bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Microparticles globally reprogram Streptomyces albus toward accelerated morphogenesis, streamlined carbon core metabolism, and enhanced production of the antituberculosis polyketide pamamycin
Authors: Kuhl Martin , Gläser Lars , Rebets Yuriy , Rückert Christian , Sarkar Namrata , Hartsch Thomas , Kalinowski Jörn , Luzhetskyy Andriy , Wittmann Christoph 
Published: August 2020

AbstractStreptomyces spp. are a rich source for natural products with recognized industrial value, explaining the high interest to improve and streamline the performance of in these microbes. Here, we studied the production of pamamycins, macrodiolide homologs with a high activity against multiresistant pathogenic microbes, using recombinant Streptomyces albus J1074/R2. Talc particles (hydrous magnesium silicate, 3MgO·4SiO2·H2O) of micrometer size, added to submerged cultures of the recombinant strain, tripled pamamycin production up to 50 mg/L. Furthermore, they strongly affected morphology, reduced the size of cell pellets formed by the filamentous microbe during the process up to sixfold, and shifted the pamamycin spectrum to larger derivatives. Integrated analysis of transcriptome and precursor (CoA thioester) supply of particle‐enhanced and control cultures provided detailed insights into the underlying molecular changes. The microparticles affected the expression of 3,341 genes (56% of all genes), revealing a global and fundamental impact on metabolism. Morphology‐associated genes, encoding major regulators such as SsgA, RelA, EshA, Factor C, as well as chaplins and rodlins, were found massively upregulated, indicating that the particles caused a substantially accelerated morphogenesis. In line, the pamamycin cluster was strongly upregulated (up to 1,024‐fold). Furthermore, the microparticles perturbed genes encoding for CoA‐ester metabolism, which were mainly activated. The altered expression resulted in changes in the availability of intracellular CoA‐esters, the building blocks of pamamycin. Notably, the ratio between methylmalonyl CoA and malonyl‐CoA was increased fourfold. Both metabolites compete for incorporation into pamamycin so that the altered availability explained the pronounced preference for larger derivatives in the microparticle‐enhanced process. The novel insights into the behavior of S. albus in response to talc appears of general relevance to further explore and upgrade the concept of microparticle enhanced cultivation, widely used for filamentous microbes.
Is corporate environmental disclosure associated with firm value? A multicountry study of Gulf Cooperation Council firms
Authors: Gerged Ali Meftah , Beddewela Eshani , Cowton Christopher J. 
Published: August 2020

AbstractSeveral studies have found a relationship between corporate social and environmental disclosure and firm value (FV) or accounting profitability. Where environmental disclosure has been the focus, though, only single‐country studies have been published, and most of the previous research concerns the developed world. This study examines the association between corporate environmental disclosure (CED) and FV in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, where CED has been increasing from its previous low base. Findings from a multicountry sample of 500 firm‐year observations using a 55‐item unweighted environmental disclosure index suggest that CED is significantly and positively related to FV as measured by Tobin's Q (TBQ). The relationship is robust to using a weighted version of the disclosure index, individual countries and environmental disclosure subindices. Some evidence of a positive relationship between CED and return on assets is also found, but even where statistically significant, the relationship is much weaker than in the case of TBQ. For empirical and theoretical reasons, we recommend that future studies pay greater attention to market‐based proxies, if possible, when investigating the value relevance of CED in both developed and developing countries. Our results suggest that both managers and policymakers in GCC countries should take a positive view of expanded CED.
Changes of anatomical nomenclature must be deliberate: The female external genitalia
Authors: Kachlik David 
Published: August 2020

AbstractAnatomical terminology is a cornerstone of medical terminology and since 1895 there has been a norm (nomenclature), regularly revised, extended, and updated. The latest official version issued by the Federative International Program on Anatomical Terminology was approved by the International Federation of Associations of Anatomists in 1998 as Terminologia Anatomica (TA). Second edition of the TA (TA2) has now been prepared for approval. Each change must be meticulously discussed and considered as it affects and influences not only anatomists but also all clinicians, physicians, scientists, teachers, and students in medical fields. There are several reasons for direct and deliberate changes, but also reasons for rejection of changes that could lead to disintegration and rejection of the nomenclature revision by the expert population. The latter reasons comprise changes of terms with originally different (inappropriate/incorrect/erroneous) meanings or with originally potentially vulgar meanings that are nowadays perceived as neutral. Some examples and explanations concerning the names of the principal structures of the female external genitalia (vulva, cunnus, pudendum, labia pudenda, rima pudendi, clitoris, and perineum) and some internal ones (vagina, uterus) in Latin and Greek are given. An overview is presented of the development and frequency of their usage, mainly in ancient times but also in medieval and later texts. It is suggested that the above‐stated reasons provide no fundamental argument for changing the terminology, as all the Latin terms used in TA are nowadays considered neutral.
Individualized prediction of survival benefits from perioperative chemoradiotherapy for patients with resectable gastric cancer
Authors: Che Keying , Liu Fangcen , Wu Nandie , Liu Qin , Yuan Ling , Wei Jia 
Published: August 2020

AbstractBackgroundThe survival benefits of perioperative chemoradiotherapy (PCRT) and perioperative chemotherapy (PCT) for resectable gastric cancer (GC) patients remain unclear. This study aimed to compare the effects of PCRT and PCT in patients with resectable GC and develop a nomogram to evaluate the prognosis and disease risk of patients.MethodsA total of 6890 patients with stage IB‐IIIC GC from 2010 to 2015 were retrieved from the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) database. Univariate Cox proportional hazards regression analyses were performed to evaluate the prognostic value of involved variables. A new nomogram was constructed based on development cohort and validated by an external validation cohort. The clinical practicability and accuracy were assessed by concordance index (C‐index), calibration plot, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve.ResultsA better prognosis was obtained for patients with stage III GC treated with PCRT compared with those treated with PCT. Additionally, patients with grade III/IV, diffuse type GC, distal gastric cancer (DGC), tumor size >34 millimeters, or positive lymph nodes were more likely to benefit from PCRT. Multivariate analyses indicated that age, grade, tumor size, T stage, N stage, and comprehensive treatment were independent covariates. Excellent agreement of calibration plots and good discrimination power were obtained using the nomogram. The nomogram achieved a better net benefit than the 8th edition AJCC TNM staging. An online version was built based on the nomogram for convenient clinical use.ConclusionThe application of perioperative chemoradiotherapy should be determined according to the clinicopathological features of patients. Our nomogram provided a reliable tool for screening patients who were right for PCRT and evaluating individual survival benefits.
Variability in accuracy of prostate cancer segmentation among radiologists, urologists, and scientists
Authors: Chen Michael Y. , Woodruff Maria A. , Dasgupta Prokar , Rukin Nicholas J. 
Published: August 2020

AbstractBackgroundThere is increasing research in using segmentation of prostate cancer to create a digital 3D model from magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans for purposes of education or surgical planning. However, the variation in segmentation of prostate cancer among users and potential inaccuracy has not been studied.MethodsFour consultant radiologists, four consultant urologists, four urology trainees, and four nonclinician segmentation scientists were asked to segment a single slice of a lateral T3 prostate tumor on MRI (“Prostate 1”), an anterior zone prostate tumor MRI (“Prostate 2”), and a kidney tumor computed tomography (CT) scan (“Kidney”). Time taken and self‐rated subjective accuracy out of a maximum score of 10 were recorded. Root mean square error, Dice coefficient, Matthews correlation coefficient, Jaccard index, specificity, and sensitivity were calculated using the radiologists as the ground truth.ResultsThere was high variance among the radiologists in segmentation of Prostate 1 and 2 tumors with mean Dice coefficients of 0.81 and 0.58, respectively, compared to 0.96 for the kidney tumor. Urologists and urology trainees had similar accuracy, while nonclinicians had the lowest accuracy scores for Prostate 1 and 2 tumors (0.60 and 0.47) but similar for kidney tumor (0.95). Mean sensitivity in Prostate 1 (0.63) and Prostate 2 (0.61) was lower than specificity (0.92 and 0.93) suggesting under‐segmentation of tumors in the non‐radiologist groups. Participants spent less time on the kidney tumor segmentation and self‐rated accuracy was higher than both prostate tumors.ConclusionSegmentation of prostate cancers is more difficult than other anatomy such as kidney tumors. Less experienced participants appear to under‐segment models and underestimate the size of prostate tumors. Segmentation of prostate cancer is highly variable even among radiologists, and 3D modeling for clinical use must be performed with caution. Further work to develop a methodology to maximize segmentation accuracy is needed.
Online low‐key conspicuous behavior of fashion luxury goods: The antecedents and its impact on consumer happiness
Authors: Chen Mingliang , Zhang Jing , Xie Zhaohan , Niu Jiahui 
Published: August 2020

AbstractNowadays, people tend to show off in a more conservative rather than ostentatious way, that is, “low‐key style.” This paper focuses on consumers' low‐key conspicuous behavior on social media after they purchase fashion luxury goods, so as to explore the antecedents of this behavior, as well as its impact, on consumer happiness. Our results show that motivations for self‐representation and avoidance of negative comments from others trigger the low‐key conspicuous behavior. Afterward, this behavior will positively affect consumers' short‐term happiness through both perceived self‐image and perceived interpersonal relationship, while enhancing long‐term happiness only through perceived interpersonal relationship. The reason may be that the temporary pleasure brought by the improvement of perceived self‐image is not enough to raise the quality of life, but an improvement in one's interpersonal relationship is a lifelong benefit.
Optimal large‐scale CD34+ enrichment from a leukapheresis collection using the clinimacs prodigy platform
Authors: Pello Oscar M. , Lanzarot Diego , Colorado Mercedes , Amunarriz Cristina , Insunza Andrés , Álvarez‐Rodríguez Lorena , Díez de Velasco María , Sainz‐Sainz Natividad , Arroyo José Luis 
Published: August 2020

AbstractOptimization of Hematology Patient's treatment: It is possible to obtain a 100% CD34+ recovery after CD34+ selection using the CliniMACS Prodigy.
CH4‐Selective Mixed‐Matrix Membranes Containing Functionalized Silica for Natural Gas Purification
Authors: Mohammdhadi Mousavi Seyed , Raisi Ahmadreza , Hashemi Moghaddam Hamid , Salehi Maleh Mohammad 
Published: August 2020

AbstractMixed‐matrix membranes were prepared by incorporating functionalized silica nanoparticles (SNPs) into the poly(ether‐block‐amide). The gas permeation properties of membranes were investigated for the separation of N2 and CO2 from CH4. Results revealed that chemical modification of SNPs and incorporation of the carboxylic groups on its surface had a strong interaction with the polymer matrix and improved the distribution of the nanofiller in the membrane matrix. According to the gas permeation experiments at various SNPs loadings and feed pressures, different trends were observed for the permeability and selectivity. Incorporation of the modified‐SNPs nanofiller into the membrane enhanced the CH4 permeability, as well as the CH4/N2 and CO2/N2 selectivities.
Nanostructured Sulfur and Sulfides for Advanced Lithium/Sulfur Cells
Authors: Hwa Yoon , Cairns Elton J. 
Published: August 2020

AbstractLithium/sulfur (Li/S) cells that offer high theoretical specific energy (2600 Wh/kg) have been considered for emerging high‐energy applications. Significant progress in improving the electrochemical performance of Li/S cells has been made based on the development strategies of the nanostructured sulfur‐based electrodes: i) improving the electrical conduction pathway by confining sulfur particles with conductive media, ii) employing sulfur‐philic functional nanomaterials to retain sulfur species in the sulfur electrode, iii) constructing rationally designed porous sulfur electrodes to accommodate large amounts of sulfur while maintaining good electronic and ionic conduction pathways. In this Review, recent innovations on nanostructured sulfur‐based materials with an emphasis on their nanostructure and reactivity and microstructural design strategies of the sulfur electrode will be highlighted, and future directions to advance the sulfur electrode for commercially viable Li/S cells will be discussed.
Stabilizing Ni‐Rich LiNi0.92Co0.06Al0.02O2 Cathodes by Boracic Polyanion and Tungsten Cation Co‐Doping for High‐Energy Lithium‐Ion Batteries
Authors: Qiu Zhenping , Zhang Yelong , Liu Zheng , Gao Yan , Liu Jiaming , Zeng Qingguang 
Published: August 2020

AbstractLayered nickel‐rich transition metal oxide has been receiving much attention as high‐energy‐density cathode materials for rechargeable lithium‐ion batteries. However, the severe capacity fading caused by bulk structural degradation of Ni‐rich cathodes during lithiation/delithiation obstructs their commercialization. Herein, we modify the LiNi0.92Co0.06Al0.02O2 (NCA92) cathode materials by W6+ cation and BO33− polyanion co‐doping to improve the structural stability and upgrade the electrochemical reversibility. The co‐doped NCA92 materials show remarkably improved cycling stability at 1 C with a capacity retention of 93.4 % after 100 cycles, whereas the pristine cathodes exhibit poor capacity retention of 53.0 % and suffer severe structural deterioration. Further studies reveal that the particle fragmentation resulted from the inherent internal strain and the structural degradation upon cycling can be effectively mitigated by W6+ cation and BO33− polyanion co‐doping. Besides, W6+ and BO33− co‐doping could enlarge the interlayer spacing of NCA92, thus increasing lithium‐ion diffusion coefficient, which is conducive to enhancing the rate capability. The present work demonstrates that cationic‐anionic co‐doping is an effective strategy to maintain the structural stability of Ni‐rich cathode materials, and it promotes the development of stable cathode materials for high energy density lithium‐ion batteries.
Effects of Film Formation on the Electrodeposition of Lithium
Authors: Yoshii Kazuki , Kiuchi Hisao , Taguchi Noboru , Shikano Masahiro , Matsubara Eiichiro , Sakaebe Hikari 
Published: August 2020

AbstractMetallic lithium is the most popular anode material used in next‐generation secondary batteries to achieve high energy densities. However, inhomogeneous deposition is a serious issue that must be addressed for large‐scale implementation. Previous studies have highlighted that a surface film formed during the early stages of deposition may have an effect on deposition morphology. Lithium fluoride (LiF) is one of the main components in this surface film, and is thought to play an important role in the subsequent metallic lithium deposition. This study investigated the electrodeposition of lithium using 1.0 mol dm−3 LiPF6/propylene carbonate (PC) with and without trace amounts of water. The correlation between the morphology of the deposited metallic lithium and surface film formation during galvanostatic deposition was investigated. The morphology of the deposited lithium metal was dependent on the elapsed time after adding water to the electrolyte. X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy and electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance analyses of the surface film confirmed that the amount of LiF in the film had a large effect on the morphology of the deposited metallic lithium. This study provides a basic understanding of lithium metal deposition and can guide improvements in electrolyte design for battery manufacturing.
Role of mineral flotation technology in improving bitumen extraction from mined Athabasca oil sands III. Next generation of water‐based oil sands extraction
Authors: Zhou Joe Z. 
Published: August 2020

AbstractCurrent water‐based oil sands extraction operations are unsustainable, due to their consumption of large quantities of water and energy, generation of large volumes of fluid fine tailings, and rapid expansion of tailing ponds. From a brief analysis of the historical evolution of water‐based oil sands extraction, it has been identified that the use of conventional dispersed air flotation to recover liberated bitumen from oil sand slurries is mainly responsible for the high consumption of water required and the fluid fine tailings generated. Based on mineral flotation principles, a new concept is proposed, whereby water‐based oil sands extraction is simplified as a process of transferring hydrophobic bitumen from hydrophilic surfaces (sands) to hydrophobic surfaces (bitumen carriers). Compared to existing bitumen extraction technologies, bitumen liberation from sands is accelerated by attrition/scrubbing, and the liberated bitumen is recovered from the oil sand slurry by hydrophobic coagulation and heavy media separation. This concept is verified from preliminary laboratory tests for processing (above) average grade oil sands. The water required is significantly reduced from 100 to 150 wt% of the ores processed (as seen in current commercial operations) to 30‐40 wt% of the ores. Virtually no fluid fine tailings are generated, with the potential of eliminating tailing ponds. The tailings produced after bitumen extraction are paste‐like, containing >60 wt% solids, which can be directly disposed of in the mining pit, with little or no further treatment. Future research is needed to justify and refine the concept in large‐scale tests and engineer it into commercial operations.
Implications of Nitrogen Doping on Geometrical and Electronic Structure of the Fullerene Dimers
Authors: Su Yin , Chen Zuo‐Chang , Tian Han‐Rui , Xu Yun‐Yan , Zhang Qianyan , Xie Su‐Yuan , Zheng Lan‐Sun 
Published: August 2020

Main observation and conclusionBecause of its unsaturated bonds, C60 is susceptible to polymerize into dimers. The implications of nitrogen doping on the geometrical and electronic structure of C60 dimers have been ambiguous for years. A quarter‐century after the discovery of azafullerene dimer (C59N)2, we reported its single crystallographic structure in 2019. Herein, the unambiguous crystal structure information of (C59N)2 is elucidated specifically, revealing that the inter‐cage C—C single bond length of (C59N)2 is comparable with that of an ordinary C(sp3)‐C(sp3) single bond, and that the most stable conformer of (C59N)2 is gauche‐conformer with a dihedral angle of 66°. To amend the structural deviations, geometrical structure of (C59N)2 is optimized by a B3LYP‐D3BJ function, which is proved to be more consistent with its single crystal structure than those by the commonly used B3LYP function. Moreover, the calculation method is also suitable for other representative fullerene dimers, such as (C60)2 and its divalent anion. Additionally, the dissociation of (C59N)2 at 473 K under mass spectrometric conditions suggests the inter‐cage C—C bond is relatively weaker than an ordinary C—C single bond, which can be explained by the interaction energies of inter‐cages.
Atherogenic index of plasma and the risk of advanced subclinical coronary artery disease beyond traditional risk factors: An observational cohort study
Authors: Won Ki‐Bum , Jang Mi‐Hee , Park Eun Ji , Park Hyung‐Bok , Heo Ran , Han Donghee , Chang Hyuk‐Jae 
Published: August 2020

AbstractBackgroundAtherogenic lipoprotein profile of plasma is an important risk factor for atherosclerosis. The atherogenic index of plasma (AIP) has been suggested as a novel marker for atherosclerosis.HypothesisAIP is a useful marker of advanced subclinical coronary artery disease (CAD) in subjects without overt renal dysfunction.MethodsA total of 6928 subjects with estimated glomerular filtration rate > 60 mL/minutes/1.73 m2 evaluated by coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) for health check‐up were included. The relation of AIP to advanced CAD (heavy coronary calcification, defined as coronary artery calcium score [CACS] >100 or obstructive coronary plaque [OCP], defined as plaque with >50% stenosis) was evaluated.ResultsAll participants were stratified into four groups based on AIP quartiles. The prevalence of CACS >100 (group I [lowest] 4.7% vs group II 7.0% vs group III 8.8% vs group IV 10.0%) and OCP (group I 3.7% vs group II 6.4% vs group III 8.8% vs group IV 10.9%) (all P < .001) increased with elevating AIP quartiles. Higher AIP (per 0.1 unit increase) was associated with an increased risk of CACS >100 (odds ratio [OR] 1.057, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.010 to 1.106, P = .017; relative risk (RR) 1.048, 95% CI 1.009‐1.089, and P = .015) and OCP (OR 1.079, 95% CI 1.033‐1.127, P = .001; RR 1.069, 95% CI 1.031‐1.108, P < .001) after adjusting for age > 60 years, male sex, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, dyslipidaemia, obesity, and proteinuria.ConclusionAIP is independently associated with advanced subclinical CAD beyond traditional risk factors.
Purinergic Signaling: Impact of GPCR Structures on Rational Drug Design
Authors: Salmaso Veronica , Jacobson Kenneth A. 
Published: August 2020

AbstractThe purinergic signaling system includes membrane‐bound receptors for extracellular purines and pyrimidines, and enzymes/transporters that regulate receptor activation by endogenous agonists. Receptors include: adenosine (A1, A2A, A2B, and A3) and P2Y (P2Y1, P2Y2, P2Y4, P2Y6, P2Y11, P2Y12, P2Y13, and P2Y14) receptors (all GPCRs), as well as P2X receptors (ion channels). Receptor activation, especially accompanying physiological stress or damage, creates a temporal sequence of signaling to counteract this stress and either mobilize (P2Rs) or suppress (ARs) immune responses. Thus, modulation of this large signaling family has broad potential for treating chronic diseases. Experimentally determined structures represent each of the three receptor families. We focus on selective purinergic agonists (A1, A3), antagonists (A3, P2Y14), and allosteric modulators (P2Y1, A3). Examples of applying structure‐based design, including the rational modification of known ligands, are presented for antithrombotic P2Y1R antagonists and anti‐inflammatory P2Y14R antagonists and A3AR agonists. A3AR agonists are a potential, nonaddictive treatment for chronic neuropathic pain.