bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Sulfonic Acid Functionalized Ordered Mesoporous Silica and their Application as Highly Efficient and Selective Heterogeneous Catalysts in the Formation of 1,2‐Monoacetone‐D‐glucose
Authors: Krishna Nunna V. , Anuradha Sankaran , Ganesh Reddi , Kumar Velisoju V. , Selvam Parasuraman
Published: November 2018

A series of sulfonic acid functionalized ordered mesoporous silica (OMS), designated as RSO3H‐OMS (R=alkyl or aryl; OMS=MCM‐41, IITM‐56 or SBA‐15), were prepared by post‐synthesis grafting method. These catalysts, in general, exhibit strong acidic sites and, therefore, yield diacetone‐D‐glucose as main product in the D‐glucose acetonation reaction. On the other hand, the functionalized catalyst can also be tuned in such a way to generate significant amount of weak‐to‐moderate acidic sites, which are in turn responsible for the formation of 1,2‐monoacetone‐D‐glucose, hitherto not reported so far. These functionalized materials also show promise as they are water tolerant catalyst as well as exhibit varying acidic strengths, which allow greater flexibility for the desired product. In addition, the uniform mesopores with high surface area permit bulkier molecules to enter the active sites, thus the catalyst offers larger pliability in terms of yield and reusability. We report here, for the first time, RSO3H‐SBA‐15, with sizable amount of weak‐to‐moderate acidic sites, as a robust heterogeneous catalyst for the formation of the targeted molecule, 1,2‐monoacetone‐D‐glucose.
Solvent‐Free Catalytic Self‐Etherification of 5‐Hydroxymethyl Furfural
Authors: Stanev Nikolai , Bordado João C. M. , Afonso Carlos A. M. , Simeonov Svilen P.
Published: November 2018

Recently, 5‐hydroxymethyl furfural (5‐HMF) became into the spotlight as one of the most promising biorenewable platforms available from carbohydrates. Among other versatile derivatives of 5‐HMF its dimer 5,5′‐(oxy‐bis (methylene)) bis‐2‐furfural (OBMF) was recognized as a useful building block for the production of polymers and pharmaceuticals. Herein we explored the synthesis of OBMF under solvent free conditions applying vacuum as a green tool for water removal. Several readily available acidic resins, silica gel supported inorganic acid, acidic zeolites and Lewis acids were studied as promoters for this transformation. Under these conditions, SiO2/CF3SO3H exhibited the best performance allowing the synthesis of OBMF in 55 % yield in only 1 min reaction time. Similar results were achieved using Amberlyst 15 and SO2/PPA resulting in 51 % yield in 20 min and 46 % yield in 10 min, respectively.
Phosphorus‐doped Isotype g‐C3N4/g‐C3N4: An Efficient Charge Transfer System for Photoelectrochemical Water Oxidation
Authors: Duan Shi‐Fang , Tao Chun‐Lan , Geng Yuan‐Yuan , Yao Xiao‐Qiang , Kang Xiong‐Wu , Su Jin‐Zhan , Rodríguez‐Gutiérrez Ingrid , Kan Miao , Romero Melissa , Sun Yue , Zhao Yi‐Xin , Qin Dong‐Dong , Yan Yong
Published: November 2018

Constructing isotype g‐C3N4/g‐C3N4 heterojunction is an approach to improve the efficiency of g‐C3N4 towards solar‐assisted oxidation of water. Such functional configuration can effectively overcome the intrinsic drawback of rapid charge recombination of g‐C3N4. Here, a modified g‐C3N4, with homogeneous phosphorus doping, is prepared in this work through a phosphide‐involved gas phase reaction. The resulting P‐g‐C3N4 displays altered electronic structure, including upshifted band edge potential, narrowed band gap and improved electronic conductivity. These features allow P‐g‐C3N4 as an outstanding candidate to form isotype junction with pristine g‐C3N4. As expected, the accelerated charge separation and migration in target junction is validated by various measurements. The optimized isotype g‐C3N4/P‐g‐C3N4 heterojunction achieves a photocurrent as high as 0.3 mA cm−2 at 1.23 V vs RHE (AM 1.5G, 100 mW cm−2), representing 8‐fold's enhancement compared with pristine g‐C3N4. The present strategy for constructing g‐C3N4‐based isotype heterojunction networks is found effective for large‐scale manufacturing.
Employment and Careers of European Chemists (ESEC2)
Authors: Salzer Reiner , Cole‐Hamilton David , Hrastelj Nineta , Vilela Bruno
Published: November 2018

Employment conditions and career opportunities are in the focus of the new Employment Survey for European Chemists (ESEC2). Conditions and opportunities are individually analysed for all countries with a statistically significant number of responses. The results provide important clues for careers in these countries and in Europe as a whole. The importance of employer sectors varies very much between European countries. A chapter of this report is devoted to career planning of students and new graduates. This is the first general evaluation of the survey. It provides many details about the chemistry workforce in Europe and its development.
Preservative and surgical interventions to treat ingrown nail and pincer nail
Authors: Kasuya Akira , Tokura Yoshiki
Published: November 2018

Ingrown nail and pincer nail are common diseases. Although they are sometimes indistinguishable and described together, they are different conditions. Pincer nail is a situation where nail plate is curved transversely. On the other hand, ingrown nail represents a condition, where lateral edge of nail cuts deep into the lateral nail fold causing severe inflammation and even pyogenic granuloma. Ingrown nail and pincer nail coexist in some patients. In certain occupational environments, these nail diseases frequently occur as well as irritant and allergic skin diseases. In addition, they may take place in patients receiving epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitors. Different approaches should be made for the treatment of these nail conditions. Historically, surgical interventions, as exemplified by partial avulsion of nail plate and matricectomy, were usually selected. Currently, a number of preservative methods have been emerging, including nail sculpture, Tsume Flat®, Pedigrass®, VHO®, and hyperelastic wire. However, there has been no golden standard. Each facility takes its own method for the treatment. In this review, we explain these preservative methods as well as surgical interventions.
Stable Gabor Phase Retrieval and Spectral Clustering
Authors: Grohs Philipp , Rathmair Martin
Published: November 2018

We consider the problem of reconstructing a signalffrom its spectrogram, i.e., the magnitudes |Vφf| of its Gabor transformurn:x-wiley:00103640:media:cpa21799:cpa21799-math-0001Such problems occur in a wide range of applications, from optical imaging of nanoscale structures to audio processing and classification.

While it is well‐known that the solution of the above Gabor phase retrieval problem is unique up to natural identifications, the stability of the reconstruction has remained wide open. The present paper discovers a deep and surprising connection between phase retrieval, spectral clustering, and spectral geometry. We show that the stability of the Gabor phase reconstruction is bounded by the reciprocal of theCheeger constantof the flat metric on ℝ2, conformally multiplied with |Vφf|. The Cheeger constant, in turn, plays a prominent role in the field of spectral clustering, and it precisely quantifies the “disconnectedness” of the measurementsVφf.

It has long been known that a disconnected support of the measurements results in an instability—our result for the first time provides a converse in the sense that there are no other sources of instabilities.

Due to the fundamental importance of Gabor phase retrieval in coherent diffraction imaging, we also provide a new understanding of the stability properties of these imaging techniques: Contrary to most classical problems in imaging science whose regularization requires the promotion of smoothness or sparsity, the correct regularization of the phase retrieval problem promotes the “connectedness” of the measurements in terms of bounding the Cheeger constant from below. Our work thus, for the first time, opens the door to the development of efficient regularization strategies. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Across the Board: J. Henrique Teles
Authors: Teles J. Henrique
Published: November 2018

In this series of articles, the board members of ChemSusChem discuss recent research articles that they consider of exceptional quality and importance for sustainability. This entry features Dr. J. Henrique Teles, who highlights the importance of a holistic view of sustainability. This is particularly important when it comes to bringing results from the lab to industrial use.
Prevalence of high‐risk human papilloma virus in liquid‐based cervical samples from Turkish women with normal and abnormal cytology
Authors: Seneldir Hatice , Kir Gozde
Published: November 2018

Background

The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of human papilloma virus (HPV) infection from Turkish women with normal and abnormal cytology.

Methods

Our study population consisted of 1252 women with normal and abnormal cytology. In our clinic, cervical cancer screening was performed by liquid‐based cytology testing (ThinPrep Pap Test). Reflex high‐risk (HR) HPV testing (Cervista HPV HR and HPV 16/18) was performed in cases with abnormal cytology (n = 330). HR HPV testing was performed to 922 cases with normal cytology.

Results

HR HPV was detected in 18.7% of negative for intraepithelial lesion or malignancy (NILM) samples, and in 79.7% of abnormal cytology cases. HPV types 16 and/or 18 were found in 18.6% and 35.3% of normal cytology cases and abnormal cytology cases, respectively. Of all 435 HR HPV‐positive samples, HPV type 16 and/or 18 prevalence was significantly higher in cases with more severe cytological abnormalities.

Conclusions

The HPV prevalence among Turkish women with normal and abnormal cytology identified in this study largely concurs with those in other studies throughout the world. HPV types 16 and/or 18 were detected significantly in normal cytology cases in our study. We also found that, as has been previously demonstrated, certain HPV genotypes (16/18) are associated with more severe pathologies. However, larger epidemiological studies in different regions of Turkey are needed to evaluate the accurate prevalence of HPV infection throughout the country.
Effect of rearing conditions on the correlation between larval development time and pupal weight of the rice stem borer, Chilo suppressalis
Authors: Huang Xiao‐Long , Xiao Lan , He Hai‐Min , Xue Fang‐Sen
Published: November 2018

A strong positive correlation between development time and body size is commonly assumed. However, the evidence is increasing that the correlation between the two traits can be positive, zero or negative, depending on whether the two traits are under antagonistic or synergistic selection. In the present study, we examined the relation between larval development time and pupal weight of the rice stem borer Chilo suppressalis under laboratory and field conditions. For individuals reared at constant temperatures (22, 25, 28 and 31°C), a longer larval period tended to result in larger pupae, showing a positive correlation between larval development time and pupal weight; whereas for those reared under field conditions, a longer larval period tended to result in smaller pupae at 23.5 and 29.8°C, showing a negative correlation between the two traits. There was no correlation between the two traits at the mean daily temperature of 31°C. At constant temperatures, larval development time shortened significantly as rearing temperature increased, whereas pupae tended to become larger at higher temperatures, although no significant difference was detected among temperatures for pupal weight. Under field conditions, larval development time decreased significantly as the mean daily temperature increased, whereas pupal weight of females increased significantly with the increase in the mean daily temperature, which is an example of the reverse temperature–size rule. Feeding method significantly affected larval development time and pupal weight. For individuals fed on live rice plants, larval development time shortened significantly and pupal weight increased significantly compared with those reared on fresh rice stems.
Timing of maternal exposure to toxic cyanobacteria and offspring fitness in Daphnia magna: Implications for the evolution of anticipatory maternal effects
Authors: Radersma Reinder , Hegg Alexander , Noble Daniel W. A. , Uller Tobias
Published: November 2018

Organisms that regularly encounter stressful environments are expected to use cues to develop an appropriate phenotype. Water fleas (Daphnia spp.) are exposed to toxic cyanobacteria during seasonal algal blooms, which reduce growth and reproductive investment. Because generation time is typically shorter than the exposure to cyanobacteria, maternal effects provide information about the local conditions subsequent generations will experience. Here, we evaluate if maternal effects in response to microcystin, a toxin produced by cyanobacteria, represent an inheritance system evolved to transmit information in Daphnia magna. We exposed mothers as juveniles and/or as adults, and tested the offspring's fitness in toxic and non‐toxic environments. Maternal exposure until reproduction reduced offspring fitness, both in the presence and in the absence of toxic cyanobacteria. However, this effect was accompanied by a small positive fitness effect, relative to offspring from unexposed mothers, in the presence of toxic cyanobacteria. This effect was mainly elicited in response to maternal exposure to toxic cyanobacteria early in life and less so during reproduction. None of these effects were explained by changes in egg size. A meta‐analysis using our and others’ experiments suggests that the adaptive value of maternal effects to cyanobacteria exposure is weak at best. We suggest that the beneficial maternal effect in our study is an example of phenotypic accommodation spanning generations, rather than a mechanism evolved to transmit information about cyanobacteria presence between generations.
GM‐CSF therapy inhibits chronic graft‐versus‐host disease via expansion of regulatory T cells
Authors: Hotta Masaaki , Yoshimura Hideaki , Satake Atsushi , Tsubokura Yukie , Ito Tomoki , Nomura Shosaku
Published: November 2018

Regulatory T cells (Tregs) attenuate excessive immune responses, making their expansion beneficial in immune‐mediated diseases, including allogeneic bone marrow transplantation associated with graft‐versus‐host disease (GVHD). In addition to interleukin‐2, Tregs require T‐cell receptor and costimulatory signals from antigen‐presenting cells, such as DCs, for their optimal proliferation. Granulocyte‐macrophage colony‐stimulating factor (GM‐CSF) increases DC number and may promote DC‐dependent Treg proliferation. Here, we demonstrate that GM‐CSF treatment increases CD4+CD8– DCs, which are associated with Treg expansion. In a mouse model of chronic GVHD (cGVHD), GM‐CSF therapy expanded Tregs, protected against the development of skin GVHD, and regulated both Th1 and Th17 responses in the peripheral lymph nodes, resulting in an attenuation of skin cGVHD. Notably, the expanded Tregs were instrumental to GM‐CSF‐mediated cGVHD inhibition, which was dependent upon an increased ratio of Tregs to conventional T cells rather than augmentation of suppressive function. These data suggest that GM‐CSF induces Treg proliferation by expanding CD4+CD8− DCs, which in turn regulate alloimmune responses in a cGVHD mouse model. Thus, GM‐CSF could be used as a therapeutic DC modulator to induce Treg expansion and to inhibit excessive alloimmune responses in immune‐related diseases.
Using Bayes model averaging to leverage both gene main effects and G × E interactions to identify genomic regions in genome‐wide association studies
Authors: Moss Lilit C. , Gauderman William J. , Lewinger Juan Pablo , Conti David V.
Published: November 2018

Genome‐wide association studies typically search for marginal associations between a single‐nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) and a disease trait while gene‐environment (G × E) interactions remain generally unexplored. More powerful methods beyond the simple case–control (CC) approach leverage either marginal effects or CC ascertainment to increase power. However, these potential gains depend on assumptions whose aptness is often unclear a priori. Here, we review G × E methods and use simulations to highlight performance as a function of main and interaction effects and the association of the two factors in the source population. Substantial variation in performance between methods leads to uncertainty as to which approach is most appropriate for any given analysis. We present a framework that (a) balances the robustness of a CC approach with the power of the case‐only (CO) approach; (b) incorporates main SNP effects; (c) allows for incorporation of prior information; and (d) allows the data to determine the most appropriate model. Our framework is based on Bayes model averaging, which provides a principled statistical method for incorporating model uncertainty. We average over inclusion of parameters corresponding to the main and G × E interaction effects and the G–E association in controls. The resulting method exploits the joint evidence for main and interaction effects while gaining power from a CO equivalent analysis. Through simulations, we demonstrate that our approach detects SNPs within a wide range of scenarios with increased power over current methods. We illustrate the approach on a gene‐environment scan in the USC Children's Health Study.
Fresh‐state performance design of green concrete mixes with reduced carbon dioxide emissions
Authors: Şanal İrem
Published: November 2018

The use of environment‐friendly cement‐replacement materials results in concrete mixes with significantly reduced water‐to‐binder ratios, leading to increased viscosity and yield stress. This may be considered a hindrance to the widespread implementation of this green concrete technology. In this comprehensive experimental study, a performance‐based design was applied to select different concrete mixtures for reduced carbon dioxide (CO2) emission and improved performance in terms of both fresh and hardened states. A parameter study was carried out to study the rheological properties, compressive strength, and CO2 emissions of 26 mortar mixes with different binder systems and different water‐to‐binder ratios (W/B) with the aim of determining alternative low‐environment impact combinations. A strong effect of the paste composition (binder amount) on the plastic viscosity and resulting CO2 emissions was observed. For fixed proportions of paste and fine aggregate the plastic viscosity shows a non‐linear decreasing trend to the W/B ratio and non‐linear increasing trend to the B/(W+B) ratio. Finally, a successful candidate paste composition satisfying the performance requirements was selected as a reduced CO2 emission alternative. The candidate paste composition (Mix No. 6) with relatively large amounts (fly ash / cement = 3) of supplementary cementitious materials (fly ash) was selected for the development of environment‐friendly concrete mixtures. The maximum compressive strength increase with this mix was found to be around 25% and maximum CO2 reduction obtained was about 68% when compared to that of the control mix. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Fine‐needle aspiration cytology versus core‐needle biopsy for the diagnosis of extracranial head and neck schwannoma
Authors: Ahn Dongbin , Lee Gil Joon , Sohn Jin Ho , Jeong Ji Yun
Published: November 2018

Background

We aimed to investigate the feasibility of diagnosing head and neck schwannomas using core‐needle biopsy (CNB), and to compare this technique to fine‐needle aspiration cytology (FNAC).

Methods

We designed a prospective case series in which 52 FNAC and 29 CNB samples from 48 patients with head and neck schwannoma were analyzed. Patient demographics, pathological results, and complications were also evaluated.

Results

Of the 81 total specimens, 24/52 (46.2%) of the FNAC and 0/29 (0.0%) of the CNB samples were unsatisfactory (P < .001). Specific diagnoses of schwannoma, including “suspicious schwannoma” and “consistent with schwannoma,” were obtained from 10/52 (19.2%) of the FNAC samples and 28/29 (96.6%) of the CNB samples (P < .001). Major complications such as hematoma or permanent nerve injury did not occur in patients who underwent either method.

Conclusions

CNB can diagnose schwannomas with a higher accuracy than FNAC without increasing the rate of complications.
Applications of Geosynthetics to Irrigation, Drainage and Agriculture
Authors: Blond Eric , Boyle Stan , Ferrara Marianna , Herlin Bruno , Plusquellec Herve , Rimoldi Pietro , Stark Timothy
Published: November 2018

Geosynthetics are man‐made products manufactured to meet specific functions in earthworks and geotechnical projects, such as dams, levees, canals, dikes and other structures commonly found in agricultural engineering. Thanks to the Memorandum of Understanding between the International Geosynthetics Society (IGS) and the International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage (ICID), collaborative efforts are being undertaken to generate awareness of geosynthetics in agriculture. In the Workshop on ‘Applications of geosynthetics to irrigation, drainage and agriculture’ held at the 23rd International Congress of the ICID in Mexico City on 8 October 2017, a group of delegates from the IGS contributed with a series of presentations introducing various functions and applications of geosynthetics. The authors gave an overview of how geosynthetic products are designed and tested to ensure they will fulfil their intended function, focusing on applications to irrigation, drainage and agriculture. A few key considerations were identified as being critical to ensure proper performance of geosynthetic materials, in geotechnical projects in general and in agriculture in particular. The present paper is intended to provide a summary of these presentations. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Differences in biocompatibility of microneedles from cyclic olefin polymers with human endothelial and epithelial skin cells
Authors: Schossleitner Klaudia , O'Mahony Conor , Brandstätter Stefan , Haslinger Michael J. , Demuth Sabrina , Fechtig Daniel , Petzelbauer Peter
Published: November 2018

Microneedles are promising devices for transdermal delivery and diagnostic applications, due to their minimally invasive and painless nature of application. However, so far, applications are limited to small scale research projects. Material selection and production for larger projects remain a challenge. In vitro testing using human cell culture could bridge the gap between cost effective screening of suitable materials and concerns for safety and ethics. In this study, materials were tested for effects on viability and morphology of human endothelial cells and keratinocytes. In addition, materials were assessed for their potential to influence cellular differentiation and barrier formation. Elution‐based testing of inflammatory markers revealed no negative effects in all applied tests, whereas the assessment of differentiation markers on cells in direct contact with the material showed differences and allowed the selection of candidate materials for future medical device applications. This study illustrates that elution‐based biocompatibility testing can paint an incomplete picture. Advanced staining techniques and cell types specific for the application of the medical device improve material selection to reduce and replace animal testing at an early stage in the development process. © 2018 The Authors. journal Of Biomedical Materials Research Part A Published By Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A: 107A: 505–512, 2019.
Efficiency of coculture with angiogenic cells or physiological BMP‐2 administration on improving osteogenic differentiation and bone formation of MSCs
Authors: Zhang Yang , Yang Wanxun , Devit Amar , van den Beucken Jeroen J.J.P.
Published: November 2018

Cell‐based bone regeneration with mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) represents the current challenge toward repair of bone defects and fractures. The supposed hurdles for satisfactory performance of cell‐based constructs include inadequate vascularization and osteogenic signals. Considering the reported beneficial role of angiogenic cells in promoting vascularization and osteogenic differentiation and the osteogenic potential of bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP‐2), we here evaluated the efficiency of coculture with angiogenic cells or a physiological dose of BMP‐2 on improving osteogenic differentiation of MSCs and bone formation in vivo. In three dimensional (3D) collagen hydrogels in vitro, cocultured human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) in a 1:1 ratio or with a physiological dose of BMP‐2 (2 ng/μL) promoted the osteogenic potential of MSCs evidenced by enhanced alkaline phosphatase activity and gene expression of osteogenic markers. Notably, HUVECs evoked similar osteogenic stimulation as BMP‐2, albeit in a delayed manner. When their bone formation capacity was further evaluated in a mouse subcutaneous implantation model, MSCs with BMP‐2 demonstrated the highest efficiency with reproducible bone formation. In contrast, MSCs cocultured with HUVECs constructs displayed substantial blood vessel‐like structures with fibrous tissue rather than ectopic bone as MSC monoculture controls. Our findings confirm the priority of generating cell‐based bone constructs with physiological BMP‐2 administration and indicate the potential of using angiogenic cells to develop vascularized constructs. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A: 107A: 643–653, 2019.
A Heterozygous Splice-Site Mutation in PTHLH Causes Autosomal Dominant Shortening of Metacarpals and Metatarsals
Authors: Reyes Monica , Bravenboer Bert , Jüppner Harald
Published: November 2018

Short metacarpals and/or metatarsals are typically observed in pseudohypoparathyroidism (PHP) type Ia (PHP1A) or pseudo-PHP (PPHP), disorders caused by inactivating GNAS mutations involving exons encoding the alpha-subunit of the stimulatory G protein (Gsα). Skeletal abnormalities similar to those in PHP1A/PPHP were present in several members of an extended Belgian family without evidence for abnormal calcium and phosphate regulation. Direct nucleotide sequencing of genomic DNA from an affected individual (190/III-1) excluded GNAS mutations. Instead, whole exome analysis revealed a novel heterozygous A>G change at nucleotide −3 upstream of PTHLH exon 3 that encodes the last two amino acids of the prosequence and the mature PTHrP. The same nucleotide change was also found in her affected mother and maternal aunt (190/II-2, 190/II-1), and her affected twin sons (190/IV-1, 190/IV-2), but not in her unaffected daughter (190/IV-3) and sister (190/III-2). Complementary DNA derived from immortalized lymphoblastoid cells from 190/IV-2 (affected) and 190/IV-3 (unaffected) was PCR-amplified using forward primers located either in PTHLH exon 1 (noncoding) or exon 2 (presequence and most of the prosequence), and reverse primers located in the 3’-noncoding regions of exons 3 or 4. Nucleotide sequence analysis of these amplicons revealed for the affected son 190/IV-2, but not for the unaffected daughter 190/IV-3, a heterozygous insertion of genomic nucleotides −2 and −1 causing a frameshift after residue 34 of the pre/prosequence and thus 29 novel residues without homology to PTHrP or any other protein. Our findings extend previous reports indicating that PTHrP haploinsufficiency causes skeletal abnormalities similar to those observed with heterozygous GNAS mutations. © 2018 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.
LncRNA FOXD2‐AS1 accelerates the papillary thyroid cancer progression through regulating the miR‐485‐5p/KLK7 axis
Authors: Zhang Yayuan , Hu Jintao , Zhou Wenbing , Gao Hengyuan
Published: November 2018

It has been proved that long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are important modulators in the tumorigenesis and progression of various malignant tumors. Recently, lncRNA FOXD2‐AS1 has been reported to be an oncogene in several kinds of human cancers. However, the function of FOXD2‐AS1 in papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) has not been well investigated. This study aims to explore the biological role and mechanism of FOXD2‐AS1 in PTC. At first, the expression of FOXD2‐AS1 was examined in PTC tissues and cell lines with quantitative reverse transcription‐polymerase chain reaction (qRT‐PCR). FOXD2‐AS1 was found to observably upregulated in PTC tissues and cell lines. Kaplan‐Meier survival analysis revealed that high expression of FOXD2‐AS1 was closely correlated with the unfavorable prognosis of patients with PTC. Based on the TCGA data set, KLK7 was overexpressed in PTC tumor samples. Our experimental data further validated the upregulation of KLK7 in PTC tissues and cell lines. Similarly, high level of KLKF was associated with poor prognosis of patients with PTC. The positive expression association between FOXD2‐AS1 and KLK7 was analyzed with Pearson correlation coefficient. Loss‐of‐function assays revealed that knockdown of FOXD2‐AS1 or KLK7 greatly inhibited PTC cell proliferation and migration, while induced cell apoptosis. Results of mechanism experiments suggested that FOXD2‐AS1 functioned as a competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) to enhance the expression of KLK7 by sponging miR‐485‐5p in PTC. Rescue assays were conducted to verify the function of FOXD2‐AS1/miR‐485‐5p/KLK7 axis in PTC progression.
Brain‐derived neurotrophic factor promotes proliferation and progesterone synthesis in bovine granulosa cells
Authors: Chen Shuxiong , Wang Fengge , Liu Zhuo , Zhao Yun , Jiang Yanwen , Chen Lu , Li Chunjin , Zhou Xu
Published: November 2018

Brain‐derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is involved in regulating the growth of ovarian follicles, maturation of the oocyte, and development of the early embryo through its receptor, tyrosine kinase receptor B (TrkB). However, it is still unclear as to how BDNF influences proliferation and steroidogenesis of bovine granulosa cells (GCs). In this paper, we confirmed that BDNF and TrkB were expressed in bovine GCs, and that proliferation and steroidogenesis by bovine GCs were reduced by knockdown of BDNF or inhibition of TrkB. With respect to GC proliferation, BDNF enhanced cellular viability and the percentage of cells in the S phase. BDNF also activated both protein kinase B (PKB, also known as AKT) and the extracellular signal‐regulated protein kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2)‐signaling pathway. Through the AKT‐signaling pathway, BDNF increased the expression of proliferation‐related genes, including cyclin A1 (CCNA1), cyclin E2 (CCNE2), cyclin D1 (CCND1), and cyclin‐dependent kinase 1 (CDK1). However, through the ERK1/2 signaling pathway, BDNF only increased the expression of CCNA1 and CCNE2. Regarding steroidogenesis by bovine GCs, BDNF promoted progesterone (P
4) synthesis, but had no effect on estradiol; it also activated the AKT‐signaling pathway and increased the expression of steroidogenesis‐related genes, including steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (STAR) and hydroxy‐δ‐5‐steroid dehydrogenase, 3β‐ and steroid δ‐isomerase 1 (HSD3B1). In summary, our data are the first to show that BDNF promotes the proliferation of bovine GCs through TrkB–AKT and ERK1/2 signaling pathways and increases P4 synthesis by bovine GCs through the TrkB–AKT signaling pathway.
New insights into the roles and regulation of SphK2 as a therapeutic target in cancer chemoresistance
Authors: Hasanifard Leili , Sheervalilou Roghayeh , Majidinia Maryam , Yousefi Bahman
Published: November 2018

Chemoresistance is a complicated process developed by most cancers and accounts for the majority of relapse and metastasis in cancer. The main mechanisms of chemoresistance phenotype include increased expression and/or activated drug efflux pumps, altered DNA repair, altered metabolism of therapeutics as well as impaired apoptotic signaling pathways. Aberrant sphingolipid signaling has also recently received considerable attention in chemoresistance. Sphingolipid metabolites regulate main biological processes such as apoptosis, cell survival, proliferation, and differentiation. Two sphingosine kinases, SphK1 and SphK2, convert sphingosine to sphingosine‐1‐phosphate, an antiapoptotic bioactive lipid mediator. Numerous evidence has revealed the involvement of activated SphK1 in tumorigenesis and resistance, however, contradictory results have been found for the role of SphK2 in these functions. In some studies, overexpression of SphK2 suppressed cell growth and induced apoptosis. In contrast, some others have shown cell proliferation and tumor promotion effect for SphK2. Our understanding of the role of SphK2 in cancer does not have a sufficient integrity. The main focus of this review will be on the re‐evaluation of the role of SphK2 in cell death and chemoresistance in light of our new understanding of molecular targeted therapy. We will also highlight the connections between SphK2 and the DNA damage response. Finally, we will provide our insight into the regulatory mechanisms of SphKs by two main categories, micro and long, noncoding RNAs as the novel players of cancer chemoresistance.
Inhibitory effect of MSH6 gene silencing in combination with cisplatin on cell proliferation of human osteosarcoma cell line MG63
Authors: Liu Hu‐Cheng , Zeng Jin , Zhang Bin , Liu Xu‐Qiang , Dai Min
Published: November 2018

Osteosarcoma (OS) is one of the most common primary bone malignancies, with the survival rate of patients with OS remaining low. Therefore, we conducted this study to identify the potential role combination of both MSH6 gene silencing and cisplatin (DDP) plays in OS cell proliferation and apoptosis. Microarray‐based gene expression profiling was used to identify the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in patients with OS, as well as microRNAs (miRNAs) that regulate the candidate gene. OS tissues from 67 patients with OS along with normal tissues from 24 amputee patients were collected for detection of the positive expression of mutS homolog 6 (MSH6) protein, mRNA, and protein expressions of c‐myc, cyclin D1, l‐2, B‐cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl‐2), Stathmin, proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), and Bcl‐2‐associated X (Bax). Moreover, after MSH6 silencing and DDP were treated on the selected human OS cell line MG63 with the highest expression of MSH6, cell viability, cell cycle distribution, and apoptosis were detected. The microarray analysis showed that MSH6 was upregulated in OS chip data. Furthermore, silencing MSH6 combined with DDP reduced expressions of c‐myc, cyclin D1, Bcl‐2, Stathmin, and PCNA, and elevated Bax expression, whereas inhibiting OS cell viability, impeding cell cycle distribution, and inducing apoptosis. In conclusion, our preliminary results indicated that the combination of MSH6 gene silencing coupled with DDP may have a better effect on the inhibition of OS cell proliferation and promote apoptosis, potentially providing targets for the OS treatment.
Inflammatory molecules produced by meniscus and synovium in early and end‐stage osteoarthritis: a coculture study
Authors: Favero Marta , Belluzzi Elisa , Trisolino Giovanni , Goldring Mary B , Goldring Steven R , Cigolotti Augusto , Pozzuoli Assunta , Ruggieri Pietro , Ramonda Roberta , Grigolo Brunella , Punzi Leonardo , Olivotto Eleonora
Published: November 2018

The aim of this study was to identify the molecules and pathways involved in the cross‐talk between meniscus and synovium that may play a critical role in osteoarthritis (OA) pathophysiology. Samples of synovium and meniscus were collected from patients with early and end‐stage OA and cultured alone or cocultured. Cytokines, chemokines, metalloproteases, and their inhibitors were evaluated at the gene and protein levels. The extracellular matrix (ECM) changes were also investigated. In early OA cultures, higher levels of interleukin‐6 (IL‐6) and IL‐8 messenger RNA were expressed by synovium and meniscus in coculture compared with meniscus cultured alone. RANTES release was significantly increased when the two tissues were cocultured compared with meniscus cultured alone. Increased levels of matrix metalloproteinase‐3 (MMP‐3) and MMP‐10 proteins, as well as increased release of glycosaminoglycans and aggrecan CS846 epitope, were observed when synovium was cocultured with meniscus. In end‐stage OA cultures, increased levels of IL‐8 and monocyte chemoattractant protein‐1 (MCP‐1) proteins were released in cocultures compared with cultures of meniscus alone. Chemokine (C‐C motif) ligand 21 (CCL21) protein release was higher in meniscus cultured alone and in coculture compared with synovium cultured alone. Increased levels of MMP‐3 and 10 proteins were observed when tissues were cocultured compared with meniscus cultured alone. Aggrecan CS846 epitope release was increased in cocultures compared with cultures of either tissue cultured alone. Our study showed the production of inflammatory molecules by synovium and meniscus which could trigger inflammatory signals in early OA patients, and induce ECM loss in the progressive and final stages of OA pathology.
The association between physician's affiliation and patients’ adherence to their antihypertensive medication and pharmaceutical knowledge
Authors: Matsumura Shinji , Watanabe Kazuhiro , Fukuhara Shunichi
Published: November 2018

Background

The aim of this study was to examine whether or not the type of physician is associated with the knowledge of and adherence to hypertensive medication among patients.

Methods

The study was a self‐administered questionnaire survey among patients who submitted their prescriptions for antihypertensive drugs to 13 pharmacies in Japan in 2006. We compared patients’ knowledge of their medications and the self‐reported adherence according to the type of physician.

Results

A total of 736 patients were surveyed, and 687 (362 from clinics and 325 from hospitals) were analyzed. In total, 51.8% of the patients correctly named their antihypertensive medicine, with no significant differences observed between clinics and hospitals (51.4% in clinics vs 52.3% in hospitals; P = 0.81, adjusted odds ratio (OR) to the hospital: 0.736, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.50‐1.08). Significant differences were not observed in the knowledge of the frequency with which hypertensive medication was supposed to be taken (47.2% in clinics vs 46.5% in hospitals; P = 0.84, adjusted OR: 0.80, 95% CI: 0.55‐1.16), nor observed in the knowledge of the side effects of the medication (53.2% in clinics vs 51.0% in hospitals; P = 0.57, adjusted OR: 1.14, 95% CI: 0.78‐1.68). No significant difference was observed in self‐reported adherence (75.1% in clinics vs 77.7% in hospitals; P = 0.42, adjusted OR: 0.73, 95% CI: 0.46‐1.16).

Conclusions

About 75% answered that they were taking their medication as instructed. No significant differences were observed in responses based on the physician's affiliation. Further studies are needed to achieve better patient's adherence and pharmaceutical knowledge.
Nonrepetitive colorings of graphs excluding a fixed immersion or topological minor
Authors: Wollan Paul , Wood David R.
Published: November 2018

We prove that graphs excluding a fixed immersion have bounded nonrepetitive chromatic number. More generally, we prove that if is a fixed planar graph that has a planar embedding with all the vertices with degree at least 4 on a single face, then graphs excluding as a topological minor have bounded nonrepetitive chromatic number. This is the largest class of graphs known to have bounded nonrepetitive chromatic number.
Silica‐Supported P2O5 as an Efficient Heterogeneous Catalyst for the One Pot Synthesis of 3‐Amino‐imidazo[2,1‐b](1,3)benzothiazole under Green Conditions
Authors: Khan Takallum , Yadav Ritu
Published: November 2018

The new approach involving the solid supported catalyst for the formation of C–N bond followed by cyclization has been reported. In this work we have reported a facile, efficient, and environment‐friendly protocol for the synthesis of some new 3‐amino‐imidazo[2,1‐b](1,3)benzothiazole derivatives by one‐pot condensation of 2‐aminobenzothiazole, indole‐3‐carbaldehyde, and aryl isocyanide in the presence of silica‐supported P2O5 as a heterogeneous solid acid catalyst. The reaction was performed using conventional method under green conditions. The present approach offers the advantages of simple methodology, inexpensive acid catalyst, short reaction time, easy work up with excellent yield, simple purification and use of green solvent. All the newly synthesized compounds were characterized in details using physical and chemical techniques such as melting point, 1H NMR, 13C NMR, and FTIR spectroscopy.
Innate-like B cell subsets during immune responses: Beyond antibody production
Authors: Romero-Ramírez Sandra , Navarro-Hernandez Itze C , Cervantes-Díaz Rodrigo , Sosa-Hernández Víctor A , Acevedo-Ochoa Ernesto , Kleinberg-Bild Ari , Valle-Rios Ricardo , Meza-Sánchez David E , Hernández-Hernández José M , Maravillas-Montero José L
Published: November 2018

B lymphocytes are recognized for their crucial role in the adaptive immunity since they represent the only leukocyte lineage capable of differentiating into Ab-secreting cells. However, it has been demonstrated that these lymphocytes can exert several Ab-independent functions, including engulfing and processing Ags for presentation to T cells, secreting soluble mediators, providing co-stimulatory signals, and even participating in lymphoid tissues development. Beyond that, several reports claiming the existence of multiple B cell subsets contributing directly to innate immune responses have appeared. These “innate-like” B lymphocytes, whose phenotype, development pathways, tissue distribution, and functions are in most cases notoriously different from those of conventional B cells, are crucial to early protective responses against pathogens by exerting “crossover” defensive strategies that blur the established boundaries of innate and adaptive branches of immunity. Examples of these mechanisms include the rapid secretion of the polyspecific natural Abs, increased susceptibility to innate receptors-mediated activation, cytokine secretion, downstream priming of other innate cells, usage of specific variable immunoglobulin gene-segments, and other features. As these new insights emerge, it is becoming preponderant to redefine the functionality of B cells beyond their classical adaptive-immune tasks.
Medially‐stabilized total knee arthroplasty does not alter knee laxity and balance in cadaveric knees
Authors: Hall Rachel K. , Ewing Joseph A. , Beal Matthew D. , Manning David W. , Siston Robert A.
Published: November 2018

Instability after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) can lead to suboptimal outcomes and revision surgery. Medially‐stabilized implants aim to more closely replicate normal knee motion than other implants following TKA, but no study has investigated knee laxity (motion under applied loads) and balance (i.e., difference in varus/valgus motion under load) following medially‐stabilized TKA. The primary purposes of this study were to investigate how medially‐stabilized implants change knee laxity in non‐arthritic, cadaveric knees, and if it produces a balanced knee after TKA. Force‐displacement data were collected on 18 non‐arthritic cadaveric knees before and after arthroplasty using medially‐stabilized implants. Varus‐valgus and anterior‐posterior laxity and varus‐valgus balance were compared between native and medially‐stabilized knees at 0°, 20°, 60°, and 90° under three different loading conditions. Varus‐valgus and anterior‐posterior laxities were not different between native and medially‐stabilized knees under most testing conditions (p ≥ 0.068), but differences of approximately 2° less varus‐valgus laxity at 20° of flexion and 4 mm more anterior‐posterior laxity at 90° were present from native laxities (p < 0.017) Medially‐stabilized implant balance had ≤1.5° varus bias at all flexion angles. Future studies should confirm if the consistent laxity afforded by the medially‐stabilized implant is associated with better and more predictable postoperative outcomes. © 2018 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 37:335–349, 2019.
Polymerization‐Induced Thermal Self‐Assembly of Functional and Thermo‐Responsive Diblock Copolymer Nano‐Objects via RAFT Aqueous Polymerization
Authors: Vakili Mohammad , Cunningham Victoria J. , Trebbin Martin , Theato Patrick
Published: November 2018

The polymerization‐induced self‐assembly (PISA) of amphiphilic diblock copolymer nano‐objects, which are synthesized via reversible addition‐fragmentation chain‐transfer (RAFT) aqueous polymerization, is discussed. First, the effectiveness of the (S)‐2‐(ethyl propionate)‐(O‐ethyl xanthate) as a RAFT chain transfer agent for the polymerization of N,N‐dimethylacrylamide (DMAm) yielding a water‐soluble macro RAFT agent is investigated. In a second step, poly(DMAm) macro‐CTA is chain‐extended with acrylate monomers in water inducing a PISA process. Besides the use of pentafluorophenyl acrylate (PFPA) as core‐forming block, the thermo‐responsive nature of N‐isopropylacrylamide (NIPAm) and the reactive character of pentafluorophenyl acrylate (PFPA) for a subsequent post‐modification is exploited. Monomer conversion and reaction kinetics are determined via nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, while gel permeation chromatography is used to evaluate the molecular weight distribution of the polymers. The obtained spherical nanostructures are analyzed via dynamic light scattering, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy.
Remarks on the NIP in a model
Authors: Khanaki Karim , Pillay Anand
Published: November 2018

We define the notion has the NIP (not the independence property) in A, where A is a subset of a model, and give some equivalences by translating results from function theory. We also discuss the number of coheirs when A is not necessarily countable, and revisit the notion “ has the NOP (not the order property) in a model M”.
Secondary Cervical Dystonia and Titubatory Head Tremor
Authors: Pandey Sanjay , Jain Shruti
Published: November 2018

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Topoisomerase 1B poisons: Over a half‐century of drug leads, clinical candidates, and serendipitous discoveries
Authors: Cinelli Maris A.
Published: November 2018

Topoisomerases are DNA processing enzymes that relieve supercoiling (torsional strain) in DNA, are necessary for normal cellular division, and act by nicking (and then religating) DNA strands. Type 1B topoisomerase (Top1) is overexpressed in certain tumors, and the enzyme has been extensively investigated as a target for cancer chemotherapy. Various chemical agents can act as “poisons” of the enzyme’s religation step, leading to Top1‐DNA lesions, DNA breakage, and eventual cellular death. In this review, agents that poison Top1 (and have thus been investigated for their anticancer properties) are surveyed, including natural products (such as camptothecins and indolocarbazoles), semisynthetic camptothecin and luotonin derivatives, and synthetic compounds (such as benzonaphthyridines, aromathecins, and indenoisoquinolines), as well as targeted therapies and conjugates. Top1 has also been investigated as a therapeutic target in certain viral and parasitic infections, as well as autoimmune, inflammatory, and neurological disorders, and a summary of literature describing alternative indications is also provided. This review should provide both a reference for the medicinal chemist and potentially offer clues to aid in the development of new Top1 poisons.
Korovkin type approximation theorem via Ka−convergence on weighted spaces
Authors: Yıldız Sevda , Dirik Fadime , Demirci Kamil
Published: November 2018

In this paper, we study the Korovkin type approximation theorem for Ka‐ convergence, which is an interesting convergence method on weighted spaces. We also study the rate of Ka−convergence by using the weighted modulus of continuity and afterwards, we present a nontrivial application.