bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Fullerene as a Photoelectron Transfer Promoter Enabling Stable TiO2‐Protected Sb2Se3 Photocathodes for Photo‐Electrochemical Water Splitting
Authors: Tan Jeiwan , Yang Wooseok , Oh Yunjung , Lee Hyungsoo , Park Jaemin , Boppella Ramireddy , Kim Joosun , Moon Jooho 
Published: February 2019

AbstractUnderstanding the degradation mechanisms of photoelectrodes and improving their stability are essential for fully realizing solar‐to‐hydrogen conversion via photo‐electrochemical (PEC) devices. Although amorphous TiO2 layers have been widely employed as a protective layer on top of p‐type semiconductors to implement durable photocathodes, gradual photocurrent degradation is still unavoidable. This study elucidates the photocurrent degradation mechanisms of TiO2‐protected Sb2Se3 photocathodes and proposes a novel interface‐modification methodology in which fullerene (C60) is introduced as a photoelectron transfer promoter for significantly enhancing long‐term stability. It is demonstrated that the accumulation of photogenerated electrons at the surface of the TiO2 layer induces the reductive dissolution of TiO2, accompanied by photocurrent degradation. In addition, the insertion of the C60 photoelectron transfer promoter at the Pt/TiO2 interface facilitates the rapid transfer of photogenerated electrons out of the TiO2 layer, thereby yielding enhanced stability. The Pt/C60/TiO2/Sb2Se3 device exhibits a high photocurrent density of 17 mA cm−2 and outstanding stability over 10 h of operation, representing the best PEC performance and long‐term stability compared with previously reported Sb2Se3‐based photocathodes. This research not only provides in‐depth understanding of the degradation mechanisms of TiO2‐protected photocathodes, but also suggests a new direction to achieve durable photocathodes for photo‐electrochemical water splitting.
Physician‐manned prehospital emergency care in tertiary emergency centers in Japan
Authors: Ohbe Hiroyuki , Isogai Shunsuke , Nakajima Mikio , Jo Taisuke , Matsui Hiroki , Fushimi Kiyohide , Yasunaga Hideo 
Published: February 2019

AimUse of a physician‐manned prehospital emergency medical service (EMS) has recently become widespread in Japan. Understanding the epidemiology of critically ill patients is essential for planning national and regional physician‐manned prehospital EMS systems. However, current knowledge on patients receiving physician‐manned prehospital EMS is sparse. The present study aimed to determine the clinical features of critically ill patients with and without physician‐manned prehospital EMS, using a national inpatient database in Japan.MethodsUsing the Japanese Diagnosis Procedure Combination inpatient database, we identified all hospitalized patients transported to tertiary emergency centers by physician‐manned EMS or EMS without a physician from April 2014 to March 2015. We collected data on patient characteristics, in‐hospital mortality, admission diagnoses, advanced life support interventions, and incidence of critical illnesses.ResultsWe identified 497,911 hospitalized patients transported to tertiary emergency centers by EMS. Of these, 15,507 (3%) patients were hospitalized by physician‐manned EMS. The majority of admission diagnoses in the physician‐manned EMS group were classified “diseases of the circulatory system” (45%) and “injury, poisoning and certain other consequences of external causes” (34%). The rates of in‐hospital mortality, advanced life support interventions, and critical illnesses in the physician‐manned EMS group were 22%, 51%, and 53%, respectively. The median incidences of hospitalized patients by physician‐manned EMS, advanced life support interventions, and critical illnesses were 12, 137, and 205 per 100,000 persons per year in facilities with physician‐manned EMS, respectively.ConclusionOur study indicates that physician‐manned EMS is dispatched to a relatively small proportion of critically ill patients in Japan.
Fractional Quantum Conductance Plateaus in Mosaic‐Like Conductors and Their Similarities to the Fractional Quantum Hall Effect
Authors: Kisslinger Ferdinand , Rienmüller Dennis , Ott Christian , Kampert Erik , Weber Heiko B. 
Published: February 2019

AbstractA simple route to generate magnetotransport data is reported that results in fractional quantum Hall plateaus in the conductance without invoking strongly correlated physics. Ingredients to the generating model are conducting tiles with integer quantum Hall effect and metallic linkers, further Kirchhoff rules. When connecting few identical tiles in a mosaic, fractional steps occur in the conductance values. Richer spectra representing several fractions occur when the tiles are parametrically varied. Parts of the simulation data are supported with purposefully designed graphene mosaics in high magnetic fields. The findings emphasize that the occurrence of fractional conductance values, in particular in two‐terminal measurements, does not necessarily indicate interaction‐driven physics. The importance of an independent determination of charge densities is underscored and similarities with and differences to the fractional quantum Hall effect are critically discussed.
Synthesis and Characterization of Three Multi‐Shell Metalloid Gold Clusters Au32(R3P)12Cl8
Authors: Kenzler Sebastian , Fetzer Florian , Schrenk Claudio , Pollard Nia , Frojd Andrew R. , Clayborne Andre Z. , Schnepf Andreas 
Published: February 2019

AbstractThree multi‐shell metalloid gold clusters of the composition Au32(R3P)12Cl8 (R=Et, nPr, nBu) were synthesized in a straightforward fashion by reducing R3PAuCl with NaBH4 in ethanol. The Au32 core comprises two shells, with the inner one constituting a tilted icosahedron and the outer one showing a distorted dodecahedral arrangement. The outer shell is completed by eight chloride atoms and twelve R3P groups. The inner icosahedron shows bond lengths typical for elemental gold while the distances of the gold atoms in the dodecahedral arrangement are in the region of aurophilic interactions. Quantum‐chemical calculations illustrate that the Jahn–Teller effect observed within the cluster core can be attributed to the electronic shell filling. The easily reproducible synthesis, good solubility, and high yields of these clusters render them perfect starting points for further research.
Rhodium‐Catalyzed Annelation of Benzoic Acids with α,β‐Unsaturated Ketones with Cleavage of C−H, CO−OH, and C−C Bonds
Authors: Zhang Guodong , Hu Zhiyong , Belitz Florian , Ou Yang , Pirkl Nico , Gooßen Lukas J. 
Published: February 2019

AbstractIn the presence of a [Cp*RhCl2]2 catalyst, the Lewis acid In(OTf)3, and the mild base Na2CO3, aromatic carboxylates and α,β‐unsaturated ketones undergo a unique hydroarylation/Claisen/retro‐Claisen process to give the corresponding indanones. In this carboxylate‐directed ortho‐C−H annelation, the C−COR bond of the ketone and the CO−OH group of the aromatic carboxylate are cleaved, and the hydroxy group is transferred from the aromatic to the aliphatic acyl residue. This reactivity is synthetically useful, particularly when starting from cyclic ketones, which are converted into indanones bearing aliphatic carboxylate side chains, thus greatly increasing the molecular complexity of aromatic carboxylates in a single step.
Reactive Amphiphilic Conjugated Polymers for Inhibiting Amyloid β Assembly
Authors: Sun Han , Liu Jing , Li Shengliang , Zhou Lingyun , Wang Jianwu , Liu Libing , Lv Fengting , Gu Qi , Hu Baoyang , Ma Yuguo , Wang Shu 
Published: February 2019

AbstractProtein misfolding and aberrant aggregations are associated with multiple prevalent and intractable diseases. Inhibition of amyloid assembly is a promising strategy for the treatment of amyloidosis. Reported here is the design and synthesis of a reactive conjugated polymer, a poly(p‐phenylene vinylene) derivative, functionalized with p‐nitrophenyl esters (PPV‐NP) and it inhibits the assembly of amyloid proteins, degrades preformed fibrils, and reduces the cytotoxicity of amyloid aggregations in living cells. PPV‐NP is attached to the proteins through hydrophobic interactions and irreversible covalent linkage. PPV‐NP also exhibited the capacity to eliminate Aβ plaques in brain slices in ex vivo assays. This work represents an innovative attempt to inhibit protein pathogenic aggregates, and may offer insights into the development of therapeutic strategies for amyloidosis.
Design of a low‐cost culture medium based in whey permeate for biomass production of enological Lactobacillus plantarum strains
Authors: Cerdeira Victoria , Bravo‐Ferrada Bárbara M. , Semorile Liliana , Tymczyszyn Elizabeth 
Published: February 2019

AbstractThe production of malolactic starter cultures requires the obtention of suitably large biomass at low‐cost. In this work it was possible to obtain a good amount of biomass, at laboratory scale, of two enological strains of Lb. plantarum, by formulating a culture medium based on whey permeate (WP), a by‐product of the cheese industry usually disposed as waste, when this was supplemented with yeast extract (Y), salts (S) and Tween 80 (T) (WPYST). Bacteria grown in WPYST medium exhibited good tolerance to stress conditions of synthetic wine (pH 3.5, ethanol 13% vol/vol). However, when WPYST was added with 8% vol/vol ethanol, cultures inoculated in synthetic wine, showed a lower viability and capacity to consume L‐malic acid than when they were cultured in WPYST without ethanol. Subsequently, strains grown in WPYST were inoculated in sterile wine samples (final stage of alcoholic fermentation) of the red varietals Merlot and Pinot noir, and incubated at laboratory scale. Cultures from WPYST, inoculated in Pinot noir wine, showed a better performance than bacteria grown in MRS broth, and exhibited a consumption of L‐malic acid higher than 90%. However, cultures from WPYST or from MRS broth, inoculated in sterile Merlot wine, showed a lower survival. This study allowed the formulation of a low‐cost culture medium, based on a by‐product of the food industry, which showed to be adequate for the growth of two enological strains of Lb. plantarum, suggesting their potentiality for application in the elaboration of malolactic starter cultures.
Melatonin supports alendronate in preserving bone matrix and prevents gastric inflammation in ovariectomized rats
Authors: Gürler Esra Bihter , Çilingir‐Kaya Özlem Tuğçe , Peker Eyüboglu Irem , Ercan Feriha , Akkiprik Mustafa , Reiter Russell J. , Yegen Berrak Ç. 
Published: February 2019

The anti‐catabolic bisphosphonate alendronate is considered as the first‐line medical treatment in post‐menopausal osteoporosis; but several side effects, including gastric mucosal injury, are associated with its use. The aim was to elucidate whether combined treatment with melatonin plus alendronate would be more advantageous in the maintenance of bone and the prevention of gastric side effects. Under anaesthesia, female Sprague‐Dawley rats underwent bilateral ovariectomy (OVX), while control group had sham surgery. Four weeks after the surgery, OVX rats were treated with saline, melatonin (25 μg/mL/d), alendronate (70 μg/kg/wk), melatonin + alendronate, melatonin + melatonin receptor antagonist (luzindole, 10 μg/kg/d) or alendronate + melatonin + luzindole for 8 weeks. Rats were euthanized at the end of 12th week. Runx2 expression, apoptotic cells, and trabecular thickness were evaluated in tibiae, while gastric tissues were analysed for oxidative injury parameters. In all OVX groups, Runx2 expression was depressed. Saline‐treated OVX group presented an extreme decrease in calcified area in opposition to melatonin‐ or alendronate‐treated groups, while the bones in alendronate + melatonin‐treated group were similar to those of the sham‐operated group. Concomitant with the improvements examined histologically in bone tissues, quantitative TUNEL (+) cells were similarly lower in alendronate‐ or melatonin‐treated groups. Oxidative gastric damage was increased in saline‐ or alendronate‐treated groups, which were depressed in the presence of melatonin. Although melatonin and alendronate exerted similar supportive effects on the maintenance of bone mass, melatonin may have a more advantageous impact by protecting against OVX‐induced gastric injury, which was aggravated by alendronate use.HighlightsOur results demonstrate that alendronate and melatonin had similar supportive effects on the maintenance of bone mass, while melatonin prevented the gastric side effects of alendronate, making this combination an advisable therapeutic approach in the treatment of menopausal osteoporosis.
Locating and accessing large datasets using Flower Index Approach
Authors: Kvet Michal , Krsak Emil , Matiasko Karol 
Published: February 2019

SummaryInformation system core part is just the data stored in the database. Over the decades, the number and structure of the data have been changed. Nowadays, data must reflect not only current valid data but also historical and future images as well. Each data tuple is therefore delimited by the validity timeframe forming a temporal paradigm. Several temporal models have been developed with an emphasis on the data structure, the frequency of changes, and synchronization processes. Although the system stores time delimited data during the object lifecycle, it is not efficient, even useful to store data in the main system indefinitely. Reliability is another significant aspect of the processing covered by the purging processes. Query processing is based on the accessing data in the memory buffer cache of the database instance preceded by the loading process from the physical database. This paper proposes a Flower Index Approach as the main contribution. It removes the impact of the High Water Mark, removes useless block loading with no relevant data, and provides effective data access stream using a specific index. Full Table Scan is then not used and data are accessed directly using index ROWID locators.
Distribution of clomipramine, citalopram, midazolam, and metabolites in skeletal tissue after chronic dosing in rats
Authors: Vandenbosch Michiel , Somers Tomas , Cuypers Eva 
Published: February 2019

AbstractIn recent years, the use of skeletal tissue as an alternative matrix in forensic toxicology has received new interest. In cases where extreme decomposition has taken place, analysis of skeletal tissue is often the only option left. In this article, a fully validated method is presented and the distribution of clomipramine, citalopram, midazolam, and metabolites after chronically administration is examined within skeletal tissue. Rats were chronically dosed with respectively clomipramine, citalopram, or midazolam. Extracts were quantitatively analyzed using liquid chromatography−electrospray ionization−tandem mass spectrometry (LC−ESI−MS/MS). Clomipramine, citalopram, and metabolites, respectively desmethylclomipramine and desmethylcitalopram are shown to be detectable in all bone types sampled. Midazolam and its metabolite α‐OH‐midazolam could not be detected. The absence of midazolam in extracts gives an indication that drugs with pKa values under physiological pH are badly or not incorporated in bone tissue. Bone and post‐mortem blood concentrations were compared. A range of different bone types was compared and showed that the concentration is strongly dependent on the bone type. In concordance with previous publications, the humerus shows the highest drug levels. Skeletal tissue concentrations found ranged from 1.1 to 587.8 ng/g. Comparison of the same bone type between the different rats showed high variances. However, the drugs−metabolite ratio proved to have lower variances (<20%). Moreover, the drugs−metabolite ratio in the sampled bones is in close concordance to the ratios seen in blood within a rat. From this, we can assume that the drugs−metabolite ratio in skeletal tissue may prove to be more useful than absolute found concentration.
Fish conservation in the land of steppe and sky: Evolutionarily significant units of threatened salmonid species in Mongolia mirror major river basins
Authors: Kaus Andrew , Michalski Stefan , Hänfling Bernd , Karthe Daniel , Borchardt Dietrich , Durka Walter 
Published: February 2019

AbstractMongolia's salmonids are suffering extensive population declines; thus, more comprehensive fisheries management and conservation strategies are required. To assist with their development, a better understanding of the genetic structure and diversity of these threatened species would allow a more targeted approach for preserving genetic variation and ultimately improve long‐term species recoveries. It is hypothesized that the unfragmented river basins that have persisted across Mongolia provide unobstructed connectivity for resident salmonid species. Thus, genetic structure is expected to be primarily segregated between major river basins. We tested this hypothesis by investigating the population structure for three salmonid genera (Hucho, Brachymystax and Thymallus) using different genetic markers to identify evolutionarily significant units (ESUs) and priority rivers to focus conservation efforts. Fish were assigned to separate ESUs when the combined evidence of mitochondrial and nuclear data indicated genetic isolation. Hucho taimen exhibited a dichotomous population structure forming two ESUs, with five priority rivers. Within the Brachymystax genus, there were three B. lenokESUs and one B. tumensisESU, along with six priority rivers. While B. tumensiswas confirmed to display divergent mtDNA haplotypes, haplotype sharing between these two congeneric species was also identified. For T. baicalensis,only a single ESU was assigned, with five priority rivers identified plus Lake Hovsgol. Additionally, we confirmed that T. nigrescens from Lake Hovsgol is a synonym of T. baicalensis. Across all species, the most prominent pattern was strong differentiation among major river basins with low differentiation and weak patterns of isolation by distance within river basins, which corroborated our hypothesis of high within‐basin connectivity across Mongolia. This new genetic information provides authorities the opportunity to distribute resources for management between ESUs while assigning additional protection for the more genetically valuable salmonid rivers so that the greatest adaptive potential within each species can be preserved.
Variable effects on growth and defense traits for plant ecotypic differentiation and phenotypic plasticity along elevation gradients
Authors: Bakhtiari Moe , Formenti Ludovico , Caggìa Veronica , Glauser Gaëtan , Rasmann Sergio 
Published: February 2019

AbstractAlong ecological gradients, phenotypic differentiation can arise through natural selection on trait diversity and magnitude, and environment‐driven plastic changes. The magnitude of ecotypic differentiation versus phenotypic plasticity can vary depending on the traits under study. Using reciprocal transplant‐common gardens along steep elevation gradients, we evaluated patterns of ecotypic differentiation and phenotypic plasticity of several growth and defense‐related traits for two coexisting but unrelated plant species, Cardamine pratensis and Plantago major. For both species, we observed ecotypic differentiation accompanied by plasticity in growth‐related traits. Plants grew faster and produced more biomass when placed at low elevation. In contrast, we observed fixed ecotypic differentiation for defense and resistance traits. Generally, low‐elevation ecotypes produced higher chemical defenses regardless of the growing elevation. Yet, some plasticity was observed for specific compounds, such as indole glucosinolates. The results of this study may suggest that ecotypic differentiation in defense traits is maintained by costs of chemical defense production, while plasticity in growth traits is regulated by temperature‐driven growth response maximization.
Cannibalism prevents evolutionary suicide of ontogenetic omnivores in life‐history intraguild predation systems
Authors: Hin Vincent , de Roos André M. 
Published: February 2019

AbstractThe majority of animal species are ontogenetic omnivores, that is, individuals of these species change or expand their diet during life. If small ontogenetic omnivores compete for a shared resource with their future prey, ecological persistence of ontogenetic omnivores can be hindered, although predation by large omnivores facilitates persistence. The coupling of developmental processes between different life stages might lead to a trade‐off between competition early in life and predation later in life, especially for ontogenetic omnivores that lack metamorphosis. By using bioenergetic modeling, we study how such an ontogenetic trade‐off affects ecological and evolutionary dynamics of ontogenetic omnivores. We find that selection toward increasing specialization of one life stage leads to evolutionary suicide of noncannibalistic ontogenetic omnivores, because it leads to a shift toward an alternative community state. Ontogenetic omnivores fail to re‐invade this new state due to the maladaptiveness of the other life stage. Cannibalism stabilizes selection on the ontogenetic trade‐off, prevents evolutionary suicide of ontogenetic omnivores, and promotes coexistence of omnivores with their prey. We outline how ecological and evolutionary persistence of ontogenetic omnivores depends on the type of diet change, cannibalism, and competitive hierarchy between omnivores and their prey.
Association between mortality and implantable cardioverter‐defibrillators by aetiology of heart failure: a propensity‐matched analysis of the WARCEF trial
Authors: Lee Tetz C. , Qian Min , Mu Lan , Di Tullio Marco R. , Graham Susan , Mann Douglas L. , Nakanishi Koki , Teerlink John R. , Lip Gregory Y.H. , Freudenberger Ronald S. , Sacco Ralph L. , Mohr Jay P. , Labovitz Arthur J. , Ponikowski Piotr , Lok Dirk J. , Estol Conrado , Anker Stefan D. , Pullicino Patrick M. , Buchsbaum Richard , Levin Bruce , Thompson John L.P. , Homma Shunichi , Ye Siqin ,   for the WARCEF Investigators
Published: February 2019

AbstractAimsThere is debate on whether the beneficial effect of implantable cardioverter‐defibrillators (ICDs) is attenuated in patients with non‐ischaemic cardiomyopathy (NICM). We assess whether any ICD benefit differs between patients with NICM and those with ischaemic cardiomyopathy (ICM), using data from the Warfarin versus Aspirin in Reduced Cardiac Ejection Fraction (WARCEF) trial.Methods and resultsWe performed a post hoc analysis using WARCEF (N = 2293; ICM, n = 991 vs. NICM, n = 1302), where participants received optimal medical treatment. We developed stratified propensity scores for having an ICD at baseline using 41 demographic and clinical variables and created 1:2 propensity‐matched cohorts separately for ICM patients with ICD (N = 223 with ICD; N = 446 matched) and NICM patients (N = 195 with ICD; N = 390 matched). We constructed a Cox proportional hazards model to assess the effect of ICD status on mortality for patients with ICM and those with NICM and tested the interaction between ICD status and aetiology of heart failure. During mean follow‐up of 3.5 ± 1.8 years, 527 patients died. The presence of ICD was associated with a lower risk of all‐cause death among those with ICM (hazard ratio: 0.640; 95% confidence interval: 0.448 to 0.915; P = 0.015) but not among those with NICM (hazard ratio: 0.984; 95% confidence interval: 0.641 to 1.509; P = 0.941). There was weak evidence of interaction between ICD status and the aetiology of heart failure (P = 0.131).ConclusionsThe presence of ICD is associated with a survival benefit in patients with ICM but not in those with NICM.