bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Validated HPLC‐UV method for simultaneous quantification of phosphatidylinositol 3‐kinase inhibitors, copanlisib, duvelisib and idelalisib, in rat plasma: Application to a pharmacokinetic study in rats
Authors: Siddesh Anup , Sriram Dhurvu , Zakkula Ashok , Kumar Rajnish , Dittakavi Sreekanth , Zainuddin Mohd , Trivedi Ravi Kumar , Mullangi Ramesh 
Published: October 2020

AbstractPhosphatidylinositol 3‐kinase (PI3K) inhibitors are a novel class of anticancer drugs that are approved to treat various malignancies. We report the development and validation of a HPLC method for the simultaneous quantitation of three PI3K inhibitors, namely copanlisib, duvelisib and idelalisib, in rat plasma as per the regulatory guidelines of the United States Food and Drug Administration. The method involves extraction of copanlisib, duvelisib and idelalisib along with an internal standard (IS; filgotinib) from rat plasma (100 μL) using a liquid–liquid extraction process. The chromatographic separation of the analytes was achieved using step‐wise gradient elution on a Hypersil Gold C18 column. The UV detection wavelength was set at λmax = 280 nm. Copanlisib, duvelisib, idelalisib and the IS eluted at 7.16, 12.6, 11.9 and 9.86 min, respectively, with a total run time of 15 min. The calibration curve ranged from 50 to 5000 ng/mL for all the analytes. Inter‐ and intra‐day precision and accuracy, stability studies, dilution integrity and incurred sample reanalysis were investigated for all three analytes, and the results met the acceptance criteria. The validated HPLC method was successfully applied to a pharmacokinetic study in rats.
A study on EEG feature extraction and classification in autistic children based on singular spectrum analysis method
Authors: Zhao Jie , Song Jiajia , Li Xiaoli , Kang Jiannan 
Published: October 2020

AbstractIntroductionThe clinical diagnosis of Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) depends on rating scale evaluation, which introduces subjectivity. Thus, objective indicators of ASD are of great interest to clinicians. In this study, we sought biomarkers from resting‐state electroencephalography (EEG) data that could be used to accurately distinguish children with ASD and typically developing (TD) children.MethodsWe recorded resting‐state EEG from 46 children with ASD and 63 age‐matched TD children aged 3 to 5 years. We applied singular spectrum analysis (SSA) to the EEG sequences to eliminate noise components and accurately extract the alpha rhythm.ResultsWhen we used individualized alpha peak frequency (iAPF) and individualized alpha absolute power (iABP) as features for a linear support vector machine, ASD versus TD classification accuracy was 92.7%.ConclusionThis study suggested that our methods have potential to assist in clinical diagnosis.
Regulation of Lipid Bilayer Ion Permeability by Antibacterial Polymethyloxazoline‐Polyethyleneimine Copolymers
Authors: Kozon Dominika , Bednarczyk Piotr , Szewczyk Adam , Jańczewski Dominik 
Published: October 2020

AbstractAmphiphilic antimicrobial polymers display activity against the outer bacterial cell membrane, triggering various physiological effects. We investigated the regulation of ion transport across the lipid bilayer to understand differences in biological activity for a series of amphiphilic polymethyloxazoline – polyethyleneimine copolymers. The results confirmed that the tested structures were able to increase the permeability of the lipid bilayer (LB) membrane or its rupture. Black lipid membrane (BLM) experiments show that the triggered conductance profile and its character is strongly correlated with the polymer structure and zeta potential. The polymer exhibiting the highest antimicrobial activity promotes ion transport by using a unique mechanism and step‐like characteristics with well‐defined discreet openings and closings. The molecule was incorporated into the membrane in a reproducible way, and the observed channel‐like activity could be responsible for the antibacterial activity of this molecule.
Stepwise Strategy for One‐Pot Synthesis of Single‐Stranded DNA Rings from Multiple Short Fragments
Authors: Sui Zhe , An Ran , Komiyama Makoto , Liang Xingguo 
Published: October 2020

AbstractCyclic rings of single‐stranded (ss) DNA have various unique properties, but wider applications have been hampered by their poor availability. This paper reports a convenient one‐pot method in which these rings are efficiently synthesized by using T4 DNA ligase through convergent cyclization of easily available short DNA fragments. The key to the present method is to separate all the splint oligonucleotides into several sets, and add each set sequentially at an appropriate interval to the solutions containing all the short DNA fragments. Compared with simple one‐pot strategies involving simultaneous addition of all the splints at the beginning of the reaction, both the selectivity and the yields of target ssDNA rings are greatly improved. This convergent method is especially useful for preparing large‐sized rings that are otherwise hard to obtain. By starting from six short DNA fragments (71–82 nt), prepared by a DNA synthesizer, a ssDNA ring of 452‐nt size was synthesized in 35 mol % yield and in high selectivity. Satisfactorily pure DNA rings were obtainable simply by treating the crude products with exonuclease.
A suppurated, fistulized lymphadenitis in the neck: The untamed tuberculosis
Authors: Pilaca Arben , Argjiri Dhimitër , Koshovari Iris , Vyshka Gentian 
Published: October 2020

AbstractCervical lymphadenopathy is the most frequent form of extrapulmonary tuberculosis. Even in previously endemic countries where tuberculosis is well controlled, tuberculous lymphadenitis needs to be included in the differential diagnosis.
One‐Pot Synthesis of Spiro[fluorene‐9,9'‐xanthene] Derivatives
Authors: Yuan Hao‐Xuan , Wei Ying , Xie Ling‐Hai , Huang Wei 
Published: October 2020

AbstractAs a novel class of spirofluorenes, spirobifluorene (SBF) and spiro[fluorine‐ 9,9'‐xanthene] derivatives (SFXs) have three‐dimensional conformation, spiro‐conjugation effect, and rigid steric hindrance, which can be widely used in the fields of synthetic chemistry, materials chemistry and supramolecular chemistry. Due to their facile one‐pot synthetic route, and to the variety of molecular designs, SFXs are expected to become new spiro functional materials that replace SBF. In this review, we present the history, development and expansion of SFXs synthesis in one‐pot methods, and the advantages and limitations of one‐pot synthesis are also discussed.
Electro‐ and Photochemical Reduction of CO2 by Molecular Manganese Catalysts: Exploring the Positional Effect of Second‐Sphere Hydrogen‐Bond Donors
Authors: Roy Sayontani Sinha , Talukdar Kallol , Jurss Jonah W. 
Published: October 2020

AbstractA series of molecular Mn catalysts featuring aniline groups in the second‐coordination sphere has been developed for electrochemical and photochemical CO2 reduction. The arylamine moieties were installed at the 6 position of 2,2’‐bipyridine (bpy) to generate a family of isomers in which the primary amine is located at the ortho‐ (1‐Mn), meta‐ (2‐Mn), or para‐site (3‐Mn) of the aniline ring. The proximity of the second‐sphere functionality to the active site is a critical factor in determining catalytic performance. Catalyst 1‐Mn, possessing the shortest distance between the amine and the active site, significantly outperformed the rest of the series and exhibited a 9‐fold improvement in turnover frequency relative to parent catalyst Mn(bpy)(CO)3Br (901 vs. 102 s−1, respectively) at 150 mV lower overpotential. The electrocatalysts operated with high faradaic efficiencies (≥70 %) for CO evolution using trifluoroethanol as a proton source. Notably, under photocatalytic conditions, a concentration‐dependent shift in product selectivity from CO (at high [catalyst]) to HCO2H (at low [catalyst]) was observed with turnover numbers up to 4760 for formic acid and high selectivities for reduced carbon products.
Formate‐Selective CO2 Electrochemical Reduction with a Hydrogen‐Reduction‐Suppressing Bronze Alloy Hollow‐Fiber Electrode
Authors: Chen Biyu , Xu Jiajie , Zou Jiantao , Liu Defei , Situ Yue , Huang Hong 
Published: October 2020

AbstractElectroreduction carbon dioxide into formate has been regarded as a hopeful measure to relieve global warming. Copper‐based hollow fibers demonstrated good performances on converting carbon dioxide in previous researches. Herein Cu−Sn alloy hollow fibers were synthesized in an innovative way, combining the structure advantages of hollow fiber and high selectivity towards formate on η′ bronze. Tests under different gas injection conditions were conducted to analyze the contribution of the hollow fiber structure on suppression of hydrogen evolution and promotion on kinetics. Strikingly, Cu−Sn45 % hollow fiber, the optimal catalyst in this work, achieved a highest faradaic efficiency towards formate of 90.96 % at a lower potential of −0.75 V vs. RHE than most non‐noble catalysts, and the FE of H2 was below 4 %.
Low‐volume LC–MS/MS method for the pharmacokinetic investigation of carvedilol, enalapril and their metabolites in whole blood and plasma: Application to a paediatric clinical trial
Authors: Gangnus Tanja , Burckhardt Bjoern B. ,   CARS consortium
Published: October 2020

AbstractEvidence‐based pharmacotherapy with carvedilol and enalapril in children suffering from heart failure is insufficient owing to limited pharmacokinetic data. Although a few data sets regarding enalapril, its metabolite enalaprilat and carvedilol in children have been published, pharmacokinetic data on carvedilol metabolites are missing. However, for both drug substances, their active metabolites contribute substantially to drug efficacy. As data can hardly be derived from adults owing to the unknown impacts of enzymatic maturation and ontogeny during childhood, customised assays are important to facilitate paediatric evidence‐based pharmacotherapy. Considering ethical paediatric constraints, a low‐volume liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) assay was developed using whole blood or plasma for the quantification of enalapril, enalaprilat, carvedilol, O‐desmethyl carvedilol, 4‐ and 5‐hydroxyphenyl carvedilol as well as 3‐ and 8‐hydroxy carvedilol. To facilitate broader applications in adults, the elderly and children, a wide calibration range—between 0.024/0.049 and 50.000 ng/ml—was achieved with good linearity (r ≥ 0.995 for all analytes). In compliance with international bioanalytical guidelines, accuracy, precision, sensitivity and internal standard normalised matrix effects were further successfully validated with the exception of those for 3‐hydroxy carvedilol, which was therefore assessed semi‐quantitatively. Distinct haematocrits did not impact matrix effects or recoveries when analysing whole blood. Blood‐to‐plasma ratios were determined for all analytes to form the basis for pharmacokinetic modelling. Finally, incurred sample reanalysis of paediatric samples confirmed the reproducibility of the developed low‐volume LC–MS/MS method during study sample analysis. The assay facilitates the reliable generation of important data and contributes towards a safe drug therapy in children.
From panic to pedagogy: Using online active learning to promote inclusive instruction in ecology and evolutionary biology courses and beyond
Authors: Harris Breanna N. , McCarthy Pumtiwitt C. , Wright April M. , Schutz Heidi , Boersma Kate S. , Shepherd Stephanie L. , Manning Lathiena A. , Malisch Jessica L. , Ellington Roni M. 
Published: October 2020

AbstractThe rapid shift to online teaching in spring 2020 meant most of us were teaching in panic mode. As we move forward with course planning for fall and beyond, we can invest more time and energy into improving the online experience for our students. We advocate that instructors use inclusive teaching practices, specifically through active learning, in their online classes. Incorporating pedagogical practices that work to maximize active and inclusive teaching concepts will be beneficial for all students, and especially those from minoritized or underserved groups. Like many STEM fields, Ecology and Evolution shows achievement gaps and faces a leaky pipeline issue for students from groups traditionally underserved in science. Making online classes both active and inclusive will aid student learning and will also help students feel more connected to their learning, their peers, and their campus. This approach will likely help with performance, retention, and persistence of students. In this paper, we offer broadly applicable strategies and techniques that weave together active and inclusive teaching practices. We challenge instructors to commit to making small changes as a first step to more inclusive teaching in ecology and evolutionary biology courses.
Harvester ant seed removal in an invaded sagebrush ecosystem: Implications for restoration
Authors: Paolini Kelsey E. , Modlin Matthew , Suazo Alexis A. , Pilliod David S. , Arkle Robert S. , Vierling Kerri T. , Holbrook Joseph D. 
Published: October 2020

AbstractA better understanding of seed movement in plant community dynamics is needed, especially in light of disturbance‐driven changes and investments into restoring degraded plant communities. A primary agent of change within the sagebrush‐steppe is wildfire and invasion by non‐native forbs and grasses, primarily cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum). Our objectives were to quantify seed removal and evaluate ecological factors influencing seed removal within degraded sagebrush‐steppe by granivorous Owyhee harvester ants (Pogonomyrmex salinus Olsen). In 2014, we sampled 76 harvester ant nests across 11 plots spanning a gradient of cheatgrass invasion (40%–91% cover) in southwestern Idaho, United States. We presented seeds from four plant species commonly used in postfire restoration at 1.5 and 3.0 m from each nest to quantify seed removal. We evaluated seed selection for presented species, monthly removal, and whether biotic and abiotic factors (e.g., distance to nearest nest, temperature) influenced seed removal. Our top model indicated seed removal was positively correlated with nest height, an indicator of colony size. Distance to seeds and cheatgrass canopy cover reduced seed removal, likely due to increased search and handling time. Harvester ants were selective, removing Indian ricegrass (Achnatherum hymenoides) more than any other species presented. We suspect this was due to ease of seed handling and low weight variability. Nest density influenced monthly seed removal, as we estimated monthly removal of 1,890 seeds for 0.25 ha plots with 1 nest and 29,850 seeds for plots with 15 nests. Applying monthly seed removal to historical restoration treatments across the western United States showed harvester ants can greatly reduce seed availability at degraded sagebrush sites; for instance, fourwing saltbush (Atriplex canescens) seeds could be removed in <2 months. Collectively, these results shed light on seed removal by harvester ants and emphasize their potential influence on postfire restoration within invaded sagebrush communities.
Efficiency of viscoelastic interstructural connections to prevent earthquake induced pounding
Authors: Crozet V , Politopoulos I 
Published: October 2020

AbstractThis work deals with the efficacy of viscoelastic connections in preventing pounding without undesirable adverse effects on the coupled structures. To this end, the earthquake response of two oscillators, coupled with optimally designed passive viscoelastic and active devices as well as with rigid connections, was studied. A particular attention was given to two issues: (a) the upper limit of the device force and (b) the capacity of the device in reducing the interstructures displacement to avoid collision. The main conclusion of the paper is that, in general, there is no substantial benefit from the use of viscoelastic connections as a means to prevent pounding.
Electrodeposited NiRh alloy as an efficient low‐precious metal catalyst for alkaline hydrogen oxidation reaction
Authors: Tran Dinh Son , Park Hyanjoo , Kim Hoyoung , Kim Soo‐Kil 
Published: October 2020

SummaryDeveloping a non‐precious or low Pt‐group metal‐containing (low‐PGM) hydrogen oxidation reaction (HOR) catalyst is crucial to fabricate economic anion exchange membrane fuel cells (AEMFCs), an alternative to proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFC). In this study, low‐PGM Ni100‐xRhx electrocatalysts, seldomly studied as alkaline HOR catalysts, with various compositions are fabricated via electrodeposition. Substantial changes are observed in both the morphology and crystalline structure of the catalysts when Ni is alloyed with Rh, such as enlarged surface area and development of different textures. The HOR activities of Ni100‐xRhx catalysts evaluated in 0.1 M KOH solution are dramatically enhanced because of the enlarged surface area, bifunctional roles of H‐providing sites (Ni/Rh) and OH‐providing sites (Ni[OH]2/Rh2O3), and their balanced composition on the surface. The durability of Ni89Rh11, the most appropriate catalyst, is investigated with the 3000 potential cycling, giving the average decay rate of approximately 0.30 μA cm−2/cycle. The origin of enhanced activity and degradation during durability test was explained in terms of the electronic structures and surface composition of the catalysts. The initial high HOR activity of about 1.5 mA/cm2 for Ni89Rh11 at 0.05 VRHE, though it requires a further improvement in the durability, suggests the practical feasibility of it as a low PGM alkaline HOR catalyst.
Preoperative inhibitory control predicts weight loss 1 year after bariatric surgery
Authors: Walø‐Syversen Gro , Kvalem Ingela L. , Kristinsson Jon , Eribe Inger L. , Rø Øyvind , Brunborg Cathrine , Lindvall Dahlgren Camilla 
Published: October 2020

AbstractObjectiveExecutive function (EF) and, in particular, inhibitory control have been associated with weight loss (WL) in behavioural WL treatment for obesity. Few studies have focused on the relationship between preoperative inhibitory control and post‐operative WL following bariatric surgery, and the potential mediating role of maladaptive eating behaviours is unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate preoperative executive function as a predictor of WL at 1 year following bariatric surgery. Additionally, we aimed to explore the mediating role of postoperative compulsive grazing in the relationship between inhibitory control and WL.MethodA prospective observational study in which participants completed neuropsychological testing 30 days before and 1 year following surgery (n = 61/80; 76% follow‐up). Participants were 80% female, with an average age of 41 years. Approximately 54% underwent gastric bypass, 26% gastric sleeve and 20% had one anastomosis gastric bypass. Regression analyses were employed to examine the relationship between preoperative EF and percentage total weight loss (%TWL), and structural equation modelling was used to examine compulsive grazing as a mediator.ResultsAfter adjusting for control variables, preoperative inhibitory control explained 8% of the variance in %TWL (p ≤ 0.05). Preoperative working memory was not significantly associated with %TWL. Postoperative compulsive grazing was significantly associated with %TWL (p ≤ 0.05), but did not mediate the association between preoperative inhibitory control and %TWL.ConclusionThe results suggest that preoperative inhibitory control performance is a relevant predictor of postoperative WL and that compulsive grazing is a maladaptive eating behaviour that warrants clinical attention after surgery.
Planform‐asymmetry and backwater effects on river‐cutoff kinematics and clustering
Authors: Ielpi Alessandro , Lapôtre Mathieu G.A. , Finotello Alvise , Ghinassi Massimiliano 
Published: October 2020

AbstractRiver bends occasionally meander to the point of cutoff, whereby a river shortcuts itself and isolates a portion of its course. This fundamental process fingerprints a river's long‐term planform geometry, its stratigraphic record, and biogeochemical fluxes in the floodplain. Although meander cutoffs are common in fast‐migrating channels, timelapse imagery of the Earth surface typically does not offer a long enough baseline for statistically robust analyses of these processes. We seek to bridge this gap by quantifying cutoff kinematics along the Humboldt River (Nevada) – a stream that, from 1994 to 2019, hosted an exceptionally high number of cutoffs (specifically, 174 of the chute type and 53 of the neck type). A coincidence between major floods and cutoff incidence is first suggestive of hydrographic modulation. Moreover, not just higher sinuosity but also upstream planform skewness is associated with higher cutoff incidence and channel widening for a sub‐population of chute cutoffs. We propose a conceptual model to explain our results in terms of channel‐flow structure and then examine the distances between adjacent cutoffs to understand the mechanisms governing their clustering. We find that both local and nonlocal perturbations together trigger the clustering of new cutoffs, over distances capped by the backwater length and over yearly to decadal timescales. Our research suggests that planform geometry and backwater controls might sway the occurrence of cutoff clusters – both local and nonlocal – thereby offering new testable hypotheses to explore the evolution of meandering‐river landscapes that have significant implications for river engineering and stratigraphic modelling. © 2020 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Field measurements of shear stress and friction in the surf zone
Authors: Aagaard Troels , Christensen Drude F. , Hughes Michael G. 
Published: October 2020

AbstractMeasurements of near‐bed shear stress were undertaken in the shallow subtidal zone at Durras Beach, NSW, Australia using a sideways‐looking acoustic velocity meter installed within the wave boundary layer. The wave climate was swell‐dominated and wave conditions comprised shoaling and breaking waves as well as surf bores. The sediment at the field site was medium‐grained sand, and observations of bedform geometry were conducted using a pencilbeam‐sonar system. Using frequency‐filtering techniques, the measured stresses were partitioned into terms representing turbulent (Reynolds) stress, stresses due to gravity and infragravity‐scale oscillatory motions, and wave‐turbulence‐mean current cross‐terms. Gravity wave‐orbital scale motions contributed the largest fraction of the stresses, comprising 24% on average, followed by long‐wave advection of vertical orbital motion (16%). The presence of wave orbital‐scale motions near or at the water/sediment interface was likely due to the porous nature of the seabed, facilitating interfacial flow. Shear stresses did not scale with bed roughness but exhibited a linear relationship with the relative wave height. This indicates that for the experimental conditions, surf zone processes overwhelmed bed roughness effects on shear stress and friction. Calculations of the wave friction factor,fw, showed that in a natural surf zone, this was a factor 3–4 larger than conventional predictions. © 2020 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.