bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Understanding the chemical basis for the preferential ionization of specific biomolecules in mass spectrometry analysis of microbial cells
Authors: Ng Wenfa
Published: May 2019

Mass spectrometry-enabled microbial identification has successfully demonstrated the feasibility of using profiled biomolecules for identifying microorganisms based on a chemometric or proteome database search approach. However, mechanisms driving the preferential ionization and detection of particular biomolecules in various types of mass spectrometry remain poorly understood. Specifically, mass spectra obtained from different microbial species remain poorly annotated with respect to the specific types of biomolecules accounting for the peaks. For example, while ribosomal proteins are known to be a significant class of biomolecules that could partially account for the profiled mass peaks in mass spectra of microorganisms, other classes of proteins and biomolecules remain poorly annotated. This raises the important question of how different mass spectrometry approaches ionize different types of biomolecules from a cellular matrix. Specifically, mass spectra of microorganisms reveal that only a couple of mass peaks could capture the phylogeny of a species. However, the proteome of a cell is much larger and more complicated, and yet is not fully profiled by different types of mass spectrometry methods. For example, electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) could only provide a small snapshot of the entire bacterial proteome. It could be argued that different mass spectrometry methods provide complementary views of a particular proteome. However, the question remains, how do proteins and biomolecules interact with the different sample preparation and mass spectrometry analysis methods for generating an ion cloud for separation in a mass spectrometer? Thus, efforts could be directed towards understanding how different types of proteins could be preferentially ionized by MALDI-TOF MS. Specifically, different reagents could be used to perform chemical pretreatment on the proteome, which would subsequently be analyzed by mass spectrometry. Thus, a correlative map between types of chemical pretreatment used and the corresponding mass spectra could be obtained. Collectively, knowledge gleaned from the research would illuminate the chemical basis by which specific biomolecules are preferentially ionized under particular conditions, which would inform the development of strategies for increasing the subset of biomolecules ionized from a cellular proteome. Such chemical rules would also aid in the interpretation of mass spectra obtained, particularly in understanding the biological context of the experiment. Overall, the key goal of this research is to help answer the question: what is the biological basis and context of the mass spectrum obtained from cells?
Club cells form lung adenocarcinomas and maintain the alveoli of adult mice
Authors: Spella Magda , Lilis Ioannis , Pepe Mario AA , Chen Yuanyuan , Armaka Maria , Lamort Anne-Sophie , Zazara Dimitra E , Roumelioti Fani , Vreka Malamati , Kanellakis Nikolaos I , Wagner Darcy E , Giannou Anastasios D , Armenis Vasileios , Arendt Kristina AM , Klotz Laura V , Toumpanakis Dimitrios , Karavana Vassiliki , Zakynthinos Spyros G , Giopanou Ioanna , Marazioti Antonia , Aidinis Vassilis , Sotillo Rocio , Stathopoulos Georgios T
Published: May 2019

Lung cancer and chronic lung diseases impose major disease burdens worldwide and are caused by inhaled noxious agents including tobacco smoke. The cellular origins of environmental-induced lung tumors and of the dysfunctional airway and alveolar epithelial turnover observed with chronic lung diseases are unknown. To address this, we combined mouse models of genetic labeling and ablation of airway (club) and alveolar cells with exposure to environmental noxious and carcinogenic agents. Club cells are shown to survive KRAS mutations and to form lung tumors after tobacco carcinogen exposure. Increasing numbers of club cells are found in the alveoli with aging and after lung injury, but go undetected since they express alveolar proteins. Ablation of club cells prevents chemical lung tumors and causes alveolar destruction in adult mice. Hence club cells are important in alveolar maintenance and carcinogenesis and may be a therapeutic target against premalignancy and chronic lung disease.
Effects of Farmers Knowledge and Climate Change on Yields of Crop in the Saline Prone Area of Bangladesh
Authors: Ahad Setu Md. Wali , Hosen Md. Ekramul , Ullah Mazumder Mohummed Shofi , Nur-E-Alam Sk. Md. , Mahbubul Hasan A. F. M.
Published: May 2019

Southern part of Bangladesh is one of the most affected areas confronting the effects of climate change especially in agricultural sector. The study was planned to examine effect of climate change on agriculture in the saline prone areas, and estimate the level of contribution of the selected characteristics of the farmers to the effect of climate change on agriculture. For this reason, data were collected from 88 farmers under study group and 30 farmers under control group from 16 March, 2017 to 15 April, 2017. Descriptive statistics, multiple regression, t-test were used for data analysis. There was a negative effect of climate change on agriculture comparing the study and control group changed score from 2015 to 2017. In case of study group, 61.4 percent of the farmers had medium effect, 17.0 percent had low effect and 21.6 percent of the farmers had high effect of climate change on agriculture. It was also found that out of eleven factors, seven namely age, level of education, annual family income, farming experience, training exposure, agricultural knowledge and knowledge on climate change had significant contribution to the effect of climate change on agriculture in the saline prone areas. It is concluded that climate change may play a significant role in decreasing the yield of cereal crops, yield of vegetables, yield of pulses and increasing number of adopted new varieties of agricultural crops by the farmers. It is recommended that the Bangladesh government and NGOs should take initiative for reducing effect of climate change on agriculture for a sustainable agricultural development.
Fbxo6 confers drug‐sensitization to cisplatin via inhibiting the activation of Chk1 in non‐small cell lung cancer
Authors: Cai Lin , Li Jingduo , Zhao Jing , Guo Yingxue , Xie Menghua , Zhang Xiupeng , Wang Liang , Tian Hua , Li Ailin , Li Qingchang , Miao Yuan
Published: May 2019

Fbxo6 (also called FBG2) is a critical component of the evolutionarily conserved ubiquitin–protein ligase complex SCF (Skp1/Cdc53‐Cullin1/F‐box). Previous studies have demonstrated that Fbxo6 facilitates the growth and proliferation but inhibits the apoptosis and invasion of gastric cancer cells. However, the role of Fbxo6 in non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is still not clear. Our results revealed that Fbxo6 expression is correlated with early TNM stage and favorable overall survival of NSCLC patients. Further in vitro experiments showed that Fbxo6 inhibits proliferation, facilitates apoptosis and promotes the sensitivity of cisplatin via decreased expression and phosphorylation of Chk1. Thus, Fbxo6 may be a useful prognosis marker and therapeutic target to overcome the chemoresistance of cisplatin‐based chemotherapy agents in NSCLC patients.
MicroRNA‐125a inhibits tumorigenesis by targeting Smurf1 in colorectal carcinoma
Authors: Li Dongbin , Xu Xiangmei , Miao Jihao , Cai Jianhui
Published: May 2019

Aberrant expression of microRNAs (miRNAs) may contribute to the initiation and development of multiple types of human cancer. Several miRNAs have been found to be strongly correlated with the diagnosis, progression, and prognosis of colorectal carcinoma (CRC), but the role of miR‐125a in CRC remains unclear. In the present study, the function of miR‐125a on the expression of Smad ubiquitin regulatory factor 1 (Smurf1) was investigated in vitro and in vivo. We verified that Smurf1 is a downstream target gene of miR‐125a and is involved in miR‐125a‐mediated regulation of CT26 cell (colon cancer cell) proliferation and migration. Overexpression of miR‐125a suppresses CT26 cell growth by inhibiting cell proliferation. Additionally, wound healing assays were performed to show that overexpression of miR‐125a significantly reduced CT26 cell migration, which was reversed by overexpression of Smurf1. In vivo, miR‐125a overexpression downregulated the expression of Ki67 and Smurf1, thus leading to a marked reduction in tumor growth. These results revealed that miR‐125a plays a critical role in CRC by directly targeting Smurf1, a finding that may facilitate the development of improved diagnostic and therapeutic techniques for CRC.
Monolithic Fabrication of NPN/SiNx Dual Membrane Cavity for Nanopore‐Based DNA Sensing
Authors: Madejski Gregory R. , Briggs Kyle , DesOrmeaux Jon‐Paul , Miller Joshua J. , Roussie James A. , Tabard‐Cossa Vincent , McGrath James L.
Published: May 2019

Nanoscale preconfinement of DNA is shown to reduce the variation of passage times through solid‐state nanopores. Preconfinement is previously achieved by forming a femtoliter‐sized cavity capped with a highly porous layer of nanoporous silicon nitride (NPN). This cavity is formed by sealing a NPN nanofilter membrane against a substrate chip using water vapor delamination. Ultimately, this method of fabrication cannot keep a consistent spacing between the filter and solid‐state nanopore due to thermal fluctuations and wrinkles in the membrane, nor can it be fabricated on thousands of individual devices reliably. To overcome these issues, a method is presented to fabricate the femtoliter cavity monolithically, using a selective xenon difluoride (XeF2) etch to hollow out a polysilicon (poly‐Si) spacer sandwiched between silicon nitride (SiNx) layers. These monolithically fabricated cavities behave identically to their counterparts formed by vapor delamination, exhibiting similar translocation passage time variation reduction and folding suppression of DNA without requiring extensive manual assembly. The ability to form nanocavity sensors with nanometer‐scale precision and to reliably manufacture them at scale using batch wafer processing techniques will find numerous applications, including motion control of polymers for single‐molecule detection applications, filtering of dirty samples prior to nanopore detection, and simple fabrication of single‐molecule nanobioreactors.
Digital Texture Voxels for Stretchable Morphing Skin Applications
Authors: Lamuta Caterina , He Honglu , Zhang Kaihao , Rogalski Michael , Sottos Nancy , Tawfick Sameh
Published: May 2019

The skin of the cephalopod is a 3D display, where the papillae muscles control the protrusion of each voxel by several millimeters out of the skin plane, create hierarchical textures, and collectively change the overall skin pattern in a fraction of a second. A material system capable of mimicking this response using electromechanical actuation of twisted spiral artificial muscles (TSAMs) is presented in this study. TSAMs leverage the mechanics of their twisted geometry to extend out of plane by 8 mm, corresponding to 2000% strain using a voltage of only 0.02 V mm−1. They are made of polymer fibers wrapped with a helical metal wire. These actuators are assembled on a stretchable skin with the required flexible electrical connections to form an array of digital texture voxels (DTVs). The DTV array produces arbitrary 3D surface patterns on‐demand, and provides opportunities to control hydrodynamic drag, camouflage, and haptic displays.
Nonfullerene n‐Type Organic Semiconductors for Perovskite Solar Cells
Authors: Zhang Mingyu , Zhan Xiaowei
Published: May 2019

Compared to inorganic semiconductors and/or fullerene derivatives, nonfullerene n‐type organic semiconductors present some advantages, such as low‐temperature processing, flexibility, and molecule structure diversity, and have been widely used in perovskite solar cells (PSCs). In this research news article, the recent advances in nonfullerene n‐type organic semiconductors which function as electron‐transporting, interface‐modifying, additive, and light‐harvesting materials in PSCs are summarized. The remaining challenges and promising future directions of nonfullerene‐based PSCs are also discussed.
A High‐Throughput Mass Spectrometric Enzyme Activity Assay Enabling the Discovery of Cytochrome P450 Biocatalysts
Authors: de Rond Tristan , Gao Jian , Zargar Amin , de Raad Markus , Cunha Jack , Northen Trent R. , Keasling Jay D.
Published: May 2019

Assaying for enzymatic activity is a persistent bottleneck in biocatalyst and drug development. Existing high‐throughput assays for enzyme activity tend to be applicable only to a narrow range of biochemical transformations, whereas universal enzyme characterization methods usually require chromatography to determine substrate turnover, greatly diminishing throughput. We present an enzyme activity assay that allows the high‐throughput mass‐spectrometric detection of enzyme activity in complex matrices without the need for a chromatographic step. This technology, which we call probing enzymes with click‐assisted NIMS (PECAN), can detect the activity of medically and biocatalytically significant cytochrome P450s in cell lysate, microsomes, and bacteria. Using this approach, a cytochrome P450BM3 mutant library was successfully screened for the ability to catalyze the oxidation of the sesquiterpene valencene.
Superionic Conduction over a Wide Temperature Range in a Metal–Organic Framework Impregnated with Ionic Liquids
Authors: Yoshida Yukihiro , Fujie Kazuyuki , Lim Dae‐Woon , Ikeda Ryuichi , Kitagawa Hiroshi
Published: May 2019

Most molecules in confined spaces show markedly different behaviors from those in the bulk. Large pores are composed of two regions: an interface region in which liquids interact with the pore surface, and a core region in which liquids behave as bulk. The realization of a highly mobile ionic liquid (IL) in a mesoporous metal–organic framework (MOF) is now reported. The hybrid shows a high room‐temperature conductivity (4.4×10−3 S cm−1) and low activation energy (0.20 eV); both not only are among the best values reported for IL‐incorporated MOFs but also are classified as a superionic conductor. The conductivity reaches over 10−2 S cm−1 above 343 K and follows the Vogel–Fulcher–Tammann equation up to ca. 400 K. In particular, the hybrid is advantageous at low temperatures (<263 K), where the ionic conduction is superior to that of bulk IL, making it useful as solid‐state electrolytes for electrochemical devices operating over a wide temperature range.
Chemoenzymatic Synthesis of DSGb5 and Sialylated Globo‐series Glycans
Authors: Li Pei‐Jhen , Huang Szu‐Yu , Chiang Pei‐Yun , Fan Chen‐Yo , Guo Li‐Jhen , Wu Dung‐Yeh , Angata Takashi , Lin Chun‐Cheng
Published: May 2019

Sialic‐acid‐binding, immunoglobulin‐type lectin‐7 (Siglec‐7) is present on the surface of natural killer cells. Siglec‐7 shows preference for disialylated glycans, including α(2,8)‐α(2,3)‐disialic acids or internally branched α(2,6)‐NeuAc, such as disialosylglobopentaose (DSGb5). Herein, DSGb5 was synthesized by a one‐pot multiple enzyme method from Gb5 by α2,3‐sialylation (with PmST1) followed by α2,6‐sialylation (with Psp2,6ST) in 23 % overall yield. DSGb5 was also chemoenzymatically synthesized. The protection of the nonreducing‐end galactose of Gb5 as 3,4‐O‐acetonide, 3,4‐O‐benzylidene, and 4,6‐O‐benzylidene derivatives provided DSGb5 in overall yields of 26 %, 12 %, and 19 %, respectively. Gb3, Gb4, and Gb5 were enzymatically sialylated to afford a range of globo‐glycans. Surprisingly, DSGb5 shows a low affinity for Siglec‐7 in a glycan microarray binding affinity assay. Among the synthesized globo‐series glycans, α6α3DSGb4 shows the highest binding affinity for Siglec‐7.
Structure Optimisation of Large Transition‐Metal Complexes with Extended Tight‐Binding Methods
Authors: Bursch Markus , Neugebauer Hagen , Grimme Stefan
Published: May 2019

Large transition‐metal complexes are used in numerous areas of chemistry. Computer‐aided theoretical investigations of such complexes are limited by the sheer size of real systems often consisting of hundreds to thousands of atoms. Accordingly, the development and thorough evaluation of fast semi‐empirical quantum chemistry methods that are universally applicable to a large part of the periodic table is indispensable. Herein, we report on the capability of the recently developed GFNn‐xTB method family for full quantum‐mechanical geometry optimisation of medium to very large transition‐metal complexes and organometallic supramolecular structures. The results for a specially compiled benchmark set of 145 diverse closed‐shell transition‐metal complex structures for all metals up to Hg are presented. Further the GFNn‐xTB methods are tested on three established benchmark sets regarding reaction energies and barrier heights of organometallic reactions.
Unravelling the Complexities of Pseudocontact Shift Analysis in Lanthanide Coordination Complexes of Differing Symmetry
Authors: Harnden Alice C. , Suturina Elizaveta A. , Batsanov Andrei S. , Senanayake P. Kanthi , Fox Mark A. , Mason Kevin , Vonci Michele , McInnes Eric J. L. , Chilton Nicholas F. , Parker David
Published: May 2019

In two closely related series of eight‐coordinate lanthanide complexes, a switch in the sign of the dominant ligand field parameter and striking variations in the sign, amplitude and orientation of the main component of the magnetic susceptibility tensor as the Ln3+ ion is permuted conspire to mask modest changes in NMR paramagnetic shifts, but are evident in Yb EPR and Eu emission spectra.
Heterogeneous copper‐catalyzed oxidative coupling of oxime acetates with sodium sulfinates: An efficient and practical synthesis of β‐keto sulfones
Authors: Xia Jianhui , Huang Xue , You Shengyong , Cai Mingzhong
Published: May 2019

An efficient and practical route to β‐keto sulfones has been developed through heterogeneous oxidative coupling of oxime acetates with sodium sulfinates by using an MCM‐41‐supported Schiff base‐pyridine bidentate copper (II) complex [MCM‐41‐Sb,Py‐Cu (OAc)2] as the catalyst and oxime acetates as an internal oxidant, followed by hydrolysis. The reaction generates a variety of β‐keto sulfones in good to excellent yields. This new heterogeneous copper (II) catalyst can be easily prepared via a simple procedure from readily available and inexpensive reagents and exhibits the same catalytic activity as Cu (OAc)2. MCM‐41‐Sb,Py‐Cu (OAc)2 is also easy to recover and is recyclable up to eight times with almost consistent activity.
The Relationship Between Leaks, Breaks, and Infiltration
Authors: Hannah Craig C.
Published: May 2019

An analysis of leak and break history in a New York utility's distribution system indicates that there most likely is a relationship between water loss from breaks and infiltration into the collection system.
The Fault in Our Stars: Closing the Gap Between Finance and Engineering During the Capital Improvement Process
Authors: Aranda Fernando , Noble Alyson
Published: May 2019

Faced with the challenges of actual spending differing significantly from its capital improvement year‐end budget, aurora water implemented an interactive scheduling tool to minimize the gap.
Fusion with an albumin‐binding domain improves pharmacokinetics of an αvβ3‐integrin binding fibronectin scaffold protein
Authors: Gapizov S. Sh. , Petrovskaya L. E. , Shingarova L. N. , Kryukova E. A. , Boldyreva E. F. , Lukashev E. P. , Yakimov S. A. , Svirshchevskaya E. V. , Dolgikh D. A. , Kirpichnikov M. P.
Published: May 2019

Fusion with an albumin‐binding domain (ABD) of streptococcal protein G represents a popular approach for half‐life extension of small protein therapeutics in the organism. To increase the circulation time of engineered αvβ3‐integrin‐binding protein (JCL) based on the 10th human fibronectin type III domain (10Fn3), we have constructed several fusions with ABD with different orientations of the partner proteins and linker length. The recombinant proteins were expressed in Escherichia coli cells and purified by nickel‐affinity chromatography. All fusion proteins bound human serum albumin (HSA) in ELISA assay; however, fusions with longer linkers demonstrated better performance. Interaction of ABD‐L15‐JCL and JCL‐L14‐ABD with HSA was confirmed by analytical size exclusion chromatography and pull‐down assays. Surprisingly, the thermal stability of ABD‐L15‐JCL was dramatically decreased in comparison with JCL and JCL‐L14‐ABD proteins. Pharmacokinetic studies revealed that JCL‐L14‐ABD circulated in murine blood about 10 times longer than ABD‐L15‐JCL and 960 times longer than JCL. Biodistribution studies of JCL‐L14‐ABD in mice revealed its increased level in blood and a decreased accumulation in liver and kidneys in comparison with JCL. Obtained results demonstrate the utility of the fusion with ABD for half‐life extension of the binding proteins based on 10Fn3.
Altered amplitude of low‐frequency fluctuation in basal ganglia correlates to pulmonary ventilation function in COPD patients: A resting‐state fMRI study
Authors: Lu Chun‐Qiang , Xu Weiwei , Zeng Chu‐Hui , Ge Lu‐Yao , Wang Yuan‐Cheng , Meng Xiang‐Pan , Yu Qian , Wu Di , Ju Shenghong
Published: May 2019

Introduction

Patients under chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) has been reported to be associated with a higher prevalence of cognitive impairment (CI). However, it is still largely unknown whether the aberrant resting‐state spontaneous neuronal activity pattern reflected by the amplitude of low‐frequency fluctuation (ALFF) analysis will be associated with the CI in COPD patients.

Materials

A total of 28 COPD patients and 26 healthy controls were enrolled in this study. Of all the subjects, structural and functional MRI data, spirometry tests performance and neuropsychological assessments of different cognitive domains were collected. Voxel‐based two‐sample t tests were used to detect brain regions showing differences in the ALFF value between COPD patients and healthy controls. An additional fMRI runs with supplementary oxygen delivery were employed to explore the impact of elevated partial pressure of oxygen (PaO2) or moderate hyperoxia on ALFF in COPD patients and healthy controls respectively.

Results

More extensive white matter lesion was detected in COPD patients. COPD patients exhibit decreased ALFF value in bilateral basal ganglia areas and right thalamus, and aberrant ALFF value is correlated with PaO2 and pulmonary ventilation function (FEV1%pred). COPD patients performed worse in the Digit Span Test (reverse), Digit Symbol Substitution Test, Trail‐making test (A and B) than controls. After supplementary oxygen inhalation, the ALFF value of basal ganglia and right thalamus significantly increased in the controls, but not in the COPD patients.

Conclusions

COPD patients mainly exhibit impaired executive function but not long‐term memory in cognitive function assessment. Aberrant ALFF alteration in the deep brain may be directly related to lower PaO2 in COPD patients.
The molecular mechanism study of insulin on proliferation and differentiation of osteoblasts under high glucose conditions
Authors: Zhang Nong , Jiang Hua , Bai Yang , Lu Xingmei , Feng Mi , Guo Yu , Zhang Shuo , Luo Qiang , Wu Hao , Wang Lin
Published: May 2019

To explore the molecular mechanism of insulin on proliferation and differentiation of MC3T3‐E1 cell under high glucose conditions. We first investigated the effect of different concentrations of insulin on the osteoblast cell proliferation and cell differentiation at various time points by MTT analysis, cell cycle analysis, and expression detection of differentiation genes. Then, we used 200 ng/mL of insulin to treat the osteoblast cell at different time points for identifying the common differentially expressed mRNAs among various time points by RNA sequencing. Thirdly, we performed the gene ontology (GO) and the Kyoto Encyclopaedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis to explore the biological function of these common differentially expressed mRNAs. The results showed that insulin promoted the cell proliferation and differentiation of osteoblast cell. In RNA sequencing, a total of 31 common differentially expressed mRNAs were identified between different time points. Mt1, Tmem135, Avp, and Dlg2 were found to be associated with the new bone formation. In addition, three important signalling pathways, namely, lysosome, glutamatergic synapse, and chemokine signalling pathways, were found in the KEGG enrichment analysis. Our work demonstrated that insulin could promote the osteoblast cell proliferation and cell differentiation, which may play a key role in bone formation.

Significance of the study

Our result showed that insulin could promote the proliferation and differentiation of osteoblast at both cellular and molecular levels, which may promote the new bone formation in the osteoblasts.
17‐β estradiol attenuates the pro‐oxidant activity of corticotropin‐releasing hormone in macroendothelial cells
Authors: Filiponi Maria , Gougoura Sofia G , Befani Christina , Bargiota Αlexandra , Liakos Panagiotis , Koukoulis George N
Published: May 2019

Corticotropin‐releasing hormone, which is the predominant regulator of neuroendocrine responses to stress, attenuates inflammation through stimulation of glucocorticoid release. Enhanced corticotropin‐releasing hormone expression has been detected in inflammatory cells of the vascular endothelium, where it acts as a local regulator of endothelial redox homeostasis. Estrogens have beneficial effects on endothelial integrity and function, though the mechanism underlying their antioxidative effect remains as yet largely unknown. We therefore investigated the effect of 17β‐estradiol on pro‐oxidant action of corticotropin‐releasing hormone in vitro in macroendothelial cells, and, more specifically, the role of 17β‐estradiol on corticotropin‐releasing hormone‐induced activities/release of the antioxidant enzymes namely, endothelial nitric oxide synthase, superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione. We observed that 17β‐estradiol abolished the stimulatory effect of corticotropin‐releasing hormone on intracellular reactive oxygen species levels and counteracted its inhibitory effect on endothelial nitric oxide synthase activity and nitric oxide release. In addition, 17β‐estradiol significantly induced superoxide dismutase and catalase activity, an effect that was not significantly influenced by corticotropin‐releasing hormone. Finally, 17β‐estradiol significantly increased glutathione levels and the glutathione/glutathione + glutathione disulfide ratio, an action that was partially blocked by corticotropin‐releasing hormone. Our results reveal that 17β‐estradiol counterbalances corticotropin‐releasing hormone‐mediated pro‐inflammatory action and thereby maintains the physiological threshold of the endothelial cell redox environment. These observations may be of importance, considering the protective role of estrogen in the development of atherosclerosis.
Novel use of a stent graft for uncontrollable intraprocedural stent thrombosis in a patient with acute myocardial infarction
Authors: Inoguchi Yasunori , Kaku Bunji , Kitagawa Naotaka , Katsuda Shoji
Published: May 2019

We report the case of a patient who developed uncontrollable intraprocedural stent thrombosis (IPST) during an emergent percutaneous coronary intervention for acute myocardial infarction that was mitigated only by covering the culprit lesion with a stent graft. Although several factors can induce stent thrombosis, IPST was likely a result of intrastent plaque protrusion in this patient. This is the first case report on the use of stent graft implantation as an effective bailout procedure for uncontrolled IPST. The findings described in this case study warrant the adoption of stent grafts for the complete sealing of plaque protrusion in lesions.
Fracture of small Mitroflow® aortic bioprosthesis following valve‐in‐valve transcatheter aortic valve replacement with ACURATE neo valve—From bench testing to clinical practice
Authors: Amat‐Santos Ignacio J. , Gutiérrez Hipólito , Sathananthan Janarthanan , Webb John G
Published: May 2019

Valve‐in‐valve (ViV) transcatheter procedures have emerged as a feasible, less‐invasive treatment option for bioprosthetic structural valve deterioration. However, in the presence of a small bioprosthesis, a significant residual gradient after ViV procedures often occurs and has been associated with poorer clinical outcomes. We report the use of the self‐expandable supra‐annular ACURATE neo™ valve to treat degenerated Mitroflow (Sorin) aortic bioprosthesis with severe residual elevated gradients followed by valve fracture with a postdilation using a noncompliant balloon leading to significant reduction in residual gradients. In conclusion, the use of ACURATE neo™ valve followed by the controlled fracture of the surgical bioprosthesis frame with a noncompliant balloon is a safe and effective approach for patients with Mitroflow® failing valves and residual elevated gradient after transcatheter aortic valve replacement.
Erythematous scaling lesions of the face, dorsal fingers, elbows, and knees together with symmetrical muscle weakness in a child
Authors: Markovic Aleksander , Schuster Volker , Simon Jan‐Christoph , Kunz Manfred
Published: May 2019

Juvenile dermatomyositis shows characteristic skin lesions. However, this does not rule out co‐occurring other autoimmune diseases, which may be more prominent regarding skin manifestations. Co‐occurring other skin autoimmune diseases should not be regarded as a preclusion for dermatomyositis. Here, we present an impressing case of juvenile dermatomyositis with co‐occurring psoriasis.
Base‐Free Hydrogenation of Carbon Dioxide to Methyl Formate with a Molecular Ruthenium‐Phosphine Catalyst
Authors: Westhues Niklas , Belleflamme Maurice , Klankermayer Jürgen
Published: May 2019

Herein, a molecular ruthenium‐phosphine catalyst system for the effective base‐free methyl formate production from carbon dioxide is described. In detail, the novel [Ru(N‐triphosCy)(tmm)] complex, bearing sterically demanding cyclohexyl groups in the triphos‐ligand structure, enabled in combination with the Lewis acid Al(OTf)3 the selective transformation of carbon dioxide to methyl formate with unprecedented activity. From a mechanistic perspective, in the initial step formic acid is formed, undergoing a consecutive Lewis acid promoted esterification with methanol to methyl formate. This selective transformation with carbon dioxide paves the way to versatile processes for important C1 building blocks.
Enhancing Metal Separations by Liquid–Liquid Extraction Using Polar Solvents
Authors: Li Zheng , Zhang Zidan , Smolders Simon , Li Xiaohua , Raiguel Stijn , Nies Erik , De Vos Dirk E. , Binnemans Koen
Published: May 2019

The less polar phase of liquid–liquid extraction systems has been studied extensively for improving metal separations; however, the role of the more polar phase has been overlooked for far too long. Herein, we investigate the extraction of metals from a variety of polar solvents and demonstrate that, the influence of polar solvents on metal extraction is so significant that extraction of many metals can be largely tuned, and the metal separations can be significantly enhanced by selecting suitable polar solvents. Furthermore, a mechanism on how the polar solvents affect metal extraction is proposed based on comprehensive characterizations. The method of using suitable polar solvents in liquid–liquid extraction paves a new and versatile way to enhance metal separations.
Alkali‐Metal Aminotroponiminates: Selectivities and Equilibria in Reversible Radical Coupling of Delocalized π‐Electron Systems
Authors: Hanft Anna , Krummenacher Ivo , Lichtenberg Crispin
Published: May 2019

Aminotroponiminates (ATIs) have recently been shown to belong to the growing class of redox‐active ligands. The choice of the metal center allowed to switch between reversible electron transfer (M=Rh) and reductively induced dimerization (M=Na). Here, we investigate if the reductively induced dimerization of ATIs is a more general phenomenon for their alkali‐metal complexes. Lithium ATI complexes are shown to undergo reductively induced dimerizations, which are equilibrium reactions and chemically reversible. The choice of the metal center (Li vs. Na), the substitution pattern at the nitrogen atoms of the ATI ligands, and the solvent critically influence the regioselectivity and diastereoselectivity of the radical‐dimerization reactions. Potassium ATIs are shown to be susceptible to side reactions, more specifically a reduction accompanied by hydrogen‐atom transfer. Products and intermediates of the reductively induced dimerizations were characterized by techniques including NMR and EPR spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry, DFT calculations, single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction, and mass spectrometry.
Combined Scaffold Evaluation and Systems‐Level Transcriptome‐Based Analysis for Accelerated Lead Optimization Reveals Ribosomal Targeting Spirooxindole Cyclopropanes
Authors: Rodriguez Kevin X. , Howe Erin N. , Bacher Emily P. , Burnette Miranda , Meloche Jennifer L. , Meisel Jayda , Schnepp Patricia , Tan Xuejuan , Chang Mayland , Zartman Jeremiah , Zhang Siyuan , Ashfeld Brandon L.
Published: May 2019

With evolutionary drug resistance impacting efforts to treat disease, the need for small molecules that exhibit novel molecular mechanisms of action is paramount. In this study, we combined scaffold‐directed synthesis with a hybrid experimental and transcriptome analysis to identify bis‐spirooxindole cyclopropanes that inhibit cancer cell proliferation through disruption of ribosomal function. These findings demonstrate the value of an integrated, biologically inspired synthesis and assay strategy for the accelerated identification of first‐in‐class cancer therapeutic candidates.
Stock price forecasting model based on modified convolution neural network and financial time series analysis
Authors: Cao Jiasheng , Wang Jinghan
Published: May 2019

To forecast the future trend of financial activities through its rules, a convolutional neural network (CNN) is used to forecast stock index. Firstly, a CNN stock index prediction model is constructed, the structural parameter relationship of the CNN model is analyzed, and a CNN model algorithm is implemented. Secondly, the influence of model parameters on prediction results is discussed, and the stock index prediction model based on CNN‐support vector machine (SVM) is established. At last, the empirical analysis is made, and the results show that the two prediction models are feasible and effective. It is concluded that the use of neural networks for financial prediction can deal with the continuous and categorical prediction variables and obtain good prediction results.
Enzymatic assay for urine lactose in the assessment of recent intravenous abuse of buprenorphine
Authors: Keltanen Terhi N. , Heikman Pertti K. , Muhonen Leea H. , Gunnar Teemu O. , Ojanperä Ilkka A.
Published: May 2019

Laboratory methods for differentiating intravenous substance abuse from medical oral or sublingual use are lacking. The disaccharides lactose and sucrose are common excipients in both medical preparations and illicit drugs. If substances are abused intravenously, the disaccharides are excreted unchanged in urine. This study evaluated whether urine lactose indicates recent intravenous abuse of substances with special reference to buprenorphine (BPN). Samples were attained from 21 patients in assessment for opioid maintenance treatment (OMT) and from 29 patients already enrolled in OMT. Patients were divided in two groups. Group 1 patients reported intravenous abuse of BPN within 48 hours and Group 2 more than 48 hours since the last injection. The urine samples were assayed for lactose using an enzymatic method. To verify intravenous abuse, examination of needle marks and mass spectrometric analysis of abused substances was performed. Urine lactose concentration was significantly higher in Group 1 (86 mg/L) than in Group 2 (24 mg/L). All samples with lactose concentration more than 140 mg/L were given by the Group 1 patients, who all had recent injection marks. A significant inverse correlation was found between the time from last injection and the urine lactose concentration within the 48‐hour post‐injection period. Elevated lactose concentrations in urine could indicate intravenous abuse of substances containing lactose. The co‐occurrence of higher than 140 mg/L of lactose in urine by means of enzymatic assay verified by fresh puncture sites is a potential indicator of recent intravenous abuse of BPN.
Ferulic acid improves self‐renewal and differentiation of human tendon‐derived stem cells by upregulating early growth response 1 through hypoxia
Authors: Qiu Shuo , Sun Yunchu , Xu Jia , Wen Gen , Yu Yaling , Wu Tianyi , Chai Yimin
Published: May 2019

We aimed to investigate the potential beneficial effect of ferulic acid (FA) on stemness of human tendon‐derived stem cells (hTSCs) in vitro and to elucidate the underlying molecular mechanism. The self‐renewal ability of hTSCs was evaluated by colony formation and cell proliferation was determined by CCK‐8 kit. Adipogenesis, osteogenesis, and chondrogenesis were determined by Oil Red O, Alizarin Red, and Alcian Blue stainings, respectively. Relative mRNA levels of PPARγ, Col2A1, Acan, Runx2, HIF1α, and EGR1 were measured with real‐time PCR. Protein levels of HIF1α and EGR1 were detected by western blot. Direct binding of HIF1α with EGR1 promoter was analyzed by ChIP assay. Hypoxia‐induced expression of EGR1 was interrogated by luciferase reporter assay. We demonstrated that FA treatment improved both self‐renewal ability and multi‐differentiation potential of hTSCs. FA induced hypoxia which in turn upregulated EGR1 expression via direct association with its hypoxia response element consensus sequence. Furthermore, we showed that both HIF1α and EGR1 were required for the enhancing effects of FA on hTSC self‐renewal and differentiation. We hereby characterize the beneficial effect of FA on the stemness of hTSCs and highlight the critical role of HIF1α‐EGR1 axis in this process.
Survival cost to relocation does not reduce population self‐sustainability in an amphibian
Authors: Cayuela Hugo , Gillet Lilly , Laudelout Arnaud , Besnard Aurélien , Bonnaire Eric , Levionnois Pauline , Muths Erin , Dufrêne Marc , Kinet Thierry
Published: May 2019

Relocations are increasingly popular among wildlife managers despite often low rates of relocation success in vertebrates. In this context, understanding the influence of extrinsic (e.g., relocation design, habitat characteristics) and intrinsic factors (e.g., age and sex) on demographic parameters, such as survival, that regulate the dynamics of relocated populations is critical to improve relocation protocols and better predict relocation success. We investigated survival in naturally established and relocated populations of yellow‐bellied toads (Bombina variegata), an amphibian that was nearly extinct in Belgium by the late 1980s. We quantified survival at three ontogenetic stages (juvenile, subadult, and adult) in the relocated population, the source population, and a control population. In the relocated population, we quantified survival in captive bred individuals and their locally born descendants. Then, using simulations, we examined how survival cost to relocation affects the self‐sustainability of the relocated population. We showed that survival at juvenile and subadult stages was relatively similar in all populations. In contrast, relocated adult survival was lower than adult survival in the source and control populations. Despite this, offspring of relocated animals (the next generation, regardless of life stage) survived at similar rates to individuals in the source and control populations. Simulations revealed that the relocated population was self‐sustaining under different scenarios and that the fate (e.g., stability or increase) of the simulated populations was highly dependent on the fecundity of relocated adults and their offspring. To summarize, our results indicate that survival in relocated individuals is lower than in non‐relocated individuals but that this cost (i.e., reduced survival) disappears in the second generation. A finer understanding of how relocation affects demographic processes is an important step in improving relocation success of amphibians and other animals.
Dissolved iron elution from mangrove ecosystem associated with polyphenols and a herbivorous snail
Authors: Hinokidani Ko , Nakanishi Yasuhiro
Published: May 2019

Interest in the systems supplying dissolved forms of iron to the sea from upland forests and wetlands has increased because iron is abundant on land but has low bioavailability in seawater. This can be a limiting factor for the growth of marine phytoplankton. Organic complex iron, a typical form of iron dissolved in seawater, is supplied to the ocean through rivers from forest and wetland soils. As a related study, we focus on mangrove ecosystems located at the boundary between the land and sea and on polyphenols present in leaves as ligands for the formation of iron complexes. When mangrove leaf litterfalls on the wet forest floor, phenolic compounds leach out from the leaves and might solubilize insoluble iron in the sediments (i.e., iron complexation). However, the reaction mechanism is not simple in the field, and it might be made more complex by tidal currents and intervention by crabs and snails, which consume mangrove leaf litter. In the present study, we focused on a detritivorous snail, Terebralia palustris, as a facilitator of iron solubilization associated with phenolic compounds, and examined how the snail contribute to iron solubilization processes. Our results indicated that the amounts of phenolic compounds in mangrove sediments are strongly related to iron solubilization. Furthermore, the average dissolved iron and phenolic contents in sediments from areas inhabited by the snail were significantly higher than those of sediments where the snail was not present. We additionally report that the solubilization of iron was promoted when snail feces were added to mangrove sediments. In conclusion, we propose that iron solubilization in mangrove sediments is promoted by the interaction between i) iron in the sediment, ii) phenolic compounds derived from mangroves, and iii) the consumption of leaves and the deposition of feces by the snail.
Detecting the genetic basis of local adaptation in loblolly pine (Pinus taedaL.) using whole exome‐wide genotyping and an integrative landscape genomics analysis approach
Authors: Lu Mengmeng , Loopstra Carol A. , Krutovsky Konstantin V.
Published: May 2019

In the Southern United States, the widely distributed loblolly pine contributes greatly to lumber and pulp production, as well as providing many important ecosystem services. Climate change may affect the productivity and range of loblolly pine. Nevertheless, we have insufficient knowledge of the adaptive potential and the genetics underlying the adaptability of loblolly pine. To address this, we tested the association of 2.8 million whole exome‐based single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with climate and geographic variables, including temperature, precipitation, latitude, longitude, and elevation data. Using an integrative landscape genomics approach by combining multiple environmental association and outlier detection analyses, we identified 611 SNPs associated with 56 climate and geographic variables. Longitude, maximum temperature of the warm months and monthly precipitation associated with most SNPs, indicating their importance and complexity in shaping the genetic variation in loblolly pine. Functions of candidate genes related to terpenoid synthesis, pathogen defense, transcription factors, and abiotic stress response. We provided evidence that environment‐associated SNPs also composed the genetic structure of adaptive phenotypic traits including height, diameter, metabolite levels, and gene transcript abundance. Our study promotes understanding of the genetic basis of local adaptation in loblolly pine and provides promising tools for selecting genotypes adapted to local environments in a changing climate.
Analysis of interference between each port in triple active bridge converter
Authors: Ohno Takanobu , Kakomura Kengo , Hoshi Nobukazu
Published: May 2019

The triple active bridge (TAB) DC/DC converter has attracted attention as a power converter for power distribution systems because it has a wide voltage range and bidirectional power transmission and electrical insulation capabilities. As a controller for the converter, the decoupling controller, which uses a front‐end compensator, has been proposed. However, the controller design is difficult because the parameters of the compensator change in response to the interference that occurs depending on the operating point. This paper proposes an evaluation method of the interference using a current contour map and the trajectory on a phase plane. As a result, it was shown that the interference intensity is decided depending on the direction of the reference value on the contour map.
Comparative proteomics analysis between biofilm and planktonic cells of Mycobacterium tuberculosis
Authors: Wang Chao , Zhang Qiaoli , Wang Yang , Tang Xudong , An Yanan , Li Shulin , Xu Hongyue , Li Yan , Luan Wenjing , Wang Xuefei , Liu Mingyuan , Yu Lu
Published: May 2019

Tuberculosis is highly persistent and displays phenotypic resistance to high concentrations of antimicrobials. Recent reports exhibited that Mycobacterium tuberculosis biofilm was implicated to its pathogenicity and drug resistance. In this study, there were 47 kinds of differential proteins in the biofilm of M. tuberculosis H37Rv cells compared with the planktonic bacteria, and 37 proteins were nonredundant and identified by proteomics approach, such as 2DE and LC‐MS/MS. Moreover, six kinds of proteins were identified as HspX, which were conservative and highly expressed in biofilm. Note that 47 differential proteins were divided into seven categories, such as cell wall and cell processes, conserved hypotheticals, intermediary metabolism and respiration, and so on by TUBERCULIST. The Gene Ontology classification results showed that the largest protein group involved in metabolism, binding proteins, and catalytic function accounts for 30% and 57% of all identified proteins, respectively. Moreover, the protein interaction network analyzed by STRING showed that the minority proteins such as RpoA, SucC, Cbs, Tuf, DnaK, and GroeL in the interaction network have high network connectivity. These results implied that the proteins involved in metabolic process and catalytic function and the minority proteins mentioned above may play an important role in M. tuberculosis biofilm formation. To our knowledge, this is the first report about differential proteins between biofilm and planktonic M. tuberculosis, which provided the potential antigens for vaccines and target proteins for anti‐mycobacterial drugs.