bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Peripheral Vestibular Organ Degeneration After Temporal Bone Fracture: A Human Otopathology Study
Authors: Knoll Renata M. , Ishai Reuven , Lubner Rory J. , Trakimas Danielle R. , Brodsky Jacob R. , Jung David H. , Rauch Steven D. , Nadol Joseph B. , Remenschneider Aaron K. , Kozin Elliott D. 
Published: May 2019

Objectives/HypothesisVestibular symptoms are a common sequela of temporal bone fractures (TBFs). The mechanisms of injury to the peripheral vestibular system following TBF, however, are not well described. Herein, we aimed to investigate the histopathology of the peripheral vestibular system in patients who sustained TBFs.Study DesignRetrospective human specimen analysis.MethodsSpecimens from the National Temporal Bone Pathology Registry with (cases) and without (controls) TBFs were evaluated. Specimens were analyzed by light microscopy for vestibular hair cell and/or dendritic degeneration, presence of endolymphatic hydrops, blockage of the endolymphatic duct, and number of Scarpa ganglion cells (ScGCs) in the superior and inferior vestibular nerves.ResultsSeven temporal bones (TBs) from five individuals with TBFs, and seven TBs from six age‐matched individuals without a history of head injury met inclusion and exclusion criteria. All fractures involved the otic capsule. Severe degeneration of the cristae was identified in the semicircular canals in all TBF cases. The utricular and saccular maculae showed mild to severe degeneration in the TBF cases. Vestibular hydrops (n = 2 TBs) and blockage of the endolymphatic duct (n = 3 TBs) were also present in the TBF cases. There was a decrease of 52.6% in the mean total ScGC count in the TBF cases (n = 3 TBs) compared to age‐matched controls (n = 7 TBs,P =.015). There was a mean loss of 53% of the ScGCs in the superior vestibular nerve and a mean loss of 52.3% of the ScGCs in the inferior vestibular nerve compared to age‐matched controls (P =.033 andP =.021, respectively).ConclusionsIn a cohort of patients with TBFs, there were distinct peripheral vestibular changes including reduction of ScGCs.Level of EvidenceNALaryngoscope, 130:752–760, 2020
African dryland ecosystem changes controlled by soil water
Authors: Wei Fangli , Wang Shuai , Fu Bojie , Wang Lixin , Liu Yi Y. , Li Yan 
Published: May 2019

AbstractMonitoring long‐term vegetation dynamics in African drylands is of great importance for both ecosystem degradation studies and carbon‐cycle modelling. Here, we exploited the complementary use of optical and passive microwave satellite data— normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and vegetation optical depth (VOD)—to provide new insights of ecosystem changes in African drylands. During 1993–2012, 54% of African drylands experienced a significant increase of VOD, mainly located in southern Africa and west and central Africa, with an average rate of increase of (1.2 ± 2.7) × 10−3 yr−1. However, a significant decreasing NDVI was observed over 43% of the African drylands, in particular in western Niger and eastern Africa, with an average browning rate of (−0.13 ± 1.5) × 10−3 yr−1. The contrasting vegetation trends (increasing VOD and decreasing NDVI) were largely caused by an increase in the relative proportion of the woody component of the vegetation, as a result of the prevailing woody encroachment in African drylands during the study period. Soil water emerges as the dominant driver of ecosystem changes in African drylands, in particular in arid and semiarid areas. This is evidenced by a strong spatio‐temporal correlation between soil water and vegetation, where soil water changes explain about 48% of vegetation variations. This study emphasizes the potential of utilizing multiple satellite products with different strengths in monitoring different characteristics of ecosystems to evaluate ecosystem changes and reveal the underlying mechanisms of the observed changes.
A Multifunctional Photonic Integrated Circuit for Diverse Microwave Signal Generation, Transmission, and Processing
Authors: Zou Xihua , Zou Fang , Cao Zizheng , Lu Bing , Yan Xianglei , Yu Ge , Deng Xiong , Luo Bin , Yan Lianshan , Pan Wei , Yao Jianping , Koonen Antonius M. J. 
Published: May 2019

AbstractMicrowave photonics (MWP) studies the interaction between microwaves and optical waves for the generation, transmission, and processing of microwave signals (i.e., three key domains), taking advantage of the broad bandwidth and low loss offered by modern photonics. Integrated MWP using photonic integrated circuits (PICs) can reach a compact, reliable, and green implementation. Most PICs, however, are recently developed to perform one or more functions restricted inside a single domain. Herein, as highly desired, a multifunctional PIC is proposed to cover the three key domains. The PIC is fabricated on an InP platform by monolithically integrating four laser diodes and two modulators. Using the multifunctional PIC, seven fundamental functions across microwave signal generation, transmission, and processing are demonstrated experimentally. Outdoor field trials for electromagnetic environment surveillance along in‐service high‐speed railways are also performed. The success of such a PIC marks a key step forward for practical and massive MWP implementations.
High‐Speed and High‐Responsivity Hybrid Silicon/Black‐Phosphorus Waveguide Photodetectors at 2 µm
Authors: Yin Yanlong , Cao Rui , Guo Jingshu , Liu Chaoyue , Li Jiang , Feng Xianglian , Wang Huide , Du Wei , Qadir Akeel , Zhang Han , Ma Yungui , Gao Shiming , Xu Yang , Shi Yaocheng , Tong Limin , Dai Daoxin 
Published: May 2019

AbstractSilicon photonics is being extended from the near‐infrared window of 1.3–1.5 µm for optical fiber communications to the mid‐infrared (mid‐IR) wavelength‐band of 2 µm or longer for satisfying the increasing demands in many applications. Mid‐IR waveguide photodetectors on silicon have attracted intensive attention as one of the indispensable elements for various photonic systems. However, when combining traditional semiconductor materials with silicon, there are some challenges due to lattice mismatch and thermal expansion mismatch. As an alternative, two‐dimensional (2D) materials provide a new and promising option for enabling active photonic devices on silicon. Here black‐phosphorus (BP) thin films with optimized medium thicknesses (≈40 nm) are introduced as the active material for light absorption and silicon/BP hybrid ridge waveguide photodetectors at 2 µm are demonstrated with a high responsivity of 306.7 mA W−1 at a low bias voltage of 0.4 V. The 3 dB‐bandwidth is up to 1.33 GHz and an experiment of a 4.0 Gbit s−1 data receiving is also demonstrated.
Ends, tangles and critical vertex sets
Authors: Kurkofka Jan , Pitz Max 
Published: May 2019

AbstractWe show that an arbitrary infinite graph G can be compactified by its ends plus its critical vertex sets, where a finite set X of vertices of an infinite graph is critical if its deletion leaves some infinitely many components each with neighbourhood precisely equal to X. We further provide a concrete separation system whose ℵ0‐tangles are precisely the ends plus critical vertex sets. Our tangle compactification is a quotient of Diestel's (denoted by ), and both use tangles to compactify a graph in much the same way as the ends of a locally finite and connected graph compactify it in its Freudenthal compactification. Finally, generalising both Diestel's construction of and our construction of , we show that G can be compactified by every inverse limit of compactifications of the sets of components obtained by deleting a finite set of vertices. Diestel's is the finest such compactification, and our is the coarsest one. Both coincide if and only if all tangles are ends. This answers two questions of Diestel.
Integrative neuromuscular medicine: Neuropathy and neuropathic pain: Consider the alternatives
Authors: Rowin Julie 
Published: May 2019

ABSTRACTComplementary and alternative treatment modalities are commonly utilized by patients for neuropathy and neuropathic pain due to perceived lack of benefit from conventional medical treatment. As the association between metabolic syndrome and neuropathy is increasingly recognized, diet and lifestyle interventions are becoming important components in the management of neuropathy. Progress in the understanding of the gut–immune interaction highlights the role the gut microbiome and inflammation plays in the modulation of neuropathy and neuropathic pain. Evidence for nutritional interventions, exercise, supplements, acupuncture, and mindfulness‐based practices in the treatment of neuropathic pain is encouraging. This article reviews the available evidence to support the safe use of complementary and alternative treatments for commonly encountered conditions associated with neuropathy and neuropathic pain. Muscle Nerve 60: 124–136, 2019
Synthesis of a novel DPPA‐containing benzoxazine to flame‐retard epoxy resin with maintained thermal properties
Authors: Luo Qinqin , Sun Yulin , Yu Biao , Li Chengpeng , Song Jiangli , Tan Dexin , Zhao Jianqing 
Published: May 2019

The flame‐retarded epoxy resin with improved thermal properties based on environmentally friendly flame retardants is vital for industrial application. Hereby, a novel reactive‐type halogen‐free flame retardant, 10‐(3‐(4‐hydroxy phenyl)‐3,4‐dihydro‐2H‐benzo[e] [1,3] oxazin‐4‐yl)‐5H‐phenophosphazinine 10‐oxide (DHA‐B) was synthesized via a two‐step reaction route. Its structure was characterized using 1H, 13C, and 31P NMR and HRMS spectra. For 4,4′‐diaminodipheny ethane (DDM) and diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A (DGEBA)‐cured systems, the epoxy resin with only 2 wt% loading of DHA‐B passed V‐0 rating of UL‐94 test. Significantly, its glass transition temperature (Tg) and initial decomposition temperature (T5%) were as high as 169.6°C and 359.6°C, respectively, which were even higher than those of the corresponding original epoxy resin. Besides, DHA‐B decreased the combustion intensity during combustion. The analysis of residues after combustion suggested that DHA‐B played an important role in the condensed phase.
Multivariate analysis reveals environmental and genetic determinants of element covariation in the maize grain ionome
Authors: Fikas Alexandra Asaro , Dilkes Brian P. , Baxter Ivan 
Published: May 2019

AbstractThe integrated responses of biological systems to genetic and environmental variation result in substantial covariance in multiple phenotypes. The resultant pleiotropy, environmental effects, and genotype‐by‐environmental interactions (GxE) are foundational to our understanding of biology and genetics. Yet, the treatment of correlated characters, and the identification of the genes encoding functions that generate this covariance, has lagged. As a test case for analyzing the genetic basis underlying multiple correlated traits, we analyzed maize kernel ionomes from Intermated B73 x Mo17 (IBM) recombinant inbred populations grown in 10 environments. Plants obtain elements from the soil through genetic and biochemical pathways responsive to physiological state and environment. Most perturbations affect multiple elements which leads the ionome, the full complement of mineral nutrients in an organism, to vary as an integrated network rather than a set of distinct single elements. We compared quantitative trait loci (QTL) determining single‐element variation to QTL that predict variation in principal components (PCs) of multiple‐element covariance. Single‐element and multivariate approaches detected partially overlapping sets of loci. QTL influencing trait covariation were detected at loci that were not found by mapping single‐element traits. Moreover, this approach permitted testing environmental components of trait covariance, and identified multi‐element traits that were determined by both genetic and environmental factors as well as genotype‐by‐environment interactions. Growth environment had a profound effect on the elemental profiles and multi‐element phenotypes were significantly correlated with specific environmental variables.
Low‐Temperature, Rapid Copolymerization of Acrylic Acid and Sodium Acrylate in Water
Authors: Narupai Benjaporn , Willenbacher Johannes , Bates Morgan W. , Barbon Stephanie M. , Zerdan Raghida Bou , McGrath Alaina J. , Lee In‐Hwan , Anastasaki Athina , Discekici Emre H. , Laitar David S. , Van Dyk Antony K. , Kalantar Tom H. , Ren Jing M. , Hawker Craig J. 
Published: May 2019

ABSTRACTRegulating the aqueous polymerization of acrylic acid (AA) is a major opportunity for future materials design, requiring the development of scalable, industry‐oriented procedures that afford modest molar mass and dispersity control without long reaction times and environmentally demanding conditions. To address these challenges, this report presents the rapid copolymerization of aqueous mixtures of AA and sodium acrylate using an inexpensive and scalable protocol based on alkyl iodides/sodium iodide as mediators in water. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2019, 57, 1414–1419
Plasticity and transient binding are key ingredients of the periplasmic chaperone network
Authors: Chum Aaron P. , Shoemaker Sophie R. , Fleming Patrick J. , Fleming Karen G. 
Published: May 2019

AbstractSurA, Skp, FkpA, and DegP constitute a chaperone network that ensures biogenesis of outer membrane proteins (OMPs) in Gram‐negative bacteria. Both Skp and FkpA are holdases that prevent the self‐aggregation of unfolded OMPs, whereas SurA accelerates folding and DegP is a protease. None of these chaperones is essential, and we address here how functional plasticity is manifested in nine known null strains. Using a comprehensive computational model of this network termed OMPBioM, our results suggest that a threshold level of steady state holdase occupancy by chaperones is required, but the cell is agnostic to the specific holdase molecule fulfilling this function. In addition to its foldase activity, SurA moonlights as a holdase when there is no expression of Skp and FkpA. We further interrogate the importance of chaperone–client complex lifetime by conducting simulations using lifetime values for Skp complexes that range in length by six orders of magnitude. This analysis suggests that transient occupancy of durations much shorter than the Escherichia coli doubling time is required. We suggest that fleeting chaperone occupancy facilitates rapid sampling of the periplasmic conditions, which ensures that the cell can be adept at responding to environmental changes. Finally, we calculated the network effects of adding multivalency by computing populations that include two Skp trimers per unfolded OMP. We observe only modest perturbations to the system. Overall, this quantitative framework of chaperone–protein interactions in the periplasm demonstrates robust plasticity due to its dynamic binding and unbinding behavior.
Tracing the evolution of novel features of human Toll‐like receptor 4
Authors: Anderson Jeremy A. , Loes Andrea N. , Waddell Grace L. , Harms Michael J. 
Published: May 2019

AbstractToll‐like receptor 4 (TLR4) is a critical innate immune protein that activates inflammation in response to extracellular cues. Much of the work to understand how the protein works in humans has been done using mouse models. Although human and mouse TLR4 have many shared features, they have also diverged significantly since their last common ancestor, acquiring 277 sequence differences. Functional differences include the extent of ligand‐independent activation, whether lipid IVa acts as an antagonist or agonist, and the relative species cross‐compatibility of their MD‐2 cofactor. We set out to understand the evolutionary origins for these functional differences between human and mouse TLR4. Using a combination of phylogenetics, ancestral sequence reconstruction, and functional characterization, we found that evolutionary changes to the human TLR4, rather than changes to the mouse TLR4, were largely responsible for these functional changes. Human TLR4 repressed ancestral ligand‐independent activity and gained antagonism to lipid IVa. Additionally, mutations to the human TLR4 cofactor MD‐2 led to lineage‐specific incompatibility between human and opossum TLR4 complex members. These results were surprising, as mouse TLR4 has acquired many more mutations than human TLR4 since their last common ancestor. Our work has polarized this set of transitions and sets up work to study the mechanistic underpinnings for the evolution of new functions in TLR4.
Biopesticide based sustainable pest management for safer production of vegetable legumes and brassicas in Asia and Africa
Authors: Srinivasan Ramasamy , Sevgan Subramanian , Ekesi Sunday , Tamò Manuele 
Published: May 2019

AbstractVegetables are one of the important crops which could alleviate poverty and malnutrition among the smallholder farmers in tropical Asia and Africa. However, a plethora of pests limit the productivity of these crops, leading to economic losses. Vegetable producers overwhelmingly rely on chemical pesticides in order to reduce pest‐caused economic losses. However, over‐reliance on chemical pesticides poses serious threats to human and environmental health. Hence, biopesticides offer a viable alternative to chemical pesticides in sustainable pest management programs. Baculoviruses such as nucleopolyhedrovirus (NPV) and granulovirus (GV) have been exploited as successful biological pesticides in agriculture, horticulture and forestry.Maruca vitratamultiple nucleocapsid NPV (MaviMNPV) was found to be a unique baculovirus specifically infecting pod borer on food legumes, and it has been successfully developed as a biopesticide in Asia and Africa. Entomopathogenic fungi also offer sustainable pest management options. Several strains ofMetarhizium anisopliaeandBeauveria bassianahave been tested and developed as biopesticides in Asia and Africa. This review specifically focuses on the discovery and development of entomopathogenic virus and fungi‐based biopesticides against major pests of vegetable legumes and brassicas in Asia and Africa. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry
Synthesis of alpha‐methyl selenocysteine and its utilization as a glutathione peroxidase mimic
Authors: Wehrle Robert J. , Ste.Marie Emma J. , Hondal Robert J. , Masterson Douglas S. 
Published: May 2019

Selenocysteine (Sec) is the 21st amino acid in the genetic code where this amino acid is primarily involved in redox reactions in enzymes because of its high reactivity toward oxygen and related reactive oxygen species. Sec has found wide utility in synthetic peptides, especially as a replacement for cysteine. One limitation of using Sec in synthetic peptides is that it can undergo β‐syn elimination reactions after oxidation, rendering the peptide inactive due to loss of selenium. This limitation can be overcome by substituting Cα‐H with a methyl group. The resulting Sec derivative is α‐methylselenocysteine ((αMe)Sec). Here, we present a new strategy for the synthesis of (αMe)Sec by alkylation of an achiral methyl malonate through the use of a selenium‐containing alkylating agent synthesized in the presence of dichloromethane. The seleno‐malonate was then subjected to an enzymatic hydrolysis utilizing pig liver esterase followed by a Curtius rearrangement producing a protected derivative of (αMe)Sec that could be used in solid‐phase peptide synthesis. We then synthesized two peptides: one containing Sec and the other containing (αMe)Sec, based on the sequence of glutathione peroxidase. This is the first reported incorporation of (αMe)Sec into a peptide as well as the first reported biochemical application of this unique amino acid. The (αMe)Sec‐containing peptide had superior stability as it could not undergo β‐syn elimination and it also avoided cleavage of the peptide backbone, which we surprisingly found to be the case for the Sec‐containing peptide when it was incubated for 96 hours in oxygenated buffer at pH 8.0.
A four‐step filtering strategy based on ultra‐high‐performance liquid chromatography coupled to quadrupole‐time‐of‐flight tandem mass spectrometry for comprehensive profiling the major chemical constituents of Akebiae Fructus
Authors: Ma Baolian , Yang Shilin , Li Junmao , Ouyang Hui , He Mingzhen , Feng Yulin , Tan Ting 
Published: May 2019

RationaleAkebiae Fructus (AF) is a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) with antiphlogistic, analgesic, antineoplastic, diuretic, antirheumatic, antidepressant and antiobesity activities. Identification of chemical constituents from AF is helpful to discover the potential active ingredients and to control its quality.MethodsThe four‐step filtering strategy was as follows: (1) To extract the accurate mass by the different adduct ions. (2) To screen different types of the compounds using diagnostic ions. (3) By characteristic ion filtering, to confirm the substituted position and the sugar chain numbers. (4) Based on the neutral loss (NL), to identify the type of monosaccharide and the compositions of sugar chains of triterpenoid saponins and the structure of CGAs.ResultsA total of 94 compounds (85 triterpenoid saponins, 9 chlorogenic acids) were unambiguously or reasonably identified. Fifty constituents were discovered for the first time from AF. Nine types of triterpenoid saponins, including akebonoic acid (type I), norhederagenin (type II), oleanolic acid (type III), 2α,3β‐dihydroxy‐23‐oxo‐30‐norolean‐12,20(21)‐dien‐28‐oic acid (type IV), gypsogenin (type V), norarjunolic acid (type VI), hederagenin (type VII), 2α,3β‐dihydroxy‐23‐oxo‐olean‐12‐en‐28‐oic acid (type VIII), arjunolic acid (type IX), and two types of chlorogenic acid (mono‐CQA and di‐CQA), were identified in AF.ConclusionsAn ultra‐high‐performance liquid chromatography coupled to quadrupole‐time‐of‐flight tandem mass spectrometry with MSE (UPLC–QTOF‐MSE) analysis with four‐step filtering strategy was established and successfully applied to identify the chemical constituents of AF which can provide chemical support for further research and play an important role in the quality control of AF.
Pregenomic RNA: How to assist the management of chronic hepatitis B?
Authors: Wu Yongbin , Wen Jian , Xiao Weiwei , Zhang Bao 
Published: May 2019

SummaryPregenomic RNA (pgRNA) is an emerging serological marker for chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. While pgRNA is principally the template for viral proteins and viral DNAs, additional novel functions for the serum pgRNA have recently been described. These results extend for pgRNA a regulatory function in the viral life cycle and potentially a role in pathogenesis. Here, we review the diverse roles of pgRNA in HBV replication and pathogenesis, emphasizing how the unique structure of this RNA is key to its various functions. We focus in particular on the role of HBV pgRNA in guiding antiviral therapy including nucleot(s)ide analog interruption and role as a marker of cure with new curative therapies. We also briefly allude to the emerging niche for new direct‐acting or indirect‐acting antivirals targeting pgRNA.