jimnoneill/paper-to-field-training huggingface dataset:
Assembly of [2 + 2] bimetallic macrocyclic complexes from bis(bipyridyl) ligands and metal ions

Field: Chemistry (Physical Sciences)

Two new ligands L1 and L2, in which 6,6′-dimethyl-2,2′-bipyridyl groups are attached at the 6-position to 2,6-naphthalene or 2,7-pyrene via ether bridges, have been synthesised. In the presence of Cu1, L1 forms equal amounts of two [2 + 2] complexes [Cu2L12][PF6]2, which have been assigned tentatively to helical (1a) and non-helical (1b) forms. With ZnII, L1 forms two complexes [Zn2L12][CF3SO3]4, tentatively assigned to the helical (3a) and non-helical (3b) forms, in the ratio ≈7:4. The relative populations of 3a and 3b are temperature and solvent dependent. Ligand L2 forms equal amounts of helical and non-helical complexes [Cu2L22][PF6]22a, 2b with CuI. However, in the presence of ZnII, L2 forms exclusively one complex, which has been assigned as the non-helical species [ZnL22][CF3SO3]44b, on the basis of NMR data. In this complex, the pyrene rings are rotating rapidly on the NMR time-scale at 300 K. Molecular modelling suggests that the size and interior of the cavities of these macrocycles are ideal for encapsulation of charged aromatic substrates.
Advances in chickpea crop improvement for improved productivity and resilient cropping systems in Ethiopia

Field: Agricultural and Biological Sciences (Life Sciences)

Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) is an important food legume in \nEthiopia. Its production is challenged by low productivity of landraces, \npoor farming practices, and biotic and abiotic stresses, \namong others. To address these challenges, EIAR has partnered \nwith CGIAR centers and developed improved chickpea varieties, \nalong with integrated crop management technologies that have \nincreased productivity. Central to these efforts is the Tropical \nLegumes Projects (TL) funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates \nFoundation. Since the inception of the Tropical Legume project \nin 2007, six ‘kabuli’ and five ‘desi’ chickpea varieties have been \nreleased. TL project also supported efforts to avail high-quality \nseed of improved varieties to many small holder farmers through \nparticipatory variety selection and demonstration activities. \nEighteen farmers’ seed producer associations have been established \nto fill up supply gaps for high quality seed. Seed production \nof improved chickpea varieties from 2008 to 2015 amounts \nto 50t breeder, 788t basic and 14,495.47t certified/Quality Declared \nSeed. The national average production and productivity of \nchickpea has increased by 60% and 51%, respectively, over the \nsame period coupled with 16% growth in export volume. Chickpea \nimprovement program is currently focusing on disease resistance, \ndrought and heat tolerance, mechanical harvesting and \nherbicide tolerance to cope up with the changing climate and the \nneed of specific production corridors.
O19.1 Preexposure prophylaxis of hiv (prep): utilisation estimates in australia

Field: Medicine (Health Sciences)

Background

Preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) with daily oral Truvada® is recommended for people at high risk for HIV infection. The population-level benefit of PrEP requires higher levels of use than is currently observed. In Australia, homosexually active men (HM), particularly those who identify as gay or homosexual, contribute most to HIV transmission. We estimated how many HM are eligible for and likely to request PrEP.

Method

Using data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (2013) and the second Australian Study of Health and Relationships (ASHR2, 2013), we estimated the number of HHMM nationally. PrEP eligibility was defined by the national PrEP guidelines. Input indicators from the 2013 Gay Community Periodic Surveys (GCPS) were applied to estimate the numbers of men eligible for PrEP based on each individual and any behavioural eligibility criteria. Using data from Treatment Options to Reduce Chances of HIV (TORCH) study, we estimated how many eligible HM are likely to request Truvada® for PrEP.

Results

We estimated 143,000 Australian men would identify as ‘gay/homosexual’ plus 95,000 as ‘other’ HAM. In GCPS, 15.7% of the HIV non-positive respondents reported sustained risk behaviour (≥6 sex partners in previous 6 months). Overall, 5.7% of HIV non-positive respondents satisfied behavioural eligibility criteria for PrEP, while having at least one episode of receptive condomless anal intercourse in the previous 6 months appeared the most common criterion (5%). Based on national eligibility criteria, 8,300 ‘gay/homosexual’ and 5,300 ‘other’ HM can be considered eligible for daily PrEP in Australia, and 44.9% of those are likely to uptake PrEP.

Conclusions

Our estimate of the number of HM eligible for PrEP in Australia is based on the current PrEP eligibility criteria, which target individuals at the highest risk for HIV infection. This estimation helps to predict service needed for PrEP prescribing nationally.

Disclosure of interest statement

Input indicators for these analyses were obtained from Australian Bureau of Statistics, Australian Study of Health and Relationships and Gay Community Periodic Surveys (all funded by the Australian state and federal governments) and from Treatment Options to Reduce Chances of HIV (TORCH) study funded by Gilead Sciences. Funding sources were not involved in research conducted.
Quantitative Determination of the Alternative Isoprenoid Generation Pathway as a Tool to Exploit the Mevalonate pathway in Cancer Cells

Field: Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology (Life Sciences)

Cancer stem cells and mutant p53 expressing tumors are highly dependent on the mevalonate pathway. Statins inhibit this pathway resulting in growth inhibition of these cells independent of inhibition of cholesterol biosynthesis and of protein farnesylation. Protein prenylation substrates farnesyl‐ and geranylgeranyl diphosphates are synthesized by the mevalonate pathway without producing their corresponding isoprenols. However, cells incorporate exogenously supplied isoprenols into mevalonate pathway metabolites and proteins using a poorly characterized process. In order to quantify this alternative to the mevalonate pathway, we synthesized natural and unnatural analogs of farnesol and geranylgeraniol, including stable isotope‐labeled farnesol and aniline substituted isoprenols. Using tandem mass spectrometry we quantitatively monitored the formation of diphosphate derivatives of these isoprenols and their utilization as prenylation substrates when incubated with cultured cells. Our results reveal that in some cells the capacity to use exogenous isoprenols is comparable to that of the mevalonate pathway raising the possibility that this alternative pathway could have important therapeutic implications
[Construction of a bivalent plant expression vector carrying VvSUC11 and VvSUC12 genes and its genetic transformation in sugar beet].

Field: Agricultural and Biological Sciences (Life Sciences)

We have recombined genes VvSUC11, VvSUC12 from Vitis vinifera L., and root-specific promoters of sweet potato storage protein gene from Ipomoea batatas L. Lam., named as SP1 and SP2. We have constructed a vector pCAMBIA2301-SP1- VvSUC11-SP2-VvSUC12 using pCAMBIA2301 as an original vector. VvSUC11 and VvSUC12 were under the control of root-specific promoters of sweet potato storage protein gene. We transformed the vector into KWS-9103 breeding line of Beta vulgaris L. with Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. We have established the optimal genetic transformation protocol of sugar beet as following: the explants pre-cultured for 4 days were immersed in Agrobacterium suspension of OD(600)=0.5, supplemented with 0.005% Silwet L-77, and followed by a 4-day culture on medium containing cefotaxime, then the buds were selected on medium containing kanamycin and cefotaxime. The percentage of kanamycin-resistant buds was as high as 42%. Results of PCR and RT-PCR proved that the target genes had integrated into sugar beet genome and expressed. It will lay a foundation for further studying their function in Beta vulgaris.
Currents Technologies at the Service of the Diabetic Patients: State of the Art

Field: Health Professions (Health Sciences)

In recent years, several technological innovations have become part of the daily lives of diabetic patients as non-invasive glucose sensors, intelligent insulin pumps, artificial pancreas, telemedicine, and artificial intelligence.A review of the literature dedicated to these technologies supports the efficacy of these latter in diabetic patients.Mainly, these technologies have shown a beneficial effect on diabetes management with an improvement of blood glucose control, with a significant reduction in HbA1c; patient ownership of the disease; patient adherence to therapeutic and hygiene-dietary measures; the management of co-morbidities (hypertension, weight, dyslipidemia); and at least, good patient receptivity and accountability.Especially, the emergence of these technologies in the daily lives of diabetic patients has led to an improvement of the quality of life for patients.To date, the magnitude of its effects remains debatable, especially with the variation in patients' characteristics, samples selection and approach for treatment of control groups.
Design of Compact Rotman Lens with Wide-angle Scanning Using High Permittivity Substrate

Field: Engineering (Physical Sciences)

This paper presents a compact Rotman lens with wideband wide-angle scanning capability based on a Taconic RF-10 high dielectric constant substrate and different array port sizes. Thirteen different beam ports were carefully designed to enable broadband and wide-angle scanning. The total insertion loss of the proposed solution is better than 5.5dB from the simulation results, and it has the wide-angle scanning capability of −45°∼ 45° in the bandwidth range of 0.8GHz∼2GHz.
Bronchial thermoplasty: a new therapeutic option for the treatment of severe, uncontrolled asthma in adults

Field: Medicine (Health Sciences)

Bronchial thermoplasty is a young yet promising treatment for severe asthma whose benefit for long-term asthma control outweighs the short-term risk of deterioration and hospitalisation in the days following the treatment. It is an innovative treatment whose clinical efficacy and safety are beginning to be better understood. Since this is a device-based therapy, the overall evaluation of risk–benefit is unlike that of pharmaceutical products; safety aspects, regulatory requirements, study design and effect size assessment may be unfamiliar. The mechanisms of action and optimal patient selection need to be addressed in further rigorous clinical and scientific studies. Bronchial thermoplasty fits in perfectly with the movement to expand personalised medicine in the field of chronic airway disorders. This is a device-based complimentary asthma treatment that must be supported and developed in order to meet the unmet needs of modern severe asthma management. The mechanisms of action and the type of patients that benefit from bronchial thermoplasty are the most important challenges for bronchial thermoplasty in the future.
Vascular Bundle for Exceptional Water Confinement, Transport, and Evaporation

Field: Environmental Science (Physical Sciences)

Nature, through billions of years of evolution, has constructed extremely efficient biosystems for transporting, confining, and vaporizing water. Mankind's ability to master water, however, is far from impeccable, and a sustainable supply of clean fresh water remains a global challenge. Here, we learn from Nature and prepare papyrus carbon (PC) from Egyptian papyrus paper as a sustainable solar desalination material. By taking advantage of the capillary pores from vascular bundles that are inherently built for transporting water in plants, PC achieves an evaporation rate of 4.1 kg m-2 h-1 in a passive single-stage device. Raman spectroscopy and thermal calorimetry show that the capillary pores pose a confinement effect to generate loosely hydrogen-bonded intermediate water, which substantially reduces the enthalpy of vaporization, allowing for exceptionally high energy efficiencies. The understanding is applicable to all nature-designed vascular plants and man-made separation and purification systems.
Silent Ischemia on Holter Monitoring Predicts Mortality in High-Risk Postinfarction Patients

Field: Medicine (Health Sciences)

The relative prognostic significance of ischemic ST changes on two-lead continuous electrocardiographic (Holter) monitoring in 103 high-risk postinfarction patients was examined. Ischemic ST changes were detected in 30 patients, with a median number of five episodes per day and median total daily duration of 157 minutes. Only one third of these patients reported any angina in the hospital, and 28 of the 30 patients had silent ST changes on Holter monitoring. The remaining 73 patients had no ischemic ST changes on Holter monitoring. At one year, nine (30%) of 30 patients with ischemic ST changes were dead vs only eight (11%) of 73 patients without such changes. Multivariate Cox's hazard function analysis on 18 variables, including age, type of infarction, Lown and Killip class, ejection fraction, and medications, showed that the presence of ST changes on Holter monitoring was a significant predictive variable for one-year mortality in the overall study population and particularly in the subgroup of 59 patients who could not undergo early exercise treadmill testing. Thus, ischemic ST changes on Holter monitoring, the majority of which are silent, occur in nearly one third of high-risk postinfarction patients and are significantly associated with one-year mortality.
In vitro screening of topical formulation excipients for epithelial toxicity in cancerous and non-cancerous cell lines

Field: Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmaceutics (Life Sciences)

Chemical excipients used in topical formulations may be toxic to living skin cells. Here, we compared the in vitro toxicity of some common solubilizing excipients against human melanoma cells, human keratinocytes (HaCaT) and primary skin fibroblasts (FB) as examples of cancerous, immortalized and primary human skin cells, often used as experimental models representative of in vivo conditions. Two distinct endpoint assays (3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) and crystal violet (CV)) were used. The mechanism of cell death after excipient exposure was assessed through Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) production, cell membrane integrity and cell cycle progression. Results showed that the surfactants, Labrasol®, Labrafil® and Transcutol®, were less toxic than Triton X-100 (a model irritant) in all cell types whereas the oil, Labrafac®, was non-toxic. The human melanoma WM164 cell line showed the greatest sensitivity toward cytotoxicity after chemical exposure, while the other cell lines were more resistant. The relative excipient cytotoxicity responses observed in the MTT and CV assays were comparable and similar trends were seen in their estimated 50 % inhibitory concentration (IC50) values. DNA fragmentation by flow cytometry after exposing the cells to IC50 concentrations of the excipients showed negligible apoptotic populations. ROS production was increased in all cell types after toxic exposure; however, ROS elevation did not lead to apoptosis. The toxicity profiles of each excipient are not only relevant to their use in formulating safe topical products but also in the potential synergistic efficacy in the topical treatment of melanoma.
Opiate detoxification under anaesthesia

Field: Medicine (Health Sciences)

Intracytoplasmic sperm injection: offering hope for a term pregnancy and a healthy child?We need a common approach to definition and detection of birth defects O ne of the most recent techniques of assisted reproduction, intracytoplasmic sperm injection, offers hope for those suffering from subfertility, and particularly male factor infertility.This hope is tempered by worry, since couples who undergo this procedure might never become pregnant or, if they do, may not carry the pregnancy to term.Added to these known risks are theoretical risks regarding birth defects: intracytoplasmic sperm injection involves fertility drugs, chemical baths, and physical procedures, any of which could increase malformation rates.Moreover, if left to nature, the sperm manipulated by this procedure would probably not produce a pregnancy, and these sperm themselves may carry an increased risk for birth defects.Some reassurance about these theoretical concerns was offered recently when researchers from Belgium reported that major birth defects affected only 3.3% (14) of 423 children born after intracytoplasmic sperm injection, 1 a rate no higher than in the general population.In the current issue, however, Kurinczuk and Bower provide a less reassuring interpretation. 2 Using the classification scheme and data from the highly regarded Western Australia birth defects registry, they note that many major defects in the Belgian series had been incorrectly classified as minor.Reclassification yielded 31 major defects, or 7.38%; compared with the Western Australian rate of 3.78%, the risk of major defects following intracytoplasmic sperm injection was increased twofold.Although the Belgian group has expanded its experience to 877 children, with an overall major malformation rate of 2.6%, 3 these later findings are based on the same analytic approach and may similarly be called into question.On the other hand, researchers from New York recently found only nine major malformations among 578 babies born after intracytoplasmic sperm injection, 4 a rate of only 1.6%-less than half that in Western Australia.Even if the six minor defects they identified were reclassified as major, the resulting rate of 2.6% is still below the expected.Do these findings suggest that birth defect risks can be minimised if couples undergo this procedure in New York rather than Belgium, or might something else explain these discrepant results?The Western Australia researchers correctly argue that for comparisons of birth defect rates to be valid, investigators must use the same definition of what Correction Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
Limitation of Hot-Carrier Generated Heat Dissipation on the Frequency of Operation and Reliability of Novel Nitride-Based High-Speed HFETs

Field: Engineering (Physical Sciences)

Abstract : A novel fluctuation-based approach is applied to consider the unsolved problems in the realm of nitride heterostructure field effect transistors (HFETs). Fluctuations originate at a microscopic level and provide information on the processes responsible for device operation and degradation. The novel fluctuation-based approach is impelled by recent demonstration of strong correlation of microwave hot-electron fluctuations with frequency performance and degradation of nitride HFETs. The correlation has its genesis in the dissipation of the LO-mode heat accumulated by the non-equilibrium longitudinal optical phonons (hot phonons) confined in the channel that hosts the high-density hot-electron gas subjected to a high electric field. The LO-mode heat causes additional scattering of hot electrons and facilitates defect formation in a different manner than conventional heat accumulated by acoustic phonons. The heat accumulation depends on the supplied electric power and the rate of heat dissipation. We treat the problem in terms of the hot-phonon lifetime responsible for conversion of non-migrant optical phonons into migrant modes. The lifetime is measured over wide ranges of electron densities and supplied electric power. The optimal conditions for heat dissipation are determined and associated with plasmon-assisted disintegration of LO phonons. Signatures of plasmons are experimentally resolved in fluctuations, dissipation, hot-electron transport, transistor frequency performance, and device reliability. In particular, a slower degradation and a faster operation of GaN-based HFETs is demonstrated when the plasmon-assisted ultrafast dissipation of the LO-mode heat comes into play.
Is the WHO 90:10 Prostate- Specific Antigen (PSA) First International Reference Standard Really 90% 1-Antichymotrypsin–Bound

Field: Medicine (Health Sciences)

Several factors can contribute to differences among immunoassay methods. Such differences have led to a recognition of the need for the standardization of prostate-specific antigen (PSA)1 assays, and 2 Stanford conferences on the in-ternational standardization of PSA immunoassays were held in the early 1990s (1, 2). In 1999, the WHO Expert Committee on Bio-logical Standardization established the First International Standards for PSA with materials that ema-nated from recommendations of these conferences. These materials consisted of lyophilized 1-g prep-arations of 100 % free PSA (96/668), and 90 % 1-antichymotrypsin– bound PSA (PSA-ACT) and 10% free PSA (96/670) (3) (www.nibsc. ac.uk). A preliminary study found that when total and free PSA were measured in solutions of the 90% PSA-ACT and 10 % free PSA (90: 10 PSA) material from Stanford/ WHO, the slope of the regression line that compared the measured free PSA tomeasured total PSAwas 0.15 instead of the expected 0.10 (unpublished data). The objective of the current study was to further investigate this observation by comparing PSA standard materials from 2 sources (Stanford/WHO and Scripps Laboratories) in 4 total and free PSA assays. The Stanford/WHO reference materials (PSA-ACT standard and 90:10 PSA standard; lyophilized, 1 g/vial) were purchased from Stanford University. Vials were re-constituted with 2 mL deionized water. Free PSA and PSA-ACT in 10mmol/L Tris buffer (pH 8) were purchased from Scripps Laborato-ries. The Scripps 90:10 PSA mate-rial was prepared per CLSI docu-ment I/LA19-A (4). Dilutions of the Stanford and Scripps materials were prepared in buffer (20mmol/L
Generation of a new cancer model in zebrafish for studying apoptotic effects of anti-cancer drugs.

Field: Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology (Life Sciences)

The murine melanoma B16-F10 cell line isolated from the C57Bli6 mice is a highly metastatic variant of the B16 cell line and has been a subject for studies for many years. Previously, caspase-3 activated FRET probe have been introduced into the cell to generate the B16-F10-C3 cell line that is capable of expressing a change in fluorescence emission when apoptosis is activated. In this project, B16-F10-C3 cells were injected into zebrafish embryo to generate a xenograft tumor model that is capable of expressing this particular sensor. Currently, even though many zebrafish models have been established for tumor growth, angiogenesis and drug screening, there is no record of caspase-3 sensor being adopted in these models. In the experiment, prior to in vivo drugs screening, the embryos and the cells were separately exposed to several anti cancer agents to examine the viability profile under exposure to different concentration. Subsequently, the injected embryos that undergo the drug treatments show signs of apoptosis or size reduction in the xenograft tumor which suggests that the viability and the proliferation of the cells were indeed suppressed. Hence, this model shows potentials in future drug screenings and provides promise for further research and usage.
Water tree induced breakdown in polyethylene

Field: Engineering (Physical Sciences)

A breakdown mechanism based on a local enhancement of the electric field due to the dielectric nature of the water tree was investigated. Using a laboratory model made of a water needle and a facing metallic needle simulating a defect, it was shown that: (i) the presence of a water tree at the water electrode clearly lowers the dielectric strength; (ii) the dielectric strength decreases when the water tree length increases; and (iii) for a fixed water tree length, the dielectric strength decreases when the absorption of the light in the water tree increases. This last result is explained by increasing field enhancement on the metallic needle due to the change in water tree permittivity induced by the increasing water content.< >