bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The coupled effect of salt precipitation and fines mobilization on CO2 injectivity in sandstone
Authors: Sokama‐Neuyam Yen Adams , Ursin Jann Rune
Published: September 2018

Appreciable CO2 injectivity is required to inject large volumes of CO2 through a minimum number of wells. In situ geochemical CO2‐brine‐rock reactions may dissolve sandstone rock minerals, and consequently release fine particles into the pore fluid. If the fine particles (‘fines’) are mobilized during CO2 injection, well injectivity could be severely impaired. The transport of fines under CO2 injection conditions involves the complex multiphase flow of dry supercritical CO2, saline formation brine, and fine particles. While transported fines could plug narrow pore channels, the saline pore water could be vaporized by supercritical CO2 to precipitate solid salt into the pores. To understand the impact of mineral dissolution on CO2 injectivity, it is important to consider the coupled effect of fine particle mobilization and salt precipitation. We conducted core‐flood experiments and theoretical modelling to investigate the coupled effect of the fines mobilization and salt precipitation on CO2 injectivity. We found that salt precipitation could increase CO2 injectivity impairment induced by the fines mobilization. The deposited salt reduces the flow area, making the pores more susceptible to particle entrapment. Injectivity impairment increased with decreasing initial rock permeability and increasing saturating brine salinity. Irreducible brine saturation and pore size distribution were identified as parameters that strongly determine the contribution of salt precipitation during the transport of fines. Injectivity impairment was also slightly higher when the rock was first exposed to salt precipitation, before the entrapment of fines. The current findings highlight the complexity and uniqueness of fines transportation under CO2 injection conditions and the impact of mineral dissolution on CO2 injectivity. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Phase control of downhole fluid during supercritical carbon dioxide fracturing
Authors: Yang Zhao‐Zhong , Yi Liang‐Ping , Li Xiao‐Gang , Li Yu , Jia Min
Published: September 2018

To control the carbon dioxide phase more effectively during supercritical carbon dioxide fracturing, a fully coupled mathematical model is proposed for the investigation of the wellbore temperature and pressure. Our model assumes that the heat transfer is steady in the wellbore but unsteady in the formation. The physical parameters of carbon dioxide vary with temperature and pressure, and the influence of casing, tubing, and cement sheath thermal resistance on heat transfer are all considered. The heat generated by fluid friction losses is also taken into consideration. Based on this model, the influence of the injection temperature, injection rate, tubing roughness, and geothermal gradient on the wellbore pressure and temperature are discussed. The results indicate that the wellbore carbon dioxide temperature increases as the injection temperature, injection rate, tubing roughness, and geothermal gradient increase, and the wellbore carbon dioxide pressure decreases as the injection temperature, injection rate, and tubing roughness increase. To ensure that the carbon dioxide is in the supercritical state when it enters the formation, engineers need to increase the injection temperature. The heat generated by fluid friction losses has a significant impact on the wellbore temperature and pressure; this effect should therefore not be ignored. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Managing the hope and worry of housing renewal—supporting well‐being in the emerging community
Authors: Abbott Penelope , Brooker Ron , Reath Jennifer
Published: September 2018

Issue addressed

Housing renewal is a common urban housing and development strategy internationally. An intended result is increased social inclusion and well‐being of residents through public housing de‐concentration. In this study, we examined challenges encountered during the process of housing renewal from the perspectives of community‐based staff and volunteers.

Methods

We conducted semi‐structured qualitative interviews with housing and community workers, service managers and community volunteers who were working with residents experiencing housing renewal in an outer metropolitan estate in New South Wales. We analysed the data thematically.

Results

Seventeen participants were interviewed in a mix of individual and group interviews. Housing workers uncovered substantial resident health and social support needs during housing assessments. Promoting access to services and supporting the mental health and social connectedness of residents into the future were seen as key goals and challenges. However, lack of clarity on which services and community resources would exist in the new neighbourhood at the completion of the renewal project made this more difficult, particularly when supporting the social housing residents who were remaining in the changing community.

Conclusions

Supporting the mental health and well‐being of residents experiencing housing renewal is an important role of community‐based workers, volunteers and service providers. This includes facilitating access to health care and other services and promoting social connectedness in the emerging community. Increased clarity on what community resources and services will be available subsequent to redevelopment will assist in these aims.

So what?

Early knowledge of what community resources and services will be in place long term in communities undergoing housing renewal will allow staff and volunteers to better support the health and well‐being of residents.
Cervical image classification based on image segmentation preprocessing and a CapsNet network model
Authors: Zhang XiaoQing , Zhao Shu‐Guang
Published: September 2018

Cervical cancer is one of the most common gynecological malignancies, and when detected and treated at an early stage, the cure rate is almost 100%. Colposcopy can be used to diagnose cervical lesions by direct observation of the surface of the cervix using microscopic biopsy and pathological examination, which can improve the diagnosis rate and ensure that patients receive fast and effective treatment. Digital colposcopy and automatic image analysis can reduce the work burden on doctors, improve work efficiency, and help healthcare institutions to make better treatment decisions in underdeveloped areas. The present study used a deep‐learning model to classify the images of cervical lesions. Clinicians could determine patient treatment based on the type of cervix, which greatly improved the diagnostic efficiency and accuracy. The present study was divided into two parts. First, convolutional neural networks were used to segment the lesions in the cervical images; and second, a neural network model similar to CapsNet was used to identify and classify the cervical images. Finally, the training set accuracy of our model was 99%, the test set accuracy was 80.1%, it obtained better results than other classification methods, and it realized rapid classification and prediction of mass image data.
Evaluation of the developmental toxicity of perfluorooctanesulfonate in the Anuran, Silurana tropicalis
Authors: Fort Douglas J. , Mathis Michael B. , Guiney Patrick D. , Weeks John A.
Published: September 2018

A 150‐day post‐metamorphosis (dpm) partial lifecycle study exposing Silurana tropicalis to <0.03 (control), 0.06, 0.13 0.25, 0.5 and 1.0 mg/L perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS) was conducted. A subset of specimens from the control and each treatment were evaluated at metamorphic completion. A significant increase in the median metamorphosis time was observed in the 1.0 mg/L PFOS treatment relative to the control. A modest increase in the occurrence, but not severity, of mild follicular hypertrophy was found in thyroid glands from organisms exposed to the 0.62 and 1.1 mg/L PFOS treatments. At 150 dpm, a concentration‐dependent increase in whole body PFOS residues was measured ranging from 29.6 to 163.5 mg/kg in the 0.05 and 1.1 mg/L PFOS treatments. Decreased body weight and snout‐vent length were noted in specimens exposed to 1.1 mg PFOS/L at the completion of metamorphosis. Body weight was reduced in the 1.1 mg/L PFOS concentration; however, snout‐vent length was not affected by PFOS exposure at 150 dpm. An increased proportion of phenotypic males were noted in the 0.62 and 1.1 mg/L PFOS treatments. Abnormal ovary development characterized by size asymmetry, necrosis and formation of excessive fibrous connective tissue was identified in females exposed to 0.29 and 1.1 mg PFOS/L. Asymmetrically misshaped testes were found at 1.1 mg/L PFOS. Results suggested that PFOS is capable of interfering with S. tropicalis growth before metamorphic completion and growth and gonad development during juvenile development.
Computational Feasibility of an Exhaustive Search of Side‐Chain Conformations in Protein‐Protein Docking
Authors: Dauzhenka Taras , Kundrotas Petras J. , Vakser Ilya A.
Published: September 2018

Protein‐protein docking procedures typically perform the global scan of the proteins relative positions, followed by the local refinement of the putative matches. Because of the size of the search space, the global scan is usually implemented as rigid‐body search, using computationally inexpensive intermolecular energy approximations. An adequate refinement has to take into account structural flexibility. Since the refinement performs conformational search of the interacting proteins, it is extremely computationally challenging, given the enormous amount of the internal degrees of freedom. Different approaches limit the search space by restricting the search to the side chains, rotameric states, coarse‐grained structure representation, principal normal modes, and so on. Still, even with the approximations, the refinement presents an extreme computational challenge due to the very large number of the remaining degrees of freedom. Given the complexity of the search space, the advantage of the exhaustive search is obvious. The obstacle to such search is computational feasibility. However, the growing computational power of modern computers, especially due to the increasing utilization of Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) with large amount of specialized computing cores, extends the ranges of applicability of the brute‐force search methods. This proof‐of‐concept study demonstrates computational feasibility of an exhaustive search of side‐chain conformations in protein pocking. The procedure, implemented on the GPU architecture, was used to generate the optimal conformations in a large representative set of protein‐protein complexes. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Endotoxin modulates the electrophysiological characteristics of human embryonic stem cell‐differentiated cardiomyocytes
Authors: Wang Shiji , Wang Yu , Guo Xin , Li Yingji , Yan Li , Wei Chengxi , Zhao Ming
Published: September 2018

Gram‐negative bacteria‐induced infections result in fever, arrhythmia, and even death. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS), a constituent of bacteria, leads to an inflammatory response under sepsis and increase arrhythmogenesis. This study analyzed the effects on human embryonic stem cell‐differentiated cardiomyocytes (HIPSC‐CMs) exposed to LPS. A whole cell patch clamp was used to record the action potential (AP) and ionic currents with or without different doses of LPS in HIPSC‐CMs. Compared with the control, a different dose (0.04, 0.2, 1, and 5 µg/ml) of LPS‐treated HIPSC‐CMs resulted in a longer AP duration. The IC50 of sodium channel current was 1.254 µg/ml, L‐type calcium channel current was 5 µg/ml, and
Ik channel currents were 1.254 µg/ml. LPS‐treated HIPSC‐CMs showed a lower sodium channel current, L‐type calcium channel current, and
Ik channel currents. Furthermore, the expressions of Nav1.5 were decreased, and L‐Ca, Kv11.1, and Kv7.1 were increased in LPS‐treated HIPSC‐CMs. LPS‐induced arrhythmogenesis was related to the electrophysiological characteristics of sodium channel current, L‐type calcium channel current, and
Ik channel currents. These results suggest a potential mechanism of cardiomyocyte injury in endotoxemia.
Spanning bipartite quadrangulations of even triangulations
Authors: Nakamoto Atsuhiro , Noguchi Kenta , Ozeki Kenta
Published: September 2018

A triangulation (resp.,
a quadrangulation) on a surface is a map of a loopless graph (possibly with multiple edges) on with each face bounded by a closed walk of length 3 (resp., 4). It is easy to see that every triangulation on any surface has a spanning quadrangulation. Kündgen and Thomassen proved that every even triangulation (ie, each vertex has even degree) on the torus has a spanning nonbipartite quadrangulation, and that if has sufficiently large edge width, then also has a bipartite one. In this paper, we prove that an even triangulation on the torus admits a spanning bipartite quadrangulation if and only if does not have as a subgraph, and moreover, we give some other results for the problem.
Sexually transmitted infections and HIV RNA levels in blood and anogenital compartments among Thai men who have sex with men before and after antiretroviral therapy: implication for Treatment as Prevention programme
Authors: Phanuphak Nittaya , Pattanachaiwit Supanit , Pankam Tippawan , Teeratakulpisarn Nipat , Chamnan Parinya , Pathipvanich Panita , Thongpaen Suchart , Nonenoy Siriporn , Jantarapakde Jureeporn , Pengnonyang Supabhorn , Trachunthong Deondara , Sungsing Thanthip , Parasate Kittiyaporn , Seeneewong Na Ayutthaya Sriprai , Trairat Ketmookda , Pussadee Kanitta , Lertpiriyasuwat Cheewanan , Phanuphak Praphan ,   the Thai MSM/TG Test and Treat Study Group
Published: September 2018

Introduction

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are common among HIV‐positive men who have sex with men (MSM). There have been concerns that undiagnosed and untreated STIs could undermine efforts to use antiretroviral therapy (ART) for prevention due to genital secretion infectiousness. We evaluated the correlation between STIs and HIV RNA in anogenital compartments among HIV‐positive MSM before and after ART.

Methods

MSM participants newly diagnosed with HIV were offered ART regardless of CD4 count during November 2012 to November 2015. Syphilis serology, oropharyngeal swab, rectal swab, urine collection for gonorrhoea and chlamydia nucleic acid amplification testing, and HIV RNA measurement in blood, semen and rectal samples were performed at baseline, 12 and 24 months thereafter.

Results

Of 143 HIV‐positive MSM, 16.1% had syphilis, 23.1% had gonorrhoea and 32.8% had chlamydia at baseline. Participants with STIs at baseline had higher median HIV RNA levels in blood plasma (p = 0.053), seminal plasma (p = 0.01) and rectal secretions (p = 0.002) than those without STIs. Multivariate models identified HIV RNA 100,000 to 500,000 (OR 6.74, 95% CI 2.24 to 20.28, p = 0.001) and >500,000 (OR 9.39, 95% CI 1.08 to 81.72, p = 0.04) copies/mL in blood, CD4 count <350 cells/mm3 (OR 4.20, 95% CI 1.05 to 16.70, p = 0.04) and having any STIs (OR 2.62, 95% CI 1.01 to 6.80 p = 0.047) to be associated with detectable (>40 copies/mL) seminal plasma HIV RNA. Having chlamydia at any sites (OR 3.17, 95% CI 1.07 to 9.44, p = 0.04) was associated with detectable rectal HIV RNA. Incidences of syphilis, gonorrhoea and chlamydia were 13.4, 16.4 and 18.1 per 100 person‐years respectively. Nine participants had detectable HIV RNA (five in blood, one in semen, two in rectal samples and one in both blood and rectal samples) at 12 and/or 24 months after ART.

Conclusions

STIs were extremely common among HIV‐positive MSM prior to and after ART. ART effectively reduced HIV RNA in all compartments. The correlation between STIs and anogenital HIV RNA, especially prior to ART and likely until complete HIV RNA suppression from ART is achieved, points to the importance of integrating asymptomatic STIs screening into Treatment as Prevention programme for MSM.
Functional and structural properties of red color‐related pigment‐binding protein from the shell of Litopenaeus vannamei
Authors: Pan Chuang , Ishizaki Shoichiro , Nagashima Yuji , Watabe Shugo
Published: September 2018

BACKGROUND

A novel red color‐related pigment‐binding protein named LvPBP75 isolated from the shell of Litopenaeus vannamei has recently been identified as hemocyanin. However, information on the functional and structural properties of LvPBP75 is insufficient. This study aimed to elucidate the thermal properties and pigment‐binding ability of LvPBP75.

RESULTS

LvPBP75 showed significant red color change after heat treatment with high concentrations of NaCl (>0.1 mol L−1), acidic (<5) or alkaline (>9) pH values and alcohols. LvPBP75 mRNA expression analysis revealed that expression level was highest in hepatopancreas and weakest in muscle. Reconstruction and structural analysis revealed that astaxanthin could bind to hemocyanin derived from the shell of L. vannamei but not to hemocyanins derived from the hepatopancreas or hemolymph of other invertebrates. Three‐dimensional models of hemocyanin monomer displayed significant structural differences between native LvPBP75 and hemocyanin derived from shrimp hepatopancreas.

CONCLUSION

The results suggest a novel function of hemocyanin as binding with pigment and its involvement in L. vannamei shell color change. The pigment‐binding ability of hemocyanins has species and tissue specificity, and their unique structural features play an important role in binding ability. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry
Potential of recovered proteins from invasive green crabs (Carcinus maenas) as a functional food ingredient
Authors: Kang Bouhee , Myracle Angela D , Skonberg Denise I
Published: September 2018

BACKGROUND

Invasive green crabs contain high‐quality proteins that have potential as functional ingredients in formulated foods. This study evaluated the functional properties and compositional characteristics of green crab proteins recovered by isoelectric solubilization/precipitation (ISP).

RESULTS

Mechanically separated green crab mince (control) was solubilized at pH 2 (PP2) and pH 10 (PP10), then proteins were precipitated at pH 5.5 and subsequently dried. Yield of recovered protein powder was approximately 1.5 times higher for PP2 than for PP10. Compared with the control (230 g kg−1), ash content was reduced in PP2 (54 g kg−1) and PP10 (23 g kg−1) samples. PP2 contained predominantly large‐molecular‐weight proteins, while small‐molecular‐weight proteins were distributed in PP10. With regard to functional properties, at pH 7 and 8, solubility of PP10 was significantly higher than that of PP2. At pH 7.5, PP10 exhibited significantly higher emulsifying activity (1482 m2 g−1) than PP2 (858 m2 g−1) and the control (958 m2 g−1). PP2 showed statistically higher gelation activity and had higher L* value than PP10 and the control.

CONCLUSION

The results indicate that recovered green crab proteins have functional properties potentially useful for formulated foods, and that these functional properties can be modified by the solubilization pH during the recovery process. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry
A simple 1H NMR based assay of total capsaicinoid levels in Capsicum using signal suppression in non‐deuterated solvent
Authors: Woodman Timothy J , Negoescu Eduard
Published: September 2018

BACKGROUND

The heat of Capsicum fruits is routinely assayed using high‐performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) to determine capsaicin (CA) and dihydrocapsaicin (DHC) levels. The assay can be time consuming, with each HPLC run typically lasting 10 min. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) is eminently suitable for quantification of fruit extracts, although it has been largely ignored for quantitative chilli analysis. The present study describes a novel approach using solvent suppression in protic solvent (i.e. non‐deuterated) to quantify total capsaicinoid levels in chilli extracts.

RESULTS

Using solvent suppression techniques and maleic acid as an internal standard, capsaicinoid content in a series of accurately weighed standard samples was determined over a range between 40 and 720 ppm (0.13–2.35 mmolar) with high accuracy and precision. The measurement was linear over the entire range. This method was subsequently used with ten authentic Capsicum samples (seven chinense, two annuum and one baccatum) and showed an excellent correlation with the HPLC data.

CONCLUSION

The results of the present study confirm that NMR in non‐deuterated solvent can provide a rapid and robust assessment of the pungency of capsicum fruits. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry
Fluorescent‐guided surgery for sentinel lymph node detection in gastric cancer and carcinoembryonic antigen targeted fluorescent‐guided surgery in colorectal and pancreatic cancer
Authors: Vuijk Floris A. , Hilling Denise E. , Mieog J. Sven D. , Vahrmeijer Alexander L.
Published: September 2018

Sentinel lymph node procedures for gastric cancer resections using indocyanine green (ICG) linked to Nanocoll outperformed normal ICG but did not provide information on possible lymph node metastasis. Carcinoembryonic antigen targeted fluorescent imaging using SGM‐101 was successful in both pancreatic and colorectal cancer. A large phase III multicentre trial will soon be initiated in colorectal cancer patients.
Subsurface sources contribute substantially to fine‐grained suspended sediment transported in a tropical West African watershed in Burkina Faso
Authors: Rode Michael , op de Hipt Felix , Collins Adrian L. , Zhang Yusheng , Theuring Philipp , Schkade Uwe‐Karsten , Diekkrüger Bernd
Published: September 2018

Increasing watershed sediment yields is an important problem in Africa, but the sources of these sediment yields have only very rarely been investigated. This study therefore aims to discriminate subsurface and surface sources of fine‐grained sediments in a representative mesoscale (580 km2) West African savanna watershed. We used a sediment source fingerprinting approach for source apportionment including geochemical and radionuclide (137Cs, 210Pbex, and 7Be) composite signatures where 7Be was used as a tracer for the first time in the African environment. Two field campaigns were conducted collecting a total of 258 geochemical and 66 isotope samples. We found that subsurface source categories, dominantly river bank, contributed an unexpected high share of 43% (geochemistry) and 45% (radionuclides) to the sampled fine‐grained sediments. Pairwise comparison of the averaged frequency distributions for predicted source proportions using five geochemical signatures with the frequency distribution generated using the single radionuclide signature suggested that the two distributions are not statistically different. Extrapolating our measured contribution of subsurface erosion to areas with similar yields in comparable environmental settings, we can assume that subsurface sources are an important component of sediment loss across large areas of West Africa. Subsurface erosion, primarily associated with bank rather than gully erosion, is likely to increase in the future with projected rises in run‐off due to land use and climate change. Source tracing studies need to be undertaken more widely across Africa to help mitigation planning for sediment‐related and land degradation problems.
Cyclodextrin‐Based Macromolecular Systems as Cholesterol‐Mopping Therapeutic Agents in Niemann–Pick Disease Type C
Authors: Puglisi Antonino , Yagci Yusuf
Published: September 2018

Over the last decade, cyclodextrins (CDs) have gained considerable attention as a potential therapeutic intervention in the treatment of the rare genetic condition Niemann–Pick type C disease (NPC). However, the oligosaccharide in its monomeric form suffers from serious side effects, especially from a pharmacokinetic and biodistribution standpoint. CD‐based macromolecular systems hold great promise to overcome such limitations and might provide an improved therapeutic approach in reducing cholesterol accumulation in NPC. In the present article, the latest developments and synthetic strategies in the preparation of CD‐containing polymers as cholesterol‐mopping therapeutic agents in NPC are summarized.
Resting‐state basal ganglia network codes a motor musical skill and its disruption From dystonia
Authors: Kita Kahori , Rokicki Jaroslav , Furuya Shinichi , Sakamoto Takashi , Hanakawa Takashi
Published: September 2018

Background: Musician's dystonia critically impacts professional musicians' careers as they may lose musical skills, which have been acquired through long and intensive training. Yet the pathophysiology of musician's dystonia and its link to the neural mechanisms supporting musical skills is poorly understood. We tested if resting‐state functional connectivity might reflect an aspect of musical skill linked to the pathophysiology of musician's dystonia. We also tested a second hypothesis that the region with altered resting‐state functional connectivity might be correlated with a quantitative measure of musical skills.

Methods: We studied 21 patients with musician's dystonia affecting their hands and 34 healthy musicians, using resting‐state functional magnetic resonance imaging and behavioral assessment. We tested between‐group differences of resting‐state functional connectivity throughout the whole brain using independent component analysis.

Results: We found abnormal basal ganglia resting‐state functional connectivity in the putamina of patients with musician's dystonia compared with those of healthy musicians (P = 0.035 corrected for multiple comparisons). We also found that the temporal precision of keystrokes was correlated with basal ganglia functional connectivity in the putamina of healthy pianists (r = 0.72, P = 0.0005), but not in pianists with musician's dystonia (r = −0.11, P = 0.64).

Conclusions: We show that abnormalities of the putamen exist even at rest in musician's dystonia, whereas putaminal abnormality has previously been reported during a task. Moreover, basal ganglia resting‐state functional connectivity in the putamen represented training levels in healthy musicians, and its disruption was associated with musician's dystonia. This novel finding hints at the pathophysiological mechanisms by which musician's dystonia follows extensive musical training. © 2018 The Authors. Movement Disorders published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.
An mGlu4‐Positive Allosteric Modulator Alleviates Parkinsonism in Primates
Authors: Charvin Delphine , Di Paolo Therese , Bezard Erwan , Gregoire Laurent , Takano Akihiro , Duvey Guillaume , Pioli Elsa , Halldin Christer , Medori Rossella , Conquet François
Published: September 2018

Background: Levodopa remains the gold‐standard treatment for PD. However, it becomes less effective as the disease progresses and produces debilitating side effects, such as motor fluctuations and l‐dopa‐induced dyskinesia. Modulation of metabotropic glutamate receptor 4 represents a promising antiparkinsonian approach in combination with l‐dopa, but it has not been demonstrated in primates.

Objective: We studied whether a novel positive allosteric modulator of the metabotropic glutamate receptor 4, PXT002331 (foliglurax), could reduce parkinsonism in primate models.

Methods: We assessed the therapeutic potential of PXT002331 in three models of MPTP‐induced parkinsonism in macaques. These models represent three different stages of disease evolution: early stage and advanced stage with and without l‐dopa‐induced dyskinesia.

Results: As an adjunct to l‐dopa, PXT002331 induced a robust and dose‐dependent reversal of parkinsonian motor symptoms in macaques, including bradykinesia, tremor, posture, and mobility. Moreover, PXT002331 strongly decreased dyskinesia severity, thus having therapeutic efficacy on both parkinsonian motor impairment and l‐dopa‐induced dyskinesia. PXT002331 brain penetration was also assessed using PET imaging in macaques, and pharmacodynamic analyses support target engagement in the therapeutic effects of PXT002331.

Conclusions: This work provides a demonstration that a positive allosteric modulator of metabotropic glutamate receptor 4 can alleviate the motor symptoms of PD and the motor complications induced by l‐dopa in primates. PXT002331 is the first compound of its class to enter phase IIa clinical trials. © 2018 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society
Electromagnetic scattering from a cavity embedded in an impedance ground plane
Authors: Du Kui , Li Buyang , Sun Weiwei , Yang Huanhuan
Published: September 2018

This paper is concerned with time‐harmonic electromagnetic scattering from a cavity embedded in an impedance ground plane. The fillings (which may be inhomogeneous) do not protrude the cavity and the space above the ground plane is empty. This problem is obviously different from those considered in previous work where either perfectly conducting boundary conditions were used or the cavity was assumed to be empty. By employing the Green's function method, we reduce the scattering problem to a boundary‐value problem in a bounded domain (the cavity), with impedance boundary conditions on the cavity walls and an impedance‐to‐Dirichlet condition on the cavity aperture. Existence and uniqueness of the solution are proved for the weak formulation of the reduced problem. We also propose a numerical method to calculate the radar cross section (RCS), which is a parameter of physical interest. Numerical experiments show that the proposed model and numerical method are efficient for the calculation of RCS from cavities.
Calibration of methylene‐referenced lipid‐dissolved xenon frequency for absolute MR temperature measurements
Authors: Antonacci Michael A. , Zhang Le , Degan Simone , Erdmann Detlev , Branca Rosa T.
Published: September 2018

Purpose

Absolute MR temperature measurements are currently difficult because they require precalibration procedures specific for tissue types and conditions. Reference of the lipid‐dissolved 129Xe resonance frequency to temperature‐insensitive methylene protons (rLDX) has been proposed to remove the effect of macro‐ and microscopic susceptibility gradients to obtain absolute temperature information. The scope of this work is to evaluate the rLDX chemical shift (CS) dependence on lipid composition to estimate the precision of absolute temperature measurements in lipids.

Methods

Neat triglycerides, vegetable oils, and samples of freshly excised human and rodent adipose tissue (AT) are prepared under 129Xe atmosphere and studied using high‐resolution NMR. The rLDX CS is measured as a function of temperature. 1H spectra are also acquired and the consistency of methylene‐referenced water proton and rLDX CS values are compared in human AT.

Results

Although rLDX CS shows a dependence on lipid composition, in human and rodent AT samples the rLDX shows consistent CS values with a similar temperature dependence (–0.2058 ± 0.0010) ppm/°C × T (°C) + (200.15 ± 0.03) ppm, enabling absolute temperature measurements with an accuracy of 0.3°C. Methylene‐referenced water CS values present variations of up to 4°C, even under well‐controlled conditions.

Conclusions

The rLDX can be used to obtain accurate absolute temperature measurements in AT, opening new opportunities for hyperpolarized 129Xe MR to measure tissue absolute temperature.
Top foundations' 10‐year plunge into alternatives yields mixed results and high fees
Authors: Hooke Jeff , Yook Ken , Chu Wenqi
Published: September 2018

Private foundations control a sizable pool of investment capital. This paper examines the endowment returns of private foundations. Over the 10‐year period, 2006–2015, the top 56 of these organizations fully embraced the “Yale model” of portfolio construction. As a group, they substantially cut allocations to publicly traded stocks and bonds in favor of illiquid alternatives that supposedly offered higher returns and lower volatility. Despite pursuing risky investments in illiquid alternative assets, our study concludes that the foundations were not “paid” for illiquidity in terms of a meaningfully return premium (vs. public markets). Moreover, their annual return volatility, or risk, was similar to either a 60–40 composite index portfolio or a typical public pension plan, both of which had lower equity‐type exposure and greater liquidity. The implication is that foundations can achieve the same returns with better liquidity and/or lower risk with passive investments in broad index mutual funds or similar vehicles. In addition, we estimate the third‐party money management fees of the top foundations to equal 1.43% of the assets for the fiscal year 2016. This 1.43% is a sizable number when compared to the 5% of assets (including overhead expenses) that the federal government requires that foundations distribute each year in furtherance of their charitable missions.
Draw adult learners to campus by offering free workshops, professional development
Authors: Sutton Halley
Published: September 2018

“[Learning about] the arts can be a little alienating,” said Inez Bush, director of professional development and extension education at the Otis College of Art and Design. “It's like going into a gallery for non‐artists — it can be really hard to cross the threshold.” To facilitate lifelong learning in the Los Angeles community, as well as provide an access point to the understanding of the arts, Otis College offers a robust catalog of continuing education offerings, including professional development workshops. Bush shared strategies for recruiting adult learners in the community, generating enrollment by offering the professional development workshops free to teachers, and more.
Synthesis and characterization of a pH‐ and glucose‐responsive triblock copolymer via RAFT technique and its conjugation with gold nanoparticles for biomedical applications
Authors: Abbasian Mojtaba , Judi Masumeh , Mahmoodzadeh Farideh , Jaymand Mehdi
Published: September 2018

A combination of ring‐opening polymerization (ROP) and reversible addition of fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization techniques was successfully employed for the synthesis of a novel pH‐ and glucose‐responsive thiol‐end‐capped ABC triblock copolymer, namely, poly(acrylic acid)‐block‐poly(vinylphenylboronic acid)‐block‐poly(ε‐caprolactone)–SH (PAA‐b‐PVPBA‐b‐PCL‐SH). The synthesized triblock copolymer was characterized using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR) spectroscopies. The molecular weights of each segment in the synthesized triblock copolymer were calculated using both gel permeation chromatography (GPC) and 1H NMR spectroscopy. The self‐assembly behavior of the fabricated triblock copolymer under various pHs as well as in the presence of glucose were investigated using dynamic light scattering (DLS) measurement. The PAA‐b‐PVPBA‐b‐PCL‐SH triblock copolymer was conjugated with gold nanoparticles (GNPs). In addition, the morphologies of GNPs, PAA‐b‐PVPBA‐b‐PCL‐SH triblock copolymer, and GNPs@polymer were observed using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). As the results, the fabricated GNPs@Polymer can be employed as drug delivery system and micellar glucose biosensor.
Development of high bio‐content polypropylene composites with different industrial lignins
Authors: Dias Otavio Augusto Titton , Sain Mohini , Cesarino Ivana , Leão Alcides Lopes
Published: September 2018

Sustainability, eco‐efficiency, pollution prevention, industrial ecology, and green chemistry are considering platform‐based approaches to the development of the next generation of products and processes. Recently, renewable alternatives to traditional petroleum‐derived plastics have motivated recent interest in bio‐based composite materials which can contribute to the reduction of the environmental footprint. Lignin is a complex and amorphous biopolymer with a high density of functional groups and high modulus, which makes it potentially promising for material applications. In this sense, lignin can potentially be employed to improve the performance of materials and an economical alternative to convert lignin into high value‐added materials. Two different types of Kraft lignin were incorporated into polypropylene to fabricate composites with high bio‐content. In this study, polypropylene, Kraft lignin, and coupling agent were subjected to reactive extrusion. The composites prepared by melt processing were compared in terms of morphological, mechanical, and thermal characterizations. The results revealed that the incorporation of lignin into polypropylene matrix resulted in composites with properties suitable for various industrial sectors, especially those in which mechanical and thermal properties are crucial, such as the replacement of engineering plastics and polypropylene mineral filled. As a result, this work provides an effective way of using lignin as a low‐cost bio‐renewable resource in the plastics industry.
Thermokinetic Analysis and Performance Evaluation of Guanidinium Azotetrazolate Based Gas Generating Composition for Testing of Solid Rocket Motor Nozzle Closures
Authors: Harikrishnan Erezhath Shani , Hariharanath Bodagala , Vineeth Gayathri Muraleedharanpillai , Purushothaman Pokkan
Published: September 2018

A gas generating composition (GGC) was designed with Guanidinium azotetrazolate (GZT) as fuel and Ammonium perchlorate (AP) as an oxidizer for burst testing of nozzle closure at rig level, simulating solid rocket motor ignition transient and propellant flame temperature. EXPLO5 software code was used for formulation studies. The selected GGC formulation was subjected to thermokinetic analysis for understanding the thermal decomposition behaviour as well as evaluating kinetic and thermodynamic parameters of decomposition.The non‐isothermal kinetic parameters of the composition over the extent of conversion were determined using two isocoversional methods viz; Flynn‐Wall‐Ozawa (FWO) and Kissinger–Akahira–Sunose (KAS). GGC in pellet form was fired using a pyrotechnic pressure generating device (PPG) in test rig level with nozzle closure. The nozzle closure was burst opened at a pressure of 0.985 MPa with a pressurization rate of 10.3 MPa s−1.
Source term estimation of multi‐specie atmospheric release of radiation from gamma dose rates
Authors: Tichý Ondřej , Šmídl Václav , Hofman Radek , Evangeliou Nikolaos
Published: September 2018

Determination of a source term of an accidental release of radioactive material into the atmosphere is very important for evaluating emergency situations and their consequences. However, knowledge of the source term and its composition is typically vague and uncertain. One possible way to obtain the source term is inverse modeling in which an atmospheric transport model is combined with field measurements. The most accessible measurements are those from gamma dose rate (GDR) detectors. However, GDR measurements represent a sum of contribution from all nuclides from both plume and deposition which makes the problem particularly difficult. The same difficulty arises when the measurements can not distinguish contribution from another species in the release, such as nuclides attached to different particle sizes. We propose a Bayesian method for recovery of the source term from GDR measurements where a priori knowledge on ratios of different species is given in the form of bounds. This knowledge is incorporated into the model of covariance matrix of the source term. The Bayesian methodology allows to handle uncertain knowledge on the nuclide ratios as well as unknown temporal correlations of the source term. We evaluate and compare the proposed method with other state‐of‐the‐art methods on a twin experiment of a non‐stationary release of 16 nuclides from the Czech nuclear power plant Temelin being registered by the Austrian GDR monitoring network. Real‐world validation of the approach is performed on the latest measurements of concentration and deposition of caesium‐137 from the Chernobyl accident, where we estimate composition of the source term from different particle sizes (species). The estimated source term is in very good agreement with previously reported results and the calculated species ratios are supported by the available observations.
Nintedanib prevented fibrosis progression and lung cancer growth in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis
Authors: Fukunaga Kentaro , Yokoe Shinya , Kawashima Satoru , Uchida Yasuki , Nakagawa Hiroaki , Nakano Yasutaka
Published: September 2018

A 76‐year‐old man with a past history of acute exacerbation (AE) and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) was treated with nintedanib because of decline in his forced vital capacity over time. A new small nodular lesion was visible on a computed tomography scan of the chest before initiation of nintedanib. Disease progression in IPF and change in size of the nodular lesion were not detected during administration of nintedanib. Nine months after starting nintedanib, the patient was diagnosed with acute gangrenous appendicitis, and nintedanib treatment was discontinued. The nodular lesion increased in size four months after the cessation of nintedanib. The nodular lesion was diagnosed as squamous cell carcinoma. In this case, nintedanib inhibited the disease progression of IPF and lung cancer simultaneously. Nintedanib may play an important role in the treatment of IPF‐associated lung cancer.
Congenital cystic adenomatoid malformation in adults detected after infection
Authors: Kagawa Hiroyuki , Miki Keisuke , Miki Mari , Urasaki Koji , Kitada Seigo
Published: September 2018

Congenital cystic adenomatoid malformation (CCAM) is a benign congenital tumour in which a part of the lung becomes polycystic. Case 1 was a 64‐year‐old male who was diagnosed with pneumonia, with multiple cysts in the right lower lung lobe, using chest computed tomography (CT). After treatment of the pneumonia, including Mycobacterium abscessus, a right lower lobectomy was performed. Case 2 was a 41‐year‐old male who had suffered from pneumonia many times since his youth. Polycystic and infiltrative shadows were observed on chest CT. After treatment of the pneumonia, a right lower lobectomy was performed. Pathologically, both the cases were diagnosed as CCAM type 1. Although CCAM in adults is very rare, it should be considered in the differential diagnosis of cases with repeated pneumonia due to suspected congenital cystic disease. CCAM is better detectable with chest CT and requires active surgical treatment.
Jensen's alpha and the market‐timing puzzle
Authors: Bunnenberg Sebastian , Rohleder Martin , Scholz Hendrik , Wilkens Marco
Published: September 2018

Theory predicts that market‐timing activities bias Jensen's alpha (JA). However, empirical studies have failed to find consistent evidence of this bias. We tackle this puzzle in a nested model analysis and show that the bias contains an exogenous market component that is unrelated to market‐timing skill. In a comprehensive empirical analysis of US mutual funds, we find that the timing‐induced bias in JA is mainly driven by this market component, which is uncorrelated with measured timing activities. Measures of total performance that allow for timing activities are virtually identical to JA, even if timing activities are present in the evaluated fund. Hence, we conclude that JA is a sufficient measure of total performance.
Lithography‐Free Electrochemical Patterning of Conductive Substrates with Metal Oxides
Authors: Jones Evan C. , Nocera Daniel G.
Published: September 2018

Reactive interface patterning promoted by lithographic electrochemistry serves as a facile method for generating submicron structures on conductive substrates. A binary‐potential step applied to a metal layer with a resist overlayer allows silicon to be patterned with metal oxides. In this study, the role and influence of the resist overlayer on the uniformity of pattern formation are examined. The ability of the resist to detach from the underlying metal is a critical determinant of pattern geometry. By choosing an appropriate resist, large patterns with submicron precision are generated quickly by the application of the binary‐potential steps. From this information, a lithography‐free approach to generating identical patterns is achieved with simple resists such as that furnished from a lacquer–water emulsion, thus greatly simplifying the patterning of silicon with metal oxide catalysts.
Leveraging Titanium to Enable Silicon Anodes in Lithium‐Ion Batteries
Authors: Lee Pui‐Kit , Tahmasebi Mohammad H. , Ran Sijia , Boles Steven T. , Yu Denis Y. W.
Published: September 2018

Silicon is a promising anode material for lithium‐ion batteries because of its high gravimetric/volumetric capacities and low lithiation/delithiation voltages. However, it suffers from poor cycling stability due to drastic volume expansion (>300%) when it alloys with lithium, leading to structural disintegration upon lithium removal. Here, it is demonstrated that titanium atoms inside the silicon matrix can act as an atomic binding agent to hold the silicon atoms together during lithiation and mend the structure after delithiation. Direct evidence from in situ dilatometry of cosputtered silicon–titanium thin films reveals significantly smaller electrode thickness change during lithiation, compared to a pure silicon thin film. In addition, the thickness change is fully reversible with lithium extraction, and ex situ post‐mortem microscopy shows that film cracking is suppressed. Furthermore, Raman spectroscopy measurements indicate that the Si–Ti interaction remains intact after cycling. Optimized Si–Ti thin films can deliver a stable capacity of 1000 mAh g−1 at a current of 2000 mA g−1 for more than 300 cycles, demonstrating the effectiveness of titanium in stabilizing the material structure. A full cell with a Si–Ti anode and LiFePO4 cathode is demonstrated, which further validates the readiness of the technology.
Super‐Resolution Tracking of Mitochondrial Dynamics with An Iridium(III) Luminophore
Authors: Chen Qixin , Jin Chengzhi , Shao Xintian , Guan Ruilin , Tian Zhiqi , Wang Chenran , Liu Fei , Ling Peixue , Guan Jun‐Lin , Ji Liangnian , Wang Fengshan , Chao Hui , Diao Jiajie
Published: September 2018

Combining luminescent transition metal complex with super‐resolution microscopy is an excellent strategy for the long‐term visualization of the dynamics of subcellular structures in living cells. However, it remains unclear whether iridium(III) complexes are applicable for a particular type of super‐resolution technique, structured illumination microscopy (SIM), to image subcellular structures. Herein, an iridium(III) dye, to track mitochondrial dynamics in living cells under SIM is described. The dye demonstrates excellent specificity and photostability and satisfactory cell permeability. While using SIM to image mitochondria, an ≈80 nm resolution is achieved that allows the clear observation of the structure of mitochondrial cristae. The dye is used to monitor and quantify mitochondrial dynamics relative to lysosomes, including fusion involved in mitophagy, and newly discovered mitochondria–lysosome contact (MLC) under different conditions. The MLC remains intact and fusion vanishes when five receptors, p62, NDP52, OPTN, NBR1, and TAX1BP1, are knocked out, suggesting that these two processes are independent.