bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Climate change to severely impact West African basin scale irrigation in 2 °C and 1.5 °C global warming scenarios
Authors: Sylla Mouhamadou Bamba , Pal Jeremy S. , Faye Aissatou , Dimobe Kangbeni , Kunstmann Harald
Published: September 2018

West Africa is in general limited to rainfed agriculture. It lacks irrigation opportunities and technologies that are applied in many economically developed nations. A warming climate along with an increasing population and wealth has the potential to further strain the region’s potential to meet future food needs. In this study, we investigate West Africa’s hydrological potential to increase agricultural productivity through the implementation of large-scale water storage and irrigation. A 23-member ensemble of Regional Climate Models is applied to assess changes in hydrologically relevant variables under 2 °C and 1.5 °C global warming scenarios according to the UNFCCC 2015 Conference of Parties (COP 21) agreement. Changes in crop water demand, irrigation water need, water availability and the difference between water availability and irrigation water needs, here referred as basin potential, are presented for ten major river basins covering entire West Africa. Under the 2 °C scenario, crop water demand and irrigation water needs are projected to substantially increase with the largest changes in the Sahel and Gulf of Guinea respectively. At the same time, irrigation potential, which is directly controlled by the climate, is projected to decrease even in regions where water availability increases. This indicates that West African river basins will likely face severe freshwater shortages thus limiting sustainable agriculture. We conclude a general decline in the basin-scale irrigation potential in the event of large-scale irrigation development under 2 °C global warming. Reducing the warming to 1.5 °C decreases these impacts by as much as 50%, suggesting that the region of West Africa clearly benefits from efforts of enhanced mitigation.
Theoretical predicted high-thermal-conductivity cubic Si3N4 and Ge3N4: promising substrate materials for high-power electronic devices
Authors: Xiang Huimin , Feng Zhihai , Li Zhongping , Zhou Yanchun
Published: September 2018

Ceramic substrates play key roles in power electronic device technology through dissipating heat, wherein both high thermal conductivity and mechanical strength are required. The increased power of new devices has led to the replacement of Al2O3 by high thermal conducting AlN and further β-Si3N4 based substrates. However, the low mechanical strength and/or anisotropic mechanical/thermal properties are still the bottlenecks for the practical applications of these materials in high power electronic devices. Herein, using a combination of density functional theory and modified Debye-Callaway model, two new promising substrate materials γ-Si3N4 and γ-Ge3N4 are predicted. Our results demonstrate for the first time that both compounds exhibit higher room temperature thermal conductivity but less anisotropy in expansion and heat conduction compared to β-Si3N4. The mechanism underpins the high RT κ is identified as relatively small anharmonicity, high phonon velocity and frequency. The suitability of these two nitrides as substrate materials was also discussed.
Assessing cortical plasticity after spinal cord injury by using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging in awake adult mice
Authors: Matsubayashi Kohei , Nagoshi Narihito , Komaki Yuji , Kojima Kota , Shinozaki Munehisa , Tsuji Osahiko , Iwanami Akio , Ishihara Ryosuke , Takata Norio , Matsumoto Morio , Mimura Masaru , Okano Hideyuki , Nakamura Masaya
Published: September 2018

Neural connectivity has recently been shown to be altered after spinal cord injury (SCI) not only in the spinal cord but also in the brain. However, to date, no studies have analyzed the functional alterations after SCI in various areas of the cerebral cortex over time. To examine the plasticity of the neural connectivity in the brain after SCI, we performed resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) in awake adult mice pre- and post-SCI. After a complete thoracic SCI, the functional connectivity between the primary motor (MOp) and primary sensory (SSp) areas was significantly decreased during the chronic phase. In contrast, the connectivity between the MOp and motivation area was increased. Thus, impairments in sensory and motor connections after SCI led to a time-dependent compensatory upregulation of “motor functional motivation”. Moreover, the functional connectivity between the SSp and pain-related areas, such as the caudoputamen (CP) and the anterior cingulate area (ACA), was strengthened during the chronic phase, thus suggesting that rs-fMRI can indicate the presence of neuropathic pain after SCI. Therefore, rs-fMRI is a useful tool for revealing the pathological changes that occur in the brain after SCI.
Effects of Social Exclusion on Effortful Control and Mentalizing in relation to Borderline Personality Features
Authors: Sato Momoko , Fonagy Peter , Luyten Patrick
Published: September 2018

The current study investigated the effects of social interactions on effortful control (EC) and mentalizing in individuals with borderline personality disorder (BPD) features. 123 nonclinical participants completed the emotional Stroop task to assess EC and the modified Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test (RMET) to assess mentalizing capacities before and after having social interactions. The Cyberball paradigm was used to generate socially inclusive and exclusive interactions. Results indicated the high BPD group made more errors on the Stroop task following exclusive social interactions than the low BPD group. The high BPD group, compared to the low BPD group, associated fewer emotional words with facial cues following inclusive social interactions but overanalysed facial cues (hypermentalizing) following the exclusive social interaction. Exclusive social interactions hindered the inhibitory capacities in individuals with high BPD features, but inclusive social interactions facilitated. Individuals with high BPD features responded to exclusive social interactions by hypermentalizing. Thus, it was found social rejection could activate cognitive-affective processes which led to hypermentalizing and impairments in EC which in combination could explain the disruptive effects on social interactions in people with BPD features.
MicroRNA Expression Profiles in Gastric Carcinogenesis
Authors: Hwang Jinha , Min Byung-Hoon , Jang Jiryeon , Kang So Young , Bae Hyunsik , Jang Se Song , Kim Jong-Il , Kim Kyoung-Mee
Published: September 2018

Intestinal-type gastric carcinoma exhibits a multistep carcinogenic sequence from adenoma to carcinoma with a gradual increase in genomic alterations. But the roles of microRNAs (miRNA) in this multistage cascade are not fully explored. To identify differentially expressed miRNA (DEM) during early gastric carcinogenesis, we performed miRNA microarray profiling with 24 gastric cancers and precursor lesions (7 early gastric cancer [EGC], 3 adenomas with high-grade dysplasia, 4 adenomas with low-grade dysplasia, and 10 adjacent normal tissues). Alterations in the expression of 132 miRNA were detected; these were categorized into three groups based on their expression patterns. Of these, 42 miRNAs were aberrantly expressed in EGC. Five miRNA (miR-26a, miR-375, miR-574-3p, miR-145, and miR-15b) showed decreased expression since adenoma. Expression of two miRNA, miR-200C and miR-29a, was down-regulated in EGCs compared to normal mucosa or adenomas. Six miRNA (miR-601, miR-107, miR-18a, miR-370, miR-300, and miR-96) showed increased expression in gastric cancer compared to normal or adenoma samples. Five representative miRNAs were further validated with RT-qPCR in independent 77 samples. Taken together, these results suggest that the dysregulated miRNA show alterations at the early stages of gastric tumorigenesis and may be used as a candidate biomarker.
Ahnak promotes tumor metastasis through transforming growth factor-β-mediated epithelial-mesenchymal transition
Authors: Sohn Mira , Shin Sunmee , Yoo Jung-Yeon , Goh Yookyung , Lee In Hye , Bae Yun Soo
Published: September 2018

Previously, we reported a molecular mechanism by which Ahnak potentiates transforming growth factor-β (TGFβ) signaling during cell growth. Here, we show that Ahnak induces epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in response to TGFβ. EMT phenotypes, including altered in cell morphology, and expression patterns of various EMT marker genes were detected in HaCaT keratinocytes transfected with Ahnak-specific siRNA. Knockdown of Ahnak expression in HaCaT keratinocytes resulted in attenuated cell migration and invasion. We found that Ahnak activates TGFβ signaling via Smad3 phosphorylation, leading to enhanced Smad3 transcriptional activity. To validate function of Ahnak in EMT of B16F10 cells having high metastatic and tumorigenic properties, we established B16F10 cells with stable knockdown of Ahnak. N-cadherin expression and Smad3 phosphorylation were significantly decreased in B16F10-shAhnak cells, compared to B16F10-shControl cells after treatment of TGFβ. Moreover, TGFβ failed to induce cell migration and cell invasion in B16F10-shAhnak cells. To determine whether Ahnak regulates the metastatic activity of B16F10 cells, we established a lung metastasis model in C57BL/6 mice via tail vein injection of B16F10-shAhnak cells. Lung metastasis was significantly suppressed in mice injected with B16F10-shAhnak cells, compared to those injected with B16F10-shControl cells. Taken together, we propose that TGFβ-Ahnak signaling axis regulates EMT during tumor metastasis.
A Toolbox for Diverse Oxyfunctionalisation of Monoterpenes
Authors: Hernandez-Ortega Aitor , Vinaixa Maria , Zebec Ziga , Takano Eriko , Scrutton Nigel S.
Published: September 2018

The successful implementation of synthetic biology for chemicals biosynthesis relies on the availability of large libraries of well-characterized enzymatic building blocks. Here we present a scalable pipeline that applies the methodology of synthetic biology itself to bootstrap the creation of such a library. By designing and building a cytochrome P450 enzyme collection and testing it in a custom-made untargeted GC/MS-metabolomics-based approach, we were able to rapidly create and characterize a comprehensive enzyme library for the controlled oxyfunctionalisation of terpene scaffolds with a wide range of activities and selectivities towards several monoterpenes. This novel resource can now be used to access the extensive chemical diversity of terpenoids by pathway engineering and the assembly of biocatalytic cascades to subsequently produce libraries of oxygenated terpenoids and their derivatives for diverse applications, including drug discovery.
Meta-analysis of data from spaceflight transcriptome experiments does not support the idea of a common bacterial “spaceflight response”
Authors: Morrison Michael D. , Nicholson Wayne L.
Published: September 2018

Several studies have been undertaken with the goal of understanding how bacterial transcriptomes respond to the human spaceflight environment. However, these experiments have been conducted using a variety of organisms, media, culture conditions, and spaceflight hardware, and to date no cross-experiment analyses have been performed to uncover possible commonalities in their responses. In this study, eight bacterial transcriptome datasets deposited in NASA’s GeneLab Data System were standardized through a common bioinformatics pipeline then subjected to meta-analysis to identify among the datasets (i) individual genes which might be significantly differentially expressed, or (ii) gene sets which might be significantly enriched. Neither analysis resulted in identification of responses shared among all datasets. Principal Component Analysis of the data revealed that most of the variation in the datasets derived from differences in the experiments themselves.
A meta-analysis of bovine viral diarrhoea virus (BVDV) prevalences in the global cattle population
Authors: Scharnböck Bettina , Roch Franz-Ferdinand , Richter Veronika , Funke Carsten , Firth Clair L. , Obritzhauser Walter , Baumgartner Walter , Käsbohrer Annemarie , Pinior Beate
Published: September 2018

A random effect meta-analysis was performed to estimate the worldwide pooled bovine viral diarrhoea virus (BVDV) prevalences of persistently infected (PI), viraemic (VI) and antibody-positive (AB) animals and herds. The meta-analysis covered 325 studies in 73 countries that determined the presence or absence of BVDV infections in cattle from 1961 to 2016. In total, 6.5 million animals and 310,548 herds were tested for BVDV infections in the global cattle population. The worldwide pooled PI prevalences at animal level ranged from low (≤0.8% Europe, North America, Australia), medium (>0.8% to 1.6% East Asia) to high (>1.6% West Asia). The PI and AB prevalences in Europe decreased over time, while BVDV prevalence increased in North America. The highest mean pooled PI prevalences at animal level were identified in countries that had failed to implement any BVDV control and/or eradication programmes (including vaccination). Our analysis emphasizes the need for more standardised epidemiological studies to support decision-makers implementing animal health policies for non-globally-regulated animal diseases.
ANTH domain-containing proteins are required for the pollen tube plasma membrane integrity via recycling ANXUR kinases
Authors: Muro Keita , Matsuura-Tokita Kumi , Tsukamoto Ryoko , Kanaoka Masahiro M. , Ebine Kazuo , Higashiyama Tetsuya , Nakano Akihiko , Ueda Takashi
Published: September 2018

During plant reproduction, sperm cells are delivered to ovules through growing pollen tubes. This process involves tip-localized receptor kinases regulating integrity and/or guidance of pollen tubes, whose localizations must be strictly regulated. However, the molecular basis for tip-localization of these molecules remains largely elusive. Here we show that a pair of AP180 N-terminal homology domain-containing proteins, PICALM5a and PICALM5b, is responsible for the tip-localization of ANXUR receptor kinases acting in an autocrine signaling pathway required for pollen tube integrity in Arabidopsis thaliana. The picalm5a picalm5b double mutant exhibits reduced fertility, and the double mutant pollen is defective in pollen tube integrity with premature bursts. The tip localization of ANXUR proteins is severely impaired in picalm5a picalm5b pollen tubes, whereas another receptor kinase PRK6 acting in pollen tube guidance is not affected. Based on these results, we propose that PICALM5 proteins serve as specific loading adaptors to recycle ANXUR proteins.
2D association and integrative omics analysis in rice provides systems biology view in trait analysis
Authors: Zhang Wenchao , Dai Xinbin , Xu Shizhong , Zhao Patrick X.
Published: September 2018

The interactions among genes and between genes and environment contribute significantly to the phenotypic variation of complex traits and may be possible explanations for missing heritability. However, to our knowledge no existing tool can address the two kinds of interactions. Here we propose a novel linear mixed model that considers not only the additive effects of biological markers but also the interaction effects of marker pairs. Interaction effect is demonstrated as a 2D association. Based on this linear mixed model, we developed a pipeline, namely PATOWAS. PATOWAS can be used to study transcriptome-wide and metabolome-wide associations in addition to genome-wide associations. Our case analysis with real rice recombinant inbred lines (RILs) at three omics levels demonstrates that 2D association mapping and integrative omics are able to provide a systems biology view into the analyzed traits, leading toward an answer about how genes, transcripts, proteins, and metabolites work together to produce an observable phenotype.
Fitness variation in isogenic populations leads to a novel evolutionary mechanism for crossing fitness valleys
Authors: Van Egeren Debra , Madsen Thomas , Michor Franziska
Published: September 2018

Individuals in a population often have different fitnesses even when they have identical genotypes, but the effect of this variation on the evolution of a population through complicated fitness landscapes is unknown. Here, we investigate how populations with non-genetic fitness variation cross fitness valleys, common barriers to adaptation in rugged fitness landscapes in which a population must pass through a deleterious intermediate to arrive at a final advantageous stage. We develop a stochastic computational model describing the dynamics of an asexually reproducing population crossing a fitness valley, in which individuals of the same evolutionary stage can have variable fitnesses. We find that fitness variation that persists over multiple generations increases the rate of valley crossing through a novel evolutionary mechanism different from previously characterized mechanisms such as stochastic tunneling. By reducing the strength of selection against deleterious intermediates, persistent fitness variation allows for faster adaptation through rugged fitness landscapes.
NIR two-photon fluorescent probe for biothiol detection and imaging of living cells in vivo
Authors: Xia Xiang , Qian Ying
Published: September 2018

A fluorescence probe, Cz-BDP-NBD, for detecting biothiols with two photon excited fluorescence has been designed and used under irradiation from sapphire pulsed lasers at 800 nm.
Facile and feasible conductometric immunoanalytical assay for alpha-fetoprotein using platinum-functionalized graphitic carbon nitride nanosheets
Authors: Li Ling , Guo Wuhua , Lin Yao , Tang Dianping , Liu Jingfeng
Published: September 2018

A conductometric immunoanalytical method was developed for the sensitive detection of the liver cancer biomarker (alpha-fetoprotein, AFP), using platinum (Pt)-functionalized graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) nanosheets..
Electron-beam-induced phase transition in the transmission electron microscope: the case of VO2(B)
Authors: Huang Chun-Wei , Kuo Shih-Shen , Hsin Cheng-Lun
Published: September 2018

A phase transition process from VO2(B) to VO2(M1) was made possible under electron beam irradiation without the help of elevating the temperature.
Re-entrant supramolecular interactions in inverse-melting α-cyclodextrin·4-methylpyridine·water mixtures: an NMR study
Authors: Shapira Reut , Balazs Yael S. , Kababya Shifi , Edrei Rachel , Eichen Yoav
Published: September 2018

Inverse freezing αCD·4MP·H2O turns into a gel as αCD loses its solvation shell. First, it loses its interaction with 4MP, and then its solvation by water.
Delocalized hole transport coupled to sub-ns tryptophanyl deprotonation promotes photoreduction of class II photolyases
Authors: Lacombat Fabien , Espagne Agathe , Dozova Nadia , Plaza Pascal , Ignatz Elisabeth , Kiontke Stephan , Essen Lars-Oliver
Published: September 2018

Ultrafast photoreduction of class II photolyases: the delocalized oxidation hole precedes distal tryptophanyl deprotonation and tyrosine oxidation.
Stereoselective interactions as manifested by vibrational circular dichroism spectra: the interplay between chiral metal complexes co-adsorbed in a montmorillonite clay
Authors: Sato Hisako , Takimoto Kazuyoshi , Mori Hirotoshi , Yamagishi Akihiko
Published: September 2018

Solid state VCD is applied for intercalated metal complexes.
What kind of neutral halogen bonds can be modulated by solvent effects?
Authors: Shen Dan , Su Peifeng , Wu Wei
Published: September 2018

Halogen bonds with a large portion of polarization can be modulated by solvent effects.
Correction: Transition path time distribution and the transition path free energy barrier
Authors: Pollak Eli
Published: September 2018

Correction for ‘Transition path time distribution and the transition path free energy barrier’ by Eli Pollak et al., Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 2016, 18, 28872–28882.
Dramatic rate-enhancement of oxygen atom transfer by an iron(iv)-oxo species by equatorial ligand field perturbations
Authors: Mukherjee Gourab , Lee Calvin W. Z. , Nag Sayanta Sekhar , Alili Aligulu , Cantú Reinhard Fabián G. , Kumar Devesh , Sastri Chivukula V. , de Visser Sam P.
Published: September 2018

The reactivity and characterization of a novel iron(iv)-oxo species is reported that gives enhanced reactivity as a result of second-coordination sphere perturbations of the ligand system.
Synthesis of a tethered dibenzotetramethyltetraaza[14]annulene macrocycle and the di-nickel(ii) derivative
Authors: Dey Soumyajit , Dewey Jacob R. , Wayland Bradford B. , Zdilla Michael J.
Published: September 2018

Selective reaction of 2,6-isophthaloyl chloride at the methine positions of two dibenzotetramethyltetraaza[14]annulene (tmtaa) units results in tethering of the macrocycles by either one or two 2,6-isophthaloyl bridging groups.
Controlling the symmetry of supercrystals formed by plasmonic core–shell nanorods with tunable cross-section
Authors: Hamon Cyrille , Goldmann Claire , Constantin Doru
Published: September 2018

The millimeter-scale organization of anisotropic-bimetallic Au@Ag nanoparticles with tunable local arrangement in the superlattices is revealed by SAXS.
Fabrication and understanding of Cu3Si-Si@carbon@graphene nanocomposites as high-performance anodes for lithium-ion batteries
Authors: Zheng Zhiming , Wu Hong-Hui , Chen Huixin , Cheng Yong , Zhang Qiaobao , Xie Qingshui , Wang Laisen , Zhang Kaili , Wang Ming-Sheng , Peng Dong-Liang , Zeng Xiao Cheng
Published: September 2018

A high-performance anode material of Cu3Si-SCG is developed with outstanding rate capability and cycle stability for lithium-ion batteries.
Transition metal-free controlled synthesis of bis[(trifluoromethyl)sulfonyl]ethyl-decorated heterocycles
Authors: Almendros Pedro , Yanai Hikaru , Hoshikawa Shoki , Aragoncillo Cristina , Lázaro-Milla Carlos , Toledano-Pinedo Mireia , Matsumoto Takashi , Alcaide Benito
Published: September 2018

The metal- and irradiation-free C–H bis(triflyl)ethylation reactions of a variety of heterocycles including marketed drugs have been accomplished.
Reduced graphene oxide-supported methylene blue nanocomposite as a glucose oxidase-mimetic for electrochemical glucose sensing
Authors: Yang Shaojun , Liu Daliang , Meng Qing Bo , Wu Shuyao , Song Xi-Ming
Published: September 2018

A novel electrochemical glucose sensor based on methylene blue-reduced graphene oxide nanocomposite was constructed, and the sensor exhibited good glucose oxidase-mimetic electrocatalytic activity towards glucose and practical applicability.
Integration of transcriptome and proteome analyses reveal molecular mechanisms for formation of replant disease inNelumbo nucifera
Authors: Dong Chen , Wang Ran , Zheng Xingfei , Zheng Xingwen , Jin Lifeng , Wang Hongjiao , Chen Shuang , Shi Yannan , Wang Mengqi , Liu Die , Yang Yanhui , Hu Zhongli
Published: September 2018

Complementary transcriptomic and proteomic analyses unveiled the mechanism of replant disease inNelumbo nucifera, a widely planted aquatic crop in Asia.
Structural studies suggest aggregation as one of the modes of action for teixobactin
Authors: Öster Carl , Walkowiak Grzegorz P. , Hughes Dallas E. , Spoering Amy L. , Peoples Aaron J. , Catherwood Anita C. , Tod Julie A. , Lloyd Adrian J. , Herrmann Torsten , Lewis Kim , Dowson Christopher G. , Lewandowski Józef R.
Published: September 2018

Combination of solution and solid state NMR yields a molecular level view of the interactions between antibiotic teixobactin and bacterial cell wall building block lipid II.
Unravelling the 2D self-assembly of Fmoc-dipeptides at fluid interfaces
Authors: Argudo Pablo G. , Contreras-Montoya Rafael , Álvarez de Cienfuegos Luis , Cuerva Juan M. , Cano Manuel , Alba-Molina David , Martín-Romero María T. , Camacho Luis , Giner-Casares Juan J.
Published: September 2018

Fmoc-dipeptides are self-assembled at the air/liquid interface as a function of their aminoacid sequence.
Ni0.33Co0.67MoS4 nanosheets as a bifunctional electrolytic water catalyst for overall water splitting
Authors: Hang Lifeng , Zhang Tao , Sun Yiqiang , Men Dandan , Lyu Xianjun , Zhang Qianling , Cai Weiping , Li Yue
Published: September 2018

Ni0.33Co0.67MoS4 nanosheets on carbon fiber cloth were employed as a bifunctional electrocatalyst for overall water splitting.
Construction of NiCo2O4@graphene nanorods by tuning the compositional chemistry of metal–organic frameworks with enhanced lithium storage properties
Authors: Jia Zhiqing , Tan Yingbin , Cui Zhonghui , Zhang Linlin , Guo Xiangxin
Published: September 2018

NiCo2O4@graphene nanorods synthesized by tuning the compositional chemistry of metal–organic frameworks exhibit high Li-storage capacity, excellent rate capability and extraordinary cycling stability.
Core-branched CoSe2/Ni0.85Se nanotube arrays on Ni foam with remarkable electrochemical performance for hybrid supercapacitors
Authors: Lin Jinghuang , Wang Haohan , Yan Yaotian , Zheng Xiaohang , Jia Henan , Qi Junlei , Cao Jian , Tu Jinchun , Fei Weidong , Feng Jicai
Published: September 2018

We report a facile synthesis strategy for core-branched CoSe2/Ni0.85Se nanotube arrays directly on Ni foam by simply selenizing Co-precursor nanowires.
Imaging of intracellular sulfane sulfur expression changes under hypoxic stress via a selenium-containing near-infrared fluorescent probe
Authors: Gao Min , Wang Rui , Yu Fabiao , Li Bowei , Chen Lingxin
Published: September 2018

Imaging of sulfane sulfur expression changes in living cells, in 3D-multicellular spheroid, in hippocampus and in vivo under hypoxic stress via a selenium-containing near-infrared fluorescent probe.
The down-regulation of hsa_circ_0012919, the sponge for miR-125a-3p, contributes to DNA methylation of CD11a and CD70 in CD4+ T cells of systemic lupus erythematous
Authors: Zhang Chengzhong , Wang Xin , Chen Yue , Wu Zhouwei , Zhang Chao , Shi Weimin
Published: September 2018

Background: Systemic lupus erythematous (SLE) is an autoimmune disease characterized by the production of autoantibodies directed against various autoantigens. But the expression profiles and functions of circular RNAs (circRNAs) in SLE are still scarce. Objectives: To explore the roles of circRNA in SLE and its potential diagnostic potential in SLE. Methods: SLE patients and healthy control subjects were recruited. CD4+ T cells were isolated, circRNA microarray analysis were used to screen for circRNA candidate in CD4+ T cells. Expression of DNMT1, CD11a and CD70, and methylation level of CD11a and CD70 were detected after transfecting hsa_circ_0012919-targetted siRNA. The network analysis of hsa_circ_0012919 was used by bioinformatics. Luciferase reporter assay and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) assay were used for screening for which miRNAs could bind with hsa_circ_0012919. Results: Twelve circRNAs were up-regulated and two circRNAs were down-regulated in SLE patients group after circRNA microarray analysis. Hsa_circ_0012919 was further confirmed to be significantly different between healthy control and SLE patients (P<0.05) and associated with SLE characters (P<0.05). Down-regulation of hsa_circ_0012919 (i) increased the expression of DNMT1 and reduced the expression of CD70, CD11a, (ii) reversed the DNA hypomethylation of CD11a and CD70 in CD4+ T cells of SLE, but it could be reversed by down-regulation of DNMT1. Hsa_circ_0012919 regulated KLF13 and RANTES by miR-125a. Conclusion: Hsa_circ_0012919 could be regarded as a biomarker for SLE and hsa_circ_0012919 was the competitive endogenous RNA (ceRNA) for miR-125a-3p.
Examining Factors Influencing the Viability of Automatic Acoustic Analysis of Child Speech
Authors: Knowles Thea , Clayards Meghan , Sonderegger Morgan
Published: September 2018

Purpose

Heterogeneous child speech was force-aligned to investigate whether (a) manipulating specific parameters could improve alignment accuracy and (b) forced alignment could be used to replicate published results on acoustic characteristics of /s/ production by children.

Method

In Part 1, child speech from 2 corpora was force-aligned with a trainable aligner (Prosodylab-Aligner) under different conditions that systematically manipulated input training data and the type of transcription used. Alignment accuracy was determined by comparing hand and automatic alignments as to how often they overlapped (%-Match) and absolute differences in duration and boundary placements. Using mixed-effects regression, accuracy was modeled as a function of alignment conditions, as well as segment and child age. In Part 2, forced alignments derived from a subset of the alignment conditions in Part 1 were used to extract spectral center of gravity of /s/ productions from young children. These findings were compared to published results that used manual alignments of the same data.

Results

Overall, the results of Part 1 demonstrated that using training data more similar to the data to be aligned as well as phonetic transcription led to improvements in alignment accuracy. Speech from older children was aligned more accurately than younger children. In Part 2, /s/ center of gravity extracted from force-aligned segments was found to diverge in the speech of male and female children, replicating the pattern found in previous work using manually aligned segments. This was true even for the least accurate forced alignment method.

Conclusions

Alignment accuracy of child speech can be improved by using more specific training and transcription. However, poor alignment accuracy was not found to impede acoustic analysis of /s/ produced by even very young children. Thus, forced alignment presents a useful tool for the analysis of child speech.

Supplemental Material

https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.7070105
Compact digital implementation of a non‐coherent IR‐UWB transmitter and receiver
Authors: Hennessy Andrew , Alimohammad Amirhossein
Published: September 2018

Non‐coherent impulse‐radio ultra‐wideband (IR‐UWB) transceivers are attractive candidates for applications where the silicon area and power consumption are relatively limited. This study presents the compact digital architecture design and implementation of a non‐coherent IR‐UWB transmitter and receiver based on the energy detection scheme, including the synchroniser module. The software models of the designed transceiver are simulated and verified in both floating‐point and fixed‐point numerical representations. The synthesisable Verilog description of the transmitter and receiver architectures is simulated and verified against their fixed‐point simulation model. The transmitter and receiver are implemented in the authors custom‐developed field‐programmable gate array (FPGA) board. The bit error rate performance of the transmitter and receiver is measured in real‐time on the FPGA, utilising an accurate on‐chip Gaussian noise generator. The characteristics and implementation results of the transmitter and receiver architecture on the FPGA are presented. An application‐specific integrated circuit (ASIC) architecture of the IR‐UWB transceiver is estimated to occupy 0.0227 mm2 and dissipate 760 mW from a 1.0 V supply while operating at 82 MHz in a standard 32 nm complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor technology.
Review of the false data injection attack against the cyber‐physical power system
Authors: Wang Qi , Tai Wei , Tang Yi , Ni Ming
Published: September 2018

With the development of synchronous measuring technology and communication technology, the units of measurement, calculation, execution and communication are deeply integrated into energy manage system, which can achieve panoramic state awareness through the fast and accurate state estimation algorithm. Meanwhile, the cyber‐attack has become an important issue posing severe threats to the secure operation of power systems. A well‐designed false data injection attack (FDIA) against state estimation can effectively bypass the traditional bad data detection methods and interfere with the decision of the control centre, thus causing the power system incidents. This study comprehensively discusses the characteristics of FDIA including not only the goals, construction methods and consequences of FDIA from the perspective of attackers but also the protection and detection countermeasures from the perspective of defenders. Moreover, a game‐theory‐based FDIA against the substation information network is simulated to reveal the interactions between attackers and defenders.
Efficient edge‐preserved sonar image enhancement method based on CVT for object recognition
Authors: Yoon Kun Su , Kim Wan‐Jin
Published: September 2018

In the field of computer‐aided recognition, edge feature is one of the key factors to determine recognition performance. Comparing to an optical image, since sonar image via acoustic wave is easily influenced by underwater environments such as particle density, temperature, and current, edge information should be boosted. Some image preprocessing techniques based on transform domain such as wavelet and curvelet may be good candidates but conventional methods show not only the possibility of enhancing edge features but also the limitation due to the absence of consideration to the edge direction. This study proposes an improved edge enhancement method based on curvelet transform (CVT), which is able to find out edge direction. The proposed method (PM) calculates the maximum value by ridgelet coefficients on each angular line, derived from the sub‐step of the CVT, and the real edge direction is determined by local maxima selection after finding the azimuth of this value. In addition, selective sharpening is performed according to the feature information of edge. Experimental results have shown that the PM is comparable with conventional methods in terms of edge intensity, recognition rate, and peak signal‐to‐noise ratio.
Constant current/voltage charging for the inductor–capacitor–inductor‐series compensated wireless power transfer systems using primary‐side electrical information
Authors: Li Zhenjie , Wei Guo , Dong Shuai , Song Kai , Zhu Chunbo
Published: September 2018

This study presents an investigation into the use of primary‐side electrical information to achieve constant current/voltage (CC/CV) charging for the inductor–capacitor–inductor‐series compensated wireless power transfer systems. It uses the relationship of the phase difference between the transmitter resonant current and compensation capacitor voltage to control the charging current and voltage. The cosine and sine values of phase difference are obtained by the quadrature transformation algorithm, and then the CC/CV charging is achieved by the proportional–integral‐controlled phase shift H‐bridge inverter. The simulation and experimental results verify the feasibility of the control method. The accuracy of CC charging (3 A) and CV charging (25.8 V) is 98.7 and 98.4%, respectively. The advantages of the proposed control method are that the wireless communication link between the transmitter and receiver is avoided and the CC/CV charging defined by the battery charging profile is realised.
Current residual‐based method for open‐circuit fault diagnosis in single‐phase PWM converter
Authors: Xie Dong , Pu Junkai , Ge Xinglai
Published: September 2018

This study presents an open‐circuit fault diagnosis method based on residual changing rate instead of the specific switching signals injection for single insulated gate bipolar transistor in the single‐phase pulse‐width modulation (PWM) converter. Firstly, the mixed logical dynamic model of the single‐phase PWM converter is established to obtain the residual of grid‐side current. Then, the characteristics of residual changing rate are obtained through the combination of theoretical analysis and simulation results. Furthermore, the diagnostic variables based on the residual changing rate are defined by the isolation of switching signals. Also compared with the threshold, fault detection and location can be accomplished. The proposed diagnosis method does not need extra sensors and injection of special switching signals, which can reduce the diagnosis complexity and does not affect operating state of the system. Furthermore, the diagnostic method has fast diagnosis speed and robustness against false alarms under different operation conditions. Experimental results have illustrated the validity and feasibility of the proposed diagnostic method.
Negative Etiketten
Authors: Illichmann Ulrike
Published: September 2018

Diskriminierung und Vorurteile gegenüber psychisch Erkrankten gibt es seit Menschengedenken an. Dass auch in unserer modernen und aufgeklärten
Industriegesellschaft psychisch kranke Menschen immer noch stigmatisiert werden, konnte unsere Autorin beim Besuch einer Institution der Eingliederungshilfe
feststellen. Untermauert wurde dieser Eindruck durch Interviews mit Klienten und Pflegenden.
Fallstricke bei der Diabetesdiagnostik: Wird zu lax mit Laborwerten umgegangen?
Authors: Landgraf Rüdiger , Nauck Matthias , Freckmann Guido , Müller Ulrich , Heinemann Lutz , Kellerer Monika , Müller-Wieland Dirk
Published: September 2018

Die Diabetesdiagnose zeigt viele präanalytische und analytische Probleme. Nüchtern-Glukose (NG), orale Glukosetoleranztest (oGTT) und HbA1c haben Vor- und Nachteile und sind nicht gleichwertig in ihrer diagnostischen Aussagekraft. Der oGTT ist der empfindlichste Test, die Reproduzierbarkeit ist relativ niedrig (VK ± 15 %). Die NG entdeckt maximal 70 – 80 % der Patienten mit einem manifesten Diabetes. Die Glukose-Messung wird durch unsachgemäße Blutabnahme, intraindividuelle Glukose-Schwankungen, Fastendauer und Fehler beim oGTT verfälscht. HbA1c ist trotz IFCC-Standardisierung bei erlaubter Abweichung von ± 18 % in Ringversuchen und dem Einsatz von nicht kommutablem Ringversuchsmaterial schlecht überprüfbar. HbA1c-Analyse zeigt viele Interferenzen und ist nur begrenzt zur Diabetesdiagnose geeignet. Der Schwellenwert von HbA1c von ≥ 6,5 % (≥ 48 mmol/mol Hb) beruht nicht auf harter Evidenz. Der Aufwand bei der Diagnose (NG und/oder oGTT+HbA1c) ist bei den sich daraus ergebenden klinischen Konsequenzen minimal invasiv, zumutbar, preiswert und verhindert eine Über- und Unterdiagnostik.
Pro-Fibrogenic and Anti-Inflammatory Potential of a Polyphenol-Enriched Fraction from Annona crassiflora in Skin Repair
Authors: de Moura Francyelle , Justino Allisson , Ferreira Bruno , Espindola Foued , Araújo Fernanda , Tomiosso Tatiana
Published: September 2018

A polyphenol-enriched fraction from Annona crassiflora fruit peel (PEF-Ac) containing chlorogenic acid, epi-catechin, procyanidins B2 and C1, quercetin-glucoside, kaempferol, and caffeoyl-glucoside was investigated for its anti-inflammatory, pro-angiogenic, and profibrogenic potential in the healing of cutaneous wounds. Four wounds were performed on the back of C57 mice and the lesions were treated with the vehicle (Vaseline and lanolin) and PEF-Ac at concentrations of 2%, 4%, and 6% for 4 and 7 d. Neutrophils and macrophages activities were evaluated indirectly by the activity of myeloperoxidase and N-acetyl-β-D-glycosaminidase, angiogenesis was evaluated by hemoglobin dosing and vessel count in histological sections, and collagen deposition was assessed from histological sections stained with picrosirius red. PEF-Ac demonstrated anti-inflammatory activity, with reduced activities of neutrophil and macrophage in the cutaneous wounds. In addition, there was an increase in the synthesis of types I and III collagen, as well as in the percentage of wound closure, mainly after 4 d of treatment. On the other hand, PEF-Ac did not present an effective pro-angiogenic activity. A. crassiflora fruit peel showed anti-inflammatory and profibrogenic properties, indicating a promising natural source of bioactive molecules for treatment of cutaneous wounds.
Recent Advances in Copper(II)-Mediated or -Catalyzed C–H
Functionalization
Authors: Jia Xue-Shun , Yin Liang , Li Zhao-Kun
Published: September 2018

This review summarizes recent developments in the field of copper-mediated or -catalyzed C–H functionalization. The substrate scope has been expanded from the C–H activation of aryls to more challenging alkyls. Furthermore, catalytic amounts of copper salt are sufficient to promote the challenging C–H functionalization in some cases, which represents the focus of future research.

1 Introduction

2 C–C Bond Formation

3 C–N Bond Formation

4 C–O Bond Formation

5 C–Halogen Bond Formation

6 C–S Bond Formation

7 Conclusions and Outlook
Meta-Analysis of Potent P2Y12-ADP Receptor Antagonist Therapy Compared to Clopidogrel Therapy in Acute Coronary Syndrome Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease
Authors: Bonello Laurent , Laine Marc , Lemesle Gilles , Puymirat Etienne , Dabry Thibaut , Thuny Franck , Paganelli Franck , Aradi Daniel , Frere Corinne , Burtey Stéphane , Sibbing Dirk , Mancini Julien
Published: September 2018

Background The clinical benefit of anti-platelet agents in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) is uncertain. In addition, the risk–benefit ratio of potent oral P2Y12-adenosine diphosphate (ADP) receptor antagonists (PPAs), namely, prasugrel and ticagrelor, compared with clopidogrel in CKD patients suffering from acute coronary syndrome (ACS) remains unknown.

Objective We performed a meta-analysis of all studies comparing the clinical outcomes of PPA and clopidogrel therapy in CKD patients suffering from ACS.

Methods We searched PubMed, the Cochrane library, Google Scholar, Clinical trial.org and the abstracts of international cardiology congresses from April 2000 to October 2017. Clinical studies comparing PPA with clopidogrel in ACS patients with CKD were selected. Our literature research identified five studies which were included in the meta-analysis. The primary endpoint was a composite of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs) at the latest follow-up available. Secondary endpoint included bleedings.

Results We included data from three sub-group analysis of randomized clinical trials and two prospective observational studies (n = 31,234). Overall, PPAs were associated with lower rates of major cardiovascular events, with a pooled hazard ratio (pHR) of 0.88 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.79–0.99; p = 0.03), without increased bleedings (pHR = 1.10) (95% CI: 0.95–1.27; p = 0.18). In a sensitivity analysis restricted to studies enrolling invasively managed patients, the benefit of PPA on MACE was maintained (pHR = 0.85) (95% CI: 0.77–0.93; p < 0.001), including a reduction in mortality (pHR = 0.82) (95% CI: 0.7–0.96; p = 0.016).

Conclusion Compared with clopidogrel, PPAs were associated with a reduced rate of MACE without increased bleedings in CKD patients with ACS. Among invasively managed patients, this benefit from PPA included a reduction in mortality.
Comparison of Recovery Profile of Propofol, Sevoflurane, and Desflurane Anesthesia in Transnasal Trans-sphenoidal Surgery for Pituitary Tumors: A Prospective Randomized Trial
Authors: Kapil Sonia , Panda Nidhi , Samanta Sujay , Sahoo Asish Kumar
Published: September 2018

Background Smooth and early emergence is always a concern in neurosurgical patients as it prevents complication and facilitates neurological examination and immediate postoperative intervention, if necessary.

Methods A prospective randomized trial was conducted to evaluate the effects of propofol, sevoflurane, and desflurane used for maintenance of anesthesia at the time of emergence and recovery from anesthesia in 75 patients undergoing elective trans-sphenoidal surgery for pituitary tumors. We evaluated time for emergence and extubation, modified Short Orientation Memory Concentration Test (SOMCT) score, Aldrete's scores, pain score, and postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) score.

Results Emergence and extubation times were significantly shorter in patients receiving desflurane as compared with those receiving propofol or sevoflurane (p < 0.001). Modified SOMCT and Aldrete's scores were comparable in all the three groups with better cognitive scores in patients who received desflurane. Heart rate and mean arterial pressure were comparable at emergence and extubation in all the three groups except mean airway pressure (MAP) at extubation that was higher in the desflurane group compared with propofol and sevoflurane groups (p = 0.02), which was clinically comparable. Pain and PONV scores were also comparable between the groups.

Conclusions Desflurane had shorter time to emergence and time to extubation in comparison to propofol and sevoflurane. Thus, desflurane can be used as an alternative to propofol and sevoflurane for maintenance of anesthesia in patients undergoing transnasal trans-sphenoidal pituitary surgery for its excellent recovery profile after anesthesia.
The First Intrinsic Tenase Complex Inhibitor with Serine Protease Structure Offers a New Perspective in Anticoagulant Therapy
Authors: Latinović Zorica , Leonardi Adrijana , Kovačič Lidija , Koh Cho , Šribar Jernej , Bakija Alenka , Venkateswarlu Divi , Kini R. , Križaj Igor
Published: September 2018

Components of the intrinsic blood coagulation pathway, among them factor VIIIa (FVIIIa), have been recognized as suitable therapeutic targets to treat venous thromboembolism, pathological process behind two very serious cardiovascular diseases, deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism. Here, we describe a unique glycoprotein from the nose-horned viper (Vipera ammodytes ammodytes [Vaa]) venom, Vaa serine proteinase homolog 1 (VaaSPH-1), structurally a serine protease but without an enzymatic activity and expressing potent anticoagulant action in human blood. We demonstrated that one of its targets in the blood coagulation system is FVIIIa of the intrinsic tenase complex, where it antagonizes the binding of FIXa. Anticoagulants with such characteristics are intensively sought, as they would be much safer for medical application as the contemporary drugs, which frequently induce excessive bleeding and other complications. VaaSPH-1 is unlikely to be orally available for chronic usage as it has molecular mass of 35 kDa. However, it represents a very promising template to design low molecular mass FVIIIa-directed anticoagulant substances, based on structural features of the interaction surface between VaaSPH-1 and FVIIIa. To this end, we constructed a three-dimensional model of VaaSPH-1 bound to FVIIIa. The model exposes the 157–loop and the preceding α-helix as the most appropriate structural elements of VaaSPH-1 to be considered as a guideline to synthesize small FVIIIa-binding molecules, potential new generation of anticoagulants.
Making Endovascular Neurosurgery Safer: Role of the Neuroanesthesiologist
Authors: Sharma Megha Uppal , Ganjoo Pragati , Jain Sachin
Published: September 2018

The increasing use of endovascular technique for treating neurovascular diseases underscores the need for the neuroanesthesiologist to be aware of its potentially serious perioperative complications that can directly impact the anesthetic outcome. These unique complications, including intracranial thromboembolism, hemorrhage, and vasospasm, and significant non-neurological complications that necessitate deft handling by experienced anesthesiologists. However, anesthesia for endovascular neurosurgery is generally being managed in remote hospital locations by relatively junior anesthesiologists who are likely to underestimate the importance of these closed-cranium procedures. This review reacquaints the anesthetist with the periprocedural complications of endovascular neurosurgery that would enable their anticipation, prompt diagnosis, and effective management.