bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Universal premedication and therapeutic drug monitoring for asparaginase‐based therapy prevents infusion‐associated acute adverse events and drug substitutions
Authors: Cooper Stacy L. , Young David J. , Bowen Caitlin J. , Arwood Nicole M. , Poggi Sarah G. , Brown Patrick A. 
Published: May 2019

AbstractBackgroundAsparaginase is a critical component of lymphoblastic leukemia therapy, with intravenous pegaspargase (PEG) as the current standard product. Acute adverse events (aAEs) during PEG infusion are difficult to interpret, representing a mix of drug‐inactivating hypersensitivity and noninactivating reactions. Asparaginase Erwinia chrysanthemi (ERW) is approved for PEG hypersensitivity, but is less convenient, more expensive, and yields lower serum asparaginase activity (SAA). We began a policy of universal premedication and SAA testing for PEG, hypothesizing this would reduce aAEs and unnecessary drug substitutions.ProcedureRetrospective chart review of patients receiving asparaginase before and after universal premedication before PEG was conducted, with SAA performed 1 week later. We excluded patients who had nonallergic asparaginase AEs. Primary end point was substitution to ERW. Secondary end points included aAEs, SAA testing, and cost.ResultsWe substituted to ERW in 21 of 122 (17.2%) patients pre‐policy, and 5 of 68 (7.4%) post‐policy (RR, 0.427; 95% CI, 0.27–0.69, P = 0.028). All completed doses of PEG yielded excellent SAA (mean, 0.90 units/mL), compared with ERW (mean, 0.15 units/mL). PEG inactivation post‐policy was seen in 2 of 68 (2.9%), one silent and one with breakthrough aAE. The rate of aAEs pre/post‐policy was 17.2% versus 5.9% (RR, 0.342; 95% CI, 0.20–0.58, P = 0.017). Grade 4 aAE rate pre/post‐policy was 15% versus 0%. Cost analysis predicts $125 779 drug savings alone per substitution prevented ($12 402/premedicated patient).ConclusionsUniversal premedication reduced substitutions to ERW and aAE rate. SAA testing demonstrated low rates of silent inactivation, and higher SAA for PEG. A substantial savings was achieved. We propose universal premedication for PEG be standard of care.
Study on crystalline structure of poly(vinylidene fluoride)/polyethylene/graphene blend‐nanocomposites
Authors: Rafeie Omid , Razavi Aghjeh Mir Karim , Tavakoli Akram , Salami‐Kalajahi Mehdi , Jameie‐Oskooie Amin , Ghayoumi Mansour 
Published: May 2019

AbstractEffect of graphene nano‐platelets (GnP) on the crystalline structure of poly(vinylidene fluoride)/polyethylene (PVDF/PE) blends was studied. The PVDF/GnP were melt compounded with PE and/or PE/PE‐g‐MA mixture to obtain the desired compositions. Alteration in polymorphism of the PVDF component in the blends and in the presence of GnP, was evaluated employing different analyses. The flow‐induced crystallization experiments were conducted under oscillating rheometry at vicinity of crystallization temperature of the PVDF. The results of XRD and FTIR analysis indicated that the charge‐transfer CF bonding interaction between the PVDF chains and basal plane of GnP layers led to alteration of polymorphism of PVDF from α form to α‐, γ‐, and β‐phase crystals. Selective localization of the GnP in PVDF component increased the CF bonding interaction and decreased the hydrogen bonding between PVDF and PE chains, respectively. In the presence of PE‐g‐MA, the hydrogen bonding promoted and the CF bonding interaction decreased leading to predominance of the α‐form crystal formation in the PVDF phase. While the GnP acted as nucleating agent in PVDF component under quiescent conditions, it had negative effect on row nuclei under flow conditions. The structures originated from row‐nuclei and GnP surfaces, led to formation of “shish‐kebab” and “oriented lamella” morphologies, respectively.
Mechanistic insight into the early stages of amyloid formation using an anuran peptide
Authors: Ray Sourav , Holden Stephanie , Martin Lisandra L. , Panwar Ajay Singh 
Published: May 2019

AbstractUperin 3.5 is a short antimicrobial peptide consisting of 17 Amino acids (GVGDL5IRKAV10SVIKN15IV‐NH2) and is naturally obtained from the skin secretion of Uperoleia mjobergii. It is unusual, as it does not aggregate in pure water, but self‐aggregates to form amyloid fibrils in saline buffer. Hence, it can be used as a model peptide to understand the role of salt in the early stages of amyloid fibril formation. We use molecular dynamics simulations and direct experimental evidence from circular dichroism measurements to investigate the effect of NaCl concentration on interpeptide interactions during the early stages of uperin 3.5 aggregation in water. Our simulations show that addition of salt leads to screening of the positive charges on the R7, K8, and K14 residues by chloride counter‐ions, which in turn results in an increase in the net attraction between the predominantly hydrophobic AVSVI segments of the polypeptide. With addition of salt, changes in interpeptide interactions are accompanied by significant conformational transitions from largely random coil structures in the absence of salt, to greater fractions of α‐helical conformations at higher NaCl concentrations, resulting in greater peptide aggregation at higher NaCl concentrations. Analysis of circular dichroism spectra also shows a similar correlation between an increase in α‐helical content and enhanced aggregation with addition of salt. Thus, the aggregation of uperin 3.5 peptides in presence of salt, results from the combined effects of electrostatic screening, enhanced interaction between hydrophobic residues, and the accompanying conformational changes that stabilize aggregate formation.
Influence of the C‐terminal substituent on the crystal‐state conformation of Adm peptides
Authors: Mir Fatemeh M. , Crisma Marco , Toniolo Claudio , Lubell William D. 
Published: May 2019

AbstractThe bis‐functionalized diamondoid α‐amino acid 2‐aminoadamantane‐2‐carboxylic acid (Adm) has been used as the building block of four Nα‐formyl homo‐dipeptide alkylamide sequences via a solution‐phase Ugi multicomponent reaction approach. The conformers of these peptides have been determined in the crystalline state by X‐ray diffraction to distinguish the influences of the C‐terminal substituent. One of the Adm peptides folds into an open and a hydrogen‐bonded γ‐turn geometry. Moreover, 3D‐structures have been observed featuring two consecutive γ‐turns in an incipient γ‐helical structure, a significantly distorted nonhelical β‐turn, as well as an S‐shaped conformation with opposite helical screw senses. A significant topological variety is thus exhibited by the ‐Adm‐Adm‐ sequences contingent on their C‐terminal substituents, illustrating both the broad conformational potential and the need for further characterization of this sterically bulky residue in explorations of its ϕ, ψ space.
Many rice genes are differentially spliced between roots and shoots but cytokinin has minimal effect on splicing
Authors: Freese Nowlan H. , Estrada April R. , Blakley Ivory C. , Duan Jinjie , Loraine Ann E. 
Published: May 2019

AbstractAlternatively spliced genes produce multiple spliced isoforms, called transcript variants. In differential alternative splicing, transcript variant abundance differs across sample types. Differential alternative splicing is common in animal systems and influences cellular development in many processes, but its extent and significance is not as well known in plants. To investigate differential alternative splicing in plants, we examined RNA‐Seq data from rice seedlings. The data included three biological replicates per sample type, approximately 30 million sequence alignments per replicate, and four sample types: roots and shoots treated with exogenous cytokinin delivered hydroponically or a mock treatment. Cytokinin treatment triggered expression changes in thousands of genes but had negligible effect on splicing patterns. However, many genes were differentially spliced between mock‐treated roots and shoots, indicating that our methods were sufficiently sensitive to detect differential splicing between data sets. Quantitative fragment analysis of reverse transcriptase‐PCR products made from newly prepared rice samples confirmed 9 of 10 differential splicing events between rice roots and shoots. Differential alternative splicing typically changed the relative abundance of splice variants that co‐occurred in a data set. Analysis of a similar (but less deeply sequenced) RNA‐Seq data set fromArabidopsisshowed the same pattern. In both theArabidopsisand rice RNA‐Seq data sets, most genes annotated as alternatively spliced had small minor variant frequencies. Of splicing choices with abundant support for minor forms, most alternative splicing events were located within the protein‐coding sequence and maintained the annotated reading frame. A tool for visualizing protein annotations in the context of genomic sequence (ProtAnnot) together with a genome browser (Integrated Genome Browser) were used to visualize and assess effects of differential splicing on gene function. In general, differentially spliced regions coincided with conserved protein domains, indicating that differential alternative splicing is likely to affect protein function between root and shoot tissue in rice.
Chemical defense responses of upland cotton, Gossypium hirsutum L. to physical wounding
Authors: Park Sang‐Hyuck , Scheffler Jodi , Scheffler Brian , Cantrell Charles L. , Pauli Christopher S. 
Published: May 2019

AbstractUpland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) produces terpenoid aldehydes (TAs) that protect the plant from microbial and insect infestations. Foliar TAs include plus (+)‐ and minus (−)‐gossypol, hemigossypolone, and heliocides. To examine foliar TAs’ response to physical wounding, the four TA derivatives of a fully glanded G. hirsutum variety JACO GL were quantified by ultra‐high performance liquid chromatography. The results show that foliar heliocides increased by 1.7‐fold in younger leaves after wounding. While the hemigossypolone level was not affected by the physical wounding, the level of heliocides was significantly increased up to 1.8‐fold in the younger leaves. Upland cotton accumulates concentrated carbohydrates, amino acids, and fatty acids in foliar extrafloral nectar (EFN) to serve as a nutrient resource, which attracts both beneficial insects and damaging pests. To better understand the nectar physiology, particularly to determine the temporal dynamics of EFN metabolites in response to the wounding, a gas chromatograph‐mass spectrometer (GC‐MS) was used to perform metabolic profiling analyses of a G. hirsutum variety Deltapine 383 that has fully developed extrafloral nectaries. A total of 301 compounds were monitored, specifically 75 primary metabolites, two secondary metabolites and 224 unidentified compounds. The physical wounding treatment changed the EFN composition and lowered overall production. The accumulation of 30 metabolites was altered in response to the wounding treatment and threonic acid levels increased consistently. GC‐MS combined with Kovat's analysis enabled identification of EFN secondary metabolites including furfuryl alcohol and 5‐hyrdomethoxyfurfural, which both have antioxidant and antimicrobial properties that may protect the nectar against microbial pathogens. This study provides new insights into the wounding response of cotton plants in terms of cotton metabolites found in leaf glands and extrafloral nectar as well as highlighting some protective functions of secondary metabolites produced in foliar glands and extrafloral nectaries.
RNAi Transfection Results in Lipidome Changes
Authors: Özbalci Cagakan , Storck Elisabeth M. , Eggert Ulrike S. 
Published: May 2019

AbstractRNAi experiments are ubiquitously used in cell biology and are achieved by transfection of small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) into cells using a transfection reagent. These results in knock‐down of proteins of interest, and the phenotypic consequences are then analyzed. It is reported here that two common RNA interference (RNAi) transfection reagents, DharmaFECT 1 and INTERFERin, in mock transfections using non‐targeting siRNAs, cause alterations in the lipidome of HeLa cells. Some lipids change in response to both, presumably chemically different, transfection reagents, while other lipid species change only in response to one of the reagents. While the functional implications of these lipidomic alterations remain to be investigated, the authors' experiments suggest that it is important to use appropriate mock transfection controls during RNAi experiments, ideally complemented by an orthogonal perturbation, especially when investigating membrane‐associated phenomena.
Collective dynamics of semidilute polyelectrolyte solutions with salt
Authors: Muthukumar Murugappan 
Published: May 2019

ABSTRACTWe present a theory of coupled fluctuations of polymer segments, counterions, and coions in semidilute polyelectrolyte solutions containing added salt. The coupling among the three species results in three relaxation modes, instead of the previous common usage of only two relaxation modes by absorbing the role of salt as an effective solvent. Among the three modes, one is the nondiffusive plasmon mode and the other two are diffusive modes. These three modes are unrelated to any other slow mode that may arise from effects such as aggregation. Explicit expressions are derived for the decay rates in terms of concentrations of polyelectrolyte and salt, and the degree of ionization of the polymer. The specific values for the decay rates of the three modes are shown as an illustration for a chosen set of values of experimental variables. In the absence of added salt, the present theory reduces to the previous theory of fast diffusion in salt‐free polyelectrolyte solutions and to the Nernst–Hartley theory for simple electrolytes. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2019, 57, 1263–1269
Ecology and management of earthworm casting on sports turf
Authors: Boyle Paige E , Richardson Michael D , Savin Mary C , Karcher Douglas E , Potter Daniel A 
Published: May 2019

AbstractEarthworm activity is beneficial in most natural and agricultural systems, but excessive earthworm casting is a problem on sports fields worldwide. Expulsion of soil‐rich earthworm fecal matter, or casts, as mounds of soil on the turf canopy can muddy the surface, reduce photosynthesis, and lead to thinning, weed invasion and surface softening. Casts affect ball roll on sports fields, cause fouling of maintenance equipment, and dull mower blades. Build‐up of cast material on reel mower units can affect height and quality of cut. Casting activity is dependent on environmental conditions such as soil texture, temperature, moisture, pH, and organic matter. Response to environmental conditions varies by species. Management options are limited, because no pesticides are specifically labeled for earthworm control at this time, and cultural control methods such as soil modification, turfgrass clipping removal, and sand topdressing have limited and inconsistent efficacy. Products containing plant‐derived saponins and irritants show promise for earthworm management. Pest management practices to mitigate excessive earthworm casting will likely need to be species‐specific, but limited knowledge of earthworm identification by end‐users further inhibits the efficacy of control measures. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry
AG‐DPA: Assignment game–based dynamic power allocation in multibeam satellite systems
Authors: Liu Shuaijun , Fan Yuanyuan , Hu Yuemei , Wang Dapeng , Liu Lixiang , Gao Longfei 
Published: May 2019

SummaryDynamic power allocation is the key technology to maintain the link quality and improve the system throughput in multibeam satellite systems. Many numerical optimization algorithms have been proposed to optimize the power allocation schemes among beams. However, current metaheuristic algorithms, most of which are off‐line iterative methods, are not appropriate in nonuniform traffic demands and time‐varying channels due to the high computational complexity. To solve this problem, an assignment game–based dynamic power allocation (AG‐DPA) is proposed to achieve the suboptimality with low complexity in multibeam satellite systems. The key idea of the proposed AG‐DPA is to model the DPA problem into an assignment game model where the competitive equilibrium is achieved. Further, an adaptive price factor is introduced to make a trade‐off between algorithm performance and complexity. Simulation results show the effectiveness of the proposed AG‐DPA algorithm.
Atmospheric Selective Oxidation of Benzyl Alcohol Catalyzed by Pd Nanoparticles Supported on CeO2 with Various Morphologies
Authors: Zheng Huan , Wei Zhi‐Hang , Hu Xiao‐Qian , Xu Jie , Xue Bing 
Published: May 2019

AbstractA series of ceria materials with various morphologies including rod, polyhedron, cube, and mesostructures, have been synthesized and employed as catalyst supports to load palladium. The physicochemical properties of the synthesized materials have been characterized by XRD, N2 adsorption–desorption, TEM, XPS, and O2‐TPD techniques. The results show Pd can be well dispersed on the ceria supports, whereas Pd/CeO2 materials possess different proportion of oxidic Pd (Pd2+) and Ce3+ species. In the liquid‐phase selective oxidation of benzyl alcohol using O2 as an oxidant, Pd/CeO2‐poly demonstrates the highest catalytic activity, affording a maximum yield of benzaldehyde up to 87% under 90 °C. According characterization analysis, the combination of more Ce3+ species and higher proportion of Pd2+ as well as O2‐activating ability are responsible for the high catalytic activity of Pd/CeO2‐poly.
Effects of motivation and workload on firefighters' perceived health, stress, and performance
Authors: Sandrin Émilie , Gillet Nicolas , Fernet Claude , Leloup Monique , Depin‐Rouault Clément 
Published: May 2019

AbstractThis study investigated the effects of autonomous and controlled motivations, and workload on perceived stress, health, and performance. Workload was also considered as a moderator of the effects of autonomous motivation on perceived health and performance and of controlled motivation on perceived stress. We conducted an empirical study using a sample of 654 firefighters. Consistent with our predictions, results showed positive effects of autonomous motivation and negative effects of workload and controlled motivation on perceived health and performance. They also revealed positive effects of controlled motivation and workload and negative effects of autonomous motivation on perceived stress. Moreover, workload moderated the relations between autonomous motivation and perceived health and performance, so that the positive relations between autonomous motivation and perceived health and performance were lower when workload was high. Finally, workload moderated the relation between controlled motivation and perceived stress so that the positive relation between controlled motivation and perceived stress was stronger when workload was high. Theoretical contributions and perspectives, as well as implications for practice, are discussed.
Headspace‐solid phase microextraction and GC‐MS followed by multivariate data analysis to study the effect of hop processing type and dry hopping time on the aromatic profile of top‐fermented beers
Authors: Ceola Duan , Huelsmann Ricardo Dagnoni , Da‐Col José Augusto , Martendal Edmar 
Published: May 2019

AbstractThis study analyzes the impact of the pelletizing process and the contact time of hops with beer samples on the aroma of beers produced with a dry hopping technique. Eight different hopped beer samples were produced, varying in terms of hop variety (Cascade or Columbus), two different commercial forms of hops (pellets or whole flowers) and two dry hopping times (4 or 7 days). A non‐hopped beer was also produced to help understanding which compounds emerge from the dry‐hopping technique alone. The volatile fraction of the beers was studied by headspace‐solid phase microextraction and gas chromatography‐mass spectrometry. More than 90 compounds were identified with the help of Kòvats retention index, injection of standards, and comparison with mass spectra of the NIST library. To assist in the interpretation of the large data volume, principal component analysis was used. The findings confirm that the pelletizing process and the dry hopping time influence to different extents the aromatic profile of the beers produced, and the compounds responsible for these changes were identified.
Fate of cellulose in primary and secondary treatment at municipal water resource recovery facilities
Authors: Ahmed Ahmed Shawki , Bahreini Gholamreza , Ho Dang , Sridhar Ganesh , Gupta Medhavi , Wessels Coos , Marcelis Pim , Elbeshbishy Elsayed , Rosso Diego , Santoro Domenico , Nakhla George 
Published: May 2019

AbstractCellulose from toilet paper is a significant fraction of particulate organics, which is recoverable. For the first time, comprehensive mapping and tracking the fate of cellulose across various unit processes at full‐scale in two water resource recovery facilities located in North America and Europe was undertaken. The influent cellulose content accounted for approximately one‐third of the total suspended solids (TSS). Although about 80% of the raw wastewater cellulose was removed in primary treatment, the type of primary treatment process (rotating belt filter [RBF] vs. primary clarification [PC]) had a significant impact on cellulose capture and diversion. The high cellulose content of the RBF sludge accounting for 35% of the TSS facilitates cellulose recovery. For the North American plant, with a conventional activated sludge process (SRT of 6–7 days, preceded by PC), cellulose biodegradation efficiencies of 70%–90% of the PC effluent were observed in summer and winter. For the European plant, with a modified University of Cape Town process (SRT of 14 days, without primary treatment in train 2, or preceded by RBF in train 1), comparable cellulose biodegradation efficiencies were also observed. Results from laboratory SBRs indicated that cellulose biodegradation efficiency at room temperature was 86% of the influent cellulose.Practitioner points

Cellulose fate was tracked across two different WWTPs in two different geographies.

Cellulose in the influent wastewater accounted for 1/3 of the total suspended solids.

Primary treatments were able to capture more than 80% of the influent cellulose.

Cellulose was biodegraded in secondary treatment, resulting an effluent of 2–3 mg/L.