bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Tracking the polyclonal neutralizing antibody response to a dengue virus serotype 1 type-specific epitope across two populations in Asia and the Americas
Authors: Andrade Daniela V. , Warnes Colin , Young Ellen , Katzelnick Leah C. , Balmaseda Angel , de Silva Aravinda M. , Baric Ralph S. , Harris Eva
Published: November 2019

The four dengue virus serotypes (DENV1-4) cause major public health problems worldwide. Highly neutralizing type-specific human monoclonal antibodies (hmAbs) target conformation-dependent epitopes on the DENV envelope protein, including 1F4, a DENV1 type-specific hmAb. Using a recombinant DENV2 virus displaying the DENV1 1F4 epitope (rDENV2/1), we measured the proportion and kinetics of DENV1 neutralizing antibodies targeting the 1F4 epitope in individuals living in Asia and the Americas where different DENV1 genotypes were circulating. Samples from 20 individuals were analyzed 3 and 18 months post-primary DENV1 infection, alongside samples from 4 individuals collected annually for four years post-primary DENV1 infection, from two studies in Nicaragua. We also analyzed convalescent post-primary DENV1 plasma samples from Sri Lankan individuals. We found that neutralizing antibodies recognizing the 1F4 epitope vary in prevalence across both populations and were detected from 20 days to four years post-infection. Additionally, both populations displayed substantial variability, with a range of high to low proportions of DENV1 type-specific neutralizing antibodies recognizing the 1F4 epitope seen across individuals. Thus, the 1F4 epitope is a major but not exclusive target of type-specific neutralizing antibodies post-primary infection with different DENV1 genotypes in Asia and Latin America, and additional epitopes likely contribute to type-specific neutralization of DENV1.
Reward and punishment in climate change dilemmas
Authors: Góis António R. , Santos Fernando P. , Pacheco Jorge M. , Santos Francisco C.
Published: November 2019

Mitigating climate change effects involves strategic decisions by individuals that may choose to limit their emissions at a cost. Everyone shares the ensuing benefits and thereby individuals can free ride on the effort of others, which may lead to the tragedy of the commons. For this reason, climate action can be conveniently formulated in terms of Public Goods Dilemmas often assuming that a minimum collective effort is required to ensure any benefit, and that decision-making may be contingent on the risk associated with future losses. Here we investigate the impact of reward and punishment in this type of collective endeavors — coined as collective-risk dilemmas — by means of a dynamic, evolutionary approach. We show that rewards (positive incentives) are essential to initiate cooperation, mostly when the perception of risk is low. On the other hand, we find that sanctions (negative incentives) are instrumental to maintain cooperation. Altogether, our results are gratifying, given the a-priori limitations of effectively implementing sanctions in international agreements. Finally, we show that whenever collective action is most challenging to succeed, the best results are obtained when both rewards and sanctions are synergistically combined into a single policy.
Characterization and Identification of Lysine Succinylation Sites based on Deep Learning Method
Authors: Huang Kai-Yao , Hsu Justin Bo-Kai , Lee Tzong-Yi
Published: November 2019

Succinylation is a type of protein post-translational modification (PTM), which can play important roles in a variety of cellular processes. Due to an increasing number of site-specific succinylated peptides obtained from high-throughput mass spectrometry (MS), various tools have been developed for computationally identifying succinylated sites on proteins. However, most of these tools predict succinylation sites based on traditional machine learning methods. Hence, this work aimed to carry out the succinylation site prediction based on a deep learning model. The abundance of MS-verified succinylated peptides enabled the investigation of substrate site specificity of succinylation sites through sequence-based attributes, such as position-specific amino acid composition, the composition of k-spaced amino acid pairs (CKSAAP), and position-specific scoring matrix (PSSM). Additionally, the maximal dependence decomposition (MDD) was adopted to detect the substrate signatures of lysine succinylation sites by dividing all succinylated sequences into several groups with conserved substrate motifs. According to the results of ten-fold cross-validation, the deep learning model trained using PSSM and informative CKSAAP attributes can reach the best predictive performance and also perform better than traditional machine-learning methods. Moreover, an independent testing dataset that truly did not exist in the training dataset was used to compare the proposed method with six existing prediction tools. The testing dataset comprised of 218 positive and 2621 negative instances, and the proposed model could yield a promising performance with 84.40% sensitivity, 86.99% specificity, 86.79% accuracy, and an MCC value of 0.489. Finally, the proposed method has been implemented as a web-based prediction tool (CNN-SuccSite), which is now freely accessible at http://csb.cse.yzu.edu.tw/CNN-SuccSite/.
Characterization and diagnostic marker for TTG1 regulating tannin and anthocyanin biosynthesis in faba bean
Authors: Gutierrez Natalia , Torres Ana M.
Published: November 2019

Condensed tannins, found in coloured-flowering varieties of faba bean (Vicia faba L) are, after vicine and convicine, one of the major anti-nutritional factors for monogastric animals. The development of tannin-free cultivars is a key goal in breeding to broaden the use of this legume in the animal feed industry. Two recessive genes, zt-1 and zt-2, control the zero-tannin content and promote white-flowered plants. Previous studies exploiting synteny with the model Medicago truncatula reported a mutation in TTG1, a gene encoding a WD40 transcription factor located in chromosome II, as the responsible for the zt-1 phenotypes. Here a comprehensive analysis of VfTTG1 (including phylogenetic relationships, gene structure and gene expression) has been conducted to confirm the identity of the gene and to reveal structural changes that may result in different functional alleles. The results confirmed the identity of the candidate and revealed the existence of two different alleles responsible for the phenotype: ttg1-a, probably due to a mutation in the promoter region, and ttg1-b caused by a deletion at the 5′end of VfTTG1. Based on the sequencing results, an allele-specific diagnostic marker was designed that differentiate zt-1 from wild and zt-2 genotypes and facilitates its deployment in faba bean breeding programs.
Kunitz type protease inhibitor from the canine tapeworm as a potential therapeutic for melanoma
Authors: Ranasinghe Shiwanthi L. , Rivera Vanessa , Boyle Glen M. , McManus Donald P.
Published: November 2019

Modulating the tumor microenvironment to promote an effective immune response is critical in managing any type of tumor. Melanoma is an aggressive skin cancer and the incidence rate is increasing worldwide. Potent protease inhibitors have recently been extensively researched as potential therapeutic agents against various cancers. EgKI-1 is a potent Kunitz type protease inhibitor identified from the canine tapeworm Echinococcus granulosus that has shown anti-cancer activities in vivo. In this study we show that EgKI-1 significantly reduced the growth of melanoma in the B16-F0 mouse model and was not toxic to normal surrounding tissue. Moreover, EgKI-1 treatment significantly reduced survivin expression levels and increased the CD8+ T cell population in draining axillary lymph nodes. Therefore, EgKI-1 potentially reduces tumor growth by inducing apoptosis and modulating the tumor microenvironment, and has potential for development as an intra-lesional treatment for melanoma.
Synergy of arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis and exogenous Ca2+ benefits peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) growth through the shared hormone and flavonoid pathway
Authors: Cui Li , Guo Feng , Zhang Jialei , Yang Sha , Meng JingJing , Geng Yun , Li Xinguo , Wan Shubo
Published: November 2019

Peanut yield is severely affected by exchangeable calcium ion (Ca2+) deficiency in the soil. Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) symbiosis increases the absorption of Ca2+ for host plants. Here, we analyzed the physiological and transcriptional changes in the roots of Arachis hypogaea L. colonized by Funneliformismosseae under Ca2+-deficient and -sufficient conditions. The results showed that exogenous Ca2+ application increased arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) colonization, plant dry weight, and Ca content of AM plants. Simultaneously, transcriptome analysis showed that Ca2+ application further induced 74.5% of differentially expressed gene transcripts in roots of AM peanut seedlings. These genes are involved in AM symbiosis development, hormone biosynthesis and signal transduction, and carotenoid and flavonoid biosynthesis. The transcripts of AM-specific marker genes in AM plants with Ca2+ deprivation were further up-regulated by Ca2+ application. Gibberellic acid (GA3) and flavonoid contents were higher in roots of AM- and Ca2+-treated plants, but salicylic acid (SA) and carotenoid contents specifically increased in roots of the AM plants. Thus, these results suggest that the synergy of AM symbiosis and Ca2+ improves plant growth due to the shared GA- and flavonoid-mediated pathway, whereas SA and carotenoid biosynthesis in peanut roots are specific to AM symbiosis.
Direct, gabapentin-insensitive interaction of a soluble form of the calcium channel subunit α2δ-1 with thrombospondin-4
Authors: El-Awaad Ehab , Pryymachuk Galyna , Fried Cora , Matthes Jan , Isensee Jörg , Hucho Tim , Neiss Wolfram F. , Paulsson Mats , Herzig Stefan , Zaucke Frank , Pietsch Markus
Published: November 2019

The α2δ‐1 subunit of voltage-gated calcium channels binds to gabapentin and pregabalin, mediating the analgesic action of these drugs against neuropathic pain. Extracellular matrix proteins from the thrombospondin (TSP) family have been identified as ligands of α2δ‐1 in the CNS. This interaction was found to be crucial for excitatory synaptogenesis and neuronal sensitisation which in turn can be inhibited by gabapentin, suggesting a potential role in the pathogenesis of neuropathic pain. Here, we provide information on the biochemical properties of the direct TSP/α2δ-1 interaction using an ELISA-style ligand binding assay. Our data reveal that full-length pentameric TSP-4, but neither TSP-5/COMP of the pentamer-forming subgroup B nor TSP-2 of the trimer-forming subgroup A directly interact with a soluble variant of α2δ-1 (α2δ-1S). Interestingly, this interaction is not inhibited by gabapentin on a molecular level and is not detectable on the surface of HEK293-EBNA cells over-expressing α2δ‐1 protein. These results provide biochemical evidence that supports a specific role of TSP-4 among the TSPs in mediating the binding to neuronal α2δ‐1 and suggest that gabapentin does not directly target TSP/α2δ-1 interaction to alleviate neuropathic pain.
The beneficial effects of a muscarinic agonist on pancreatic β-cells
Authors: Ito Yuzuru , Kaji Mitsuyo , Sakamoto Eri , Terauchi Yasuo
Published: November 2019

The brain and nervous system play an important role in pancreatic β-cell function. This study investigated the role of muscarinic agonists or acetylcholine, which is the major neurotransmitter in the vagal nerve, in regulating pancreatic β-cell mass and glucose homeostasis. Administration of the muscarinic agonist bethanechol increased insulin secretion and improved glucose tolerance in insulin-receptor substrate 2 (IRS2)-knockout (IRS-2−/−) mice and diet-induced obesity mice. Oral administration of bethanechol increased β-cell mass and proliferation in wild-type mice, but not IRS-2−/− mice. The muscarinic agonist also increased the incorporation of 5-bromo-2′-deoxyuridine (BrdU) into islets isolated from wild-type mice and pancreatic β-cell line MIN6. The phosphorylation of protein kinase B (Akt) induced by oral administration of bethanechol was observed in wild-type mice, but not IRS-2−/− mice. The secretion of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) was also stimulated by bethanechol in wild-type mice, and a GLP-1 antagonist partially inhibited the bethanechol-induced increase in β-cell mass. These results suggest that the muscarinic agonist exerted direct and indirect effects on β-cell proliferation that were dependent on the IRS-2/Akt pathway. The bethanechol-stimulated release of GLP-1 may be indirectly associated with β-cell proliferation.
Turbulence-Resistant FSO Communication Using a Few-Mode Pre-Amplified Receiver
Authors: Liu Huiyuan , Huang Bin , Zacarias Juan Carlos Alvarado , Wen He , Chen Haoshuo , Fontaine Nicolas K. , Ryf Roland , Antonio-Lopez Jose Enrique , Correa Rodrigo Amezcua , Li Guifang
Published: November 2019

Leveraging recent advances in space-division multiplexing, we propose and demonstrate turbulence-resistant free-space optical communication using few-mode (FM) pre-amplified receivers. The rationale for this approach is that a distorted wavefront can be decomposed into a superposition of the fundamental Gaussian mode and high-order modes of a few-mode fiber. We present the noise statistics and the sensitivity of the FM pre-amplified receiver, followed by experimental and numerical comparisons between FM pre-amplified receivers and single-mode (SM) pre-amplified receivers with or without adaptive optics. FM pre-amplified receivers for FSO can achieve high sensitivity, simplicity and reliability.
ClpC affects the intracellular survival capacity of Staphylococcus aureus in non-professional phagocytic cells
Authors: Gunaratnam Gubesh , Tuchscherr Lorena , Elhawy Mohamed I. , Bertram Ralph , Eisenbeis Janina , Spengler Christian , Tschernig Thomas , Löffler Bettina , Somerville Greg A. , Jacobs Karin , Herrmann Mathias , Bischoff Markus
Published: November 2019

Invasion and persistence of bacteria within host cells requires that they adapt to life in an intracellular environment. This adaptation induces bacterial stress through events such as phagocytosis and enhanced nutrient-restriction. During stress, bacteria synthesize a family of proteins known as heat shock proteins (HSPs) to facilitate adaptation and survival. Previously, we determined the Staphylococcus aureus HSP ClpC temporally alters bacterial metabolism and persistence. This led us to hypothesize that ClpC might alter intracellular survival. Inactivation of clpC in S. aureus strain DSM20231 significantly enhanced long-term intracellular survival in human epithelial (HaCaT) and endothelial (EA.hy926) cell lines, without markedly affecting adhesion or invasion. This phenotype was similar across a genetically diverse collection of S. aureus isolates, and was influenced by the toxin/antitoxin encoding locus mazEF. Importantly, MazEF alters mRNA synthesis and/or stability of S. aureus virulence determinants, indicating ClpC may act through the mRNA modulatory activity of MazEF. Transcriptional analyses of total RNAs isolated from intracellular DSM20231 and isogenic clpC mutant cells identified alterations in transcription of α-toxin (hla), protein A (spa), and RNAIII, consistent with the hypothesis that ClpC negatively affects the intracellular survival of S. aureus in non-professional phagocytic cells, via modulation of MazEF and Agr.
An Experimental Investigation on the Kinetics of Integrated Methane Recovery and CO2 Sequestration by Injection of Flue Gas into Permafrost Methane Hydrate Reservoirs
Authors: Hassanpouryouzband Aliakbar , Yang Jinhai , Okwananke Anthony , Burgass Rod , Tohidi Bahman , Chuvilin Evgeny , Istomin Vladimir , Bukhanov Boris
Published: November 2019

Large hydrate reservoirs in the Arctic regions could provide great potentials for recovery of methane and geological storage of CO2. In this study, injection of flue gas into permafrost gas hydrates reservoirs has been studied in order to evaluate its use in energy recovery and CO2 sequestration based on the premise that it could significantly lower costs relative to other technologies available today. We have carried out a series of real-time scale experiments under realistic conditions at temperatures between 261.2 and 284.2 K and at optimum pressures defined in our previous work, in order to characterize the kinetics of the process and evaluate efficiency. Results show that the kinetics of methane release from methane hydrate and CO2 extracted from flue gas strongly depend on hydrate reservoir temperatures. The experiment at 261.2 K yielded a capture of 81.9% CO2 present in the injected flue gas, and an increase in the CH4 concentration in the gas phase up to 60.7 mol%, 93.3 mol%, and 98.2 mol% at optimum pressures, after depressurizing the system to dissociate CH4 hydrate and after depressurizing the system to CO2 hydrate dissociation point, respectively. This is significantly better than the maximum efficiency reported in the literature for both CO2 sequestration and methane recovery using flue gas injection, demonstrating the economic feasibility of direct injection flue gas into hydrate reservoirs in permafrost for methane recovery and geological capture and storage of CO2. Finally, the thermal stability of stored CO2 was investigated by heating the system and it is concluded that presence of N2 in the injection gas provides another safety factor for the stored CO2 in case of temperature change.
Morphological MRI phenotypes of multiple sclerosis differ in resting-state brain function
Authors: Pinter Daniela , Beckmann Christian F. , Fazekas Franz , Khalil Michael , Pichler Alexander , Gattringer Thomas , Ropele Stefan , Fuchs Siegrid , Enzinger Christian
Published: November 2019

We aimed to assess differences in resting-state functional connectivity (FC) between distinct morphological MRI-phenotypes in multiple sclerosis (MS). Out of 180 MS patients, we identified those with high T2-hyperintense lesion load (T2-LL) and high normalized brain volume (NBV; a predominately white matter damage group, WMD; N = 37) and patients with low T2-LL and low NBV (N = 37; a predominately grey matter damage group; GMD). Independent component analysis of resting-state fMRI was used to test for differences in the sensorimotor network (SMN) between MS MRI-phenotypes and compared to 37 age-matched healthy controls (HC). The two MS groups did not differ regarding EDSS scores, disease duration and distribution of clinical phenotypes. WMD compared to GMD patients showed increased FC in all sub-units of the SMN (sex- and age-corrected). WMD patients had increased FC compared to HC and GMD patients in the central SMN (leg area). Only in the WMD group, higher EDSS scores and T2-LL correlated with decreased connectivity in SMN sub-units. MS patients with distinct morphological MRI-phenotypes also differ in brain function. The amount of focal white matter pathology but not global brain atrophy affects connectivity in the central SMN (leg area) of the SMN, consistent with the notion of a disconnection syndrome.
A New Chloroplast DNA Extraction Protocol Significantly Improves the Chloroplast Genome Sequence Quality of Foxtail Millet (Setaria italica (L.) P. Beauv.)
Authors: Liu Dan , Cui Yanjiao , Li Suying , Bai Guihua , Li Qiang , Zhao Zilong , Liang Dan , Wang Conglei , Wang Jianhe , Shi Xiaowei , Chen Chao , Feng Gang , Liu Zhengli
Published: November 2019

The complexity of the leaf constitution of foxtail millet (Setaria italica (L.) P. Beauv.) makes it difficult to obtain high-purity cpDNA. Here, we developed a protocol to isolate high-quality cpDNA from foxtail millet and other crops. The new protocol replaces previous tissue grinding and homogenization by enzyme digestion of tiny leaf strips to separate protoplasts from leaf tissue and protects chloroplasts from damage by undue grinding and homogenization and from contamination of cell debris and nuclear DNA. Using the new protocol, we successfully isolated high-quality cpDNAs for whole-genome sequencing from four foxtail millet cultivars, and comparative analysis revealed that they were approximately 27‰ longer than their reference genome. In addition, six cpDNAs of four other species with narrow and thin leaf blades, including wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), maize (Zea may L.), rice (Oryza sativa L.) and sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench), were also isolated by our new protocol, and they all exhibited high sequence identities to their corresponding reference genomes. A maximum-likelihood tree based on the chloroplast genomes we sequenced here was constructed, and the result was in agreement with previous reports, confirming that these cpDNA sequences were available for well-supported phylogenetic analysis and could provide valuable resources for future research.
Medical Geological assessment of fluoride contaminated groundwater in parts of Indo-Gangetic Alluvial plains
Authors: Kumar Suresh , Singh Rambabu , Venkatesh A. S. , Udayabhanu G. , Sahoo P. R.
Published: November 2019

As drinking water is considered as a major pathway of exposure to fluoride in the human body, an endeavor has been made for the assessment of the non-carcinogenic health risk by using hazard quotient (HQ) of fluoride for males, females, and children separately in fluoride affected ground water areas of Indo-Gangetic Alluvial Plains. The study suggests that children groups are more prone to the non-carcinogenic risk of fluoride in the area as HQ for fluoride is more than unitary in 44% (Pre-monsoon) and 38% (Post-monsoon) samples respectively. Field survey conducted in fluoride-affected villagers of the study area portrays cases of mottling of teeth and bone deformities depending on the duration and dosage of fluoride consumption. Petrographic observations of host rocks coupled with molar ratios of chemical species studies exemplify that weathered material developed over the granite-gneiss, mica-schist, amphibolite, granitic intrusive and pegmatite veins due to weathering and extensive water-rock interaction resulting higher concentration of fluoride in groundwater. Likewise, the base exchange index (r1) and meteoric genesis index (r2) advocates that most of the samples belong to Na+-HCO3− type and meteoric origin respectively, and substantiate longer residence time of water along with solute acquisition processes are responsible for elevated fluoride in groundwater. It is, therefore, solar energy-driven electrolytic de-fluoridation technology ought to be provided on a priority basis to the affected inhabitants besides the implementation of rainwater harvesting schemes for mitigation/ dilution of elevated fluoride concentration.
Publisher Correction: The effect of introducing antibiotics into organic light-emitting diodes
Authors: Hafeez Hassan , Jesuraj P. Justin , Kim Dong Hyun , Lee Jong Chan , Shin Jun Young , Rhee Sang Ho , Lee Won Ho , Choi Dae Keun , Cha Jun Hwan , Lee Chang Min , Kim Chul Hoon , Lamichhane Janardan , Pokhrel Anaya , Kim Tae-Su , Sohng Jae Kyung , Yun Hyung Joong , Park Jong Bae , Chung Hee-Suk , Bae Tae-Sung , Lee Sang Geul , Park Hyun-Woo , Chung Kwun-Bum , Song Aeran , Kwon Jang Hyuk , Bae Hyeong Woo , Kang Yong-Cheol , Park Juyun , Song Myungkwan , Kim Chang-Su , Ryu Seung Yoon
Published: November 2019

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper.
A highly sensitive and selective fluorescent probe based on a Pd-catalyzed reaction for detection of Pd2+
Authors: Du Man , Zhang Yue , Yu Yifeng , Zhao Hua , Guo Yue , Yang Yunxu
Published: November 2019

A novel fluorescent probe for sensitive and selective detection of Pd2+based on a Pd-catalyzed reaction has been rationally designed and developed.
Artemisia sphaerocephala Krasch polysaccharide prevents hepatic steatosis in high fructose-fed mice associated with changes in the gut microbiota
Authors: Zhang Bo , Ren Daoyuan , Zhao Yan , Liu Yueyue , Zhai Xichuan , Yang Xingbin
Published: November 2019

High fructose (HF) diet-induced liver steatosis is associated with intestinal microbiota dysbiosis.
A mixture of citrus polymethoxyflavones, green tea polyphenols and lychee extracts attenuates adipogenesis in 3T3-L1 adipocytes and obesity-induced adipose inflammation in mice
Authors: Pan Min-Hsiung , Li Ming-Yi , Tsai Mei-Ling , Pan Chih-Yu , Badmaev Vladimir , Ho Chi-Tang , Lai Ching-Shu
Published: November 2019

Adipocyte–macrophage interaction in obesity can cause adipose tissue inflammation and contribute to insulin resistance.
Recent advances in cobalt-catalysed C–H functionalizations
Authors: Baccalini Alessio , Vergura Stefania , Dolui Pravas , Zanoni Giuseppe , Maiti Debabrata
Published: November 2019

Ready availability, low cost and low toxicity of cobalt salts have redirected the attention of researchers away from noble metals, such as Pd, Rh, and Ir, towards Co in the field of C–H functionalisation.
Copper-catalyzed cascade click/nucleophilic substitution reaction to access fully substituted triazolyl-organosulfurs
Authors: Li Ming , Dong Kun , Zheng Yubin , Song Wangze
Published: November 2019

A novel cascade click/nucleophilic substitution reaction is developed to access various 4-heterofunctionalized fully substituted triazolyl-organosulfurs.
Design of smart polyacrylates showing thermo-, pH-, and CO2-responsive features
Authors: Huang Jianbing , Qin Herong , Wang Biyun , Tan Qinglan , Lu Jiang
Published: November 2019

A novel acrylate monomer was synthesized by facile sequential two-step reactions and polymerized using RAFT polymerization to yield a well-defined thermo-, pH- and CO2-responsive homopolymer.
Guanine deaminase provides evidence of the increased caffeine content during the piling process of pu'erh tea
Authors: Pan Si-an , Sun Ying , Li Mengmeng , Deng Wei-Wei , Zhang Zheng-Zhu
Published: November 2019

Wet piling is a key process for producing pu'erh tea because various components change under the action of microorganisms.
Two dimensional ZnO/AlN composites used for photocatalytic water-splitting: a hybrid density functional study
Authors: Wang Guangzhao , Li Yumo , Zhang Ling , Chang Junli , Li Yadong , Xia Liangping , Xiao Shuyuan , Dang Suihu , Li Chunxia
Published: November 2019

With adapted bandgap for absorbing visible light, suitable band edge positions, and induced electric field inhibiting photoexcited carrier recombination, 2% strained ZnO/AlN composite is a promising water-splitting photocatalyst.
Resource recovery of wastewater treatment sludge: synthesis of a magnetic cancrinite adsorbent
Authors: Bian Rui , Zhu Junna , Chen Yu , Yu Yang , Zhu Suiyi , Zhang Leilei , Huo Mingxin
Published: November 2019

Water treatment sludge was directly converted into magnetic spherical sodalite and dendritic cancrinite particles, separately. These particles were efficient in tetracycline adsorption.
Electrostatic attraction-induced aggregation of polymer dots for the facile detection of melamine migration
Authors: Zhang Guiyun , Chen Yimin , Xie Jianhua , Lin Changqing , Yang Weiqiang
Published: November 2019

The electrostatic attraction between electron-rich Pdots and electron-withdrawing melamine was investigated, and the e-Pdots was used for the facile detection of melamine migration.
A 2D metal–organic framework/reduced graphene oxide heterostructure for supercapacitor application
Authors: Beka Lemu Girma , Bu Xiangrui , Li Xin , Wang Xiaoli , Han Chuanyu , Liu Weihua
Published: November 2019

In this 2D NiCo-MOF/rGO hybrid, the MOF nanosheets provide abundant active sites while the conductive rGO provide rapid electron transport.
Adsorption of nitrogen-containing compounds on hydroxylated α-quartz surfaces
Authors: Tsendra Oksana , Boese A. Daniel , Isayev Olexandr , Gorb Leonid , Scott Andrea Michalkova , Hill Frances C. , Ilchenko Mykola M. , Lobanov Victor , Leszczynska Danuta , Leszczynski Jerzy
Published: November 2019

Adsorption energies of different nitrogen-containing compounds on two hydroxylated (001) and (100) quartz surfaces are computed.
Regulation of the pyruvate metabolism node by monogene and polygene engineering of HEK-293 cells
Authors: Xie Li , Miao Junqing , Li Xiangchao , Yi Xiaoping , Chu Ju
Published: November 2019

HEK-293 cells are increasingly being used in the production of human adenovirus (HAdV) vaccines.
Charge-driven interfacial gelation of cellulose nanofibrils across the water/oil interface
Authors: Calabrese Vincenzo , da Silva Marcelo A. , Schmitt Julien , Hossain Kazi M. Zakir , Scott Janet L. , Edler Karen J.
Published: November 2019

Interfacial gels, obtained by the interaction of water-dispersible oxidised cellulose nanofibrils (OCNF) and oil-soluble oleylamine (OA), were produced across water/oil (W/O) interfaces and studied using imaging and interfacial rheology.
A three dimensional model of multicellular aggregate compression
Authors: Giverso Chiara , Di Stefano Salvatore , Grillo Alfio , Preziosi Luigi
Published: November 2019

We present a three-dimensional elasto-plastic model describing the mechanical behaviour of living multicellular aggregates and we numerically solve it to reproduce the biological observations of its response to a uniaxial compression test.
Rugby-ball-like photonic crystal supraparticles with non-close-packed structures and multiple magneto-optical responses
Authors: Liu Jingjing , Xiao Mengqi , Li Chaoran , Li Hai , Wu Zhiyi , Zhu Qishan , Tang Rujun , Xu Ao Bo , He Le
Published: November 2019

Nanoellipsoid-based photonic crystal supraparticles with tailored shapes and unusual internal structures are developed.
Impact of pharmacological agents on mitochondrial function: a growing opportunity?
Authors: Stoker Megan L. , Newport Emma , Hulit James C. , West A. Phillip , Morten Karl J.
Published: November 2019

Present-day drug therapies provide clear beneficial effects as many diseases can be driven into remission and the symptoms of others can be efficiently managed; however, the success of many drugs is limited due to both patient non-compliance and adverse off-target or toxicity-induced effects. There is emerging evidence that many of these side effects are caused by drug-induced impairment of mitochondrial function and eventual mitochondrial dysfunction. It is imperative to understand how and why drug-induced side effects occur and how mitochondrial function is affected. In an aging population, age-associated drug toxicity is another key area of focus as the majority of patients on medication are older. Therefore, with an aging population possessing subtle or even more dramatic individual differences in mitochondrial function, there is a growing necessity to identify and understand early on potentially significant drug-associated off-target effects and toxicity issues. This will not only reduce the number of unwanted side effects linked to mitochondrial toxicity but also identify useful mitochondrial-modulating agents. Mechanistically, many successful drug classes including diabetic treatments, antibiotics, chemotherapies and antiviral agents have been linked to mitochondrial targeted effects. This is a growing area, with research to repurpose current medications affecting mitochondrial function being assessed in cancer, the immune system and neurodegenerative disorders including Parkinson's disease. Here, we review the effects that pharmacological agents have on mitochondrial function and explore the opportunities from these effects as potential disease treatments. Our focus will be on cancer treatment and immune modulation.
The furanosidic scaffold of d-ribose: a milestone for cell life
Authors: Del-Corso Antonella , Cappiello Mario , Moschini Roberta , Balestri Francesco , Mura Umberto , Ipata Piero Luigi
Published: November 2019

The recruitment of the furanosidic scaffold of ribose as the crucial step for nucleotides and then for nucleic acids synthesis is presented. Based on the view that the selection of molecules to be used for relevant metabolic purposes must favor structurally well-defined molecules, the inadequacy of ribose as a preferential precursor for nucleotides synthesis is discussed. The low reliability of ribose in its furanosidic hemiacetal form must have played ab initio against the choice of d-ribose for the generation of d-ribose-5-phosphate, the fundamental precursor of the ribose moiety of nucleotides. The latter, which is instead generated through the ‘pentose phosphate pathway’ is strictly linked to the affordable and reliable pyranosidic structure of d-glucose.
Distributed fuzzy filtering for load frequency control of non‐linear interconnected power systems under cyber‐physical attacks
Authors: Hu Zhijian , Liu Shichao , Yang Liu , Wu Ligang
Published: November 2019

In this study, a new distributed filtering approach is proposed for the load frequency control of uncertain non‐linear power systems with cyber‐physical attacks. Specifically, the non‐linear power system is firstly modelled under interval type‐2 Takagi–Sugeno fuzzy framework and the uncertainty therein is captured by designing corresponding membership functions. Both denial of service cyber attack and physical sensor attack are considered and modelled as independent Bernoulli process. Based on the Lyapunov stability theory, less conservative sufficient conditions have been derived to guarantee the robustly mean‐square asymptotic stability with an average performance standard for the dynamic filtering error system. Moreover, artful matrix transformation techniques have been adopted to decouple the intertwined matrix variables in designing the distributed filter gains. In simulations, a three‐area non‐linear power system with internal uncertainties is used to validate the robustness of the proposed distributed filtering strategy to system parametric uncertainties and cyber‐physical attacks.
Robust decentralised load frequency control for interconnected time delay power systems using sliding mode techniques
Authors: Onyeka Adrian E. , Xing‐Gang Yan , Mao Zehui , Jiang Bin , Zhang Qingling
Published: November 2019

Based on a sliding mode control, a multi‐area decentralised load frequency control power system with time‐varying delays and non‐linear perturbations is designed in this study. Due to the destabilising effect of delay on the global system, it is necessary to design a control system to accommodate vast time delays so as to manage the deviation in frequency and interchange power. By taking advantage of the system structure and disturbance bounds, robustness is improved. A sliding surface is designed, and the stability of the corresponding sliding motion is analysed based on Lyapunov–Razumikhin function. A delay dependent decentralised sliding mode control is synthesised to drive the system to the sliding surface and maintain a sliding motion afterwards. The obtained results are applied to a two‐area interconnected power system to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Chemical and kinematic structure of extremely high-velocity molecular jets in the Serpens Main star-forming region
Authors: Tychoniec Łukasz , Hull Charles L. H. , Kristensen Lars E. , Tobin John J. , Le Gouellec Valentin J. M. , van Dishoeck Ewine F.
Published: November 2019

Context. Outflows are one of the first signposts of ongoing star formation. The fastest molecular component of protostellar outflows, extremely high-velocity (EHV) molecular jets, are still puzzling since they are seen only rarely. As they originate deep inside the embedded protostar-disk system, they provide vital information about the outflow-launching process in the earliest stages.

Aims. The first aim is to analyze the interaction between the EHV jet and the slow outflow by comparing their outflow force content. The second aim is to analyze the chemical composition of the different outflow velocity components and to reveal the spatial location of molecules.

Methods. The Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array 3 mm (Band 3) and 1.3 mm (Band 6) observations of five outflow sources at 0.′′3 – 0.′′6 (130–260 au) resolution in the Serpens Main cloud are presented. Observations of CO, SiO, H2CO, and HCN reveal the kinematic and chemical structure of those flows. The following three velocity components are distinguished: the slow and the fast wing, and the EHV jet.

Results. Out of five sources, three have the EHV component. The comparison of outflow forces reveals that only the EHV jet in the youngest source, Ser-emb 8 (N), has enough momentum to power the slow outflow. The SiO abundance is generally enhanced with velocity, while HCN is present in the slow and the fast wing, but disappears in the EHV jet. For Ser-emb 8 (N), HCN and SiO show a bow-shock shaped structure surrounding one of the EHV peaks, thus suggesting sideways ejection creating secondary shocks upon interaction with the surroundings. Also, the SiO abundance in the EHV gas decreases with distance from this protostar, whereas it increases in the fast wing. H2CO is mostly associated with low-velocity gas, but, surprisingly, it also appears in one of the bullets in the Ser-emb 8 (N) EHV jet. No complex organic molecules are found to be associated with the outflows.

Conclusions. The high detection rate suggests that the presence of the EHV jet may be more common than previously expected. The EHV jet alone does not contain enough outflow force to explain the entirety of the outflowing gas. The origin and temporal evolution of the abundances of SiO, HCN, and H2CO through high-temperature chemistry are discussed. The data are consistent with a low C/O ratio in the EHV gas versus a high C/O ratio in the fast and slow wings.
Caractériser la diversité des exploitations maraîchères de la région de Bobo-Dioulasso au Burkina Faso pour faciliter leur transition agroécologique
Authors: Ouédraogo Rayangnéwendé Adèle , Kambiré Fabèkourè Cédric , Kestemont Marie-Paule , Bielders Charles L.
Published: November 2019

Une typologie basée sur les pratiques maraîchères a été réalisée à partir d’enquêtes auprès de 300 producteurs de dix périmètres maraîchers en milieu urbain, semi-urbain et rural de la région de Bobo-Dioulasso au Burkina Faso, afin d’évaluer le potentiel d’évolution des exploitations vers des systèmes de culture plus écologiques. Aucun agriculteur ne pratique actuellement une production exclusivement biologique ou agroécologique. La typologie a permis de définir quatre types d’exploitations sur base de leur localisation, de leur superficie, de l’intensité d’utilisation des pesticides et des engrais minéraux et organiques. Ces exploitations présentent des atouts en commun, comme la pratique généralisée de la rotation et de l’association des cultures et de la fertilisation organique, mais aussi des défis spécifiques à relever en termes d’usage des pesticides de synthèse et de fertilisation raisonnée pour une transition agroécologique. Les producteurs ont généralement une connaissance faible et imprécise des effets de leurs pratiques sur l’environnement, tout particulièrement en milieu urbain où la sensibilisation aux impacts sanitaires et environnementaux des pratiques maraîchères doit être renforcée.
Reconstructive surgery for thumb osteomyelitis: a new way of remodelling the vascularized medial femoral condyle flap. A case report.
Authors: Rossello Carlo , Antonini Andrea , Zoccolan Andrea , Burastero Giorgio , Rossello Mario Igor
Published: November 2019

Background Authors propose a technical innovation for the remodelling of the medial femoral condyle flap (MFCF) for reconstruction of small to medium bone defects performed after the surgical treatment of a thumb osteomyelitis.

Materials and Methods A 45 year old male had thumb proximal phalanx osteomyelitis after a crush trauma of the dominant right hand and multiple previous unsuccessful surgical attempts in other hospitals. In our centre he underwent to a two stage surgical treatment of the infection through bone and soft tissue reconstruction with a MFCF shaped in a new three dimensional (3D) approach with multiple osteotomies.

Results Bone union was achieved after 30 days with a stable thumb reconstruction and good soft tissue healing. No vascular complication occurred after surgery. There was no sign of infection recurrence.

Conclusions MFCF offers a variety of options for its 3 D shaping which make it a good solution in hand surgery reconstructions after surgical excision of small and medium size bony segments.
Subpelvine Stenose & kreuzende Gefäße – Pro „vascular hitch“
Authors: Zahn Katrin , Younsi Nina Friederike , Stein Raimund
Published: November 2019

Die Möglichkeit, eine durch aberrierende Unterpolgefäße bedingte subpelvine Stenose durch eine gefäßverlagernde Pyeloplastik (‚vascular hitch‘) zu behandeln, wird kontrovers diskutiert. Seit diese Technik bei Patienten mit aberrierenden Unterpolgefäßen minimal invasiv durchgeführt wird, mehren sich Publikationen mit kurz-, mittel- und langzeitiger Nachbeobachtung. Die Erfolgsraten werden hierbei analog zur Anderson-Hynes-Plastik mit > 90 % angegeben. Insgesamt scheint eine assoziierte intrinsische Stenose selten zu sein. Eine histologisch nachweisbare muskuläre Hypertrophie kann auch nur Hinweis auf eine Gegenregulation und zumindest bis zu einem gewissen Grad reversibel sein. Für die sicherere Differenzierung der Patienten, bei denen eine Gefäßverlagerung ausreichend ist, von den Patienten, die besser initial eine Anderson-Hynes-Pyeloplastik erhalten sollten, empfiehlt sich ein intraoperativer Diuresetest (Volumenbolus plus intravenöse Furosemidgabe). Eine assoziierte intrinsische Stenose erscheint bei trichterförmigem und ansonsten unauffällig aussehendem pyeloureteralen Übergang, abnehmender Hydronephrose nach Mobilisierung des Nierenbeckens und der aberrierenden Unterpolgefäße und einer effizienten Peristaltik über den pyeloureteralen Übergang während des intraoperativen Diuresetests unwahrscheinlich. Die Vascular-hitch-Technik ist weniger anspruchsvoll als die laparoskopische Anderson-Hynes-Plastik und geht daher mit kürzeren Operations- und Narkosezeiten einher. Weitere Vorteile sind: kein Risiko der Leckage oder späteren Anastomosenstenose und keine Notwendigkeit intraluminaler Stents. Die vascular hitch Operation stellt somit bei einem selektionierten Patientengut mit rein extrinsischer subpelviner Stenose eine scheinbar auch langfristig wirksame Alternative zur klassischen Anderson-Hynes-Plastik dar.
Wie lässt sich bei immobilen Patienten aktuell am besten ein Spitzfuß vermeiden?
Authors: Bräunig Jochen
Published: November 2019

Bei immobilen Patienten, die auf medizinische, pflegerische und physiotherapeutische Unterstützung angewiesen sind, besteht oft Unsicherheit in den verschiedenen Berufsgruppen, wie man der Gefahr der Spitzfuß-Fehlhaltung bei diesem Patientenklientel korrekt entgegenwirken kann. Auch in interprofessionellen Teams auf Intensivstationen ist man sich uneins, wann physiotherapeutische Interventionen und Überwachung von prophylaktischen Maßnahmen beginnen sollten, um Sekundärkomplikationen zu vermeiden und die Rehabilitation zu verbessern. Dieser Beitrag möchte den Umgang mit dem Spitzfuß-Risiko erleichtern, den richtigen Therapieweg zeigen und Mythen beseitigen.
Fit machen für die Televisite
Authors: Dähnert Enrico , Weiß Björn , Landgraf Philipp , Schröder Torsten , Spies Claudia ,   das ERIC-Konsortium
Published: November 2019

Um die Mitarbeiter auf die Durchführung von Televisiten vorzubereiten, hat die Charité unter der Beteiligung von Pflegekräften ein spezielles Qualifizierungsprogramm entwickelt. Wir stellen das ERIC-Training vor.
Validierung des FIMA-Fragebogens zur Inanspruchnahme von Versorgungsleistungen anhand von Routinedaten der Krankenversicherung: Welchen Einfluss hat der Erinnerungszeitraum?
Authors: Seidl Hildegard , Hein Lorenz , Scholz Stefan , Bowles David , Greiner Wolfgang , Brettschneider Christian , König Hans-Helmut , Holle Rolf
Published: November 2019

Ziel Das Ziel der Studie ist die Validierung des Fragebogens zur Inanspruchnahme Medizinischer und nicht-medizinischer Versorgungsleistungen im Alter (FIMA).

Methodik Die Selbstangaben von 1552 Teilnehmern wurden mit den Routinedaten der Krankenversicherung abgeglichen. Als Güteparameter wurden Intraklassenkorrelation (ICC), Sensitivität, Spezifität und Kappa-Koeffizienten nach Cohen bestimmt. Der Einfluss von soziodemografischen und gesundheitlichen Faktoren, des Erinnerungszeitraums (3, 6 oder 12 Monate) sowie der Häufigkeit der Inanspruchnahme wurde anhand logistischer Regressionen untersucht.

Ergebnisse Die durchschnittlich 74 Jahre alten Teilnehmer stuften den FIMA größtenteils (95%) als einfach auszufüllen ein. Die Anzahl der Arztkontakte wurde je nach Erinnerungszeitraum zwischen 9 bis 28% unterschätzt, der ICC war für jeden Zeitraum mittelmäßig (ICC: 0,46, 0,48, 0,55). Die Anzahl physiotherapeutischer Kontakte wurde insgesamt sehr gut erinnert (ICC>0,75). Bei den Rehabilitations- und Krankenhaustagen gab es Unterschiede zwischen den Erinnerungszeiträumen (3/6/12 Monate): Rehabilitation: ICC=0,88/0,51/0,87; Krankenhaustage: ICC=0,69/0,88/0,66. Die Selbstangaben für die Leistungen aus der Pflegeversicherung zeigten durchgehend sehr hohe Kappa-Koeffizienten (>0,90) während die Hilfsmittel über alle Zeiträume eine schlechte Übereinstimmung (Kappa<0,30) und die Medikamenteneinnahme eine gute Übereinstimmung (Kappa>0,40) zeigten. In der ambulanten (Arzt, Physiotherapeut) und der stationären Versorgung (Rehabilitation, Krankenhaus) sank die Chance der Übereinstimmung pro zusätzlichem Kontakt signifikant. Darüber hinaus führte ein besserer Gesundheitszustand zu einer exakteren Erinnerung an Physiotherapeutenkontakte.

Schlussfolgerung Der FIMA weist in weiten Teilen eine gute Reliabilität auf. Er ist sehr gut verständlich und ein valides Instrument, um Kosten der Gesundheitsversorgung in der älteren Bevölkerung zu ermitteln.
Microsurgery and external fixation in orthoplastic reconstruction of tibial injuries
Authors: Toia Francesca , Zabbia Giovanni , Scirpo Roberto , Pirrello Roberto , Nalbone Lorenzo , Cordova Adriana
Published: November 2019

Background “Orthoplastics” is a relatively new approach to lower limb reconstruction, where an integration of both plastic and orthopedic expertise is required, together with the availability of well-equipped facilities. Acute shortening and long-term frames for lengthening are generally considered alternatives to length preservation and soft tissue microsurgical reconstruction, but an integration of external fixation and reconstructive microsurgery is gaining an increasing role with refinements of joint approaches.

Material and methods Data on sixteen patients who underwent microsurgical lower limb reconstruction and external fixation with an orthoplastic approach, following acute or chronic tibial injury, were retrospectively reviewed. All patients presented a post traumatic soft tissue defect associated with a Gustilo III tibial fracture or a tibial septic pseudarthrosis. Data on type and timing of bone and soft tissue reconstruction, outcomes, complications and need for re-operation were extrapolated and compared to an historic group of patients treated with an orthopedic-based approach.

Results In the orthoplastic group, soft tissues were reconstructed with an ALT flap in most cases; a muscle-sparing VL or ALT-VL chimeric flap was necessary in cases with a very extensive defect. In the orthopedic group, soft tissues were left to heal by second intention or patients were lately referred to plastic surgeons. Statistical comparison between the two groups has showed significant differences on the following data: time for soft tissue healing, time to bone union, number of reinterventions, post-operative deep infection rate, time to return to work.

Conclusion The orthoplastic approach to complex leg defects yields shorter treatment time and better functional results compared to the orthopedic-based approach. External fixation and microsurgical reconstruction are not necessarily alternative procedures but can integrate in an orthoplastic path to address at best both soft tissue and bone reconstruction.