bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Recent developments in Agave performance as a drought‐tolerant biofuel feedstock: agronomics, characterization, and biorefining
Authors: Pérez‐Pimienta José A. , López‐Ortega Mónica G. , Sanchez Arturo 
Published: May 2017

AbstractIn recent years, Agave has shown its potential as a bioenergy feedstock with a higher land productivity (up to 42 ton/ha year) than traditional feedstocks. Other features are its adaptation mechanism to high temperatures and its resistance to drought. The agronomics of Agave in Mexico are discussed, including total land planted, inputs required, and the harvesting and transport costs. Heating values, mineral concentration, and carbohydrate and lignin content show the potential of the Agave species to compete with current bioenergy crops. Currently, the pre‐treatment of Agave is the most widely studied stage in biofuels and value‐added products, which include technologies capable of reducing its recalcitrance while removing xylan and/or lignin and reducing cellulose crystallinity, among other effects, to increase the overall yield in saccharification and fermentation, which will be discussed as well. In addition to spirits and fibers from industrial interests, different liquid (ethanol and n‐butanol) and gaseous (methane and hydrogen) biofuels, including certain value‐added products (enzymes, lactic acid, and succinic acid), can be obtained from Agave in high yields. The main objective of this review is to address the recent advances in the utilization of Agave as a bioenergy feedstock for biofuels and value‐added products within a sustainable biorefinery scheme. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd
A simple LC–MS/MS method facilitated by salting‐out assisted liquid–liquid extraction to simultaneously determine trans‐resveratrol and its glucuronide and sulfate conjugates in rat plasma and its application to pharmacokinetic assay
Authors: Qiu Zhixia , Yu Jiaojiao , Dai Yu , Yang Yue , Lu Xiaoyu , Xu Jiaqiu , Qin Zhiying , Huang Fang , Li Ning 
Published: May 2017

AbstractA simple LC–MS/MS method facilitated by salting‐out assisted liquid–liquid extraction (SALLE) was applied to simultaneously investigate the pharmacokinetics of trans‐resveratrol (Res) and its major glucuronide and sulfate conjugates in rat plasma. Acetonitrile–methanol (80:20, v/v) and ammonium acetate (10 mol L−1) were used as extractant and salting‐out reagent to locate the target analytes in the supernatant after the aqueous and organic phase stratification, then the analytes were determined via gradient elution by LC–MS/MS in negative mode in a single run. The analytical method was validated with good selectivity, acceptable accuracy (>85%) and low variation of precision (<15%). SALLE showed better extraction efficiency of target glucuronide and sulfate conjugates (>80%). The method was successfully applied to determine Res and its four conjugated metabolites in rat after Res administration (intragastric, 50 mg kg−1; intravenous, 10 mg kg−1). The systemic exposures to Res conjugates were much higher than those to Res (AUC0–t, i.v., 7.43 μm h; p.o., 8.31 μm h); Res‐3‐O‐β‐d‐glucuronide was the major metabolite (AUC0–t, i.v., 66.1 μm h; p.o., 333.4 μm h). The bioavailability of Res was estimated to be ~22.4%. The reproducible SALLE method simplified the sample preparation, drastically improved the accuracy of the concomitant assay and gave full consideration of extraction recovery to each target analyte in bio‐samples.
In Vitro Biochemical Assays for O‐GlcNAc‐Processing Enzymes
Authors: Kim Eun Ju 
Published: May 2017

AbstractO‐GlcNAc transferase (OGT) and O‐GlcNAcase (OGA) are the only enzymes that regulate the dynamics of protein O‐GlcNAcylation. Protein O‐GlcNAcylation is an important post‐translational modification (PTM) of nuclear and cytoplasmic proteins with O‐linked β‐N‐acetyl‐glucosamine (O‐GlcNAc). O‐GlcNAc and its enzymes are involved in a wide variety of cellular processes and are linked to the pathological progression of chronic diseases. Considering their emerging biological significance, systematic and rapid methods to determine the activities of OGT and OGA have become essential, and several chemical/biochemical methods for measuring the activities of these enzymes have been developed. This minireview mainly focuses on the various biochemical assay methods developed to date, while also providing a description of the fundamental principles underlying the monitoring of O‐GlcNAc enzyme activities.
Halogen Bonds in Novel Polyhalogen Monoanions
Authors: Wang Changwei , Danovich David , Shaik Sason , Mo Yirong 
Published: May 2017

AbstractPolyhalogen monoanions [X2n+1]−(X=Cl and Br;n=1, 2, 3, 4, and 5) have been systematically studied using the block‐localized wave function (BLW) method, which offers a valence bond (VB) analysis. For each species, the most stable isomer can be described as a central halide anion X−non‐classically bonded to a number of dihalogen molecules X2via “halogen bonds”. VB analyses confirm the dominant role of the charge‐transfer interaction between the lone pair on X−and the σ‐anti‐bonding orbital of X2molecule (n→σ*) in X3−and higher analogues. Thus, our study demonstrates that these halogen bonds are essentially dative covalent interactions. Importantly, the charge‐transfer interaction between [X2n−1]−and X2decreases with the increasingn, in accord with the weakening of the Lewis basicity as characterized by the corresponding HOMO energy. The reduction of the charge transfer interaction underscores the reduction of covalence in halogen bonds in [X2n+1]−. This tendency highlights the anti‐cooperative effect in polyhalogen monoanions. All in all, the halogen bond between X−andnX2molecules exhibits the same trends as in X−with a single X2molecule. In other words, halogen bonding in the larger clusters derives from the same bonding mechanism as the [X3]−anion. As such, the X−⋅⋅⋅X2halogen bond at different bond lengths forms a gauge of covalence for the entire [X2n+1]−family.
A Highly Selective Fluorescent Probe for Detection of Hydrogen Sulfide in Living Systems: In Vitro and in Vivo Applications
Authors: Reja Shahi Imam , Sharma Neetu , Gupta Muskan , Bajaj Payal , Bhalla Vandana , Parihar Ripu D. , Ohri Puja , Kaur Gurcharan , Kumar Manoj 
Published: May 2017

AbstractA fluorescein‐based fluorescent probe has been designed and synthesised that selectively detects H2S in aqueous medium, among various analytes tested. This fluorescein‐based fluorescent probe has also been successfully utilised for real‐time imaging of exo‐ and endogenously produced H2S in cancer cells and normal cells. Moreover, the probe can also detect H2S in the rat brain hippocampus at variable depths and in living nematodes.
Eating disorder‐related social comparison in college women's everyday lives
Authors: Fitzsimmons‐Craft Ellen E. 
Published: May 2017

AbstractObjectiveThis study examined: frequency of upward and downward body, eating, and exercise comparisons; context in which these comparisons occur; and body, eating, and exercise comparison direction as predictors of concurrent body dissatisfaction and disordered eating thoughts, urges, and behaviors in college women's everyday lives using ecological momentary assessment (EMA).MethodParticipants were 232 college women who completed a two‐week EMA protocol, using their personal electronic devices to answer questions three times per day.ResultsFirst, body, eating, and exercise comparisons were common. Second, when these comparisons were made, they were typically upward. Third, body comparisons were most oftentimes made about weight and shape and eating comparisons about healthiness and amount of food. Exercise comparisons were made on a wider variety of dimensions. Fourth, most body and eating comparisons were made with strangers and close friends, respectively, while exercise comparisons were made with a variety of individuals. Upward comparisons were usually made with acquaintances and strangers. Fifth, results shed light on where college women compare themselves. Sixth, upward comparisons were found to have negative consequences, and downward comparisons were generally not found to have a buffering effect on eating pathology.DiscussionResults suggest targeting not only body but also eating and exercise comparisons in intervention. Also, prevention/intervention approaches should not promote engagement in downward comparisons, as they were not found to be protective and were even harmful at times. Clinicians should be attuned to the categories on which, with whom, and where college women are most likely to compare.
Affinity monolith chromatography: A review of general principles and applications
Authors: Li Zhao , Rodriguez Elliott , Azaria Shiden , Pekarek Allegra , Hage David S. 
Published: May 2017

AbstractAffinity monolith chromatography, or AMC, is a liquid chromatographic method in which the support is a monolith and the stationary phase is a biological‐binding agent or related mimic. AMC has become popular for the isolation of biochemicals, for the measurement of various analytes, and for studying biological interactions. This review will examine the principles and applications of AMC. The materials that have been used to prepare AMC columns will be discussed, which have included various organic polymers, silica, agarose, and cryogels. Immobilization schemes that have been used in AMC will also be considered. Various binding agents and applications that have been reported for AMC will then be described. These applications will include the use of AMC for bioaffinity chromatography, immunoaffinity chromatography, dye‐ligand affinity chromatography, and immobilized metal‐ion affinity chromatography. The use of AMC with chiral stationary phases and as a tool to characterize biological interactions will also be examined.
Synthesis of zero valent iron nanoparticle and its application as a dephenolization agent for coke oven plant wastewater situated in West Bengal: India
Authors: De Avik , De Asim K. , Panda Gouri Sankar , Haldar Sandip 
Published: May 2017

In present work, nano zero valent iron (nZVI) particles were synthesized by reduction of FeSO4 by NaBH4 in presence of chelating ligand EDTA (nZVI) in N2 environment. It was then Ball milled to reduce particle size. Particle characterization was performed byX ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier Transformed Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), dynamic light scattering (DLS) and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), Brunauer‐Emmett‐Teller (BET) surface area measurement, high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), and energy dispersive X ray spectroscopy (EDX).Catalysts so prepared were applied to degrade coke oven plant wastewater containing Phenol. Optimum condition of dephenolization process was: catalyst concentration: 0.05 g L−1, pH = 3, Phenol: hydrogen peroxide (50%) concentration =1:14 (Stoichiometric ratio), temp = 30–35°C. Reaction volume = 100 mL. It has been found that phenol containing coke oven plant can be effectively degraded up to 70–75% in presence of newly developed catalyst. COD (Chemical Oxygen demand) reduction was found to be nearly 33%. Both are within 1‐h duration. © 2017 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Environ Prog, 36: 1700–1708, 2017
Sublethal effects of the pyrethroid insecticide deltamethrin on oxidative stress parameters in green toad (Bufotes viridis L.)
Authors: Radovanović Tijana B. , Nasia Mohammed , Krizmanić Imre I. , Prokić Marko D. , Gavrić Jelena P. , Despotović Svetlana G. , Gavrilović Branka R. , Borković-Mitić Slavica S. , Pavlović Slađan Z. , Saičić Zorica S. 
Published: May 2017

Abstract

Pyrethroids are synthetic insecticides widely used in agriculture, public health, and veterinary medicine. Deltamethrin, a type II pyrethroid insecticide, has attracted particular attention because of its frequent use. The mechanisms of the toxicity of most pesticides (including pyrethroids) in nontarget organisms is linked to the production of free radicals, oxidative stress induction, increased lipid peroxidation, and disruption of the total antioxidant potential. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of acute toxicity of 3 different concentrations (8, 16, and 32 mg/kg body wt) of orally applied deltamethrin after 96 h of treatment. Some of the front-line oxidative stress parameters as well as cholinesterase (ChE) activity and cytochrome P4501A (CYP1A) expression in the liver, muscle, skin, and gastrointestinal tissue of the adult green toad Bufotes viridis were determined. Compared with the control group, the activity of catalase and glutathione reductase was increased in the liver and skin, while the concentration of sulfhydryl groups was reduced. In the liver and muscle, concentrations of thiobarbituric reactive substances were increased, as well as liver CYP1A expression. In the muscle and skin, glutathione-S-transferase activity was higher in treated toads. The oxidative stress parameters examined were affected by different deltamethrin concentrations. We conclude that the assessed parameters represent good biomarkers of pesticide-induced oxidative stress. Environ Toxicol Chem 2017;36:2814–2822. © 2017 SETAC
The impact of provider consolidation on physician prices
Authors: Carlin Caroline S. , Feldman Roger , Dowd Bryan 
Published: May 2017

AbstractWhen a clinic system is acquired by an integrated delivery system (IDS), the ownership change includes both vertical integration with the hospital(s), and horizontal integration with the IDS's previously owned or “legacy” clinics, causing increased market concentration in physician services. Although there is a robust literature on the impact of hospital market concentration, the literature on physician market concentration is sparse. The objective of this study is to determine the impact on physician prices when two IDSs acquired three multispecialty clinic systems in Minneapolis–St Paul, Minnesota at the end of 2007, using commercial claims data from a large health plan (2006–2011).Using a difference‐in‐differences model and nonacquired clinics as controls, we found that four years after the acquisitions (2011), average physician price indices in the acquired clinic systems were 32–47% higher than expected in absence of the acquisitions. Average physician prices in the IDS legacy clinics were 14–20% higher in 2011 than expected. Procedure‐specific prices for common office visit and inpatient procedures also increased following the acquisitions.
A putative association of interleukin‐10 promoter polymorphisms with cardiovascular disease
Authors: Tabrez Shams , Ali Murtaza , Jabir Nasimudeen R. , Firoz Chelapram K. , Ashraf Ghulam Md. , Hindawi Salwa , Damanhouri Ghazi A. , Nabil Alama Mohammed 
Published: May 2017

AbstractInterleukin‐10 (IL‐10) is an anti inflammatory cytokine involved in the ongoing coronary inflammation and related patho‐physiological processes. The piece of work presented herein is aimed at investigating possible association of polymorphisms in IL‐10 promoter with Saudi cardiovascular disease (CVD) patients. The study included 80 confirmed CVD patients with diabetes and 75 healthy control individuals both men and women. Concentration of IL‐10 in the serum samples were measured by ELISA method. For single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) analysis, Sanger method of DNA sequencing was followed. The IL‐10 level was found to be significantly elevated in CVD patients (P < 0.001) and its associated complications viz. ST‐elevation myocardial infarction [STEMI] (P <0.01), non ST‐elevation myocardial infarction [NSTEMI] (P < 0.05), and unstable angina [UA] (P < 0.001). We also observed a significant association between polymorphisms in IL‐10 promoter at −1082 and −819 locus with Saudi CVD patients. Moreover, at −1082 A/G locus, AA haplotype was found to be less frequent in the CVD patients compared with control individuals. On the other hand, highly significant rise in heterozygous (A/G genotype) condition was observed in patient samples compared with control ones (P < 0.001). Similarly, the genotypic frequencies at −819 C/T locus were also found to be significantly associated (P < 0.001) with CVD patients compared with control individuals. Our study provides the status of polymorphism in IL‐10 promoter and its association with CVD risk in Saudi population. As per our information, ours is the first article that shows the genetic diversity in IL‐10 promoters and its level in the Saudi CVD patients. © 2017 IUBMB Life, 69(7):522–527, 2017
The Effect of Abaloparatide-SC on Fracture Risk Is Independent of Baseline FRAX Fracture Probability: A Post Hoc Analysis of the ACTIVE Study
Authors: McCloskey Eugene V , Johansson Helena , Oden Anders , Harvey Nicholas C , Jiang Hai , Modin Sara , Fitzpatrick Lorraine , Kanis John A 
Published: May 2017

ABSTRACT

Daily subcutaneous (SC) injections of the investigational drug abaloparatide-SC (80 mcg) for 18 months significantly decrease the risk of vertebral and nonvertebral fracture compared with placebo in postmenopausal women. We examined the efficacy of abaloparatide-SC as a function of baseline fracture risk, assessed using the FRAX tool. Baseline clinical risk factors (age, body mass index [BMI], prior fracture, glucocorticoid use, rheumatoid arthritis, and smoking) were entered into country-specific FRAX models to calculate the 10-year probability of major osteoporotic fractures, with or without femoral neck bone mineral density (BMD). The interaction between probability of a major osteoporotic fracture and treatment efficacy was examined by a Poisson regression. A total of 821 women randomized to placebo and 824 women to abaloparatide-SC, mean age 69 years in both groups, were followed for up to 2 years. At baseline, the 10-year probability of major osteoporotic fractures (with BMD) ranged from 2.3% to 57.5% (mean 13.2%). Treatment with abaloparatide-SC was associated with a 69% (95% confidence interval [CI] 38–85%) decrease in major osteoporotic fracture (MOF) and a 43% (95% CI 9–64%) decrease in any clinical fracture compared with placebo. For all outcomes, hazard ratios tended to decrease (ie, greater efficacy) with increasing fracture probability. Whereas the interaction approached significance for the outcome of any fracture (p = 0.11), there was no statistically significant interaction for any of the fracture outcomes. Similar results were noted when FRAX probability was computed without BMD. Efficacy of abaloparatide-SC to decrease the risk of major osteoporotic fracture or any clinical fracture in postmenopausal women with low BMD and/or prior fracture appears independent of baseline fracture probability. © 2017 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.
Translating the 2‐dimensional mammogram into a 3‐dimensional breast: Identifying factors that influence the movement of pre‐operatively placed wire
Authors: Park Ko Un , Nathanson David 
Published: May 2017

Background: Pre‐operative measurements from the skin to a wire‐localized breast lesion can differ from operating room measurements. This study was designed to measure the discrepancies and study factors that may contribute to wire movement.Methods: Prospective data were collected on patients who underwent wire localization lumpectomy. Clip and hook location, breast size, density, and direction of wire placement were the main focus of the analysis.Results: Wire movement was more likely with longer distance from skin to hook or clip, larger breast size (especially if “fatty”), longer time between wire placement and surgery start time, and medial wire placement in larger breast. Age, body mass index, presence of mass, malignant diagnosis, tumor grade, and clip distance to the chest wall were not associated with wire movement. A longer distance from skin to hook correlated with larger specimen volume.Conclusions: Translation of the lesion location from a 2‐dimensional mammogram into 3‐dimensional breasts is sometimes discrepant because of movement of the localizing wire. Breast size, distance of skin to clip or hook, and wire exit site in larger breasts have a significant impact on wire movement. This information may guide the surgeon's skin incision and extent of excision.
Ultrasound‐assisted emulsification microextraction based on a solidified floating organic droplet for the rapid determination of 19 antibiotics as environmental pollutants in hospital drainage and Gomti river water
Authors: Jha Rakesh Roshan , Singh Nivedita , Kumari Rupender , Patel Devendra Kumar 
Published: May 2017

Antibiotics that are used excessively and disposed of improperly are categorized as emerging pollutants. The determination of micropollutants in water with an accurate and precise method is always a big challenge. Hence, a simple, rapid, sensitive, economical and almost eco‐friendly method is proposed for the quantitative determination of 19 antibiotics. The proposed method, ultrasound‐assisted emulsification microextraction and solidified floating organic droplet coupled with liquid chromatography and triple quadrupole mass spectrometry, has only a 3 min chromatographic run time for the determination of the 19 antibiotics. We report for the first time the use of the developed method for the quantitative determination of the antibiotics in waste water samples with better results in terms of higher sensitivity, cost‐effectiveness, better detection limits and a greener approach compared to the earlier reported methods. The limits of detection and quantification were in the range of 0.003–0.236 and 0.013–0.834 μg/L, respectively, with good linearity in the concentration range of 0.01–64.0 μg/L. The correlation coefficient was ≥0.987–0.99 for each analyte. The developed method has been successfully applied for the determination of antibiotics in water samples.
Open tubular capillary column of 50 μm internal diameter with a very high separation efficiency for the separation of peptides in CEC and LC
Authors: Ali Ashraf , Cheong Won Jo 
Published: May 2017

A specially designed long open tubular capillary column (50 μm internal diameter and 112 cm effective length) was prepared by fabrication of a thin three‐component co‐polymer layer on the inner surface of silica capillary. A pretreated silica capillary was reacted with 4‐(chloromethyl)phenyl isocyanate in the presence of dibutyltin dichloride as catalyst followed by sodium diethyl dithiocarbamate. Then a thin polymer layer was made on the inner surface of capillary by reversible addition‐fragmentation transfer polymerization of styrene, N‐phenylacrylamide, and methacrylic acid. A carefully adjusted formulation of reaction mixture and elaborated procedures were adopted to secure formation of the co‐polymer layer of enhanced separation performance. The co‐polymer immobilized open tubular capillary column was used for the separation of a synthetic mixture of five peptides and excellent separation efficiency (over 1.7 million per column) was obtained in the capillary electrochromatography mode. Such excellent separation efficiencies of ca. 1 m column have not been obtained in the isocratic elution mode so far. The column was also used for separation of the peptides in the liquid chromatography mode to show very good separation efficiency (average 286 700 per column).