bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Stable Covalent Organic Frameworks for Photochemical Applications
Authors: Guo Liping , Jin Shangbin
Published: June 2019

Covalent organic frameworks (COFs) are a type of intriguing crystalline porous network material which has attracted extensive research attention in many fields. In particular, the crystalline and designable structures which can be constructed with diverse building blocks and topologies endow covalent organic frameworks (COFs) with high photoconductivity and multiple potential applications in photochemistry. The chemical stability of the host COF is fundamental to guarantee the durability of the photocatalytic performance, which can be realized by robust linkages. For this reason, significant attention has recently focused on the development of stable COFs. Herein, advances achieved in the development of stable COFs for photochemical applications are described, including photocatalytic hydrogen production and reduction of CO2, photocatalytic organic reaction transformations, photocatalytic environmental remediation, and other applications. Furthermore, the future of COFs for application in photocatalysis are discussed.
Usefulness of immunohistochemical staining for MUC5AC in differentiating primary pancreatic cancer from pancreatic metastasis of breast cancer
Authors: Yamashita Hiroki , Kurita Akira , Azuma Shunjiro , Kudo Yasushi , Matsuzaki Naomi , Yazumi Shujiro
Published: June 2019

Diagnosis of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) and its differentiation from metastases to the pancreas from other organs remains challenging. We report a case in which immunohistochemical staining for MUC5AC was useful in distinguishing primary pancreatic cancer from breast cancer metastasis. A 51‐year‐old Japanese woman who underwent curative resection of her breast cancer was referred to our hospital with a pancreatic head tumor. Although we surmised her pancreatic tumor to be metastatic breast cancer based on her past history and imaging studies, she was subsequently diagnosed with PDAC on the basis of immunohistochemical staining for MUC5AC using specimens obtained by endoscopic ultrasound‐fine‐needle aspiration. Thus, MUC5AC may be a useful diagnostic marker for discriminating PDAC from a secondary malignancy.
Measurements and ecological implications of non‐rainfall water in desert ecosystems—A review
Authors: Kidron Giora J. , Starinsky Abraham
Published: June 2019

The current review focuses on the contribution of non‐rainfall water (NRW) to arid and semiarid regions (with a focus on the Negev), where NRW may provide a constant source of water that may facilitate the survival of different organisms, especially microorganisms. Factors that determine the amounts of NRW and the contribution of NRW to plants and organisms are discussed. Nevertheless, although important, significant variation exists regarding the amounts of NRW, which may stem from improper use or inherent drawbacks of some of the measurement devices. This may lead to erroneous conclusions regarding the possible role played by NRW. For instance, with prokaryotes (bacteria and cyanobacteria) requiring liquid water (≥0.1 mm) for growth, small inaccuracies in NRW around this threshold may either lead to the conclusion that NRW is sufficiently high to facilitate their growth, or rather, is too low to facilitate their growth. Arguing that some of the devices used to measure NRW may greatly overestimate the amounts, the possible contribution of NRW to soil bacteria and cyanobacterial biocrusts is analysed. We suggest that although NRW may assist the growth and survival of mosses and some types of lichens (mostly non‐crustose), no conclusive findings were thus far reported regarding the use of dew for cyanobacteria growth. The use of dew by cyanobacterial crust for growth should be critically examined, and the possibility that NRW may even result in a negative carbon balance for cyanobacterial crusts should be considered.
The unprecedented loss of Florida's reef‐building corals and the emergence of a novel coral‐reef assemblage
Authors: Toth L. T. , Stathakopoulos A. , Kuffner I. B. , Ruzicka R. R. , Colella M. A. , Shinn E. A.
Published: June 2019

Over the last half century, climate change, coral disease, and other anthropogenic disturbances have restructured coral‐reef ecosystems on a global scale. The disproportionate loss of once‐dominant, reef‐building taxa has facilitated relative increases in the abundance of “weedy” or stress‐tolerant coral species. Although the recent transformation of coral‐reef assemblages is unprecedented on ecological timescales, determining whether modern coral reefs have truly reached a novel ecosystem state requires evaluating the dynamics of reef composition over much longer periods of time. Here, we provide a geologic perspective on the shifting composition of Florida's reefs by reconstructing the millennial‐scale spatial and temporal variability in reef assemblages using 59 Holocene reef cores collected throughout the Florida Keys Reef Tract (FKRT). We then compare the relative abundances of reef‐building species in the Holocene reef framework to data from contemporary reef surveys to determine how much Florida's modern reef assemblages have diverged from long‐term baselines. We show that the composition of Florida's reefs was, until recently, remarkably stable over the last 8000 yr. The same corals that have dominated shallow‐water reefs throughout the western Atlantic for hundreds of thousands of years, Acropora palmata, Orbicella spp., and other massive coral taxa, accounted for nearly 90% of Florida's Holocene reef framework. In contrast, the species that now have the highest relative abundances on the FKRT, primarily Porites astreoides and Siderastrea siderea, were rare in the reef framework, suggesting that recent shifts in species assemblages are unprecedented over millennial timescales. Although it may not be possible to return coral reefs to pre‐Anthropocene states, our results suggest that coral‐reef management focused on the conservation and restoration of the reef‐building species of the past, will optimize efforts to preserve coral reefs, and the valuable ecosystem services they provide into the future.
Preparation of Alkyl Ethers with Diallyltriazinedione‐Type Alkylating Agents (ATTACKs‐R) Under Acid Catalysis
Authors: Fujita Hikaru , Yamashita Rina , Fujii Takanori , Yamada Kohei , Kitamura Masanori , Kunishima Munetaka
Published: June 2019

Diallyltriazinedione‐type acid‐catalyzed alkylating agents (ATTACKs‐R) with 10 different alkyl groups (R), including benzyl, substituted benzyl, allyl, and methyl groups were synthesized. The palladium‐catalyzed intramolecular O‐to‐N allylic rearrangement of 2,4‐bis(allyloxy)‐6‐chloro‐1,3,5‐triazine was developed to introduce various alkoxy groups into the N,N′‐dialkylated triazinedione skeleton. O‐Alkylation of alcohols with ATTACKs‐R was carried out in 1,4‐dioxane in the presence of 2,6‐di‐tert‐butylpyridinium trifluoromethanesulfonate or trifluoromethanesulfonic acid as a catalyst. Six selected ATTACKs‐R bearing benzylic R groups were employed to prepare alkyl ethers from primary, secondary, and tertiary alcohols. The reactions of ATTACKs‐R bearing an o‐nitro‐substituted benzyl group tended to afford low yields. Comparison of four different triazinedione‐based benzylating reagents suggested that the N,N′‐substituents affected the reactivity.
Active Junctions to Improve Sensitivity and Detection Limit of a Microdevice Based on Coulometry Coupled with Silver Metallization
Authors: Anshori Isa , Takie Shuichi , Suzuki Hiroaki
Published: June 2019

For achieving miniaturization and coupling with microfluidics, electrochemical devices are advantageous. In particular, coulometry is an effective tool to analyze components in solutions of very small volumes. The sensitivity and detection limit of coulometry can be improved remarkably by converting an analyte into Ag on the same Pt electrode separated in two flow channels and measuring the amount of Ag using coulometry. We demonstrate that the cathodic and anodic potentials of both parts of the Pt electrode can be shifted and reactions can be accelerated by replacing the liquid junction connecting the two flow channels by a metal wire with redox active ends. This in turn improves the sensitivity and detection limit of the device. This effect can also be observed by directly applying a voltage to the solutions in the flow channels. The achieved detection limit for hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) was 2.4 nM.
Permselectivity of Electrodeposited Polydopamine/Graphene Composite for Voltammetric Determination of Dopamine
Authors: Xie Fang , Zhou Yueming , Liang Xizhen , Zhou Zhiping , Luo Jianqiang , Liu Shujuan , Ma Jianguo
Published: June 2019

A novel permselective film of electrodeposited polydopamine (PDA) on electrochemical reduced graphene oxide (erGO) surface was prepared. The obtained composite films were characterized by atomic force microscope (AFM), cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The influences of permselectivity with different electropolymerized cycles and concentration of dopamine on electrochemical responses of biomolecules on electrode were investigated. It was found that the composite film held high cationic permeable to dopamine (DA) and good suppression of ascorbic acid (AA) and uric acid (UA) using CV. The anodic peak currents were proportional to dopamine concentration. The significant permselectivity suggested that the PDA/graphene‐modified electrode has opened a new route to high selective dopamine biosensor.
Modeling longitudinal imaging biomarkers with parametric Bayesian multi‐task learning
Authors: Aksman Leon M. , Scelsi Marzia A. , Marquand Andre F. , Alexander Daniel C. , Ourselin Sebastien , Altmann Andre ,   for ADNI
Published: June 2019

Longitudinal imaging biomarkers are invaluable for understanding the course of neurodegeneration, promising the ability to track disease progression and to detect disease earlier than cross‐sectional biomarkers. To properly realize their potential, biomarker trajectory models must be robust to both under‐sampling and measurement errors and should be able to integrate multi‐modal information to improve trajectory inference and prediction. Here we present a parametric Bayesian multi‐task learning based approach to modeling univariate trajectories across subjects that addresses these criteria. Our approach learns multiple subjects' trajectories within a single model that allows for different types of information sharing, that is, coupling, across subjects. It optimizes a combination of uncoupled, fully coupled and kernel coupled models. Kernel‐based coupling allows linking subjects' trajectories based on one or more biomarker measures. We demonstrate this using Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) data, where we model longitudinal trajectories of MRI‐derived cortical volumes in neurodegeneration, with coupling based on APOE genotype, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and amyloid PET‐based biomarkers. In addition to detecting established disease effects, we detect disease related changes within the insula that have not received much attention within the literature. Due to its sensitivity in detecting disease effects, its competitive predictive performance and its ability to learn the optimal parameter covariance from data rather than choosing a specific set of random and fixed effects a priori, we propose that our model can be used in place of or in addition to linear mixed effects models when modeling biomarker trajectories. A software implementation of the method is publicly available.
Brain gray matter correlates of extraversion: A systematic review and meta‐analysis of voxel‐based morphometry studies
Authors: Lai Han , Wang Song , Zhao Yajun , Zhang Lei , Yang Cheng , Gong Qiyong
Published: June 2019

Extraversion is a fundamental personality dimension closely related to an individual's life outcomes and mental health. Although an increasing number of studies have attempted to identify the neurostructural markers of extraversion, the results have been highly inconsistent. The current study aimed to achieve a comprehensive understanding of brain gray matter (GM) correlates of extraversion with a systematic review and meta‐analysis approach. Our review showed relatively high interstudy heterogeneity among previous findings. Our meta‐analysis of whole‐brain voxel‐based morphometry studies revealed that extraversion was stably associated with six core brain regions. Additionally, meta‐regression analyses identified brain regions where the associations of extraversion with GM volume were modulated by gender and age. The relationships between extraversion and GM structures were discussed based on three extraversion‐related functional systems. Furthermore, we explained the gender and age effects. Overall, our study is the first to reveal a comprehensive picture of brain GM correlates of extraversion, and the findings may be useful for the selection of targeted brain areas for extraversion interventions.
“Sons of the West” leadership academy: Examining impact on community connectedness, leadership and self‐efficacy
Authors: Chamravi Daniel , Di Benedetto Mirella , Naccarella Lucio
Published: June 2019

Issue addressed

Australian men experience poorer health, have reduced help‐seeking behaviours, engage in unhealthy coping mechanisms and suicide rates are disproportionately high, compared to Australian women. The “Sons of the West” (SOTW) Premiership Program is an Australian men's physical and mental health promotion program, which includes a Leadership Academy (LA), so that Premiership Program graduates can further develop skills and become leaders in improving male health. The aim of this research study was to determine if the SOTW Leadership Academy improved community connectedness, leadership attributes and self‐efficacy amongst LA graduates.

Methods

Sixty‐seven Australian males (M = 53.42, SD = 11.80, age range: 20‐72), from two groups (Premiership Program graduates who completed the LA and those who only completed the Premiership Program) completed three self‐rated questionnaires on community connectedness, self‐efficacy and leadership qualities.

Results

There was a significant difference between the two groups, showing that LA graduates had increased levels of leadership skills, self‐efficacy and community connectedness compared to those who did not complete the LA.

Conclusion

This study indicates that a men's health program can not only engage and improve the health of men, but also help them develop skills and enhance their own strengths, so that they can improve the health and well‐being of others.

So what?

The development of leadership pathways and capacity building, embedded within health promotion programs, is an important aspect of improving health and well‐being.
Hydraulic redistribution and hydrological controls on aspen transpiration and establishment in peatlands following wildfire
Authors: Depante Midori , Morison Matthew Q. , Petrone Richard M. , Devito Kevin J. , Kettridge Nicholas , Waddington James M.
Published: June 2019

In the sub‐humid Western Boreal Plains of Alberta, where evapotranspiration often exceeds precipitation, trembling aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx.) uplands often depend on adjacent peatlands for water supply through hydraulic redistribution. Wildfire is common in the Boreal Plains, so the resilience of the transfer of water from peatlands to uplands through roots immediately following wildfire may have implications for aspen succession. The objective of this research was to characterize post‐fire peatland‐upland hydraulic connectivity and assess controls on aspen transpiration (as a measure of stress and productivity) among landscape topographic positions. In May 2011, a wildfire affected 90,000 ha of north central Alberta, including the Utikuma Region Study Area (URSA). Portions of an URSA glacio‐fluval outwash lake catchment were burned, which included forests and a small peatland. Within 1 year after the fire, aspen were found to be growing in both the interior and margins of this peatland. Across recovering land units, transpiration varied along a topographic gradient of upland midslope (0.42 mm hr−1) > upland hilltop (0.29 mm hr−1) > margin (0.23 mm hr−1) > peatland (0.10 mm hr−1); similar trends were observed with leaf area and stem heights. Although volumetric water content was below field capacity, P. tremuloides were sustained through roots present, likely before fire, in peatland margins through hydraulic redistribution. Evidence for this was observed through the analysis of oxygen (δ18O) and hydrogen (δ2H) isotopes where upland xylem and peat core signatures were −10.0‰ and −117.8‰ and −9.2‰ and −114.0‰, respectively. This research highlights the potential importance of hydraulic redistribution to forest sustainability and recovery, in which the continued delivery of water may result in the encroachment of aspen into peatlands. As such, we suggest that through altering ecosystem services, peatland margins following fire may be at risk to aspen colonization during succession.
Investigating hydrologic responses to spatio‐temporal characteristics of storms using a Dynamic Moving Storm generator
Authors: Gao Shang , Fang Zheng N.
Published: June 2019

A synthetic storm generator—Dynamic Moving Storm (DMS)—is developed in this study to represent spatio‐temporal variabilities of rainfall and storm movement in synthetic storms. Using an urban watershed as the testbed, the authors investigate the hydrologic responses to the DMS parameters and their interactions. In order to reveal the complex nature of rainfall–run‐off processes, previously simplified assumptions are relaxed in this study regarding (a) temporal variability of rainfall intensity and (b) time‐invariant flow velocity in channel routing. The results of this study demonstrate the significant contribution of storm moving velocity to the variation of peak discharge based on a global sensitivity analysis. Furthermore, a pairwise sensitivity analysis is conducted to elucidate not only the patterns in individual contributions from parameters to hydrologic responses but also their interactions with storm moving velocity. The intricacies of peak discharges resulting from sensitivity analyses are then dissected into independent hydrologic metrics, that is, run‐off volume and standard deviation of run‐off timings, for deeper insights. It is confirmed that peak discharge is increased when storms travel downstream along the main channel at the speed that corresponds to a temporal superposition of run‐off. Spatial concentration of catchment rainfall is found to be a critical linkage through which characteristics of moving storms affect peak discharges. In addition, altering peak timing of rainfall intensity in conjunction with storm movement results in varied storm core locations in the channel network, which further changes the flow attenuation effects from channel routing. For future directions, the DMS generator will be embedded in a stochastic modelling framework and applied in rainfall/flow frequency analysis.
Mortality, teratogenicity and growth inhibition of three glyphosate formulations using Frog Embryo Teratogenesis Assay‐Xenopus
Authors: Babalola O. Oluwaseun , Truter J. Christoff , van Wyk Johannes H.
Published: June 2019

Ample evidence around the world exists suggesting a link between exposure to glyphosate, toxicity and perturbed physiological functions in non‐target organisms. Although glyphosate formulations are widely used for weed and alien plant management, their ecotoxicological information remain scanty. Using the 96‐hour Frog Embryo Teratogenesis Assay‐Xenopus protocol, embryotoxicity and teratogenicity of three glyphosate‐based formulations were assessed. Embryos of Xenopus laevis were exposed to Roundup, Kilo Max and Enviro Glyphosate at concentration of 0.3‐1.3, 130‐280 and 320‐560 mg acid equivalent (a.e.)/L respectively. The results showed Roundup to be more toxic than the other formulations with a 96‐hour LC50 of 1.05 mg a.e/L. compared with 207 mg a.e./L, and 466 mg a.e./L for Kilo Max and Enviro Glyphosate respectively. Although, both Roundup and Kilo Max formulations show inhibition on growth of the embryo‐larva (P ˂ .05), the minimum concentration inhibiting growth ratios of the three formulations was >0.30 baseline, indicating no significant growth inhibiting effect in the formulations. For teratogenicity, Roundup and Enviro Glyphosate formulations exhibited increasing teratogenic traces, with the teratogenic index at 1.7 and 1.6 respectively. Kilo Max formulation shows low teratogenicity with the teratogenic index at 1.4. Characteristic malformation induced by these formulations included generalized edema, cardiac and abdominal edema, improper gut formation and axial malformations. This study confirms that these formulations could be a potential physiological and ecological health disruptor, particularly concerning teratogenicity and growth disruption. Further studies to characterize the contributions of their surfactants will be invaluable.
Functional near infrared spectroscopy using spatially resolved data to account for tissue scattering: A numerical study and arm‐cuff experiment
Authors: Veesa Joshua D. , Dehghani Hamid
Published: June 2019

Functional Near‐Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS) aims to recover changes in tissue optical parameters relating to tissue hemodynamics, to infer functional information in biological tissue. A widely‐used application of fNIRS relies on continuous wave (CW) methodology that utilizes multiple distance measurements on human head for study of brain health. The typical method used is spatially resolved spectroscopy (SRS), which is shown to recover tissue oxygenation index (TOI) based on gradient of light intensity measured between two detectors. However, this methodology does not account for tissue scattering which is often assumed. A new parameter recovery algorithm is developed, which directly recovers both the scattering parameter and scaled chromophore concentrations and hence TOI from the measured gradient of light‐attenuation at multiple wavelengths. It is shown through simulations that in comparison to conventional SRS which estimates cerebral TOI values with an error of ±12.3%, the proposed method provides more accurate estimate of TOI exhibiting an error of ±5.7% without any prior assumptions of tissue scatter, and can be easily implemented within CW fNIRS systems. Using an arm‐cuff experiment, the obtained TOI using the proposed method is shown to provide a higher and more realistic value as compared to utilizing any prior assumptions of tissue scatter.
The Design and Validation of a New Algorithm to Identify Incident Fractures in Administrative Claims Data
Authors: Wright Nicole C , Daigle Shanette G , Melton Mary E , Delzell Elizabeth S , Balasubramanian Akhila , Curtis Jeffrey R
Published: June 2019

Our study validated a claims-based algorithm for the identification of incident and recurrent fractures in administrative data. We used Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) claims from 2005 to 2014 linked to the Reasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) database. Case qualifying (CQ) fractures were identified among participants with ≥12 months of fee-for-service coverage before first fracture claim and ≥6 months after. Recurrent fractures were defined as the first CQ fracture that occurred following a clean period of at least 90 days from the last claim associated with the preceding incident fracture. We used medical records (discharge summary, imaging, and surgical report) to adjudicate fractures. We calculated positive predictive values (PPVs) for incident and recurrent fractures. Our study was not designed to assess the algorithm sensitivity or negative predictive value. We identified 2049 potential incident fractures from claims among 1650 participants. Record retrieval was attempted for 728 (35.5%) suspected incident fractures (prioritizing more recent CQ fractures associated with osteoporosis, but without explicitly requiring any osteoporosis ICD-9 diagnosis code). Our final sample included 520 claims-identified fractures with medical records, of which 502 (96.5%) were confirmed. The PPVs (95% CI) of the hip, wrist, humerus, and clinical vertebra—all exceeded 95%. We identified 117 beneficiaries with 292 ≥2 CQ fracture episodes at the same site, and attempted retrieval on 105 (36.0%) episodes. Our analytic sample included 72 (68.5%) CQ episodes from 33 participants. The PPVs for identifying recurrent clinical vertebral, hip/femur, and nonvertebral fractures with a 90-day clean period exceeded 95%. Although we could not ascertain sensitivity, our updated fracture identification algorithms had high PPV for the identification of incident and recurrent fractures of the same site. Although medical record review and clinical adjudication remain a gold standard, our claims-based algorithm provides an alternative approach to fracture ascertainment when high PPV is desired. © 2019 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.
Curcuminoids plus piperine improve nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: A clinical trial
Authors: Panahi Yunes , Valizadegan Ghasem , Ahamdi Nobakht , Ganjali Shiva , Majeed Muhammed , Sahebkar Amirhossein
Published: June 2019

Background

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) as a prevalent hepatic disease is associated with an increased risk of morbidity and mortality related to the liver and cardiovascular disease (CVD). Lifestyle modification and good metabolic control is the first line of treatment, but not always efficacious in reversing NAFLD pathogenesis. Curcumin is a dietary phytochemical with hepatoprotective activities, though its low bioavailability is considered as a major challenge for clinical applications. Therefore, in this study, in order to improve the bioavailability of curcumin, it was coadministered with piperine and we investigated the effects of this bioavailability‐enhanced curcumin on serum hepatic enzymes, lipid profile, and glycemic indices in patients with NAFLD.

Methods

In this randomized controlled parallel‐group trial, 70 subjects with ultrasound‐determined NAFLD were randomized to either 500 mg curcuminoids coadministered with 5 mg piperine daily or placebo for 12 weeks. NAFLD severity (on the basis of sonography) and hepatic function was assessed at baseline and at the study end.

Results

Seventy subjects completed the study. Supplementation with curcuminoids plus piperine significantly reduced the hematocrit (P = 0.027), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (P = 0.048) and the serum concentrations of alanine aminotransferase (P = 0.035), aspartate aminotransferase (P = 0.042), alkaline phosphatase (P = 0.004), cholesterol (P < 0.016), low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol (P < 0.017), Iron (P = 0.026), and Hemoglobin (P = 0.025) and increased total iron‐binding capacity (P = 0.003). However, except albumin, changes in other parameters were not statistically different between groups. In addition, administration of curcuminoids plus piperine significantly improved NAFLD severity (P < 0.001), which was statistically different compared with the placebo group (P = 0.022). Also, the percentage of improved patients was marginally higher in the curcuminoids plus piperine group when compared with the placebo group (P = 0.058).

Conclusion

This study suggested beneficial effects of combined curcuminoids and piperine supplementation on disease severity in patients with NAFLD.
LncRNA F11‐AS1 suppresses liver hepatocellular carcinoma progression by competitively binding with miR‐3146 to regulate PTEN expression
Authors: Du Junkai , Chen Mingyue , Liu Jianfei , Hu Pan , Guan Hong , Jiao Xiaoqin
Published: June 2019

Accumulating evidence has proved that long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are involved in cancer progression. The abnormal expression of lncRNAs might mediate cancer in various ways. Liver hepatocellular carcinoma (LIHC) is the third leading cause of tumor‐related deaths. Due to the difficulty in its early recognition, the therapeutic outcomes of LIHC are far from satisfactory. The lncRNA Coagulation Factor XI Antisense RNA 1 (F11‐AS1) is underexpressed in LIHC and suppresses LIHC progression in return. F11‐AS1 can bind with and negatively regulate miR‐3146, while miR‐3146 can bind with and negatively regulate PTEN. Moreover, F11‐AS1 positively regulates the messenger RNA and protein level of PTEN. Also, miR‐3146, F11‐AS1, and PTEN could all be immunoprecipitated by antibody against Ago2, indicating the existence of RNA–induced silencing complex. Therefore, F11‐AS1 mediates PTEN expression by acting as competing endogenous RNA of miR‐3146. Further rescue assays demonstrated that F11‐AS1 suppressed LIHC progression via such pattern. To sum up, F11‐AS1 suppresses LIHC progression by competitively binding with miR‐3146 to regulate PTEN expression. The F11‐AS1/miR‐3146/PTEN axis is brand new. Taken together, the results indicate that F11‐AS1 might serve as a therapeutic target of LIHC.
Novel short synthetic matrix attachment region for enhancing transgenic expression in recombinant Chinese hamster ovary cells
Authors: Jia Yan‐Long , Guo Xiao , Ni Tian‐Jun , Lu Jiang‐Tao , Wang Xiao‐Yin , Wang Tian‐Yun
Published: June 2019

Matrix attachment regions (MARs) are DNA fragments with specific motifs that enhance transgenic expression; however, the characteristics and functions of these elements remain unclear. In this study, we designed and synthesized three short chimeric MARs, namely, SM4, SM5, and SM6, with different numbers and orders of motifs on the basis of the features and motifs of previously reported MARs, namely, SM1, SM2, and SM3, respectively. Expression vectors with six synthetic MARs flanking the down or upstream of the expression cassette for enhanced green fluorescence protein (EGFP) were constructed and introduced into Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells. Results indicated that the EGFP expression of the CHO cells with transfection bySM4, SM5, or SM6‐containing vectors was higher than that of those containing SM1, SM2, or SM3 regardless of the MAR insertion position. The improving effect of SM5 was particularly pronounced. Transgenic expression was further enhanced with the increasing SM5 copy number. Bioinformatics analysis indicated that several arrangements of the DNA‐binding motifs for CEBP, FAST, Hox, glutathione, and NMP4 may help increase transgenic expression levels and the average population of highly expressed cells. Our findings on novel synthetic MARs will help establish stable expression systems in mammalian cells.
The protective effect of nigeglanine on dextran sulfate sodium‐induced experimental colitis in mice and Caco‐2 cells
Authors: Gao Xue‐jiao , Tang Bin , Liang Hui‐huang , Yi Li , Wei Zi‐gong
Published: June 2019

Ulcerative colitis (UC) was a nonspecific inflammatory disease. The treatment of UC is imperative. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of nigeglanine on dextran sulfate sodium‐induced UC in experimental mice and Caco‐2 cells and define the underlying mechanism. The nigeglanine was shown a significant protective effect on the colon, significantly reduced the weight and colon length loss and inhibited intestinal epithelial cell damage. Nigeglanine also reduced proinflammatory factors and increased anti‐inflammatory factor production. The results indicate that nigeglanine suppresses the nuclear factor kappa B and mitogen‐activated protein kinases pathways in addition to NLRP3 inflammasome action, inhibiting colon epithelial cell pyroptosis. Surprisingly, ZO‐1 and occludin protein levels increased with nigeglanine treatment, suggesting that nigeglanine plays a protective role in barrier integrity, reducing colitis progression. The present study suggests that dietary therapy with nigeglanine may be a useful treatment for prophylaxis and palliative UC.
Low‐level LIBS and Raman data fusion in the context of in situ Mars exploration
Authors: Rammelkamp Kristin , Schröder Susanne , Kubitza Simon , Vogt David S. , Frohmann Sven , Hansen Peder B. , Böttger Ute , Hanke Franziska , Hübers Heinz‐Wilhelm
Published: June 2019

Laser‐induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) and Raman spectroscopy are powerful key techniques for the geoanalytical exploration of extraterrestrial bodies, especially when combined. Their data are complementary, which motivates the question of how it can be best combined to maximize the scientific output. For this study, LIBS and Raman data from pure sulfates and their mixtures as well as from other Mars‐relevant salts such as carbonates, chlorides, perchlorates, and sulfates in a basaltic matrix were measured and investigated. All measurements were performed with miniaturized setups, and LIBS experiments were done in simulated Martian atmospheric conditions. Multivariate data analysis (MVA) techniques such as principal component analysis (PCA) and partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS‐DA) were employed to evaluate the potential for identifying the sulfates or the salts in the basalt with LIBS and Raman data alone and with their low‐level fused data. We found that low‐level data fusion, that is, combination of LIBS and Raman spectra at the data level, can improve the identification of sulfates and salts. Although the approach of low‐level data fusion aims to use all relevant information from both techniques, we observed that not all benefits from the single models are completely represented by the fused model. The computation and performance of appropriate MVA models are affected by the weighting of the single spectra in the combined one, by the dimensionality of the MVA models, and in case of PLS‐DA, by the given input data. From this study, we conclude that generally, data fusion of LIBS and Raman is an advantage for the identification of unknown samples but that more levels, especially, high‐level data fusion (decision level), should be further investigated.
Kinetic and Mechanistic Insights into Thermally Initiated Polymerization of Cyanate Esters with Different Bridging Groups
Authors: Galukhin Andrey , Liavitskaya Tatsiana , Vyazovkin Sergey
Published: June 2019

This study investigates the kinetics of thermally initiated polymerization of aryl cyanates with different bridging fragments ((CH3)2C, S, and O). To minimize the effect of impurities on the kinetics, the aryl cyanates are synthesized in a highly pure form. The rates of polymerization are measured by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and treated by an advanced isoconversional method. The DSC measurements indicate that the ((CH3)2C‐ and S‐bridging monomers have, respectively, the lowest and highest reactivities. The observed variation of the activation energy with conversion and temperature is determined to be in agreement with the two‐step kinetic model by Kamal. Estimating the parameters of the Kamal model has provided mechanistic insights into the polymerization process. The enhanced reactivity of the S‐bridged monomer is found to be associated with acceleration of the first step that demonstrates an increased value of the preexponential factor. The acceleration is linked to higher polarizability of this monomer that can promote stronger intermolecular interaction and preferred orientation of the reacting species.
Obesity and cancer: A mechanistic overview of metabolic changes in obesity that impact genetic instability
Authors: Kompella Pallavi , Vasquez Karen M.
Published: June 2019

Obesity, defined as a state of positive energy balance with a body mass index exceeding 30 kg/m2 in adults and 95th percentile in children, is an increasing global concern. Approximately one‐third of the world's population is overweight or obese, and in the United States alone, obesity affects one in six children. Meta‐analysis studies suggest that obesity increases the likelihood of developing several types of cancer, and with poorer outcomes, especially in children. The contribution of obesity to cancer risk requires a better understanding of the association between obesity‐induced metabolic changes and its impact on genomic instability, which is a major driving force of tumorigenesis. In this review, we discuss how molecular changes during adipose tissue dysregulation can result in oxidative stress and subsequent DNA damage. This represents one of the many critical steps connecting obesity and cancer since oxidative DNA lesions can result in cancer‐associated genetic instability. In addition, the by‐products of the oxidative degradation of lipids (e.g., malondialdehyde, 4‐hydroxynonenal, and acrolein), and gut microbiota‐mediated secondary bile acid metabolites (e.g., deoxycholic acid and lithocholic acid), can function as genotoxic agents and tumor promoters. We also discuss how obesity can impact DNA repair efficiency, potentially contributing to cancer initiation and progression. Finally, we outline obesity‐related epigenetic changes and identify the gaps in knowledge to be addressed for the development of better therapeutic strategies for the prevention and treatment of obesity‐related cancers.
The economic benefits of invasive species management
Authors: Hanley Nick , Roberts Michaela
Published: June 2019

Invasive species are known to cause significant negative impacts to ecosystems and to people.

In this paper, we outline the nature of these economic impacts, and then present a range of approaches for estimating the economic costs of invasive species (including impacts on biodiversity), and thus the benefits of management programmes. The importance of thinking clearly about the most appropriate context for valuation is stressed.

We provide examples of the application of non‐market valuation approaches to invasive species management, and show how such methods can be used to measure public preferences over how control is undertaken.

We discuss some important problems in applying economic valuation methods in this context.

A plain language summary is available for this article.
Influence of fiber content on rheological and mechanical properties of pineapple leaf fibers‐polypropylene composites prepared by twin‐screw extrusion
Authors: Berzin Françoise , Amornsakchai Taweechai , Lemaitre Alain , Castellani Romain , Vergnes Bruno
Published: June 2019

Pineapple leaf fiber (PALF) is an agricultural waste that could be used as a reinforcing fiber for thermoplastic polymers. Therefore, it is important to characterize the properties of these composites. In this paper, PALF was used to prepare polypropylene‐based composites by twin‐screw extrusion. The objective was to evaluate the influence of the fiber content (between 10 and 30 wt%) on the rheological and mechanical properties of the composites. Variations in fiber dimensions (length, diameter, aspect ratio) along the screws were analyzed and revealed limited degradation in the tested condition. The rheological behavior of the composites was directly impacted by the fiber content, with a regular increase of the viscosity and the development of a melt yield stress above 20 wt% PALF. The mechanical properties showed an increase in Young's modulus (+115% at 30 wt% PALF) and stress at break (+72% at 30 wt% PALF), proportional to the fiber content, but a sharp decrease in elongation at break (from 980% to 10% at 30 wt% PALF). These results confirm that the fiber content is the main parameter controlling the rheological and mechanical properties of the PALF/PP composites and that this fiber from agricultural waste can be considered as a good candidate for various applications of PP‐based composites.
Doctor hopping and doctor shopping for prescription opioids associated with increased odds of high‐risk use
Authors: Young Sean G. , Hayes Corey J. , Aram Jonathan , Tait Mark A.
Published: June 2019

Purpose

Early detection of risky behaviors involving prescription opioids can assist prescribers in implementing safer prescribing. Patient‐to‐prescriber travel patterns may indicate potential opioid misuse. We introduce doctor hopping, patients bypassing nearby prescribers in favor of more distant ones, as a new spatial estimation of potentially risky behavior, and compare with traditional doctor shopping metrics.

Methods

We examined all filled opioid prescriptions between 2015 and 2016 from the Arkansas Prescription Drug Monitoring Program. We calculated patient‐to‐prescriber travel times and number of prescribers bypassed for each prescription, adjusted for payment method. Opioid recipients traveling further than the nearest urban area and bypassing more prescribers than 99% of other recipients from the same zip code were identified as doctor hoppers. We calculated odds ratios to evaluate how doctor hopping and doctor shopping correspond to high‐risk opioid uses.

Results

Approximately 0.72% of all opioid recipients in Arkansas engaged in doctor hopping two or more times during the study period. Rates of doctor hopping varied spatially but were more common in rural areas. Doctor shopping was more common in urban areas. Both hopping and shopping were significantly associated with higher odds of engaging in high‐risk opioid use. The combination of doctor hopping and doctor shopping metrics can predict high‐risk use better than either metric alone and may allow for earlier detection than doctor shopping alone.

Conclusions

Doctor hopping is positively associated with high‐risk opioid use and is distinct from and complementary to doctor shopping. We recommend Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP) vendors incorporate similar spatial analyses into their systems.
Formation of Effective CuI‐GaN Heterojunction with Excellent Ultraviolet Photoresponsive Photovoltage
Authors: Ranade Ajinkya K. , Desai Pradeep , Mahyavanshi Rakesh , Tanemura Masaki , Kalita Golap
Published: June 2019

Here, the formation of an effective heterojunction with the p‐type γ‐copper iodide (γ‐CuI) and n‐type gallium nitride (GaN) with excellent photodiode characteristics is demonstrated. The γ‐CuI/GaN heterojunction shows good rectification characteristics up to applied bias voltage of ±20 V with low saturation current, thus confirming the suitability of the γ‐CuI film. The heterojunction diode and ultraviolet (UV) photoresponsive characteristics of the device are elucidated with temperature‐dependent transport behavior analysis. With an increase in temperature, reverse saturation current is enhanced, whereas the diode ideality factor is reduced. The heterojunction device shows UV photoresponsive photovoltaic action with a prominent photovoltage of 0.93 V. The temperature‐dependent photovoltaic action is also investigated in the temperature range of 298–373 K, where the open circuit voltage (Voc) decreases with increase in temperature. The photovoltaic action is obtained at a temperature as high as 373 K, indicating that the γ‐CuI/GaN photoresponsive device is quite stable with excellent photovoltage. This study reveals that the effectiveness of γ‐CuI/GaN heterojunction and diode properties to fabricate a heterojunction photodiode with excellent photovoltage and photoresponsivity.
An automated, laser‐based measurement system for nitrous oxide isotope and isotopomer ratios at nanomolar levels
Authors: Ji Qixing , Grundle Damian S.
Published: June 2019

Rationale

Nitrous oxide (N2O) is an atmospheric trace gas regulating Earth's climate, and is a key intermediate of many nitrogen cycling processes in aquatic ecosystems. Laser‐based technology for N2O concentration and isotopic/isotopomeric analyses has potential advantages, which include high analytical specificity, low sample size requirement and reduced cost.

Methods

An autosampler with a purge‐and‐trap module is coupled to a cavity ring‐down spectrometer to achieve automated and high‐throughput measurements of N2O concentrations, N2O isotope ratios (δ15Nbulk and δ18O values) and position‐specific isotopomer ratios (δ15Nα and δ15Nβ values). The system provides accuracy and precision similar to those for measurements made by traditional isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS) techniques.

Results

The sample sizes required were 0.01–1.1 nmol‐N2O. Measurements of four N2O isotopic/isotopomeric references were cross‐calibrated with those obtained by IRMS. With a sample size of 0.50 nmol‐N2O, the measurement precision (1σ) for δ15Nα, δ15Nβ, δ15Nbulk and δ18O values was 0.61, 0.33, 0.41 and 0.43‰, respectively. Correction schemes were developed for sample size‐dependent isotopic/isotopomeric deviations. The instrumental system demonstrated consistent measurements of dissolved N2O concentrations, isotope/isotopomer ratios and production rates in seawater.

Conclusions

The coupling of an autosampler with a purge‐and‐trap module to a cavity ring‐down spectrometer not only significantly reduces sample size requirements, but also offers comprehensive investigation of N2O production pathways by the measurement of natural abundance and tracer level isotopes and isotopomers. Furthermore, the system can perform isotopic analyses of dissolved and solid nitrogen‐containing samples using N2O as the analytical proxy.
A Facile Sunlight‐Induced Synthesis of Phenylalanine‐Conjugated Cholic Acid‐Stabilized Silver and Gold Nanoparticles for Colorimetric Detection of Toxic Hg2+, Cr6+ and Pb2+ Ions
Authors: Annadhasan Mari , Kasthuri Jayapalan , Rajendiran Nagappan
Published: June 2019

An efficient and eco‐friendly procedure for the synthesis of highly stable silver (Ag) and gold (Au) nanoparticles (NPs) using phenylalanine conjugated cholic acid (CPhe) in aqueous medium has been developed.These NPs were prepared under natural sunlight irradiation, in which CPhe acts both as self‐reducing and capping agent. The size and shape of the NPs were optimized by changing the ratio of the concentration of CPheand Au3+ ions, pH of the solution, sunlight irradiation and reaction time.The optical properties of the nanoparticles (NPs) were studied using UV‐visible spectroscopy. Size and morphology of the NPs were analyzed using high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR‐TEM) and dynamic light scattering techniques (DLS) techniques. The interaction of CPhe on the NPs surface were studied by X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Fourier transform infrared (FT‐IR) spectra.The synthesized Ag and Au NPs solutions were found to be highly stable for more than a year. The prepared NPs were used as probes for highly selective and sensitive detection of heavy metal ions (Hg2+, Cr6+ and Pb2+) by colorimetric in aqueous medium with a detection limit in the range ofnanomolar concentrations.
Clinical Evaluation of a Photonic Crystal Sensor for Glucose Monitoring in Urine
Authors: Lan Yunhe , Xue Min , Qiu Lili , Meng Zihui
Published: June 2019

Self‐monitoring of blood glucose is not only an effective method to treat diabetes, but also a painful invasive process to patients. To develop a noninvasive technique, we evaluated the clinical performance of a polymerized crystalline colloidal array (PCCA) sensor for glucose monitoring in urine. A two‐dimensional crystalline colloidal array (CCA) was assembled using polystyrene particles and further embedded into 3‐acrylamidophenylboronic acid functionalized hydrogel. 101 urine samples were tested, and the glucose concentrations was calculated by the particle spacing of PCCA. All the urine samples were also analyzed by automated urine analyzers. Pearson correlation and linear regression analyses showed a linear relationship between the PCCA results with a range of 0.4‐53.3 mmol L−1 and the Cobas® 8000 references (r=0.914; [PCCA]=0.9281 [HK] + 2.0585 mmol L−1). Cohen's kappa (κ) statistic with 0.65 (sig < 0.05) showed the PCCA results had moderate agreement with references. Also, Bland‐Altman plot showed that AX‐4030 sensor's systematic error was higher than PCCA sensor (mean=7.4813 > 0.5271 mmol L−1). The PCCA urine glucose biosensor has the advantages of fast fabrication, low cost, easy operation and high sensitivity, which provides a promising technique for noninvasive point‐of‐care glucose monitoring.