bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Incidence and Prevalence of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus in New York County (Manhattan), New York: The Manhattan Lupus Surveillance Program
Authors: Izmirly Peter M. , Wan Isabella , Sahl Sara , Buyon Jill P. , Belmont H. Michael , Salmon Jane E. , Askanase Anca , Bathon Joan M. , Geraldino‐Pardilla Laura , Ali Yousaf , Ginzler Ellen M. , Putterman Chaim , Gordon Caroline , Helmick Charles G. , Parton Hilary
Published: September 2017

Objective

The Manhattan Lupus Surveillance Program (MLSP) is a population‐based registry designed to determine the prevalence of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in 2007 and the incidence from 2007 to 2009 among residents of New York County (Manhattan), New York, and to characterize cases by race/ethnicity, including Asians and Hispanics, for whom data are lacking.

Methods

We identified possible SLE cases from hospital records, rheumatologist records, and administrative databases. Cases were defined according to the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) classification criteria, the Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics (SLICC) classification criteria, or the treating rheumatologist's diagnosis. Rates among Manhattan residents were age‐standardized, and capture–recapture analyses were conducted to assess case underascertainment.

Results

By the ACR definition, the age‐standardized prevalence and incidence rates of SLE were 62.2 and 4.6 per 100,000 person‐years, respectively. Rates were ∼9 times higher in women than in men for prevalence (107.4 versus 12.5) and incidence (7.9 versus 1.0). Compared with non‐Hispanic white women (64.3), prevalence was higher among non‐Hispanic black (210.9), Hispanic (138.3), and non‐Hispanic Asian (91.2) women. Incidence rates were higher among non‐Hispanic black women (15.7) compared with non‐Hispanic Asian (6.6), Hispanic (6.5), and non‐Hispanic white (6.5) women. Capture–recapture adjustment increased the prevalence and incidence rates (75.9 and 6.0, respectively). Alternate SLE definitions without capture–recapture adjustment revealed higher age‐standardized prevalence and incidence rates (73.8 and 6.2, respectively, by the SLICC definition and 72.6 and 5.0 by the rheumatologist definition) than the ACR definition, with similar patterns by sex and race/ethnicity.

Conclusion

The MLSP confirms findings from other registries on disparities by sex and race/ethnicity, provides new estimates among Asians and Hispanics, and provides estimates using the SLICC criteria.
New Saharan wind observations reveal substantial biases in analysed dust‐generating winds
Authors: Roberts Alexander J. , Marsham John H. , Knippertz Peter , Parker Douglas J. , Bart Mark , Garcia‐Carreras Luis , Hobby Matthew , McQuaid James B. , Rosenberg Philip D. , Walker Daniel
Published: September 2017

For the remote Sahara, the Earth's largest dust source, there has always been a near‐absence of data for evaluating models. Here, new observations from the Fennec project are used along with Sahelian data from the African Monsoon Multidisciplinary Analysis (AMMA) to give an unprecedented evaluation of dust‐generating winds in the European Centre for Medium‐Range Weather Forecasts ERA‐Interim reanalysis (ERA‐I). Consistent with past studies, near‐surface, high‐speed winds are lacking in ERA‐I and the diurnal variability is under‐represented. During the summer monsoon season, correlations of ERA‐I with observed wind‐speed are low (∼0.35 in Sahel and 0.25–0.4 in the Sahara). Fennec data show for the first time that: (1) correlations are reduced even in the Sahara, not directly influenced by the monsoon, (2) the systematic underestimation of observed winds by ERA‐I in the summertime Sahel extends into the central Sahara: potentially explaining the failure of global models to capture the observed global dust maximum that occurs over the summertime Sahara (such as CMIP5), and demonstrates that modelled winds must be improved if they are to capture this key feature of the climatology.
Do parental attitudes toward and expectations for their children's education and future jobs matter for their children's school achievement?
Authors: Tan Cheng Yong
Published: September 2017

The traditional discourse in the scholarship on cultural capital theory has focused on how exclusive participation in elite status culture by students from higher socioeconomic status families benefits their learning in schools, the effects of which are most evident in linguistic subject areas such as reading achievement. However, some scholars have argued that cultural capital is not restricted to elite status culture but could include parental familiarity with school evaluation standards and job market requirements, and that the effects could transcend languages to include performance domains with more objective evaluation that are susceptible to school influences (e.g. mathematics and science). The present study systematically examines this position using data involving 96,591 15‐year‐old students from 3602 schools in eight countries who participated in the Programme for International Student Assessment 2012. Results of three‐level hierarchical linear modelling showed positive relationships between seven cultural capital variables and student mathematics achievement. The cultural variables comprised: home educational resources; parental educational attainment and occupational status; parental expectations of their children's educational attainment, future career in mathematics and school; and parental valuing of mathematics. In particular, the three parental expectations variables had substantively larger effect sizes on student achievement than the other cultural capital variables. The results demonstrated that parental familiarity with school evaluation standards and future job requirements, especially as measured by parental expectations, may constitute cultural capital that privileges student mathematics achievement in schools.
Systematic optimization of L‐tryptophan riboswitches for efficient monitoring of the metabolite in Escherichia coli
Authors: Jang Sungho , Jung Gyoo Yeol
Published: September 2017

Riboswitches form a class of genetically encoded sensor‐regulators and are considered as promising tools for monitoring various metabolites. Functional parameters of a riboswitch, like dynamic or operational range, should be optimized before the riboswitch is implemented in a specific application for monitoring the target molecule efficiently. However, optimization of a riboswitch was not straightforward and required detailed studies owing to its complex sequence‐function relationship. Here, we present three approaches for tuning and optimization of functional parameters of a riboswitch using an artificial L‐tryptophan riboswitch as an example. First, the constitutive expression level was adjusted to control the dynamic range of an L‐tryptophan riboswitch. The dynamic range increased as the constitutive expression level increased. Then, the function of a riboswitch‐encoded protein was utilized to connect the regulatory response of the riboswitch to another outcome for amplifying the dynamic range. Riboswitch‐mediated control of the host cell growth enabled the amplification of the riboswitch response. Finally, L‐tryptophan aptamers with different dissociation constants were employed to alter the operational range of the riboswitch. The dose‐response curve was shifted towards higher L‐tryptophan concentrations when an aptamer with higher dissociation constant was employed. All strategies were effective in modifying the distinct functional parameters of the L‐tryptophan riboswitch, and they could be easily applied to optimization of other riboswitches owing to their simplicity.
An Efficient Copper‐catalyzed Nucleophilic Addition to N‐Acyliminium Ions Derived from N‐Benzyloxycarbonylamino Sulfones: A Novel Approach to C‐3 Functionalization of 2‐Phenylimidazo[1,2‐a]pyridine
Authors: Park Hyeong Jin , Jun Jong‐Gab
Published: September 2017

A general and efficient method for C‐3 functionalization of 2‐phenylimidazo[1,2‐a]pyridine has been developed. The reaction employs Cu(OTf)2 as a catalyst at 10 mol% loading, proceeds in dimethyl sulfoxide solvent, and utilizes bench‐stable solid N‐benzyloxycarbonylamino sulfones derived from aromatic and aliphatic aldehydes as N‐acyliminium ion precursors. The imidazo[1,2‐a]pyridine products are obtained in moderate to good yields.
Cost benefits of rapid recanalization using intraarterial thrombectomy
Authors: Jeong Hye Seon , Shin Jong Wook , Kwon Hyon‐Jo , Koh Hyeon‐Song , Nam Hae‐Sung , Yu Hee Seon , Yoon Na Young , Kim Jei
Published: September 2017

Objectives

Thrombolytic therapy is associated with favorable clinical outcomes after successful and rapid recanalization in patients with acute ischemic stroke. This study aimed to evaluate the cost benefits and clinical outcomes at 1 year after intraarterial thrombectomy (IAT) by the rapidity of the successful recanalization.

Materials & Methods

Clinical outcomes of and medical costs incurred by 230 patients with acute ischemic stroke who underwent IAT were compared by the rapidity from symptom onset to successful recanalization (2b/3 thrombolysis in cerebral infarction grade): ≤6‐hr (n = 143), >6‐hr (n = 31), and no‐recanalization (n = 56). Clinical outcomes including functional independence (0–2 modified Rankin Score), mortality, and home‐discharge checked at 1 year post‐IAT were compared among the three groups. Cost utility was calculated using quality‐adjusted life years (QALY) estimated using the EuroQol‐5 dimensions‐3 levels questionnaire and the fees paid for institutional rehabilitation during the year post‐IAT, and, was compared among the groups.

Results

Patients in the ≤6‐hr group showed higher functional independence (≤6‐hr, 70%; >6‐hr, 40%; no‐recanalization, 6%, p < .001) and home‐discharge rate (73%, 52%, 21%, and respectively, p < .001), and lower mortality (10%, 16%, and 43%, respectively, p < .001) at 1 year after IAT than other two groups. The cost utility of the ≤6‐hr group was $35,557/QALY higher than that of the >6‐hr group, and $27.829/QALY higher than no‐recanalization group.

Conclusions

Rapid and successful recanalization of the occluded intracranial vessels within 6 hr after the onset of symptoms resulted in markedly higher cost utility and functional independence at 1 year post‐IAT.
Integrating invasive hemodynamic parameters into risk stratification of acute myocardial infarction and cardiogenic shock
Authors: Giustino Gennaro , Dangas George D.
Published: September 2017

Key Points

A ratio of systolic blood pressure over left ventricle end‐diastolic pressure (SBP/LVEDP) ≤4 identifies patients with ST‐elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) at greater risk of in‐hospital mortality or that may require the use of mechanical circulatory support (MCS).

The predictive performance of the SBP/LVEDP ratio was comparable to non‐invasive hemodynamic parameters (the shock index and the modified shock index) and established clinical risk stratification tools (the TIMI risk score).

Alongside established clinical risk factors, invasive hemodynamic parameters may help in identifying STEMI patients who may benefit from early MCS.
Photoredox Catalysis with Metal Complexes Made from Earth‐Abundant Elements
Authors: Larsen Christopher B. , Wenger Oliver S.
Published: September 2017

Photoredox chemistry with metal complexes as sensitizers and catalysts frequently relies on precious elements such as ruthenium or iridium. Over the past 5 years, important progress towards the use of complexes made from earth‐abundant elements in photoredox catalysis has been made. This review summarizes the advances made with photoactive CrIII, FeII, CuI, ZnII, ZrIV, Mo0, and UVI complexes in the context of synthetic organic photoredox chemistry using visible light as an energy input. Mechanistic considerations are combined with discussions of reaction types and scopes. Perspectives for the future of the field are discussed against the background of recent significant developments of new photoactive metal complexes made from earth‐abundant elements.
An air thermostatic system with a thermoelectric cooling within a temperature range from −10 to +90°C for NMR spectrometer probes
Authors: Anisimov Alexander , Dautova Nailya , Suslov Maksim
Published: September 2017

In this study, a simple air thermostatic system for a temperature range from ‐10 to +90?C combined with a NMR probe, which can be easily fabricated in a laboratory is proposed. The thermostatic system is suitable for NMR spectrometers for relaxation and diffusion measurement using portable Halbach magnets.
The effect of health insurance on childhood cancer survival in the United States
Authors: Lee Jong Min , Wang Xiaoyan , Ojha Rohit P. , Johnson Kimberly J.
Published: September 2017

BACKGROUND

The effect of health insurance on childhood cancer survival has not been well studied. Using Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) data, this study was designed to assess the association between health insurance status and childhood cancer survival.

METHODS

Data on cancers diagnosed among children less than 15 years old from 2007 to 2009 were obtained from the SEER 18 registries. The effect of health insurance at diagnosis on 5‐year childhood cancer mortality was estimated with marginal survival probabilities, restricted mean survival times, and Cox proportional hazards (PH) regression analyses, which were adjusted for age, sex, race/ethnicity, and county‐level poverty.

RESULTS

Among 8219 childhood cancer cases, the mean survival time was 1.32 months shorter (95% confidence interval [CI], −4.31 to 1.66) after 5 years for uninsured children (n = 131) versus those with private insurance (n = 4297), whereas the mean survival time was 0.62 months shorter (95% CI, −1.46 to 0.22) for children with Medicaid at diagnosis (n = 2838). In Cox PH models, children who were uninsured had a 1.26‐fold higher risk of cancer death (95% CI, 0.84‐1.90) than those who were privately insured at diagnosis. The risk for those with Medicaid was similar to the risk for those with private insurance at diagnosis (hazard ratio, 1.06; 95% CI, 0.93‐1.21).

CONCLUSIONS

Overall, the results suggest that cancer survival is largely similar for children with Medicaid and those with private insurance at diagnosis. Slightly inferior survival was observed for those who were uninsured in comparison with those with private insurance at diagnosis. The latter result is based on a small number of uninsured children and should be interpreted cautiously. Further study is needed to confirm and clarify the reasons for these patterns. Cancer 2017;123:4878‐85. © 2017 American Cancer Society.
Does assimilation of problematic experiences predict a decrease in symptom intensity?
Authors: Basto Isabel Morais , Stiles William B. , Rijo Daniel , Salgado João
Published: September 2017

The assimilation model describes therapeutic change as an integration of experiences that had previously been problematic, distressing, avoided, or warded off. This study assessed whether assimilation was associated with treatment outcome in a sample of psychotherapeutic treatments for depression. Further, it assessed the direction of the association—whether increasing assimilation predicted decreases in symptom intensity or decreasing symptom intensity predicted increases in assimilation.

Method

Participants were 22 clients with mild to moderate depression drawn from a clinical trial comparing cognitive behavioral therapy with emotion‐focused therapy. The direction of prediction between assimilation progress and changes in self‐reported symptom intensity was assessed.

Results

The assimilation progress was shown to be a better predictor of decreases in symptom intensity than the reverse.

Conclusion

The results supported the assimilation model's suggestion that assimilation progress promotes decreases in symptom intensity in the treatment of clients with major depressive disorder.
Backward ion‐acoustic waves in plasma with unidirectional ion flow
Authors: Dubinov A.E. , Kitayev I.N.
Published: September 2017

This paper considers ion‐acoustic waves in a plasma in which the ions move unidirectionally. The dispersion equation is considered and analysed as a two‐dimensional problem. It is shown that the ion‐acoustic waves can be in the form of backward waves (BWs). The area boundaries in the plane {kx, ky} where the BW exists are found.
Honey bees are the dominant diurnal pollinator of native milkweed in a large urban park
Authors: MacIvor James Scott , Roberto Adriano N. , Sodhi Darwin S. , Onuferko Thomas M. , Cadotte Marc W.
Published: September 2017

In eastern North America, the field milkweed, Asclepias syriaca L. (Asclepiadaceae), is used in planting schemes to promote biodiversity conservation for numerous insects including the endangered monarch butterfly, Danaus plexippus (Linnaeus) (Nymphalidae). Less is known about its pollinators, and especially in urban habitats where it is planted often despite being under increasing pressure from invasive plant species, such as the related milkweed, the dog‐strangling vine (DSV), Vincetoxicum rossicum (Kleopow) Barbar. (Asclepiadaceae). During the A. syriaca flowering period in July 2016, we surveyed bees in open habitats along a DSV invasion gradient and inspected 433 individuals of 25 bee species in 12 genera for pollinia: these were affixed to bees that visited A. syriaca for nectar and contain pollen packets that are vectored (e.g., transferred) between flowers. Of all bees sampled, pollinia were found only on the nonindigenous honeybee, Apis mellifera (43% of all bees identified), as well as one individual bumblebee, Bombus impatiens Cresson. Pollinia were recorded from 45.2% of all honeybees collected. We found no relationship between biomass of DSV and biomass of A. syriaca per site. There was a significant positive correlation between A. syriaca biomass and the number of pollinia, and the proportion vectored. No relationship with DSV biomass was detected for the number of pollinia collected by bees but the proportion of vectored pollinia declined with increasing DSV biomass. Although we find no evidence of DSV flowers attracting potential pollinators away from A. syriaca and other flowering plants, the impacts on native plant–pollinator mutualisms relate to its ability to outcompete native plants. As wild bees do not appear to visit DSV flowers, it could be altering the landscape to one which honeybees are more tolerant than native wild bees.
Seasonal and inter‐annual variability in litter decomposition and nitrogen availability in a mid‐Appalachian watershed
Authors: Atkins Jeff W. , Epstein Howard E. , Welsch Daniel L.
Published: September 2017

The role that microclimates play on soil decomposition is poorly understood. Though litter decomposition is controlled by climate and substrate quality at coarse spatial scales, at the watershed scale, microclimates mediated by forest structure and landscape position can influence decomposition rates and in turn affect nitrogen cycling. To evaluate the effects of landscape position and vegetation heterogeneity on decomposition, we employed a two‐year litterbag study (2011–2013) using yellow birch leaf litter across the Weimer Run watershed, a cool, humid watershed located near Davis, West Virginia. From our results, we created a spatially explicit empirical model that we tested against both a single‐pool and three‐pool decomposition model, each based on climate and derived from the Long‐Term Intersite Decomposition Experiment Team. Initial litter decomposition varied by elevation, with greater rates of decomposition at locations lower in the watershed. Decomposition rates differed by elevation, except during the first winter of the study. No differences in decomposition rates were seen among elevation levels when snowfall was below average for the first winter (2011–2012). During the second winter (2012–2013), elevation levels showed separation in decomposition rates, with higher elevations exhibiting lower decomposition rate. This suggests important controls on decomposition exerted by the presence or absence of snow, inter‐annual climate variability, and the interaction of both with topography. Our empirical model showed greater rates of decomposition during early stages of decomposition (<12 months), but converged with the three‐pool decomposition model after 20 months. Plant available nitrogen differed by vegetation cover, largely driven by greater availability of nitrate (NO3−) beneath areas of canopy closure in the forest. Controls on decomposition and nitrogen cycling within the Weimer Run watershed vary spatially by elevation and vegetation cover and are subject to complex interactions and differ from standard models of decomposition. The effect of the inter‐annual variance of snow depth on litter decomposition is of note and an important consideration moving forward. Climate‐based models of decomposition greatly underestimate initial rates of decomposition, potentially leading to under‐accounting and compounded uncertainty.
IL4‐induced gene 1 is secreted at the immune synapse and modulates TCR activation independently of its enzymatic activity
Authors: Aubatin Aude , Sako Nouhoum , Decrouy Xavier , Donnadieu Emmanuel , Molinier‐Frenkel Valérie , Castellano Flavia
Published: September 2017

Amino‐acid catabolizing enzymes produced by mononuclear phagocytes play a central role in regulating the immune response. The mammalian phenylalanine‐catabolizing enzyme IL4‐induced gene 1 (IL4I1) inhibits effector T lymphocyte proliferation and facilitates regulatory T‐cell development. IL4I1 expression by macrophages of various human tumors may affect patient prognosis as it facilitates tumor escape from the T‐cell response in murine models. Its enzymatic activity appears to participate in its effects, but some actions of IL4I1 remain unclear. Here, we show that the presence of IL4I1 during T‐cell activation decreases early signaling events downstream of TCR stimulation, resulting in global T‐cell inhibition which is more pronounced when there is CD28 costimulation. Surprisingly, the enzymatic activity of IL4I1 is not involved. Focal secretion of IL4I1 into the immune synaptic cleft and its binding to CD3+ lymphocytes could be important in IL4I1 immunosuppressive mechanism of action.
Role of Lewis‐Base‐Coordinated Halogen(I) Intermediates in Organic Synthesis: The Journey from Unstable Intermediates to Versatile Reagents
Authors: Guha Somraj , Kazi Imran , Nandy Anuradha , Sekar Govindasamy
Published: September 2017

The widespread use of halogen‐based reagents in organic synthesis is well known. Hypervalent halogens (oxidation states III and V) have been explored to a significant extent. Among them, hypervalent iodine reagents have found major use and applications. In contrast, understanding of the reactivity of halogen(I) species in the presence of Lewis bases, and their reaction mechanisms, are very limited. This microreview sheds light on the importance of halogen(I) species and their applications in organic synthesis. In commercially available halogen(I) precursors such as N‐halosuccinimides, the halogen atom is attached to the nitrogen atom through a covalent bond with low electrophilicity and thus low reactivity. Interestingly, the reactivity increases if the electrophilic halogen(I) atom is attached to a Lewis base through a polarized covalent bond. The halogen‐bonding interaction between the Lewis base and the halonium ion (or halonium ion equivalent) results in highly reactive and thermodynamically stable halogen(I) intermediates that act as versatile reagents. This microreview unravels the evolution of the unstable halogen(I) intermediates to become versatile reagents.
Screening bioactive compounds from natural product and its preparations using capillary electrophoresis
Authors: Ma Huifen , Bai Yun , Li Jin , Chang Yan‐xu
Published: September 2017

Bioactive ingredients of natural products can protect human body from harm, as well as prevent and treat disease. Screening bioactive compounds from natural products is attracting particular attention. It is a great challenge to separate and detect the active compounds from complex matrix natural products. CE plays a vital role in screening active compounds because of its unique features such as high‐efficiency separation, short‐analysis time, minimal sample consumption, and ease to realize automatization etc. Additionally, CE has been developed various modes owing to its abundant advantages in analysis and separation of compounds. The purpose of this work is to review previous developments and applications of CE in screening bioactive compounds derived from natural products from 2007 to 2017. This review does not only summarize the traditional methods of detecting active ingredients but also briefly introduces some novel assays. The trends in the application of CE in active compounds screening are addressed in the article.
Crude oil toxicity to fiddler crabs (Uca longisignalis and Uca panacea) from the northern Gulf of Mexico: Impacts on bioturbation, oxidative stress, and histology of the hepatopancreas
Authors: Franco Marco E. , Felgenhauer Bruce E. , Klerks Paul L.
Published: September 2017

The intensive drilling and extraction of fossil fuels in the Gulf of Mexico result in a considerable risk of oil spills impacting its coastal ecosystems. Impacts are more likely to be far-reaching if the oil affects ecosystem engineers like fiddler crabs, whose activities modify biogeochemical processes in the sediment. The present study investigated effects of oil on the fiddler crabs Uca longisignalis and Uca panacea, which are important as ecosystem engineers and as prey for a wide variety of species. The present study used mesocosms and microcosms to investigate the effects of crude oil on fiddler crab burrowing and to assess cellular and tissue damage by the oil. Fiddler crabs were exposed for periods of 5 or 10 d to oil concentrations up to 55 mg/cm2 on the sediment surface. Their burrowing was delayed, their burrows were smaller, and they transported less sediment in the presence of oil. The hepatopancreas had elevated levels of oxidative stress and a higher abundance of blister cells, which play a role in secretory processes. Interspecific differences were observed; most effects were strongest in U. panacea, though burrowing was more strongly affected in U. longisignalis. The present study demonstrates that crude oil is likely to impact fiddler crabs and many species that depend on them for their diet or for the ecological changes that result from their burrowing. Environ Toxicol Chem 2018;37:491–500. © 2017 SETAC
Comparison of pyrite cinder with synthetic and natural iron‐based oxygen carriers in coal‐fueled chemical‐looping combustion
Authors: Zhang Shuai , Xiao Rui
Published: September 2017

Pyrite cinder, a Fe2O3‐containing industrial waste derived from the sulfuric acid manufacturing industry, was compared with the synthetic and natural iron‐based oxygen carriers, to explore its potential superiority in coal‐fueled chemical‐looping combustion. The oxygen carriers were evaluated through a lab‐scale fluidized‐bed reactor regarding their reactivity, recyclability, and attrition performance. The results showed that pyrite cinder prevailed over synthetic and natural iron‐based oxygen carriers in terms of the reactivity. Similar CO2 yields were obtained by both pyrite cinder and synthetic Fe‐Al(10nm) oxygen carrier, but the char conversion rate for pyrite cinder was obviously higher than that of synthetic and natural iron‐based oxygen carriers. As for the cyclic reaction behavior, both pyrite cinder and natural MAC iron ore performed well regarding the stable yield of CO2, whereas synthetic Fe‐Al(10nm) oxygen carrier showed a poor resistance to the decay of reactivity and occurrence of severe sintering. The attrition performance of three oxygen carriers under different operation parameters showed that the particle collision and the collisions between oxygen carrier particle and reactor wall were the major triggers to the attrition. The cyclic attrition tests showed that the abrasion‐resistant capability for the pyrite cinder pelletized by the double‐roller squeezing granulation method was lower than that of synthetic and natural iron‐based oxygen carriers. It can be concluded that the pyrite cinder would be an outstanding candidate as the iron‐based oxygen carrier, but its mechanical strength should be enhanced before produced in large scale. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Nicotinamide N‐methyltransferase expression decreases in iron overload, exacerbating toxicity in mouse hepatocytes
Authors: Koppe Tiago , Patchen Bonnie , Cheng Aaron , Bhasin Manoj , Vulpe Chris , Schwartz Robert E. , Moreno‐Navarrete Jose Maria , Fernandez‐Real Jose Manuel , Pissios Pavlos , Fraenkel Paula G.
Published: September 2017

Iron overload causes the generation of reactive oxygen species that can lead to lasting damage to the liver and other organs. The goal of this study was to identify genes that modify the toxicity of iron overload. We studied the effect of iron overload on the hepatic transcriptional and metabolomic profile in mouse models using a dietary model of iron overload and a genetic model, the hemojuvelin knockout mouse. We then evaluated the correlation of nicotinamide N‐methyltransferase (NNMT) expression with body iron stores in human patients and the effect of NNMT knockdown on gene expression and viability in primary mouse hepatocytes. We found that iron overload induced significant changes in the expression of genes and metabolites involved in glucose and nicotinamide metabolism and that NNMT, an enzyme that methylates nicotinamide and regulates hepatic glucose and cholesterol metabolism, is one of the most strongly down‐regulated genes in the liver in both genetic and dietary iron overload. We found that hepatic NNMT expression is inversely correlated with serum ferritin levels and serum transferrin saturation in patients who are obese, suggesting that body iron stores regulate human liver NNMT expression. Furthermore, we demonstrated that adenoviral knockdown of NNMT in primary mouse hepatocytes exacerbates iron‐induced hepatocyte toxicity and increases expression of transcriptional markers of oxidative and endoplasmic reticulum stress, while overexpression of NNMT partially reversed these effects. Conclusion: Iron overload alters glucose and nicotinamide transcriptional and metabolic pathways in mouse hepatocytes and decreases NNMT expression, while NNMT deficiency worsens the toxic effect of iron overload. For these reasons, NNMT may be a drug target for the prevention of iron‐induced hepatotoxicity. (Hepatology Communications 2017;1:803–815)
Genetic variation in the vitamin D related pathway and breast cancer risk in women of African ancestry in the root consortium
Authors: Wang Shengfeng , Huo Dezheng , Kupfer Sonia , Alleyne Dereck , Ogundiran Temidayo O. , Ojengbede Oladosu , Zheng Wei , Nathanson Katherine L. , Nemesure Barbara , Ambs Stefan , Olopade Olufunmilayo I. , Zheng Yonglan
Published: September 2017

The vitamin D related pathway has been evaluated in carcinogenesis but its genetic contribution remains poorly understood. We examined single‐nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the vitamin D related pathway genes using data from a genome‐wide association study (GWAS) of breast cancer in the African Diaspora that included 3,686 participants (1,657 cases). Pathway‐ and gene‐level analyses were conducted using the adaptive rank truncated product test. Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were estimated at SNP‐level. After stringent Bonferroni corrections, we observed no significant association between variants in the vitamin D pathway and breast cancer risk at the pathway‐, gene‐, or SNP‐level. In addition, no association was found for either the reported signals from GWASs of vitamin D related traits, or the SNPs within vitamin D receptor (VDR) binding regions. Furthermore, a decrease in genetically predicted 25(OH)D levels by Mendelian randomization was not associated with breast cancer (p = 0.23). However, an association for breast cancer with the pigment synthesis/metabolism pathway almost approached significance (pathway‐level p = 0.08), driven primarily by a nonsense SNP rs41302073 in TYRP1, with an OR of 1.54 (95% CI = 1.24–1.91, padj = 0.007). In conclusion, we found no evidence to support an association between vitamin D status and breast cancer risk in women of African ancestry, suggesting that vitamin D is unlikely to have significant effect on breast carcinogenesis. Interestingly, TYRP1 might be related to breast cancer through a non‐vitamin D relevant mechanism but further studies are needed.
Identifying actionable variants using next generation sequencing in patients with a historical diagnosis of undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma
Authors: Lewin Jeremy , Garg Swati , Lau Beatrice Y. , Dickson Brendan C. , Traub Frank , Gokgoz Nalan , Griffin Anthony M. , Ferguson Peter C. , Andrulis Irene L. , Sim Hao‐Wen , Kamel‐Reid Suzanne , Stockley Tracy L. , Siu Lillian L. , Wunder Jay S. , Razak Albiruni R.A.
Published: September 2017

There are limited data regarding the molecular characterization of undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcomas (UPS; formerly malignant fibrous histiocytoma). This study aimed to investigate the utility of next generation sequencing (NGS) in UPS to identify subsets of patients who harbour actionable mutations. Patients diagnosed with UPS underwent pathological re‐evaluation by a pathologist specializing in sarcoma. Tumor DNA was isolated from archived fresh frozen tissue samples and genotyped using NGS with the Illumina MiSeq TruSeq Amplicon Cancer Panel (48 genes, 212 amplicons). In total, 95 patients initially classified with UPS were identified. Following pathology re‐review the histological subtypes were reclassified to include: Myxofibrosarcoma (MFS, N = 44); UPS(N = 18); and Others (N = 27; including undifferentiated spindle cell sarcoma (N = 15) and dedifferentiated liposarcoma (N = 6)). Seven cases were excluded from further analysis for other reasons. Baseline demographics of the finalized cohort (N = 88) showed a median age of 66 years (32–95), primarily with stage I–III disease (92%) and high‐grade (86%) lesions. Somatic mutations were identified in 31 cases (35%)(Total mutations = 36: solitary mutation(n = 27); two mutations( =n = 3); three mutations(n = 1)). The most commonly identified mutations were in TP53 (n = 24), ATM (n = 3) and PIK3CA (n = 2). Three of 43 patients with MFS and one of 18 patients with UPS had clinically relevant mutations, mainly related to biomarkers of prediction of response; however few had targetable driver mutations. Somatic mutation status did not influence disease free or overall survival. Based on the small number of clinically relevant mutations, these data do not support the routine use of targeted NGS panels outside of research protocols in UPS.
Hybrid natural systems for treatment of olive mill wastewater
Authors: Gikas Georgios D , Tsakmakis Ioannis D , Tsihrintzis Vassilios A
Published: September 2017

BACKGROUND

This study examines the efficiency of various natural systems in treating untreated OMW before it is discharged to the environment. The experimental set‐up consisted of two hybrid pilot‐scale natural systems. The first hybrid system (HS‐A) comprised two open tanks (OTs), one vertical flow (VF) constructed wetland (CW) and one free water surface flow (FWS) CW and the second one (HS‐B) comprised two OTs and one FWS CW.

RESULTS

Regarding the HS‐A system, TSS, COD, TKN and phenols (PHE) removals in the two OTs were 83.0%, 21.6%, 62.3% and 12.9%, and cumulative removals in the VF and FWS CW systems were 52.0%, 54.1%, 44.4% and 60.1%, respectively. Regarding the HS‐B system, TSS, COD, TKN and PHE mean removals in the two OTs were 80.7%, 32.2%, 64.1% and 24.7%, and in the FWS CW were 72.0%, 49.4%, 26.9% and 51.1%, respectively. The final pollutant effluent concentrations remained high for disposal in water bodies or reuse for irrigation; further reduction could be achieved by adding additional FWS CWs in series.

CONCLUSION

Hybrid natural systems can be used in efficiently and economically treating OMW. Such hybrid systems could be applied to small family‐owned olive oil producing enterprises to treat OMW economically. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry
Effects of metabolic engineering on downstream processing operational cost and energy consumption: the case of Escherichia coli's glycerol conversion to succinic acid
Authors: Tafur Rangel Albert Enrique , Camelo Valera Laura Carolina , Gómez Ramírez Jorge Mario , González Barrios Andrés Fernando
Published: September 2017

BACKGROUND

Succinic acid production has been studied from a metabolic engineering or a downstream processing perspective, separately. The concentration of succinic acid and other by‐products obtained after the strain design influences the production cost during the recovery and purification stage. A metabolic engineering–downstream coupling evaluation is important when selecting the metabolic targets for the strain design. In this in silico study, the metabolic engineering of an Escherichia coli strain to produce succinic acid using glycerol as a carbon source in the downstream process was evaluated in terms of operational cost and energy consumption.

RESULTS

Three strain scenarios were selected using a bi‐level linear optimization problem solved by Mixed Integer Linear Programing, and simulated in a transient fashion with dynamic flux balance analysis considering both biomass growth rate (0.3068, 0.0576, 0.1089 h‐1) and succinate productivity (2.7534, 6.0772, 5.5661 mmol g‐1DW h‐1), respectively. The results showed that the succinic acid productivity constituted a central parameter when selecting the appropriate gene targets for deletion, despite the presence of organic acids in the downstream process and the biomass growth rate.

CONCLUSION

A metabolism–downstream coupled model shows that the bioproduct productivity and fermentation time are key points when considering the operational cost and energy consumption involved in the engineering of strains for industrial‐scale production. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry
Clinical patterns associated with the concurrent detection of anti‐HBs and HBV DNA
Authors: Anastasiou Olympia E. , Widera Marek , Korth Johannes , Kefalakes Helenie , Katsounas Antonios , Hilgard Gudrun , Gerken Guido , Canbay Ali , Ciesek Sandra , Verheyen Jens
Published: September 2017

Simultaneous detection of anti‐HBs and HBV DNA is a rare serological combination and has been described in acute and chronic HBV infection. To scrutinize viral and clinical patterns associated with concurrent detection of anti‐HBs and HBV DNA. Simultaneous detection of anti‐HBs and HBV DNA was observed in 64/1444 (4.4%) patients treated for HBV infection at the University Hospital of Essen from 2006 to 2016 (8 with acute, 20 with reactivated, and 36 chronic HBV infection). Clinical data and laboratory parameters were analyzed. Regions of the small hepatitis B surface antigen (SHB) and the reverse transcriptase (RT) were sequenced using next generation sequencing (NGS). Among the 64 patients with detectable HBV DNA and anti‐HBs, 17 were HBsAg negative (HBsAg[−]), and two had acute liver failure. Patients with acute HBV infection had fewer genotype specific amino acid substitutions in the SHB region than patients with reactivated HBV infection (4 [4.5] vs 9 [16.25], P = 0.043). However, we could observe a significantly higher number of mutations in the a‐determinant region when comparing chronically infected patients to patients with acute infection (0 [1] vs 1 [1], P = 0.044). The ratio of nonsynonymous to synonymous mutations (Ka/Ks) was on average >1 for the SHB region and <1 for the RT region. The Ka/Ks ratio (>1) in the SHB region indicates that anti‐HBs might have exerted selection pressure on the HBsAg. In three cases the diagnosis of acute HBV infection would have been at least delayed by only focusing on HBsAg testing.
The impact of obesity and timely antiviral administration on severe influenza outcomes among hospitalized adults
Authors: Segaloff Hannah E. , Evans Richard , Arshad Samia , Zervos Marcus J. , Archer Carolyn , Kaye Keith S. , Martin Emily T.
Published: September 2017

Obesity was identified as a risk factor for severe influenza during the 2009 influenza A(H1N1)pandemic, but evidence of this association has been mixed since. Post‐pandemic antiviral treatment guidelines may have increased antiviral treatment among obese individuals. A prospective study of adults hospitalized with laboratory‐confirmed influenza in Detroit, Michigan in 2011‐2012 and 2012‐2013 was conducted. Patient information was collected from interviews and medical chart abstraction. Obese (BMI ≥ 30) and non‐obese (BMI < 30) participants were compared. Late antiviral treatment (>2 days from symptom onset), obesity (30 ≤ BMI < 40), and morbid obesity (BMI ≥ 40) were evaluated as predictors of lower respiratory tract disease (LRD), ICU admission, and length of stay (LOS) using logistic regression and inverse probability weighted models. Forty‐eight participants were included in the study after exclusions and all patients received antiviral treatment. Participants who were obese were significantly more likely to have a cough and to take steroids than non‐obese participants, and had a shorter time from hospital admission to antiviral treatment (median time from admission to treatment of 0 days for obese patients and 1 day for non‐obese patients [P = 0.001]). In all models, late antiviral treatment was associated with increased odds of LRD (OR: 3.9 [1.1,15.9] in fully adjusted model). After adjustment for treatment timing, the odds of ICU admission (OR: 6.4 [0.8,58.2] to 7.9 [0.9, 87.1]) and LRD (OR: 3.3 [0.5, 23.5] to 4.0 [0.6, 35.0]) associated with morbid obesity increased. Obese individuals were treated with antivirals earlier than others. Late antiviral treatment was associated with severe influenza in the hospital.
Primary mediastinal paraganglioma associated with a familial variant in the succinate dehydrogenase B subunit gene
Authors: Samuel Nardin , Ejaz Resham , Silver Josh , Ezzat Shereen , Cusimano Robert J. , Kim Raymond H.
Published: September 2017

Surgical management is the mainstay of therapy for primary cardiac tumors, yet due to the rarity of these malignancies, their management and workup remains a challenge. Here, we report a unique case of a patient with a primary left ventricular cardiac paraganglioma (PGL) and describe the role of a medical genetics assessment leading to the identification of a rare variant in the SDHB gene to be the causative etiology of this cardiac tumor. Due to decreasing costs and accessibility of molecular genetic analysis, genetic testing may become an emerging diagnostic adjunct in cases of cardiac tumors.
Weylness of 2 × 2 operator matrices
Authors: Wu Xiufeng , Huang Junjie , Chen Alatancang
Published: September 2017

Let and be complex separable infinite‐dimensional Hilbert spaces. Given the operators and , we define where is an unknown element. In this paper, a necessary and sufficient condition is given for to be a right Weyl (left Weyl, or Weyl) operator for some . Moreover, some relevant properties and illustrating examples are also given.
Two BRM promoter polymorphisms predict poor survival in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Pasic Ivan , Wong Kit M. , Lee Jonghun J. , Espin‐Garcia Osvaldo , Brhane Yonathan , Cheng Dangxiao , Chen Zhuo , Patel Devalben , Brown Catherine , Bucur Roxana , Reisman David , Knox Jennifer J. , Xu Wei , Hung Rayjean J. , Liu Geoffrey , Cleary Sean P.
Published: September 2017

Polymorphisms in the promoter of the BRM gene, a critical subunit of the chromatin remodeling SWI/SNF complex, have previously been implicated in risk and prognosis in Caucasian‐predominant lung, head and neck, esophageal, and pancreatic cancers, and in hepatocellular cancers in Asians. We investigated the role of these polymorphisms in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) risk and prognosis. HCC cases were recruited in a comprehensive cancer center while the matched controls were recruited from family practice units from the same catchment area. For risk analyses, unconditional logistic regression analyses were performed in HCC patients and matched healthy controls. Overall survival analyses were performed using Cox proportional hazard models, Kaplan‐Meier curves, and log‐rank tests. In 266 HCC cases and 536 controls, no association between either BRM promoter polymorphism (BRM‐741 or BRM‐1321) and risk of HCC was identified (P > 0.10 for all comparisons). There was significant worsening of overall survival as the number of variant alleles increased: BRM‐741 per variant allele adjusted hazards ratio (aHR) 5.77, 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.89‐11.54 and BRM‐1321 per variant allele aHR 4.09, 95%CI 2.22‐7.51. The effects of these two polymorphisms were at least additive, where individuals who were double homozygotes for the variant alleles had a 45‐fold increase in risk of death when compared to those who were double wild‐type for the two polymorphisms. Two BRM promoter polymorphisms were strongly associated with HCC prognosis but were not associated with increased HCC susceptibility. The association was strongest in double homozygotes for the allele variants.
Real‐time rendering under distant illumination with conformal geometric algebra
Authors: Papaefthymiou Margarita , Papagiannakis George
Published: September 2017

Precomputed radiance transfer (PRT) methods established for handling global illumination (GI) of objects from area lights in real time and many techniques proposed for rotating the light using linear algebra rotation matrices. Rotating area lights efficiently are crucial part for computer graphics since it is one of the main components of real‐time rendering. Matrices commonly used for handling such rotations are not quite efficient and require high memory consumption; as a result, the need for proposing new more efficient rotation algorithms has been established. In this work, we use the conformal geometric algebra (CGA) as the mathematical background for “GI in real‐time” under distant Image‐based lighting (IBL) illumination, for diffuse surfaces with self‐shadowing by efficiently rotating the environment light using CGA entities. Our work is based on spherical harmonics (SH), which are used for approximating natural, area‐light illumination as irradiance maps. Our main novelty is that we extend the PRT algorithm by representing SH for the first time with CGA.The main intuition is that SH of band index 1 are represented using CGA entities and SH with band index larger than 1 are represented in terms of CGA‐SH of band 1. Specifically, we propose a new method for representing SH with CGA entities and rotating SH by rotating CGA entities. In this way, we can visualize the SH rotations, rotate them faster than rotation matrices, and we provide a unique visual representation and intuition regarding their rotation, in stark contrast to usual rotation matrices, and we achieve consistently better visual results from Ivanic rotation matrices during light rotation. Via our CGA expressed SH, we provide a significant boost on the PRT algorithm since we represent SH rotations by CGA rotors (4 numbers) as opposed to 9 × 9 sparse matrices that are usually used. With our algorithm, we pave the way for including scaling (dilation) and translation of light coefficients using CGA motors.