bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Polydimethylsiloxane‐modified polyurethane–poly(ɛ‐caprolactone) nanofibrous membranes for waterproof, breathable applications
Authors: Gu Xianyuan , Li Ni , Gu Haihong , Xia Xin , Xiong Jie
Published: February 2018

In this study, we prepared polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)‐modified polyurethane–poly(ɛ‐caprolactone) nanofibrous membranes with excellent waterproof, breathable performances via an electrospinning technique. Field emission scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, and mechanical testing were used to characterize the morphologies and properties of the composite nanofibers. The fiber diameter and porous structure of the membranes were regulated by the adjustment of the temperatures of thermal treatment and the PDMS concentrations. The fibrous membranes obtained at a typical temperature of 70 °C possessed an optimized fibrous structure with a diameter of 514 ± 2 nm, a pore size of 0.55–0.65 µm, and a porosity of 77.7%. The resulting nanofibrous membranes modified with 5 wt % PDMS were endowed with good waterproof properties (water contact angle = 141 ± 1°, hydrostatic pressure = 73.6 kPa) and a high breathability (air permeability rate = 6.57 L m−2 s−1, water vapor transmission rate = 9.03 kg m−2 day−1). Meanwhile, the membranes exhibited robust mechanical properties with a high strength (breakage stress = 11.7 MPa) and excellent thermal stability. This suggests that they would be promising candidates for waterproof, breathable applications. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2018, 135, 46360.
Preparation of hydrolysis of poly(acrylonitrile‐co‐methyl acrylate) membranes via thermally induced phase separation: Effects of hydrolysis conditions and additives
Authors: Zhang Longfei , Han Na , Tan Linli , Qian Yongqiang , Cui Zhenyu , Cai Jun
Published: February 2018

In this work, melt processable poly(acrylonitrile‐co‐methyl acrylate) [(P(AN‐MA)] was hydrolyzed first and then formed into microporous membrane via thermally induced phase separation. In order to optimize the hydrolysis condition and fabricate hydrophilic PAN‐based membranes, a series of hydrolysis experiments were performed to indicate the influence of hydrolysis temperature, alkaline species and time. The structure and properties of hydrolyzed P(AN‐MA) [H‐P(AN‐MA)] membranes were also investigated. It was found that with the increase of hydrolysis temperature, pure water flux (PWF) increased first and then decreased. When the hydrolysis temperature increased to 30 °C, the PWF of the H‐P(AN‐MA) membrane was up to the maximum of 6712.7 L/m2 h, which increased by 1661.6 L/m2 h, compared with the P(AN‐MA) membranes. When 1 wt % sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) was incorporated into the diluents, the PWF increased dramatically, especially in high hydrolysis temperature. When the hydrolysis temperature was up to 70 °C, the PWF of H‐P(AN‐MA) membranes containing 1 wt % SDS increased by 2.3 times compared to the sample without SDS under the same condition. With 2 wt % amino functionalized multi‐walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs‐NH2) employed as the additive, the tensile strength was up to 4.55 MPa. When 1 wt % SDS and 0.5 wt % MWCNTs‐NH2 were mixed together, the bovine serum albumin rejection increased from 31.2% to 40.9%. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2018, 135, 46380.
Status of Backflow Prevention and Cross‐Connection Control Programs in the United States
Authors: LeBas Mitchell J. , Stewart Carolyn , Garner Steven , Hardin Byron
Published: February 2018

A SURVEY OF US WATER UTILITIES INDICATES A NEED TO DEVELOP AND IMPROVE CROSS‐CONNECTION CONTROL PROGRAMS TO HELP ENSURE PUBLIC HEALTH.
Potencies of vitamin D analogs, 1α‐hydroxyvitamin D3, 1α‐hydroxyvitamin D2 and 25‐hydroxyvitamin D3, in lowering cholesterol in hypercholesterolemic mice in vivo
Authors: Quach Holly P. , Dzekic Tamara , Bukuroshi Paola , Pang K. Sandy
Published: February 2018

Vitamin D3 and the synthetic vitamin D analogs, 1α‐hydroxyvitamin D3 [1α(OH)D3], 1α‐hydroxyvitamin D2 [1α(OH)D2] and 25‐hydroxyvitamin D3 [25(OH)D3] were appraised for their vitamin D receptor (VDR) associated‐potencies as cholesterol lowering agents in mice in vivo. These precursors are activated in vivo: 1α(OH)D3 and 1α(OH)D2 are transformed by liver CYP2R1 and CYP27A1 to active VDR ligands, 1α,25‐dihydroxyvitamin D3 [1,25(OH)2D3] and 1α,25‐dihydroxyvitamin D2 [1,25(OH)2D2], respectively. 1α(OH)D2 may also be activated by CYP24A1 to 1α,24‐dihydroxyvitamin D2 [1,24(OH)2D2], another active VDR ligand. 25(OH)D3, the metabolite formed via CYP2R1 and or CYP27A1 in liver from vitamin D3, is activated by CYP27B1 in the kidney to 1,25(OH)2D3. In C57BL/6 mice fed the high fat/high cholesterol Western diet for 3 weeks, vitamin D analogs were administered every other day intraperitoneally during the last week of the diet. The rank order for cholesterol lowering, achieved via mouse liver small heterodimer partner (Shp) inhibition and increased cholesterol 7α‐hydroxylase (Cyp7a1) expression, was: 1.75 nmol/kg 1α(OH)D3 > 1248 nmol/kg 25(OH)D3 (dose ratio of 0.0014) > > 1625 nmol/kg vitamin D3. Except for 1.21 nmol/kg 1α(OH)D2 that failed to lower liver and plasma cholesterol contents, a significant negative correlation was observed between the liver concentration of 1,25(OH)2D3 formed from the precursors and liver cholesterol levels. The composite results show that vitamin D analogs 1α(OH)D3 and 25(OH)D3 exhibit cholesterol lowering properties upon activation to 1,25(OH)2D3: 1α(OH)D3 is rapidly activated by liver enzymes and 25(OH)D3 is slowly activated by renal Cyp27b1 in mouse.
Cytochrome P450 2C9‐natural antiarthritic interactions: Evaluation of inhibition magnitude and prediction from in vitro data
Authors: Tan Boon Hooi , Ahemad Nafees , Pan Yan , Palanisamy Uma Devi , Othman Iekhsan , Yiap Beow Chin , Ong Chin Eng
Published: February 2018

Many dietary supplements are promoted to patients with osteoarthritis (OA) including the three naturally derived compounds, glucosamine, chondroitin and diacerein. Despite their wide spread use, research on interaction of these antiarthritic compounds with human hepatic cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzymes is limited. This study aimed to examine the modulatory effects of these compounds on CYP2C9, a major CYP isoform, using in vitro biochemical assay and in silico models. Utilizing valsartan hydroxylase assay as probe, all forms of glucosamine and chondroitin exhibited IC50 values beyond 1000 μM, indicating very weak potential in inhibiting CYP2C9. In silico docking postulated no interaction with CYP2C9 for chondroitin and weak bonding for glucosamine. On the other hand, diacerein exhibited mixed‐type inhibition with IC50 value of 32.23 μM and Ki value of 30.80 μM, indicating moderately weak inhibition. Diacerein's main metabolite, rhein, demonstrated the same mode of inhibition as diacerein but stronger potency, with IC50 of 6.08 μM and Ki of 1.16 μM. The docking of both compounds acquired lower CDOCKER interaction energy values, with interactions dominated by hydrogen and hydrophobic bondings. The ranking with respect to inhibition potency for the investigated compounds was generally the same in both in vitro enzyme assay and in silico modeling with order of potency being diacerein/rhein > various glucosamine/chondroitin forms. In vitro‐in vivo extrapolation of inhibition kinetics (using 1 + [I]/Ki ratio) demonstrated negligible potential of diacerein to cause interaction in vivo, whereas rhein was predicted to cause in vivo interaction, suggesting potential interaction risk with the CYP2C9 drug substrates.
Hypothesis tests for stratified mark‐specific proportional hazards models with missing covariates, with application to HIV vaccine efficacy trials
Authors: Sun Yanqing , Qi Li , Yang Guangren , Gilbert Peter B.
Published: February 2018

This article develops hypothesis testing procedures for the stratified mark‐specific proportional hazards model with missing covariates where the baseline functions may vary with strata. The mark‐specific proportional hazards model has been studied to evaluate mark‐specific relative risks where the mark is the genetic distance of an infecting HIV sequence to an HIV sequence represented inside the vaccine. This research is motivated by analyzing the RV144 phase 3 HIV vaccine efficacy trial, to understand associations of immune response biomarkers on the mark‐specific hazard of HIV infection, where the biomarkers are sampled via a two‐phase sampling nested case‐control design. We test whether the mark‐specific relative risks are unity and how they change with the mark. The developed procedures enable assessment of whether risk of HIV infection with HIV variants close or far from the vaccine sequence are modified by immune responses induced by the HIV vaccine; this question is interesting because vaccine protection occurs through immune responses directed at specific HIV sequences. The test statistics are constructed based on augmented inverse probability weighted complete‐case estimators. The asymptotic properties and finite‐sample performances of the testing procedures are investigated, demonstrating double‐robustness and effectiveness of the predictive auxiliaries to recover efficiency. The finite‐sample performance of the proposed tests are examined through a comprehensive simulation study. The methods are applied to the RV144 trial.
Sensitive and selective detection of Cu(II) ion: A new effective 1,8‐naphthalimide‐based fluorescence ‘turn off’ sensor
Authors: Huang Guozhen , Li Chuang , Han Xintong , Aderinto Stephen Opeyemi , Shen Kesheng , Mao Shanshan , Wu Huilu
Published: February 2018

The present study reports the development of a new 1,8‐naphthalimide‐based fluorescent sensor V for monitoring Cu(II) ions. The sensor exhibited pH independence over a wide pH range 2.52–9.58, and indicated its possible use for monitoring Cu(II) ions in a competitive pH medium. The sensor also showed high selectivity and sensitivity towards the Cu(II) ions over other competitive metal ions in DMSO–HEPES buffer (v/v, 1:1; pH 7.4) with a fluorescence ‘turn off’ mode of 79.79% observed. A Job plot indicated the formation of a 1:1 binding mode of the sensor with Cu(II) ions. The association constant and detection limit were 1.14 × 106 M–1 and 4.67 × 10–8 M, respectively. The fluorescence spectrum of the sensor was quenched due to the powerful paramagnetic nature of the Cu(II) ions. Potential application of this sensor was also demonstrated when determining Cu(II) ion levels in two different water samples.
Characterization of imatinib mesylate formulations distributed in South American countries: Determination of genotoxic impurities by UHPLC–MS/MS and dissolution profile
Authors: Wolff Fernanda Caroline , Dillenburg Thaís Luise , Venzon Antunes Marina , Linden Rafael , Comparsi Wagner Sandrine , Verza Simone G.
Published: February 2018

Imatinib mesylate (IM) is an anti‐neoplasic drug used for the treatment of cancer. Recent new guidelines specify daily doses and concentration limits for genotoxic impurities (GTIs) in pharmaceutical final products. Therefore, in this work an analytical method using UHPLC–MS/MS was developed, validated and applied to characterize IM tablets for two GTIs: N‐(2‐methyl‐5‐aminophenyl)‐4‐(3‐pyridyl)‐2‐pyrimidine amine (Imp. 1), and N‐[4‐methyl‐3‐(4‐methyl‐3‐yl‐pyrimidin‐2‐ylamino)‐phenyl]‐4‐ chloromethyl benzamide (Imp. 2), simultaneously. Additionally, dissolution data of IM tablets were compared using a methodology recommended by the US Food and Drug Administration. The UHPLC method utilized an Acquity BEH C18 (150 × 2.1 mm, 1.7 μm) maintained at 40°C. The mobile phase consisted of ammonium formate 0.063% (phase A) and acetonitrile plus 0.05% formic acid (phase B) in gradient elution. A sensitive method for determination of previously mentioned GTIs in IM tablets was successfully developed and applied. Overall, the formulations analyzed in this work showed low levels of Imp. 1 and Imp. 2. However, the sample named D1 showed very high levels of Imp. 1 and failed to meet the requirements established by the US Food and Drug Administration for dissolution data. Periodic verification of GTIs in pharmaceutical formulations is important to minimize safety risks, so analytical methods to determine it need be available and implemented in routine analysis.
Characteristics of paramedian pontine arteries disease and its association with hemoglobinA1c
Authors: Li Haiyan , Shu Yaqing , Hu Biao , Dai Yongqiang , Lin Yinyao , Shan Yilong , Wang Yuge , Cai Wei , Lu Zhengqi
Published: February 2018

Objectives

The association of branch atherosclerotic disease (BAD) and diabetes mellitus (DM) in the territory of posterior circulation is rarely discussed. Intracranial BAD was divided into two different types: paramedian pontine arteries (PPA) disease (PPD) and lenticulostriate arteries (LSA) disease. The goal of the study was to evaluate the clinical characteristics of PPD and its association with hemoglobinA1c (HbA1c) in China.

Materials and Methods

Radiologically confirmed PPD was defined as an isolated unilateral infarction extending to the ventral surface of the pons. Small deep cerebral infarctions are usually caused by two different pathological changes of arteries: BAD and lipohyalinotic degeneration (LD). We compared the vascular risk factors between BAD and LD in PPA territory. A total of 159 stroke patients were analyzed (PPD, n = 75; LD, n = 84). Patients with PPD were also categorized into two groups according to follow‐up modified Rankin Scale (FmRS) scores. Logistic regression analyses were used for the evaluation of independent risk factors of PPD and prognosis.

Results

Comparison between PPD and LD revealed statistical significance in fasting glucose, HbA1c, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), and uric acid (p = .011, p = .005, p = .027, p = .018, respectively). Compared with LD, PPD was only related to HbA1c (p = .011) in logistic regression analysis. There were statistically significant differences between the two groups based on the stratification of FmRS scores in fasting glucose, HbA1c, homocysteine, eGFR, and the occurrence of DM. After multivariate analysis, only HbA1c was related with poor prognosis of PPD (p = .002).

Conclusions

The subtypes and prognosis of small deep brain infarcts are significantly influenced by elevated HbA1c level in PPA territory. DM might play an important role in the pathogenesis of PPD.
Low‐cost educational resource using optical fibers to send 4‐bit images in grayscale
Authors: Rivera‐Ortega Uriel , Martinez‐Sisniega Nilli , Alcantara‐Mendoza Uriel
Published: February 2018

Optical fibers are widely used in different areas, such as industry, research, and education, just to mention a few. Due to this fact, their applications are commonly included in undergraduate engineering programs or in related fields of education. In this article, a new low‐cost educational resource for a better understanding and a practical application of optical fibers is proposed. The main purpose of this resource is to send 4‐bit images in grayscale through optical fibers with a laser diode and receive it with a photoresistor, with a total estimated setup‐cost of fifteen dollars. The setup includes a visual user‐interface programmed with the software LabVIEW, which lets to select and prepare an image for a proper sending. The same program is in charge of applying different intensities for each type of bit through a generic laser diode and of receiving the information back, all done with the aid of an Arduino Uno board, which serves as the electric interface.
Quantum Crystallography: Current Developments and Future Perspectives
Authors: Genoni Alessandro , Bučinský Lukas , Claiser Nicolas , Contreras‐García Julia , Dittrich Birger , Dominiak Paulina M. , Espinosa Enrique , Gatti Carlo , Giannozzi Paolo , Gillet Jean‐Michel , Jayatilaka Dylan , Macchi Piero , Madsen Anders Ø. , Massa Lou , Matta Chérif F. , Merz Kenneth M. , Nakashima Philip N. H. , Ott Holger , Ryde Ulf , Schwarz Karlheinz , Sierka Marek , Grabowsky Simon
Published: February 2018

Crystallography and quantum mechanics have always been tightly connected because reliable quantum mechanical models are needed to determine crystal structures. Due to this natural synergy, nowadays accurate distributions of electrons in space can be obtained from diffraction and scattering experiments. In the original definition of quantum crystallography (QCr) given by Massa, Karle and Huang, direct extraction of wavefunctions or density matrices from measured intensities of reflections or, conversely, ad hoc quantum mechanical calculations to enhance the accuracy of the crystallographic refinement are implicated. Nevertheless, many other active and emerging research areas involving quantum mechanics and scattering experiments are not covered by the original definition although they enable to observe and explain quantum phenomena as accurately and successfully as the original strategies. Therefore, we give an overview over current research that is related to a broader notion of QCr, and discuss options how QCr can evolve to become a complete and independent domain of natural sciences. The goal of this paper is to initiate discussions around QCr, but not to find a final definition of the field.
Activation of Acetonitrile with (C2F5)3PF2 and Amines
Authors: Bader Julia , Neumann Beate , Stammler Hans‐Georg , Ignat'ev Nikolai , Hoge Berthold
Published: February 2018

Acetonitrile is deprotonated by a combination of the strong Lewis acid (C2F5)3PF2 and triethylamine. The resulting cyanomethyl function is bound to the phosphorus moiety, affording the highly stable salt [HNEt3][P(C2F5)3F2(CH2CN)]. Salt metathesis reactions furnished the corresponding [Cu(MeCN)2]+ and [Ag(MeCN)]+ derivatives in which the CH2CN substituent of the anion [P(C2F5)3F2(CH2CN)]− coordinates to the metal. An investigation of the gas separation capability of the silver salt [Ag(MeCN)][P(C2F5)3F2(CH2CN)] shows an uptake of 1.7 equivalents of isobutene from a propane/isobutene mixture. The reaction of (C2F5)3PF2 with acetonitrile and diethylamine furnishes [P(C2F5)3F2{NHC(CH3)NEt2}]—a phosphate featuring an amidine ligand which formally results from hydroamination of acetonitrile by HNEt2. Exchange of HNEt2 with the primary amines H2NPh and H2NBu leads to comparable amidine salts that exhibit a solvent‐dependent conformational isomerism.
Carbon Nanotubes Encapsulated in Coiled‐Coil Peptide Barrels
Authors: Mann Florian A. , Horlebein Jan , Meyer Nils Frederik , Meyer Daniel , Thomas Franziska , Kruss Sebastian
Published: February 2018

Specific functionalization of 1D nanomaterials such as near infrared (nIR) fluorescent single‐walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) is essential for colloidal stability and tailoring of their interactions with the environment. Here, we show that de novo designed alpha‐helical coiled‐coil peptide barrels (αHBs) with appropriate pores encapsulate and solubilize SWCNTs. In contrast, barrels without or with narrow pores showed a much smaller efficiency. Absorption/fluorescence spectroscopy and atomic force microscopy indicate that the SWCNTs are incorporated into the αHB′s pore. The resulting hybrid SWCNT@αHBs display periodic surface coverage with a 40 nm pitch and remain fluorescent in the nIR. This approach presents a novel concept to encapsulate, discriminate and functionalize SWCNTs non‐covalently with peptides and holds great promise for future applications in bioimaging or drug delivery.
Zwerge mit leuchtender Zukunft
Authors: Haufe Helfried , Böttcher Horst
Published: February 2018

Der Übersichtsartikel berichtet über die aktuelle Forschung und Entwicklung von graphitischen Kohlenstoff‐Nanopartikeln (engl. Graphitic Carbon dots) insbesondere im Hinblick auf ihre Synthese und die Möglichkeiten ihrer chemischen und biomedizinischen Nutzung. Als eine neue Kategorie von Nanomaterialien zeigen Kohlenstoff‐Nanopartikel eine Reihe besonderer Eigenschaften: einstellbare Photolumineszenz bis in den infraroten Spektralbereich, hohe Biokompatibilität, geringe Toxizität, hohe chemische Stabilität und gute Wasserlöslichkeit. Graphitische Kohlenstoff‐Nanopartikel können durch einfache, grüne, kostengünstige Synthesen aus nahezu allen organischen Materialien hergestellt werden. Darüber hinaus können die physikalisch‐chemischen Eigenschaften und das Photolumineszenzverhalten sowohl durch Oberflächenpassivierung und – funktionalisierung als auch durch Modifizierung mit Fremdatomen gesteuert werden. Seit ihrer Entdeckung im Jahr 2004 wurden zahlreiche Anwendungsmöglichkeiten in der chemischen Sensorik, in der biomedizinischen Diagnostik und Therapie und in der Photokatalyse gefunden, die sehr vielversprechend für zukünftige Entwicklungen sind.
Einweg‐Bioreaktoren
Authors: Eibl Regine , Jossen Valentin , Eibl Dieter
Published: February 2018

Einweg‐Bioreaktoren sind in der Entwicklung und Produktion von monoklonalen Antikörpern angekommen. Studien belegen, dass sie richtig ausgewählt und eingesetzt sicherere, schnellere, grünere und kleinere Produktionsverfahren als ihre wiederverwendbaren Gegenspieler erlauben und zu Kosteneinsparungen beitragen. In der Inokulumproduktion haben sich wellendurchmischte Einweg‐Bioreaktoren durchgesetzt, während die Anwender in der Fermentation mehrheitlich mit gerührten Einweg‐Bioreaktoren arbeiten. Es wird prognostiziert, dass die Anzahl der Einweg‐Bioreaktoren weiter zunehmen wird.
Catalytic Enantioselective Simultaneous Control of Axial Chirality and Central Chirality in Allenes
Authors: Dai Jianxin , Duan Xinyu , Zhou Jing , Fu Chunling , Ma Shengming
Published: February 2018

Chiral molecules, which may contain one or more different type(s) of stereocentres, such as central, axial, planar, and helical chiralities, etc., are indispensable in chemistry, pharmaceutical industry, and life science. Despite many advances for the preparation of chiral molecules usually with a single type of chirality have been realized, simultaneous construction of different types of chiralities is still a significant challenge. Here, we wish to report a protocol for preparation of chiral allenes with both central and axial chiralities via a catalytic asymmetric allenylation of different biologically or synthetically useful fluorinated or non‐fluorinated nucleophiles with readily available racemic allenes by using a single chiral ligand. An echoing between the central chirality and axial chirality for the enantioselectivity was observed. This strategy provides a general and practical approach to functionalized optically active allenes bearing both central and axial chiralities with an excellent enantioselectivity under mild conditions.
Confirmation of the Cardiac Safety of PGF2αReceptor Antagonist OBE022 in a First‐in‐Human Study in Healthy Subjects, Using Intensive ECG Assessments
Authors: Täubel Jörg , Lorch Ulrike , Coates Simon , Fernandes Sara , Foley Paul , Ferber Georg , Gotteland Jean‐Pierre , Pohl Oliver
Published: February 2018

OBE022, a new orally active prostaglandin F2α receptor antagonist (OBE022) with myometrial selectivity is being developed to reduce uterine contractions during preterm labor. This first‐in‐human study evaluated the effect of OBE022 following multiple doses on the QT interval in 23 healthy postmenopausal women, using the effect of a meal on QTc to demonstrate assay sensitivity. We report the cardiac safety outcome performed during the multiple ascending part of this trial. OBE022 was administered after a standardized breakfast on day 1 and in the fasted state from day 3 to day 9 wth a standardized lunch 4 hours after administration. Concentration–effect modeling was used to assess the effect of prodrug OBE022 and parent OBE002 on QTc after a single dose (days 1 and 3) and multiple doses (day 9). The concentration–response analysis showed the absence of QTc prolongation at all doses tested. Two‐sided 90% confidence intervals of the geometric mean Cmax for estimated QTc effects of OBE022 and OBE002 of all dose groups were consistently below the threshold of regulatory concern. The sensitivity of this study to detect small changes in the QTc was confirmed by a significant shortening of the QTc on days 1, 3, and 9 after standardized meals. This study establishes that neither prodrug OBE022 nor parent OBE002 prolong the QTc interval. The observed food effect on the QT interval validated the assay on all assessment days. Both the change from predose, premeal and the change from premeal, postdose demonstrated the specificity of the method.
DTM@GPU: Characterizing and evaluating trace redundancy in GPU
Authors: J. Marzulo Leandro A. , C. Sena Alexandre , S. Nery Alexandre , Bentes Cristiana , M. Coelho Igor , S. de Castro Maria Clicia , T. Oliveira Saulo , A. O. Alves Tiago , M. G. França Felipe
Published: February 2018

In a program, there is usually a significant amount of instructions that are repeatedly executed with the same inputs during the execution. This redundancy allows the reuse of previous computations, potentially reducing the program execution time. The Dynamic Trace Memoization technique (DTM) was proposed to exploit the reuse of a dynamic sequence of redundant instructions for superscalar CPUs. This paper proposes the application of the DTM technique on a GPU architecture. We propose the DTM@GPU model that adapts the original DTM technique to the NVIDIA GPU architecture by introducing architectural modifications and the identification of different trace reuse styles in multithreaded environments. We investigate reuse opportunities in real‐world GPU applications and the potential performance gains. We also perform a detailed investigation on the characteristics of the reused traces. This characterization shows the number and size of the reused traces, the influence of the cache size on reuse rates, and the cycles that are saved when all threads in a warp reuse instructions or traces. The results show approximately up to 35.3% of reuse, yielding an estimated speedup gain of 10.7%.
Automated generation of reference dynamical models for constrained robotic systems in the presence of friction and damping effects
Authors: Jarzębowska Elżbieta , Augustynek Krzysztof , Urbaś Andrzej
Published: February 2018

This paper details a new automated generation method of dynamic models of structures allowing presence of friction and damping in their models as well as subjected to position or kinematic constraints. The constraints may be material, which come from the system interaction with environment, or may be programmed. The novelty of the presented dynamics generation method is to include friction and damping into modeling and to require predefined constraint satisfaction as well. The latter requirement is critical, since when friction and damping are neglected, controllers may be inadequately designed, constraints may be violated, and overall system performance may be poor. The developed method is applied to a manipulator model, whose end‐effector performance is predefined by programmed constraints. Simulation results present manipulator constrained motion. The advantage of this method is that it serves both reference and control oriented dynamics derivation, and the final dynamics models are obtained in the reduced state form, ie, constraint reaction forces are eliminated. This is the fundamental difference between the presented approach and the Lagrange based approaches to constrained system modeling.
Sparse random compressive sensing based data aggregation in wireless sensor networks
Authors: Yin Li , Liu Cuiye , Guo Songtao , Yang Yuanyuan
Published: February 2018

In wireless sensor networks (WSNs), the volume of data is increasing at an unpredictable rate, which inevitably leads to high spatial‐temporal correlation. To eliminate data redundancy, some researchers have proposed many data aggregation methods. However, a few of aggregation approaches can handle energy consumption and latency simultaneously. Therefore, in this paper, we propose an efficient algorithm, called Delay‐Minimum Energy‐Balanced (DMEB) data aggregation, which benefits from the superiority of the sparse random measurement matrix and minimum delay algorithm. Owing to the sparsity characteristics of the measurement matrix, only the nodes whose corresponding elements in the matrix are non‐zero take part in the measurement. Each measurement can form an aggregation tree with minimum delay. After a sink node receives all the measurements, original readings can be recovered precisely. In addition, we adopt a novel scheduling method to avoid information interference. Experiment results demonstrate that, under recovering the original data accurately, the proposed data aggregation algorithm can not only shorten delay in data collection process but also reduce communication cost and prolong network lifetime during data transmission process.
Spatio‐temporal query contextualization for microtext retrieval in social media
Authors: Park Jae‐Hong , Lee O‐Joun , Jung Jai E.
Published: February 2018

Generally, texts on the social media (eg, Twitter and Facebook) are too short (microtexts) to understand the meaning and to search for relevant texts. It is difficult for the conventional information retrieval systems to conduct the searching tasks. Thereby, in this paper, we propose a novel approach on query contextualization by integrating all possible microtexts by considering spatio‐temporal contexts. The proposed approach consists of two steps, which are (i) to understand and process microtexts in social media and (ii) to reformulate the queries for searching for relevant microtexts in these social media. To evaluate the performance of the query contextualization approach, microtexts from Twitter have been collected during 4 months.
Tumor‐Targeting Anti‐MicroRNA‐155 Delivery Based on Biodegradable Poly(ester amine) and Hyaluronic Acid Shielding for Lung Cancer Therapy
Authors: Yang Yi , Jia Yanpeng , Xiao Yao , Hao Ying , Zhang Lan , Chen Xiaoxin , He Jian , Zhao Yongxiang , Qian Zhiyong
Published: February 2018

Anti‐microRNA‐155 (anti‐miR‐155), an oligonucleotide with a complimentary sequence to microRNA‐155, holds great promise for lung cancer therapy, and thus some cationic materials have been used to deliver anti‐miR‐155 into lung tumors. Although the gene delivery capacity in vitro was favorable, the application in vivo was limited by rapid removal and significant cytotoxicity, which were mainly caused by the positive charge of the gene complexes. Therefore, it was necessary to develop a novel carrier to decrease the positive charge and increase the gene delivery capacity into the tumor site. In this paper, biodegradable poly(ester amine) (PEA) was used to condense anti‐miR‐155 into PEA/anti‐miR‐155 complexes, and natural anionic polysaccharide hyaluronic acid (HA) was modified with a lung tumor cell targeting peptide and then coated on the surface of gene complexes. The formed hyaluronic acid shielding, PEA/anti‐miR‐155/HA–peptide complexes were monodispersed, and the particle size and zeta potential were 362.7 nm and −10.17 mV, respectively. In addition, the PEA/anti‐miR‐155/HA–peptide complexes had good biocompatibility and stability in vitro, and the lung tumor growth inhibitions of PEA/anti‐miR‐155/HA–peptide in vitro and in vivo were also excellent. The PEA/anti‐miR‐155/HA–peptide complexes play an active role in tumor growth inhibition and could be useful for lung cancer therapy.
Derivation of Multipotent Mesenchymal Stromal Cells from Ovine Bone Marrow
Authors: Vivas Daniel , Caminal Marta , Oliver‐Vila Irene , Vives Joaquim
Published: February 2018

In the field of orthopedics, translational research of novel therapeutic approaches involves the use of large animal models (such as sheep, goat, pig, dog, and horse) due to the similarities with humans in weight, size, joint structure, and bone/cartilage healing mechanisms. Particularly in the development of cell‐based therapies, the lack of manageable immunocompromised preclinical large animal models prevents the use of human cells, which makes it necessary to produce equivalent homologous cell types for the study of their pharmacodynamics, pharmacokinetics, and toxicology. The methods described herein allow for the isolation, expansion, manipulation, and characterization of fibroblastic‐like ovine bone marrow–derived multipotent mesenchymal stromal cells (BM‐MSC) that, similar to human BM‐MSC, adhere to standard plastic surfaces; express specific surface markers such as CD44, CD90, CD140a, CD105, and CD166; and display trilineage differentiation potential in vitro. Homogeneous cell cultures result from a 3‐week bioprocess yielding cell densities in the range of 2–4 × 104 MSC/cm2 at passage 2, which corresponds to ∼8 cumulative population doublings. Large quantities of BM‐MSC resulting from following this methodology can be readily used in proof of efficacy and safety studies in the preclinical development stage. © 2018 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Direct Conversion of Human Pluripotent Stem Cells to Osteoblasts With a Small Molecule
Authors: Kang Heemin , Shih Yu‐Ru V. , Varghese Shyni
Published: February 2018

Human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs), which exhibit unlimited self‐renewal ability and can differentiate into all cell types in the human body, are a promising cell source for cell‐based therapies and regenerative medicine. Small molecules hold great potential in the derivation of tissue‐specific cells from hPSCs owing to their cost‐effectiveness and scalability. Here, we describe a protocol for deriving osteoblasts from hPSCs by using a single, natural small molecule: adenosine. This simple and effective experimental protocol allows one to obtain large numbers of osteoblasts or osteoprogenitor cells, with the ability to form functional bone tissues, from hPSCs, including human embryonic stem cells and induced pluripotent stem cells. This protocol could potentially enable studies of tissue regeneration and skeletal diseases. © 2018 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
CRISPR‐Cas9‐Based Genome Editing of Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells
Authors: Giacalone Joseph C. , Sharma Tasneem P. , Burnight Erin R. , Fingert John F. , Mullins Robert F. , Stone Edwin M. , Tucker Budd A.
Published: February 2018

Human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) are the ideal cell source for autologous cell replacement. However, for patients with Mendelian diseases, genetic correction of the original disease‐causing mutation is likely required prior to cellular differentiation and transplantation. The emergence of the CRISPR‐Cas9 system has revolutionized the field of genome editing. By introducing inexpensive reagents that are relatively straightforward to design and validate, it is now possible to correct genetic variants or insert desired sequences at any location within the genome. CRISPR‐based genome editing of patient‐specific iPSCs shows great promise for future autologous cell replacement therapies. One caveat, however, is that hiPSCs are notoriously difficult to transfect, and optimized experimental design considerations are often necessary. This unit describes design strategies and methods for efficient CRISPR‐based genome editing of patient‐ specific iPSCs. Additionally, it details a flexible approach that utilizes positive selection to generate clones with a desired genomic modification, Cre‐lox recombination to remove the integrated selection cassette, and negative selection to eliminate residual hiPSCs with intact selection cassettes. © 2018 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
hPSC‐derived Midbrain Dopaminergic Neurons Generated in a Scalable 3‐D Biomaterial
Authors: Adil Maroof M. , Schaffer David V.
Published: February 2018

Human pluripotent stem cell (hPSC)–derived midbrain dopaminergic (mDA) neurons may facilitate the development of therapies for Parkinson's disease via disease modeling, drug screening, and cell replacement therapy. However, large numbers of cells are typically needed for these applications, and 2‐D culture–based approaches typically used for mDA differentiation are difficult to scale up and require a long time for mDA maturation. Here we present a protocol to rapidly generate functional mDA neurons in a fully defined, scalable, thermoresponsive 3‐D biomaterial. Resource‐efficient and accelerated differentiation of large numbers of mDA neurons may thus facilitate studying and treating PD. © 2018 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Phosphodiesterase (PDE5) inhibition assay for rapid detection of erectile dysfunction drugs and analogs in sexual enhancement products
Authors: Santillo Michael F. , Mapa Mapa S.T.
Published: February 2018

Products marketed as dietary supplements for sexual enhancement are frequently adulterated with phosphodiesterase‐5 (PDE5) inhibitors, which are erectile dysfunction drugs or their analogs that can cause adverse health effects. Due to widespread adulteration, a rapid screening assay was developed to detect PDE5 inhibitors in adulterated products. The assay employs fluorescence detection and is based on measuring inhibition of PDE5 activity, the pharmacological mechanism shared among the adulterants. Initially, the assay reaction scheme was established and characterized, followed by analysis of 9 representative PDE5 inhibitors (IC50, 0.4–4.0 ng mL–1), demonstrating sensitive detection in matrix‐free solutions. Next, dietary supplements serving as matrix blanks (n = 25) were analyzed to determine matrix interference and establish a threshold value; there were no false positives. Finally, matrix blanks were spiked with 9 individual PDE5 inhibitors, along with several mixtures. All 9 adulterants were successfully detected (≤ 5 % false negative rate; n = 20) at a concentration of 1.00 mg g–1, which is over 5 times lower than concentrations commonly encountered in adulterated products. A major distinction of the PDE5 inhibition assay is the ability to detect adulterants without prior knowledge of their chemical structures, demonstrating a broad‐based detection capability that can address a continuously evolving threat of new adulterants. The PDE5 inhibition assay can analyze over 40 samples simultaneously within 15 minutes and involves a single incubation step and simple data analysis, all of which are advantageous for combating the widespread adulteration of sex‐enhancement products.
Using ideal distributions of the time since habitat was disturbed to build metrics for evaluating landscape condition
Authors: Tulloch Ayesha I. T. , McDonald Jane , Cosier Peter , Sbrocchi Carla , Stein John , Lindenmayer David , Possingham Hugh P.
Published: February 2018

Developing a standardized approach to measuring the state of biodiversity in landscapes undergoing disturbance is crucial for evaluating and comparing change across different systems, assessing ecosystem vulnerability and the impacts of destructive activities, and helping direct species recovery actions. Existing ecosystem metrics of condition fail to acknowledge that a particular community could be in multiple states, and the distribution of states could worsen or improve when impacted by a disturbance process, depending on how far the current landscape distribution of states diverges from pre‐anthropogenic impact baseline conditions. We propose a way of rapidly assessing regional‐scale condition in ecosystems where the distribution of age classes representing increasing time since last disturbance is suspected to have diverged from an ideal benchmark reference distribution. We develop two metrics that (1) compare the observed mean time since last disturbance with an expected mean and (2) quantify the summed shortfall of vegetation age‐class frequencies relative to a reference age‐class distribution of time since last disturbance. We demonstrate the condition metrics using two case studies: (1) fire in threatened southwestern Australian proteaceaous mallee‐heath and (2) impacts of disturbance (fire and logging) in the critically endangered southeastern Australian mountain ashEucalyptus regnansforest on the yellow‐bellied gliderPetaurus australis. We explore the effects of uncertainty in benchmark time since last disturbance, and evaluate metric sensitivity using simulated age‐class distributions representing alternative ecosystems. By accounting for and penalizing too‐frequent and too‐rare disturbances, the summed shortfall metric is more sensitive to change than mean time since last disturbance. We find that mountain ash forest is in much poorer condition (summed shortfall 38.5 out of 100 for a 120‐yr benchmark disturbance interval) than indicated merely by loss of extent (84% of vegetation remaining). Proteaceaous mallee‐heath is in worse condition than indicated by loss of extent for an upper benchmark interval of 80 yr, but condition almost doubles for the minimum tolerable time since last disturbance interval of 20 yr. To fully describe ecosystem degradation, we recommend that our summed shortfall metric, focused on habitat quality and informed by biologically meaningful baselines, be added to existing condition measures focused on vegetation extent. This will improve evaluation of change in ecosystem states and enhance management of ecosystems in poor condition.
(CH3)2NH‐Assisted Synthesis of High‐Purity Ni‐HKUST‐1 for the Adsorption of CO2, CH4, and N2
Authors: Jia Xiaoxia , Yuan Ning , Wang Li , Yang Jiangfeng , Li Jinping
Published: February 2018

Ni‐HKUST‐1, with the same topological structure as Cu‐BTC (HKUST‐1), was synthesized by a (CH3)2NH‐assisted method. Ni‐HKUST‐1 with high purity (> 90 %), yield (85 %), and BET surface area (1088 m2/g) was successfully synthesized for the first time by using NiCl2. The pure‐component adsorption isotherms of CO2, CH4, and N2 on Ni‐HKUST‐1 were measured by the volumetric method and the data used to estimate the separation selectivity for CO2/CH4, CH4/N2, and CO2/N2 binary mixtures according to the ideal adsorbed solutions theory. At 273 K and 1 atm, the selectivities for CO2/CH4, CH4/N2, and CO2/N2 were 14.49, 5.36, and 183.41, respectively, and the adsorption capacities for CO2 and CH4 were 223.87 and 67.89 cm3/g, respectively. This is a rare demonstration of both high selectivity and adsorption capacity in the separation of CO2, CH4, and N2.
Oxidative Addition to SnII Guanidinate Complexes: Precursors to Tin(II) Chalcogenide Nanocrystals
Authors: Ahmet Ibrahim Y. , Thompson Joseph R. , Johnson Andrew L.
Published: February 2018

SnS, SnSe and SnTe are potentially important semiconductor materials. Here, we describe the application of chalcogen containing SnIV guanidinate precursors for the production of tin(II) chalcogenide nanocrystals. Reaction of the stannylene(II) guanidinate complex [{Me2NC(NCy)2}2Sn] (1) with Ph2E2 (E = S, Se, Te), and CBr4 forms the SnIV complexes [{Me2NC(NCy)2}2Sn(Ch‐Ph)2] (2–4) and [{Me2NC(NCy)2}2SnBr2] (5), respectively. Complex 5 has been subsequently used for the synthesis of the corresponding SnIV mono chalcogenide complexes, [{Me2NC(NCy)2}2Sn = E] (6–8) by the reaction of 5 with Li2E systems. Isolated tin complexes have characterized by elemental analysis, NMR spectroscopy, and the molecular structures of complexes 2–5 determined by single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction. TG analysis showed that complexes 2–4 and 6–8 all have residual masses close to those expected for the formation of the corresponding “SnE” systems. Complexes 6–8 were assessed for their utility in the formation of nanocrystalline materials. The materials obtained were characterized by powder X‐ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE‐SEM) and energy dispersive X‐ray analysis (EDX). Analysis showed formation of SnSe and SnTe from complexes 7 and 8, respectively.
Using a Hydrogen‐Bonded Rosette‐Type Scaffold to Generate Heteronuclear Metalla‐Assemblies
Authors: Zhang Fan , Therrien Bruno
Published: February 2018

Pyridyl‐functionalized melamine (MEpy) and barbituric acid (BApy) derivatives have been designed to generate rosette‐type structures with multiple coordination sites. The introduction of a pyridyl group on both components (MEpy and BApy) allows coordination of metals at the periphery of the (MEpy)3·(BApy)3 rosette. Dichloro para‐cymene ruthenium and dichloro pentamethylcyclopentadienyl rhodium units were inserted to generate the heteronuclear rosettes, (MEpyRu)3·(BApyRh)3 and (MEpyRh)3·(BApyRu)3, respectively. Both rosettes were characterized by spectroscopic methods and their behavior in solution was studied.
Formation of and Glycosylation with Per‐O‐Acetyl Septanosyl Halides: Rationalizing Complex Reactivity En Route to p‐Nitrophenyl Septanosides
Authors: Pote Aditya R. , Vannam Raghu , Richard Alissa , Gascón José , Peczuh Mark W.
Published: February 2018

Protein–carbohydrate interactions are at the heart of many biological processes. For lectins, those interactions result simply in the association of two species, whereas for enzymes like glycosidases, association ultimately leads to cleavage and formation of covalent bonds. We have investigated lectin–septanose interactions in the past. Here we report on a route to synthesize p‐nitrophenyl septanosides via the corresponding septanosyl halides. During the investigation we observed differential rates of glycosyl halide formation of the per‐O‐acetyl septanoses based on the stereochemistry at C1 and C2. Further, we observed unexpected stereoselectivities in glycoside bond formation that depended on a number of factors including the electrophilic sugar species, the incoming nucleophile, and reaction conditions. The results provided new parameters to consider when approaching septanose glycosylations. Even more importantly, the synthesis of p‐nitrophenyl septanosides will enable them to be used to interrogate septanose‐glycosidase binding and hydrolysis.
Development of EpiRisk: An online clinical tool for estimating the risk of major congenital malformations in pregnant women treated for epilepsy
Authors: Davis Jones Gabriel , Hitchcock Alison , Vajda Frank , Craig John , O'Brien Terence J. , Sen Arjune
Published: February 2018

Antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) are known to associate with an increased risk of major congenital malformations (MCMs) in children born to women who become pregnant while taking them. As the indications for AEDs continue to diversify, novel AEDs emerge, and polytherapy becomes more prevalent, the volume and complexity of the information relating to teratogenic risk can become unmanageable for the clinician. This in turn makes accurate education of pregnant women treated with AEDs regarding the risk of MCMs challenging. To enable clinicians to provide better information regarding the potential teratogenic risk of AEDs, we outline here the method we have employed to underpin a new system of real‐time risk analysis, “EpiRisk.” When launched, EpiRisk will offer a user‐friendly, online clinical tool, compatible with all modern Internet browsers, smart phones, and personal computers. Using the most current published data, as well as “real world” data from the UK and the Australian Pregnancy Registers, EpiRisk will enable clinicians to quickly and accurately assess the teratogenic risk of AEDs in mono‐ and polytherapy. EpiRisk may thus provide a future‐proof central hub for empowering patients, clinicians, and registries by delivering evidence‐based information on the teratogenic risk of the AEDs in pregnant women with epilepsy through an easily accessible platform.