bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Grafted cyclodextrin as carrier for control drug delivery and efficient cell killing
Authors: Shukla Aparna , Ray Biswajit , Maiti Pralay
Published: December 2018

The presence of hydroxyl groups in cyclodextrin (CD) makes it highly hydrophilic and simultaneously allows its chemical modification to graft polyurethane to control the drug release for longer period of time by maintaining the hydrophobic–hydrophilic balance through varying extent of grafting. Grafting of polyurethane on CD is confirmed through 1H NMR and molecular weight measurement while FTIR and UV visible studies further support grafting and emphasize the interaction among polymer chains as a whole. Degree of grafting is evaluated from the integrated peak area in NMR spectra. Thermal and mechanical measurements show improved stability and strength of the graft polymers with respect to pure CD. The conversion of particle nature of CD to strip‐like morphology in graft copolymers is evident from atomic force microscopy. Sustained drug release has been achieved using graft copolymer against burst release from pure CD and specific interactions, as observed through spectroscopy and thermal measurements, are responsible for sustained release of drug. Biocompatibility of graft copolymers has been checked using cellular studies through MTT assay and cell adhesion. Importantly, the cell killing efficiency has been demonstrated by embedding anticancer drug in polymer matrices causing mortality rate of 75% using graft copolymer against scanty 25% using pure drug or drug embedded in CD and the result is understood from the sustained release of drug from the graft copolymer vis‐à‐vis burst release in other systems. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A: 107A: 434–444, 2019.
The expression of interleukin‐15 and interleukin‐17 in tears and orbital tissues of Graves ophthalmopathy patients
Authors: Chen Qun
Published: December 2018

Objective

The objective of this study was to study the levels of interleukin (IL)‐15 and IL‐17 in tears and orbital tissues of the patients with the Graves ophthalmopathy (GO) (active and inactive stages) and in controls.

Methods

Twenty‐four active GO patients (CAS ≥ 3/7) were collected in our research. All patients were treated with corticosteroids during the therapy process (4‐15 months) and developed into the inactive phase (CAS ≤ 2/7). The tear samples were gathered from inactive and active stages of patients with GO and sex‐matched and age‐matched controls (volunteers,
n = 24) for the enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay measurement of IL‐15 and IL‐17. The orbital tissues were collected from inactive stage of patients with GO and healthy volunteers for the analysis of IL‐15 and IL‐17 positive cells using the immunohistochemical analysis.

Results

In comparison with the volunteers, significant upregulation of IL‐15 and IL‐17 were identified in tears of active (P < 0.05) and inactive patients with GO (
P < 0.01). Compared with inactive patients with GO, the levels of IL‐15 and IL‐17 in the tears were obviously higher than those in the active patients with GO. In addition, higher expression of IL‐15 and IL‐17 positive cells were found in the orbital organization of inactive patients with GO compared with volunteers.

Conclusion

The differences in IL‐15 and IL‐17 expression between GO patients (active and inactive stages) and controls suggested both IL‐15 and IL‐17 expression were significantly correlated with thyroid‐associated ophthalmopathy pathogenesis and development.
In silico identification of natural product inhibitors for γ‐secretase activating protein, a therapeutic target for Alzheimer's disease
Authors: Gupta Manoj Kumar , Vadde Ramakrishna
Published: December 2018

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is clinically characterized by the aggregation of neurotoxic amyloid‐β (Aβ) peptides in the brain. γ‐Secretase catalyzes the reaction of Aβ formation. Inhibition of γ‐secretase activating protein (GSAP) reduces Aβ production without disrupting other molecular functions and serves as a promising therapeutic target for lowering Aβ and curing AD. Till date, no proven drug is available for curing AD because of the nonexistence of crystal/NMR structure of GSAP. Thus in the present study, for the first time, we adopted in silico method to predict the 3D structure of GSAP via comparative modeling and studied the architecture and function of GSAP through simulation studies. Docking studies with 4153 phytochemicals revealed that GSAP having a better binding affinity with macaflavanone C, (E)‐1‐[2,4‐dihydroxy‐3‐(3‐methylbut‐2‐enyl)phenyl]‐3‐(2,2‐dimethyl‐8‐hydroxy‐2H‐benzopyran‐6‐yl)prop‐2‐en‐1‐one, and monachosorin B as compared with the standard drug, imatinib. Further, the molecular dynamics analysis suggested that only two phytochemicals, namely, macaflavanone C and (E)‐1‐[2,4‐dihydroxy‐3‐(3‐methylbut‐2‐enyl)phenyl]‐3‐(2,2‐dimethyl‐8‐hydroxy‐2H‐benzopyran‐6‐yl)prop‐2‐en‐1‐one) significantly disrupt the original property of GSAP and also cleared the absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion test. These natural compounds may be utilized in future for curing AD after further investigations.
On the accurate estimation of free energies using the jarzynski equality
Authors: Arrar Mehrnoosh , Boubeta Fernando Martín , Szretter Maria Eugenia , Sued Mariela , Boechi Leonardo , Rodriguez Daniela
Published: December 2018

The Jarzynski equality is one of the most widely celebrated and scrutinized nonequilibrium work theorems, relating free energy to the external work performed in nonequilibrium transitions. In practice, the required ensemble average of the Boltzmann weights of infinite nonequilibrium transitions is estimated as a finite sample average, resulting in the so‐called Jarzynski estimator, . Alternatively, the second‐order approximation of the Jarzynski equality, though seldom invoked, is exact for Gaussian distributions and gives rise to the Fluctuation‐Dissipation estimator . Here we derive the parametric maximum‐likelihood estimator (MLE) of the free energy considering unidirectional work distributions belonging to Gaussian or Gamma families, and compare this estimator to . We further consider bidirectional work distributions belonging to the same families, and compare the corresponding bidirectional to the Bennett acceptance ratio () estimator. We show that, for Gaussian unidirectional work distributions, is in fact the parametric MLE of the free energy, and as such, the most efficient estimator for this statistical family. We observe that and perform better than and , for unidirectional and bidirectional distributions, respectively. These results illustrate that the characterization of the underlying work distribution permits an optimal use of the Jarzynski equality. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Lycorine inhibits melanoma cell migration and metastasis mainly through reducing intracellular levels of β‐catenin and matrix metallopeptidase 9
Authors: Zhang Pan , Zhang Mengli , Yu Di , Liu Wenming , Hu Lin , Zhang Bin , Zhou Quansheng , Cao Zhifei
Published: December 2018

Metastatic melanoma accounts for 60% of death for skin cancer. Although great efforts have been made to treat the disease, effective drugs against metastatic melanoma still lack at the clinical setting. In the current study, we found that lycorine, a small molecule of isoquinoline alkaloid, significantly suppressed melanoma cell migration and invasion in vitro, and decreased the metastasis of melanoma cells to lung tissues in tumor‐bearing mice, resulting in significant prolongation of the survival of the mice without obvious toxicity. Molecular mechanistic studies revealed that lycorine significantly reduced intracellular levels of β‐catenin protein through degradation of the protein via the ubiquitin–proteasome pathway, and decreased the expression of β‐catenin downstream prometastatic matrix metallopeptidase 9 and Axin2 genes. Collectively, our findings support the notion that targeting the oncogenic β‐catenin by lycorine is a new option to inhibit melanoma cell metastasis, providing a good drug candidate potential for development novel therapeutics against metastatic melanoma.
Protective role of microRNA‐374 against myocardial ischemia‐reperfusion injury in mice following thoracic epidural anesthesia by downregulating dystrobrevin alpha‐mediated Notch1 axis
Authors: Zhao Zheng , Zhao Yun , Ying‐Chun Li , Zhao Lei , Zhang Wei , Yang Jian‐Guo
Published: December 2018

Ischemia‐reperfusion (I/R) injury often leads to myocardial apoptosis and necrosis. Studies have demonstrated the role microRNAs (miRs) played in myocardial I/R injury. Thus, we established a myocardial I/R injury model and a thoracic epidural anesthesia (TEA) model in mice to explore whether microRNA‐374 (miR‐374) affects myocardial I/R injury. We collected myocardial tissues to evaluate whether TEA exerts a protection effect on myocardial tissues. In addition, the levels of miR‐374, dystrobrevin alpha (DTNA), and the statue of the Notch1 axis were detected. Subsequently, cardiomyocytes extracted from TEA mice were treated to regulate their levels of miR‐374 and DTNA. After that, cell viability, cell cycle distribution, and apoptosis of cardiomyocytes were assessed. This was followed by the detection of the myocardial infarction area. The mice models of myocardial I/R injury were associated with poorly expressed miR‐374 and highly expressed DTNA. TEA was found to protect myocardial tissues against myocardial I/R injury by elevating miR‐374 and reducing DTNA. Dual‐luciferase reporter assay validated that DTNA was the target gene of miR‐374. Cardiomyocytes with overexpressed miR‐374 were shown to have downregulated DTNA levels and blocked Notch1 axis. Overexpressed miR‐374 was also found to promote the viability and inhibit the apoptosis of cardiomyocytes, as well as to increase the number of cells arrested in the S phase. In accordance with this, the myocardial infarction area was decreased with the upregulated miR‐347 and downregulated DTNA. Collectively, these results demonstrated that, by inhibiting the activity of DTNA‐mediated Notch1 axis, miR‐374 could protect against myocardial I/R injury in mice after TEA.
Endoplasmic reticulum stress and unfolded protein response profile in quadriceps of sarcopenic patients with respiratory diseases
Authors: Barreiro Esther , Salazar‐Degracia Anna , Sancho‐Muñoz Antonio , Gea Joaquim
Published: December 2018

Impaired muscle strength and mass (sarcopenia) are common in patients with respiratory cachexia, namely chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and in lung cancer (LC)‐cachexia. Misfolded/unfolded proteins in endoplasmic reticulum (ER) induce the compensatory unfolded protein response (UPR). Expression of ER stress and UPR markers may be differentially upregulated in vastus lateralis (VL) of patients with respiratory sarcopenia associated with either a chronic condition (COPD) or subacute (LC)‐cachexia. In VL specimens from 40 COPD patients (n = 21, sarcopenic, fat‐free mass index [FFMI] 16 kg/m2 and n = 19, nonsarcopenic, FFMI 18 kg/m2), 13 patients with LC‐cachexia (FFMI 17 kg/m2), and 19 healthy controls (FFMI 19 kg/m
2), expression markers of ER stress, UPR (protein kinase‐like ER kinase [PERK], activating transcription factor [ATF] 6, and inositol‐requiring enzyme [IRE] 1‐α), oxidative stress, autophagy, proteolysis, and apoptosis (reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and immunoblotting), and fiber atrophy (histology) were assessed. Atrophy and muscle wasting and weakness were seen in both groups of sarcopenic patients. Compared to healthy controls, in muscles of LC‐cachexia patients, expression of ER stress markers and UPR (three arms) was significantly upregulated, while in sarcopenic COPD, expression of a few ER stress markers and IRE1‐α arm was upregulated. ER stress and an exaggerated UPR were observed in the VL muscle of patients with respiratory sarcopenia. The three branches of UPR were similarly upregulated in muscles of cancer cachectic patients, whereas in sarcopenic COPD patients, only IRE1 was upregulated. The differential profile of muscle UPR in chronic and subacute respiratory conditions offers a niche for the design of specific novel therapeutic approaches.
Reactions of 4‐Hydroxyquinolin‐2(1H)‐ones with Acenaphthoquinone: Synthesis of New 1,2‐Dihydroacenaphthylene‐spiro‐tetrakis(4‐hydroxyquinolin‐2(1H)‐ones)
Authors: Aly Ashraf A. , Ramadan Mohamed , El‐Reedy Ahmed A. M.
Published: December 2018

Reaction of four equivalents of 4‐hydroxyquinolin‐2(1H)‐ones with one equivalent of acenaphthoquinone in absolute ethanol, containing catalytic triethylamine, gave 3,3′,3″,3‴‐(1,2‐dihydroacenaphthylene)‐1,1,2,2‐tetrayl‐tetrakis(4‐hydroxyquinolin‐2(1H)‐ones) in a good to excellent yields. The structures of the products were elucidated by 1H NMR, 13C NMR, NMR, IR, mass spectra, and elemental analyses.
Specialized High‐Protein Oral Nutrition Supplement Improves Home Nutrient Intake of Malnourished Older Adults Without Decreasing Usual Food Intake
Authors: Loman Brett R. , Luo Menghua , Baggs Geraldine E. , Mitchell Diane C. , Nelson Jeffrey L. , Ziegler Thomas R. , Deutz Nicolaas E. , Matarese Laura E. ,   NOURISH Study Group
Published: December 2018

Background

Reduced nutrient intake is common in patients after hospitalization, contributing to increased risk for readmission and mortality. Oral nutrition supplements can improve nutrition status and clinical outcomes, but intake of food is prioritized by clinicians. This study examines the impact of a high‐protein oral nutrition supplement (S‐ONS) on nutrient intake post discharge.

Methods

In a subset of patients (14 S‐ONS and 16 placebo) from the NOURISH (Nutrition effect On Unplanned ReadmIssions and Survival in Hospitalized patients) trial, 24‐hour dietary recalls were conducted on 3 randomly selected days during the weeks of 30, 60, and 90 days post discharge. Nutrient intake was estimated using Nutrition Data System for Research software. Adequate energy and protein intake were defined as 30 kcal/kg/d and 1.2 g/kg/d, respectively. Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs) were used for other nutrients.

Results

Less than half of patients met the requirements for energy, protein, and 12 micronutrients from food intake alone during the study. Energy and protein intakes from food were not diminished relative to placebo. Considering nutrient intake from both food and S‐ONS, 50% and 71% of patients receiving S‐ONSs met energy and protein goals respectively at 90 days (compared with 29% and 36%, in the placebo group), and 100% met the DRI for total carbohydrate, iron, phosphorus, copper, selenium, thiamin, and riboflavin at all time points, all of which were consumed at higher amounts vs placebo.

Conclusion

Three months of S‐ONS consumption increases intake of numerous nutrients without decreasing nutrient intake from food in older malnourished adults post discharge.
High monosilicic acid supply rapidly increases Na accumulation in maize roots by decreasing external Ca2+ activity
Authors: Bosnic Predrag , Pavlicevic Milica , Nikolic Nina , Nikolic Miroslav
Published: December 2018

Both calcium (Ca2+) and silicon (Si) improve plant performance under salt (NaCl) stress. Although these two mineral elements share numerous similarities, the information on how their extracellular interactions in the root apoplast affect uptake of sodium (Na+) is still lacking. Here, we investigated the effect of high Si supply in the bioavailable form of monosilicic acid (H4SiO4) on the activity of Ca2+ in the external root solution, and subsequent root uptake and compartmentation of Na in maize (Zea mays L.). In the short‐term experiments (6 h), 14‐d‐old maize plants were exposed to various concentrations of Ca2+ at three different pH‐values (6.5, 7.5, and 8.5) and two Si concentrations, i.e., low (1 mM) and high (4 mM) supply of H4SiO4. The activity of Ca2+ and Na+ in the external solution as well as the root concentrations of total and cell sap and BaCl2‐exchangeble apoplastic fractions of both elements were analyzed. The pH of the nutrient solution affected neither the ion activities nor the root accumulation of both Ca2+ and Na+. At higher pH values (7.5 and 8.5) the interactions of Ca2+ and Si at high Si supply led to a decrease of Ca2+ activity and, hence, an increase of Na+ : Ca2+ activity ratio in the external root solution. Concomitantly, despite the elevated exchangeable apoplastic fraction of both Ca2+ and Na+, the total and cell sap concentrations were remarkably decreased for Ca2+ and increased for Na+ by the addition of 4 mM H4SiO4. This work demonstrates that at high Si supply extracellular Ca‐Si interactions leading to lowered activity of Ca2+ might rapidly compromise the ameliorative effect of Ca2+ on Na+ accumulation in roots. Practically, Si over‐fertilization of saline and, in particular, sodic soils may further promote the accumulation of Na+ in root tissues hours after Si application and, hence, increase a potential risk of Na+ toxicity.
The online destination brand experience: Development of a sensorial–cognitive–conative model
Authors: Jiménez Barreto Jano , Rubio Natalia , Campo Martínez Sara
Published: December 2018

Online experiences preceding actual visits to tourist destinations have emerged as a relevant source of travel motivation. This study analyzes the online destination brand experiences resulting from user interactions with official websites on two competing destinations. The results support the expected mediator role for the online destination brand experiences between perceived website quality, user attitudes, and intention to visit and recommend the destination, as well as the directionality of the sensorial‐to‐cognitive experience. Significant differences are observed depending on the users' prior experience with the destination and their generational cohort (millennials vs. nonmillennials). Important implications for destination management are also discussed.
A critical analysis of Vacca, A., Aru, F., and Ollesch, G. (2017). Short‐term impact of coppice management on soil in a Quercus ilex L. Stand in Sardinia. Land Degradation & Development, 28(2), 553–565
Authors: Giadrossich Filippo , Guastini Enrico
Published: December 2018

Inappropriate forest management degrades the quality of soil resources. Soil erosion, for instance, leads to decreased soil fertility and landscape quality. Coppice‐wood management includes risk factors for soil erosion due to the partial and temporary lack of soil cover, and this review highlights the importance of considering both an adequate methodology and objective interpretation of findings.

This critical review was carried out due to the substantial deficiencies in the research design and methodology, analysis and interpretation of data, and conclusions in the paper that are not supported by their findings. In this paper, we provide a different interpretation of their data, which reveals absence of substantial risk of soil erosion, even in the short period after coppicing when the soil is most exposed. We aim to provide a clearer context for readers about the impact of coppice management in Quercus ilex stands in the south of Sardinia.
The domain of definition of the quaternionic Monge–Ampère operator
Authors: Wan Dongrui
Published: December 2018

In this paper, we give an equivalent characterization of the domain of definition for the quaternionic Monge–Ampère operator, by using the theory of quaternionic closed positive current we established in [17–19]. This domain of definition for the complex Monge–Ampère operator was introduced by Blocki [7,8].
Complex projective structures with maximal number of Möbius transformations
Authors: Faraco Gianluca , Ruffoni Lorenzo
Published: December 2018

We consider complex projective structures on Riemann surfaces and their groups of projective automorphisms. We show that the structures achieving the maximal possible number of projective automorphisms allowed by their genus are precisely the Fuchsian uniformizations of Hurwitz surfaces by hyperbolic metrics. More generally we show that Galois Belyĭ curves are precisely those Riemann surfaces for which the Fuchsian uniformization is the unique complex projective structure invariant under the full group of biholomorphisms.
Peanut Suspension Crosslinking by Means of Microbial Transglutaminase Studied with the Indentation Technique
Authors: Basse Benoît , d'Huart Jean‐Baptiste , Lorand Jean‐Paul , Dupas Jean‐Pierre , Saiter Jean‐Marc
Published: December 2018

This work deals with the ability to get a three dimensional network with a peanut suspension crosslinked with a microbial transglutaminase (mTG) enzyme. Suspensions (made of solid particles suspended in water) composed of grinded white peanut mixed with water (dry extract = 40%) were incubated with_mTG (0.3% w/w) after alteration of the ionic strength. The ionic strengths were adjusted with NaCl on a range from Ic = 0 mol/L to Ic = 1.2 mol/L. The strength of the assembled structure was then assessed using penetrometry in order to evaluate the impact of the ionic strength on the gel strength of the newly‐formed complex. The scope of gel strengths obtained fluctuates between a minimum of 0.25 N for the condition Ic = 0 mol/L and a maximum of 0.80 N for the condition Ic = 0.8 mol/L. It has also been found that other parameters such as the temperature and the time of incubation have a lesser impact on the final strength of the product. The end‐product of this enzymatic catalysis discloses chemical gel‐like properties, such as irreversible liquid–solid transition with a visco‐elastico‐plastic response to indentation assessment.
Synthesis and Characterization of Polystyrene (PS)/Modified Ni‐Al LDH Nanocomposite: Role of Composition, Modifier and Synthesis Route of Layered Double Hydroxides (LDH)
Authors: Arulmurugan Preethi , Manikandan Natarajan Arul , Pugazhenthi Gopal
Published: December 2018

Layered double hydroxides (LDH) are two‐dimensional nanostructured materials, which impart flame retardancy property and improvement in various properties on incorporation into the polymer matrix. In this study, Ni‐Al LDH with a molar ratio of 2:1 and 3:1 (2NiAl and 3NiAl) was prepared by co‐precipitation method and Ni‐Al LDH with a molar ratio of 2:1 (NiAl urea) was also synthesized by the urea hydrolysis method. As the d‐spacing of these as‐synthesized LDHs is very small (≈0.8 nm) as well as hydrophilic in nature, hence, the unmodified LDHs are unsuitable for polymer nanocomposite preparation. In order to enhance the d‐spacing of LDHs, a simple regeneration method was employed to organically modify LDHs using two anionic surfactants such as sodium dodecyl benzene sulfate (SDBS) and sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS). The hydrophobic tail of these anionic surfactants replaced the nitrate ions present in the unmodified LDHs leading to higher d‐spacing value, which was evident from XRD analysis. The above prepared LDHs (3 wt%) were incorporated into PS matrix by the solvent blending method to make PS nanocomposites. The 003 peak of modified LDHs did not appear in the XRD pattern of PS nanocomposites due to the disorientation of LDH layers in the PS matrix that was confirmed by TEM analysis. The TGA results clearly demonstrated that the thermal stability of the PS nanocomposite samples was increased by 26, 22 and 22 °C (PS/2NiAl SDS, PS/3NiAl SDS, and PS/NiAl urea SDS) for SDS modified LDH fillers, while in the case of SDBS modified LDH fillers, the improvement was around 32 °C in comparison with PS, when 15% weight loss was taken as a reference. The degradation mechanism, thermal degradation kinetics, and integral procedural decomposition temperature (IPDT) for all the nanocomposite systems were also evaluated using Criado method, Coats‐Redfern method, and Doyle's method, respectively. The effect of dispersion of the modified LDH fillers into PS matrix was examined using melt rheological analysis.
Effect of Titanium Dioxide and Carbon Nanotubes on Polyaniline Nanocomposites for Heavy Metals Removal
Authors: Khong Choy H. , Teh Geok B. , Phang Sook W.
Published: December 2018

The objective of this research is to investigate the effect of incorporation of titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles, single‐walled carbon nanotube (SWNT) and multi‐walled carbon nanotube (MWNT) in polyaniline (PAni) nanocomposites for heavy metals removal application. Nanocomposites of PAni/HA, PAni/HA/TiO2, PAni/HA/TiO2/SWNT and PAni/HA/TiO2/MWNT were synthesised using template free method and their chemical structures were examined by Fourier transform infra‐red (FTIR) Spectrophotometry and X‐ray Diffractometry (XRD). The surface morphology, thermal behavior and electrical conductivity were studied via scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thermogravimetry (TGA) analyses and resistivity meter, respectively. The incorporation of TiO2 nanoparticles in PAni nanocomposites improved the thermal stability but reduced the electrical conductivity of pristine PAni from 2.1 × 10−1 S/cm to 1.5 × 10−1 S/cm. The incorporation of SWNT in PAni nanocomposites improved the thermal stability and enhanced the electrical conductivity of PAni nanocomposites from 2.1 × 10−1 S/cm (pristine PAni) to 7.5 × 10−1 S/cm. The flame atomic absorption spectroscopy (FAAS) was used in the determination of the efficacy in heavy metals removal. It was found that the efficiency in heavy metals removal by PAni/HA/TiO2/SWNT had the ascending order of Pb2+ < Cd2+ < Cu2+ < Fe3+. PAni/HA/TiO2/MWNT showed the highest heavy metals removal efficiency at 94% for Fe3+ ions within 4 h of contact time due to its improved thermal stability and moderate conductivity of 3.5 × 10−1 S/cm. The PAni/HA/TiO2/MWNT showed desirable performance in heavy metals removal (Fe3+ ions) with desirable recyclability up to 7 cycles and enhanced selectivity toward Fe3+ ions with a high removal efficiency of 85% in the presence of other interfering cation ions.
Rapid dual‐RF, dual‐echo, 3D ultrashort echo time craniofacial imaging: A feasibility study
Authors: Lee Hyunyeol , Zhao Xia , Song Hee Kwon , Zhang Rosaline , Bartlett Scott P. , Wehrli Felix W.
Published: December 2018

Purpose

To develop a dual‐radiofrequency (RF), dual‐echo, 3D ultrashort echo‐time (UTE) pulse sequence and bone‐selective image reconstruction for rapid high‐resolution craniofacial MRI.

Methods

The proposed pulse sequence builds on recently introduced dual‐RF UTE imaging. While yielding enhanced bone specificity by exploiting high sensitivity of short T2 signals to variable RF pulse widths, the parent technique exacts a 2‐fold scan time penalty relative to standard dual‐echo UTE. In the proposed method, the parent sequence’s dual‐RF scheme was incorporated into dual‐echo acquisitions while radial view angles are varied every pulse‐to‐pulse repetition period. The resulting 4 echoes (2 for each RF) were combined by view‐sharing to construct 2 sets of k‐space data sets, corresponding to short and long TEs, respectively, leading to a 2‐fold increase in imaging efficiency. Furthermore, by exploiting the sparsity of bone signals in echo‐difference images, acceleration was achieved by solving a bone‐sparsity constrained image reconstruction problem. In vivo studies were performed to evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed acceleration approaches in comparison to the parent method.

Results

The proposed technique achieves 1.1‐mm isotropic skull imaging in 3 minutes without visual loss of image quality, compared to the parent technique (scan time = 12 minutes). Bone‐specific images and corresponding 3D renderings of the skull were found to depict the expected craniofacial anatomy over the entire head.

Conclusion

The proposed method is able to achieve high‐resolution volumetric craniofacial images in a clinically practical imaging time, and thus may prove useful as a potential alternative to computed tomography.
Cosmic muon imaging: a challenging application to investigate deeper volcanic structures in Canary Islands, Spain
Authors: Hernández Pedro A. , Miyamoto Seigo , Tiukov Valery , Barrancos José , Sirignano Chiara , Nishiyama Ryuichi , Tanaka Hiroyuki , Pérez Nemesio
Published: December 2018

Muon radiography of volcanoes has become a promising technique to investigate density contrasts in active volcanoes with a spatial resolution unreachable for conventional geophysical techniques. Experiments performed at volcanoes such as Asama, Showa‐Shinzan and Satsuma‐Iwojima, all in Japan, have provided new insights for volcanologists and scientists in general. In this paper, we discuss the very challenging application of muon radiography to investigate deeper volcanic structures such as Teide volcano in Tenerife and Cumbre Vieja in La Palma, Canary Islands, due to the strong social interest emerging from the potential danger which they represent. Applications to other volcanoes can be envisaged. The emulsion films exposed at Canary Islands, as described in this paper, are under analysis and results will soon be available.
Effect of Birth Weight and Early Pregnancy BMI on Risk for Pregnancy Complications
Authors: Andraweera Prabha H. , Dekker Gus , Leemaqz Shalem , McCowan Lesley , Myers Jenny , Kenny Louise , Walker James , Poston Lucilla , Roberts Claire T. ,   the SCOPE Consortium
Published: December 2018

Objective

This study investigated the influence of birth weight on the risk of pregnancy complications, including preeclampsia (PE), gestational hypertension (GH), small for gestational age (SGA) pregnancy, spontaneous preterm birth, and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), and assessed the effect of early pregnancy BMI on this relationship.

Methods

A total of 5,336 nulliparous women from the SCreening fOr Pregnancy Endpoints (SCOPE) study were included. Women’s birth weights were self‐reported and confirmed via medical records when possible. A birth weight of 3,000 to 3,499 g was considered the reference.

Results

After adjusting for confounders, birth weight < 2,500 g was associated with increased risk of GH (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 2.2, 95% CI = 1.3‐3.7), PE (aOR = 1.7, 95% CI = 1.0‐2.9), small for gestational age (aOR = 1.9, 95% CI = 1.1‐3.2), and GDM (aOR = 2.4, 95% CI = 1.0‐5.8) compared with the referent. Women born with birth weight < 2,500 g and who subsequently developed overweight or were diagnosed with obesity were at increased risk of GH (aOR = 2.2, 95% CI = 1.1‐4.5), PE (aOR = 2.3, 95% CI = 1.2‐4.5), and GDM (aOR = 3.2, 95% CI = 1.1‐9.5) compared with women with birth weight ≥ 2,500 g and remained lean.

Conclusions

Women who were born with a low birth weight are at increased risk of pregnancy complications. Those born small may have undergone “programming” in response to unfavorable intrauterine conditions. In such women, the physiological demands of pregnancy may act as a “second hit,” leading to pregnancy complications.
MicroRNA‐374b induces endothelial‐to‐mesenchymal transition and early lesion formation through the inhibition of MAPK7 signaling
Authors: Vanchin Byambasuren , Offringa Emma , Friedrich Julian , Brinker Marja GL , Kiers Bianca , Pereira Alexandre C , Harmsen Martin C , Moonen Jan‐Renier AJ , Krenning Guido
Published: December 2018

Endothelial–mesenchymal transition occurs during intimal hyperplasia and neointima formation via mechanisms that are incompletely understood. Endothelial MAPK7 signaling is a key mechanosensitive factor that protects against endothelial–mesenchymal transition, but its signaling activity is lost in vessel areas that are undergoing pathological remodeling. At sites of vascular remodeling in mice and pigs, endothelial MAPK7 signaling was lost. The TGFβ‐induced microRNA‐374b targets MAPK7 and its downstream effectors in endothelial cells, and its expression induces endothelial–mesenchymal transition. Gain‐of‐function experiments, where endothelial MAPK7 signaling was restored, precluded endothelial–mesenchymal transition. In human coronary artery disease, disease severity is associated with decreased MAPK7 expression levels and increased miR‐374b expression levels. Endothelial–mesenchymal transition occurs in intimal hyperplasia and early lesion formation and is governed in part by microRNA‐374b‐induced silencing of MAPK7 signaling. Restoration of MAPK7 signaling abrogated these pathological effects in endothelial cells expressing miR‐374b. Thus, our data suggest that the TGFβ‐miR‐374b‐MAPK7 axis plays a key role in the induction of endothelial–mesenchymal transition during intimal hyperplasia and early lesion formation and might pose an interesting target for antiatherosclerosis therapy. © 2018 The Authors. The Journal of Pathology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland.
Semi‐preparative isolation and purification of phenolic compounds from Achyrocline satureioides (Lam) D.C. by high‐performance counter‐current chromatography
Authors: Bianchi Sara Elis , Kaiser Samuel , Pittol Vanessa , Doneda Eduarda , De Souza Kellen Cristhinia Borges , Bassani Valquiria Linck
Published: December 2018

Introduction

Phenolic compounds present in Achyrocline satureioides are known to have therapeutic benefits like antioxidant, anti‐inflammatory, and antitumour properties. The main polyphenols present in the plant are quercetin (QCT), luteolin (LUT), 3‐O‐methylquercetin (3OMQ), and achyrobichalcone (ACB). However, the effective isolation and purification of these compounds from A. satureioides inflorescences are not an easy task.

Objective

To develop an efficient high‐performance counter‐current chromatography (HPCCC) method for quick separation and purification of naturally occurring phenolic compounds from the extract of A. satureioides.

Methodology

A two‐step HPCCC semi‐preparative isolation method was developed using a solvent system composed of n‐hexane/ethyl acetate/methanol/water (0.8:1.0:0.8:1.0) and dichloromethane/methanol/water (3.5:3.5:2.5).

Results

The HPCCC method was used to obtain two fractions. The first fraction (F1) contained high levels of ACB, among other constituents, while the second fraction (F2) contained mostly QCT, LUT, and 3OMQ. Besides the high ACB content, F1 contained three other flavonoid‐aglycones (kaempferol, 97.3%; isokaempferide, 92.4%; and 3,3′‐di‐O‐methylquercetin, 95.2%) identified by an ultra‐performance liquid chromatography system coupled to a quadrupole time‐of‐flight with high‐definition mass spectrometry (UPLC‐QTOF/HDMS) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) analysis. Purity levels of ACB, 3OMQ, QCT, and LUT were 98.0, 97.0, 97.5, and 90.2%, respectively.

Conclusion

This is the first time that high purity ACB and six other flavonoids were obtained from A. satureioides inflorescences by HPCCC. These excellent results reveal the potential and versatility of HPCCC as a technique to produce different types of products from this plant species on a semi‐preparative scale: enriched fractions, new metabolites, or high purity compounds.
Dust Explosion Propagation in Small Diameter Pipes
Authors: Taveau Jérôme , Lemkowitz Saul , Hochgreb Simone , Roekaerts Dirk
Published: December 2018

In facilities handling combustible dusts, the isolation of propagating deflagrations requires great attention due to the potential catastrophic consequences of secondary dust explosions. While the ability of dust explosions to propagate is widely recognized, some misconceptions still exist. One of the common myths is that a dust explosion cannot propagate through small diameter pipes and that explosion isolation may not be required in that case.

This article first presents a simplified theory of flame propagation in pipes. Dust explosion experiments performed in industrial‐scale pipes smaller or equal to 4 in (or 100 mm) in diameter are then reviewed. The findings of the experiments are interpreted in the light of the simplified theory.

Our study reveals that dust explosion propagation has been consistently observed in pipes with a diameter as small as 1 in. While the likelihood of flame propagation seems to decrease with pipe diameter and other “chemical” and “engineering” factors, it remains a realistic scenario and therefore should be addressed in the design and operation of powder handling systems. © 2018 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Process Saf Prog 38: e12033, 2019
Efficient somatic and germline genome engineering of Bactrocera dorsalis by the CRISPR/Cas9 system
Authors: Zhao Santao , Xing Zengzhu , Liu Zhonggeng , Liu Yanhui , Liu Xiangrui , Chen Zhe , Li Jiahui , Yan Rihui
Published: December 2018

BACKGROUND

Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel), a very destructive insect pest of many fruits and vegetables, is widespread in many Asian countries. To facilitate control of this pest, it is essential to investigate its genetics and gene function using targeted gene disruption.

RESULTS

Here, we describe successful targeted mutagenesis of the white and transformer genes in B. dorsalis through use of the clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats/CRISPR‐associated 9 (CRISPR/Cas9) system. Co‐injection of the white sgRNA and Cas9 mRNA into B. dorsalis embryos caused eye color change, and the white mutations in the germline were heritable. CRISPR‐mediated knockout of the sex determination gene transformer (tra) in B. dorsalis resulted in a male‐biased sex ratio and adult flies with abnormal outer and interior reproductive organs. Small indels and substitutions were induced by CRIRPR for both genes.

CONCLUSION

Our data demonstrate that somatic and germline genome engineering of the pest B. dorsalis can be performed efficiently using the CRISPR/Cas9 system, opening the door to the use of the CRISPR‐mediated method for functional annotations of genes in B. dorsalis and for its population control using, for example, such as gene drive. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry
Controller design for a class of nontriangular nonlinear systems with input dependent growth rate
Authors: Zha Wenting , Qian Chunjiang , Yan Song
Published: December 2018

In this paper, we consider the global control problem for a class of high‐order nonlinear systems in the nontriangular form. Compared with the existing results, the growth rate of the nonlinearities depends on the control input, which cannot be dominated by the traditional constant gain. Under the assumption that the nonlinear terms satisfy the homogeneous growth conditions, a dynamic state‐feedback controller is elaborately designed to stabilize the system based on the adding a power integrator technique and the domination methodology. Moreover, by choosing the dynamic gain appropriately, the assumptions on the nonlinearities can be further relaxed to the polynomial case. Numerical simulations are provided to show the effectiveness of the proposed control laws.
Stability and stabilization of continuous‐time switched systems: A multiple discontinuous convex Lyapunov function approach
Authors: Wang Ruihua , Hou Linlin , Zong Guangdeng , Fei Shumin , Yang Dong
Published: December 2018

In this paper, the problems of stability and stabilization are considered for a class of switched linear systems with slow switching and fast switching. A multiple convex Lyapunov function and a multiple discontinuous convex Lyapunov function are first introduced, under which the extended stability and stabilization results are derived with a mode‐dependent average dwell time switching strategy, where slow switching and fast switching are exerted on stable and unstable subsystems, respectively. These two types of Lyapunov functions are established in a constructive manner by virtue of a set of time‐varying functions. By using our proposed approaches, larger stability regions of system parameters are identified, and tighter bounds can be obtained for the mode‐dependent average dwell time. New mode‐dependent and time‐varying controllers are constructed for a class of switched control systems with stabilizable and unstabilizable subsystems as well. All the stability and stabilization conditions can be given in terms of strict linear matrix inequalities (LMIs), which can be checked easily by using recently developed algorithms in solving LMIs. Finally, two numerical examples are provided to show the effectiveness of the obtained results compared with the existing results.
Efficient Cytosolic Delivery Using Crystalline Nanoflowers Assembled from Fluorinated Peptoids
Authors: Song Yang , Wang Mingming , Li Suiqiong , Jin Haibao , Cai Xiaoli , Du Dan , Li He , Chen Chun‐Long , Lin Yuehe
Published: December 2018

The design and synthesis of biocompatible nanomaterials as cargoes for the intracellular delivery of therapeutic proteins or genes have attracted intense attention because of their potential for use in therapeutics. Despite the advances in this area, very few nanomaterials can be efficiently delivered to the cytosol. To address these challenges, crystalline nanoflower‐like particles are designed and synthesized from fluorinated sequence‐defined peptoids; the crystallinity and fluorination of these particles enable highly efficient cytosolic delivery with minimal cytotoxicity. A cytosol delivery rate of 80% has been achieved for the fluorinated peptoid nanoflowers. Furthermore, these nanocrystals can carry therapeutic genes, such as mRNA and effectively deliver the payload into the cytosol, demonstrating the universal delivery capability of the nanocrystals. The results indicate that self‐assembly of crystalline nanomaterials from fluorinated peptoids paves a new way toward development of nanocargoes with efficient cytosolic gene delivery capability.
MoS2/NiS Yolk–Shell Microsphere‐Based Electrodes for Overall Water Splitting and Asymmetric Supercapacitor
Authors: Qin Qing , Chen Lulu , Wei Tao , Liu Xien
Published: December 2018

Rational designing of the composition and structure of electrode material is of great significance for achieving highly efficient energy storage and conversion in electrochemical energy devices. Herein, MoS2/NiS yolk–shell microspheres are successfully synthesized via a facile ionic liquid‐assisted one‐step hydrothermal method. With the favorable interface effect and hollow structure, the electrodes assembled with MoS2/NiS hybrid microspheres present remarkably enhanced electrochemical performance for both overall water splitting and asymmetric supercapacitors. In particular, to deliver a current density of 10 mA cm−2, the MoS2/NiS‐based electrolysis cell for overall water splitting only needs an output voltage of 1.64 V in the alkaline medium, lower than that of Pt/C–IrO2‐based electrolysis cells (1.70 V). As an electrode for supercapacitors, the MoS2/NiS hybrid microspheres exhibit a specific capacitance of 1493 F g−1 at current density of 0.2 A g−1, and remain 1165 F g−1 even at a large current density of 2 A g−1, implying outstanding charge storage capacity and excellent rate performance. The MoS2/NiS‐ and active carbon‐based asymmetric supercapacitor manifests a maximum energy density of 31 Wh kg−1 at a power density of 155.7 W kg−1, and remarkable cycling stability with a capacitance retention of approximately 100% after 10 000 cycles.
Magnetic “Squashing” of Circulating Tumor Cells on Plasmonic Substrates for Ultrasensitive NIR Fluorescence Detection
Authors: Zhang Ru , Le Biao , Xu Wei , Guo Kai , Sun Xuming , Su Haiyang , Huang Lin , Huang Jingyi , Shen Ting , Liao Tao , Liang Yongye , Zhang John X. J. , Dai Hongjie , Qian Kun
Published: December 2018

Detection of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in patient's blood is an important approach to cancer diagnosis and prognosis, but has been challenging due to the rarity of cells. Here, a magnetic‐enhanced capturing of CTCs onto a plasmonic gold (pGOLD) chip, through a microfluidic immunomagnetic method, is demonstrated. Owing to the squashed/flattened morphology of cancer cells by magnetic forces and the resulting close proximity of near‐infrared (NIR) labels on cells to the pGOLD surface, an ultrahigh NIR fluorescence enhancement of ≈50–120‐fold is observed, drastically enhancing the ability of CTC detection, imaging, and analysis. Fluorescence enhanced, multiplexed protein biomarkers detection of CTCs is conducted for cancer cell spiked samples as well as CTCs in cancer patient's blood. Low CTC concentrations are detected down to ≈1 cell mL−1 with capture efficiency up to ≈90%. Mechanical manipulation of cells by magnetic and other forces on plasmonic substrates represents a promising approach to ultrasensitive bio‐analytical applications.
The influence of green energy investments on environmental quality in OECD countries
Authors: Ganda Fortune
Published: December 2018

This empirical study analyzes the relationship between green energy investments on environmental quality in Organisation for Economic Co‐operation and Development (OECD) countries from 2000 to 2014. Environmental quality was disaggregated into five widely known proxies: carbon emissions, greenhouse gases, carbon monoxide, sulfur oxides, and nitrogen oxides. On one hand, using the system‐Generalized Method of Moments estimator, the results of this paper demonstrate that renewable energy investments, primary energy supply, and economic growth produces negative and significant relationships with the growth of carbon emissions, greenhouse gases, carbon monoxide, sulfur oxides, and nitrogen oxides. On the other hand, the interaction term between renewable energy and primary energy supply shows positive and significant associations with all environmental quality indicators. Furthermore, the present study finds a U‐shaped relationship between environmental quality and income for carbon emissions, greenhouse gases, carbon monoxide, sulfur oxides, and nitrogen oxides, which did not completely confirm existence of the environmental Kuznets curve. Therefore, the overall findings of the paper suggest that renewable energy adoption is of prime importance in lowering the growth in the emission of harmful gases and combatting climate change, although energy patterns and processes in OECD countries must be revised to ensure that they are environmentally friendly.
‘Harmful Cultural Practices’ and AIDS
Authors: Page Samantha
Published: December 2018

In this chapter I show how ‘harmful cultural practices’ have emerged as a development issue in global conventions and policies over the past ten years starting with current policies and mapping backwards to the first step taken by the UN in 2001 at the United Nations General Assembly Special Session on HIV/AIDS. In the second section I look at the shift from the global to the national level and demonstrate how international policies have influenced national policy on AIDS and harmful cultural practices in Malawi. I use data collected from interviews and documents to show how the Malawian elite have constructed narratives around AIDS and cultural practices in Malawi; that rural people’s backwardness is to blame for high HIV prevalence rates.
How the Church Frames AIDS
Authors: Page Samantha
Published: December 2018

In this chapter I explore the link between religion and AIDS and analyse the influence of the church in shaping the views of the Malawian elite. I demonstrate through my interviews how the attendance of Malawian elites at church has influenced the way they think about AIDS, cultural practices and rural people. I provide the religious context in Malawi. I explore how religious elites perceive cultural practices as negative and backward, positioned against their Christian beliefs they perceive as enlightened. They perceive cultural practices as harmful because they are practiced primarily, perhaps only, in the rural areas by uneducated backward farmers—those who practice them are not modern. Regardless of how the focus on cultural practices deemed to be harmful, it is interesting how the religious elites volunteer information on sexual cultural practices and enjoy talking about them. By referring to the sexual cultural practices at length they distance themselves from the villagers who supposedly carry out these practices and conveniently apportion blame for HIV/AIDS away from them.