bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Assessing neuraxial microstructural changes in a transgenic mouse model of early stage Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis by ultra‐high field MRI and diffusion tensor metrics
Authors: Gatto Rodolfo G. , Weissmann Carina , Amin Manish , Finkielsztein Ariel , Sumagin Ronen , Mareci Thomas H. , Uchitel Osvaldo D. , Magin Richard L. 
Published: April 2020

AbstractObjectiveCell structural changes are one of the main features observed during the development of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). In this work, we propose the use of diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) metrics to assess specific ultrastructural changes in the central nervous system during the early neurodegenerative stages of ALS.MethodsUltra‐high field MRI and DTI data at 17.6T were obtained from fixed, excised mouse brains, and spinal cords from ALS (G93A‐SOD1) mice.ResultsChanges in fractional anisotropy (FA) and linear, planar, and spherical anisotropy ratios (CL, CP, and CS, respectively) of the diffusion eigenvalues were measured in white matter (WM) and gray matter (GM) areas associated with early axonal degenerative processes (in both the brain and the spinal cord). Specifically, in WM structures (corpus callosum, corticospinal tract, and spinal cord funiculi) as the disease progressed, FA, CL, and CP values decreased, whereas CS values increased. In GM structures (prefrontal cortex, hippocampus, and central spinal cord) FA and CP decreased, whereas the CL and CS values were unchanged or slightly smaller. Histological studies of a fluorescent mice model (YFP, G93A‐SOD1 mouse) corroborated the early alterations in neuronal morphology and axonal connectivity measured by DTI.ConclusionsChanges in diffusion tensor shape were observed in this animal model at the early, nonsymptomatic stages of ALS. Further studies of CL, CP, and CS as imaging biomarkers should be undertaken to refine this neuroimaging tool for future clinical use in the detection of the early stages of ALS.
Effect of Ligand Field Strength on the Spin Crossover Behaviour in 5‐X‐SalEen (X=Me, Br and OMe) Based Fe(III) Complexes
Authors: Dey Bijoy , Mondal Arpan , Konar Sanjit 
Published: April 2020

AbstractThe reaction of Fe(NCS)3 prepared in situ in MeOH with 5‐X‐SalEen ligands (5‐X‐SalEen=condensation product of 5‐substituted salicylaldehyde and N‐ethylethylenediamine) provided three Fe(III) complexes, [Fe(5‐X‐SalEen)2]NCS; X=Me (1), X=Br (2), X=OMe (3). All the complexes reveal similar structural features but a very different magnetic profile. Complex 1 shows a gradual spin crossover while complexes 2 and 3 show a sharp spin transition. The T1/2 for complex 2 is 237 K while for complex 3 it is much higher with a value of 361 K. The spin transition temperature is shifted towards higher temperature with increasing electron‐donation ability of the ligand substituents. This experimental observation has been rationalized with DFT calculations. UV‐Vis and cyclic voltammetry studies support the fact that the electron density on the ligand increases from Me to Br to OMe substituents. To understand the change in spin states, temperature‐dependent EPR spectra have been recorded. The spin state equilibrium in the liquid state has been probed with Evans NMR spectroscopic method, and thermodynamic parameters have been evaluated for all complexes.
Carbon Transition‐metal Oxide Electrodes: Understanding the Role of Surface Engineering for High Energy Density Supercapacitors
Authors: Tomboc Gracita M. , Tesfaye Gadisa Bekelcha , Jun Minki , Chaudhari Nitin K. , Kim Hern , Lee Kwangyeol 
Published: April 2020

AbstractSupercapacitors store electrical energy by ion adsorption at the interface of the electrode‐electrolyte (electric double layer capacitance, EDLC) or through faradaic process involving direct transfer of electrons via oxidation/reduction reactions at one electrode to the other (pseudocapacitance). The present minireview describes the recent developments and progress of carbon‐transition metal oxides (C‐TMO) hybrid materials that show great promise as an efficient electrode towards supercapacitors among various material types. The review describes the synthetic methods and electrode preparation techniques along with the changes in the physical and chemical properties of each component in the hybrid materials. The critical factors in deriving both EDLC and pseudocapacitance storage mechanisms are also identified in the hope of pointing to the successful hybrid design principles. For example, a robust carbon‐metal oxide interaction was identified as most important in facilitating the charge transfer process and activating high energy storage mechanism, and thus methodologies to establish a strong carbon‐metal oxide contact are discussed. Finally, this article concludes with suggestions for the future development of the fabrication of high‐performance C‐TMO hybrid supercapacitor electrodes.
Dialkenylgermanes as Precursors of Silsesquioxane‐based Macromolecular Structures
Authors: Grzelak Magdalena , Frąckowiak Dawid , Marciniec Bogdan 
Published: April 2020

AbstractHerein we report a study of highly efficient platinum‐catalyzed hydrosilylation of dialkenylgermanes with silsesquioxanes and spherosilicates. The use of divinyl‐ and diallylgermanes allowed the synthesis of new classes of compounds, i. e., dumbbell‐type systems, silsesquioxanes with alkenyl pendant group, and oligomeric derivatives. The results are supported by detailed data from in situ FT‐IR and NMR measurements, enabling precise monitoring of the reaction progress and determination of regioselectivity of the formed products.
Novel HPTLC densitometric methods for determination of tamsulosin HCl and tadalafil in their newly formulated dosage form: Comparative study and green profile assessment
Authors: Tantawy Mahmoud A. , Weshahy Soheir A. , Wadie Mina , Rezk Mamdouh R. 
Published: April 2020

AbstractA promising combination of tamsulosin HCl and tadalafil has recently been introduced for treating two prevalent and associated urological disorders: benign prostate hyperplasia and erectile dysfunction. Novel HPTLC methods were designed and validated for assaying the cited drugs in their challenging combined formulation. Separation was achieved using HPTLC silica gel 60 F254 plates as a stationary phase with a densitometric measurement at 280 nm. The proposed methods with two different chromatographic systems were successfully applied: a conventional mixture (method I) of ethyl acetate–toluene–methanol–ammonia (5:3:2:0.5, by volume) and a greener one (method II) with ethyl acetate–ethanol–ammonia (8:2:0.1, by volume). The two methods were evaluated through a comparative study in terms of selectivity, tailing factor, developing time and concentration ranges. The greenness profile for each method was then appraised with several green guides, namely GlaxoSmithKline solvent sustainability guide, Environmental, Health and Safety (EHS) tool, National Environmental Method Index (NEMI) and Eco‐scale. Moreover, method specificity and peak homogeneity were evaluated by peak purity assessment using the winCATS® software spectral correlation tool. The methods have potential for being simple, fast, economic and selective, and the greener one could be a good option for sustainable analysis of the drugs.
Rapid screening and evaluation of XOD inhibitors and O2•− scavenger from total flavonoids of Ginkgo biloba leaves by LC–MS and multimode microplate reader
Authors: Wang Jing , Zhang Yong , Zhou Meiqi , Zheng Meizhu , Cui Jing , Liu Zhiqiang , Liu Chunming , Liu Shu 
Published: April 2020

AbstractSuperoxide anion radical scavenger and xanthine oxidase inhibitor play an important role in the treatment of several relevant human diseases. In the present study, ultrafiltration liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry coupled to microplate reader was applied to screen and identify superoxide anion radical scavengers and xanthine oxidase inhibitors from total flavonoids of Ginkgo biloba leaves. As a result, four compounds (quercetin, apigenin, kaempferol and isorhamnetin) were screened as xanthine oxidase inhibitors by ultrafiltration LC–MS, and the 50% scavenging concentration values of the screened flavonoids were lower than those for allopurinol. Lineweaver–Burk plot results indicated that kaempferol was a competitive xanthine oxidase inhibitor; the other flavonoids were all anticompetitive inhibitors. Four flavonoids—rutin, quercetin, kaempferol and isorhamnetin—were screened as superoxide anion radical scavengers by LC–MS. The results demonstrate that the method for screening and evaluation of superoxide anion radical scavenger and xanthine oxidase inhibitor from a complex mixture system is feasible and efficient.
Development of a precise quantitative method for monitoring sirolimus in whole blood using LC/ESI–MS/MS
Authors: Shigeta Kensuke , Kikuchi Masafumi , Tanaka Masaki , Takasaki Shinya , Oishi Hisashi , Sado Tetsu , Matsuda Yasushi , Noda Masafumi , Okada Yoshinori , Mano Nariyasu , Yamaguchi Hiroaki 
Published: April 2020

AbstractSirolimus is used on patients after solid organ transplantation and on lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM) patients, and therapeutic drug monitoring is required in clinical practice. We have previously reported an accurate method for quantitative determination of sirolimus, but its sample preparation step was complicated. In this study, we developed a modified liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (LC/ESI–MS/MS) method for sirolimus quantification. A supported liquid extraction cartridge was used to purify sirolimus from whole blood and ion suppression was mostly prevented. The validation results met the acceptance criteria. This method was compared with the antigen conjugated magnetic immunoassay (ACMIA) and our previously reported method, using whole blood samples from LAM patients. Comparison of the Bland–Altman plots of the currently developed method and the previous method revealed no significant difference between the two methods (mean bias, −2.02%; 95% CI, −7.81–3.78). The values obtained using ACMIA were significantly higher than those obtained using the current method by 13.87% (95% CI, 6.49–21.25) owing to cross‐reactivity. The degrees of cross reactivities in LAM patients and in organ transplant patients were similar, and our LC/ESI–MS/MS method precisely measured the blood concentrations of sirolimus.
Anxiolytic‐Like Action of Selected 4‐(Alkylamino)‐3‐nitrocoumarin Derivatives in BALB/c Mice
Authors: Randjelović Pavle J. , Radulović Niko S. , Stojanović Nikola M. , Dekić Vidoslav S. , Dekić Biljana R. , Stojiljković Nenad I. , Ilić Sonja M. 
Published: April 2020

AbstractIn this work, we explored the possible polypharmacological potential of the already established antimicrobials against gastrointestinal pathogens, 4‐(alkylamino)‐3‐nitrocoumarins, as antianxiety agents, using a battery of in vivo experiments. Three chosen coumarin derivatives, differing in the substituent (sec‐butylamino, hexadecylamino, or benzylamino) at position 4, at the doses of 25, 50 and 100 mg kg–1, were evaluated in light/dark, open‐field, horizontal wire and diazepam‐induced sleep models using male BALB/c mice. Depending on the applied dose, all three tested coumarins displayed a noteworthy anxiolytic‐like effect. 4‐(sec‐Butylamino)‐3‐nitro‐2H‐chromen‐2‐one and 4‐(hexadecylamino)‐3‐nitro‐2H‐chromen‐2‐one could be recognized as true anxiolytics in the lowest applied dose, based on three tests, without exerting any sedative effects. Thus, the 3‐nitrocoumarin core deserves further chemical diversity exploration in the ‘antianxiety’ direction.
Frustrated Lewis Pair Catalyzed Reduction of Carbon Dioxide Using Hydroboranes: New DFT Mechanistic Insights
Authors: Qu Zheng‐Wang , Zhu Hui , Grimme Stefan 
Published: April 2020

AbstractCatalytic CO2 reduction is attractive for the sustainable production of value‐added fuels and chemicals. Prevented by an unclear mechanistic picture, only a few frustrated Lewis pair (FLP) catalysts are known for the efficient CO2 reduction under mild conditions using hydroboranes as reductant. For the first time, based on extensive DFT calculations, very efficient mechanisms for all steps of the FLP‐catalyzed reduction of CO2 to various products of boryl formate, H2CO, bis(boryl) acetal and methoxyl borane are revealed. Zwitterionic B/P FLP‐H2CO adducts are confirmed as active catalyst via the Lewis‐basic CH2O “oxide” center. Strong O and N Lewis‐bases are very active in promoting hydride transfer from hydroboranes to CO2 and strongly bound to the boryl group of reduced species. This can be modulated by Lewis acids in FLP catalysts for well‐balanced catalytic activity, which is crucial for further design of novel catalytic process.
A General Approach to Enzyme‐Responsive Liposomes
Authors: Lou Jinchao , Best Michael D. 
Published: April 2020

AbstractLiposomes are effective nanocarriers due to their ability to deliver encapsulated drugs to diseased cells. Nevertheless, liposome delivery would be improved by enhancing the ability to control the release of contents at the target site. While various stimuli have been explored for triggering liposome release, enzymes provide excellent targets due to their common overexpression in diseased cells. We present a general approach to enzyme‐responsive liposomes exploiting targets that are commonly aberrant in disease, including esterases, phosphatases, and β‐galactosidases. Responsive lipids correlating with each enzyme family were designed and synthesized bearing an enzyme substrate moiety attached via a self‐immolating linker to a non‐bilayer lipid scaffold, such that enzymatic hydrolysis triggers lipid decomposition to disrupt membrane integrity and release contents. Liposome dye leakage assays demonstrated that each enzyme‐responsive liposome yielded significant content release upon enzymatic treatment compared to minimal release in controls. Results also showed that fine‐tuning liposome composition was critical for controlling release. DLS analysis showed particle size increases in the cases of esterase‐ and β‐galactosidase‐responsive lipids, supporting alterations to membrane properties. These results showcase an effective modular strategy that can be tailored to target different enzymes, providing a promising new avenue for advancing liposomal drug delivery.
Response to Inhibition of Receptor‐Interacting Protein Kinase 1 (RIPK1) in Active Plaque Psoriasis: A Randomized Placebo‐Controlled Study
Authors: Weisel Kathleen , Berger Scott , Papp Kim , Maari Catherine , Krueger James G. , Scott Nicola , Tompson Debra , Wang Susanne , Simeoni Monica , Bertin John , Peter Tak Paul 
Published: April 2020

Receptor‐interacting protein kinase 1 (RIPK1), a regulator of inflammation and cell death, is a potential therapeutic target in immune‐mediated inflammatory diseases (IMIDs). The objective of this phase IIa multicenter, randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled study was to evaluate safety, tolerability pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and preliminary efficacy of GSK2982772, a RIPK1 inhibitor, in plaque‐type psoriasis. Psoriasis patients (N = 65) were randomized to 60 mg twice daily (b.i.d.) or three times daily (t.i.d.), or placebo for 84 days. Most adverse events (AEs) were mild with no severe drug‐related AEs reported. Plaque Lesion Severity Sum improved with b.i.d. treatment compared with placebo; interpretation of t.i.d. treatment results was complicated by a high placebo response. Reductions in epidermal thickness and infiltration by CD3+ T cells in the epidermis and dermis were observed compared with placebo. Results support the rationale for additional studies on RIPK1 inhibition in IMIDs.
Evaluation of hybrid wheat yield in Nebraska
Authors: Easterly Amanda C. , Garst Nicholas , Belamkar Vikas , Ibrahim Amir M. H. , Rudd Jackie C. , Sarazin Jean‐Benoit , Baenziger P. Stephen 
Published: April 2020

AbstractFor hybrid wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) to be successful in the Great Plains, good‐quality hybrid seed production must be reliable, and hybrid yield must exceed best commercial inbred cultivars (commercial heterosis). This research evaluates hybrid wheat cultivars developed from a full diallel of 26 parents that were planted in an augmented design at three locations in Nebraska in each of two years. The effects of using chemical hybridization were evaluated by testing the parents against hybrids that were created as full‐sib crosses and showed no detrimental effects of the chemical hybridization method on the hybrid performance. Maternal effects were tested by comparing the reciprocals for each combination of parents, where it was shown that reciprocal effects were of minor importance. General and specific combining abilities and narrow‐sense heritability were obtained and are being used to select parents for future hybrid combinations.
Recycle, Recover and Repurpose Strategy of Spent Li‐ion Batteries and Catalysts: Current Status and Future Opportunities
Authors: Garole Dipak J. , Hossain Rumana , Garole Vaman J. , Sahajwalla Veena , Nerkar Jawahar , Dubal Deepak P. 
Published: April 2020

AbstractThe disposal of hazardous waste of any form has become a great concern for the industrial sector due to increased environmental awareness. The increase in usage of hydroprocessing catalysts by petrochemical industries and lithium‐ion batteries (LIBs) in portable electronics and electric vehicles will soon generate a large amount of scrap and create significant environmental problems. Like general electronic wastes, spent catalysts and LIBs are currently discarded in municipal solid waste and disposed of in landfills in the absence of policy and feasible technology to drive alternatives. Such inactive catalyst materials and spent LIBs not only contain not only hazardous heavy metals but also toxic and carcinogenic chemicals. Besides polluting the environment, these systems (spent catalysts and LIBs) contain valuable metals such as Ni, Mo, Co, Li, Mn, Rh, Pt, and Pd. Therefore, the extraction and recovery of these valuable metals has significant importance. In this Review, we have summarized the strategies used to recover valuable (expensive) as well as cheap metals from secondary resources—especially spent catalysts and LIBs. The first section contains the background and sources of LIBs and catalyst scraps with their current recycling status, followed by a brief explanation of metal recovery methods such as pyrometallurgy, hydrometallurgy, and biometallurgy. The recent advances achieved in these methods are critically summarized. Thus, the Review provides a guide for the selection of adequate methods for metal recovery and future opportunities for the repurposing of recovered materials.
Reactive oxygen species signaling in primordial germ cell development in Drosophila embryos
Authors: Syal Sapna , Ng Chris , Kim Yunah , Janbieh Javier , Govind Shubha , Deshpande Girish 
Published: April 2020

SummaryREDOX mechanisms that induce biosynthesis of the reactive oxygen species (ROS) have attracted considerable attention due to both the deleterious and beneficial responses elicited by the reactive radical. In several organisms including Drosophila melanogaster, modulation of ROS activity is thought to be crucial for the maintenance of cell fates in developmental contexts. Interestingly, REDOX mechanisms have been shown to be involved in maintaining progenitor fate of stem cells as well as their proliferation and differentiation. Here, we have explored the possible functions of ROS during proper specification and developmental progression of embryonic primordial germ cells (PGCs). Indicating its potential involvement in these processes, ROS can be detected in the embryonic PGCs and the surrounding somatic cells from very early stages of embryogenesis. Using both “loss” and “gain” of function mutations in two different components of the REDOX pathway, we show that ROS levels are likely to be critical in maintaining germ cell behavior, including their directed migration. Altering the activity of a putative regulator of ROS also adversely influences the ability of PGCs to adhere to one another in cellular blastoderm embryos, suggesting potential involvement of this pathway in orchestrating different phases of germ cell migration.
Singing streams: Describing freshwater soundscapes with the help of acoustic indices
Authors: Decker Emilia , Parker Brett , Linke Simon , Capon Samantha , Sheldon Fran 
Published: April 2020

Abstract

Understanding soundscapes, that is, the totality of sounds within a location, helps to assess nature in a more holistic way, providing a novel approach to investigating ecosystems. To date, very few studies have investigated freshwater soundscapes in their entirety and none across a broad spatial scale.

In this study, we recorded 12 freshwater streams in South East Queensland continuously for three days and calculated three acoustic indices for each minute in each stream. We then used principal component analysis of summary statistics for all three acoustic indices to investigate acoustic properties of each stream and spatial variation in their soundscapes.

All streams had a unique soundscape with most exhibiting diurnal variation in acoustic patterns. Across these sites, we identified five distinct groups with similar acoustic characteristics. We found that we could use summary statistics of AIs to describe daytimes across streams as well. Most difference in stream soundscapes was observed during the daytime with significant variation in soundscapes both between hours and among sites.

Synthesis and Application. We demonstrate how to characterize stream soundscapes by using simple summary statistics of complex acoustic indices. This technique allows simple and rapid investigation of streams with similar acoustic properties and the capacity to characterize them in a holistic and universal way. While we developed this technique for freshwater streams, it is also applicable to terrestrial and marine soundscapes.
Diet specialization and brood parasitism in cuckoo species
Authors: Morelli Federico , Benedetti Yanina , Pape Møller Anders 
Published: April 2020

AbstractBrood parasitism is a breeding strategy adopted by many species of cuckoos across the world. This breeding strategy influences the evolution of life histories of brood parasite species.In this study, we tested whether the degree on diet specialization is related to the breeding strategy in cuckoo species, by comparing brood parasite and nonparasite species. We measured the gradient of diet specialization of cuckoos, by calculating the Gini coefficient, an index of inequality, on the multiple traits describing the diet of species. The Gini coefficient is a measure of statistical dispersion on a scale between 0 and 1, reflecting a gradient from low to high specialization, respectively. First, we tested the strength of the phylogenetic signal of diet specialization index among cuckoo species worldwide. Then, we ran phylogenetic generalized least square (PGLS) models to compare diet specialization, distribution range, and body mass of parasitic and nonparasitic cuckoo species, considering the phylogenetic signal of data.After adjusting for the phylogenetic signal of the data and considering both, species distribution range and species body mass, brood parasitic cuckoos were characterized by higher diet specialization than nonbrood parasitic species. Brood parasitic species were also characterized by a larger breeding distribution range than nonparasitic species.The findings of this study provide an additional understanding of the cuckoos’ ecology, relating diet and breeding strategies, information that could be important in conservation ecology.