bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Cutis laxa and excessive bone growth due to de novo mutations in PTDSS1
Authors: Piard Juliette , Lespinasse James , Vlckova Marketa , Mensah Martin A. , Iurian Sorin , Simandlova Martina , Malikova Marcela , Bartsch Oliver , Rossi Massimiliano , Lenoir Marion , Nugues Frédérique , Mundlos Stefan , Kornak Uwe , Stanier Philip , Sousa Sérgio B. , Van Maldergem Lionel
Published: January 2018

The cutis laxa syndromes are multisystem disorders that share loose redundant inelastic and wrinkled skin as a common hallmark clinical feature. The underlying molecular defects are heterogeneous and 13 different genes have been involved until now, all of them being implicated in elastic fiber assembly. We provide here molecular and clinical characterization of three unrelated patients with a very rare phenotype associating cutis laxa, facial dysmorphism, severe growth retardation, hyperostotic skeletal dysplasia, and intellectual disability. This disorder called Lenz–Majewski syndrome (LMS) is associated with gain of function mutations in PTDSS1, encoding an enzyme involved in phospholipid biosynthesis. This report illustrates that LMS is an unequivocal cutis laxa syndrome and expands the clinical and molecular spectrum of this group of disorders. In the neonatal period, brachydactyly and facial dysmorphism are two early distinctive signs, later followed by intellectual disability and hyperostotic skeletal dysplasia with severe dwarfism allowing differentiation of this condition from other cutis laxa phenotypes. Further studies are needed to understand the link between PTDSS1 and extra cellular matrix assembly.
Nasal ventilation is an important factor in evaluating the diagnostic value of nasal nitric oxide in allergic rhinitis
Authors: Hou Jing , Lou Hongfei , Wang Yang , He Fei , Cao Feifei , Wang Chengshuo , Zhang Luo
Published: January 2018

Background

The role of nasal nitric oxide (NO) in the diagnosis of allergic rhinitis (AR) is controversial. The aim of this study was to identify factors that may affect levels of nasal NO in AR patients and evaluate the role of nasal NO in the diagnosis of AR.

Methods

Seventy‐five AR patients and 31 healthy controls were enrolled in this study. AR symptom scores were assessed using the visual analog scale. Eosinophil cationic protein (ECP) was detected by enzyme‐linked immunoassay, nasal NO was measured using a chemiluminescence analyzer, and nasal airway resistance (NAR) was assessed by active anterior rhinomanometry.

Results

Nasal obstruction score, ECP, and NAR were found to be independently associated with nasal NO. Nasal NO level in patients with nasal obstruction score <7 (mild‐to‐moderate obstruction) was significantly increased compared with healthy subjects (282.1 ± 122.6 vs 150.7 ± 48.4 ppb; p < 0.001), and significantly decreased in patients with nasal obstruction score ≥7 (severe obstruction) (97.2 ± 52.2 vs 150.7 ± 48.4 ppb; p < 0.001). Nasal NO and ECP in secretion were positively correlated in patients with mild‐to‐moderate nasal obstruction (r = 0.678), but not in patients with severe nasal obstruction (r = 0.077). In patients with NAR <0.65 Pa/cm3/s, the correlation coefficient was highest between NO and ECP (r = 0.685). The areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve for nasal NO level were 0.878 and 0.939 in patients with nasal obstruction scores <7 and NAR <0.65 Pa/cm3/s, respectively.

Conclusion

Nasal patency affects nasal NO level significantly, and may reflect the severity of nasal inflammation in AR patients with mild‐to‐moderate nasal obstruction, but not in patients with severe nasal obstruction.
Switching Control of Acceleration and Safety Protection for Turbo Fan Aero‐Engines Based on Equilibrium Manifold Expansion Model
Authors: Chen Chao , Zhao Jun
Published: January 2018

This paper presents a switching control strategy to solve the acceleration problem with safety constraints for aero‐engines. The proposed strategy is based on an equilibrium manifold expansion (EME) model. That brings a more precise description for the dynamic behavior of the aero‐engine during the acceleration procedure. The acceleration controller, the safety protection controller, and the set‐point controller are designed separately for the respective objectives with more degree of freedom and less conservatism. Based on Lyapunov function, the switching law is properly designed to ensure asymptotic stability with acceleration constraint and the high pressure turbine outlet temperature safety constraint for the nonlinear EME model. It is not necessary to construct a minimum phase nonlinear system using the proposed strategy. The effectiveness of the proposed strategy is verified through a case study where the controller designed based on the EME model is used for a nonlinear component‐level (NCL) model. Simulation also indicates better performance from using the proposed strategy than the existing method.
Gut microbiome influences on anastomotic leak and recurrence rates following colorectal cancer surgery
Authors: Gaines S , Shao C , Hyman N , Alverdy J C
Published: January 2018

Background

The pathogenesis of colorectal cancer recurrence after a curative resection remains poorly understood. A yet-to-be accounted for variable is the composition and function of the microbiome adjacent to the tumour and its influence on the margins of resection following surgery.

Methods

PubMed was searched for historical as well as current manuscripts dated between 1970 and 2017 using the following keywords: ‘colorectal cancer recurrence’, ‘microbiome’, ‘anastomotic leak’, ‘anastomotic failure’ and ‘mechanical bowel preparation’.

Results

There is a substantial and growing body of literature to demonstrate the various mechanisms by which environmental factors act on the microbiome to alter its composition and function with the net result of adversely affecting oncological outcomes following surgery. Some of these environmental factors include diet, antibiotic use, the methods used to prepare the colon for surgery and the physiological stress of the operation itself.

Conclusion

Interrogating the intestinal microbiome using next-generation sequencing technology has the potential to influence cancer outcomes following colonic resection.
Role of micro-RNAs in breast cancer surgery
Authors: McAnena P , Lowery A , Kerin M J
Published: January 2018

Background

The management of breast cancer has changed dramatically in the molecular era. Micro-RNAs can contribute to multiple facets of cancer surgery.

Methods

This narrative review, based on years of research on the role of micro-RNAs, focused on the potential of these small, robust RNAs to influence all aspects of breast cancer surgery.

Results

Micro-RNAs have a potential role as biomarkers in the diagnosis, prognosis and evaluation of response to therapy in breast cancer. They may also contribute to future therapeutic strategies.

Conclusion

The molecular era has changed understanding of cancer. Micro-RNAs have the potential for use in personalized cancer strategies.
Optical Characterization of Transmitted Visible Photoluminescence of Bragg‐resonanced Porous Silicon
Authors: Park Mi‐Ae , Kim Jin Soo , Cho Soo Gyeong , Sohn Honglae
Published: January 2018

The investigation and optical characterization of Bragg resonance luminescence porous silicon (BRL PS) exhibiting both optical reflectivity and sharp photoluminescence (PL) at the Bragg resonance wavelength were reported. Two types of Bragg reflector porous silicon (BR PS) samples which exhibit strong reflection in visible or near infrared region and broad red PL were fabricated. When the Bragg reflection wavelength places in the range of emission wavelength, BR PS starts to exhibit narrowing of PL behavior. The optimization of Bragg resonance phenomenon of PL to generate sharp Bragg‐resonated PL by changing the number of repeats of Bragg‐stack layers. BR PS showing the reflection wavelength of 640 nm with 50 repeats exhibited sharp PL at the Bragg resonance wavelength with broad weak PL. BRL PS having 70% porosity with 1.45 refractive index displayed the second‐order reflectivity peak at 640 nm, thus sharp PL peak at 640 nm was the second‐order transmitted and amplified PL peak at the Bragg resonance wavelength. The optical properties of free‐standing BR PS film were investigated. The front side surface of BR PS shows both reflectivity and PL, however the back side surface of free‐standing BR PS shows only reflectivity without PL.
One‐Pot Synthesis of Disubstituted Urea from Carbon Dioxide, Propylene Oxide, and Amines Catalyzed by Imidazolium‐Tetraiodoindate
Authors: Son Guang Meang , Truong Cong Chien , Mishra Dinesh Kumar , Mishra Vivek , Kim Yong Jin
Published: January 2018

In this article, synthesis of 1,3‐disubstituted urea (DSU) from three component reagent systems comprising amine, carbon dioxide, and propylene oxide is described. DSU is synthesized in the presence of a variety of ionic liquids (ILs) with/without promoters. Among used ILs, 1‐butyl‐3‐methylimidazolium tetraiodoindateIII (represented as [Bmim][InI4]) is found to give the highest DSU product. A serious experiment clearly indicates that the tetraiodoindate anion plays an important role for the selective production of the DSU. Based on the in situ infrared spectroscopic studies, a plausible reaction mechanism for producing dicyclohexylurea from cyclohexylamine is proposed. The synthesis and characterization of [Bmim][InI4] are given in details. Moreover, the effect of reaction variables such as time, temperature, pressure, and the molar ratio of substrate to catalyst is also studied.
Identification of Novel Human HDAC8 Inhibitors by Pharmacophore‐based Virtual Screening and Density Functional Theory Approaches
Authors: Kim Seokmin , Lee Yuno , Kim Songmi , Lee Sang Jik , Heo Phil Kyeong , Kim Siu , Kwon Yong Jung , Lee Keun Woo
Published: January 2018

Histone deacetylase (HDAC) enzyme plays a key role in deacetylation mechanism of N‐terminal acetylated lysine residues in histone proteins. HDAC inhibitors have therapeutic potential as anticancer agents. A chemical feature‐based pharmacophore model has been generated from known HDAC8 inhibitors (22 training set compounds) by a 3D QSAR pharmacophore generation approach. The top ranked hypothesis (Hypo1) contained three features of one hydrogen bond donor and two ring aromatics. Hypo1 was cross‐validated using Fischer's randomization by shuffling the activity data in training set compounds. It was also validated by 248 test set compounds with a correlation coefficient of 0.851 between experimental and estimated activities. Thus, the validated Hypo1 was exploited for retrieving novel HDAC8 inhibitor candidates over 109,652 chemical compounds in both Maybridge and Chembridge chemical databases and then the screened compounds were tested by ADMET (absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and toxicity) properties and Lipinski's rules to evaluate their druglikeness. Finally, 11 new lead candidates were obtained and the final three drug candidates from them were selected as potential inhibitors based on the results of molecular docking and density functional theory calculations.
Contribution of MLH1 constitutional methylation for Lynch syndrome diagnosis in patients with tumor MLH1 downregulation
Authors: Pinto Diana , Pinto Carla , Guerra Joana , Pinheiro Manuela , Santos Rui , Vedeld Hege Marie , Yohannes Zeremariam , Peixoto Ana , Santos Catarina , Pinto Pedro , Lopes Paula , Lothe Ragnhild , Lind Guro Elisabeth , Henrique Rui , Teixeira Manuel R.
Published: January 2018

Constitutional epimutation of the two major mismatch repair genes, MLH1 and MSH2, has been identified as an alternative mechanism that predisposes to the development of Lynch syndrome. In the present work, we aimed to investigate the prevalence of MLH1 constitutional methylation in colorectal cancer (CRC) patients with abnormal expression of the MLH1 protein in their tumors. In a series of 38 patients who met clinical criteria for Lynch syndrome genetic testing, with loss of MLH1 expression in the tumor and with no germline mutations in the MLH1 gene (35/38) or with tumors presenting the BRAF p.Val600Glu mutation (3/38), we screened for constitutional methylation of the MLH1 gene promoter using methylation‐specific multiplex ligation‐dependent probe amplification (MS‐MLPA) in various biological samples. We found four (4/38; 10.5%) patients with constitutional methylation in the MLH1 gene promoter. RNA studies demonstrated decreased MLH1 expression in the cases with constitutional methylation when compared with controls. We could infer the mosaic nature of MLH1 constitutional hypermethylation in tissues originated from different embryonic germ layers, and in one family we could show that it occurred de novo. We conclude that constitutional MLH1 methylation occurs in a significant proportion of patients who have loss of MLH1 protein expression in their tumors and no MLH1 pathogenic germline mutation. Furthermore, we provide evidence that MLH1 constitutional hypermethylation is the molecular mechanism behind about 3% of Lynch syndrome families diagnosed in our institution, especially in patients with early onset or multiple primary tumors without significant family history.
Mechanism underlying the negative effect of prostate volume on the outcome of extensive transperineal ultrasound‐guided template prostate biopsy
Authors: Demura Takayoshi , Takada Takenori , Shimoda Naohiko , Hioka Takaya , Iwaguchi Yoshihumi , Ichihara Shin , Gotoda Hiroko
Published: January 2018

Previous studies have indicated a possible relationship between increased prostate volume (PV) and decreased biopsy yield, although the mechanism involved is unclear. We evaluated 1650 patients who underwent template biopsy. The distribution of 993 cancer lesions in 302 prostatectomy specimens was compared with the biopsy data to determine whether each lesion was detected. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) model was used to determine the diagnostic accuracy of prostate‐specific antigen (PSA) and related markers. A medical record number (MRN) was used as a negative control. The cancer positive rate did not change as PSA increased in patients with PV ≥50 mL (P = 0.466), although it increased as PSA increased in patients with PV<50 mL (P = 0.001). The detection rate of cancer lesions decreased as the diameter of the lesions decreased (P = 0.018), but remained unchanged with respect to PV. The diameters of the maximum lesions in patients with PV ≥ 50 mL were significantly smaller than those in patients with PV<50 mL (P = 0.003). In patients with PV ≥ 50 mL, the areas under the ROC curves for PSA‐related markers did not differ significantly from that for MRN, although they were significantly greater than that for MRN in patients with PV<50 mL (P < 0.001). These results suggest that an increase in PV is associated with a decrease in size and detectability of cancer lesions resulting in a decrease in biopsy yield. Loss of diagnostic accuracy of markers in patients with PV ≥ 50 mL indicates a decrease in serum levels of PSA produced by prostate cancer, which suggests growth inhibition of the cancer.
Clinical outcomes of carbon ion radiotherapy with concurrent chemotherapy for locally advanced uterine cervical adenocarcinoma in a phase 1/2 clinical trial (Protocol 1001)
Authors: Okonogi Noriyuki , Wakatsuki Masaru , Kato Shingo , Karasawa Kumiko , Kiyohara Hiroki , Shiba Shintaro , Kobayashi Daijiro , Nakano Takashi , Kamada Tadashi , Shozu Makio ,   the Working Group of Gynecological Tumors
Published: January 2018

We conducted a phase 1/2 study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of carbon ion radiotherapy (C‐ion RT) with concurrent chemotherapy for locally advanced uterine cervical adenocarcinoma. Thirty‐three patients were enrolled between April 2010 and March 2014. Treatment consisted of C‐ion RT with concurrent weekly cisplatin at a dose of 40 mg/m2. In the phase 1 component, the total dose was escalated from 68.0 Gy (relative biological effectiveness [RBE]) to 74.4 Gy (RBE) to determine the maximum tolerated dose of C‐ion RT. In the phase 2 component, the efficacy and safety of C‐ion RT with concurrent chemotherapy were evaluated using the dose determined in the phase 1 component. The median follow‐up duration was 30 months. Two patients did not receive chemotherapy because of anemia or leukocytopenia immediately prior to commencing treatment; 31 patients were analyzed. None of the patients developed dose‐limiting toxicities. The recommended dose (RD) was determined to be 74.4 Gy (RBE). In the phase 2 component, two patients developed Grade 3–4 toxicities in the gastrointestinal tract, due to repeated laser coagulation or peritonitis caused by appendicitis. In the patients treated with the RD, the 2‐year local control, progression‐free survival, and overall survival rates were 71%, 56%, and 88%, respectively. C‐ion RT with concurrent weekly cisplatin was well tolerated in patients with locally advanced uterine cervical adenocarcinoma. Our findings support further investigations into the efficacy of this strategy.
Real‐Time Gas Quality Data for On‐Demand Production of Biogas
Authors: Bierer Benedikt , Nägele Hans-Joachim , Perez Alvaro Ortiz , Wöllenstein Jürgen , Kress Philipp , Lemmer Andreas , Palzer Stefan
Published: January 2018

The flexible production of biogas makes it a promising candidate to become the first renewable, on‐demand energy source. One appealing possibility to achieve an on‐demand supply of methane is to adjust the output of the biogas plant itself. As a consequence, the biological process will be partially overloaded and might fail. Hence, a prerequisite to avoid cost‐intensive failure is a fast, reliable, and cost‐efficient analytical technology for quickly determining the biogas quality. A low‐cost, robust, in‐situ online measurement system for the real‐time determination of carbon dioxide and methane concentrations is presented. The approach makes use of photoacoustic detectors, allowing for the development of gas sensors with reduced size that do not show cross‐sensitivities towards water vapor. The system's readings may be used as input for a novel type of control system that enables an active, demand‐driven control of actuators, such as feeding machinery or mixers.
Gaseous ozone decomposition over high silica zeolitic frameworks
Authors: Brodu Nicolas , Manero Marie‐Hélène , Andriantsiferana Caroline , Pic Jean‐Stéphane , Valdés Héctor
Published: January 2018

For several decades, it has been known that ozone emissions are harmful to humans, plants, and animals. Heterogeneous catalytic decomposition is an efficient process for removing ozone from air. This study examines the effect of the zeolite's framework and pore width on efficiency for decomposing gaseous ozone. Four highly hydrophobic zeolites are used: a large cavity zeolite (Faujasite/H‐FAU), a medium pore zeolite with parallel channel (Mordenite/H‐MOR), and two medium pore zeolites with interconnected channels (H‐ZSM‐5/H‐MFI and Na‐ZSM‐5/Na‐MFI). Experiments were conducted in fixed‐bed flow reactors loaded with zeolite at ambient conditions (20 °C and 101 kPa). Zeolite surfaces were analyzed during the experiments in order to understand the influence of physical and chemical surface properties on the ozone decomposition mechanism. A higher amount of ozone is eliminated using H‐MOR, compared with the zeolite samples H‐FAU, H‐MFI, and Na‐MFI. Pore width and micropore framework size distribution (channel and cages) appear to be key factors. A narrow channel or cage, slightly larger than the ozone molecule size, seems to promote ozone interactions with Lewis acid sites. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy shows that Lewis acid sites (LAS), located on the walls of zeolite pores, decompose ozone. This leads to the formation of atomic oxygen species that could react with another ozone molecule to form dioxygen. Hence, LAS are regenerated, ready to decompose another ozone molecule once more.
Anthropogenic nitrogen deposition ameliorates the decline in tree growth caused by a drier climate
Authors: Ibáñez Inés , Zak Donald R. , Burton Andrew J. , Pregitzer Kurt S.
Published: January 2018

Most forest ecosystems are simultaneously affected by concurrent global change drivers. However, when assessing these effects, studies have mainly focused on the responses to single factors and have rarely evaluated the joined effects of the multiple aspects of environmental change. Here, we analyzed the combined effects of anthropogenic nitrogen (N) deposition and climatic conditions on the radial growth of Acer saccharum, a dominant tree species in eastern North American forests. We capitalized on a long‐term N deposition study, replicated along a latitudinal gradient, that has been taking place for more than 20 yr. We analyzed tree radial growth as a function of anthropogenic N deposition (ambient and experimental addition) and of summer temperature and soil water conditions. Our results reveal that experimental N deposition enhances radial growth of this species, an effect that was accentuated as temperature increased and soil water became more limiting. The spatial and temporal extent of our data also allowed us to assert that the positive effects of growing under the experimental N deposition are likely due to changes in the physiological performance of this species, and not due to the positive correlation between soil N and soil water holding capacity, as has been previously speculated in other studies. Our simulations of tree growth under forecasted climate scenarios specific for this region also revealed that although anthropogenic N deposition may enhance tree growth under a large array of environmental conditions, it will not mitigate the expected effects of growing under the considerably drier conditions characteristic of our most extreme climatic scenario.
Non‐volant mammals from the Upper Paraná River Basin: a data set from a critical region for conservation in Brazil
Authors: Gonçalves Fernando , Hannibal Wellington , Godoi Mauricio N. , Martins Fernando I. , Oliveira Roniel F. , Figueiredo Valquiria V. , Casella Janaina , de Sá Érica F. G. G.
Published: January 2018

The data set represents the first attempt at a large‐scale inventory of non‐volant mammals, with potential applications to performing macroecological studies, developing conservation strategies, and undertaking population and community ecology research, but also to evaluate the ecological consequences of fragmentation and defaunation. Our objectives for compiling these data were to summarize information about inventories of non‐volant mammals in the critically important area of the Upper Paraná River Basin by focusing on species richness and index of frequency of occurrence and to identify gaps in knowledge regarding non‐volant mammal communities in order to guide future sampling efforts. The data set comprises studies on communities of non‐volant mammals from 52 locations covering more than 1,000 km2 and comprises portion of four Brazilian states in the Upper Paraná River Basin. We listed 81 species of non‐volant mammals distributed among 58 genera, 22 families, and 9 orders. Rodentia (28 species) was the richest order, followed by Carnivora (17 spp.) and Didelphimorphia (15 spp.). The richest family was Cricetidae (20 spp.), followed by Didelphidae (15 spp.), and Dasypodidae and Felidae (six spp.). Considering national conservation status, one species are considered endangered and 16 vulnerable. Considering global conservation status, 7 species are considered vulnerable, 10 are considered near threatened, and 6 are data deficient. According to the index of frequency of occurrence, Myrmecophaga tridactyla was the most frequent species, occurring at 88.64% of all sites, while 25 species were considered very restricted, occurring in just 2.56% of all sites. In general, the non‐volant mammal fauna was composed of mainly very restricted (VR, 25 species) and localized species (L, 25 species), which account for 61.7% of the known species, while 38.3% are restricted (R, 8 species), common (C, 16 species), and widespread (W, 7 species). Seven marsupials and five small rodents had their distributions extended in the central‐south of Brazil. All of these species are considered data deficient or threatened, which highlights the importance of these records. No copyright restrictions are associated with the use of this data set. Please cite this data paper when the data are used in publications. We also request that researchers and teachers inform us of how they are using the data.
Preparation of Well‐Ordered Mesoporous‐Silica‐Supported Ruthenium Nanoparticles for Highly Selective Reduction of Functionalized Nitroarenes through Transfer Hydrogenation
Authors: Wei Ning , Zou Xiujing , Huang Haigen , Wang Xueguang , Ding Weizhong , Lu Xionggang
Published: January 2018

MCM‐41‐type mesoporous silica (OMS‐IL) was prepared by using an ionic liquid (1‐hexadecyl‐3‐methylimidazolium bromide) as a template. The XRD and TEM results demonstrated that OMS‐IL was more stable than the MCM‐41 material. Ru nanoparticles were supported on OMS‐IL (Ru/OMS‐IL) by impregnating OMS‐IL with a RuCl3 aqueous solution, and the resulting material was used for the selective reduction of nitroarenes. The effects of the components of the catalysts and the reaction conditions on the catalytic behavior of the prepared catalysts were investigated in detail. Ru/OMS‐IL exhibited high catalytic activity and chemoselectivity for the reduction of various substituted nitroarenes to the corresponding aromatic amines in ethanol with hydrazine hydrate as a hydrogen donor under mild conditions. The Ru/OMS‐IL catalysts were highly stable and could easily be recovered by simple filtration over at least six recycling reactions without any observable loss in catalytic performance.
Fate, uptake, and distribution of nanoencapsulated pesticides in soil–earthworm systems and implications for environmental risk assessment
Authors: Mohd Firdaus Mohd Anuar , Agatz Annika , Hodson Mark E. , Al-Khazrajy Omar S.A. , Boxall Alistair B.A.
Published: January 2018

Nanopesticides are novel plant protection products offering numerous benefits. Because nanoparticles behave differently from dissolved chemicals, the environmental risks of these materials could differ from conventional pesticides. We used soil–earthworm systems to compare the fate and uptake of analytical-grade bifenthrin to that of bifenthrin in traditional and nanoencapsulated formulations. Apparent sorption coefficients for bifenthrin were up to 3.8 times lower in the nano treatments than in the non-nano treatments, whereas dissipation half-lives of the nano treatments were up to 2 times longer. Earthworms in the nano treatments accumulated approximately 50% more bifenthrin than those in the non-nano treatments. In the non-nano treatments, most of the accumulated material was found in the earthworm tissue, whereas in the nano treatments, the majority resided in the gut. Evaluation of toxicokinetic modeling approaches showed that models incorporating the release rate of bifenthrin from the nanocapsule and distribution within the earthworm provided the best estimations of uptake from the nano-formulations. Overall, our findings indicate that the risks of nanopesticides may be different from those of conventional formulations. The modeling presented provides a starting point for assessing risks of these materials but needs to be further developed to better consider the behavior of the nanoencapsulated pesticide within the gut system. Environ Toxicol Chem 2018;37:1420–1429. © 2018 SETAC

Abstract
An interuser interference suppression approach in full‐duplex wireless communications
Authors: Wu Fei , Pu Xumin , Zhang Mintao , Li Si , Ma Wanzhi
Published: January 2018

Considering that a full‐duplex network is composed of a full‐duplex base station (BS) and 2 half‐duplex users, one user transmits on the uplink channel and the other receives through the downlink channel on the same frequency. The uplink user will generate interuser interference (IUI) on the downlink user through the interference channel. In this paper, we propose a novel IUI suppression scheme when the BS knows the full channel state information. The main idea of this scheme is to retransmit the weighted uplink signal as soon as it has been received by the BS. For the narrowband case, we first assess the performance of the proposed scheme through simulation with residual self‐interference at the BS. Specially, we derive the closed‐form expression of the optimum weighted coefficient when self‐interference is perfectly canceled at the BS and then discuss the performance of the proposed IUI suppression scheme in practical considerations. Furthermore, the proposed IUI suppression scheme can be extended to the broadband case using a time‐domain weighted filter. Simulation results show the advantage over existing IUI suppression schemes.
Enteral Feeding Preserves Gut Th‐2 Cytokines Despite Mucosal Cellular Adhesion Molecule‐1 Blockade
Authors: Genton Laurence , Kudsk Kenneth A. , Reese Shannon R. , Ikeda Shigeo
Published: January 2018

Background: Parenteral nutrition (PN) decreases gut‐associated lymphoid tissue (GALT), the intestinal IgA stimulating cytokines IL‐4 and IL‐10 in gut homogenates, intestinal IgA levels and the expression of Peyer patch (PP) mucosal cellular adhesion molecule‐1 (MAdCAM‐1), an adhesion molecule found on the high endothelial venules of PP and other tissues. IL‐4 in PP stimulates MAdCAM expression in vitro. MAdCAM‐1 blockade with MECA‐367 reduces GALT cell populations to PN levels but maintains intestinal IgA levels if the animals are chow fed. This study compares IL‐4 levels in PP of chow and PN fed mice and measures the effects of MAdCAM blockade on IL‐4 and IL‐10 levels in gut homogenates of chow fed mice. We hypothesized that in vivo IL‐4 levels drop in PP of PN fed mice and IL‐4 and IL‐10 levels are maintained after MAdCAM‐1 blockade in chow fed mice. Methods: Exp 1: 18 mice received chow or PN for 5 days to determine PP IL‐4 levels. Exp 2: 44 mice were randomized to chow + control monoclonal antibody (mAb), chow + MECA‐367 (anti‐MAdCAM‐1 mAb) or PN for 4 days before measurement of IL‐4 and IL‐10 levels in gut homogenates. Results: Exp 1: IL‐4 levels in vivo were lower in PP of PN‐fed mice than chow fed mice (92.0 ± 15.1 pg/mL vs 251.1 ± 14.8, p = .0003). Exp 2: IL‐4 levels were significantly higher in chow + control mAb (187.1 ± 44.1 pg/mL) and chow + MECA‐367 (110.9 ± 19.1 pg/mL) groups than PN mice (21.8 ± 30.6 pg/mL, p < .02 vs chow + control or chow + MECA‐367). IL‐10 levels were significantly lower with PN (23.1 ± 40.9 pg/mL) with chow+control (174.0 ± 22.2 pg/mL p < .01), or chow + MECA‐367 (181.7 ± 23.1 pg/mL, p < .02 vs PN). Conclusions: PN‐feeding reduces in vivo IL‐4 levels in PP (consistent with lowered MAdCAM‐1 expression) and IL‐4 and IL‐10 levels in gut homogenates compared with chow. Despite MAdCAM‐1 blockade, enteral feeding preserved gut IL‐4 levels and increased IL‐10 levels consistent with preserved IgA levels.
Optoacoustic sensing of hematocrit to improve the accuracy of hybrid fluorescence‐ultrasound intravascular imaging
Authors: Bozhko Dmitry , Karlas Angelos , Gorpas Dimitris , Ntziachristos Vasilis
Published: January 2018

Hybrid intravascular fluorescence‐ultrasound imaging is emerging for reading anatomical and biological information in vivo. By operating through blood, intravascular near‐infrared fluorescence (NIRF) detection is affected by hemoglobin attenuation. Improved quantification has been demonstrated with methods that correct for the attenuation of the optical signal as it propagates through blood. These methods assume an attenuation coefficient for blood and measure the distance between detector and the vessel wall by observing the intravascular ultrasound images. Assumptions behind the attenuation employed in correction models may reduce the accuracy of these methods. Herein, we explore a novel approach to dynamically estimate optical absorption by using optoacoustic (photoacoustic) measurements. Adaptive correction is based on a trimodal intravascular catheter that integrates fluorescence, ultrasound and optoacoustic measurements. Using the novel catheter, we show how optoacoustic measurements can determine variations of blood absorption, leading to accurate quantification of the detected NIRF signals at different hematocrit values.
Evaluation of marine zooplankton community structure through environmental DNA metabarcoding
Authors: Djurhuus Anni , Pitz Kathleen , Sawaya Natalie A. , Rojas‐Márquez Jaimie , Michaud Brianna , Montes Enrique , Muller‐Karger Frank , Breitbart Mya
Published: January 2018

Zooplankton dominate the abundance and biomass of multicellular animals in pelagic marine environments; however, traditional methods to characterize zooplankton communities are invasive and laborious. This study compares zooplankton taxonomic composition revealed through metabarcoding of the cytochrome oxidase I (COI) and 18S rRNA genes to traditional morphological identification by microscopy. Triplicates of three different sample types were collected from three coral reef sites in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary: (1) 1 L surface seawater samples prefiltered through 3 μm filters and subsequently collected on 0.22 μm filters for eDNA (PF‐eDNA); (2) 1 L surface seawater samples filtered on 0.22 μm pore‐size filters (environmental DNA; eDNA), and (3) zooplankton tissue samples from 64 μm, 200 μm, and 500 μm mesh size net tows. The zooplankton tissue samples were split, with half identified morphologically and tissue DNA (T‐DNA) extracted from the other half. The COI and 18S rRNA gene metabarcoding of PF‐eDNA, eDNA, and T‐DNA samples was performed using Illumina MiSeq. Of the families detected with COI and 18S rRNA gene metabarcoding, 40% and 32%, respectively, were also identified through morphological assessments. Significant differences in taxonomic composition were observed between PF‐DNA, eDNA, and T‐DNA with both genetic markers. PF‐eDNA resulted in detection of fewer taxa than the other two sample types; thus, prefiltering is not recommended. All dominant copepod taxa (> 5% of total abundance) were detected with eDNA, T‐DNA, and morphological assessments, demonstrating that eDNA metabarcoding is a promising technique for future biodiversity assessments of pelagic zooplankton in marine systems.
What are the outcomes of declining a public health service increased risk liver donor for patients on the liver transplant waiting list?
Authors: Croome Kristopher P. , Lee David D. , Pungpapong Surakit , Keaveny Andrew P. , Taner C. Burcin
Published: January 2018

The tragedy of the national opioid epidemic has resulted in a significant increase in the number of opioid‐related deaths and accordingly an increase in the number of potential donors designated Public Health Service (PHS) increased risk. Previous studies have demonstrated reluctance to use these PHS organs, and as a result, higher discard rates for these organs have been observed. All patients listed for liver transplantation in the United States from January 2005 to December 2016 were investigated. Patients on the waiting list were divided into 2 groups: those in which a PHS liver was used for transplantation (accepted PHS group) and those in which a PHS liver was declined and transplanted into a recipient lower on the match run (declined PHS group). Intention‐to‐treat patient survival from the time of PHS offer was significantly higher in the accepted PHS compared with the declined PHS group (P < 0.001). On Cox multivariate regression, declining a PHS donor liver was associated with a hazard ratio of 2.36 (95% confidence interval, 2.23‐2.49; P < 0.001). For patients in which a PHS organ offer was declined, 11.6% died or were delisted for being too sick within the subsequent year. Donor liver allografts implanted in the accepted PHS group were of a lower donor risk index (1.28 versus 1.44) compared with the non‐PHS organs that patients in the declined PHS group ultimately received if they underwent transplantation. In conclusion, there is a significantly higher survival for patients in which a PHS liver is accepted and used compared with those patients in which a PHS organ is declined. These data will help inform decisions about whether or not to accept a PHS donor liver for both patients and transplant professionals. Liver Transplantation 24 497–504 2018 AASLD.
Novel Making of Bacterial Cellulose Blended Polymeric Fiber Bandages
Authors: Altun Esra , Aydogdu Mehmet Onur , Koc Fatma , Crabbe‐Mann Maryam , Brako Francis , Kaur‐Matharu Rupy , Ozen Gunes , Kuruca Serap Erdem , Edirisinghe Ursula , Gunduz Oguzhan , Edirisinghe Mohan
Published: January 2018

Bacterial cellulose (BC) is a very promising biological material. However, at present its utilization is limited by difficulties in shape forming it. In this Communication, it is shown how this can be overcome by blending it with poly(methylmethacrylate) (PMMA) polymer. BC:PMMA fibers are produced by pressurized gyration of blended BC:PMMA solutions. Subsequently, BC:PMMA bandage‐like scaffolds are generated with different blends. The products are investigated to determine their morphological and chemical features. Cell culture and proliferation tests are performed to obtain information on biocompatibility of the scaffolds.
Reconstruction of an upper posterior thigh extensive defect with a free split‐anterolateral thigh (s‐ALT) flap by perforator‐to‐perforator anastomosis: A case report
Authors: Scaglioni Mario F. , Barth Andrè A. , Giovanoli Pietro
Published: January 2018

The anterolateral thigh (ALT) flap is one of the most commonly used flap worldwide in reconstructive surgery, as both free flap and pedicled local flap. Here, we report the use of a free split anterolateral thigh (s‐ALT) flap for reconstruction of a 14 cm × 16 cm soft tissue defect of the left upper posterior thigh region due to sarcoma resection in a patient. The ALT flap was harvested based on two musculocutaneous perforators from the right thigh and anastomosed to the contralateral descending branch of the lateral circumflex femoral artery (LCFA) in perforator‐to‐perforator manner, in order to gain more pedicle length and being able to cover the posterior thigh defect. The post‐operative course was uneventful and the patient was discharged at 1 week post‐operative. Eleven months after the operation, the aesthetic outcome was satisfactory with no functional deficit. Even though it requires technical skills and experience in perforator dissection, we believe that the s‐ALT flap anstomosed to the contralateral LCFA in perforator to perforator fashion, may be a good solution in case of such a difficultly located extensive defect of the posterior thigh.
Resveratrol Influences Pancreatic Islets by Opposing Effects on Electrical Activity and Insulin Release
Authors: Brouwer Simone , Hoffmeister Theresa , Gresch Anne , Schönhoff Lisa , Düfer Martina
Published: January 2018

Scope

Resveratrol is suggested to improve glycemic control by activation of sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) and has already been tested clinically. Our investigation characterizes the targets of resveratrol in pancreatic beta cells and their contribution to short‐ and long‐term effects on insulin secretion.

Methods and results

Islets or beta cells are isolated from C57BL/6N mice. Electrophysiology is performed with microelectrode arrays and patch‐clamp technique, insulin secretion and content are determined by radioimmunoassay, cAMP is measured by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay, and cytosolic Ca2+ concentration by fluorescence methods. Resveratrol (25 μmol L–1) elevates [Ca2+]c and potentiates glucose‐stimulated insulin secretion. These effects are associated with increased intracellular cAMP and are sensitive to the SIRT1 blocker Ex‐527. Inhibition of EPAC1 by CE3F4 also abolishes the stimulatory effect of resveratrol. The underlying mechanism does not involve membrane depolarization as resveratrol even reduces electrical activity despite blocking KATP channels. Importantly, after prolonged exposure to resveratrol (14 days), the beneficial influence of the polyphenol on insulin release is lost.

Conclusion

Resveratrol addresses multiple targets in pancreatic islets. Potentiation of insulin secretion is mediated by SIRT1‐dependent activation of cAMP/EPAC1. Considering resveratrol as therapeutic supplement for patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, the inhibitory influence on electrical excitability attenuates positive effects.
Data‐assisted protein structure modeling by global optimization in CASP12
Authors: Joo Keehyoung , Heo Seungryong , Joung InSuk , Hong Seung Hwan , Lee Sung Jong , Lee Jooyoung
Published: January 2018

In CASP12, 2 types of data‐assisted protein structure modeling were experimented. Either SAXS experimental data or cross‐linking experimental data was provided for a selected number of CASP12 targets that the CASP12 predictor could utilize for better protein structure modeling. We devised 2 separate energy terms for SAXS data and cross‐linking data to drive the model structures into more native‐like structures that satisfied the given experimental data as much as possible. In CASP11, we successfully performed protein structure modeling using simulated sparse and ambiguously assigned NOE data and/or correct residue‐residue contact information, where the only energy term that folded the protein into its native structure was the term which was originated from the given experimental data. However, the 2 types of experimental data provided in CASP12 were far from being sufficient enough to fold the target protein into its native structure because SAXS data provides only the overall shape of the molecule and the cross‐linking contact information provides only very low‐resolution distance information. For this reason, we combined the SAXS or cross‐linking energy term with our regular modeling energy function that includes both the template energy term and the de novo energy terms. By optimizing the newly formulated energy function, we obtained protein models that fit better with provided SAXS data than the X‐ray structure of the target. However, the improvement of the model relative to the 1 modeled without the SAXS data, was not significant. Consistent structural improvement was achieved by incorporating cross‐linking data into the protein structure modeling.
Inorganic Perovskite Solar Cells: A Rapidly Growing Field
Authors: Chen Haining , Xiang Sisi , Li Weiping , Liu Huicong , Zhu Liqun , Yang Shihe
Published: January 2018

Since the first report in 2009, organic‐inorganic hybrid perovskite solar cells (OIH‐PSCs) which have achieved the power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) over 22% have gathered interest in the scientific community. Such high PCEs achieved by low‐cost solution‐processed fabrication techniques are comparable to the traditional commercial solar cells. However, before practical applications, the main challenge that must be addressed is material stability. Replacing organic–inorganic hybrid perovskite (OIH‐PVK) with inorganic perovskites (I‐PVKs) in PSCs has been a promising resolution and up to now, much progress has been made. In this review, a systematic review on the most recent research and progress in inorganic PSCs (I‐PSCs) is presented, which is divided into three parts according to material category (lead‐based I‐PVK, lead‐free I‐PVK, and perovskite‐derived materials). Moreover, current challenges and future research directions are suggested from the aspects of material stability, synthesis methods, device structure and working mechanism.
Immunomodulation By Therapeutic Mesenchymal Stromal Cells (MSC) Is Triggered Through Phagocytosis of MSC By Monocytic Cells
Authors: de Witte Samantha F.H. , Luk Franka , Sierra Parraga Jesus M. , Gargesha Madhu , Merino Ana , Korevaar Sander S. , Shankar Anusha S. , O'Flynn Lisa , Elliman Steve J. , Roy Debashish , Betjes Michiel G.H. , Newsome Philip N. , Baan Carla C. , Hoogduijn Martin J.
Published: January 2018

Mesenchymal stem or stromal cells (MSC) are under investigation as a potential immunotherapy. MSC are usually administered via intravenous infusion, after which they are trapped in the lungs and die and disappear within a day. The fate of MSC after their disappearance from the lungs is unknown and it is unclear how MSC realize their immunomodulatory effects in their short lifespan. We examined immunological mechanisms determining the fate of infused MSC and the immunomodulatory response associated with it. Tracking viable and dead human umbilical cord MSC (ucMSC) in mice using Qtracker beads (contained in viable cells) and Hoechst33342 (staining all cells) revealed that viable ucMSC were present in the lungs immediately after infusion. Twenty-four hours later, the majority of ucMSC were dead and found in the lungs and liver where they were contained in monocytic cells of predominantly non-classical Ly6Clow phenotype. Monocytes containing ucMSC were also detected systemically. In vitro experiments confirmed that human CD14++/CD16- classical monocytes polarized toward a non-classical CD14++CD16+CD206+ phenotype after phagocytosis of ucMSC and expressed programmed death ligand-1 and IL-10, while TNF-α was reduced. ucMSC-primed monocytes induced Foxp3+ regulatory T cell formation in mixed lymphocyte reactions. These results demonstrate that infused MSC are rapidly phagocytosed by monocytes, which subsequently migrate from the lungs to other body sites. Phagocytosis of ucMSC induces phenotypical and functional changes in monocytes, which subsequently modulate cells of the adaptive immune system. It can be concluded that monocytes play a crucial role in mediating, distributing, and transferring the immunomodulatory effect of MSC.
Characterisation and modelling of in-plane springback in a commercially pure titanium (CP-Ti)
Authors: Khayatzadeh S. , Thomas M. J. , Millet Y. , Rahimi S.
Published: January 2018

Effective prediction of springback during sheet metal forming is critically important for automotive and aerospace industries, especially when forming metals with high strength-to-weight ratio such as titanium. This requires materials mechanical data during plastic deformation and their dependencies on parameters like strain, strain rate and sample orientation. In this study, springback is quantified experimentally as elastic strain recovery, degradation in Young’s modulus and inelastic strain recovery on unloading in a commercially pure titanium type 50A (CP-Ti-50A). The results show strain rate-dependent anisotropic mechanical behaviours and a degradation in Young’s modulus with increased level of plastic deformation. The level of degradation in Young’s modules increases gradually from 13% for samples parallel to the rolling direction (RD) to 20% for those perpendicular to the RD. A measurable nonlinear strain recovery was also observed on unloading that is orientation dependent. The level of springback is characterised as the sum of elastic recovery and the contributions from both the degradation in Young’s modulus and anelastic strain recovery. It is shown that the Chord modulus can estimate springback with a reasonable accuracy taking into consideration the elastic strain recovery, degradation in Young’s modulus and anelastic strain recovery.