bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Enzymatic Kinetic Issues and Controversies Surrounding Gibbs Free Energy of Activation and Arrhenius Activation Energy
Authors: Udema Ikechukwu I. , Onigbinde Abraham Olalere 
Published: January 2020

Background: The equation of the difference between reverse and forward Gibbs free energy of activation (ΔΔGES#) reflects Michaelis-Menten constant (KM) in both directions; this may not be applicable to all enzymes even if the reverse reaction is speculatively Michaelian. Arrhenius activation energy, Ea and (Ea - ΔGES#)/RT) are considered = ΔGES# and KM respectively. The equations are considered unlikely.
Objectives: The objectives of this research are: 1) To derive what is considered as an appropriate equation for the determination of the difference in ΔGES# between the reverse and forward directions, 2) calculate the difference between the reverse and total forward ΔGES#, and 3) show reasons why Ea ≠ ΔGES# in all cases.
Methods: A major theoretical research and experimentation using Bernfeld method.
Results and Discussion: A dimensionless equilibrium constant KES is given. Expectedly, the rate constants were higher at higher temperatures and the free energy of activation with salt was < the Arrhenius activation energy, Ea; ΔΔGES#ranges between 67 - 68 kJ/mol.
Conclusion: The equations for the calculation of the difference in free energy of activation (ΔΔGES#) between the forward and reverse directions and a dimensionless equilibrium constant for the formation of enzyme-substrate (ES) were derivable. The large positive value of the ΔΔGES# shows that the forward reaction is not substantially spontaneous; this is due perhaps, to the nature of substrate. The equality of Arrhenius activation energy (Ea) and ΔGES# may not be ruled out completely but it must not always be the case; the presence of additive like salt can increase the magnitude of Ea well above the values of the ΔGES#. A dimensionless equilibrium constant for the net yield of ES seems to be a better alternative than KM. The Ea unlike ΔGES# requires at least two different temperatures for its calculation.
Molecular Identification of Crude Oil-Degrading Bacteria and Screening for Catechol 2, 3 Dioxygenase (C23O) Gene
Authors: Oluwatoyin Folake Olukunle, 
Published: January 2020

Aims: To identify crude oil-degrading bacteria isolated from polluted soils and waters and screen the presence of catechol 2, 3 dioxygenase (C23O) gene encoding oil-degradation in the strains with the highest degradative activity.
Study Design: Laboratory-experimental design was used in this study.
Place and Duration of Study: Crude oil polluted soils and waters were collected from Awoye, Mese and Oluwa villages in Ondo State, Nigeria and three different flow stations (Agbada-Aluu shell, Obite, and Bonny) in Rivers State, Nigeria.
Methodology: The identities of the isolates were confirmed by extracting their total genomic DNA using standard DNA protocols while a portion of 16S bacterial gene of their DNA was amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using the primers E9F and U1510R and sequenced using Sanger method. Degenerate primers were used to isolate and identify the gene encoding C23O, responsible for the degradation of oil. Molecular cloning of the gene was done by transforming into Escherichia coli DHα. The correct inserts from the selected clones were performed by colony PCR. The isolated gene was sequenced with a Dye terminator sequencing kit and the product was analyzed with Prism DNA sequencer.
Results: The results obtained from the conserved sequence of the 16S rRNA coupled with the nucleotide sequence revealed ten (10) crude oil-degrading bacteria, with CFfab 14 and CFfab 12 having the highest and lowest degrading activity of 78.92 ± 0.9 Unit/mL/h and 43.89 ± 1.3 Unit/mL/h on day 3 respectively.
Conclusion: The gene C23O responsible for the production of catechol 2, 3 dioxygenase was isolated from strains CFfab 5, CFfab 14 and CFfab 15. The nucleotide base sequence of the gene was determined to be 238 bp. It is expected that in bioremediation, indigenous microorganisms from polluted environments should be screened for the possible existence of this unique gene sequence for effectiveness. Further studies could be conducted on the possibility of cloning this C23O gene into other bacteria for more efficiency and effectiveness in the bioremediation process.
Prevalence of Plasmodium falciparum Chloroquine Resistance Transporter (Pfcrt76T) Mutation Associated with Antimalarial Drug Resistance in Two Different Epidemiological Setting (Banfora and Saponé) in Burkina Faso Few Years after the Implementation of Artemisnine Based Combination Therapy (ACTs)
Authors: Nikiema Séni , Sindié Sermé Samuel , Sombié Salif , Diarra Amidou , Bere Henry Noelie , Salimata Badoum Emilie , Aboubacar Coulibaly Sam , Maurice Ouattara San , Moise Kaboré Jean , Wendkuuni Djigma Florencia , Bienvenu Sirima Sodiomon , Simpore Jacques , Soulama Issiaka 
Published: January 2020

Introduction: In spite of considerable progress, malaria remains a public health problem in many areas, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. One major complexity of malaria disease is caused by the development and the spread of vector and parasite resistance to insecticides and antimalarial drugs respectively. The Pfcrt76T gene mutation has been validated as a marker conferring resistance to chloroquine and other antimalarial drugs. The extension of Plasmodium falciparum resistance to commonly used antimalarial drugs (chloroquine, sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine) led to the adoption and the use of artemisinin-based combinations in Burkina Faso since 2005.
Aims: The present study was initiated to assess the prevalence of the Pfcrt76T mutation in two different malaria epidemiological setting after a decade of introduction of artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs) in Burkina Faso.
Methodology: The study population consisted of 181 uncomplicated malaria patients recruited in Banfora and Saponé health districts in 2012 and 2013. Blood samples were collected from finger prick on filter paper, dried and sent to the Molecular Biology Laboratory at Centre National de Recherche et de Formation sur le Paludisme (CNRFP) for molecular analyzes. DNA of Plasmodium falciparum was extracted with DNA extraction kit (Qiagen®) and the Pfcrt76T mutation was determined based on Polymerase Chain Reaction / Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism technique (RFLP).
Results: The results of this study showed that the frequency of the pfcrt76T mutant allele (33.7%) was statistically lower than the Pfcrt76K wild-type allele (57.4%) in the study area. Moreover, the prevalence of Pfcrt76T mutation was neither associated with the patient age nor with the parasite density while a significant difference was observed between the two epidemiological setting, Banfora and Saponé.
Conclusion: The findings of this study has shown a drop in the prevalence of mutant parasites Pfcrt76T in both the study area eight years after the introduction of ACTs compared to previous studies.
Access to Breast Cancer Care in Jos, North Central
Authors: Ale Alexander Femi , Isichei Mercy Wakili , Misauno Michael Ayedima 
Published: January 2020

Aims: This paper seeks to evaluate the extent to which breast cancer patients from two tertiary health care centers in Jos were able to access the different components of breast cancer care.
Background: Breast cancer in low- and middle-income countries is associated with poor outcomes when compared with high-income countries. Numerous studies have identified factors responsible for this, one of them being a lack of access to the various components of breast cancer care. Breast cancer care requires a multimodal approach involving prevention, early detection, diagnosis and treatment, rehabilitation and palliative care. Access to the various modalities of care is key to a good outcome.
Study Design: This study is a retrospective study.
Place and Duration of the Study: The study was carried out at Jos University Teaching Hospital, and FOMAS Hospital which are both tertiary health care centers located in the city of Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria. The study spanned January 2016 to June 2019.We applied descriptive statistics for data analysis.
Methodology: We included all patients who were diagnosed with breast cancer between January 2016 and December 2017. Patients were followed up for a minimum of one and a half years (from January 2018 to June 2019). The project team performed a review of medical records and charts for data elements which included; sex, age, site of tumor, stage of tumor at presentation, and access to the different treatment modalities. Data was entered into a pre-designed proforma and analyzed on the SPSS 20 Chicago, Illinois. We applied descriptive statistics to the demographic data and clinical information of patients.
Results: The total number of patients was 110. Forty-four (40%) patients had access to immunohistochemistry (IHC). Eighty-nine (81%) patients were eligible for chemotherapy. Twenty-one (19%) patients were not fit for chemotherapy. Ten (9%) patients received radiotherapy. A total of 73 (66%) patients had different forms of breast surgeries. Three (3%) patients declined surgery, while 34 (31%) were not fit for surgery. Thirty-four (31%) patients were treated with hormonal therapy.
Conclusion: This study examined access to the various components of breast cancer care within two tertiary health centers. It shows that in our environment, there is limited access to immunohistochemistry, chemotherapy, radiotherapy and targeted therapy.
Comparing Poultry Manure to Inorganic Fertilizer and Their Combination on the Growth and Yield Performance of Omankwa Maize Variety
Authors: Afriyie-Debrah C. , Yeboah E. Obeng , Ribeiro P. Francisco 
Published: January 2020

Aims: Major effect of soil fertility decline is the observed reduced food production in most African countries, including Ghana. In order to sustain soil and crop productivity, it is necessary to explore alternative soil fertility replenishment strategies, which are effective and affordable to farmers, especially the smallholder farmer.
Study Design: A RCBD in three replications with each block with dimension 4 m × 3 m using spacing of 0.75 m and 0.4 m inter and intra and inter-row.
Place and Duration of Study: The research work was conducted at the CSIR-Crops Research Institute, Kumasi between April 2016 - December 2016 using Omankwa a released maize variety from CSIR-Crops Research Institute, Kumasi, Ghana.
Methodology: There were six treatments per rep and each rep was randomized. Treatments were as follows; control (no fertilizer or poultry manure); T1 (100% Poultry manure two weeks after planting of maize), T2 (100% (N.P.K) two weeks after planting of maize), T3 (25% Poultry manure and 75% NPK fertilizer), T4 (50% Poultry manure and 50% NPK fertilizer) and T5 (75% Poultry manure and 25% NPK fertilizer).
Results: Results from the study showed that Omankwa performed better under treatment T1 better than other treatments T4 and T5 even though T4 and T5 perform better in other parameters measure for the experiment but did not results in grain yield for Omankwa.
Conclusion: The use of poultry manure still remains to be the best source as alternative to soil nutrient used for often better yield of crop production but for lack or availability of poultry manure, the poultry manure con be supplemented with NPK a synthetic fertilizer to obtain optimum grain yield in maize production.
Predicting Remission Among Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis Starting Tocilizumab Monotherapy: Model Derivation and Remission Score Development
Authors: Collins Jamie E. , Johansson Fredrik D. , Gale Sara , Kim Seoyoung , Shrestha Swastina , Sontag David , Stratton Jacklyn , Trinh Huong , Xu Chang , Losina Elena , Solomon Daniel H. 
Published: January 2020

ObjectiveMost patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) strive to consolidate their treatment from methotrexate combinations. The objective of this analysis was to identify patients with RA most likely to achieve remission with tocilizumab (TCZ) monotherapy by developing and validating a prediction model and associated remission score.MethodsWe identified four TCZ monotherapy randomized controlled trials in RA and chose two for derivation and two for internal validation. Remission was defined as a Clinical Disease Activity Index score less than 2.8 at 24 weeks post randomization. We used logistic regression to assess the association between each predictor and remission. After selecting variables and assessing model performance in the derivation data set, we assessed model performance in the validation data set. The cohorts were combined to calculate a remission prediction score.ResultsThe variables selected included younger age, male sex, lower baseline Clinical Disease Activity Index score, shorter RA disease duration, region of the world (Europe and South America [increased odds of remission] versus Asia and North America), no previous exposure to disease‐modifying antirheumatic drugs and/or methotrexate, lower baseline Health Assessment Questionnaire Disability Index score, and baseline hematocrit. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.739 in the derivation data set and 0.756 in the validation data set. Patients were categorized into three remission prediction categories based on the remission prediction score: 40% in the low (less than 10% probability of remission), 45% in the intermediate (10%‐25% probability), and 15% in the moderate remission prediction category (greater than 25% probability).ConclusionWe used easily accessible factors to develop a remission prediction score to predict RA remission at 24 weeks after initializing TCZ monotherapy. These results may provide guidance to clinicians tailoring treatment options based on clinical characteristics.
Working Place: Constructing Collage as Critique
Authors: Peal Toya 
Published: January 2020

AbstractLandscape architect Toya Peal explores the work of Berlin‐based artist Larissa Fassler in a quest for new ways to represent civic, social and urban space. She highlights the potential role of Fassler's social mappings, drawings constructed from detailed observations that provide multiple perspectives of specific sites, to critically inform planning and design processes.
Landscape Drift: Something in the Air Tonight
Authors: Spiller Neil 
Published: January 2020

AbstractHow can contemporary technologies conjure up new landscape forms that not only create new typologies of landscape, but also new methodologies of space–making? Architect and Editor of 1 Neil Spiller illustrates one of his attempts to transcribe these notions within the context of the Sky Garden, part of his magnum opus Communicating Vessels project.
Landscape City: Infrastructure, Natural Systems and City‐Making
Authors: Corner James 
Published: January 2020

AbstractHow is current landscape thinking contributing to 21st‐century city design? Contrasting new ecological paradigms of resilience with his older work on the American landscape of the mid‐1990s, James Corner, founding partner of Field Operations, explains the landscape/urban strategy behind the practice's designs for China's Xiongan New Area.
What is Design Now? Unmaking the Landscape
Authors: Orff Kate 
Published: January 2020

AbstractOur era of ecological resilience and ecocide requires much more holistic and inclusive thinking about social, civic space. Kate Orff is a co‐director of the Center for Resilient Cities at Columbia University Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation in New York, and founder of landscape and urban design practice SCAPE. Here she outlines the studio's proposal for Alameda Creek, which removes the defensive infrastructures currently restraining the natural forces of the San Francisco Bay Area with the aim of reconnecting its urban and rural ecologies.
Functionalized Lipopeptide Micelles as Highly Efficient NMR Depolarization Seed Points for Targeted Cell Labelling in Xenon MRI
Authors: Schnurr Matthias , Volk Ines , Nikolenko Heike , Winkler Lars , Dathe Margitta , Schröder Leif 
Published: January 2020

AbstractImproving diagnostic imaging and therapy by targeted compound delivery to pathological areas and across biological barriers is of urgent need. A lipopeptide, P‐CrA‐A2, composed of a highly cationic peptide sequence (A2), an N‐terminally attached palmitoyl chain (P) and cryptophane molecule (CrA) for preferred uptake into blood–brain barrier (BBB) capillary endothelial cells, was generated. CrA allows reversible binding of Xe for NMR detection with hyperpolarized nuclei. The lipopeptide forms size‐optimized micelles with a diameter of about 11 nm at low micromolar concentration. Their high local CrA payload has a strong and switchable impact on the bulk magnetization through Hyper‐CEST detection. Covalent fixation of CrA does not impede micelle formation and does not hamper its host functionality but simplifies Xe access to hosts for inducing saturation transfer. Xe Hyper‐CEST magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) allows for distinguishing BBB endothelial cells from control aortic endothelial cells, and the small micelle volume with a sevenfold improved CrA‐loading density compared to liposomal carriers allows preferred cell labelling with a minimally invasive volume (≈16 000‐fold more efficient than 19F cell labelling). Thus, these nanoscopic particles combine selectivity for human brain capillary endothelial cells with great sensitivity of Xe Hyper‐CEST MRI and might be a potential MRI tool in brain diagnostics.
Environmental Control of Triplet Emission in Donor–Bridge–Acceptor Organometallics
Authors: Feng Jiale , Yang Lupeng , Romanov Alexander S. , Ratanapreechachai Jirawit , Reponen Antti‐Pekka M. , Jones Saul T. E. , Linnolahti Mikko , Hele Timothy J. H. , Köhler Anna , Bässler Heinz , Bochmann Manfred , Credgington Dan 
Published: January 2020

AbstractCarbene‐metal‐amides (CMAs) are a promising family of donor–bridge–acceptor molecular charge‐transfer (CT) emitters for organic light‐emitting diodes. A universal approach is demonstrated to tune the energy of their CT emission. A blueshift of up to 210 meV is achievable in solid state via dilution in a polar host matrix. The origin of this shift has two components: constraint of thermally‐activated triplet diffusion, and electrostatic interactions between guest and polar host. This allows the emission of mid‐green CMA archetypes to be tuned to sky blue without chemical modifications. Monte‐Carlo simulations based on a Marcus‐type transfer integral successfully reproduce the concentration‐ and temperature‐dependent triplet diffusion process, revealing a substantial shift in the ensemble density of states in polar hosts. In gold‐bridged CMAs, this shift does not lead to a significant change in luminescence lifetime, thermal activation energy, reorganization energy, or intersystem crossing rate. These discoveries offer new insight into coupling between the singlet and triplet manifolds in CMA materials, revealing a dominant interaction between states of CT character. The same approach is employed using materials which have been chemically modified to alter the energy of their CT state directly, shifting the emission of sky‐blue chromophores into the practical blue range.
Human Tumor‐Lymphatic Microfluidic Model Reveals Differential Conditioning of Lymphatic Vessels by Breast Cancer Cells
Authors: Ayuso Jose M. , Gong Max M. , Skala Melissa C. , Harari Paul M. , Beebe David J. 
Published: January 2020

AbstractBreast tumor progression is a complex process involving intricate crosstalk between the primary tumor and its microenvironment. In the context of breast tumor‐lymphatic interactions, it is unclear how breast cancer cells alter the gene expression of lymphatic endothelial cells and how these transcriptional changes potentiate lymphatic dysfunction. Thus, there is a need for in vitro lymphatic vessel models to study these interactions. In this work, a tumor‐lymphatic microfluidic model is developed to study the differential conditioning of lymphatic vessels by estrogen receptor‐positive (i.e., MCF7) and triple‐negative (i.e., MDA‐MB‐231) breast cancer cells. The model consists of a lymphatic endothelial vessel cultured adjacently to either MCF7 or MDA‐MB‐231 cells. Quantitative transcriptional analysis reveals expression changes in genes related to vessel growth, permeability, metabolism, hypoxia, and apoptosis in lymphatic endothelial cells cocultured with breast cancer cells. Interestingly, these changes are different in the MCF7‐lymphatic cocultures as compared to the 231‐lymphatic cocultures. Importantly, these changes in gene expression correlate to functional responses, such as endothelial barrier dysfunction. These results collectively demonstrate the utility of this model for studying breast tumor‐lymphatic crosstalk for multiple breast cancer subtypes.
Controlling Defects in Continuous 2D GaS Films for High‐Performance Wavelength‐Tunable UV‐Discriminating Photodetectors
Authors: Lu Yang , Chen Jun , Chen Tongxin , Shu Yu , Chang Ren‐Jie , Sheng Yuewen , Shautsova Viktoryia , Mkhize Nhlakanipho , Holdway Philip , Bhaskaran Harish , Warner Jamie H. 
Published: January 2020

AbstractA chemical vapor deposition method is developed for thickness‐controlled (one to four layers), uniform, and continuous films of both defective gallium(II) sulfide (GaS): GaS0.87 and stoichiometric GaS. The unique degradation mechanism of GaS0.87 with X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy and annular dark‐field scanning transmission electron microscopy is studied, and it is found that the poor stability and weak optical signal from GaS are strongly related to photo‐induced oxidation at defects. An enhanced stability of the stoichiometric GaS is demonstrated under laser and strong UV light, and by controlling defects in GaS, the photoresponse range can be changed from vis‐to‐UV to UV‐discriminating. The stoichiometric GaS is suitable for large‐scale, UV‐sensitive, high‐performance photodetector arrays for information encoding under large vis‐light noise, with short response time (<66 ms), excellent UV photoresponsivity (4.7 A W–1 for trilayer GaS), and 26‐times increase of signal‐to‐noise ratio compared with small‐bandgap 2D semiconductors. By comprehensive characterizations from atomic‐scale structures to large‐scale device performances in 2D semiconductors, the study provides insights into the role of defects, the importance of neglected material‐quality control, and how to enhance device performance, and both layer‐controlled defective GaS0.87 and stoichiometric GaS prove to be promising platforms for study of novel phenomena and new applications.
Slx5p‐Slx8p Promotes Accurate Chromosome Segregation by Mediating the Degradation of Synaptonemal Complex Components during Meiosis
Authors: Liu Chao , Zhao Haichao , Xiao Sai , Han Tingting , Chen Yinghong , Wang Tong , Ma Yanjie , Gao Hui , Xie Zhiping , Du Li‐Lin , Li Jian , Li Guoping , Li Wei 
Published: January 2020

AbstractMeiosis increases genetic diversity, yet the genome complement needs to be stable to ensure offspring viability. Both small ubiquitin‐like modifier (SUMO) and ubiquitin have been reported to participate in meiotic regulation, yet functions of the SUMO‐ubiquitination crosstalk in meiosis remain unclear. Here, it is reported that a SUMO‐targeted ubiquitin ligase, Slx8p, promotes accurate chromosome segregation during meiosis, since the deletion of SLX8 leads to increased aneuploidy due to a defect in synaptonemal complex (SC) component degradation. Both the RING domain and SUMO interacting motifs of Slx8p are essential for meiotic progression and maintaining spore viability, and the expression of tetraubiquitin fused with SUMO partially rescues meiotic defects in the SLX8‐deletion strain. Furthermore, Slx5p‐Slx8p can directly add ubiquitin to SUMOylated Zip1p and Ecm11p, and forced degradation of Ecm11p partially rescues the sporulation defects of the SLX8 deletion strain. These findings provide a mechanism for SC disassembly and reveal that the crosstalk between SUMOylation and ubiquitination facilitates accurate chromosome segregation by promoting SC component degradation during meiosis.