bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Deep eutectic solvents skeleton typed molecularly imprinted chitosan microsphere coated magnetic graphene oxide for solid‐phase microextraction of chlorophenols from environmental water
Authors: Li Guizhen , Row Kyung Ho
Published: December 2019

Novel molecularly imprinted chitosan microspheres were prepared on the surface of magnetic graphene oxide, with deep eutectic solvents both as a functional monomer and template. The prepared molecularly imprinted chitosan microspheres‐magnetic graphene oxide was characterized by scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X‐ray diffraction, Brunauer‐Emmett‐Teller surface area, thermogravimetric analysis were subsequently combined with solid‐phase micro‐extraction for simultaneous separation and enrichment of the extraction of chlorophenols from environmental water. Factors affecting the extraction efficiency of chlorophenols were optimized using response surface methodology. The actual extraction capacities under the optimal conditions (liquid to solid ratio = 3, cycles of adsorption/desorption = 5, 40°C extraction temperature, and extraction time for 35 min) were 86.90 mg/g. Compared to the traditional materials, the molecularly imprinted chitosan microspheres‐magnetic graphene oxide produced higher selectivity and extraction capacity.
Speed of Sound and Attenuation Temperature Dependence of Bovine Brain: Ex Vivo Study
Authors: Dahis Daniel , Azhari Haim
Published: December 2019

Objectives

Brain treatments using focused ultrasound (FUS) offer a new range of noninvasive transcranial therapies. The acoustic energy deposition during these procedures may induce a temperature elevation in the tissue; therefore, noninvasive thermal monitoring is essential. Magnetic resonance imaging is the current adopted monitoring modality, but its high operational costs and limited availability may hinder the accessibility to FUS treatments. Aiming at the development of a thermometric ultrasound (US) method for the brain, the specific objective of this investigation was to study the acoustic thermal response of the speed of sound (SOS) and attenuation coefficient (AC) of different brain tissues: namely white matter (WM) and cortical matter.

Methods

Sixteen ex vivo bovine brain samples were investigated. These included 7 WM and 9 cortical matter samples. The samples were gradually heated to about 45°C and then repeatedly scanned while cooling using a computerized US system in the through‐transmission mode. The temperature was simultaneously registered with thermocouples. From the scans, the normalized SOS and AC for both tissues were calculated.

Results

The results demonstrated a characteristic cooldown temporal behavior for the normalized AC and SOS curves, which were related to the temperature. The SOS curves enabled clear differentiation between the tissue types but depicted more scattered trajectories for the WM tissue. As for the AC curves, the WM depicted a linear behavior in relation to the temperature. However, both tissue types had rather similar temperature patterns.

Conclusions

These findings may contribute to the development of a US temperature‐monitoring method during FUS procedures.
FKBP10 functioned as a cancer‐promoting factor mediates cell proliferation, invasion, and migration via regulating PI3K signaling pathway in stomach adenocarcinoma
Authors: Wang Ruo‐Gu , Zhang Dan , Zhao Chun‐Hong , Wang Qi‐Long , Qu Hui , He Qing‐Si
Published: December 2019

As documented, the expression, biological roles, and prognostic significance of FKBP10 in stomach adenocarcinoma (STAD) have not been investigated till now. This drives us to detect the biological roles and clinical significance of FKBP10 in STAD. The expression level of FKBP10 was measured based on the data obtained from the TCGA, ONCOMINE, and GEPIA databases, and STAD cell lines. Through in vitro experiments, cell behaviors were investigated to evaluate the effects of FKBP10 on STAD. Moreover, the PI3K‐AKT signaling pathway was measured. Relying on the data of TCGA, ONCOMINE, and GEPIA databases, and cancer cell lines, FKBP10 was up‐regulated in STAD when compared with normals. The patients with low expression of FKBP10 had higher survival rate than those with high FKBP10 expression. After knockdown of FKBP10 in AGS cells, cell vitality, colony formation ability, and the migratory and invasive potential were inhibited. Western blotting analysis exhibited that knockdown of FKBP10 significantly reduced the expression level of p‐AKT, and p‐PI3K, but it did not influence the total expression level of AKT, and PI3K. FKBP10 might serve as a crucial player in gastric cancer, and targeting FKBP10 might provide clinical utility in gastric cancer in future.
Mixing Properties of Room Temperature Patch‐Antenna Receivers in a Mid‐Infrared (λ ≈ 9 µm) Heterodyne System
Authors: Bigioli Azzurra , Gacemi Djamal , Palaferri Daniele , Todorov Yanko , Vasanelli Angela , Suffit Stephan , Li Lianhe , Davies A. Giles , Linfield Edmund H. , Kapsalidis Filippos , Beck Mattias , Faist Jérôme , Sirtori Carlo
Published: December 2019

A room‐temperature mid‐infrared (λ = 9 µm) heterodyne system based on high‐performance unipolar optoelectronic devices is presented. The local oscillator (LO) is a quantum cascade laser (QCL), while the receiver is an antenna coupled quantum well infrared photodetector optimized to operate in a microcavity configuration. Measurements of the saturation intensity show that these receivers have a linear response up to very high optical power, an essential feature for heterodyne detection. By providing an accurate passive stabilization of the LO, the heterodyne system reaches at room temperature the record value of noise equivalent power (NEP) of 30 pW at 9 µm and in the GHz frequency range. Finally, it is demonstrated that the injection of microwave signal into the receivers shifts the heterodyne beating over the large bandwidth of the devices. This mixing property is a unique valuable function of these devices for signal treatment in compact QCL‐based systems.
Non‐Reciprocity in High‐Q Ferromagnetic Microspheres via Photonic Spin–Orbit Coupling
Authors: Chai Cheng‐Zhe , Zhao Hao‐Qi , Tang Hong X. , Guo Guang‐Can , Zou Chang‐Ling , Dong Chun‐Hua
Published: December 2019

Non‐reciprocal devices serving as fundamental elements in photonic and microwave circuits have attracted great attention for its applications in both classical and quantum information processing. The spin–orbit coupling (SOC) of light in microstructures shows that the polarization affects and controls the spatial degrees of freedom of light, which could been exploited to break the reciprocity of light transmission. Here, non‐reciprocal light transmission is demonstrated experimentally in high‐quality factor yttrium iron garnet microspheres via photonic SOC and Faraday effect. By applying an magnetic field in the vertical direction of resonator equator, the degeneracy of the clockwise and counter‐clockwise whispering gallery modes are lifted. The non‐reciprocal effect is shown for both polarizations and promises applications including non‐reciprocal photonic devices, magneto‐optic modulators, and magnetometers.
Transforming Nanofiber Mats into Hierarchical Scaffolds with Graded Changes in Porosity and/or Nanofiber Alignment
Authors: Li Haoxuan , Wu Tong , Xue Jiajia , Ke Qinfei , Xia Younan
Published: December 2019

A method for generating hierarchical scaffolds with graded changes in porosity and/or fiber alignment through solution‐masked, vapor‐induced welding of electrospun poly(lactic‐co‐glycolic acid) (PLGA) nanofibers is reported. The success of this method relies on the fact that the PLGA nanofibers are swollen and welded more slowly by ethanol when immersed in its aqueous solution relative to direct exposure to its vapor. For a mat composed of random nanofibers, the treatment generates a gradation in porosity (both surface and bulk), with the over‐welded region evolving from a highly porous mat into a dense film. If uniaxially aligned nanofibers are involved, however, graded changes are observed in both surface porosity and fiber alignment. When bone marrow stem cells are cultured on such a scaffold, they exhibit highly organized and random morphologies on the regions of uniaxially aligned nanofibers and dense film, respectively, with gradual changes in between. Such a scaffold shows promise in mimicking the connective tissue, such as the tendon‐to‐bone insertion, that relies on a graded transition in cell morphology from uniaxially aligned to random.
Transglycosylating β‐d‐galactosidase and α‐l‐fucosidase from Paenibacillus sp. 3179 from a hot spring in East Greenland
Authors: Thøgersen Mariane S. , Christensen Stefan J. , Jepsen Morten , Pedersen Lars H. , Stougaard Peter
Published: December 2019

Thermal springs are excellent locations for discovery of thermostable microorganisms and enzymes. In this study, we identify a novel thermotolerant bacterial strain related to Paenibacillus dendritiformis, denoted Paenibacillus sp. 3179, which was isolated from a thermal spring in East Greenland. A functional expression library of the strain was constructed, and the library screened for β‐d‐galactosidase and α‐l‐fucosidase activities on chromogenic substrates. This identified two genes encoding a β‐d‐galactosidase and an α‐l‐fucosidase, respectively. The enzymes were recombinantly expressed, purified, and characterized using oNPG (2‐nitrophenyl‐β‐d‐galactopyranoside) and pNP‐fucose (4‐nitrophenyl‐α‐l‐fucopyranoside), respectively. The enzymes were shown to have optimal activity at 50°C and pH 7–8, and they were able to hydrolyze as well as transglycosylate natural carbohydrates. The transglycosylation activities were investigated using TLC and HPLC, and the β‐d‐galactosidase was shown to produce the galactooligosaccharides (GOS) 6'‐O‐galactosyllactose and 3'‐O‐galactosyllactose using lactose as substrate, whereas the α‐l‐fucosidase was able to transfer the fucose moiety from pNP‐fuc to lactose, thereby forming 2'‐O‐fucosyllactose. Since enzymes that are able to transglycosylate carbohydrates at elevated temperature are desirable in many industrial processes, including food and dairy production, we foresee the potential use of enzymes from Paenibacillus sp. 3179 in the production of, for example, instant formula.
High COX‐2 expression in cancer‐associated fibiroblasts contributes to poor survival and promotes migration and invasiveness in nasopharyngeal carcinoma
Authors: Zhu Yinghong , Shi Chen , Zeng Liang , Liu Guizhu , Jiang Weihong , Zhang Xin , Chen Shilian , Guo Jiaojiao , Jian Xingxing , Ouyang Jian , Xia Jiliang , Kuang Chunmei , Fan Songqing , Wu Xuan , Wu Yangbowen , Zhou Wen , Guan Yongjun
Published: December 2019

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) has the highest rate of metastasis among head and neck cancers, and distant metastasis is the major reason for treatment failure. We have previously shown that high cyclooxygenase‐2 (COX‐2) expression is associated with a poor prognosis of patients with NPC and inhibits chemotherapy‐induced senescence in NPC cells. In this study, we found that COX‐2 was upregulated in cancer‐associated fibroblasts (CAFs) derived from NPC by RNA‐Seq. Furthermore, elevated COX‐2 expression in CAF was detected in NPC patients with poor survival and distant metastasis by using immunohistochemistry. Then, we identified that COX‐2 is highly expressed in CAF at the distant metastasis site in seven paired NPC patients. High expression of COX‐2 and secretion of prostaglandin E2, a major product catalyzed by COX‐2 in fibroblasts, promotes migration and invasiveness of NPC cells in vitro. On the contrary, inhibition of COX‐2 has the opposite effect in vitro as well as in the COX‐2−/− mouse with the lung metastasis model in vivo. Mechanistically, we discovered that COX‐2 elevates tumor necrosis factor‐α expression in CAF to promote NPC cell migration and invasiveness. Overall, our results identified a novel target in CAF promoting NPC metastasis. Our findings suggested that high expression of COX‐2 in CAF may serve as a new prognostic indicator for NPC metastasis and provide the possibility of targeting CAF for treating advanced NPC.
Reconstruction of wide soft tissue defects with extended anterolateral thigh perforator flap turbocharged technique with anteromedial thigh perforator
Authors: Lee Yoon Jae , Lee Yeon Ji , Oh Deuk Young , Jun Young Joon , Rhie Jong Won , Moon Suk‐Ho
Published: December 2019

Background

The necrotic change may sometimes occur in peripheral parts of the flap when harvesting a wide flap in a patient with a relatively thin thigh in anterolateral thigh (ALT) flap. Here, we explore the prophylactic measure of turbocharging the ALT flap with anteromedial thigh (AMT) perforator based on the circumference of the patient's thigh to reduce the risk of partial flap necrosis for the reconstruction of wide defects.

Patients and Methods

From January 2015 to December 2017, extended ALT perforator turbocharged flaps were done in nine patients. The majority of patients had post oncological or traumatic defects of upper & lower extremities and groin. The age group ranged from 22 to 86 years. The flap size ranged from 12 × 20 cm to 15 × 28 cm. To augment the viability of the ALT flap, we performed an additional microvascular augmentation of the distal or descending branch of the lateral circumflex artery (LCFA) with the sizable AMT perforator.

Results

The extended ALT turbocharged flaps survived completely without peripheral necrosis. The average flap width to circumference ratio of the deep tissues including muscles of thigh was 0.379, and the patients' average harvested flaps width and thigh circumference were 14.3 cm and 40.2 cm, respectively. The mean follow‐up was 9.3 months. No complications were recorded during the follow‐up.

Conclusion

We believe that augmentation of the ALT and AMT perforator flaps by turbocharging can repair wide soft tissue defects. This method may be another promising option when reconstructing wide defects in the supine position.
An entry‐exit model involving construction and abandonment periods
Authors: Zhang Yong‐Chao , Zhang Yi
Published: December 2019

We analyze, using the optimal stopping theory, the entry‐exit decision on a project, which takes time to be constructed and abandoned. We obtain the closed‐form expressions of optimal start time of entry, optimal start time of exit, and the maximal expected present value of the project. In addition, we examine the effects of construction and abandonment periods on the optimal start times of entry and exit.
Modified quasi‐boundary value method for the multidimensional nonhomogeneous backward time fractional diffusion equation
Authors: Jayakumar Kokila
Published: December 2019

This study deals with the inverse problem of retrieving the initial status for a fractional diffusion system from the measured final and source data. Here, the mentioned system is taken as a nonhomogeneous time fractional diffusion problem in a general bounded domain
. A regularized sought solution is obtained by the regularization scheme, namely, modified quasi‐boundary value method. Further, the convergence estimates between the exact and regularized solution are derived based on the choice of strategies of the regularization parameter. Eventually, numerical examples are illustrated to show the efficiency of the proposed method.
Establishment of a Reproducing Population of Endangered Humpback Chub through Translocations to a Colorado River Tributary in Grand Canyon, Arizona
Authors: Healy Brian D. , Omana Smith Emily C. , Schelly Robert C. , Trammell Melissa A. , Nelson Clay B.
Published: December 2019

Translocations, defined herein as the human-assisted movement of individuals from a source population to other waters within their historical range, are prevalent in recovery plans for endangered fishes. Many translocations fail to establish new populations, however, and outcomes are often poorly documented. Endangered Humpback Chub Gila cypha persist as a self-sustaining population in Grand Canyon, Arizona, despite threats from introduced nonnative competitors and predators and modified flow, thermal, and sediment regimes due to river regulation. In the decades following the completion of Glen Canyon Dam, the Grand Canyon population has been primarily sustained through reproduction in a single Colorado River tributary, the Little Colorado River (LCR). To establish population redundancy and aid in recovery, we annually translocated between 243 and 509 juvenile Humpback Chub from the LCR to Havasu Creek, a smaller Colorado River tributary in Grand Canyon National Park. Juvenile Humpback Chub were collected from the wild and reared in a hatchery for 8–12 months prior to the translocations. Through biannual mark–recapture sampling in Havasu Creek, we estimated annual abundance for all of the translocated cohorts and found that apparent survival and growth rates met or exceeded the demographic rates that are published for the LCR. We observed reproductively mature adults each year in May, beginning in 2012, and untagged juvenile Humpback Chub beginning in the following year and every year thereafter, with results that indicated successful reproduction. Beginning in 2016, we noted recruitment to maturity of fish that were produced in situ and the population's abundance increased through 2018, indicating potential for the establishment of a self-sustaining population. As an example of the successful translocation of an endangered species that demonstrates the potential importance of tributaries in the recovery of large-river fishes, our study may help to inform future recovery planning.
A bounding surface model for anisotropically overconsolidated clay incorporating thermodynamics admissible rotational hardening rule
Authors: Chen Yanni , Yang Zhongxuan
Published: December 2019

A bounding surface model is formulated to simulate the behavior of clays that are subject to an anisotropic consolidation stress history. Conventional rotational hardening is revisited from the perspective of thermodynamics. As the free energy cannot be accumulated infinitely upon critical state failure, the deviatoric back stress must vanish. This requires the rotated yield surface to be turned back to eventually align on the hydrostatic axis in the stress plane. Noting that most of the previous propositions violate this restriction, an innovative rotational hardening rule is formulated that is thermodynamically admissible. The bounding surface framework that employs the modified yield surface is applied to simulate elastoplastic deformations for overconsolidated clays, with which the overprediction of strength on the “dry” side can be greatly improved with reasonable results. Other important features, including contractive or dilative response and hardening or softening behavior, can also be well‐captured. It has been shown that the model can simulate three types of reconstituted clays that are sheared with initial conditions over a wide range of anisotropic consolidation stress ratios and overconsolidation ratios under both triaxial undrained and drained conditions. Limitations and potential improvement of the model regarding the fabric anisotropy at critical state have been discussed.
Suppressing motion artefacts in MRI using an Inception‐ResNet network with motion simulation augmentation
Authors: Pawar Kamlesh , Chen Zhaolin , Shah N. Jon , Egan Gary F.
Published: December 2019

The suppression of motion artefacts from MR images is a challenging task. The purpose of this paper was to develop a standalone novel technique to suppress motion artefacts in MR images using a data‐driven deep learning approach. A simulation framework was developed to generate motion‐corrupted images from motion‐free images using randomly generated motion profiles. An Inception‐ResNet deep learning network architecture was used as the encoder and was augmented with a stack of convolution and upsampling layers to form an encoder‐decoder network. The network was trained on simulated motion‐corrupted images to identify and suppress those artefacts attributable to motion. The network was validated on unseen simulated datasets and real‐world experimental motion‐corrupted in vivo brain datasets. The trained network was able to suppress the motion artefacts in the reconstructed images, and the mean structural similarity (SSIM) increased from 0.9058 to 0.9338. The network was also able to suppress the motion artefacts from the real‐world experimental dataset, and the mean SSIM increased from 0.8671 to 0.9145. The motion correction of the experimental datasets demonstrated the effectiveness of the motion simulation generation process. The proposed method successfully removed motion artefacts and outperformed an iterative entropy minimization method in terms of the SSIM index and normalized root mean squared error, which were 5–10% better for the proposed method. In conclusion, a novel, data‐driven motion correction technique has been developed that can suppress motion artefacts from motion‐corrupted MR images. The proposed technique is a standalone, post‐processing method that does not interfere with data acquisition or reconstruction parameters, thus making it suitable for routine clinical practice.
Blockchain‐based access control for enterprise blockchain applications
Authors: Xu Lei , Markus Isaac , I Subhod , Nayab Nikhil
Published: December 2019

Access control is one of the fundamental security mechanisms of IT systems. Most existing access control schemes rely on a centralized party to manage and enforce access control policies. As blockchain technologies, especially permissioned networks, find more applicability beyond cryptocurrencies in enterprise solutions, it is expected that the security requirements will increase. Therefore, it is necessary to develop an access control system that works in a decentralized environment without compromising the unique features of a blockchain. A straightforward method to support access control is to deploy a firewall in front of the enterprise blockchain application. However, this approach does not take advantage of the desirable features of blockchain. In order to address these concerns, we propose a novel blockchain‐based access control scheme, which keeps the decentralization feature for access control–related operations. The newly proposed system also provides the capability to protect user's privacy by leveraging ring signature. We implement a prototype of the scheme using Hyperledger Fabric and assess its performance to show that it is practical for real‐world applications.
Is Weight Bias Evident in Peer Interactions Between Young and Older Children?
Authors: Kilmurray Michelle , Collins Sylvie C. , Caterson Ian D. , Hill Andrew J.
Published: December 2019

Objective

This study aimed to investigate whether weight bias is apparent in young and older children’s interactions during a paired reading activity.

Methods

One hundred seventy‐two children (57% girls) read a book in which the main character, “Alfie,” was portrayed either as average weight or as having obesity. Younger children (mean = 6.1 years) were paired with a same‐sex older child (mean = 9.5 years). Questions within and at the end of the story prompted discussion. Children’s conversations were analyzed according to valence (emotional tone). Nonverbal behavior was noted via observation.

Results

Pairs of children reading about the Alfie character with obesity made significantly more negative and fewer positive comments when offering story completions. Just one pair of boys spoke about him being “fat.” There was no evidence that older children passed negative attitudes to younger children. Covertly expressed weight bias was more common. There was more frequent laughter while reading about the character with obesity, and two pairs made nonverbal reference to Alfie’s appearance.

Conclusions

Covert weight bias was apparent in the interactions of some of these children, but overt weight bias was rare. There is a need to establish a better chronology of children’s awareness of, and attitudes toward, obesity and how they are acquired.
Examining barriers, physical activity, and weight change among parents and nonparents in a weight loss intervention
Authors: Nezami Brooke T. , Jakicic John M. , Lang Wei , Davis Kelliann , Tate Deborah F.
Published: December 2019

Introduction

Little is known about the influence of children in the home on physical activity and weight among adults in weight loss interventions. This study evaluated the association between number of children in the home, weight loss, and weight regain in a behavioural weight loss intervention, and whether those relationships were mediated in sequence by physical activity barriers and physical activity changes.

Methods

The sample included 267 participants from a randomized trial who had complete data on study variables. Variables at baseline, 6, and 18 months included physical activity barriers, objectively measured minutes of moderate‐to‐vigorous physical activity (MVPA), and objectively measured weight used to calculate percent weight loss (PWL) from baseline to 6 months and percent weight regained (PWG) from 6 to 18 months.

Results

A greater number of children in the home was associated with less PWL at 6 months. This relationship was mediated by greater baseline physical activity barriers and a smaller increase in MVPA at 6 months. The mediated effect was no longer significant when controlling for changes in dietary intake. There was no relationship between number of children and PWG from 6 to 18 months.

Conclusions

Parents may need unique intervention supports to overcome barriers to initiation of physical activity to help them reach optimal weight loss.
Prevalence of Cardiac Risk Factors in Patients Prescribed Azithromycin before and after the 2012 FDA Warning on the Risk of Potentially Fatal Heart Rhythms
Authors: Patel Haridarshan , Calip Gregory Sampang , DiDomenico Robert J. , Schumock Glen T. , Suda Katie J. , Lee Todd A.
Published: December 2019

Study Objective

To measure the prevalence of cardiac risk factors among patients prescribed azithromycin before and after the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a warning on May 17, 2012, on the risk of potentially fatal heart rhythms associated with the drug.

Design

Retrospective cohort study using administrative claims data.

Data Source

Truven Health Analytics MarketScan database.

Patients

A total of 12,971,078 unique patients with 23,749,652 azithromycin prescriptions dispensed between January 2009 and June 2015 were included. Patients had to be continuously enrolled in a health plan for at least 365 days (baseline) before the date of azithromycin dispensing (index date). Cohorts were assigned based on the index dates of the azithromycin prescriptions, either before (January 1, 2009–May 1, 2012) or after (June 1, 2012–June 30, 2015) the FDA warning was issued.

Measurements and Main Results

A cardiac risk factor included either a cardiac condition (heart failure or dysrhythmias) or concurrent use of drugs that prolong the QT interval. The unit of analysis was each prescription of azithromycin. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the prevalence of cardiac risk factors. Mean age of the patients was 40.1 ± 21.3 years old, with 60.8% females. Prior to the FDA warning, 11,596,022 (48.8%) azithromycin prescriptions were identified, and 12,153,630 (51.2%) were identified after the warning. The prevalence of a preexisting cardiac condition was 7.3% versus 7.9% (p<0.0001) before and after the FDA warning, respectively. Concurrent use of a QT‐interval–prolonging drug was 23.3% versus 24.2% (p<0.0001) before and after the FDA warning, respectively. After controlling for confounders, the odds of having a cardiac risk factor after the FDA warning were significantly lower (odds ratio 0.938, 95% CI 0.936–0.940) compared with before the FDA warning.

Conclusion

Despite the 2012 FDA warning, a nontrivial number of azithromycin prescriptions was prescribed concurrently in patients with preexisting a cardiac condition (1 of 12 azithromycin prescriptions) and in those using a QT‐interval–prolonging drug (1 of 5 azithromycin prescriptions). After adjusting for confounders, the odds of cardiac risk factors being present in patients prescribed azithromycin were modestly lower after the warning; however, the prevalence remained essentially unchanged before and after the FDA warning was issued.
Role of NT‐proBNP in the prediction of moderate to severe Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia in preterm infants
Authors: Khan Safdar , Concina Vanessa Anne , Schneider Douglas , Westgate Philip , Arriagada Susana , Bada Henrietta
Published: December 2019

Objective

The objective of the study was to determine the clinical utility of brain natriuretic peptide (NT‐proBNP) for prediction of moderate to severe bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD). We hypothesized that elevated NT‐proBNP levels at 4 weeks of postnatal age may predict the severity of BPD in preterm infants.

Study Design

The study design was a prospective observational study. The research team enrolled and followed a cohort of 70 infants with gestational age less than or equal to 30 weeks. The plasma NT‐proBNP levels were measured at the postnatal day 28th. We further followed and categorized infants into two groups. Infants with no or mild BPD (Group 1) and infants with moderate or severe BPD (Group 2). We compared plasma NT‐proBNP levels at 28th day of postnatal life between Groups 1 and 2. The difference in NT‐proBNP levels on day 28th between groups was used to predict the severity of BPD.

Results

Plasma NT‐proBNP was significantly elevated in Group 2 compared with Group 1, median (IQR) of 845 pg/mL (553, 1632) compared with 726 pg/mL (391, 923), P = 0.02. NT‐proBNP had a fair predictive accuracy (C statistics of 0.68) to determine moderate to severe BPD.

Conclusion

NT‐proBNP may be a useful biomarker in conjunction with clinical factors as a predictor of severe BPD. For future directions, the trend of NT‐proBNP in infants with BPD may have clinical significance in monitoring of the disease.
Misannotations of the genes encoding sugar N‐formyltransferases
Authors: Girardi Nicholas M. , Thoden James B. , Holden Hazel M.
Published: December 2019

Tens of thousands of bacterial genome sequences are now known due to the development of rapid and inexpensive sequencing technologies. An important key in utilizing these vast amounts of data in a biologically meaningful way is to infer the function of the proteins encoded in the genomes via bioinformatics techniques. Whereas these approaches are absolutely critical to the annotation of gene function, there are still issues of misidentifications, which must be experimentally corrected. For example, many of the bacterial DNA sequences encoding sugar N‐formyltransferases have been annotated as l‐methionyl‐tRNA transferases in the databases. These mistakes may be due in part to the fact that until recently the structures and functions of these enzymes were not well known. Herein we describe the misannotation of two genes, WP_088211966.1 and WP_096244125.1, from Shewanella spp. and Pseudomonas congelans, respectively. Although the proteins encoded by these genes were originally suggested to function as l‐methionyl‐tRNA transferases, we demonstrate that they actually catalyze the conversion of dTDP‐4‐amino‐4,6‐dideoxy‐d‐glucose to dTDP‐4‐formamido‐4,6‐dideoxy‐d‐glucose utilizing N10‐formyltetrahydrofolate as the carbon source. For this analysis, the genes encoding these enzymes were cloned and the corresponding proteins purified. X‐ray structures of the two proteins were determined to high resolution and kinetic analyses were conducted. Both enzymes display classical Michaelis–Menten kinetics and adopt the characteristic three‐dimensional structural fold previously observed for other sugar N‐formyltransferases. The results presented herein will aid in the future annotation of these fascinating enzymes.
Automated approach for estimation of grade groups for prostate cancer based on histological image feature analysis
Authors: Hossain Alamgir , Arimura Hidetaka , Kinoshita Fumio , Ninomiya Kenta , Watanabe Sumiko , Imada Kenjiro , Koyanagi Ryoma , Oda Yoshinao
Published: December 2019

Background

There is a low reproducibility of the Gleason scores that determine the grade group of prostate cancer given the intra‐ and interobserver variability among pathologists. This study aimed to develop an automated approach for estimating prostate cancer grade groups based on features obtained from histological image analysis.

Methods

Fifty‐nine patients who underwent radical prostatectomy were selected under the approval of the institutional review board of our university hospital. For estimation, we followed the grade group criteria provided by the International Society of Urological Pathology in 2014. One hundred eight specimen slides obtained from the patients were digitized to extract 110 regions of interest (ROI) from hematoxylin and eosin‐stained histological images using a digital whole slide scanner at ×20 magnification with a pixel size of 0.4 μm. Each color pixel value in the ROI was decomposed into six intensities corresponding to the RGB (red, green, and blue) and HSV (hue, saturation, and value) color models. Image features were extracted by histological image analysis, obtaining 54 features from the ROI based on histogram and texture analyses in the six types of decomposed histological images. Then, 40 representative features were selected from the 324 histological image features based on statistically significant differences (P < .05) between the mean image feature values for high (≥3, Gleason score ≥4 + 3) and low (≤2, Gleason score ≤3 + 4) grade groups. The relationship between grade groups and the most representative image feature (ie, complexity) was approximated using regression to estimate real‐number grade groups defined by continuous numerical grading. Finally, the grade groups were expressed as the conventional grade groups (ie, integers from 1 to 5) using a piecewise step function.

Results

The grade groups were correctly estimated by the proposed approach without errors on training (70 ROIs) and validation (40 ROIs) data.

Conclusions

Our results suggest that the proposed approach may support pathologists during the evaluation of grade groups for prostate cancer, thus mitigating intra‐ and interobserver variability.
Overall, specific, and metastasis‐free survival of Afro‐Caribbean men with pathological Gleason 6 prostate cancer
Authors: Mollard Philippe , Perrot Emmanuel , Blanchet Pascal , Brureau Laurent
Published: December 2019

Background

Several studies in the Caucasian population have shown that patients with Gleason 6 prostate cancer, based on surgical specimens, have low or no risk of metastasis. However, there is no data for men of African ancestry. The objective of this study was to estimate the overall, specific, and metastasis‐free survival (MFS) of patients with a Gleason 6 score, based on the surgical specimen.

Patients and Methods

This was a monocentric retrospective study that included 723 consecutive patients treated by radical prostatectomy between 1 January 1 2000 and 31 March 2018, with a Gleason score of 6 based on the surgical specimen. Specific survival (SS) was defined as the time elapsed between surgery and death attributed to prostate cancer. Overall survival was defined as the time elapsed between surgery and death from all causes. The causes of death were verified in the medical records.

Survival analyses without biochemical recurrence (BCR) and without salvage treatment were performed according to the Kaplan–Meier method. The Cox model was used for univariate and multivariate analyses.

Results

In total, 691 patients were included because 32 were excluded for missing data.

Overall 5‐ and 10‐year survival was 94.2% and 87.1%, respectively. SS and MFS were 100%, with a median follow‐up of 8.5 years. The BCR rate was 16.5%, with a median time to BCR of 5.1 years. The frequency of salvage treatment was 13.0%, with a median time to surgery of 7.3 years. In univariate analysis, PSA, pathological stage, seminal vesicle invasion, positive margins, and lymph node dissection were significantly associated with an increased risk of BCR and salvage treatment, but only PSA and positive margins were significantly associated by multivariate analysis.

Discussion/Conclusion

No metastasis or disease‐specific deaths were observed for men with Gleason score ≤6 prostate cancer at radical prostatectomy, in particular, men of African ancestry.
ProDCoNN: Protein design using a convolutional neural network
Authors: Zhang Yuan , Chen Yang , Wang Chenran , Lo Chun‐Chao , Liu Xiuwen , Wu Wei , Zhang Jinfeng
Published: December 2019

Designing protein sequences that fold to a given three‐dimensional (3D) structure has long been a challenging problem in computational structural biology with significant theoretical and practical implications. In this study, we first formulated this problem as predicting the residue type given the 3D structural environment around the C
α atom of a residue, which is repeated for each residue of a protein. We designed a nine‐layer 3D deep convolutional neural network (CNN) that takes as input a gridded box with the atomic coordinates and types around a residue. Several CNN layers were designed to capture structure information at different scales, such as bond lengths, bond angles, torsion angles, and secondary structures. Trained on a very large number of protein structures, the method, called ProDCoNN (protein design with CNN), achieved state‐of‐the‐art performance when tested on large numbers of test proteins and benchmark datasets.
Weed seed bank dynamics responses to long‐term chemical control in a rice–wheat cropping system
Authors: Gao Pinglei , Zhang Zheng , Shen Junming , Mao Yuxiang , Wei Shouhui , Wei Jiguang , Zuo Ranling , Li Ruhai , Song Xiaoling , Qiang Sheng
Published: December 2019

BACKGROUND

It remains an open question if the long‐term application of single chemical herbicides would inevitably lead to increased weed populations and result in out‐of‐control weeds. The annual dynamics of weed seed bank responses to different weeding measures (chemical herbicide, hand weeding and no weeding) in rice–wheat cropping systems were compared to observe the succession of weed communities under different weed selection pressures for 17 years.

RESULTS

In unweeded rice–wheat cropping plots, the initially dominant broadleaf weeds were overtaken by grasses and eventually by sedges, while in plots subjected to chemical herbicide or hand weeding, broadleaf weeds remained dominant followed by grasses. The rice–wheat cropping system favoured the spread of paddy weed species; weeding had little effect on the composition of the dominant rice weeds but greatly influenced that of wheat weeds. Total seed density tended to decrease in both weeded and unweeded plots, but the species density and composition of the seed banks differed among plots treated differently. Weeding slightly increased weed species diversity and decreased weed community evenness and dominance in the first several years, but this scenario could have negative consequences in the long term; however, without weeding, stronger interspecific competition led to a decrease in weed species diversity whereas weed community evenness and dominance increased.

CONCLUSION

Long‐term and repeated application of pre‐emergence chemical herbicides and hand weeding had similar effects on the weed community dynamics, indicating that exclusive application of pre‐emergence herbicide could maintain the weed community at a durable relatively low infestation level. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry
Txp40, a protein from Photorhabdus akhurstii, conferred potent insecticidal activity against the larvae of Helicoverpa armigera, Spodoptera litura and S. exigua
Authors: Shankhu Prakash Y , Mathur Chetna , Mandal Abhishek , Sagar Doddachowdappa , Somvanshi Vishal S , Dutta Tushar K
Published: December 2019

BACKGROUND

Txp40, a 37 kDa protein, previously characterized from the Gram‐negative bacterium Photorhabdus akhurstii (symbiotically associates with insect‐parasitic nematode, Heterorhabditis indica), conferred insecticidal activity against Galleria mellonella. Here, the biological activity of Txp40 was evaluated against economically important insects, including Helicoverpa armigera, Spodoptera litura and S. exigua.

RESULTS

When both intra‐hemocoel injected and orally fed to test insects, comparatively greater oral LD50 (187.7–522 ng g−1) than injection LD50 (32.33–150.6 ng g−1) was obtained with Txp40 derived from P. akhurstii strain IARI‐SGMG3. Injection of purified Txp40 caused a dose‐dependent reduction in the total circulatory hemocytes and hemocyte viability of fourth‐instar larvae of the test insects at 12 h post incubation; unlike healthy cells toxin‐treated ones displayed aggregated distribution. Injection of Txp40 significantly elevated the phenoloxidase activity of insect hemolymph, which potentially led to unrestrained melanization reaction and ultimately larval death. Histological analyses showed the primary site of action of Txp40 in the insect midgut. Extensive damage to midgut epithelium 24 h after injection of the Txp40 explains the access of the toxin from hemocoel to midgut via leaky septate junctions. In silico analyses suggested that Txp40 can potentially interact with H. armigera midgut receptor proteins cadherin, ATP‐binding cassettes, aminopeptidase N1 and alkaline phosphatase to exert toxicity.

CONCLUSION

We propose Txp40 as an attractive alternative to Cry toxins of Bacillus thuringiensis, the transgenic expression of which is reported to cause resistance development in insects. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry
Non‐target‐site resistance to PDS‐inhibiting herbicides in a wild radish (Raphanus raphanistrum) population
Authors: Lu Huan , Yu Qin , Han Heping , Owen Mechelle J , Powles Stephen B
Published: December 2019

BACKGROUND

Diflufenican resistance has been reported in wild radish populations since 1998, but the resistance mechanisms have not been investigated. Recently, we identified a wild radish population (H2/10) from the Western Australian grain belt that is resistant (R) to the phytoene desaturase (PDS)‐inhibiting herbicide diflufenican.

RESULTS

Dose–response results showed this R population is 4.9‐fold more resistant than the susceptible (S) population based on the LD50 R/S ratio. In addition, the R population also exhibits cross‐resistance to the PDS‐inhibiting herbicide fluridone. The cytochrome P450 inhibitor malathion reversed diflufenican resistance and partially reversed fluridone resistance in the R population. The full coding sequences of the PDS gene were cloned from the S and R plants and there are natural variations in the PDS gene transcripts/alleles with no correlation to resistance. In addition, the R plants had a level of PDS gene expression that is not significantly different from the S plants.

CONCLUSION

These results demonstrated that diflufenican resistance in this R wild radish population is likely due to non‐target‐site based enhanced herbicide metabolism involving cytochrome P450s. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry
Pressure‐Dependent Mechanical Properties of Nb5Si3 Phase from First‐Principles Calculations
Authors: Xu Xia , Zeng Wei , Liu Fu-Sheng , Tang Bin , Liu Qi-Jun
Published: December 2019

Herein, the pressure dependence of the structure, electronic properties, mechanical stability, elastic properties, and Debye temperature of (α, β, γ)‐Nb5Si3 is investigated using the GGA‐PW91 functional. The results show that the pressure has a clear effect on the mechanical and electronic properties of (α, β, γ)‐Nb5Si3. The obtained structural and mechanical parameters agree well with the experiments and theoretical values at zero pressure. All these parameters linearly increase with the pressure. In particular, within the range of 25–100 GPa, the ductility of α‐Nb5Si3 increases with the pressure, indicating that the pressure can improve ductility. The anisotropy AU and AT values of Nb5Si3 increase with the increasing pressure, and it is clear that Nb5Si3 is an anisotropic material. The density of states (DOS) shows that the covalent properties of α‐Nb5Si3 are enhanced. The total density of states (TDOS) shape curve shows that the height of this peak decreases with the increasing pressure. The position of the peak shifts to lower energy. The Fermi level moves down with the pressure increases.
Virtual, augmented, and mixed reality applications in orthopedic surgery
Authors: Verhey Jens T. , Haglin Jack M. , Verhey Erik M. , Hartigan David E.
Published: December 2019

Background

Innovation in computer‐assisted surgery (CAS) aims to increase operative accuracy and improve safety by decreasing procedure‐related complications. The application of reality technologies, to CAS has begun to revolutionize orthopedic training and practice.

Methods

For this review, relevant published reports were found via searches of Medline (PubMed) data base using the following medical subject headings (MeSH) terms: “virtual reality” or “augmented reality” or “mixed reality” with “orthopedics” or “orthopedic surgery” and all relevant reports we utilized.

Results

Trainees now have authentic and highly interactive operative simulations without the need for supervision. The practicing orthopedic surgeon is better able to pre‐operatively plan and intra‐operatively navigate without the use of fluoroscopy, gain access to three‐dimensional reconstructions of patient imaging, and remotely interact with colleagues located outside the operating room.

Conclusion

This review provides a current and comprehensive examination of the reality technologies and their applications in Orthopedic surgery.
Circulating Exosomal miR‐20b‐5p Inhibition Restores Wnt9b Signaling and Reverses Diabetes‐Associated Impaired Wound Healing
Authors: Xiong Yuan , Chen Lang , Yan Chenchen , Zhou Wu , Endo Yori , Liu Jing , Hu Liangcong , Hu Yiqiang , Mi Bobin , Liu Guohui
Published: December 2019

At present, developing therapeutic strategies to improve wound healing in individuals with diabetes remains challenging. Exosomes represent a promising nanomaterial from which microRNAs (miRNAs) can be isolated. These miRNAs have the potential to exert therapeutic effects, and thus, determining the potential therapeutic contributions of specific miRNAs circulating in exosomes is of great importance. In the present study, circulating exosomal miRNAs are identified in diabetic patients and assessed for their roles in the context of diabetic wound healing. A significant upregulation of miR‐20b‐5p is observed in exosomes isolated from patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), and this miRNA is able to suppress human umbilical vein endothelial cell angiogenesis via regulation of Wnt9b/β‐catenin signaling. It is found that the application of either miR‐20b‐5p or diabetic exosomes to wound sites is sufficient to slow wound healing and angiogenesis. In diabetic mice, it is found that knocking out miR‐20b‐5p significantly enhances wound healing and promotes wound angiogenesis. Together, these findings thus provide strong evidence that miR‐20b‐5p is highly enriched in exosomes from patients with T2DM and can be transferred to cells of the vascular endothelium, where it targets Wnt9b signaling to negatively regulate cell functionality and angiogenesis.