bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A new copper ionophore DPMQ protects cells against ultraviolet B irradiation by inhibiting the TRPV1 channel
Authors: Huang Kuo‐Feng , Ma Kuo‐Hsing , Hung Yu‐Chien , Lo Liang‐Chuan , Lin Kuo‐Chen , Liu Pei‐Shan , Hu Ming‐Kuan , Chueh Sheau‐Huei
Published: June 2018

Copper is more likely than iron to generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) in a redox reaction due to its higher electrochemical reactivity. This study examined the effect of a newly synthesized Cu2+ binding compound, (E)‐2‐(4‐(dimethylamino)phenylimino)methyl)quinolin‐8‐ol (DPMQ), on ultraviolet B (UVB) irradiation–induced cytotoxicity in human dermal fibroblasts. DPMQ induced Cu2+ influx as effectively as disulfiram, a Cu2+ ionophore anticancer drug. However, disulfiram induced ROS generation, mitochondrial dysfunction, and apoptosis in fibroblasts in a Cu2+‐dependent manner, whereas DPMQ was not only nontoxic, but protected cells against UVB irradiation–induced apoptosis in a Cu2+‐independent manner. UVB irradiation induced a Ca2+‐dependent increase in ROS generation, a decrease in Nrf2 levels, and activation of the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway, and these effects were prevented by DPMQ, which also increased Nrf2 nuclear translocation in a Cu2+‐independent manner. UVB irradiation activated 12‐lipoxygenase and 12‐hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (12‐HETE), a product of 12‐lipoxygenase, activated the TRPV1 channel. DMPQ did not act as a Ca2+ chelator, but inhibited the cytosolic Ca2+ increase induced by 12‐HETE or capsaicin, but not that induced by bradykinin or ATP. Blockade of Ca2+ influx by pharmacological inhibition or silencing of the TRPV1 channel or chelation of cytosolic Ca2+ inhibited the UVB irradiation–induced Nrf2 reduction, ROS generation, mitochondrial dysfunction, and apoptosis. Taken together, our results suggest that Ca2+ influx via the TRPV1 channel is responsible for UVB irradiation–induced cytotoxicity and that DPMQ protects cells against UVB irradiation by inhibiting the TRPV1 channel and stabilizing Nrf2, and could thus be a potentially useful compound for the treatment of free radical‐induced diseases.
Influence of all‐trans retinoic acid on sperm metabolism and oxidative stress: Its involvement in the physiopathology of varicocele‐associated male infertility
Authors: Malivindi Rocco , Rago Vittoria , De Rose Daniela , Gervasi Maria Clelia , Cione Erika , Russo Giampiero , Santoro Marta , Aquila Saveria
Published: June 2018

The mechanisms by which varicocele affects fertility remain undetermined. Vitamin A (all‐trans retinoic acid [ATRA]) is required for fertility and normal spermatogenesis; however, the mechanisms driving its action are not defined yet. Previously, we demonstrated in varicocele sperm a reduced RARα expression and that ATRA influence sperm performance. To further define vitamin A significance in male gamete and in the physiopathology of varicocele, we tested for the first time ATRA action on human sperm metabolism and antioxidant defense systems. Evaluating triglycerides content and lipase activity, in normal sperm ATRA had a lipid lowering effect, which was not observed in varicocele sperm. The modulation of the glucose‐6‐phosphate dehydrogenase activity, concomitantly with a reduction of the glucose content, highlight an ATRA role on glucose metabolism. ATRA induced the superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione transferase activities, while it reduced the malondialdehyde and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production both in healthy and varicocele sperm. Interestingly, SOD1 and SOD2 have been localized in the acrosome and midpiece, glutathione‐
S‐transferase omega 2 (GSTO2) in the acrosome, equatorial, and subacrosomial regions. SOD1, SOD2, and GSTO2 levels were significantly lower in varicocele with respect to healthy sperm. Herein, we discovered that ATRA treatment was able to reprogram sperm metabolism toward that of the capacitation status. The retinol protected human sperm from ROS damage enhancing the antioxidant enzymes activity, providing evidence toward the efficacy of vitamin A as therapeutic tool in improving sperm quality. These novel findings further confirm the importance of vitamin A in male fertility adding new insights into the retinoids complex biological framework.
Adipokines, adiposity, and bone marrow adipocytes: Dangerous accomplices in multiple myeloma
Authors: Morris Emma V. , Edwards Claire M.
Published: June 2018

Obesity has become a global epidemic influencing the establishment and progression of a wide range of diseases, such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer. In 2016, International Agency for Research on Cancer reported that obesity is now associated with 13 different cancers, one of which is multiple myeloma (MM), a destructive cancer of plasma cells that predominantly reside in the bone marrow. Obesity is the accumulation of excess body fat, which causes metabolic, endocrine, immunologic, and inflammatory‐like changes. Obesity is usually associated with an increase in visceral and/or subcutaneous fat; however, an additional fat depot that also responds to diet‐induced changes is bone marrow adipose tissue (BMAT). There have been several studies over the past few decades that have identified BMAT as a key driver in MM progression. Adipocytes secrete numerous adipokines, such as leptin, adiponectin, resistin, adipsin, and visfatin, which when secreted at normal controlled levels have protective properties. However, in obesity these levels of secretion change, coupled with an increase in adipocyte number and size causing a profound and lasting effect on the bone microenvironment, contributing to MM cell growth, survival, and migration as well as potentially fueling bone destruction. Obesity is a modifiable risk factor making it an attractive option for targeted therapy. This review discusses the link between obesity, monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (a benign condition that precedes MM), and myeloma, and the contribution of key adipokines to disease establishment and progression.
Minimally invasive preservation versus splenectomy during distal pancreatectomy: a systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Nakata Kohei , Shikata Satoru , Ohtsuka Takao , Ukai Tomohiko , Miyasaka Yoshihiro , Mori Yasuhisa , Velasquez Vittoria Vanessa D. M. , Gotoh Yoshitaka , Ban Daisuke , Nakamura Yoshiharu , Nagakawa Yuichi , Tanabe Minoru , Sahara Yatsuka , Takaori Kyoichi , Honda Goro , Misawa Takeyuki , Kawai Manabu , Yamaue Hiroki , Morikawa Takanori , Kuroki Tamotsu , Mou Yiping , Lee Woo‐Jung , Shrikhande Shailesh V. , Tang Chung Ngai , Conrad Claudius , Han Ho‐Seong , Chinnusamy Palanivelu , Asbun Horacio J. , Kooby David A. , Wakabayashi Go , Takada Tadahiro , Yamamoto Masakazu , Nakamura Masafumi
Published: June 2018

Background

Minimally invasive distal pancreatectomy (MIDP) has gained in popularity recently. However, there is no consensus on whether to preserve the spleen or not. In this study, we compared MIDP outcomes between spleen‐preserving distal pancreatectomy (SPDP) and distal pancreatectomy with splenectomy (DPS); as well as outcomes between splenic vessel preservation (SVP) and Warshaw's technique (WT).

Methods

A systematic search of PubMed (MEDLINE) and Cochrane Library was conducted and the reference lists of review articles were hand‐searched.

Results

Fifteen relevant studies with 769 patients were selected for meta‐analyses of DPS and SPDP, while another 15 studies with 841 patients were used for the analysis between SVP and WT. Compared with the DPS group, SPDP patients had significantly lower incidences of infectious complications (P = 0.006) and pancreatic fistula (P = 0.002), shorter operative time (P < 0.001), and less blood loss (P = 0.01). Compared with WT, SVP patients had significantly lower incidences of splenic infarction (P < 0.001) and secondary splenectomy (P = 0.003). Subanalysis for laparoscopic surgery alone had similar results.

Conclusions

Based on this study, SPDP has significantly superior outcomes compared to DPS. When a spleen is preserved, SVP has better outcomes over WT for reducing splenic complications.
Study on the interaction of antidiabetic drug Pioglitazone with calf thymus DNA using spectroscopic techniques
Authors: Al Qumaizi Khalid I. , Anwer Razique , Ahmad Nazia , Alosaimi Saleh M. , Fatma Tasneem
Published: June 2018

Pioglitazone is an antidiabetic drug used to treat type 2 diabetes mellitus. Interaction of Pioglitazone with calf thymus DNA was investigated using multispectroscopic techniques and molecular docking study. Quenching and binding constant was calculated at 3 different temperatures. The binding constant of Pioglitazone with calf thymus DNA was calculated to be 6.49 × 103M−1 at 293 K. The quenching mechanism was found to be a static process, and thermodynamic parameters revealed van der Waals interactions and hydrogen bonds to be the major force working in Pioglitazone‐DNA interaction. Pioglitazone follows the nonintercalative mode of binding and was involved in complex formation with DNA through minor groove binding and electrostatic interactions. Experiments like KI quenching studies, dye displacement assays, Circular Dichroism (CD) spectroscopy, DNA melting study, and viscosity measurements studies supported the nonintercalative mode of binding. This was further corroborated by molecular docking studies.
The 1‐million‐year‐old quartz assemblage from Pont‐de‐Lavaud (Centre, France) in the European context
Authors: Despriée Jackie , Moncel Marie‐Hélène , Arzarello Marta , Courcimault Gilles , Voinchet Pierre , Bahain Jean‐Jacques , Falguères Christophe
Published: June 2018

The Pont‐de‐Lavaud site, located in the Centre Region of France (Creuse Valley), yielded a quartz lithic assemblage composed of a few hundred artefacts with cores, pebble tools, flakes and flake‐tools, mixed with several thousand debris items and pebbles. The archaeological site is covered by a fossil fluvial deposit from the Creuse River (sheet I, with a relative altitude of + 90/105 m), dated by Electron Spin Resonance at the site itself to around 1 Ma. We will focus in this paper on the lithic assemblage with clear anthropogenic features to describe the technological strategies applied to quartz pebbles, with the help of experiments. The core technology is based on short ‘chaînes opératoires’ on local quartz aimed at producing pointed end‐products on pebbles and flakes. The methods and techniques include both the bipolar technique on an anvil and direct percussion with a hard hammer. The reduction sequences were strongly conditioned by the morphology and the physical characteristics of the raw material. Few flakes are retouched. The Pont‐de‐Lavaud lithic assemblage is one example of the diversity of the 1‐Ma European industries. The assemblage shows techno‐cultural behavioural variability at this period and adaptation to raw material constraints. Comparisons with series where the use of quartz is widespread demonstrate the ability of hominins to use stones of varying quality and to adapt technology to the raw material in zones located beyond the 45th parallel north.
The main beneficial effect of roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa) on obesity is not only related to its anthocyanin content
Authors: Morales‐Luna Elizabeth , Pérez‐Ramírez Iza F , Salgado Luis M , Castaño‐Tostado Eduardo , Gómez‐Aldapa Carlos A , Reynoso‐Camacho Rosalía
Published: June 2018

BACKGROUND

The calyxes of roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa) are recognized for their high nutraceutical value because they decrease body weight and obesity complications. These effects have been attributed mainly to anthocyanins. However, the calyxes comprise important concentration of flavonoids, phenolic, and organic acids, which could also contribute to these effects. The objective of this work was to determine the effect of the Alma Blanca white roselle variety on obesity and hepatic steatosis in high‐fat, high‐fructose, diet‐fed rats and compare its beneficial effects with the red variety (Criolla), which has been more extensively studied.

RESULTS

Aqueous and methanolic extracts were prepared from two roselle varieties, Alma Blanca (white) and Criolla (red). The phytochemical profiles were determined using high‐performance liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (HPLC‐MS). Criolla extracts contain principally anthocyanins, phenolic acids, and flavonoids. Anthocyanins were not detected in Alma Blanca. The aqueous extracts of both varieties prevented body‐weight gain and decreased adipocytes hyperplasia on rats fed a hypercaloric diet. These extracts also protected against hepatic steatosis. These benefits were associated with hibiscus, dimethyl hibiscus, and hydroxycitric acid.

CONCLUSION

These results demonstrated that calyxes from Hibiscus sabdariffa contain compounds that are different from anthocyanins, with potential benefits to health. The organic acids were strongly associated with these beneficial health effects. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry
The impact of a loss of hydrologic connectivity on boreal lake thermal and evaporative regimes
Authors: Spence Christopher , Beaty Ken , Blanchfield Paul J. , Hrenchuk Lee , MacKay Murray D.
Published: June 2018

This paper summarizes the initial results (first 4 yr) of a whole‐catchment manipulation to evaluate the impact of a loss of hydrologic connectivity of a boreal lake with its watershed on lake thermal and evaporative regimes. We diverted the upstream flow to a fourth order lake resulting in a marked reduction (81%) in watershed area, and compared the response to a comparable control lake in a headwater position. The manipulation reduced runoff into the experimental lake from 2400 mm to 90 mm, greatly increased theoretical residence time (from 2.3 yr to 18.3 yr), and reduced average dissolved organic carbon concentration from 5.8 ± 0.3 mg L−1 to 5.5 ± 0.3 mg L−1. Average Secchi depth was increased by 0.6 m, resulting in a 0.25 m deeper epilimnion and cooler surface water temperatures (8% of the time) than those predicted by pre‐manipulation relationships. There was some evidence that the response of evaporation to episodic events was altered, but this was not extensive enough to alter annual evaporation or median evaporation rates. Our findings show that the impacts of hydrologic connectivity on lake chemistry can cascade to alter the energy budgets of boreal lakes. These results can inform how differences in hydrological connectivity across the landscape due to lake‐watershed topology and climate will impact boreal lakes. Of note is that very clear lakes in the boreal region are highly sensitive to impacts from a change in clarity. Information on their spatial distribution will be necessary to assess impacts of hydrological connectivity on the boreal lake complex.
Effects of pressure, methane concentration, sulfate reduction activity, and temperature on methane production in surface sediments of the Gulf of Mexico
Authors: Zhuang Guang‐Chao , Montgomery Andy , Sibert Ryan J. , Rogener Mary‐Katherine , Samarkin Vladimir A. , Joye Samantha B.
Published: June 2018

Microbial methanogenesis is a known source of methane in marine environment, but the factors affecting the production of methane from different pathways remain largely unconstrained. We investigated the effects of pressure, methane concentration, temperature, and sulfate reduction activity on the conversion of methanogenic substrates to methane using radiotracers in nearshore and offshore surface sediments in the northern Gulf of Mexico. The transformation of bicarbonate to methane increased with methane concentrations under quasi in situ conditions of deep‐sea sediment, potentially reflecting, to some degree, enhancement of the enzymatic back reaction under high‐methane conditions. In coastal sediments, a positive effect of both increased methane concentration and inhibition of sulfate reduction by molybdate on 14CH4 accumulation suggests that anaerobic oxidation of methane and methanogenesis occur concurrently. In contrast, methane production from methanol was suppressed by increased methane concentration likely due to the reduced energy yield of methanogenesis at elevated methane concentrations. Temperature could limit hydrogenotrophic and acetoclastic methanogenesis under in situ conditions, as higher rates were observed at 40°C in nearshore sediments. Inhibitor experiments with 2‐bromoethanesulfonate and molybdate indicated that sulfate‐reducing bacteria preferentially utilized acetate, as well as H2. Methanol was a noncompetitive substrate for methanogens in the deep‐sea sediments but was competitively cycled in coastal sediments. An authentic noncompetitive substrate, methylamine, was channeled predominantly to methane production under all conditions tested. The different response of methanogenic activity to substrate availability, metabolic competition, temperature, and pressure between sites suggest variable environmental controls on the methane production in coastal vs. deep‐sea surface sediments.
A General Strategy for Extrusion Bioprinting of Bio‐Macromolecular Bioinks through Alginate‐Templated Dual‐Stage Crosslinking
Authors: Zhu Kai , Chen Nan , Liu Xiao , Mu Xuan , Zhang Weijia , Wang Chunsheng , Zhang Yu Shrike
Published: June 2018

The recently developed 3D bioprinting technology has greatly improved the ability to generate biomimetic tissues that are structurally and functionally relevant to their human counterparts. The selection of proper biomaterials as the bioinks is a key step toward successful bioprinting. For example, viscosity of a bioink is an important rheological parameter to determine the flexibility in deposition of free‐standing structures and the maintenance of architectural integrity following bioprinting. This requirement, however, has greatly limited the selection of bioinks, especially for those naturally derived due to their commonly low mechanical properties. Here the generalization of a mechanism for extrusion bioprinting of bio‐macromolecular components, mainly focusing on collagen and its derivatives including gelatin and gelatin methacryloyl, is reported. Specifically, a templating strategy is adopted using a composite bioink containing both the desired bio‐macromolecular component and a polysaccharide alginate. The physically crosslinkable alginate component serves as the temporal structural support to stabilize the shape of the construct during bioprinting; upon subsequent chemical or physical crosslinking of the bio‐macromolecular component, alginate can be selectively removed to leave only the desired bio‐macromolecule. It is anticipated that this strategy is general, and can be readily expanded for use of a wide variety of other bio‐macromolecular bioinks.
Epoxy‐Functional Sterically Stabilized Diblock Copolymer Nanoparticles via RAFT Aqueous Emulsion Polymerization: Comparison of Two Synthetic Strategies
Authors: György Csilla , Lovett Joseph R. , Penfold Nicholas J. W. , Armes Steven P.
Published: June 2018

Polymerization‐induced self‐assembly (PISA) is a powerful and versatile technique for the synthesis of a wide range of sterically stabilized diblock copolymer nano‐objects. Recently, PISA has been used to prepare epoxy‐functional diblock copolymer worms and spheres directly in aqueous solution by incorporating glycidyl methacrylate (GlyMA) into the core‐forming hydrophobic block. Herein, the synthesis of diblock copolymer spheres via reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) aqueous emulsion polymerization of benzyl methacrylate is examined, in which the epoxy groups are exclusively located within a non‐ionic poly(glycerol monomethacrylate)‐based stabilizer block. Two synthetic strategies are explored: i) using an epoxy‐functional RAFT chain transfer agent (CTA) to place an epoxy group at the terminus of every stabilizer block and ii) incorporation of ≈1 epoxy group per stabilizer chain via copolymerization of GlyMA with glycerol monomethacrylate (GMA). The epoxy groups conferred by the GlyMA comonomer are significantly more resistant to hydrolysis than those introduced using the epoxy‐functional RAFT CTA. The epoxy‐functional nanoparticles are subsequently reacted with various water‐soluble thiols to modify their electrophoretic behavior. Such nanoparticles are expected to offer potential applications in the context of mucoadhesion.
Relatively favorable prognosis for MLL‐rearranged childhood acute leukemia with reciprocal translocations
Authors: Yang Liu , Ding Lixia , Liang Jianwei , Chen Jing , Tang YanJing , Xue Huiliang , Gu Longjun , Shen Shuhong , Li Benshang , Chen Jing
Published: June 2018

Background

Mixed‐lineage leukemia (MLL) with multifarious partner genes leads to aggressive leukemia with dismal outcomes.

Methods

Using panel‐based targeted sequencing, we examined 90 cases with MLL‐rearranged (MLL‐r) childhood acute leukemia, including 55 with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and 35 with acute myeloid leukemia (AML).

Results

MLL breakpoints and complete rearrangements were identified. A total of 37.8% (34/90) of patients displayed a single direct MLL fusion gene, 15.6% (14/90) carried a single reciprocal fusion, and 27.8% (25/90) had both reciprocal MLL fusion alleles. The remaining 17 MLL‐r cases exhibited complex translocations with homozygous disruptions on chromosome 11 or two breakpoints on the same MLL allele with a deletion of functional regions. A total of 77 patients (45 ALL and 32 AML) received chemotherapy with a median follow‐up of 2.5 years. Unexpectedly, we identified children with reciprocal MLL fusions who exhibited relatively favorable outcomes compared with those in children with complex translocations or a single direct MLL fusion allele (66.1% vs. 24.6% and 27.6%, P = 0.001). Reciprocal MLL fusion may be functionally rescued by a partially truncated MLL protein.

Conclusion

Comprehensive MLL‐r analysis by targeted next‐generation sequencing can provide detailed molecular information and is helpful for precise stratified treatment and clinical prognosis determination.
Evaluation of mobile phone applications to support medication adherence and symptom management in oncology patients
Authors: Jupp Jennifer C. Y. , Sultani Humirah , Cooper Cassandra A. , Peterson Kedra A. , Truong Tony H.
Published: June 2018

Mobile phone applications (apps), may support pediatric oncology patients with medication and disease management. A scoping review of the literature, a search of the iTunes App and Google Play Stores, was conducted to identify medication and symptom management apps for adult and pediatric oncology patients. Pooled results yielded 28 apps which were assessed for quality using the Mobile Application Rating Scale, with mean overall scores ranging from 2.8 to 4.3. Most apps received low scores in the Engagement domain. Our study assessed the quality of available mobile oncology apps and identified areas for improvement in design and function.
Alkali treatments of Cu(In,Ga)Se2 thin‐film absorbers and their impact on transport barriers
Authors: Werner Florian , Wolter Max Hilaire , Siebentritt Susanne , Sozzi Giovanna , Di Napoli Simone , Menozzi Roberto , Jackson Philip , Witte Wolfram , Carron Romain , Avancini Enrico , Weiss Thomas Paul , Buecheler Stephan
Published: June 2018

We study the impact of different alkali post‐deposition treatments by thermal admittance spectroscopy and temperature‐dependent current‐voltage (IVT) characteristics of high‐efficiency Cu(In,Ga)Se2 thin‐film solar cells fabricated from low‐temperature and high‐temperature co‐evaporated absorbers. Capacitance steps observed by admittance spectroscopy for all samples agree with the widely observed N1 signature and show a clear correlation to a transport barrier evident from IVT characteristics measured in the dark, indicating that defects are likely not responsible for these capacitance steps. Activation energies extracted from capacitance spectra and IVT characteristics vary considerably between different samples but show no concise correlation to the alkali species used in the post‐deposition treatments. Numerical device simulations show that the transport barrier in our devices might be related to conduction band offsets in the absorber/buffer/window stack.
The association between gender and pediatric respiratory morbidity
Authors: Ben‐Shmuel Atar , Sheiner Eyal , Wainstock Tamar , Landau Daniella , Vaknin Flear , Walfisch Asnat
Published: June 2018

Objective

To evaluate the association between newborn gender and the risk for later pediatric respiratory morbidity.

Study Design

A population based cohort analysis was performed by comparing the risk of long‐term respiratory morbidity (until 18 years of age) according to gender. Respiratory morbidity included hospitalizations involving pneumonia, asthma, bronchitis, bronchiolitis, upper respiratory tract infection (URTI), influenza, and bronchiectasis. Deliveries occurred between the years 1991 and 2014 in a tertiary medical center. Kaplan‐Meier survival curves were constructed to compare cumulative respiratory morbidity. A Cox proportional hazards model controlled for confounders.

Results

During the study period 240 953 newborns met the inclusion criteria. Among them, 118 113 were females (49.0%) and 122 840 were males (51.0%). During the 18 years of follow‐up, 13 719 (5.7%) different newborns were hospitalized with respiratory related morbidity. Males had significantly higher rates of respiratory morbidity as compared with females (6.4% vs 4.9% respectively, P < 0.001, OR 1.32, 95% CI 1.28‐1.37). Specifically, pneumonia, bronchitis, asthma, bronchiolitis, and URTI were significantly more common in males. Males exhibited higher total cumulative respiratory morbidity (log rank P < 0.001), as well as higher cumulative morbidity in several sub‐categories. These sub‐categories included pneumonia, bronchitis, asthma, bronchiolitis, and URTI (P < 0.05 in all). The Cox regression model demonstrated male gender to be an independent risk factor for pediatric respiratory morbidity while adjusting for gestational age, birthweight, and other confounders (HR 1.29, 95% CI 1.25‐1.34, P < 0.001).

Conclusions

Males are at an increased risk for pediatric respiratory morbidity, independent of obstetrical characteristics such as gestational age and birthweight.
Does lung microbiome play a causal or casual role in asthma?
Authors: Di Cicco Maria , Pistello Mauro , Jacinto Tiago , Ragazzo Vincenzo , Piras Martina , Freer Giulia , Pifferi Massimo , Peroni Diego
Published: June 2018

Asthma is the most common chronic disease in childhood. The pathogenesis of asthma is multifactorial and is thought to include environmental factors interacting with genetics during pregnancy and in the first years of life. In the last decades, a possible role of gut microbiota in allergic disease pathogenesis has been demonstrated. Next generation sequencing techniques have allowed the identification of a distinct microbiome in the healthy lungs. The lung microbiome is characterized by the prevalence of bacteria belonging to the phylum Bacteroidetes (mostly Prevotella and Veilonella spp) in healthy subjects and to the phylum Proteobacteria in asthmatics (mostly Haemophilus, Moraxella, and Neisseria spp). In asthma, as well as in other diseases, the lung microbiome composition changes due to a disruption of the delicate balance between immigration and elimination of bacteria. The lung microbiome can interact with the immune system, thus influencing inflammation. Early infections with viruses, such as respiratory syncytial virus, may alter lung microbiome composition favoring the emergence of Proteobacteria, a phylum which is also linked to severity of asthma and bronchial hyperreactivity. Lastly, antibiotics may alter the gut and lung microbiota and potentially disturb the relationship between microbiota and host. Therefore, antibiotics should be prescribed with increasing awareness of their potential harmful effect on the microbiota in young children with and without asthma. The potential effects of probiotics and prebiotics on lung microbiome are unknown.
Expiratory muscle strength and functional exercise tolerance in adults with cystic fibrosis: a cross‐sectional study
Authors: Gambazza Simone , Turrin Valentina , Speziali Chiara , Brivio Anna , Valmarana Lauretta , Carta Federica , Bulfamante Anna Marta Clotilde , Colombo Carla
Published: June 2018

Objective

A 6‐minute walk work (6MWW), that is the product of distance walked at the 6‐minute walk test (6MWT) multiplied by body weight, has been suggested as an appropriate variable for estimating functional capacity. Under the hypothesis that 6MWW strongly correlates with expiratory muscle strength (PEmax), as found in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), the aim of the study was to determine the degree of this correlation in adults with cystic fibrosis.

Methods

A cross‐sectional study was carried out at the Regional Referral Centre for Cystic Fibrosis, where patients with cystic fibrosis attending their regular follow‐up, aged 18 years or older with mild‐to‐normal lung disease, were asked to participate. Dietitians determined nutritional status before subjects performed spirometry and static measurement of respiratory muscles. The 6MWT was performed as the last study procedure. Spearman correlation test was used to correlate PEmax with 6MWW and other study variables.

Results

Twenty‐five cystic fibrosis subjects aged 18–30 years and with FEV1 values ranging from 42.4% to 123.4% predicted completed the study. PEmax strongly correlated with 6MWW (rho .72, p = .0001) whereas it did not correlate with other study variables, including distance at the 6MWT. Distance walked multiplied by body weight (p = .0019) and body mass index (p = .0238) were significantly lower in those with PEmax below the lower limits of normal.

Conclusion

Increased functional exercise tolerance is related to higher static expiratory pressure in patients with mild‐to‐normal cystic fibrosis lung disease. Difference in exercise performance might reflect a possible difference in body composition that needs to be further investigated.
Influence of reaction conditions on the oxidation of thiol groups in model peptidomimetic oligoureas
Authors: Pulka‐Ziach Karolina
Published: June 2018

Working with thiols is associated with the risk of unwanted oxidation reactions, which includes the formation of disulfides. Here, the use of short peptidomimetic oligoureas as a model system to study the influence of reaction conditions on the thiol oxidation process is described. The formation of disulfide bond is usually performed in aqueous solutions; in this study, it was shown that the oxidation reaction occurs also in organic medium. It was discovered that the rate of the oxidation reaction strongly depends on the type of solvent, which is the consequence of the change of the oxidant (air or DMSO), the temperature, and the presence (or absence) of base. The details reported here may help those working with thiols to find suitable conditions to control the oxidation behaviour in organic solvents, ensuring that ─SH groups either remain intact or form disulfide bonds as desired.
Multi‐drug ultraperformance liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry method to quantify antimicrobials in feeding stuffs at carry‐over level
Authors: Civitareale Cinzia , Mestria Serena , Gallo Pasquale , Giannetti Luigi , Neri Bruno , Stacchini Paolo , Fiori Maurizio
Published: June 2018

Rationale

Carry‐over is an undesirable contamination from medicated to non‐medicated during the production of feedingstuffs. In 2014 the European Parliament and the Council started working to produce a new regulatory act that will fix tolerable levels of drugs by carry‐over in non‐target feed to have a harmonized practice to evaluate this contamination by veterinary drugs.

Methods

We developed a rapid and effective multi‐analyte method coupling ultraperformance liquid chromatography to tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC/MS/MS) for the detection of 37 drugs belonging to different classes of antimicrobials (sulfonamides, tetracyclines, macrolides, quinolones, pleuromutilins and streptogramins) in feeds at carry‐over levels. The method was in‐house validated in the concentration range 0.25–2.0 mg kg−1, according to the Regulation (UE) 2017/625 requirements and the guideline included in the Commission Decision 2002/657/EC for official methods.

Results

The UPLC/MS/MS method allows the determination of the antimicrobials in 15 min, by providing results compliant to the criteria established by the European Commission legislation. All the analytes showed a limit of detection (LOD) in the range 2.0–5.0 μg kg−1 and a limit of quantification (LOQ) at 10.0 μg kg−1; oxytetracycline, doxycycline, spiramycin and virginiamycin have a higher LOD and LOQ (15.0 μg kg−1; 30.0 μg kg−1, respectively). Recoveries were satisfactory ranging from 90.4% to 103.1%.

Conclusions

The method is characterized by an effective clean‐up of all drugs without the use of large sample size and organic solvent extraction.
The contribution of intersectionality to quantitative research into educational inequalities
Authors: Codiroli Mcmaster Natasha , Cook Rose
Published: June 2018

Educational inequalities are one of the most critical issues facing contemporary societies. While there is a substantial body of quantitative literature tracking inequalities in education based on students’ characteristics, an emerging literature is applying the concept of intersectionality to acknowledge the multiple, overlapping impact of these characteristics. We discuss the contributions of intersectionality to quantitative research on (vertical and horizontal) educational inequalities (attainment and subject choice). We then discuss the limitations inherent in this work, along with methodological innovations aimed at addressing these limitations. Finally, we make recommendations for researchers, to encourage greater use of intersectionality in quantitative educational research and thereby to deepen our knowledge of inequalities.
Temporal changes in the hydrology and nutrient concentrations of a large tropical river: Anthropogenic influence in the Lower Grijalva River, Mexico
Authors: Lázaro‐Vázquez A. , Castillo M. M. , Jarquín‐Sánchez A. , Carrillo L. , Capps K. A.
Published: June 2018

Abstract

Dam construction and nutrient loading are among the greatest threats to freshwater ecosystems, altering ecological processes and the provisioning of ecosystem services. Temporal change in hydrology and ambient nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations was studied on the Grijalva, a large tropical river in southern Mexico, where four hydroelectric dams operate and where land conversion has impacted the freshwater environment. Temporal changes in discharge and in river chemistry were examined by analysing long‐term discharge and nutrient data using the software Indicators of Hydrologic Alteration and Mann–Kendall tests. Furthermore, additional water chemistry samples were collected to examine seasonal nutrient dynamics in the lower Grijalva. Long‐term discharge data indicated dam construction has severely altered temporal patterns in discharge and other hydrological characteristics. The lower Grijalva has also experienced increase in nitrate concentrations through time, which may be attributed to the expansion of agricultural and urban areas in the watershed. In contrast, total phosphorus appeared to decline at the sites influenced by dam construction. Lower nutrient concentrations were recorded upstream from the city of Villahermosa, suggesting that inputs from urban areas may have contributed to nutrient loading. Additionally, higher nitrate and total phosphorus concentrations were detected in tributaries draining intensive agricultural and suburban areas. Collectively, the results from the study suggest that dam construction and land conversion in large, tropical watersheds can produce chemical and hydrological changes, which may negatively impact important ecosystem services—such as fisheries and the provisioning of sources of drinking water—and may compromise the integrity of coastal zones.
Fabrication and Characterization of Manganese‐based Self‐assembled Cubic Structures
Authors: Khan Kabeer Ahmad , Ullah Hameed , Bonnet Pierre , Nawaz Mohsan , Irfan Muhammad
Published: June 2018

Self‐assembled cubic structures of manganese‐based nanomaterials were achieved successfully, in case of manganese fluoride, for the very first time. The indirect synthesis of manganese oxide (Mn2O3) and manganese fluoride (MnF2/MnF3) self‐assembly involved an individual two step synthesis protocol. In first step of the protocol, NH4MnF3 self‐assembled cubic structures were fabricated by a simple liquid phase reaction using polystyrene (PS) as structure directing agent (SDA), while manganese nitrate tetrahydrate (Mn(NO3)2.4H2O) and ammonium fluoride (NH4F) as manganese and fluorine sources, respectively. In second step, the NH4MnF3 was transformed by calcination to manganese oxide (Mn2O3) at 450 °C for 5 hours under open atmosphere (air/O2), and individually, to manganese fluoride (MnF2/MnF3) at 350 °C for 5 hours under pure molecular fluorine (F2) environment. The temperature regimes for the transformation reactions were deduced from thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The crystal structures and the compositions of all the samples were established by powder X‐rays diffraction (PXRD). Further, structural characterizations were carried out by spectroscopic analyses. The key objective, preservation of self‐assembled cubic structures in the resulting manganese oxide and fluoride, were confirmed by electron microscopic analyses. The self‐assembly structures formation mechanism was illustrated based on the transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) results.
An optimal power flow algorithm for AC/DC hybrid power systems with VSC‐based MTDC considering converter power losses and voltage‐droop control strategy
Authors: Li Zhicheng , He Jinghan , Xu Yin , Wang Xiaojun
Published: June 2018

This paper presents an optimal power flow algorithm of AC/DC hybrid power systems with voltage source converter‐multiterminal high‐voltage direct current (VSC‐MTDC) networks, considering precise converter power losses and voltage‐droop control strategy. Based on the generalized model of VSC stations accounting for the converter power losses, the optimal power flow model of AC/DC power system with VSC‐MTDC networks is developed. The effects of control strategies of VSC stations on the settings of optimal variables and equality constraints are discussed. To deal with the ‘coupling relationship’ between the AC power injection and the power loss of converters with droop control, an iterative algorithm to calculate the AC active power of voltage‐droop converters is proposed. Moreover, by analyzing the construction of Jacobian matrix, the step‐controlled primal–dual interior point method is used to solve the optimal power flow model. Finally, case studies are performed with the modified IEEE 30‐bus test system to evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed optimal power flow algorithm. © 2018 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Design and evaluation of a high‐accuracy current sensing circuit
Authors: Tian Lei , Li Qinqin , Wang Weiheng
Published: June 2018

This paper introduces a high‐accuracy current sensing circuit consuming low power. The structure includes five current and voltage transformation stages, and uses resistors to reduce the input offset voltage. By allowing a wide common‐mode input range, the versatility of the proposed topology is greatly widened. The proposed current sensing circuit is implemented with the 0.35‐μm Bipolar‐CMOS‐DMOS (BCD) process with the block area down to 3.68 mm2. The supply current is decreased to 1 μA while still guaranteeing a fast transient response. © 2018 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Local well‐posedness and blow‐up criterion for a compressible Navier‐Stokes‐P1 approximate model arising in radiation hydrodynamics
Authors: He Fangyi , Fan Jishan , Zhou Yong
Published: June 2018

In this paper we prove the local well‐posedness and a blow‐up criterion of strong solutions for a compressible Navier‐Stokes‐P1 approximate model arising in radiation hydrodynamics, provided the initial data satisfy a natural compatibility condition. We do not assume the positivity of initial density, it may vanish in an open subset (vacuum) of .
QTL mapping in diploid potato by using selfed progenies of the cross S. tuberosum × S. chacoense
Authors: Meijer D. , Viquez-Zamora M. , van Eck H. J. , Hutten R. C. B. , Su Y. , Rothengatter R. , Visser R. G. F. , Lindhout W. H. , van Heusden A. W.
Published: June 2018

Usually, mapping studies in potato are performed with segregating populations from crosses between highly heterozygous diploid or tetraploid parents. These studies are hampered by a high level of genetic background noise due to the numerous segregating alleles, with a maximum of eight per locus. In the present study, we aimed to increase the mapping efficiency by using progenies from diploid inbred populations in which at most two alleles segregate. Selfed progenies were generated from a cross between S. tuberosum (D2; a highly heterozygous diploid) and S. chacoense (DS; a homozygous diploid clone) containing the self-incompatibility overcoming S locus inhibitor (Sli-gene). The Sli-gene enables self-pollination and the generation of selfed progenies. One F2 population was used to map several quality traits, such as tuber shape, flesh and skin color. Quantitative trait loci were identified for almost all traits under investigation. The identified loci partially coincided with known mapped loci and partially identified new loci. Nine F3 populations were used to validate the QTLs and monitor the overall increase in the homozygosity level.
Cancer Susceptibility Genetic Testing in a High‐Risk Cohort of Urban Ashkenazi Jewish Individuals
Authors: Nielsen Sarah M. , De Simone Lenika M. , Olopade Olufunmilayo I.
Published: June 2018

Prior to 2013, genetic testing for Ashkenazi Jewish (AJ) individuals primarily consisted of the three‐site BRCA1/BRCA2 AJ panel, full sequencing of BRCA1/2, or the Lynch syndrome mismatch repair genes. Multigene panel testing became more widely available in 2013, but limited data are available regarding the impact of multigene panel testing for AJ individuals. Here, we report the frequency of cancer susceptibility gene mutations in a cohort of 427 AJ individuals seen in the Cancer Risk Clinic at The University of Chicago. We found that 29% of affected and 37% of unaffected individuals carried a pathogenic mutation (32% of overall cohort), primarily known familial mutations in BRCA1/2. A minority of mutations were identified in non‐BRCA1/2 genes and consisted mainly of AJ founder mutations in CHEK2, APC, and the mismatch repair genes. A panel of AJ founder mutations would have identified the majority (94%) of mutations in clinically actionable genes in both affected and unaffected patients. Based on recent cost‐effectiveness studies, offering all AJ individuals a founder mutation panel may be a cost‐effective cancer prevention strategy.
Language, ethnicity, and the nation-state: on Max Weber’s conception of “imagined linguistic community”
Authors: Tada Mitsuhiro
Published: June 2018

Methodological nationalism in sociological theory is unfit for the current globalized era, and should be discarded. In light of this contention, the present article discusses Max Weber’s view of language as a way to relativize the frame of the national society. While a “linguistic turn” in sociology since the 1960s has assumed that the sharing of language—linguistic community—stands as an intersubjective foundation for understanding of meaning, Weber saw linguistic community as constructed. From Weber’s rationalist, subjectivist, individualist viewpoint, linguistic community was a result of social actions, not a prior entity as assumed by German metaphysical organicism (and historicist holism). Indeed, Central Europe in Weber’s era was a battlefield of linguistic nationalism(s); in contrast to the national societies of the Cold War period, national borders were unstable and ultimately the multiethnic empires of the region were dismantled after World War I into ethnolinguistic nation-states. Experience of this contemporary reality brought Weber to the core of the relationship between language and politics: A language community is an imaginary one demarcated not by language itself but by conscious opposition against outsiders, with monolingual contexts within borders created artificially by homogenizing policies like linguistic standardization and national education—the first modernity of language. In this way, Weber felt, language can be a means to domination.
Are media literacy interventions effective at changing attitudes and intentions towards risky health behaviors in adolescents? A meta‐analytic review
Authors: Vahedi Zahra , Sibalis Annabel , Sutherland Jessica E.
Published: June 2018

Youth are inundated with media products promoting risky health behaviors (RHBs), including substance use and risky sexual activity. Media literacy interventions emphasize critical media consumption to decrease RHBs. However, it is unclear whether they positively influence attitudes and behavioral intentions towards RHBs. We conducted meta‐analyses of 15 studies (N = 5000) testing intervention effectiveness on media literacy skills and 20 studies (N = 9177) testing effectiveness on attitudes and intentions towards RHBs. We found positive effects on media literacy skills (Hedge's g = .417, [95% CI, .29‐.54]) and attitudes and intentions (Hedge's g = .100 [95% CI, .01‐.19]). Intervention medium and target behavior moderated intervention success on attitudes and intentions, but no moderators emerged for media literacy skills. These interventions produce positive effects on media literacy skills and positive but smaller effects on attitudes and behavioral intentions, depending on medium and target behaviour. Implications for adolescent health initiatives are discussed.
Burnout in mental health professionals: A systematic review and meta-analysis of prevalence and determinants
Authors: O’Connor Karen , Muller Neff Deirdre , Pitman Steve
Published: June 2018

This study aimed to estimate the level of burnout in mental health professionals and to identify specific determinants of burnout in this population. A systematic search of MEDLINE/PubMed, PsychINFO/Ovid, Embase, CINAHL/EBSCO and Web of Science was conducted for original research published between 1997 and 2017. Sixty-two studies were identified as meeting the study criteria for the systematic review. Data on the means, standard deviations, and prevalence of the dimensions of burnout were extracted from 33 studies and included in the meta-analysis (n = 9409). The overall estimated pooled prevalence for emotional exhaustion was 40% (CI 31%–48%) for depersonalisation was 22% (CI 15%–29%) and for low levels of personal accomplishment was 19% (CI 13%–25%). The random effects estimate of the mean scores on the Maslach Burnout Inventory indicate that the average mental health professional has high levels of emotional exhaustion [mean 21.11 (95% CI 19.98, 22.24)], moderate levels of depersonalisation [mean 6.76 (95% CI 6.11, 7.42)] but retains reasonable levels of personal accomplishment [mean 34.60 (95% CI 32.99, 36.21)]. Increasing age was found to be associated with an increased risk of depersonalisation but also a heightened sense of personal accomplishment. Work-related factors such as workload and relationships at work, are key determinants for burnout, while role clarity, a sense of professional autonomy, a sense of being fairly treated, and access to regular clinical supervision appear to be protective. Staff working in community mental health teams may be more vulnerable to burnout than those working in some specialist community teams, e.g., assertive outreach, crisis teams.