The American College of Medical Physics (ACMP) is pleased to present the first issue of the Journal of Applied Clinical Medical Physics (JACMP). The ACMP was formed inpart, “to promote the continuing competence of the practitioners of medical physics” (ACMP Bylaws Article II Objectives). Although dissemination of the practical aspects of new work is very much part of this purpose, the college had no journal in which such work could be presented. A few years ago, a task group was formed to evaluate the possibility of starting a journal of clinical physics. This task group determined that a journal in applied clinical medical physics in its broadest interpretation, including technical, regulatory, managerial, fiscal, and educational concerns, was needed. It also determined that with current technology an all‐electronic journal would be desirable.In 1998 the Editor‐in‐Chief was selected and an Editorial Advisory Board was appointed to get the new journal started. They also formulated the mission statement of the journal, i.e,. to publish papers that will help clinical medical physicists perform their duties more effectively, efficiently, and for the increased benefit to the patient.Although numerous journals were on the internet at that time, they were primarily print journals that were posted on the internet. Systems for handling an entirely electronic journal, including submission, review, editing, advertising, etc. were just beginning to be developed. After careful review the Editor‐in‐ Chief and the Advisory Board recommended to the ACMP Board of Chancellors that a contract with the American Institute of Physics (AIP) be executed to produce the journal with ACMP. AIP was in the process of developing suitable computer systems, with some of its member societies, to produce allelectronic journals and the JACMP was the logical next step in this development. After approval by the Board of Chancellors at the 1999 annual meeting, a Manuscript Manager was appointed and goals were set to publish the first issue of the JACMP in early 2000.It is a pleasure to acknowledge the help and encouragement from many sources and in particular from the personnel at AIP who have gone well beyond the terms of their contract in getting the journal started. Each of you also have a vital role to play in the further development of the journal by publicizing it among your friends and colleagues, submitting manuscripts for consideration to be published, supporting the advertisers, and encouraging other corporations to advertise, and finally by telling us how the journal can be improved.Welcome to the JACMP.Peter R. Almond, Ph.D.Editor‐in‐Chief


For a reinforced concrete beam subjected to fatigue loads, the structural stiffness and bearing capacity will gradually undergo irreversible degeneration, leading to damage. Moreover, there is an inherent relationship between the stiffness and bearing capacity degradation and fatigue damage. In this study, a series of fatigue tests are performed to examine the degradation law of the stiffness and bearing capacity. The results pertaining to the stiffness show that the stiffness degradation of a reinforced concrete beam exhibits a very clear monotonic decreasing "S" curve, i.e., the stiffness of the beam decreases significantly at the start of the fatigue loading, it undergoes a linear decline phase in the middle for a long loading period, and before the failure, the bearing capacity decreases drastically again. The relationship between the residual stiffness and residual bearing capacity is determined based on the assumption that the residual stiffness and residual bearing capacity depend on the same damage state, and then, the bearing capacity degradation model of the reinforced concrete beam is established based on the fatigue stiffness. Through the established model and under the premise of the known residual stiffness degradation law, the degradation law of the bearing capacity is determined by using at least one residual bearing capacity test data, for which the parameters of the stiffness degradation function are considered as material constants. The results of the bearing capacity show that the bearing capacity degradation of the reinforced concrete beam also exhibits a very clear monotonic decreasing "S" curve, which is consistent with the stiffness degradation process and in good agreement with the experiment. In this study, the stiffness and bearing capacity degradation expressions are used to quantitatively describe their occurrence in reinforced concrete beams. In particular, the expression of the bearing capacity degradation can mitigate numerous destructive tests and save cost. The stiffness and bearing capacity degradation expressions for a reinforced concrete beam can be used to predict the deformation and bearing capacity of a structure during the service process and determine the structural fatigue damage and degree of degradation. A reinforced concrete beam has the advantages of a low cost and simple construction process, and it is the main type beam that was used in the early construction of existing bridges. However, with the repeated loading of the fatigue load, the stiffness and bearing capacity will undergo a dynamic degradation. The degradation is gradual, and to some extent, the beam will be damaged. However, this type of destruction is not predictable and random, and its consequences are very serious –3. This The stiffness test of a reinforced concrete beam is simple and easy, and there are numerous fatigue experiments that have been proposed over time. However, the results are only limited to the description of the stiffness degradation, though the study of the degradation law is not sufficient –9. An exBased on the above analysis, in this study, constant-amplitude fatigue tests are conducted for five reinforced concrete rectangular beams, the stiffness degradation parameters under the action of fatigue loading are examined, and the formula for calculating the stiffness degradation is obtained. Accordingly, the calculation formula for the bearing capacity degradation of the test beam is established. Finally, a quantitative description of the stiffness and bearing capacity degradation is realized, and consequently, numerous destructive tests are avoided. Using the stiffness and bearing capacity degradation formulas for reinforced concrete beams, the deformation and bearing capacity change of a structure in the service period can be predicted. They can also be used to determine the structural fatigue damage and degree of performance degradation.In this work, to study the degradation of the stiffness and bearing capacity of reinforced concrete beams under constant-amplitude fatigue loading, five reinforced concrete rectangular beams were fabricated in the laboratory. The experimental beams were divided into two groups. Static load tests were performed on the first group (one beam), and amplitude fatigue tests were conducted on the second group (four beams). All the experiments were performed on a 250-kN tonnage fatigue test machine in the structural laboratory of the Chongqing Jiaotong University.The cement used in the experiment is P.O32.5. The sand is Chongqing local fine sand. The lithotripsy is limestone with a particle size of 5 mm to 10 mm. The test water is tap water. There is no admixture in the concrete. The test ratio is cement (No. 42.5 ordinary Portland cement):sand:gravel:water = 1:1.11:2.06:0.4, and the amount of cement in each cubic concrete is 525 kg. The concrete strength is 30 MPa. Six blocks with a size of 150 mm × 150 mm × 150 mm are poured. Three of these blocks are used to test the splitting tensile strength, and the other three are used to test the cube compressive strength. Additional six blocks with a size of 150 mm × 150 mm × 300 mm are poured. Three of these blocks are used to test the axial compressive strength, and the other three are used to test the elastic modulus. The average experimental values are listed in The mechanical properties of the materials directly affect the fatigue performance of a test beam. To eliminate this effect, the longitudinal reinforcement, stirrups, and ribs used in this experiment are all hot-rolled steel bars produced by the Chongqing Iron and Steel (Group) Limited Liability Company, and the steel used in this test are all products of the same batch. The longitudinal steel used in the beams is HRB335-grade threaded bar with a diameter of 20 mm. The stirrups and erect ribs are HPB300 round bars with a diameter of 8 mm. The mechanical properties of the longitudinal bars, as listed in The reinforced concrete beam used in the experiment is a rectangular solid section, with a size of 200 mm (width) × 400 mm (height) and beam length of 3300 mm (net span 3000 mm). The net protective layer thickness of the concrete is 20 mm. The size and reinforcement of the reinforced concrete beams are shown in The experiment mainly tests the development of and change in the deflection of the beams with numerous fatigue cycles. The deflection at the mid-span and loading point is observed by setting dial gauges simultaneously, and to balance the error caused by the support displacement, a dial gauge is also arranged at each side of the beam at the two concrete supports. The method of setting and testing is as follows: on one side of the lower edge of the beam, L shaped plastic small parts are pasted for placing the dial gauges. To prevent damage to the dial gauges, they are removed when a measurement is not needed. The dial gauges are placed during the test, and the pointer is sufficiently compressed, causing it to move. The schematic of the deflection test of the experimental beam is shown in The experimental beam numbers are labelled as JL-1 to JL-5. JL-1 beam is used in the static test to determine the ultimate load required in the fatigue experiment, and JL-2 to JL-4 beams are used in the fatigue tests under different load levels to determine the fatigue deflection information throughout the life cycle. To obtain the residual bearing capacity of JL-5 beam based on the fatigue life of JL-4 beam, a static loading test of JL-5 beam is performed when the fatigue cycle is approximately 0.8 times the life. The specific experimental conditions are listed in Both the static load test and fatigue test are conducted using the online mode of a computer and the electro-hydraulic servo loading equipment. The maximum working range of the loading actuator used in this experiment is 250 kN, and the maximum working stroke is 75 mm. The test machine control system is shown in 2.4.2.1 Static load test.The objectives of the static load test are to determine cracking load Pcr and ultimate load Pu and decide whether the reinforcements of the beams are suitable. Before the formal static load test, the beams are first pre-loaded thrice. The actual static load test starts after the completion of the pre-load test. The static load test is conducted by grading the load with a load increment of 20 kN.2.4.2.2 Fatigue load test. To examine that the data acquisition system is working properly and the testing load control system is safe and reliable, the beams are also first pre-loaded thrice before the actual fatigue test. Because the test is controlled by the load amplitude, first, load (Pmax + Pmin)/2 in the form of a graded load is tested, then the fatigue tests start after setting the amplitude to (Pmax − Pmin)/2 and entering the load frequency and number of the next cycle. To prevent the occurrence of accidents, before the next phase of the experiment, the limits of the protection of the displacement and force are set to stop the loading system. The fatigue test is first stopped when the fatigue cycle ranges to 1 time, 1000 times, 10000 times, 20000 times, 50000 times, 100000 times, 200000 times, and every 200000 times thereafter. Then the dial gauges are placed appropriately, and it is ensured that the pointer and L type small part pasted on the beam side are in complete contact. Subsequently, the load is unloaded to zero, and the acquisition device is adjusted to zero. Next, the displacement information of the structure is collected under the zero state, and the load is loaded at intervals of 20 kN to the upper limit of fatigue load Pmax and the displacement at each instant is measured. Finally, the dial gauges are removed, and the load is gradually loaded to (Pmax − Pmin)/2 to continue the experiment. In this process, the initial loading from zero to Pmax is considered as the first fatigue cycle. The loading frequency is 5 Hz. The loading schematic is shown in The cracking load of JL-1 beam obtained by static load test is 80 kN, and the ultimate load is 220 kN. The fatigue life of JL-2–JL-4 beams are as follows: 1680000 times, 1260000 times, and 640000 times, respectively. The static loading test of JL-5 beam is conducted after 500000 times of the fatigue loading, and the bearing capacity is 180 kN. During the test, the deflection of the beam in the upper limit of the fatigue load increases with the increase in the number of fatigue cycles. It can be seen from Figs Because of the degradation of material properties under fatigue loading, the deformation of a reinforced concrete beam increases monotonously and stiffness decreases monotonously with the increase in the fatigue cycle times. Therefore, to study the stiffness of reinforced concrete beams under fatigue loading, it most important to determine its degradation laws as a function of the fatigue load cycle number.Bs and failure stiffness is BNr, then during fatigue loading, the stiffness of the beam will decrease by Bs − BNr. If the stiffness of a reinforced concrete beam degrades according to a function related to the fatigue life ratio, then the associated stiffness calculation formula can be obtained when the fatigue load acts n times. The formula is as follows:If, under the fatigue load, the initial stiffness of the beam is Bs yieldsDividing both sides of  by Bs yiBs is the initial stiffness of the beam, which can be considered as the short-term stiffness under a static load, Bnr is the degradation stiffness of the beam after n times of the fatigue load, BNr is the degradation stiffness of the beam under the fatigue failure load, and η(n/N) is the stiffness degradation function of the beam under the fatigue load.In formulas  and 2),,2), Bs iBs and failure stiffness BNr can be obtained by the experimental measurement of the deflection. Therefore, to obtain the stiffness of the beam under a fatigue load acting n times, the key is to determine stiffness degradation function η(n/N).Formulas  or 2) i i2) is tAccording to the existing research results, the stiffness degradation function satisfies boundary conditions (a) and (b) and variation law described by (c) –11.n/N = 0, stiffness degradation function η(n/N) is 0 and the stiffness is the initial stiffness, Bs.The beam has no damage before fatigue loading, i.e., when n/N = 1, stiffness degradation function η(n/N) is 1 and stiffness is reduced to BNr.When the beam endures failure, the damage reaches the maximum, i.e., when The stiffness of the beam undergoes a relatively large decrease in the initial stage of the fatigue loading and last stage before the failure; however, in the middle for a long period time, the stiffness of the beam is basically in a linear development stage, i.e., in the entire process, the degradation of the stiffness exhibits a clear "S" shape.It is easy to obtain a function that satisfies conditions (a) and (b), but variation law (c) is more difficult to satisfy. After a preliminary attempt, a function satisfying the above requirements was selected. Its formula is as follows:Formula  is the fIf we substitute formula  into forFormula  indicateIn this study, the stiffness of the beam under different fatigue load cycles is obtained by the deflection measured by JL-2–JL-4 beams in the experiment. For this, the relationship between the deflection and stiffness of the reinforced concrete simple beam under a static load is used. Then, the parameters of the stiffness degradation function  can accFrom the definition of the fatigue stiffness, the expression for the degradation of the bearing capacity under a fatigue load can be defined asS0 is the initial bearing capacity of the beam, Snr is the degradation bearing capacity of the beam after n times the fatigue load, SNr is the degradation bearing capacity of the beam under the fatigue failure load, and g(n/N) is the bearing capacity degradation function of the beam under fatigue loading.In formulas  and 9),,9), S0 iIt is found that the bearing capacity degradation function satisfies the following boundary conditions:n/N = 0, the bearing capacity degradation function g(n/N) is zero and the bearing capacity is the initial bearing capacity, S0, which can be obtained from a static load test, numerical simulation, or theoretical calculation.The beam has no damage before fatigue loading, i.e., when n/N = 1, the bearing capacity degradation function g(n/N) is 1 and the bearing capacity is reduced to SNr, which can be considered as the maximum loading value during the fatigue test, Mmax.When the beam endures a failure, the damage reaches the maximum, i.e., when The stiffness degradation of reinforced concrete beams is the external expression for the structural damage, which reflects the degree of the structural damage to some extent. Moreover, it is easy to test the stiffness during fatigue. Therefore, the stiffness can be used as an index to decide the damage degree of the structure. Based on the establishment of the stiffness formula of the reinforced concrete beam under fatigue loading, the relationship between the stiffness and structural damage is established as follows:DB is the damage variable defined by the stiffness and DB ∈ .In formula , DB is tSimilar to stiffness degradation, the degradation of the bearing capacity is another form of structural damage. Based on the results of Fong  in the sThe material is damaged during fatigue loading, and both the stiffness and bearing capacity of the material decrease.With the increase in the number of fatigue loads, the fatigue damage is accumulated, which is an irreversible process, and the stiffness and bearing capacity of the material decrease monotonically with the increase in the damage.At the same time of fatigue, the damage is in the same state; however, the stiffness and bearing capacity have different forms, which are determined by the damage state of the material. Therefore, there is a certain relationship between the stiffness damage and bearing capacity damage occurring at the same time.Based on these three assumptions and combined with the fatigue damage defined by the stiffness degradation, it is possible to define the damage caused by the bearing capacity degradation under fatigue loading. This is defined as follows:DS is the damage variable defined by the bearing capacity and DS ∈ .In formula , DS is tIt is found that the damages based on stiffness and bearing capacity have the following characteristics:DB and DS is .The range of both DB and DS is 0 at the start of the fatigue, and is 1 at the time of fatigue failure.The value of both damage DB and DS are monotone increasing functions in interval .Both Through the analysis of the above characteristics and combination of assumption (c) in section 5.3, the relationship between the two damages can be defined asDB and formula   17) is tS0 is 220 kN, SNr is 176 kN, Snr is 180 kN, and u,ν are 0.2362 and 0.6123, respectively. Substituting the above parameter values into formula (19), we obtainBecause JL-4 and JL-5 beams are in the same loading state, they can be used to solve the correlation parameters. In this experiment, p is 0.6556. It should be noted that in this experiment, the fatigue lower limit of JL-2–JL-4 beams is zero and fatigue upper limit is 0.6Pu, 0.7Pu, and 0.8Pu, respectively. Parameter p is obtained by the combination of JL-4 and JL-5 beams. Because of the limitation of the subjective and objective conditions such as the capital, a corresponding failure test of JL-2 and JL-3 beams was not performed to determine their correlation parameters. Therefore, in this study, parameter p acquired from JL-4 and JL-5 beams is still used in the analysis of the bearing capacity degradation of JL-2 and JL-3 beams.Finally, calculated correlation parameter kN ⋅ m. Similarly, the bearing capacity of each beam at the failure time is 72.6kN ⋅ m, 84.7kN ⋅ m, and 96.8kN ⋅ m, respectively.The initial capacity of JL-2–JL-4 beams can be determined using the initial load and position of the distribution beam in the experiment. It is calculated as 220/2×1.1 = 121The calculated bearing capacity degradation law of JL-2–JL-4 beams under fatigue load is shown in kN ⋅ m in this study. When the number of cycles reaches the fatigue life, the residual bearing capacity of the beam is reduced to the maximum experimental load, i.e., JL-2 beam is 72.6kN ⋅ m, JL-3 beam is 84.7kN ⋅ m, JL-4 beam is 96.8kN ⋅ m in this paper. This is consistent with the bearing degradation boundary condition. It can be seen from the absolute bearing capacity degradation in Nf, the stiffness degradation rate of the beam is very small, which is close to a constant. After 0.9 Nf, the stiffness degradation rate increases gradually, and the test beam enters the stage of fatigue fracture and is shortly destroyed.From fatigue test, it was found that the stiffness degradation of the reinforced concrete beam exhibits a very clear monotonic decreasing "S" curve. At the initial stage of the fatigue loading, the stiffness degradation of the beam is very clear After 0.15 By constructing a function and fitting the experimental data, a formula used for calculating the stiffness degradation of reinforced concrete beams is obtained. The result of the formula is in good agreement with the experimental result, which can be used to quantitatively describe the stiffness degradation.The stiffness degradation and bearing capacity degradation of the reinforced concrete beams are external manifestations of the structural damage. In this study, based on the assumption that the residual stiffness and residual bearing capacity depend on the same damage state, the relationship between the residual stiffness and residual bearing capacity is determined, and then the bearing capacity degradation model of the reinforced concrete beams based on the fatigue stiffness degradation is established. Using the established model and under the premise of the known residual stiffness degradation law, the degradation law of the bearing capacity is determined by using at least one residual bearing capacity test data, for which the parameters of the stiffness degradation are used as material constants.The bearing capacity of the beam undergoes a relatively large decrease at the start of the fatigue loading. In the middle, for a long period, it is basically in a linear decline phase. Before the failure, the bearing capacity decreases significantly. Overall, the bearing capacity degradation process has an obvious "S" shape, which is consistent with the stiffness degradation process.The stiffness degradation expression and the expression of bearing capacity degradation based on the stiffness degradation are used to determine the degree of deterioration of reinforced concrete beams. In particular, the expression of the bearing capacity degradation can avoid numerous destructive tests and save cost. The results obtained in this study can be used to calculate the deformation and residual bearing capacity of reinforced concrete beams and crane beams subjected to dynamic loads. It can also provide reference for engineering structure maintenance decision.


A current standard in research is declaration of financial and nonfinancial conflicts of interest (CoI) related to the research process and the publication of results. However, policies on disclosing researchers’ CoI introduced by research funders, such as the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in the USA, do not work in practice  and therWhat about journal editors, who may also have competing interests in relation to submitted manuscripts and even be authors on manuscripts submitted to their own journals? The International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) recommends that journal editors publicly disclose their potential CoI . HoweverNew England Journal of Medicine and JAMA were 72 times (US$3899 vs US$54) and 100 times (US$78 617 vs US$795) higher that those received by editors of JAMA Internal Medicine and Annals of Internal Medicine, respectively [Studies presented in ectively . 76% of ectively . AnotherWhy is disclosure of industry payments to editors relevant? Evidence shows that industry payments, even if they are modest, such as for meals, are associated with higher rates of prescription of brand-name medicines although generic drugs of similar efficacy are available, as well as greater expenditure on prescriptions per patient -21. ThisThe ICMJE states that any journal editor with a potential CoI should recuse himself or herself from editorial decisions affecting manuscripts that are considered for publication, especially when the editor is the author of the submitted work. The editor-in-chief must also know the potential CoI of the members of the editorial team and make them public on a regular basis . Thus, tBMJ) also publish CoI declaration for individual reviewers together with the relevant article. Only 36% (5/14) ICMJE member journals had publicly disclosed policies about managing editorial CoIs and 2 publicly posted declarations of current individual CoI for their editors. It is possible that those ICMJE-member journals that do not publicly disclose their editors’ individual CoI follow them internally when appropriate, but this would be against ICMJE recommendations for the transparency of CoI disclosures.While all 14 ICMJE member journals had detailed CoI declaration policies for authors, only 36% (5/14) had easily available policies for declaring reviewers’ CoIs, and those that use open peer review system (eg, What can be done in the situation where we have so many good policies but so few actual application in practice? First, the ICMJE member journal should make sure that all recommended policies are fully implemented, so that they set real standards and examples for the editorial community. The policies on editorial CoI and declarations of individual CoIs for editors should be posted and easily identifiable on journal’s web pages. Transparency of editor’s CoI could be further increased by publishing individual editorial CoI declarations in the journal. In this way, such published item would be indexed in bibliographical databases, clearly visible and properly archived. Annual publication of editorial CoI declarations would ensure that possible changes are recorded or CoI declaration of new editors made public.Publications of editorial CoI declaration is already the practice in some journals.


Because science is a global endeavor, international mobility is common among researchers and academics around the world ,2. Shortindeed.com, linkedin.com, monster.com, experteer.com). Contacting the international office of the host university would help with some administrative processes and for exploring additional options. In many cases, the administrative staff of the host department is quite helpful in supporting logistical aspects of the international visit.The affinity in academic and research topics between the host and the guest laboratories is a priority ,10. OthePlanning for a research stay abroad takes time in order to organize in advance the different aspects; namely, adequate time in the host institution, plane tickets, accommodation, visas, insurance and permissions, details of the experiments to be carried out, and rotations in other laboratories and/or centers, among others ,14. It iOnce you identify the host country, it is essential that you visit the website of the embassy and/or consulate in your location and that you contact the international office of your institution to find out the requirements and the time it takes to issue the required travel documents. In addition, the embassy should be able to provide extra information, such as sources for funding, and advise you if any (extra) vaccines are needed. Make sure your health insurance covers you in the host country; otherwise, get international insurance. If you are planning on driving, and your license is not valid in the host country, obtain an international driving license .Obtaining funding for mobility is the biggest challenge for researchers . Costs oThere are differences between institutions in the way that departments are organized, and some of these differences might be amplified because of dissimilarities between countries . Respect for the organization of the host institution might facilitate an adequate development of the activities to be carried out by the guest scientist. Knowing details of the organization, structure, and dynamics of the host institution helps in the process of integrating the guest researcher. Before you travel, you can talk to several people working in the department and to past visiting researchers to understand what to expect.During your stay, follow the wisdom of the saying “When in Rome, do as the Romans do.” Do not take things for granted, and when in doubt, ask. Never share data from the organization with outside people and do not use materials and/or programs or analyze data without prior written authorization.It is key that you look for a potential direct mentor or adviser  who takes a key role in your constant supervision and academic support from an early moment. You are encouraged to attend laboratory meetings in advance of your stay—e.g., using videoconferencing tools—to have a better understanding of the dynamics of the host laboratory. You need to have a good understanding of the language of the country of the host laboratory to facilitate adequate communication with the other members. In some cases, English is the main option, but in several countries, other languages are needed. Integration into the host laboratory would facilitate the completion of key goals defined in advance of the research stay and an adequate reporting of findings and advances .Expanding your scientific knowledge is the priority. You should not see the international experience as merely a means to boost your resume or as a paid leisure trip. Leisure should be seen as secondary, and extra time should be set aside for it either by leaving some hours at the end of the workday or by adding extra days to your stay.A key point for a successful research stay is that the scientific activities to be carried out at the host institution remain the main priority ,11,14. TAs with other type of collaborative endeavors, it is fundamental to define in advance the authorship of the possible publications and/or conferences resulting from the research stay. If authorship and conference presenters are not clarified beforehand, this usually leads to unpleasant situations between research groups and may lead to discontinuation of collaborations . Take inIn addition to defining the authorship of publications and/or conference proceedings in advance, other types of acknowledgment of the collaborations are important , such asIn several cases, one of the most valuable experiences from international mobility is learning different styles of doing science . It is aThe Culture Map [Science published for international scientists . If the language and culture are completely different, then there may be benefits of having a cultural coach who can explain unfamiliar hierarchies, conflict management, and body language.Go with the mentality that you are the one who has to adapt to their culture and way of working; do not expect people to adapt to you. A good resource to understand the differences between your culture and the culture you are visiting is the book ture Map  and the Inconveniences between research groups and/or members are frequent, and these conflicts might be of particular relevance in research stays of international guests ,11. An eThe use of videoconferencing, file sharing services , and webInvite a researcher to your institution. Having an international researcher in your institution can bring the same advantages to the host and to the visitor, including collaborations, networks, and exposure to different methods and scientific skills; plus, visiting guests could give lectures and bring experience and new ideas into your laboratory or institution. Involve your supervisors, legal, and human resources in the idea from an early stage because they will be essential in helping with the paperwork and accommodations. When you write a research grant, you can consider including an international visitor.Please note that every single rule and all advice given in this article can also be applied by the host researcher. Several of the rules are related to general aspects of scientific collaborations, but they have particular characteristics inherent to the dynamics of short-term international scientific mobility. The advancement of international communication and geographical mobility has made “brain circulation” accessible. However, when visiting research institutions abroad, there are many details that need to be taken into account that are easily missed. Therefore, these rules will be an essential source of guidance when planning your visit. Congratulations on your next international short stay; you will have one of the best experiences in your academic life.


Femtosecond laser has been proposed as a method for conditioning zirconia surfaces to boost bond strength. However, metallic or ceramic bracket bonding to femtosecond laser-treated zirconia surfaces has not been tested. This study compared the effects of four conditioning techniques, including femtosecond laser irradiation, on shear bond strength (SBS) of metallic and ceramic brackets to zirconia.Three hundred zirconia plates were divided into five groups: 1) control (C); 2) sandblasting (APA); 3) silica coating and silane (SC); 4) femtosecond laser (FS); 5) sandblasting followed by femtosecond laser (APA+SC). A thermal imaging camera measured temperature changes in the zirconia during irradiation. Each group was divided into 2 subgroups . SBS was evaluated using a universal testing machine. The adhesive remnant index (ARI) was registered and surfaces were observed under SEM. Surface treatment and bracket type significantly affected the bracket-zirconia bond strength. SBS was significantly higher (p<0.001) for ceramic brackets in all groups (APA+FS > APA > FS > SC > control) than metallic brackets (APA+FS > FS > SC > APA > control). For metallic brackets, groups SC (5.99 ± 1.86 MPa), FS (6.72 ± 2.30 MPa) and APA+FS (7.22 ± 2.73 MPa) reported significantly higher bond strengths than other groups (p < 0.05). For ceramic brackets, the highest bond strength values were obtained in groups APA (25.01 ± 4.45 MPa), FS (23.18 ± 6.51 MPa) and APA+FS (29.22 ± 8.20 MPa).Femtosecond laser enhances bond strength of ceramic and metallic brackets to zirconia. Ceramic brackets provide significantly stronger adhesion than metallic brackets regardless of the surface treatment method. With the introduction of ceramic esthetic brackets, recent years have seen increased demand for orthodontic treatments that minimize the visual impact of the apparatus . As a coDental ceramics, especially zirconia, are excellent materials for dental restoration, and bonding to these materials has been widely studied –11.Due to the properties of these ceramic materials, bonding brackets to their surfaces can be complicated . For thi2 or Er:YAG [The surface conditioning techniques commonly used for zirconia bonding are: sandblasting , 5; silir Er:YAG –11. HoweFemtosecond lasers have been proposed as an alternative for treating zirconia surfaces in an attempt to improve the adhesion of dental cements and orthodontic brackets –15. ThesOnly two studies have analyzed the shear bond strength of brackets bonded to ceramic surfaces treated with femtosecond laser , 13. In The aim of this study was to compare the effect of four different zirconia conditioning techniques  on the shear bond strength of metallic and ceramic orthodontic brackets bonded to zirconia surfaces. The null hypothesis was that neither the ceramic surface conditioning technique nor the bracket type would affect the bracket-zirconia shear bond strength.Three hundred square densely sintered Yttria Tetragonal Zirconia Polycrystal (Y-TZP)  specimens measuring 9 x 9 x 1 mm were used for this in vitro study. The surfaces were wet-polished with 600-grit silicon carbide paper . Zirconia samples were randomly assigned to five experimental groups (n = 60).Group 1 (Control): No surface treatment was applied.2O3)  with an average size of 25 µm under a pressure of 0.25 MPa for about 20 sec at a perpendicular distance of 10 mm from the holder.Group 2 : Surfaces were blasted with alumina particles (AlGroup 3 (Silica coating): Surfaces were treated with tribochemical silica coating (30 µm silica particles) applied perpendicularly for 20 sec, at a working distance of 10 mm and a pressure of 0.25 MPa using the Cojet® System . Silanization was performed before bonding by applying a uniform layer of Rely X™ ceramic primer  to the specimen using a mini-sponge and blowing oil-free air across the surface until dry, following the manufacturer’s instructions.2 point was focused onto the sample surfaces with a 75 mm plano-convex lens. The samples were placed on the surface of a 2D motion controlled stage moving at a constant speed of 1.44 mm/s in the plane of the laser beam focus. A stair-like pattern was carved, the inter-groove distance being 60 μm.Group 4 (Femtosecond laser irradiation): zirconia surfaces were irradiated with a femtosecond Ti:Sapphire laser  with a pulse width of 30 fs, full width at half maximum (FWHM) at a central wavelength of 800 nm, a repetition rate of 1 kHz, and an output power of 200mW for 12 minutes. A programmable acousto-optic filter  was used to ensure the time compression of laser pulses at the interaction spot between zirconia samples and laser radiation. To obtain the optimal performance for promoting ablation on the zirconia surfaces, the incoming laser beam with a 6mm diameter at the 1/eGroup 5 (Airbone Particle Abrasion + Femtosecond laser irradiation): Surfaces were sandblasted following the protocol applied in Group 2 followed by laser irradiation using the parameters described for Group 4.A thermal imaging camera FLYR E60  was used to measure temperature changes in the zirconia during sample irradiation with femtosecond laser. The camera was mounted on a tripod perpendicular to the sample at a distance of 15 cm. The thermogram recordings were started 2 seconds before irradiation and continued until 2 seconds following its completion.After preparing the zirconia samples with the different surface treatments, each group was divided into 2 subgroups (n = 30):2 intensity, which was applied to the bracket-zirconia sample from the occlusal and gingival bracket edges for 20 seconds.Subgroup 1 : Upper central incisor stainless steel brackets  measuring 3x4 mm, were bonded to the prepared surfaces by a single clinician using the total etch adhesive system consisting of a primer applied to the ceramic surface and an orthodontic adhesive resin applied to the bracket base  following the manufacturer’s instructions. The adhesive layer was polymerized with a light curing unit  at 500 mW/cmSubgroup 2 (Ceramic bracket): Upper central incisor polycrystalline alumina brackets  were bonded to the prepared surfaces using the same adhesive system as in subgroup 1.SBS tests were conducted according to the standards used in the last published studies on bracket-to-ceramic adhesion , 17, 18.Bond strength values were calculated in MPa by dividing the maximum load recorded on failure  to the bracket area.After debonding, the zirconia surfaces were evaluated using an Axio M1 light microscope  at 40× magnifications to assess the failure mode. The adhesive remnant index (ARI), proposed by Årtun and Bergland , was useFive additional samples in each experimental group were prepared for SEM qualitative analysis  at 600× magnification to assess the differences between the surfaces after each conditioning technique.SEM, at 300x magnification was also used to analyze the surfaces of representative samples after debonding in order to compare morphological differences between experimental groups.Data were analyzed using SPSS v.16 software .Descriptive statistics, including the mean, standard deviation (SD), median, minimum and maximum SBS (MPa) were calculated; 95% confidence intervals were also included. Homogeneity of the data was evaluated using the Levene test.Two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), and Tamhane’s T2 multiple comparison test were used to determine the statistical significance of the differences in mean variables between the five groups. Statistical significance was set at p<0.05.Lastly, Kruskal-Wallis and multiple Mann-Whitney tests applying Bonferroni correction were used to assess the homogeneity of ARI index data between groups.No temperature changes were observed for any of the samples while irradiating the zirconia surfaces with femtosecond laser.SBS values (MPa) for all subgroups are shown in The shear bond strength of metallic brackets to control and air-particle-abraded specimens was similar (p = 1.000) and significantly lower than other treatment groups (p<0.001). Statistically significant differences were not found between silica coating, FS laser and APA+FS laser groups (p>0.8); the APA+FS laser group obtained the highest SBS values.For ceramic brackets, the highest SBS was also obtained in the APA+FS laser group, but with no significant differences in comparison with APA and FS laser groups (p>0.1).SEM images of the zirconia surfaces treated with the five different methods are shown in The present study investigated the effects of femtosecond laser irradiation on the shear bond strength of both metallic and ceramic brackets bonded to zirconia surfaces, comparing this surface treatment with other treatments: air-particle abrasion and silica coating.From the results of this study, the null hypothesis was rejected since significant differences were found between zirconia conditioning techniques groups and bracket type subgroups.Zirconia flat plates were used so the shape and dimensions of the adherent surfaces could be standardized through the experiment, being reproducible, and so the results could be compared to similar researches , 13, 15.Our results showed higher bond strength values for aesthetic ceramic brackets compared with metallic brackets in all treatment groups, with statistically significant differences (p<0.001). To our knowledge, only one work has studied differences in SBS when bonding to ceramic materials and comparing metallic and ceramic brackets, which found no significant differences between ceramic and metallic brackets, contrarily to our study, being the possible reason for this discrepancy between both studies the differences in the ceramic bracket, since they are made of different materials  and the bracket bases have different designs and mesh patterns .In this regard, the present study found that adhesive failure (ARI) between the zirconia and the adhesive layer (ARI scores 0 and 1) was, on average, more frequent for the metallic brackets subgroups than for ceramic brackets subgroups.Ceramic brackets show a mechanical property of resistance to bending when they are debonded . FurtherThe surface treatments that provided the highest SBSs between zirconia and metallic brackets were the air-particle abrasion/femtosecond laser irradiation combination, femtosecond laser alone, and silica coating, with no significant differences between these groups (p>0.8). This fact is born out in SEM images, where notable roughness can be observed on the surfaces in these three groups , which wPrevious studies also obtained higher SBS values for specimens irradiated with femtosecond laser ,13. ThesRegarding the results obtained for ceramic brackets, no significant differences were found between air-particle abrasion and femtosecond  (p > 0.1). Furthermore, although no statistically significant differences were obtained between control group and FS laser alone in terms of shear bond strength, both groups showed different performance, as significant differences in terms of adhesive remnant were found. The results cannot be compared with any other study as no other work has assessed the SBS of ceramic brackets bonded to femtosecond-treated ceramic surfaces.2O3 obtained similar results. For this reason, the authors consider that the sandblasting procedure prior to laser application can be avoided, reducing costs, preparation time and patient discomfort.Irradiating the zirconia surfaces with femtosecond laser and applying laser after air-abrading the surface with AlIn the present assay, the laser was set at a power output of 200mW, the chosen ablation pattern consisted of parallel lines separated by 60 μm and the samples were irradiated for 12 minutes. Due to the heterogeneity in terms of laser settings found in the published studies about femtosecond laser irradiation of ceramic surfaces , a pilotThe present study demonstrated that femtosecond laser irradiation is an effective surface conditioning method for achieving good bond strength for brackets bonded to zirconia. This laser etches the surface gently but with precision, without producing mechanical degradation of the materials  and withOne limitation of the present study is that surface characterization  was not conducted. This would help to describe the interactions between the bonding surfaces. Another limitation is that only one type of metal and ceramic brackets were tested. Further studies should evaluate the performance of different brands of brackets on femtosecond laser-treated ceramic surfaces, since they are made of different materials and have different base designs.Despite the advantages reported, femtosecond laser as a surface conditioning method has not yet been tested clinically due to the current costs and dimensions of the system. Further research is required before the technique may be introduced into clinical practice.Within the limitations of this in-vitro study, femtosecond laser may be an effective surface-conditioning method for boosting the bond strength of ceramic and metallic orthodontic brackets bonded to zirconia.APA+FS laser irradiation was the most effective zirconia-conditioning technique when bonding both metallic and ceramic brackets, with no significant differences with silica coating and FS laser  and with APA and FS laser (ceramic brackets subgroup).Ceramic brackets provide significantly higher adhesion strength to zirconia surfaces, regardless of the surface treatment method, compared to metallic brackets.Femtosecond laser irradiation is a conservative zirconia-conditioning technique since a great amount of the adhesive remains on the surface at debonding (ARI score 3)S1 FileShear bond strength values (MPa) for all specimens tested in the study.(XLSX)Click here for additional data file.


Clostridium thermocellum is a promising microorganism for conversion of cellulosic biomass to biofuel, without added enzymes; however, the low ethanol titer produced by strains developed thus far is an obstacle to industrial application.C. thermocellum, we observed that ethanol tolerance, in experiments with gradual ethanol addition, was twofold higher than previously observed in response to a stepwise increase in the ethanol concentration, and appears to be due to a mechanism other than mutation. As ethanol concentrations increased, we found accumulation of metabolites upstream of the glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) reaction and depletion of metabolites downstream of that reaction. This pattern was not observed in the more ethanol-tolerant organism Thermoanaerobacterium saccharolyticum. We hypothesize that the Gapdh enzyme may have different properties in the two organisms. Our hypothesis is supported by enzyme assays showing greater sensitivity of the C. thermocellum enzyme to high levels of NADH, and by the increase in ethanol tolerance and production when the T. saccharolyticum gapdh was expressed in C. thermocellum.Here, we analyzed changes in the relative concentration of intracellular metabolites in response to gradual addition of ethanol to growing cultures. For C. thermocellum is inhibited by high levels of ethanol. We then showed that this bottleneck could be relieved by expression of the gapdh gene from T. saccharolyticum. This enzyme is a promising target for future metabolic engineering work.We have demonstrated that a metabolic bottleneck occurs at the GAPDH reaction when the growth of The online version of this article (10.1186/s13068-017-0961-3) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users. Clostridium thermocellum is among the most effective microorganisms, described to date, for lignocellulose deconstruction ). The cells were lysed with Ready-Lyse lysozyme , and DNase I  was added to reduce the viscosity. After incubation for 30 min. at room temperature, the resulting solution was centrifuged at 10,000×+. To avoid thermal destruction of glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate, this substrate was added to the mixture immediately before starting the enzyme reaction. The formation NADH was followed by photometric observation at 340 nm (ε = 6.2 mM−1 cm−1) in a BioTek PowerWave XS plate reader . The protein concentration was determined using the Bradford protein reagent with bovine serum albumin as the standard . For the NADH inhibition test, 0 to 0.5 mM of NADH was added to the reaction mix. To avoid the saturating the detector, the wavelength was changed from 340 nm to 380 nm (ε = 1.2 mM−1 cm−1).The activity of the glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase enzyme (GAPDH EC 1.2.1.12) was measured at 55 °C as previously described . The stamax) and slowed growth. Increasing optical density was observed until the ethanol concentration reached 45 g/L.In order to characterize the metabolic response to ethanol, ethanol was added continuously to a growing culture at a rate of 5 g/L/h. This rate was chosen to achieve growth inhibition before the substrate carbon was completely consumed. As seen in Fig. + and NADPH/NADP+ as well as a moderate decline in the energy charge compared to control strains not exposed to ethanol  when the ethanol was added to the culture. The observed decrease in energy charge in response to increasing ethanol was highly significant   and phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP) decreased with increasing ethanol, indicative of a flux bottleneck upstream of 3-PG  pool, the fructose-1,6-phosphate (FBP) pool, and the dihydroxyacetone phosphate (DHAP) pool increased by 7, 16, and 11-fold, respectively, between 0 and 400 min (0 and 40 g/L added ethanol). For T. saccharolyticum exposed to the same range of ethanol concentrations, no increases were found in the G6P/F6P and FBP pool while the DHAP pools increased by only twofold. Due to technical limitations of the LC–MS instrument, glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate (G3P) was not measured.For both The different response of metabolite concentrations, to changes in added ethanol noted above, is consistent with a metabolic bottleneck in one of the steps in glycolysis between DHAP and 3-PG; that is, in reactions mediated by glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) or phosphoglycerate kinase (PGK).C. thermocellum and T. saccharolyticum  and T. saccharolyticum (Tsac_2486) were expressed and purified in E. coli. The values of Km and Vmax for C. thermocellum Gapdh were 0.6 ± 0.1 mM and 17.8 ± 2.1 S−1, respectively. The Gapdh of T. saccharolyticum exhibited similar kinetics with a Km of 1.4 ± 0.3 mM and a Vmax of 8.0 ± 1.3 S−1. To compare their response to inhibition, their specific activities were measured with different NADH/NAD+ ratios  was much more sensitive to the NADH/NAD+ ratio. More than half of the activity was lost when the ratio was 0.2, whereas the Gapdh from T. saccharolyticum (Tsac_Gapdh) still had more than 90% of activity remaining. At a ratio of 1.0, the Ctherm_Gapdh lost all activity, while 30% of activity remained for the Tsac_Gapdh.As may be seen from Fig. Oryza Sativa  and Bacillus stearothermophilus , respectively [Km. However, this change may also be the reason why Tsac_Gapdh was less sensitive to inhibition by high NADH/NAD+ ratios [To analyze differences in the structure of the Gapdh proteins, homology models of the Ctherm_Gapdh and Tsac_Gapdh were constructed using the crystal structures of ectively . These t+ ratios .Fig. 5HoT. saccharolyticum gapdh was expressed in C. thermocellum to see if it would improve ethanol tolerance. Wild-type C. thermocellum and a strain overexpressing native gapdh were used as controls. The resulting strains were assayed for their ability to grow in the presence of 20 or 25 g/L added ethanol  . The observed increase in the NADH/NAD+ ratio in response to increasing ethanol is consistent with mass action. The concomitant increase in NADPH/NADP+ ratios is interesting to note and suggests that electrons may be exchanged between the two nicotinamide cofactor pools and/or that the oxidation state of these pools is controlled by a common factor.Another hypothesis for the mechanism of ethanol inhibition is that it affects specific metabolic enzymes. We observed a dramatic accumulation of NADH and NADPH when ethanol was added to the culture. Ethanol production in C. thermocellum metabolism at the GAPDH reaction. Furthermore, T. saccharolyticum is more resistant to ethanol inhibition than C. thermocellum and also has a Gapdh enzyme that is more resistant to inhibition by high levels of NADH. To confirm this hypothesis, the T. saccharolyticum gapdh gene was overexpressed in C. thermocellum, resulting in dramatic improvements in ethanol tolerance: growth was initiated sooner, the growth rate was faster and substrate consumption was fourfold higher (Fig. Since NADH is known to be a competitive inhibitor of the GAPDH reaction –48, and her Fig. .C. thermocellum. Expressing the T. saccharolyticum gapdh gene in C. thermocellum increased ethanol titer by 28%. Although this result by itself is a useful strategy for metabolic engineering of C. thermocellum, it also suggests a future line of work where engineering the Gapdh enzyme for improved tolerance to NADH could be used to further increase ethanol production C. thermocellum.Finally, we showed that this insight can be exploited for the practical purpose of increasing ethanol titer in Additional file 1: Table S1. Strain used in this work.Additional file 2: Table S2. Plasmids used in this study.Additional file 3: Table S3. Primers used in this study.Additional file 4: Figure S1. Comparison of nicotinamide cofactor ratios between C. thermocellum and T. saccharolyticum in the presence of added ethanol. The absolute concentration of nicotinamide cofactors was determined based on a standard curve and normalized to cell number as determined by qPCR. Error bars represent one standard deviation, n = 3 biological triplicates.Additional file 5: Figure S2. Fermentation profiles of C. thermocellum with or without the tsac_gapdh gene. Cells were grown in batch pH-controlled fermenters with 50 g/L Avicel. Error bars represent one standard deviation, n = 3 biological triplicates.


Preventing Chronic Disease (PCD) was established in 2004 by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to enhance the science base on effective public health approaches to prevent and control chronic disease. After 14 years of progress, PCD conducted its first-ever external review to identify ways for the journal to continue to enhance its usefulness for its audience of researchers, practitioners, and policy makers. In June 2017, PCD invited a panel of 7 nationally recognized experts in scientific publishing  leadership, I am pleased to share these enhancements to the journal.The panel’s overall assessment of PCD was encouraged by the external review panel to refine its vision and mission statement. PCD will maintain the journal’s focus on providing current, top-quality content to public health practitioners, researchers, and policy makers. PCD vision and mission statements now clearly reflect the journal’s commitment to disseminating respected content worldwide.Vision.PCD will serve as an influential journal in the dissemination of proven and promising public health findings, innovations, and practices with editorial content respected for its integrity and relevance to chronic disease prevention.Mission statement. The mission of PCD is to promote dialogue among researchers, practitioners, and policy makers worldwide on the integration and application of research findings and practical experience to improve population health.PCD has been in existence long enough to better focus the primary topic areas of greatest interest to the journal. PCD has refined its primary focus to 4 main areas:Development, implementation, and evaluation of population-based interventions to prevent chronic diseases and control their effect on quality of life, illness, and death.Behavioral, psychological, genetic, environmental, biological, and social factors that influence health.Interventions that reduce the disproportionate incidence of chronic diseases among at-risk populations.Development, implementation, and evaluation of public health law and health-policy–driven interventions.These 4 areas of interest represent areas in which the journal now seeks to expand its content. On its About the Journal webpage, PCD will provide examples of the types of articles and content of greatest interest to the journal under each of these topic areas. Submissions to PCD that merely describe programs, theoretical frameworks, or research or evaluation methods without providing findings supported through sound research or evaluation will not be of primary interest to the journal. In addition, submissions that focus solely on describing partnerships, collaborations, and coalition-building efforts will not be of interest to the journal.PCD will strongly encourage the submission of manuscripts that align with the journal’s revised mission and areas of interest. Doing so will put the journal’s editorial resources to best use. Given that PCD has not received a meaningful number of book reviews for consideration, the Book Review article type has been eliminated. PCD also will eliminate the Special Topics and Community Case Study article types. In their place, PCD will introduce a new article type, Program Evaluation Brief. Program Evaluation Briefs will allow authors to share promising preliminary data and findings based on the use of sound evaluation methods and approaches. An important goal of this new article type is to encourage more submissions from organizations and institutions  with findings from well-delivered and evaluated public health programs. PCD also has renamed the Tools and Techniques article type to Tools for Public Health Practice. PCD will keep the following article types: Original Research, Research Brief, Systematic Review, Implementation Evaluation, Essay, and Letter to the Editor. PCD will place greater emphasis on publishing Program Evaluation Brief, Implementation Evaluation, Original Research, Research Brief, and Systematic Review article types. PCD will maintain the highest ethical standards in scientific publishing to promote a transparent review and decision-making process for all manuscripts submitted to the journal.Moving forward, PCD’s commitment to publishing quality articles from around the world, the journal will add the following statement to the journal’s About the Journal statement: “Preventing Chronic Disease (PCD) is a peer-reviewed public health journal sponsored by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and authored by experts worldwide.” Although supported by CDC, the journal maintains its commitment to a broad representation of public health professionals on its editorial board; of PCD’s 23 editorial board members, only one is a CDC employee. Over the past year, PCD has increased the number of associate editors to improve access to specific content areas. PCD currently has 16 associate editors, 9 who are external to CDC and 7 who are CDC employees. The names, titles, affiliations, backgrounds, and appointment terms are available on the journal’s website . Term limits for all editorial board members and associate editors were established in 2016. We continue to identify new talent and improve succession planning to ensure the journal secures and maintains the necessary expertise.To emphasize PCD has developed an international reputation as an authoritative resource, publishing the latest information on the epidemiological effects of behavioral, psychological, genetic, environmental, biological, and social factors that influence health. PCD will continue to serve as primary resource to the world in this area, and we will now increase our focus on disseminating articles that report findings beyond epidemiological studies. PCD will emphasize identifying and securing articles from researchers and practitioners working in settings that improve health by using population-based interventions and policies. Researchers and practitioners are encouraged to submit Original Research, Implementation Evaluation, and Program Evaluation Brief articles to the journal for consideration.PCD will provide transparent information on its website that describes and reports measures used by the journal to determine the quality of the journal’s content and the journal’s global reach. Multiple metrics will be posted in the journal’s annual Year in Review to provide readers with a sense of the journal’s relevance, resonance, reach, routine, and recognition:PCD citations.Relevance: Measure of publication impact by examining the number of Resonance: Measures of sharing activity that generates attention to create awareness and dissemination. This will include “likes,” bookmarks, and media coverage (Altmetric).PCD will track the number of views, downloads, and visitors to its website, and for all published articles.Reach: Measures that help examine how far information can travel to help determine popularity, affinity, and potential impact. PCD will report on the number of submissions, rejection rate, acceptance rate, and turnaround times in its annual Year in Review.Routine: Measures that provide insight on processes that ensure publication content aligns with the journal’s mission and scope and with the highest publication standards. PCD will use impact factor, Scopus, and Google Scholar to help determine the journal’s recognition.Recognition: Measures that rely on citation history to determine the journal’s standing in scholarly literature using various systematic approaches. PCD’s commitment to scientific quality and integrity, service to the public, and technological innovation over the past 13 years have led to its respected place in the field of public health. The external review panel was an initiative to continue this success and advance the journal. NCCDPHP’s leadership, along with PCD’s editorial board, associate editors, and staff remain committed to enhancing the journal’s focus, reach, and visibility. Its revised vision, mission statement, and areas of focus better emphasize the journal’s commitment to advancing the intersection of research, practice, and policy.


Computed tomography volumetry (CTV) is a useful tool for predicting graft weights (GW) for living donor liver transplantation (LDLT). Few studies have examined the correlation between CTV and GW in normal liver parenchyma. To analyze the correlation between CTV and GW in an adult LDLT population and provide a systematic review of the existing mathematical models to calculate partial liver graft weight. Between January 2009 and January 2013, 28 consecutive donors undergoing right hepatectomy for LDLT were retrospectively reviewed. All grafts were perfused with HTK solution. Estimated graft volume was estimated by CTV and these values were compared to the actual graft weight, which was measured after liver harvesting and perfusion. 2=0.98, slope=0.47, standard deviation of 0.024 and p<0.0001). Spearman Linear correlation was 0.65 with 95% CI of 0.45 - 0.99 (p<0.0001). Median actual GW was 782.5 g, averaged 791.43±136 g and ranged from 520-1185 g. Median estimated graft volume was 927.5 ml, averaged 944.86±200.74 ml and ranged from 600-1477 ml. Linear regression of estimated graft volume and actual GW was significantly linear (GW=0.82 estimated graft volume, rThe one-to-one rule did not applied in patients with normal liver parenchyma. A better estimation of graft weight could be reached by multiplying estimated graft volume by 0.82. The first living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) was performed in 1989 at our InstitutionInitially, LDLT was exclusive to pediatric patients, although over time it also became good option to adult recipients as well. One of the major concerns of this procedure is to provide an adequate graft volume while preserving a suitable hepatic remnant for the donor. Reduced grafts are associated with small for size syndrome and poor outcomes. In this particular setting, preoperative radiological evaluation of liver volume is the standard method for donor evaluation, aiming minimization of unnecessary risks.,Therefore, accurate assessment of the volume of the liver and its lobes prior to surgery is mandatory. Computed tomography volumetry (CTV) is a useful tool for predicting graft weights (GW) for LDLTThe aim of this paper was to analyze the correlation between CTV and GW in an adult LDLT population, and also provide a systematic review of the existing mathematical models to calculate partial liver graft weight or volume, based on different radiological parameters. Between January 2009 and January 2013, 28 consecutive donors undergoing right hepatectomy for LDLT were retrospectively reviewed. All donors were healthy adults with preoperative CTV. Hepatectomy cutting plane was guided by ischemic line after a short period (about 2 min) of right pedicle clamping . Right hepatic graft, including middle hepatic vein, was used in all but two cases. Grafts were perfused via the right portal vein with cold histidine-tryptophan-ketoglutarate (HTK) solution as soon as hepatectomy was completed. The solution was drained from the liver and a pre-calibrated digital scale was used to define the actual GW.Multidetector computed tomography (CT) images were obtained with four different devices: CT Discovery 750 HD , CT Light Speed , CT IDT MX8000  and CT Brilhance 64 , with a 1-mm slice thickness and 70 s after the intravenous administration of iodine contrast media . These data were used for CT volumetry measurements. The scanning parameters were as follows: 120 kV and mAs appropriate to body habitus.The right lobe graft volume (GV) was measured by tracing a line on the right of the middle hepatic vein, thus defining the virtual hepatectomy plan. The perimeters of the liver and the graft were outlined by hand tracing on each slice by an abdominal radiologist. The enclosed area was calculated with image analysis software Volume Viewer . The liver volume (in milliliters) was then obtained as the sum of all areas from the intervals of the serial CT slices .Estimated graft volume (EGV) was obtained by CTV, and these values were compared to the actual GW (AGW), which was defined after liver harvesting and perfusion. Values are shown as mean±standard deviation. Statistical analysis was performed using R version 2.15.2 . A value of p<0.05 was considered significant. Relation between estimated GV and AGW was determined by use of linear regression analysis; furthermore, linear correlation of Spearman and its 95% confidence interval were presented.The donor's demographics and perioperative parameters are summarized in Median graft versus recipient weight ratio was 1.12%, and ranged from 0.81 to 1.45%. Recipient´s estimated standard liver volume ranged from 948 to 1471g (median 1277g). The median relation between GW and estimated standard liver volume was 62.45 (44.23-80.57). Median actual GW was 782.5 g, averaged 791.43±136 g, and ranged from 520 to 1185g. Median estimated GV was 927.5 ml, averaged 944.86±200.74 ml, and ranged from 600 to 1477 ml. Linear regression of estimated GV and actual GW were significantly linear  as illustrated in An accurate preoperative GV estimation is essential in selecting suitable donors for adequate recipients of LDTL. It can provide valuable information to keep a safe remnant liver volume to the donor as well as reducing the recipient´s postoperative morbidity and mortality. ,LDTL recipients should receive sufficient hepatic parenchyma. Ideally relationship between weight of the graft and weight of the recipient should be about 0.8-1% to avoid small for size syndromeTherefore, predicting actual graft weight with pre-operative radiological evaluation is essential to define if LDLT is feasible. CTV is widely used as the standard method for preoperative estimation of hepatic graft weight,Several factors can interfere in graft weight analysis, such as: 1) the hepatic transection line defined by ischemic area, and/or anatomical parameters; and 2) the timing to graft weight, since high osmotic preservation solutions can induce cellular dehydration causing significant weight reduction in liver grafts,,,,,,,,,,,,Accordingly, there are many strategies to estimate right graft weight and volume . In our The one-to-one rule did not apply in patients with normal liver parenchyma. A better estimation of graft weight could be reached by multiplying estimated graft volume by 0.82.


Storage starch in starchy seed influences the seed weight and texture, and determines its applications in food and nonfood industries. Starch granules from different plant sources have significantly different shapes and sizes, and even more the difference exists in the different regions of the same tissue. Therefore, it is very important to in situ investigate the morphology and distribution of starch in the whole seed. However, a simple and rapid method is deficient to prepare the whole section of starchy seed for investigating the morphology and distribution of starch in the whole seeds for a large number of samples.A simple and rapid method was established to prepare the whole section of starchy seed, especially for floury seed, in this study. The whole seeds of translucent and chalky rice, vitreous and floury maize, and normal barley and wheat were sectioned successfully using the newly established method. The iodine-stained section clearly exhibited the shapes and size of starch granules in different regions of seed. The starch granules with different morphologies and iodine-staining colors existed regionally in the seeds of high-amylose rice and maize. The sections of lotus and kidney bean seeds also showed the feasibility of this method for starchy non-cereal seeds.The simple and rapid method was proven effective for preparing the whole sections of starchy seeds. The whole section of seed could be used to investigate the morphology and distribution of starch granules in different regions of the whole seed. The method was especially suitable for large sample numbers to investigate the starch morphology in short time. Phaseolus vulgaris Linn.), have high starch content [Storage starch is synthesized as discrete semicrystalline granules in amyloplast. Cereal starch is the major component of mature seeds, serves as the primary carbohydrate in the diets of humans and livestock, and has numerous important industrial applications . Some le content . Lotus s content . The sta content , 5. TherTriticeae crops [Starch granules from different plant sources have significantly different shapes, sizes, and hilum positions . The difae crops –11. Receae crops –14. Thesae crops , 13, 15.ae crops  found thFor in situ observation of starch in seed, the conventional method is to embed the small part of seed in epoxy or spurr resin after chemical fixation –11. ThisIn this study, our objective was to establish a simple and rapid method to prepare the whole section of mature seeds, especially floury seeds without resin embedding. Using this method, we could rapidly observe the morphology and distribution of starch granules in whole seeds of normal cereal crops, and conveniently investigated the heterogeneous starch granules in high-amylose rice and maize seeds. For example, the mature seed of high-amylose rice TRS shows floury endosperm and has polygonal, aggregate, elongated, and hollow starch granules. In order to investigate the spatial distribution of different morphology granules in endosperm, the whole seed is embedded in LR White resin and sectioned using our previously established method for preparing the whole section of mature cereal seed. The complete section of whole seed clearly exhibits that the polygonal, aggregate, elongated, and hollow granules are regionally distributed in a single seed from inside to outside of the endosperm , 16. HowSome cereal and non-cereal mature dry seeds were used in this study Table . These cThe whole section of dry seed was prepared according to the methods of Zhao et al.  and WellIn order to obtain the high quality section of seed, especially for floury seed, some details needed to be concerned by operator. Firstly, brand-new and sharp razor blades and glass knives were used to trim and section the sample. Secondly, the nail polish should be completely solidified before sectioning. Third, the sectioning speed should be slow enough to avoid destroying the sample. Finally, after treatment of nail polish, the beginning six sections was high quality for floury seeds of maize and rice, and only two or three sections could be used to observe the morphology for floury seeds of wheat, barley, lotus and kidney bean.2 and 0.14% KI) for 5 min in darkness, and covered with coverslip. The starch granules were observed and photographed using an Olympus BX53 light microscope equipped with a CCD camera. For birefringence observation, the sections immersed with 20 μL of 25% glycerol were viewed and photographed under polarized light.The semithin sections were stained in 20 μL of iodine solution (25% glycerol, 0.07% IIn the present study, a simple and rapid sectioning method was established to prepare the whole section of starchy cereal seeds and sample pieces of large starchy non-cereal seeds Fig. . This seJaponica rice cultivar Zhonghua 11 and indica rice cultivar Teqing were used in this study. Zhonghua 11 seed was translucent (Fig. Normal rice endosperm is commonly divided into two types, i.e. translucent and chalky endosperm depending on chalkiness percentage . Starch The whole section of seed provided the possibility of investigating the morphology and distribution of starch granule in every region of the seed. For Zhonghua 11 seed, typical compound starches were compactly distributed in every region of the translucent endosperm. The compound starch was consisted of many polygonal subgranules Fig. -a1, a2. Maize endosperm is normally classified as vitreous and floury endosperm . Starch Starch granules in vitreous and floury endosperm are normally simple granules . MoreoveTriticeae endosperm are commonly divided into two categories: large lenticular A-type and small spherical B-type starch granules, between which differences are shown in granular morphology, molecular structure and other chemical properties [Starch granules in operties , 32. Moroperties . TherefoIn the present study, normal barley variety Yangnongpi 5 and wheat variety Yangmai 13 were adopted to observe and compare the distribution and morphology of starch granules in barley and wheat endosperm. Both samples had soft endosperm (Fig. ae mutant seed was mostly floury with a translucent core (Fig. ae mutant, and maize Zae 50, the floury seeds needed the treatment of nail polish before sectioning, and their whole sections were successfully obtained (Fig. Starch granules in high-amylose cereal endosperm with mutation or inhibiting expression of starch branching enzyme genes show significant heterogeneity in granule morphology, regional distribution in seed, and starch properties , 33, 34.ore Fig. D, d, maiore Fig. G, g, andore Fig. H, h. Forned Fig. a, b, d. ned Fig. c.Fig. 6Mae mutant and maize Zae 35 and Zae 50 seeds. For rice ae mutant, compound starch granules were loosely distributed and became larger from center to periphery region, surrounded by smaller starch granules (Fig. japonica rice and maize ae mutant lines was highlighted by Wellner et al. [Rice TRS endosperm contains polygonal, aggregate, elongated, and hollow starch granules. The resin section of mature seed shows that they are distributed regionally from the inner to the outer of endosperm . In the les Fig. -b1–b4. Cles Fig. -b1–b3, wles Fig. -b1. For les Fig. c. These r et al.  and Liu r et al.  that migUnlike monocotyledon, dicotyledon stores nutrients in their cotyledons . Here, wA simple and rapid method was established to prepare the whole section of starchy seed. Using this method, the translucent rice seed and vitreous maize seed were directly sectioned, but chalky rice seed, floury maize seed, soft barley and wheat seeds, and starchy non-cereal seed needed the treatment of nail polish before sectioning. The whole section provided the possibility of rapidly investigating the morphology and distribution of starch granules in the whole seed. More importantly, the method could effectively observe the starch heterogeneity of high-amylose cereal crops and was suitable for viewing starch of a large number of cereal transgenic lines or mutants well in short time.


Dentistry Journal would like to express their sincere gratitude to the following reviewers for assessing manuscripts in 2016.The editors of https://publons.com) to receive recognition. Of course, in these initiatives we are careful not to compromise reviewer confidentiality. Many reviewers see their work as a voluntary and often unseen part of their role as researchers. We are grateful to the time reviewers donate to our journals and the contribution they make.We greatly appreciate the contribution of expert reviewers, which is crucial to the journal’s editorial process. We aim to recognize reviewer contributions through several mechanisms, of which the annual publication of reviewer names is one. Reviewers receive a voucher entitling them to a discount on their next MDPI publication and can download a certificate of recognition directly from our submission system. Additionally, reviewers can sign up to the service Publons (Dentistry Journal, see the link at the bottom of the webpage http://www.mdpi.com/reviewers.If you are interested in becoming a reviewer for Dentistry Journal in 2016:Abduo, JaafarLlena, CarmenAl-Habib, MeyLops, DiegoAli, KamranMa, SunyoungAndreasen, Jens OveMatzen, Louise H.Arora, HimanshuMcNally, ScarlettBaid, HeatherMercuri, Louis G.Batchelor, Hannah K.Mine, AtsushiBernardi, SaraMorita, ManabuBordallo, Heloisa N.Moshaverinia, AlirezaBronckaers, AnneliesMozzati, MarcoBruno, VincenzoMullier, FrancoisBullon, PedroNater, Urs M.Campus, GuglielmoNaumann, MichaelCappare, PaoloNavarro, CarlosCarpenter, GuyNicolatou-Galitis, OuraniaChai, HerzlO'Halloran, M.Chandler, Wayne L.Ohazama, AtsushiChass, Gregory A.Pabst, AndreasChen, Min-HueyPapaccio, GianpaoloCherng, Chen-HwanPayne, Alan G. T.Cionca, NorbertPetersson, KerstinClaiborne, DenisePirani, ChiaraCossellu, GianguidoPotluri, AnithaD’Amario, MaurizioPropst, Evan J.Danesh-Sani, SeyedamirQadri, GhalibDean, Jeffrey A.Rittié, LaureDeguchi, ToruRobinson, ErinDel Fabbro, MassimoRoggendorf, Matthias JDi Fede, OlgaRosenthal, EbenEmmanouil, DimitrisRush, William A.Farronato, GiampietroSagheb, KeyvanFedele, StefanoSahrmann, PhilippFiner, YoavSalerno, MarcoFox, KathrynScoffield, JessicaFusco, VittorioScribante, AndreaGalluccio, GabriellaSgodda, MalteGarcia Barbero, Alvaro EnriqueShum, CaroleGatto, RobertoSié, PierreGiovanni, GiovanniSilva, RenatoGoss, Alastair N.Silvestre-Donat, Francisco JavierGrabarek, Joanna B.Sim, Ie-WenGriggs, Jason A.Skapetis, TonyHasegawa, YuhSonoyama, WataruHennyey, DonnaSvedstrom-Oristo, Anna-LiisaHoefer, JuliaTaichman, Linda SusanHoefert, SebastianTakamizawa, ToshikiHong, GuangTallarico, MarcoHuang, BoyenTamse, AviadHülsmann, MichaelTan, Tiong YangIwata, JunichiTatullo, MarcoJäger, KurtTchorz, Jörg PhilippJansson, LeifThikkurissy, SaratJiang, RulangVan Linden Van Den Heuvell, G. F. E. C.Kahler, BillVan Poznak, CatherineKapellas, KostasVan Ryn, JoanneKawashima, NobuyukiWalton, Richard E.Kim, J. -H.Welander, MariaKim, Seong-GonWutzl, ArnoKitamura, ChiakiYoon, Hyung-InKoizumi, HiroyasuYsunza, Pablo AntonioKuo, Tzong-FuYuan, KuoKwon, Tae-yubYumoto, HiromichiLaskin, Daniel M.Zhao, LinpingLazarevic, VladimirZilstra-Shaw, SandraLee, Jung-HwaThe following reviewed for


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These data collectively suggest that GAG interactions play a prominent role in determining heterodimer function in vivo. Further, this study provides proof-of-concept that the disulfide trapping strategy can serve as a valuable tool for characterizing the structural and functional features of a chemokine heterodimer.Chemokines mediate diverse fundamental biological processes, including combating infection. Multiple chemokines are expressed at the site of infection; thus chemokine synergy by heterodimer formation may play a role in determining function. Chemokine function involves interactions with G-protein-coupled receptors and sulfated glycosaminoglycans (GAG). However, very little is known regarding heterodimer structural features and receptor and GAG interactions. Solution nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and molecular dynamics characterization of platelet-derived chemokine CXCL7 heterodimerization with chemokines CXCL1, CXCL4, and CXCL8 indicated that packing interactions promote CXCL7-CXCL1 and CXCL7-CXCL4 heterodimers, and electrostatic repulsive interactions disfavor the CXCL7-CXCL8 heterodimer. As characterizing the native heterodimer is challenging due to interference from monomers and homodimers, we engineered a “trapped” disulfide-linked CXCL7-CXCL1 heterodimer. NMR and modeling studies indicated that GAG heparin binding to the heterodimer is distinctly different from the CXCL7 monomer and that the GAG-bound heterodimer is unlikely to bind the receptor. Interestingly, the trapped heterodimer was highly active in a Ca Chemokines, a large family of signaling proteins, mediate diverse biological processes, including innate and adaptive immunity, organogenesis, and tissue repair ,2,3. Com3C, and XC [Humans express ~50 different chemokines, which can be classified into subfamilies on the basis of the first two conserved cysteine residues as CXC, CC, CX, and XC ,12. Desp, and XC  and some, and XC ,15. Chem, and XC ,17,18. S, and XC ,20. Furt, and XC . These pFunctional studies have provided evidence for chemokine “synergy”, wherein the presence of multiple chemokines results in enhanced or altered activity ,23,24,252+ release assay. Further, GAG heparin interactions of the heterodimer are distinctly different from the CXCL7 monomer, and the GAG-bound heterodimer is unlikely to bind the receptor. Our observation that GAG binding interactions of a heterodimer could be quite different from the monomer suggests that these differences could play important roles in fine-tuning in vivo neutrophil recruitment and function. To our knowledge, this is the very first report of receptor and GAG interactions that could be unambiguously attributed to a chemokine heterodimer.In this study, we investigated the molecular basis of heterodimer formation for the chemokine CXCL7 with chemokines CXCL1, CXCL4, and CXCL8. These chemokines co-exist in platelet granules, and their release upon platelet activation orchestrates neutrophils to the tissue injury site. CXCL7, CXCL1, and CXCL8, characterized by the conserved N-terminal “ELR” motif, direct neutrophil trafficking by activating the CXCR2 receptor . CXCL4 iCXCL7, compared to CXCL1 and CXCL8, forms weak dimers, and actually forms a tetramer at high concentrations. CXCL4, on the other hand, forms an even stronger tetramer. Tetramer structures of CXCL7 and CXCL4 reveal both CXC and CC type dimer interfaces ,35. CXC-15N-labeled CXCL7 shows essentially a monomer along with some weak homodimer peaks. On titrating unlabeled CXCL1 or CXCL4 to 15N-CXCL7, the monomer and homodimer peaks gradually weaken, and new peaks appear that must correspond to the heterodimer  spectroscopy is ideally suited for characterizing CXCL7 heterodimers compared to other techniques. We recently assigned the chemical shifts of the CXCL7 monomer and extensively characterized dimerization propensity as a function of solution conditions such as pH and buffer . The heterodimer B,C. Thesormation D. We als15N-CXCL7, new peaks are observed that correspond to CXCL7 β1-strand residues S21, L22, V24, β2-strand residues V34, E35, V36, and I37, and C-terminal helical residues K56, K62, A64, and G65. These residues are located either at or proximal to the dimer interface. In the reverse titration of adding CXCL7 to 15N-CXCL1, new peaks corresponding to residues I23 to S30 of the dimer-interface β1-strand, T38 to L44 of the adjacent β2-strand, and C-terminal helical residues I58 to S69 are observed. These data collectively indicate that CXCL7-CXCL1 forms a CXC-type heterodimer and that the residues involved in packing interactions that stabilize the homodimers also stabilize the heterodimer. We also explored whether side chain chemical shifts of glutamine and asparagine can serve as probes for heterodimer formation. In CXCL1, a glutamine and an asparagine are located at the CXC dimer interface as well as a pair of glutamines in the CC dimer interface  simulations in order to arrive at a stable structure that had minimal fluctuations in backbone root-mean-square deviation (RMSD). To gain insight into the relative stabilities and better understand the structural features that mediate heterodimer formation, we examined several parameters during the course of the simulation; H-bonds and packing interactions of the dimer-interface residues, backbone φ–ψ angles, and charge-charge interactions. The MD simulations collectively indicated that a combination of favorable H-bonding, packing, and electrostatic interactions, similar to what drives any complex formation, dictate heterodimer formation.In the case of CXCL7-CXCL1, both monomer structures retained their tertiary fold. The H-bond network across the dimer interface β-strands remained intact for the CXCL7 residues L22 and V24 to CXCL1 residues V26 and V28, while peripheral H-bonds between CXCL7 G26 and Q20 to CXCL1 Q24 and S30 are transient throughout the run B. Backbo1-strands remain intact for CXCL7 residues L22 and V24 to CXCL4 residues L27 and V29, whereas the edge H-bonds (between CXCL7 Q20 and CXCL4 K31 and between CXCL7 G26 and CXCL4 T25) are transient  of multiple species. This was evident when we initially attempted to characterize GAG binding to a wild type (WT) heterodimer mixture of 1-strand residues as likely candidates , but this was not limiting as most of the unassigned residues play no role in GAG interactions.Knowledge of the chemical shifts is essential for NMR characterization of trapped heterodimer GAG interactions. Towards this, we carried out 15N-CXCL7-CXCL1 and 15N-CXCL1-CXCL7 trapped heterodimer samples. In the 15N-CXCL7-CXCL1 trapped heterodimer, significant perturbations were observed for N-loop, β3-strand, and α-helical residues. Of particular interest are the basic residues H15 and K17 of the N-loop, R44 and K45 from the β3-strand, and K56 and K57 from the helix  by individual titrations to he helix A. CSPs f α-helix B.Interestingly, the CSP profiles of CXCL1 versus CXCL7 residues were strikingly different A,B. WherSet-I residues include K27 and C31 to V34 of the 30s-loop and K56 of the helix A. These 3-strand, and V59 to A64 of the helix  are sensitive to secondary, tertiary, and quaternary structures. Therefore, under ideal conditions, NMR could distinguish heterodimers from homodimers and monomers. Previous NMR studies have shown heterodimer formation between CXCL4 and CXCL8 [Knowledge of the structural basis and molecular mechanisms by which chemokines form heterodimers is essential to understanding how heterodimers mediate function. In this study, using solution NMR spectroscopy, we were able to describe the structural features and molecular basis by which CXCL7 is able to form heterodimers with some chemokines but not with others. Further, using NMR spectroscopy, we were able to describe the molecular basis of heparin GAG binding to the CXCL7-CXCL1 heterodimer. NMR detects direct binding and does not require exogenous tagging, as do the fluorescence-based FRET/BRET methods, and so does not suffer from potential artifacts. Popular techniques for distinguishing between monomers and dimers such as gel filtration and native gel electrophoresis cannot distinguish between heterodimers and homodimers due to their similar size and molecular weight. Mass spectrometry and co-immunoprecipitation techniques have been used to detect chemokine heterodimers ,50,51, bnd CXCL8  and thatd) of the heterodimer and of the two homodimers, and the relative amounts of the two chemokines. Using trapped dimers, it has been shown that the dimer could be as active as the monomer for CXCR2 function in cellular assays [The role of in vivo heterodimer function is dependent on receptor and GAG interactions. GAG interactions play multiple roles that include determining the makeup of the chemotactic/haptotactic gradients, influencing whether it is the free or GAG-bound chemokine that activates the receptor, and regulating the levels of the free monomer and homodimer. Further, free and GAG-bound heterodimer levels depend on the GAG affinities, the equilibrium constants . The PDB IDs used were 1NAP (CXCL7) , 1MSG  or 800 MHz (with a TXI cryoprobe) spectrometer. All spectra were processed and analyzed using Bruker Topspin 3.2 or Sparky software [The samples were prepared in a 50 mM sodium phosphate buffer pH 7.4 at 25 °C containing 1 mM 2,2-dimethyl-2-silapentansesulfonic acid (DSS), 1 mM sodium azide, and 10% D1H and 15N chemical shifts of the trapped CXCL7-CXCL1 heterodimer were assigned using 15N-CXCL1-CXCL7 and 15N-CXCL7-CXCL1 samples prepared in 50 mM phosphate pH 6.0 and 35 °C. The concentrations of 15CXCL7-CXCL1 and CXCL7-15CXCL1 were 300 and 670 µM, respectively, and the assignments were obtained from analysis of 1H-15N heteronuclear NOESY and TOCSY experiments with mixing times of 150 and 80 ms, respectively.The 1H-15N HSQC spectra were collected upon titrating GAG until no changes in the spectra were observed. The final molar ratio of heterodimer to GAG was 1:4. For the trapped heterodimer, both 15N-CXCL7-CXCL1 and 15N-CXCL1-CXCL7 samples were used. For native heterodimer interactions, a mixture of CXCL7 and CXCL1 at 1:1 molar ratio was used. The final molar ratio of heterodimer to GAG was ~1:3 to 1:4. For all titrations, chemical shift perturbations were calculated as a weighted average of changes in the 1H and 15N chemical shifts, as described previously [The binding of heparin dp8 to the CXCL7-CXCL1 heterodimer was characterized using solution NMR spectroscopy in 50 mM phosphate buffer at pH 6.0 and 30 °C. The protein concentration for the titrations varied between 50 and 70 µM. Heparin dp8 was purchased from Iduron  and prepared in the same buffer (10 mM stock), and a series of eviously .Molecular docking of heparin to the CXCL7-CXCL1 heterodimer was carried out using the High Ambiguity Driven biomolecular DOCKing (HADDOCK) approach, as described previously ,63,64. T2+ release assay, as described previously [2+ levels were measured using a FlexStation III microplate reader using the Calcium 5 assay kit . Differentiated HL60 cells expressing CXCR2 were incubated with varying concentrations of either WT CXCL1, WT CXCL7, a mixture of both WTs, or the trapped CXCL7-CXCL1 heterodimer. Changes in fluorescence of the Calcium 5 dye upon addition of chemokine were measured every 5 s for up to 500 s, and the agonist response was determined from the maximum change in fluorescence. EC50 values were calculated based on the response over a range of concentrations.The CXCR2 receptor activity of the heterodimer was determined using a Caeviously . Ca2+ le


Exactly one year ago we celebrated the first Journal Impact Factor of Advanced Science with the publication of an exclusive Review Special Issue. This year, there is again reason to celebrate: we are happy to announce that the impact factor of Advanced Science has increased by more than 50% to a value of 9.034 . That is an amazing result for this young journal and clearly an achievement of the strong international editorial team in combination with an excellent advisory board. Executive advisory board member Ali Khademhosseini  recently stated: “Advanced Science has become a premier journal that publishes a broad spectrum of scientific breakthroughs. Thus the journal fits an important need given that such advances are increasingly interdisciplinary.”In this issue we have once again compiled a variety of overview articles that demonstrate the broad range of topics covered in the journal: From polymer science to robotics, from computer simulations of supercapacitors to photodynamic therapy, from batteries to aggregation‐induced emission – Advanced Science has it all.Marco Rolandi and co‐workers  summarize their latest efforts on developing bio‐protonic devices that control H+ currents at the palladium hydride contact solution interface to monitor and control biological reactions. Cyrille Boyer  highlights recent advances in the field of polymerization‐induced self‐assembly (PISA) with a focus on the visible‐light‐initiated process (photo‐PISA). Alessandro Chiolerio and Marco B. Quadrelli  provide an initial assessment of existing capabilities of liquid robotics with many future applications, such as space exploration in extreme environments, post‐disaster search, compliant wearable devices, and in vivo medical applications. Yat Li et al.  summarize recent advances in the area of paper‐based electrodes, with a particular focus on the methodology of fabricating these novel functional electrodes, and discuss some key challenges and opportunities in this rapidly growing field. Mingbo Wu, Jianzhang Zhao, and co‐workers  have written a review article that summarizes a variety of strategies for modulating the singlet oxygen quantum yield and thus enhancing photodynamic therapy efficiency. The fundamental scientific principle, structure, and possible classification of battery–supercapacitor hybrid devices are discussed in the review article by Yuanyuan Li and Jinping Liu . Qianqian Li and Zhen Li  elucidate the important role of molecular packing modes on aggregation‐induced‐emission (AIE) materials. In a more theoretical contribution, De‐en Jiang and co‐workers  present a detailed overview of progress made in the past decade using computer simulations to understand supercapacitors. Finally, the issue contains a review article by Zhou Li  on biomechanical energy harvesters, nanosensors, and stimulators in the biomedical field.I would like to thank all authors who have contributed their fantastic articles to this issue and I hope that you will enjoy this collection. If you are interested in contributing your own open access article that anyone can freely access, do not hesitate to contact the editorial team. We are happy to discuss any potential topic with you.On behalf of the entire editorial team,