bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Concise Review: Updated Advances and Current Challenges in Cell Therapy for Inborn Liver Metabolic Defects
Authors: Najimi Mustapha , Defresne Florence , Sokal Etienne M.
Published: June 2016

The development of liver cell transplantation (LCT), considered a major biotechnological breakthrough, was intended to provide more accessible treatments for liver disease patients. By preserving the native recipient liver and decreasing hospitalization time, this innovative approach has progressively gained interest among clinicians. LCT initially targets inborn errors of liver metabolism, enabling the compensation of deficient metabolic functions for up to 18 months post-transplantation, supporting its use at least as a bridge to transplantation. The rigorous clinical development and widespread use of LCT depends strongly on controlled and consistent clinical trial data, which may help improve several critical factors, including the standardization of raw biological material and immunosuppression regimens. Substantial effort has also been made in defining and optimizing the most efficient cell population to be transplanted in the liver setting. Although isolated hepatocytes remain the best cell type, showing positive clinical results, their widespread use is hampered by their poor resistance to both cryopreservation and in vitro culture, as well as ever-more-significant donor shortages. Hence, there is considerable interest in developing more standardized and widely accessible cell medicinal products to improve engraftment permanency and post-cell transplantation metabolic effects.

Significance

In this therapeutic approach to liver disease, new solutions are being designed and evaluated to bypass the documented limitations and move forward toward wide clinical use. Future developments also require a deep knowledge of regulatory framework to launch specific clinical trials that will allow clear assessment of cell therapy and help patients with significant unmet medical needs.
Modeling the Main Determinants of Movie Sales: An Econometric Study of Chinese Marketplace
Authors: Feng Fan , Sharma Ravi
Published: June 2016

This paper investigates the financial performance of movies in China, a fast-growing commercial exhibition marketplace. Movie sales and Chinese market returns, movie characteristics and cultural contexts are operationalized in ordinary least squares (OLS) regression and quantile regression models to explain the highly varied acceptance across different products released since 2009. The samples comprise most of the widely released motion pictures in China. We posit that production budgets, sequels, audience ratings, cultural contexts and movie genres can significantly account for the variation in box office (BO) revenue and sales-revenue-to-cost (SRTC) within the Chinese market. Movies produced in countries with similar cultural contexts capture more audiences measured by box office proceeds, but it is noteworthy that SRTC falls at a decreasing rate as cultural differences increase. An increase in production budget generates more sales in China, but reduces the SRTC ratios with other factors controlled. Although aggregate cinema attendance may fluctuate with releasing date, this is not always true for an individual movie's financial success. Quantile regressions provide us with a richer characterization of the relationship, enabling us to analyze the entire distribution of box office proceeds and SRTC ratios, as well as their determinants at key quantiles.
La Politique nationale de la ruralité québécoise relève-t-elle d’une gouvernance synergique territoriale ?
Authors: El-Batal Kamal , Joyal André
Published: June 2016

Ces dernières années de nouvelles dynamiques organisationnelles sociales et institutionnelles ont favorisé l’avènement d’un nouveau mode de gestion des territoires et collectivités. Nous vérifions ce constat à partir de l’analyse critique des trois générations de la Politique nationale de la ruralité (PNR) mises de l’avant par différents gouvernements du Québec en tenant pour acquis que la PNR (2014-2024) n’est pas remise en cause par le gouvernement issu des élections du printemps 2014. Pour ce faire, nous utilisons le concept de gouvernance synergique, définie comme l’ensemble des facteurs politiques, sociaux et organisationnels qui sont stratégiquement planifiés par les diverses parties prenantes d’une collectivité en vue d’étudier, d’analyser et de concevoir des mécanismes visant à mieux gérer tout processus de développement territorial. Une attention particulière est accordée à la façon dont l’État québécois, à travers la PNR, favorise l’émergence d’une nouvelle approche en matière de développement territorial au sein des collectivités rurales. Nous faisons ressortir que les deux principaux acteurs, l’État et les parties prenantes, ont bel et bien développé une relation d’affaires par la mise en application du Pacte rural, lequel constitue une des principales composantes de la PNR. Par ailleurs, la faible implication du secteur privé, de même que les résultats mitigés qui s’en sont dégagés, font qu’il y a lieu de s’interroger sur le système de gouvernance propre à la PNR, car beaucoup demeure à faire pour que se mette en place une réelle gouvernance synergique territoriale.
Évolution de la mobilité des membres de familles monoparentales dans la région métropolitaine de Québec de 1996 à 2006 : comparaison entre les ménages matricentriques et patricentriques
Authors: López Castro Marco Antonio , Thériault Marius , Vandersmissen Marie-Hélène
Published: June 2016

Cette recherche vise à outiller les décideurs pour détecter les risques d’exclusion sociospatiale des familles monoparentales, afin de promouvoir des politiques publiques qui réduisent les iniquités sociales en milieu urbain. Ces familles sont considérées comme l’un des groupes les plus défavorisés de la société. Cet article se concentre sur l’aspect spatial de l’exclusion sociale. L’objectif général est d’analyser la variabilité des conditions et des contraintes de mobilité des ménages monoparentaux, à partir de l’hypothèse que les familles monoparentales dirigées par la mère ont un déficit de mobilité par rapport à celles dirigées par le père, ce qui se traduirait par des vitesses de déplacement inférieures chez les familles matricentriques. La méthodologie repose sur des tests statistiques de différences de moyennes et de proportions, des analyses centrographiques de répartition des lieux de résidence et des analyses de régression par quantile, en 1996, 2001 et 2006, dans la région métropolitaine de Québec. Les résultats indiquent que les familles dirigées par la mère sont moins motorisées et leurs membres adultes utilisent moins l’automobile dans leurs déplacements, ce qui contraint leur accessibilité. De plus, quand on fait intervenir des facteurs environnementaux, socioéconomiques et spatiaux, ce désavantage de mobilité est significatif et persiste durant toute la période d’étude. La différence est particulièrement forte pour les déplacements associés à des vitesses de déplacement élevées.
The Improbable Success of the Petit-Poitou Company, 1650-1720: Agency and Management at the Crossroads of Social and Environmental History
Authors: Kennedy Gregory
Published: June 2016

The Petit-Poitou Company stands out as the first successful large-scale drainage enterprise in France. Created in 1640 by a group of local officials and landowners, by 1646 the Company had completed the operation of draining nearly 4,000 hectares of marshland for farming. This article examines the seventy years following this initial success in order to better understand how the Company overcame significant environmental, social, and political challenges to emerge as a stable and profitable enterprise. This success was highly improbable. Flood disasters, dissension amongst the associates, the actions of tenant farmers, and challenges from regional competitors all threatened to destroy its work. But the Company was able to learn from its early mistakes, build consensus internally, and defend itself from the legal attacks of its rivals through a flexible but firm leadership model and a solid understanding of territorial management and court patronage. This article is based on original research using the unique and previously little-known records of the General Assembly of the Petit-Poitou Company and proposes a more comprehensive view of this period of development for the Company. In other words, it offers a microhistorical analysis that can add to current debate about human agency in the environmental and social history fields.
Selective protein degradation ensures cellular longevity
Authors: Malmgren Hill Sandra , Nyström Thomas
Published: June 2016

A previously unknown pathway can selectively degrade mitochondrial proteins in aged and stressed cells without destroying the organelle itself.
Inter-lab comparison of precision and recommended methods for age estimation of Florida manatee (Trichechus manatus latirostris) using growth layer groups in earbones
Authors: Brill Katherine , Marmontel Miriam , Bolen-Richardson Meghan , Stewart Robert EA
Published: June 2016

Manatees are routinely aged by counting Growth Layer Groups (GLGs) in periotic bones (earbones). Manatee carcasses recovered in Florida between 1974 and 2010 provided age-estimation material for three readers and formed the base for a retrospective analysis of aging precision (repeatability). All readers were in good agreement (high precision) with the greatest apparent source of variation being the result of earbone remodelling with increasing manatee age. Over the same period, methods of sample preparation and of determining a final age estimate changed. We examined the effects of altering methods on ease of reading GLGs and found no statistical differences. Accurate age estimates are an important component for effective management of the species and for better models of population trends and we summarize the currently recommended methods for estimating manatee ages using earbones.
Temperature-compensated crystal oscillator simulation in stress compensated cut crystal resonators
Authors: Haga Ryo , Hayashi Rifwa , Hanada Yosuke , Sato Takayuki , Watanabe Yasuaki
Published: June 2016

Traditional quartz crystal frequency references include a large, power-starving, oven-controlled crystal oscillator (OCXO), which base stations favor because of their excellent stability. We simulated a temperature-compensated crystal oscillator (TCXO) in the stress-compensated cut (SC-cut) resonator using the C and B mode frequencies. Power-conscious base-station manufacturers use the compensation circuit combination of TCXOs. The large frequency change in the B mode will be employed in temperature compensation for the C mode. First, we examined the circuit that could drive the C mode and B mode by simulation at the same time.
Assessing Illumina technology for the high-throughput sequencing of bacteriophage genomes
Authors: Rihtman Branko , Meaden Sean , Clokie Martha R.J. , Koskella Britt , Millard Andrew D.
Published: June 2016

Bacteriophages are the most abundant biological entities on the planet, playing crucial roles in the shaping of bacterial populations. Phages have smaller genomes than their bacterial hosts, yet there are currently fewer fully sequenced phage than bacterial genomes. We assessed the suitability of Illumina technology for high-throughput sequencing and subsequent assembly of phage genomes. In silico datasets reveal that 30× coverage is sufficient to correctly assemble the complete genome of ˜98.5% of known phages, with experimental data confirming that the majority of phage genomes can be assembled at 30× coverage. Furthermore, in silico data demonstrate it is possible to co-sequence multiple phages from different hosts, without introducing assembly errors.
Eroding permafrost coasts release low amounts of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) from ground ice into the nearshore zone of the Arctic Ocean
Authors: Tanski George , Couture Nicole , Lantuit Hugues , Eulenburg Antje , Fritz Michael
Published: June 2016

Ice‐rich permafrost coasts in the Arctic are highly sensitive to climate warming and erode at a pace that exceeds the global average. Permafrost coasts deliver vast amounts of organic carbon into the nearshore zone of the Arctic Ocean. Numbers on flux exist for particulate organic carbon (POC) and total or soil organic carbon (TOC, SOC). However, they do not exist for dissolved organic carbon (DOC), which is known to be highly bioavailable. This study aims to estimate DOC stocks in coastal permafrost as well as the annual flux into the ocean. DOC concentrations in ground ice were analyzed along the ice‐rich Yukon coast (YC) in the western Canadian Arctic. The annual DOC flux was estimated using available numbers for coast length, cliff height, annual erosion rate, and volumetric ice content in different stratigraphic horizons. Our results showed that DOC concentrations in ground ice range between 0.3 and 347.0 mg L−1 with an estimated stock of 13.6 ± 3.0 g m−3 along the YC. An annual DOC flux of 54.9 ± 0.9 Mg yr−1 was computed. These DOC fluxes are low compared to POC and SOC fluxes from coastal erosion or POC and DOC fluxes from Arctic rivers. We conclude that DOC fluxes from permafrost coasts play a secondary role in the Arctic carbon budget. However, this DOC is assumed to be highly bioavailable. We hypothesize that DOC from coastal erosion is important for ecosystems in the Arctic nearshore zones, particularly in summer when river discharge is low, and in areas where rivers are absent.
Saw‐tooth modulation of the deep‐water thermohaline properties in the southern Adriatic Sea
Authors: Querin Stefano , Bensi Manuel , Cardin Vanessa , Solidoro Cosimo , Bacer Sara , Mariotti Laura , Stel Fulvio , Malačič Vlado
Published: June 2016

In this study, we investigate the dynamics of the bottom layer of the southern Adriatic Sea (eastern Mediterranean basin) by merging experimental measurements and numerical simulations. We hypothesize that the recently observed continuous density decrease over time, which was basically related to a temperature increase, and the following sudden density rise, which was caused by the intrusion of very dense water masses (cold but relatively fresh), constitute one cycle of a general “saw‐tooth” pattern: the alternation of long‐lasting and almost linear density decreases (mixing phases) and sudden density increases (dense water intrusion phases). The model results, which provide a basin‐scale view of the process, corroborate this theory because they satisfactorily reproduced the observed oceanographic features. We describe the almost linear density decrease in terms of local mixing fostered by the advection of flow instabilities that originate from the large‐scale quasi‐permanent cyclonic circulation. Conversely, diffusive processes play a minor role in determining the bottom layer thermohaline variability. The interpretation of the experimental findings, supported by the numerical simulations, suggests that similar dynamics might be observed in other basins characterized by similar bathymetric and hydrodynamic features.
Spectral distribution of gravity wave momentum fluxes over the Antarctic Peninsula from Concordiasi superpressure balloon data
Authors: Walterscheid R. L. , Gelinas L. J. , Mechoso C. R. , Schubert G.
Published: June 2016

Gravity waves generated by flow over the steep topography of the Antarctic Peninsula transport significant amounts of zonal and meridional momentum into the stratosphere. Quantitative determination of this transport has been carried out for wave periods of 1 h or greater using data from a previous Antarctic superpressure balloon campaign in austral spring 2005 (VORCORE). The present study uses data from the later Concordiasi campaign (2010) to extend the momentum flux determination to shorter periods. Maps of the vertical fluxes of meridional and zonal momentum are presented for periods down to 12 min. We find that the momentum fluxes for periods below 1 h are comparable to those at longer periods, despite larger variances at longer periods. The momentum fluxes in the vicinity of the peninsula provide a significant zonal acceleration of the lower stratosphere, confirming a conclusion from the VORCORE data. The geographical distribution of fluxes around the peninsula has peaks both leeward and windward of the main terrain features. Numerical simulations suggest that the separate peaks may be related to wave transience caused by unsteady winds over the peninsula. Momentum fluxes comprise a main distribution maximizing at moderate flux values and a secondary distribution maximizing at high values exhibiting a high degree of intermittency. The high flux events account for the largest part of the average flux and suggest that drag parameterizations should take them into account. It is found that waves generated by the jet stream are also a significant source of momentum flux.
How should a rainfall‐runoff model be parameterized in an almost ungauged catchment? A methodology tested on 609 catchments
Authors: Rojas‐Serna Claudia , Lebecherel Laure , Perrin Charles , Andréassian Vazken , Oudin Ludovic
Published: June 2016

This paper examines catchments that are almost ungauged, i.e., catchments for which only a small number of point flow measurements are available. In these catchments, hydrologists may still need to simulate continuous streamflow time series using a rainfall‐runoff model, and the methodology presented here allows using few point measurements for model parameterization. The method combines regional information (parameter sets of neighboring gauged stations) and local information (contributed by the point measurements) within a framework where the relative weight of each source of information is made dependent on the number of point measurements available. This approach is tested with two different hydrological models on a set of 609 catchments in France. The results show that on average a few flow measurements can significantly improve the simulation efficiency, and that 10 measurements can reduce the performance gap between the gauged and ungauged situations by more than 50%. The added value of regional information progressively decreases until being almost insignificant when sufficient flow measurements are available. Model parameters tend to come closer to the values obtained by calibration in fully gauged conditions as the number of point flow measurements increases.
Circulation and meltwater distribution in the Bellingshausen Sea: From shelf break to coast
Authors: Zhang Xiyue , Thompson Andrew F. , Flexas Mar M. , Roquet Fabien , Bornemann Horst
Published: June 2016

West Antarctic ice shelves have thinned dramatically over recent decades. Oceanographic measurements that explore connections between offshore warming and transport across a continental shelf with variable bathymetry toward ice shelves are needed to constrain future changes in melt rates. Six years of seal‐acquired observations provide extensive hydrographic coverage in the Bellingshausen Sea, where ship‐based measurements are scarce. Warm but modified Circumpolar Deep Water floods the shelf and establishes a cyclonic circulation within the Belgica Trough with flow extending toward the coast along the eastern boundaries and returning to the shelf break along western boundaries. These boundary currents are the primary water mass pathways that carry heat toward the coast and advect ice shelf meltwater offshore. The modified Circumpolar Deep Water and meltwater mixtures shoal and thin as they approach the continental slope before flowing westward at the shelf break, suggesting the presence of the Antarctic Slope Current. Constraining meltwater pathways is a key step in monitoring the stability of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet.
Studies of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago water transport and its relationship to basin‐local forcings: Results from AO‐FVCOM
Authors: Zhang Yu , Chen Changsheng , Beardsley Robert C. , Gao Guoping , Lai Zhigang , Curry Beth , Lee Craig M. , Lin Huichan , Qi Jianhua , Xu Qichun
Published: June 2016

A high‐resolution (up to 2 km), unstructured‐grid, fully coupled Arctic sea ice‐ocean Finite‐Volume Community Ocean Model (AO‐FVCOM) was employed to simulate the flow and transport through the Canadian Arctic Archipelago (CAA) over the period 1978–2013. The model‐simulated CAA outflow flux was in reasonable agreement with the flux estimated based on measurements across Davis Strait, Nares Strait, Lancaster Sound, and Jones Sounds. The model was capable of reproducing the observed interannual variability in Davis Strait and Lancaster Sound. The simulated CAA outflow transport was highly correlated with the along‐strait and cross‐strait sea surface height (SSH) difference. Compared with the wind forcing, the sea level pressure (SLP) played a dominant role in establishing the SSH difference and the correlation of the CAA outflow with the cross‐strait SSH difference can be explained by a simple geostrophic balance. The change in the simulated CAA outflow transport through Davis Strait showed a negative correlation with the net flux through Fram Strait. This correlation was related to the variation of the spatial distribution and intensity of the slope current over the Beaufort Sea and Greenland shelves. The different basin‐scale surface forcings can increase the model uncertainty in the CAA outflow flux up to 15%. The daily adjustment of the model elevation to the satellite‐derived SSH in the North Atlantic region outside Fram Strait could produce a larger North Atlantic inflow through west Svalbard and weaken the outflow from the Arctic Ocean through east Greenland.
Improving Budyko curve‐based estimates of long‐term water partitioning using hydrologic signatures from GRACE
Authors: Fang Kuai , Shen Chaopeng , Fisher Joshua B. , Niu Jie
Published: June 2016

The Budyko hypothesis provides a first‐order estimate of water partitioning into runoff (Q) and evapotranspiration (E). Observations, however, often show significant departures from the Budyko curve; moreover, past improvements to Budyko curve tend to lose predictive power when migrated between regions or to small scales. Here to estimate departures from the Budyko curve, we use hydrologic signatures extracted from Gravity Recovery And Climate Experiment (GRACE) terrestrial water storage anomalies. The signatures include GRACE amplitude as a fraction of precipitation (A/P), interannual variability, and 1‐month lag autocorrelation. We created a group of linear models embodying two alternate hypotheses that departures can be predicted by (a) Taylor series expansion based on the deviation of physical characteristics (seasonality, snow fraction, and vegetation index) from reference conditions and (b) surrogate indicators covarying with E, e.g., A/P. These models are fitted using a mesoscale USA data set (HUC4) and then evaluated using world data sets and USA basins <1
105 km2. The model with A/P could reduce error by 50% compared to Budyko itself. We found that seasonality and fraction of precipitation as snow account for a major portion of the predictive power of A/P, while the remainder is attributed to unexplained basin characteristics. When migrated to a global data set, type b models performed better than type a. This contrast in transferability is argued to be due to data set limitations and catchment coevolution. The GRACE‐based correction performs well for USA basins >1000 km2 and, according to comparison with other global data sets, is suitable for data fusion purposes, with GRACE error as estimates of uncertainty.
Starving for Knowledge: Why Campuses Need to Address Student Food Insecurity
Authors: Cady Clare
Published: June 2016

Hunger disrupts academic success. Even though food insecurity is a big, tough problem, Clare Cady provides inspiring examples of educators who are taking it on, one granola bar at a time.
Sustained Release of Cx43 Antisense Oligodeoxynucleotides from Coated Collagen Scaffolds Promotes Wound Healing
Authors: Gilmartin Daniel J. , Soon Allyson , Thrasivoulou Christopher , Phillips Anthony R. J. , Jayasinghe Suwan N. , Becker David L.
Published: June 2016

Antisense oligodeoxynucleotides targeting the mRNA of the gap junction protein Cx43 promote tissue repair in a variety of different wounds. Delivery of the antisense drug has most often been achieved by a thermoreversible hydrogel, Pluronic F‐127, which is very effective in the short term but does not allow for sustained delivery over several days. For chronic wounds that take a long time to heal, repeated dosing with the drug may be desirable but is not always compatible with conventional treatments such as the weekly changing of compression bandages on venous leg ulcers. Here the coating of collagen scaffolds with antisense oligonucleotides is investigated and a way to provide protection of the oligodeoxynucleotide drug is found in conjunction with sustained release over a 7 d period. This approach significantly reduces the normal foreign body reaction to the scaffold, which induces an increase of Cx43 protein and an inhibition of healing. As a result of the antisense integration into the scaffold, inflammation is reduced with the rate of wound healing and contracture is significantly improved. This coated scaffold approach may be very useful for treating venous leg ulcers and also for providing a sustained release of any other types of oligonucleotide drugs that are being developed.
Palladium‐Catalyzed Two‐Component Domino Coupling Reaction of (Z)‐β‐Bromostyrenes with Norbornenes: Synthesis of 1,5‐Enynes
Authors: Mao Jiangang , Li Huifang , Wen Herui , Li Min , Fan Xiaolin , Bao Weiliang
Published: June 2016

Polyfunctional molecules, 1,5‐enynes, have been achieved via a palladium(0)‐catalyzed domino coupling reaction of (Z)‐β‐bromostyrenes with norbornenes in the presence of cesium carbonate and N,N‐dimethylformamide. The process involves a double Heck‐type procedure, two‐fold C(sp2)H activation and formation of two carbon‐carbon bonds. There are possibilities of diversified transformation for the domino coupling of (Z)‐β‐bromostyrenes with norbornenes, the procedure is successfully driven to 1,5‐enynes via accurate adjustment of the reaction conditions.

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Transition Metal‐Free Synthesis of 3‐Alkynylpyrrole‐2‐carboxylates via Michael Addition/Intramolecular Cyclodehydration
Authors: Teng Qing‐hu , Xu Yan‐li , Liang Ying , Wang Heng‐shan , Wang Ying‐chun , Pan Ying‐ming
Published: June 2016

A transition metal‐free and efficient method for the synthesis of 3‐alkynylpyrrole‐2‐carboxylates from diynones and glycine esters or 2‐aminoacetophenone hydrochloride has been developed. This transformation provides a large range of substituted pyrroles in good to excellent yields with the elimination of water as the only by‐product. The detailed mechanistic studies elucidated that this transformation involves a Michael addition/intramolecular cyclodehydration process.

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Robust and Recyclable Self‐Supported Chiral Nickel Catalyst for the Enantioselective Michael Addition
Authors: Bissessar Damien , Achard Thierry , Bellemin‐Laponnaz Stéphane
Published: June 2016

A simple chemical modification of a chiral diamine ligand may produce a robust and recyclable enantioselective catalyst. Metallopolymers based on chiral cyclohexyldiamine‐containing ditopic ligands and nickel(II) complexes have been readily prepared and applied in catalytic enantioselective Michael additions of 1,3‐dicarbonyl compounds to nitroalkenes. High yields and good enantioselectivities have been obtained and the catalytic systems have been recycled up to 11 times without loss of either activity or enantioselectivity at a low catalyst loading of 0.75 mol%. Moreover, the nickel metallopolymers were found to be air‐ and moisture‐stable, which enabled this chemistry to be carried out on the bench without the use of any air‐free techniques and with non‐degassed solvents. Finally, the nature of the catalyst was studied by non‐linear effect experiments, giving a negative non‐linear effect (NLE) as a consequence of an in situ decrease in the ee of the active species consistent with the trapping of homochiral aggregates.

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Iron(III) Chloride‐Catalyzed Tandem Aza‐Prins/Friedel–Crafts Cyclization of 2‐Arylethyl‐2,3‐butadienyl Tosylamides and Aldehydes‐An Efficient Synthesis of Benzo[f]isoquinolines
Authors: Lin Weilong , Cheng Jiajia , Ma Shengming
Published: June 2016

An efficient approach for the synthesis of 1,2,3,4,5,6‐hexahydrobenzo[f]isoquinolines via a tandem aza‐Prins/Friedel–Crafts cyclization from 2‐arylethyl‐2,3‐butadienyl tosylamides and aldehydes has been developed. This iron(III) chloride‐catalyzed cascade cyclization at the room temperature with different types of aldehydes, such as aromatic and heteroaromatic aldehydes, alkyl aldehydes, and α,β‐unsaturated aldehydes, affords the products in moderate to excellent yields (up to 97 %). In this reaction, chlorotrimethylsilane was applied to activate the aldehydes. The cheap catalyst, the mild reaction conditions, and the broad scope of the substrates make this method highly useful.

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Metal‐Free Autoxidative Nitrooxylation of Alkenyl Oximes with Molecular Oxygen
Authors: Zhang Xiao‐Wei , Xiao Zu‐Feng , Zhuang Yan‐Jun , Wang Mei‐Mei , Kang Yan‐Biao
Published: June 2016

A metal‐free aerobic autoxidative nitrooxylation of alkenyl oximes mediated by tert‐butyl nitrite is described. Molecular oxygen is used as the oxidizing reagent, avoiding use of organic trapping reagents such as 2,2,6,6‐tetramethylpiperidine 1‐oxyl (TEMPO). The desired products were obtained in generally high yields.

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Organocatalytic Regioselective Chlorosilylation of Oxirane Derivatives: Mild and Effective Insertion of Bulky Silyl Chloride by Using 4‐Methoxypyridine N‐Oxide
Authors: Yoshida Keisuke , Suzuki Hina , Inoue Hiroki , Matsui Kohei , Fujino Yuta , Kanoko Yohei , Itatsu Yukihiro , Takao Ken‐ichi
Published: June 2016

The highly regioselective organocatalytic chlorosilylation of oxirane derivatives using bulky silyl reagents such as (tert‐butyl)diphenylsilyl chloride (TBDPSCl) or triphenylsilyl chloride (Ph3SiCl) was developed. The reaction was effectively catalyzed with 4‐methoxypyridine N‐oxide in the presence of sodium sulfate (Na2SO4). Several silylated halohydrins were obtained with complete regioselectivity and the reaction was applied to the synthesis of carvedilol.

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Toward High‐Performance Carbon Nanotube Photovoltaic Devices
Authors: Liu Yang , Wang Sheng , Peng Lian‐Mao
Published: June 2016

Photovoltaic (PV) infrared (IR)‐based devices are important for a variety of industrial and scientific applications, such as IR imaging, biological sensing, day–night surveillance and in solar cells. However, most high‐end IR PV devices made of conventional semiconductors need to be cooled to achieve high performance, while these materials usually are also not stable under strong illumination. Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are direct‐bandgap materials with a broad spectral response and a large absorption coefficient, which is most desired for building high‐performance PV devices. Main progresses on CNT PVs in the past 15 years is reviewed, emphasizing recent breakthrough of CNT IR photodetectors based on solution‐processed high‐purity CNT films via a doping‐free fabrication technique. This technique has been combined with virtual contacts to multiply the photovoltage and thus to significantly improve detection performance and signal‐to‐noise ratio of PV detectors. It is demonstrated that this CNT PV detector has a superior broadband response from visible to near‐infrared light, high room‐temperature detectivity comparable with state‐of‐the‐art InGaAs detectors, and extremely good temperature and temporal stability. Challenges that still lay ahead and possible solutions are discussed.
Genetic modulators of sickle cell disease in French Guiana: Markers of the slave trade
Authors: Simonnet Christine , Elanga Narcisse , Joly Philippe , Vaz Tania , Nacher Mathieu
Published: June 2016

Objectives

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is the leading genetic disease in French Guiana, reflecting the predominantly African ancestry of the Guianese population. Our purpose was to characterize the genetic modulators of SCD in order to retrace the origin of the population in light of the slave trade.

Methods

We have studied the sickle cell genotype, the βS haplotypes, the alpha and beta thalassemia and the UGT1A1 promoter polymorphisms in 224 Guianese patients with SCD.

Results

The genotypes of SCD were HbSS 65.6%, HbSC 24.5%, and HbS‐beta thalassemia 9.4%. The most frequent βS haplotypes were the Benin haplotype (65.9% of the chromosomes) and the Bantu (20.5%). Alpha thalassemic deletions were present in 37% of the patients and homozygosity for the (TA)7 allele of the UGT1A1 promoter in 21.4%. When the patients' origins were considered, 3 groups, Noir Marron, Haitians and Creoles, displayed distinctive characteristics. The HbSC genotype, the Benin haplotype, and the homozygous UGT1A1 genotype TA7/TA7 were significantly more frequent in Noir Marron. The Haitian patients were characterized by the occurrence of alpha‐thalassemia and beta‐thalassemia and by a higher prevalence of the Bantu haplotype. In the group of Creole patients, the genotype HbSS was predominant but the other modulators of SCD were associated with intermediate risk.

Conclusions

The results highlight the genetic diversity of the Guianese population and are concordant with historical data on the slave trade showing a West African origin for Noir Marron and a Central African origin for Haitians, while Guianese Creoles are highly admixed. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 28:811–816, 2016. © 2016Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Catalytic Radical Reduction in Aqueous Solution by a Ruthenium Hydride Intermediate
Authors: Htet Yamin , Tennyson Andrew G.
Published: June 2016

Some manganese complexes can catalyze both antioxidant and pro‐oxidant reactions, whereby the disparate reactivity modes are determined by the catalyst environment and afford distinct therapeutic effects. We recently reported the reduction of radicals in buffered aqueous solution catalyzed by a ruthenium complex with biologically relevant non‐tertiary alcohols as terminal reductants. Mechanistic evidence is presented, indicating that this catalytic radical reduction is achieved by a Ru‐hydride intermediate formed by β‐hydride elimination from a Ru‐alkoxide species. A similar mechanism and Ru‐hydride intermediate was previously reported to kill cancer cells with catalytic pro‐oxidant effects. Therefore, our demonstration of catalytic antioxidant effects by the same type of intermediate reveals new potential therapeutic strategies and applications for catalytic systems that form Ru‐hydride intermediates.
14‐Vertex Heteroboranes with 14 Skeletal Electron Pairs: An Experimental and Computational Study
Authors: Robertson Alasdair P. M. , Beattie Nicholas A. , Scott Greig , Man Wing Y. , Jones John J. , Macgregor Stuart A. , Rosair Georgina M. , Welch Alan J.
Published: June 2016

Three isomers of [(Cp*Ru)2C2B10H12], the first examples of 14‐vertex heteroboranes containing 14‐skeletal electron pairs, have been synthesized by the direct electrophilic insertion of a {Cp*Ru+} fragment into the anion [4‐Cp*‐4,1,6‐RuC2B10H12]−. All three compounds have the same unique polyhedral structure having an approximate Cs symmetry and featuring a four‐atom trapezoidal face. X‐ray diffraction studies could confidently identify only one of the two cage C atoms in each structure. The other C atom position has been established by a combination of i) best fitting of computed and experimental 11B and 1H NMR chemical shifts, and ii) consideration of the lowest computed energy for series of isomers studied by DFT calculations. In all three isomers, one cage C atom occupies a degree‐4 vertex on the short parallel edge of the trapezium.
Quantification of Stereochemical Communication in Metal–Organic Assemblies
Authors: Castilla Ana M. , Miller Mark A. , Nitschke Jonathan R. , Smulders Maarten M. J.
Published: June 2016

The derivation and application of a statistical mechanical model to quantify stereochemical communication in metal–organic assemblies is reported. The factors affecting the stereochemical communication within and between the metal stereocenters of the assemblies were experimentally studied by optical spectroscopy and analyzed in terms of a free energy penalty per “incorrect” amine enantiomer incorporated, and a free energy of coupling between stereocenters. These intra‐ and inter‐vertex coupling constants are used to track the degree of stereochemical communication across a range of metal–organic assemblies (employing different ligands, peripheral amines, and metals); temperature‐dependent equilibria between diastereomeric cages are also quantified. The model thus provides a unified understanding of the factors that shape the chirotopic void spaces enclosed by metal–organic container molecules.
Ordered PdCu‐Based Nanoparticles as Bifunctional Oxygen‐Reduction and Ethanol‐Oxidation Electrocatalysts
Authors: Jiang Kezhu , Wang Pengtang , Guo Shaojun , Zhang Xu , Shen Xuan , Lu Gang , Su Dong , Huang Xiaoqing
Published: June 2016

The development of superior non‐platinum electrocatalysts for enhancing the electrocatalytic activity and stability for the oxygen‐reduction reaction (ORR) and liquid fuel oxidation reaction is very important for the commercialization of fuel cells, but still a great challenge. Herein, we demonstrate a new colloidal chemistry technique for making structurally ordered PdCu‐based nanoparticles (NPs) with composition control from PdCu to PdCuNi and PtCuCo. Under the dual tuning on the composition and intermetallic phase, the ordered PdCuCo NPs exhibit better activity and much enhanced stability for ORR and ethanol‐oxidation reaction (EOR) than those of disordered PdCuM NPs, the commercial Pt/C and Pd/C catalysts. The density functional theory (DFT) calculations reveal that the improved ORR activity on the PdCuM NPs stems from the catalytically active hollow sites arising from the ligand effect and the compressive strain on the Pd surface owing to the smaller atomic size of Cu, Co, and Ni.
Perfluoroalkylation of Unactivated Alkenes with Acid Anhydrides as the Perfluoroalkyl Source
Authors: Kawamura Shintaro , Sodeoka Mikiko
Published: June 2016

An efficient perfluoroalkylation of unactivated alkenes with perfluoro acid anhydrides was developed. Copper salts play a crucial role as a catalyst to achieve allylic perfluoroalkylation with the in situ generated bis(perfluoroacyl) peroxides. Furthermore, carboperfluoroalkylation of alkene bearing an aromatic ring at an appropriate position on the carbon side chain was found to proceed under metal‐free conditions to afford carbocycles or heterocycles bearing a perfluoroalkyl group. This method, which makes use of readily available perfluoroalkyl sources, offers a convenient and powerful tool for introducing a perfluoroalkyl group onto an sp3 carbon to construct synthetically useful skeletons.
Influence of magnesium sulfate whiskers on the structure and properties of melt‐stretching polypropylene microporous membranes
Authors: Lei Caihong , Cai Qi , Xu Ruijie , Chen Xiande , Xie Jiayi
Published: June 2016

The influence of magnesium sulfate (MgSO4) whiskers on the structure and properties of polypropylene cast films and stretched microporous membranes was investigated. We found that for the cast films, MgSO4 showed some nucleation effects, and the introduction of MgSO4 led to the decrease of the orientation degree along the machine direction (MD), whereas that along the transverse direction (TD) was improved; this indicated that MgSO4 whiskers were mainly arranged along the TD. The introduction of MgSO4 up to 10 wt % did not induce apparent changes in the pore structure and air permeability properties of the stretched microporous membranes but improved the electrolyte absorption ability. The most pronounced change for the stretched microporous membranes was the strength along the TD. It was increased by 110% when the MgSO4 content was 2 wt %. During the fabrication of microporous membranes, only stretching along the MD was carried out to initiate pore formation; this resulted in a lower strength along the TD. This study gave us a method for improving the mechanical properties of stretched microporous membranes along the TD. The obtained microporous membranes with better electrolyte absorption and higher mechanical strength along the TD could be used in lithium‐ion batteries as separators. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2016, 133, 43884.
Modification of liquid silicone rubber by octavinyl‐polyhedral oligosilsesquioxanes
Authors: Bai Hongqiang , Huang Chi , Jun Liao , Li Houbin
Published: June 2016

To develop an efficient, simple, and biocompatible method for improving the thermal and mechanical properties of an addition‐type liquid silicone rubber (LSR), octavinyl‐polyhedral oligosilsesquioxane (OPOSS) modified LSR samples were prepared through the addition of 0.5–4.0 wt % OPOSS as a modifier to a platinum‐based silicone curing system before vulcanization. The characterization and measurement of the OPOSS and LSR samples were carried out by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X‐ray diffraction, NMR, gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (electron impact ionization), scanning electron microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis/differential scanning calorimetry, and universal testing. The experimental results show that the crosslinking of the OPOSS and LSR polymer had a significantly positive effect on the thermal and mechanical properties. Compared with the unmodified sample, its tensile strength was enhanced by 423–508%, its tear resistance was increased from 22 to 44%, the residue at 600 °C was increased by 36–75% in an N2 atmosphere and 8–65% in an air atmosphere, respectively. These results were obviously superior to those from other similar reported methods that used larger molecular or nonreactive polyhedral oligosilsesquioxane (POSS) derivatives as modifiers at similar POSS loadings. Furthermore, a significant correlation was found between the loading rate of OPOSS and the thermal properties. However, the mechanical properties seemed negatively correlated with the OPOSS content within the experimental range; this may have been due to a material defect caused by the uneven distribution and agglomeration. The results of this study proved that the incorporation of OPOSS into an LSR polymer matrix by a hydrosilylation reaction could be an efficient way to improve the mechanical properties, thermal stability, and biocompatibility of LSR in the future. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2016, 133, 43906.
Organic thermoelectric modules produced by electrochemical polymerization
Authors: Culebras Mario , de Lima Mauricio M. , Gómez Clara , Cantarero Andrés
Published: June 2016

In this work, we present a method to develop organic thermoelectric modules by means of electrochemical polymerization using exclusively a p‐type material. The polymer device is built in a planar geometry, with the advantage that it is not necessary to incorporate a heat sink. The method is scalable to an industrial process and it can be the key for the fabrication of large scale thermoelectric modules. A prototype of the thermoelectric device was fabricated in the form of 16 large aspect ratio (2 mm wide times 80 mm long) parallel stripes deposited on flexible substrates. In our prototype, a Seebeck coefficient of 413 μV/K has been achieved. The power generation has been increased up to 25 nW by connecting several devices in parallel. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2017, 134, 43927.
For the Win: Risk‐Sensitive Decision‐Making in Teams
Authors: Gonzales Josh , Mishra Sandeep , Camp Ronald D.
Published: June 2016

Risk‐sensitivity theory predicts that decision‐makers should prefer high‐risk options in high need situations when low‐risk options will not meet these needs. Recent attempts to adopt risk‐sensitivity as a framework for understanding human decision‐making have been promising. However, this research has focused on individual‐level decision‐making, has not examined behavior in naturalistic settings, and has not examined the influence of multiple levels of need on decision‐making under risk. We examined group‐level risk‐sensitive decision‐making in two American football leagues: the National Football League (NFL) and the National College Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I. Play decisions from the 2012 NFL (Study 1; N = 33 944), 2013 NFL (Study 2; N = 34 087), and 2012 NCAA (Study 3; N = 15 250) regular seasons were analyzed. Results demonstrate that teams made risk‐sensitive decisions based on two distinct needs: attaining first downs (a key proximate goal in football) and acquiring points above parity. Evidence for risk‐sensitive decisions was particularly strong when motivational needs were most salient. These findings are the first empirical demonstration of team risk‐sensitivity in a naturalistic organizational setting. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
„[A]n der Front des Kampfes um den Menschen selbst“. Anthropogenetik und Anthropotechnik im sowjetischen Diskurs der 1920er Jahre
Authors: Liggieri Kevin
Published: June 2016

“[A]n der Front des Kampfes um den Menschen selbst”. Anthropogenetics and Anthropotechnics in Soviet Thought. The period between 1920 and 1930 reveals in Russia a practical manifestation of the technologies of the self, which see the body not only in a poetic‐symbolical way, but practically as a material of shaping and rebuilding. In this bio‐social discourse of a genetically perfected ‘new man’, Russian theorists of eugenics are looking back on traditional parallels of animal and plant breeding. The most influential group of eugenics were the Russian biologists, especially the key players and the founders of the Russian genetics research Nikolai Kol′tsov (1872–1940) and Aleksandr Serebrovskii (1892–1948). It will be demonstrated that ‘human breeding’ (Russ. ‘Antropotekhnika’) is based both on the semantics and on the methodology of traditional animal and plant breeding.
Twenty years trends in mortality rates from stroke in Klaipeda
Authors: Kazlauskas Henrikas A. , Raskauskiene Nijole , Radziuviene Rima , Janusonis Vinsas
Published: June 2016

Background

During the past decades, mortality from stroke decreased in many western European countries; however, changes concerning long‐term stroke mortality in eastern European countries are less evident.

Objective

To assess age‐ and gender‐specific trends in stroke mortality in Klaipeda (Lithuania) from 1994 to 2013.

Design

Descriptive epidemiological study.

Setting/subjects

Permanent population of Klaipeda.

Methods

Data on 2509 permanent residents of Klaipeda aged 35–79 years who died from stroke between 1994 and 2013 were gathered. Directly, age‐standardized (European population) stroke mortality rates were analyzed using joinpoint regression separately for specific age groups (35–64, 65–79, and 35–79 years) and by gender. Annual percentage change (APC) and 95% CIs were presented.

Results

Stroke mortality in the 35‐ to 79‐year‐old age group peaked in 1994–1997, it then decreased by −9.9% (95% CI: −18.7, −0.2) yearly up until 2001 and leveled off by −0.2% (−5.1, 4.9) between 2001 and 2013. Among men aged 35–64 years, mortality decreased substantially by 12.8% (−21.5, −3.3) per year from 1994 to 2001 and turned positive by 6.3% (0.8, 12.1) between 2000 and 2013. Among women aged 35–64 years, mortality decreased significantly by 15.5% (−28.1, −0.7) from 1994 to 2000. There was evidence of recent plateauing of trends for 35‐ to 64‐year‐old women between 2000 and 2013. In the 65‐ to 79‐year‐old age group, mortality decreased from 1994 onward yearly by −5.5% (−7.9, −3.0) in women and by −3.3% (−5.6, −0.9) in men.

Conclusions

Joinpoint regression revealed steadily decreasing trend in stroke mortality between 1994 and 2001. The decline in death rates flattened out in the recent decade. Mortality rates varied among age groups and were more pronounced in adults aged 35–64 years. It is essential to monitor and manage stroke risk factors, especially among middle‐aged population.