated poorly for palatability, and had the largest impact on sip size (
p
< .05). Participant comments regarding the VFSS fluids were grouped in 4 themes: (a) adverse/other reactions, (b) awareness of sensory properties, (c) physiological reactions, and (d) swallow changes.

Conclusions

The significant differences between liquids regarding effervescence behavior, impact of preparation time, palatability, impact on naturalistic sipping, and patient perceptions warrant consideration when testing carbonated fluids during videofluoroscopy.
Relationships Among Self-Reported Hearing Problems, Psychological Distress, and Cardiovascular Disease in U.S. Adults, National Health Interview Survey 1997–2017
Authors: Xu Dongjuan , Francis Alexander L.
Published: July 2019

Objective

The purpose of this study was to explore the hypothesis that the relationship between hearing problems and cardiovascular disease (CVD) includes a connection to psychological distress.

Design

We used generalized structural equation modeling to assess relationships between self-reported measures of hearing problems, psychological distress, and CVD in a pooled sample of 623,416 adult respondents in the 1997–2017 National Health Interview Survey. Hearing status without hearing aids was self-reported on an ordinal scale and further grouped for this study into 3 categories (excellent or good hearing, little or moderate trouble hearing, and a lot of trouble or deaf). Six CVDs (stroke, angina pectoris, hypertension, heart attack, coronary heart disease, or other heart condition/disease) were incorporated as a latent variable. Psychological distress was evaluated by the Kessler 6 Scale (
Kessler et al., 2010
). All estimates were population weighted, and standard errors were adjusted for a complex survey design.

Results

Nearly 83% reported excellent or good hearing, 14% reported a little or moderate trouble hearing, and 3% reported a lot of trouble hearing or said they were deaf. Hearing problems were positively associated with CVD. Relative to those reporting excellent/good hearing, adults reporting trouble hearing had a higher probability of CVD. Hearing problems were also significantly associated with psychological distress. When psychological distress was applied to the model, positive associations between hearing problems and CVD were attenuated but still significant. Results are consistent with the hypothesis that the connection between self-reported hearing problems and CVD is mediated through psychological distress.

Conclusions

The relationship between self-reported hearing problems and CVD is mediated by psychological distress. Further research is needed to identify causal pathways and psychophysiological mechanisms involved in this relationship and to identify effective methods for addressing cardiovascular health-related psychosocial factors in the treatment of hearing impairment.
ARCH: A dual‐mode fairness‐driven AQM for promoting cooperative behaviour in best effort Internet
Authors: Abbas Ghulam , Raza Usman , Halim Zahid , Kifayat Kashif
Published: July 2019

The cooperative behaviour of end‐systems in efficiently and fairly utilizing the scarce bandwidth is of paramount significance in the best effort Internet. Not only does the uncooperative behaviour result in unfairness, but it may also induce congestion collapse. How to urge end‐systems to share the bandwidth cooperatively is a problem that depends, in essence, on incentives. This study presents a novel fairness‐driven active queue management (AQM)‐based incentive scheme to detect and take punitive action against any uncooperative behaviour. Different from all other fairness‐driven AQM schemes, the proposed scheme offers a dual‐mode control function that can adaptively switch between stateless and partial‐state modes in order to be scalable. The control function remains stateless at low to moderate congestion levels and maintains a partial‐state when congestion becomes severe. In the stateless mode, the identification and restriction of unresponsive flows are based on a matched‐drop mechanism having a dynamic drawing factor to differentially drop packets from unresponsive flows. In the partial‐state mode, a fair‐share is estimated and flows whose arrival rates exceed the fair‐share bandwidth get their rates limited to the fair rate. Simulation results demonstrate the reasonable performance improvement of the proposed scheme over well‐known fairness‐driven AQM schemes.
Multi-criterion, automated, high-performance, rapid tool for assessing mucosal visualization quality of still images in small bowel capsule endoscopy
Authors: Oumrani Sarra , Histace Aymeric , Abou Ali Einas , Pietri Olivia , Becq Aymeric , Houist Guy , Nion-Larmurier Isabelle , Camus Marine , Florent Christian , Dray Xavier
Published: July 2019

Background and study aims Capsule endoscopy (CE) is the preferred method for small bowel (SB) exploration. Its diagnostic yield can be reduced by poor mucosal visualization. We aimed to evaluate three electronic parameters – colorimetry, abundance of bubbles, and brightness – to assess the adequacy of mucosal visualization of SB-CE images.

Patients and methods Six-hundred still images were randomly extracted from 30 complete and normal SB-CEs. Three experts independently evaluated these images according to a 10-point assessment grid. Any frame with a mean score above seven was considered adequately cleansed. Each image was analyzed electronically according to the three preset parameters, individually and then combined, with the experts' score as reference. A random forests methodology was used for machine learning and testing.

Results The combination of the three electronic parameters achieved better discrimination of adequately from inadequately cleansed frames as compared to each individual parameter taken separately (sensitivity 90.0 % [95 %C. I. 84.1 – 95.9], specificity 87.7 % [95 %C. I. 81.3 – 94.2]).

Conclusion This multi-criterion score constitutes a comprehensive, reproducible, reliable, automated and rapid cleansing score for SB-CE frames. A patent is pending at the European patent office.
Non-CF Bronchiectasis as a Possible Indicator of a Primary Immunodeficiency: Diagnosis, Clinical Course, and Quality of Life in a Pediatric Cohort
Authors: Klemann Christian , Kellermann Kinga Beata , Ehl Stephan , Stenzel Martin , Mueller Christoph , Heinzmann Andrea , Bode Sebastian Felix Nepomuk
Published: July 2019

Background Non cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis (NCBE) is an increasingly recognized chronic, progressive respiratory disorder with significant morbidity also in children and adolescents.

Methods We longitudinally assessed a cohort of 35 pediatric patients with NCBE and investigated underlying diagnosis, symptoms, clinical course, treatment, and quality of life.

Results NCBE were diagnosed at a mean age of 9.5 (±5.3) years. In half of the children NCBE were found prior to identification of the causative diagnosis. Primary immunodeficiency (PID) was identified as the underlying diagnosis in 24/35 (68%) cases, of which two-thirds showed antibody deficiency. In the 11 non-PID cases ciliopathies were most common (n=7). Clinical aspects such as manifestation age, cough or dyspnea symptoms, and exacerbation frequency did not differ significantly between PID and non-PID patients. Likewise, quality of life (QoL) was equally reduced in both groups. Lung function test parameters were stable under appropriate therapy in all children. The majority in both groups was insufficiently vaccinated against influenza and pneumococci.

Conclusion Our data indicates that NCBE need to be especially appreciated as a presenting sign of PID in pediatric patients. Thus, occurrence of NCBE should warrant rigorous diagnostics to identify the underlying condition. In our cohort NCBE themselves rather than the causative diagnoses seem to dictate the clinical course of disease and reduce QoL in children. More intensive efforts have to be undertaken to vaccinate patients according to recommendations.
Einfluss von Expanderzügen auf dem Laufband auf spatio-temporale und dynamische Gangparameter bei gesunden Probanden
Authors: Schulze Stephan , Lauenroth Andreas , Delank Karl-Stefan , Schwesig René
Published: July 2019

Hintergrund Gangtherapeutische Maßnahmen auf dem Laufband werden zunehmend durch den Einsatz technischer Hilfsmittel unterstützt. Hierbei kommen bei hohen Beeinträchtigungen der Gehfähigkeit mit geringer Restfunktion teilweise Robotiksysteme und Exoskelette zum Einsatz. Diese sind aufgrund der Investitionskosten jedoch wenig verbreitet. Die vorliegende Studie untersucht den Einsatz eines Expandersystems im gangtherapeutischen Setting und objektiviert den Einfluss verschiedener Zugrichtungen und Applikationsorte auf das Gangbild.

Methode Insgesamt wurden 24 asymptomatische Probanden auf einem dynamometrischen Laufband untersucht. Sie absolvierten 12 Versuche mit bilateralen Expanderzügen (von ventral, lateral und dorsal) an Ober- und Unterschenkel.

Ergebnisse Varianzanalytisch zeigten sich für die verschiedenen Testbedingungen signifikante Veränderungen in nahezu allen spatio-temporalen und dynamischen Gangparametern.

Schlussfolgerung Basierend auf den Ergebnissen kann davon ausgegangen werden, dass der Expanderzug einen relevanten Einfluss auf das Gangbild und die am Gang beteiligten neuromuskulären Funktionseinheiten ausübt. Die Art und Richtung der Beeinflussung des Gangbildes ist dabei vom Applikationsort der Manschetten und der wirkenden Zugrichtung abhängig.
Wirkung von kontinuierlicher Kühlung auf Schwellung, Beweglichkeit, Schmerz und Blutverlust
Authors: Toth Tina , Steiner Melanie , Watzek Dörte
Published: July 2019

Hintergrund Bei der Anwendung von Kryotherapie gehört die Continuous Flow Cold Therapy (CFCT) zu den moderneren Anwendungsformen.

Ziel Diese Literaturübersichtsarbeit untersuchte die Wirkungen von Kältetherapie bei Personen nach einer Kniegelenkprothesenoperation.

Methode Die Literatursuche fand in den Datenbanken Cochrane, Embase und PubMed im Zeitraum Januar 2018 bis Juli 2018 statt. Eingeschlossen wurden randomisierte kontrollierte klinische Studien in deutscher oder englischer Sprache. Die Zielparameter umfassten Schwellung, maximale Beweglichkeit, Schmerz und Blutverlust. Die Bewertung der Studien erfolgte mithilfe der PEDro-Skala.

Ergebnisse Es wurden 8 prospektive Studien mit 832 Probanden eingeschlossen. Der PEDro-Score lag im Median bei 4,5 von 10 Punkten. Die Messungen waren sehr heterogen. Nur wenige Studien fanden signifikante Unterschiede zwischen der Interventions- und der Kontrollgruppe für die Zielparameter Schwellung, Schmerzen oder Beweglichkeit. Statistisch signifikante Unterschiede waren kaum klinisch relevant. Beim Blutverlust ergaben sich signifikante und klinisch relevante Unterschiede.

Schlussfolgerungen Die Ergebnisse zeigten keinen Nutzen der kontinuierlichen Kühlung gegenüber Kühl- oder Eispackungen. CFCT-Geräte riefen keine schädigenden Effekte hervor und können daher weiterhin genutzt werden.
Capsaicin and Piperine as Functional Excipients for Improved Drug Delivery across Nasal Epithelial Models
Authors: Gerber Werner , Steyn Dewald , Kotzé Awie , Svitina Hanna , Weldon Ché , Hamman Josias
Published: July 2019

The fruit from various pepper plants has been employed for the seasoning of food, as perfuming agents, and also as traditional medicines. Phytochemicals isolated from different pepper species have been found to modulate the pharmacokinetics of orally administered drugs. This study investigated the possibility to apply capsaicin and piperine (extracted alkaloids) as modulators for drug delivery across the nasal epithelium. Both a nasal epithelial cell line (RPMI 2650) and excised sheep nasal tissue were used as models to investigate the effects of the selected pepper compounds on drug permeation. FITC-dextran 4400 (MW 4400 Da) was used as a large molecular weight marker compound for paracellular transport, while rhodamine 123 was used as a marker compound that is a substrate for P-glycoprotein-mediated efflux. From the permeation results, it was clear that capsaicin inhibited P-glycoprotein efflux to a larger extent, while piperine showed drug permeation enhancement via other mechanisms. The cell cytotoxicity studies indicated that capsaicin was noncytotoxic up to a concentration of 200 µM and piperine up to a concentration of 500 µM as indicated by cell viability above 80%. The histological analysis of the excised nasal tissue and cultured RPMI 2650 cell layers indicated that some damage occurred after treatment with 200 µM capsaicin, but no changes were observed for piperine up to a concentration of 50 µM.