bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
High Chlamydia Burden Promotes Tumor Necrosis Factor–Dependent Reactive Arthritis in SKG Mice
Authors: Baillet Athan C. , Rehaume Linda M. , Benham Helen , O'Meara Connor P. , Armitage Charles W. , Ruscher Roland , Brizard Geraldine , Harvie Marina C. G. , Velasco Jared , Hansbro Phillip M. , Forrester John V. , Degli‐Esposti Mariapia A. , Beagley Kenneth W. , Thomas Ranjeny
Published: January 2015

Objective

Chlamydia trachomatis is a sexually transmitted obligate intracellular pathogen that causes inflammatory reactive arthritis, spondylitis, psoriasiform dermatitis, and conjunctivitis in some individuals after genital infection. The immunologic basis for this inflammatory response in susceptible hosts is poorly understood. As ZAP‐70W163C–mutant BALB/c (SKG) mice are susceptible to spondylo‐arthritis after systemic exposure to microbial β‐glucan, we undertook the present study to compare responses to infection with Chlamydia muridarum in SKG mice and BALB/c mice.

Methods

After genital or respiratory infection with C muridarum, conjunctivitis and arthritis were assessed clinically, and eye, skin, and joint specimens were analyzed histologically. Chlamydial major outer membrane protein antigen–specific responses were assessed in splenocytes. Treg cells were depleted from FoxP3‐DTR BALB/c or SKG mice, and chlamydial DNA was quantified by polymerase chain reaction.

Results

Five weeks after vaginal infection with live C muridarum, arthritis, spondylitis, and psoriasiform dermatitis developed in female SKG mice, but not in BALB/c mice. Inflammatory bowel disease did not occur in mice of either strain. The severity of inflammatory disease was correlated with C muridarum inoculum size and vaginal burden postinoculation. Treatment with combination antibiotics starting 1 day postinoculation prevented disease. Chlamydial antigen was present in macrophages and spread from the infection site to lymphoid organs and peripheral tissue. In response to chlamydial antigen, production of interferon‐γ and interleukin‐17 was impaired in T cells from SKG mice but tumor necrosis factor (TNF) responses were exaggerated, compared to findings in T cells from BALB/c mice. Unlike previous observations in arthritis triggered by β‐glucan, no autoantibodies developed. Accelerated disease triggered by depletion of Treg cells was TNF dependent.

Conclusion

In the susceptible SKG strain, Chlamydia‐induced reactive arthritis develops as a result of deficient intracellular pathogen control, with antigen‐specific TNF production upon dissemination of antigen, and TNF‐dependent inflammatory disease.
Use of Recombinant Human Stromal Cell–Derived Factor 1α–Loaded Fibrin/Hyaluronic Acid Hydrogel Networks to Achieve Functional Repair of Full‐Thickness Bovine Articular Cartilage Via Homing of Chondrogenic Progenitor Cells
Authors: Yu Yin , Brouillette Marc J. , Seol Dongrim , Zheng Hongjun , Buckwalter Joseph A. , Martin James A.
Published: January 2015

Objective

Articular cartilage damage after joint trauma seldom heals and often leads to osteoarthritis. We previously identified a migratory chondrogenic progenitor cell (CPC) population that responds chemotactically to cell death and rapidly repopulates the injured cartilage matrix, which suggests a potential approach for articular cartilage repair. This study was undertaken to determine whether recombinant human stromal cell–derived factor 1α (rhSDF‐1α), a potent CPC chemoattractant, would improve the quality of cartilage regeneration, hypothesizing that increased recruitment of CPCs by rhSDF‐1α would promote the formation of cartilage matrix upon chondrogenic induction.

Methods

Full‐thickness bovine chondral defects were filled with hydrogel, composed of fibrin and hyaluronic acid and containing rhSDF‐1α. Cell migration was monitored, followed by chondrogenic induction. Regenerated tissue was evaluated by histology, immunohistochemistry, and scanning electron microscopy. Push‐out tests and unconfined compression tests were performed to assess the strength of tissue integration and the mechanical properties of the regenerated cartilage.

Results

Use of rhSDF‐1α dramatically improved CPC recruitment to the chondral defects at 12 days. After 6 weeks under chondrogenic conditions, cell morphology, proteoglycan density, and the ultrastructure of the repair tissue were all similar to that found in native cartilage. Compared with empty controls, neocartilage generated in rhSDF‐1α–containing defects showed significantly greater interfacial strength, and acquired mechanical properties comparable to those of native cartilage.

Conclusion

This study showed that stimulating local CPC recruitment prior to treatment with chondrogenic factors significantly improves the biochemical and mechanical properties of the cartilage tissue formed in chondral defects. This simple approach may be implemented in vivo as a one‐step procedure by staging the release of chemokine and chondrogenic factors from within the hydrogel, which can be achieved using smart drug‐delivery systems.
Adaptive Output Feedback Control for a Class of Uncertain Stochastic Nonlinear Systems With Unknown Time‐Delays
Authors: Zha Wenting , Zhai Junyong , Fei Shumin
Published: January 2015

This paper investigates the problem of output feedback control for a class of stochastic nonlinear systems with time‐delays. Using dynamic gain scaling technique, an adaptive update law is introduced to the observer and controller to deal with the unknown parameters. Based on the Lyapunov‐Krasovskii functional and stochastic Barbalat's lemma, it is proved that the proposed universal‐type adaptive output feedback controller can regulate all the states of the closed‐loop system almost surely. A simulation example is presented to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed design procedure.
Optically stimulated luminescence in LiCaAlF6:Eu2+ phosphor
Authors: More Y. K. , Wankhede S. P. , Moharil S. V. , Kumar Munish , Chougaonkar M. P.
Published: January 2015

Results on optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) in LiCaAlF6:Eu2+ are reported. Continuous wave OSL signal as recorded using blue (470 nm) stimulation was found to be ~31% that of standard phosphor lithium magnesium phosphate. The rate of OSL depletion for standard phosphor lithium magnesium phosphate is only three times less as compared with that of LiCaAlF6:Eu2+. Strong photoluminescence (PL) in the near ultraviolet region is observed for LiCaAlF6:Eu2+ with the characteristic Eu2+ emission at 369 nm for 254 nm excitation. The thermoluminescence (TL) glow peak for LiCaAlF6:Eu2+ was observed at around 180°C. The glow peak was about six times more intense compared with the dosimetric peak of the well known thermoluminescence dosimetric (TLD) phosphor LiF‐TLD 100. Thus this phosphor deserves much more attention than it has received until now and may be useful as a dosimetric material in radiation dosimetry. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Inhibition effect of graphene oxide on the catalytic activity of acetylcholinesterase enzyme
Authors: Wang Yong , Gu Yao , Ni Yongnian , Kokot Serge
Published: January 2015

Variations in the enzyme activity of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) in the presence of the nano‐material, graphene oxide (GO), were investigated with the use of molecular spectroscopy UV‐visible and fluorescence methods. From these studies, important kinetic parameters of the enzyme were extracted; these were the maximum reaction rate,Vm, and the Michaelis constant,Km. A comparison of these parameters indicated that GO inhibited the catalytic activity of the AChE because of the presence of the AChE–GO complex. The formation of this complex was confirmed with the use of fluorescence data, which was resolved with the use of the MCR‐ALS chemometrics method. Furthermore, it was found that the resonance light‐scattering (RLS) intensity of AChE changed in the presence of GO. On this basis, it was demonstrated that the relationship between AChE and GO was linear and such models were used for quantitative analyses of GO. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Cost–utility analysis of operative versus non-operative treatment for colorectal liver metastases
Authors: Roberts K J , Sutton A J , Prasad K R , Toogood G J , Lodge J P A
Published: January 2015

Background

Surgical resection of colorectal liver metastases (CRLMs) is the standard of care when possible, although this strategy has not been compared with non-operative interventions in controlled trials. Although survival outcomes are clear, the cost-effectiveness of surgery is not. This study aimed to estimate the cost-effectiveness of resection for CRLMs compared with non-operative treatment (palliative care including chemotherapy).

Methods

Operative and non-operative cohorts were identified from a prospectively maintained database. Patients in the operative cohort had a minimum of 10 years of follow-up. A model-based cost–utility analysis was conducted to quantify the mean cost and quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) over a lifetime time horizon. The analysis was conducted from a healthcare provider perspective (UK National Health Service) in a secondary care (hospital) setting.

Results

Median survival was 41 and 21 months in the operative and non-operative cohorts respectively (P < 0·001). The operative strategy dominated non-operative treatments, being less costly (€22 200 versus €32 800) and more effective (4·017 versus 1·111 QALYs gained). The results of extensive sensitivity analysis showed that the operative strategy dominated non-operative treatment in every scenario.

Conclusion

Operative treatment of CRLMs yields greater survival than non-operative treatment, and is both more effective and less costly.
Investigations into distribution of lidocaine in human autopsy material
Authors: Oertel Reinhard , Arenz Norman , Zeitz Sten Gunnar , Pietsch Jörg
Published: January 2015

With screening methods in the legal medicine drugs were often detected in autopsy material. In this study the antiarrhythmic and the local anesthetic drug lidocaine could be proved in fifty‐one cases and determined in different autopsy materials. For the first time the comparison of so many distribution patterns of lidocaine in human compartments was possible. A liquid‐liquid extraction procedure, a standard addition method and LC/MS/MS were used for analytics. The measured concentrations in blood were in the therapeutic range or lower. The time between lidocaine application and death was given in twenty‐nine cases. These data were very helpful to estimate and interpret the distribution process of lidocaine between application and death. This time exerted a crucial influence on the distribution of lidocaine in the compartments. Most of the intravenous applicated lidocaine was found in heart blood after a very short time of distribution. Afterwards the highest concentrations were measured in brain. Later the highest concentration was found in the kidney samples or in urine. If the time between lidocaine application and death is known, the results of this study can be used to deepen the knowledge of its pharmacokinetics. If this time is unknown, the circumstances and the causes of death can be better explained. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
LC/ESI‐MS/MS method for determination of salivary eicosapentaenoic acid concentration to arachidonic acid concentration ratio
Authors: Ogawa Shoujiro , Tomaru Koki , Matsumoto Nagisa , Watanabe Shui , Higashi Tatsuya
Published: January 2015

A simple liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization–tandem mass spectrometry (LC/ESI‐MS/MS) method for determination of the eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) concentration to arachidonic acid (AA) concentration ratio in human saliva has been developed. The EPA/AA ratio in serum or plasma is widely recognized as a useful indicator in identifying the risk of cardiovascular disease, especially atherosclerosis. The salivary EPA/AA ratio is expected to be a convenient alternative to the serum or plasma EPA/AA ratio, because saliva offers the advantages of easy and noninvasive sampling. The saliva was deproteinized with acetonitrile, purified using an Oasis HLB cartridge, and derivatized with 1‐[(4‐dimethylaminophenyl)carbonyl]piperazine (DAPPZ). The derivatized EPA and AA were subjected to LC/ESI‐MS/MS, and the EPA/AA ratio was determined using the selected reaction monitoring mode. The DAPPZ‐derivatization increased the ESI sensitivity by 100‐ and 300‐fold for EPA and AA, respectively, and enabled the detection of trace fatty acids in saliva using a 200 μL sample. The assay reproducibility was satisfactory (relative standard deviation, <5.0%). The method was successfully applied to the measurement of the salivary EPA/AA ratios of healthy Japanese subjects and their changes owing to the supplementation of EPA. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Cyr61 promotes CD204 expression and the migration of macrophages via MEK/ERK pathway in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma
Authors: Shigeoka Manabu , Urakawa Naoki , Nishio Mari , Takase Nobuhisa , Utsunomiya Soken , Akiyama Hiroaki , Kakeji Yoshihiro , Komori Takahide , Koma Yu‐ichiro , Yokozaki Hiroshi
Published: January 2015

Tumor‐associated macrophages (TAMs) are known to be involved in the progression of various human malignancies. We previously demonstrated that CD204 was a useful marker for TAMs contributing to the angiogenesis, progression, and prognosis of human esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). We also showed that conditioned media of ESCC cell lines induced CD204 expression in THP‐1 human monocytic leukemia cells. Here, we performed a cDNA microarray analysis between THP‐1 cells stimulated with TPA (macrophage [MΦ]‐like THP‐1 cells) treated with and without conditioned medium of ESCC cell line to clarify the molecular characteristics of TAMs in ESCC. From the microarray data, we discovered that Cyr61 was induced in CD204‐positive‐differentiated THP‐1 cells (TAM‐like THP‐1 cells). In the ESCC microenvironment, not only cancer cells but also TAMs expressed Cyr61. Interestingly, the expression levels of Cyr61 showed a significant positive correlation with the number of CD204‐positive macrophages in ESCCs by immunohistochemistry. Recombinant human Cyr61 (rhCyr61) promoted cell migration and induced the expression of CD204 along with the activation of the MEK/ERK pathway in MΦ‐like THP‐1 cells. Pretreatment with a MEK1/2 inhibitor significantly inhibited not only the Cyr61‐mediated migration but also the CD204 expression in the MΦ‐like THP‐1 cells. These results suggest that Cyr61 may contribute to the expression of CD204 and the promotion of cell migration via the MEK/ERK pathway in TAMs in the ESCC microenvironment.
Clinical benefit in recurrent glioblastoma from adjuvant NovoTTF‐100A and TCCC after temozolomide and bevacizumab failure: a preliminary observation
Authors: Wong Eric T. , Lok Edwin , Swanson Kenneth D.
Published: January 2015

The NovoTTF‐100A is a device that emits alternating electric fields and it is approved for the treatment of recurrent glioblastoma. It works by perturbing tumor cells during mitosis as they enter anaphase leading to aneuploidy, asymmetric chromosome segregation and cell death with evidence of increased immunogenicity. Clinical trial data have shown equivalent efficacy when compared to salvage chemotherapies in recurrent disease. Responders were found to have had a lower dexamethasone usage and a higher rate of prior low‐grade histology. We treated a series of patients with NovoTTF‐100A and bevacizumab alone (n = 34) or in combination with a regimen consisting of 6‐thioguanine, lomustine, capecitabine, and celecoxib (TCCC) (n = 3). Compared to the former cohort, the latter cohort exhibited a trend for prolonged overall survival, median 4.1 (0.3–22.7) months versus 10.3 (7.7–13.6) months respectively (P = 0.0951), with one experiencing an objective response with a 50% reduction in tumor size on magnetic resonance imaging despite possessing a larger tumor size at baseline and more severe neurologic dysfunction than the median for either group. These observations illustrate the possibility of improving survival and achieving a response in patients with end‐stage recurrent glioblastoma by biasing the tumor toward anti‐tumor immunologic response with a combination of NovoTTF‐100A and TCCC, as well as the continuation of bevacizumab in order to limit dexamethasone use due to its global immunosuppressive effect on the patient.
Performance evaluation of Web server workloads in Xen‐based virtualized computer system: analytical modeling and experimental validation
Authors: RahimiZadeh Keyvan , Nasiri Gerde Reza , AnaLoui Morteza , Kabiri Peyman
Published: January 2015

Recent developments in the field of virtualization technologies have led to renewed interest in performance evaluation of these systems. Nowadays, maturity of virtualization technology has made a fuss of provisioning IT services to maximize profits, scalability and QoS. This pioneer solution facilitates deployment of datacenter applications and grid and Cloud computing services; however, there are challenges. It is necessary to investigate a trade‐off among overall system performance and revenue and to ensure service‐level agreement of submitted workloads. Although a growing body of literature has investigated virtualization overhead and virtual machines interference, there is still lack of accurate performance evaluation of virtualized systems. In this paper, we present in‐depth performance measurements to evaluate a Xen‐based virtualized Web server. Regarding this experimental study; we support our approach by queuing network modeling. Based on these quantitative and qualitative analyses, we present the results that are important for performance evaluation of consolidated workloads on Xen hypervisor. First, demands of both CPU intensive and disk intensive workloads on CPU and disk are independent from the submitted rate to unprivileged domain when dedicated core(s) are pinned to virtual machines. Second, request response time not only depends on processing time at unprivileged domain but also pertains to amount of flipped pages at Domain 0. Finally, results show that the proposed modeling methodology performs well to predict the QoS parameters in both para‐virtualized and hardware virtual machine modes by knowing the request content size. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
QoS‐aware energy‐efficient resource allocation in OFDM‐based heterogenous cellular networks
Authors: Zhou Li , Zhu Chunsheng , Ruby Rukhsana , Wang Xiaofei , Ji Xiaoting , Wang Shan , Wei Jibo
Published: January 2015

Recently, in order to satisfy the heavy demands of network capacity brought about by the proliferation of wireless devices, service providers are increasingly deploying heterogeneous cellular networks (HetNets) for boosting the network coverage and capacity. In this paper, we present an iterative energy‐efficient scheduling scheme for downlink OFDM‐based HetNets with QoS consideration. We formulate the problem as a nonlinear fractional programming problem aiming to maximize the QoS‐aware energy efficiency (QEE) in HetNets. In order to solve this problem, we first transform it into a parametric programming problem, which takes QEE as an evolved parameter in the iterative procedure of iterative energy‐efficient scheduling scheme. In each iteration, for the given value of QEE, subchannel and power assignment subproblem is a nonlinear nondeterministic polynomial time‐hard problem. And hence, we adopt dual decomposition method for obtaining the optimal assignment of subchannels and power of the subproblem for the given value of QEE. Simulation results depict that both outer QEE parameter search and inner subgradient search can converge in a few iterations, and the resultant solutions outperform the equal power allocation scheme [1] and capacity maximization scheme [2] in terms of QEE. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Saturating light and not increased carbon dioxide under ocean acidification drives photosynthesis and growth in Ulva rigida (Chlorophyta)
Authors: Rautenberger Ralf , Fernández Pamela A. , Strittmatter Martina , Heesch Svenja , Cornwall Christopher E. , Hurd Catriona L. , Roleda Michael Y.
Published: January 2015

Carbon physiology of a genetically identified Ulva rigida was investigated under different CO2(aq) and light levels. The study was designed to answer whether (1) light or exogenous inorganic carbon (Ci) pool is driving growth; and (2) elevated CO2(aq) concentration under ocean acidification (OA) will downregulate CAext‐mediated dehydration and alter the stable carbon isotope (δ13C) signatures toward more CO2 use to support higher growth rate. At pHT 9.0 where CO2(aq) is <1 μmol L−1, inhibition of the known use mechanisms, that is, direct uptake through the AE port and CAext‐mediated dehydration decreased net photosynthesis (NPS) by only 56–83%, leaving the carbon uptake mechanism for the remaining 17–44% of the NPS unaccounted. An in silico search for carbon‐concentrating mechanism elements in expressed sequence tag libraries of Ulva found putative light‐dependent transporters to which the remaining NPS can be attributed. The shift in δ13C signatures from –22‰ toward –10‰ under saturating light but not under elevated CO2(aq) suggest preference and substantial use to support photosynthesis and growth. U. rigida is Ci saturated, and growth was primarily controlled by light. Therefore, increased levels of CO2(aq) predicted for the future will not, in isolation, stimulate Ulva blooms.
An adaptive cycle hypothesis of semi‐arid floodplain vegetation productivity in dry and wet resource states
Authors: Thapa Rajesh , Thoms Martin , Parsons Melissa
Published: January 2015

Spatial and temporal variability in flooding plays a significant role in the productivity of semi‐arid floodplain ecosystems. Floodplains may be perceived as boom–bust systems, but this model does not account for transitions that may occur between wet and dry floodplain states. This study used the concept of adaptive cycles to examine how floodplain vegetation productivity changes in response to wetting and drying. Floodplain vegetation productivity was tracked through a wet and dry state using the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI). Floodplain inundation revealed complex vegetation productivity responses to resource availability. There was low NDVI in the dry phase, whereas vegetation vigour increased and decreased through the wetting, wet and drying phases. There was a marked difference in NDVI class area, number of transitions, direction of transitions, probability of transitions and NDVI class diversity between the dry phase and the combined wetting, wet and drying phases of floodplain inundation. The distribution of transition probabilities was platykurtic in the dry phase and bimodal during the wetting, wet and drying phases. Overall, anti‐clockwise hysteresis was the dominant direction of hysteresis. All vegetation productivity measures demonstrated a switch in direction during the wet phase. The hysteresis observed in this study indicates the cyclic nature of vegetation response to floodplain inundation through dry, wetting, wet and drying phases. We propose that vegetation productivity response follows an adaptive cycle and that this is an appropriate model for understanding the complexity of semi‐arid floodplain vegetation response to wetting and drying. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Stereoselective Synthesis of Boat‐Locked Glycosides Designed as Glycosyl Hydrolase Conformational Probes
Authors: Thiery Emilie , Reniers Jérémy , Wouters Johan , Vincent Stéphane P.
Published: January 2015

A general method for the preparation of galactose derivatives locked in a 1,4B boat conformation has been developed. The boat scaffold was stereoselectively functionalized at the C‐1′ position by aliphatic and aromatic groups along with azido or hydroxy groups. The configuration at the new stereogenic center was controlled and determined by X‐ray diffraction. These molecules were designed to probe the conformational itinerary of the substrate of glycosyl hydrolases. Inhibition assays were performed against a series of commercially available glycosidases, which showed that these enzymes do not harness a 1,4B‐boat‐like transition state.
Silver‐Mediated Cα(sp3)–H Functionalization of Primary Amines: An Oxidative C–N Coupling Strategy for the Synthesis of Two Different Types of 1,2,4,5‐Tetrasubstituted Imidazoles
Authors: Sarkar Rajib , Mukhopadhyay Chhanda
Published: January 2015

A new silver(I)‐mediated Cα(sp3)–H bond functionalization of primary amines and subsequent oxidative C–N cross‐coupling reaction has been demonstrated. This protocol provides a simple, highly efficient, and straightforward approach to form significantly diverse 1,2,4,5‐tetrasubstituted imidazoles. In this course of the reaction, a stoichiometric amount of Ag2CO3 was employed. Upon completion of reaction, the silver species was successfully recycled and reused without any loss of activity. Good to excellent yields of the products were readily achieved by using this selective oxidative C–N coupling, which was promoted by a crucial silver(I) salt.
Beliefs about group malleability and out‐group attitudes: The mediating role of perceived threat in interactions with out‐group members
Authors: Simão Claudia , Brauer Markus
Published: January 2015

Recent research suggests that inducing fixed (rather than malleable) beliefs about groups leads to more negative attitudes toward out‐groups. The present paper identifies the underlying mechanism of this effect. We show that individuals with a fixed belief about groups tend to construe intergroup settings as threatening situations that might reveal shortcomings of their in‐group (perceived threat). In the present research, we measured (Study 1) and manipulated (Study 2) participants' lay theories about group malleability. We found that the extent to which individuals had an entity (versus an incremental) group theory influenced the level of threat they felt when interacting with out‐group members, and that perceived threat in turn affected their level of ethnocentrism and prejudice. These findings shed new light on the role of lay theories in intergroup attitudes and suggest new ways to reduce prejudice. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Pseudo‐dynamic testing of a concrete gravity dam
Authors: Aldemir Alper , Binici Baris , Arici Yalin , Kurc Ozgur , Canbay Erdem
Published: January 2015

Inspired from the simplified single degree of freedom modeling approach used in the preliminary design of concrete gravity dams, a pseudo‐dynamic testing method was devised for the seismic testing of a concrete gravity dam section. The test specimen was a 1/75 scaled section of the 120‐m‐high monolith of the Melen Dam, one of the highest concrete gravity dams to be built in Turkey. The single degree of freedom idealization of the dam section was validated in the first stage of the study using numerical simulations including the dam–reservoir interaction. Afterwards, pseudo‐dynamic testing was conducted on the specimen using three ground motions corresponding to different hazard levels. Lateral displacement and base shear demands were measured. The crack propagation at the base of the dam was monitored with the measurement of the crack widths and the base sliding displacements. After the pseudo‐dynamic loading, a static pushover test was conducted to determine the reserve capacity of the test specimen. Despite major cracking at the base of the monolith, neither significant sliding nor a stability problem that might jeopardize the stability of the dam was observed. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Powered Knees
Authors: Block Julia , Hielscher Jürgen , Meiß Thorsten
Published: January 2015

In an ageing society, it is essential that people can live independently for as long as possible. Engineers and orthopaedic technicians have developed a motorised knee joint orthosis that compensates for declining muscle strength and could help to sustain activity and mobility in daily life.
The Search “Electronicfor the Nose”
Authors: Boeker Peter
Published: January 2015

The sense of smell is perhaps the most ignored of the five senses — and extremely difficult to understand. Previous research relied on human volunteers. Now researchers are using integrative approaches in an attempt to analyse smells using engineered sensors.
Satchmo and Superman
Authors: Unterstell Rembert
Published: January 2015

American studies scholar Daniel Stein analyses media in transatlantic popular culture by applying principles from cultural studies. The Heinz Maier Leibnitz prizewinner is particularly interested in “intermediality” and “serial narrative”.
A Bright Outlook for Research in Germany
Authors: Strohschneider Peter
Published: January 2015

The year 2014, in which political conflicts between the federal government, the states and the parties long delayed the conceptual development of the research system, drew to a positive close: Implementing the forward‐looking decisions made in mid‐December is the task for the new year — in which there will also be reason to celebrate.
The Value of Aversion
Authors: Schedlowski Manfred
Published: January 2015

The human immune system is capable of learning. To investigate how it communicates with the brain during learning processes, researchers employ the paradigm of classical conditioning. Their aim is to achieve a better understanding of immune responses and to establish learning protocols as supportive therapy for the treatment of diseases.
Power to the people? An international review of the democratizing effects of direct elections to healthcare organizations
Authors: Stewart Ellen A. , Greer Scott L. , Wilson Iain , Donnelly Peter D.
Published: January 2015

Ensuring that publicly funded health systems are democratically accountable is an enduring challenge in policy and practice. One strategy for enhancing public officials' accountability is to elect members of the public to oversee their performance. Several countries have experimented with direct elections to healthcare organizations. The most directly comparable examples involve some Canadian regional health authorities, New Zealand district health boards, foundation trusts in England and health boards in Scotland. We propose three aspects of the process by which the democratizing effects of elections should be judged: authorization, accountability and influence. Evidence from these countries suggests that the democratization of health systems is a complex task, which cannot be completed simply by introducing elections. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Lithium and sexual dysfunction: an under‐researched area
Authors: Elnazer Hesham Y. , Sampson Anthony , Baldwin David
Published: January 2015

Objective

Lithium treatment remains an important part of the management of many patients with bipolar disorder, but the incidence of treatment‐emergent sexual dysfunction with lithium is uncertain, and little is known about how it might be managed.

Method

Systematic computerised literature search of preclinical and clinical studies.

Results

Thirteen relevant papers were identified. Preclinical studies suggest lithium can reduce testosterone levels and impair nitric oxide mediated relaxation of cavernosal tissue. Clinical reports suggest lithium may reduce sexual thoughts and desire, worsen erectile function and reduce sexual satisfaction. Concomitant benzodiazepine prescription with lithium is associated with an increased risk of sexual dysfunction. Sexual dysfunction during lithium treatment appears significantly associated with a lower level of overall functioning and may reduce compliance.

Conclusion

The findings of this systematic review reveal the paucity of information about the incidence, associated factors and management of sexual dysfunction with lithium treatment and highlight the need for well‐designed studies in this area. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Hydrological controls on deep burning in a northern forested peatland
Authors: Lukenbach Maxwell Curtis , Hokanson Kelly Jean , Moore Paul A. , Devito Kevin J. , Kettridge Nicholas , Thompson Daniel K. , Wotton Brian M. , Petrone Richard Michael , Waddington James Michael
Published: January 2015

While previous boreal peatland wildfire research has generally reported average organic soil burn depths ranging from 0.05 to 0.20 m, here, we report on deep burning in a peatland in the Utikuma Complex forest fire (SWF‐060, ~90 000 ha, May 2011) in the sub‐humid climate of Alberta's Boreal Plains. Deep burning was prevalent at peatland margins, where average burn depths of 0.42 ± 0.02 m were fivefold greater than in the middle of the peatland. We examined adjacent unburned sections of the peatland to characterize the hydrological and hydrophysical conditions necessary to account for the observed burn depths. Our findings suggest that the peatland margin at this site represented a smouldering hotspot due to the effect of dynamic hydrological conditions on margin peat bulk density and moisture. Specifically, the coupling of dense peat (bulk density >100 kg m−3) and low peat moisture (m <250%) at the peatland margin allowed for severe smouldering to propagate deep into the peat profile. We estimated that carbon release from this margin ‘hotspot’ ranged from 10 to 85 kg C m−2 (mean = 27 kg C m−2), accounting for ~80% of the total soil carbon loss from the peatland during the wildfire. As such, we suggest that current estimations of peatland carbon loss from wildfires that exclude (and/or miss) these ‘hotspots’ are likely underestimating total carbon emissions from peatland wildfires. We conclude that assessments of natural and managed peatland vulnerability to wildfire should focus on identifying dense peat on the landscape that is vulnerable to drying. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Lasso for Instrumental Variable Selection: A Replication Study
Authors: Spindler Martin
Published: January 2015

Recently, Lasso methods have been applied to economic questions. In a seminal paper, Belloniet al. (Econometrica;80(6): 2369–2429) make use of (post‐)Lasso for instrumental variable selection in a setting where the number of instrumentspis large or might even exceed the number of observationsn—a situation which is prevalent in many current applications. We replicate their simulation study with the statistical package R (R Development Core Team ()) and, moreover, analyze in more detail the importance of the choice of the penalization parameter, a crucial component in applications. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Scheimpflug camera in the quantitative assessment of reproducibility of high‐speed corneal deformation during intraocular pressure measurement
Authors: Koprowski Robert , Ambrósio Renato , Reisdorf Sven
Published: January 2015

The paper presents an original analysis method of corneal deformation images from the ultra‐high‐speed Scheimpflug camera (Corvis ST tonometer). Particular attention was paid to deformation frequencies exceeding 100 Hz and their reproducibility in healthy subjects examined repeatedly. A total of 4200 images with a resolution of 200 × 576 pixels were recorded. The data derived from 3 consecutive measurements from 10 volunteers with normal corneas. A new image analysis algorithm, written in Matlab with the use of the Image Processing package, adaptive image filtering, morphological analysis methods and fast Fourier transform, was proposed. The following results were obtained: (1) reproducibility of the eyeball reaction in healthy subjects with precision of 10%, (2) corneal vibrations with a frequency of 369 ± 65 Hz (3) and amplitude of 7.86 ± 1.28 µm, (4) the phase shift within two parts of the cornea of the same subject of about 150°.

The result of image sequence analysis for one subject and deformations with a corneal frequency response above 100 Hz.

magnified image

The result of image sequence analysis for one subject and deformations with a corneal frequency response above 100 Hz.
Employee well‐being in organizations: Theoretical model, scale development, and cross‐cultural validation
Authors: Zheng Xiaoming , Zhu Weichun , Zhao Haixia , Zhang Chi
Published: January 2015

In this study, we explore the theoretical model and structural dimensions of employee well‐being (EWB) in organizations. Specifically, using both qualitative and quantitative methods, we find that EWB comprises three dimensions: life well‐being, workplace well‐being, and psychological well‐being. We establish the reliability and validity of the newly developed EWB scale through a series of quantitative studies, which indicate that EWB is significantly correlated with affective organizational commitment and job performance based on the data collected from multiple sources at two points in time. We find that EWB has measurement invariance (configural invariance) across Chinese and American contexts. We also discuss the theoretical contributions of these findings to cross‐cultural organizational behavior studies, along with the practical implications of our results. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Relationship between protean career orientation and work–life balance: A resource perspective
Authors: Direnzo Marco S. , Greenhaus Jeffrey H. , Weer Christy H.
Published: January 2015

Despite the commonly held belief that a protean career orientation (PCO) enables employees to achieve more balance in their lives, little is known about the relationship between PCO and work–life balance. Using two waves of data collection separated by 2.5 years, this study examined the relationship between PCO and work–life balance among a sample of 367 college‐educated employees in the United States. Analysis was conducted to empirically distinguish PCO from conceptually related constructs, and structural equation modeling was used to examine the process that explains the linkage between PCO and balance. We found that PCO was positively related to work–life balance. We also found support for the role of several resources (social capital, psychological capital, and perceived employability) that explain the relationship between PCO and balance. In particular, PCO was associated with extensive career planning activities that were related to the accumulation of three forms of career capital—human capital, social capital, and psychological capital. In turn, social capital and psychological capital were associated with high employability, which was related to greater work–life balance for individuals who take a whole‐life perspective on their careers. We discuss the theoretical and practical implications of the findings and provide suggestions for future research. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Effect of genetic improvement of grain yield and nitrogen efficiency of mid‐seasonindicarice cultivars
Authors: Liu Lijun , Xiong Yiwei , Bian Jinglong , Zhang Hao , Gu Junfei , Wang Zhiqin , Yang Jianchang
Published: January 2015

Genetic improvement (GI) of mid‐seasonindicarice (Oryza sativaL.) in China has been experienced four typical plant types during the past several decades,i.e., early tall cultivars (ET), dwarf cultivars (DC), semi‐dwarf cultivars (SDC) and super rice cultivars (SR). However, little is known about the changes in fertilizer nitrogen (N) efficiency and their relationships with grain yield during the GI. With 12 representative mid‐seasonindicacultivars of the four types during GI, the effects of GI on grain yield and nitrogen efficiency were investigated. The results show that GI significantly increased grain yield and agronomic efficiency (AE) of N fertilizer but had no significant effect on recovery efficiency (RE) of N fertilizer. The low percentage of filled grains in modern SR limited its yield potential and the further increase in AE. GI decreased the N uptake from heading to maturity, leading to lower RE in modern rice cultivars. The rapid decline of the activities of root oxidation and nitrate reductase in SR during grain filling might be the physiological reasons for the lower percentage of filled grains and lower N uptake from heading to maturity.
Nanoporous Poly(Melamine Formaldehyde) Networks by Aqueous Dispersion Polycondensation—Synthesis and Adsorption Properties
Authors: Schwarz Dana , Weber Jens
Published: January 2015

The preparation of nanoporous melamine‐formaldehyde resins by aqueous dispersion polycondensation under oxalic acid catalysis is presented. Multimodal porosity, including micro‐, meso‐, and macropores, is achieved by an interplay of hard‐templating of 12 nm sized silica nanoparticles and phase separation processes, resulting in materials with high potential for adsorption applications, as exemplified by investigation of the CO2 adsorption properties. The materials are characterized by a set of methods, including electron microscopy, gas adsorption, and small‐angle X‐ray scattering. The influence of the synthesis conditions (e.g. stirring speed) on the properties of the obtained products is also discussed and a suggestion is made for the formation mechanism of the materials. Finally, the properties are compared to materials obtained by bulk polycondensation.
PEG‐Imbedded PEO Membrane Developed by a Novel Highly Efficient Strategy Toward Superior Gas Transport Performance
Authors: Quan Shuai , Tang Yu Pan , Wang Zhen Xing , Jiang Zai Xing , Wang Rong Guo , Liu Yu Yan , Shao Lu
Published: January 2015

Low‐molecular‐weight poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) is deliberately incorporated into synthesized swellable poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) membranes via a facile post‐treatment strategy. The membranes exhibit both larger fractional free volume (FFV) and a higher content of CO2‐philic building units, resulting in significant increments in both CO2 permeability and CO2/H2 selectivity. The separation performance correlates nicely with the microstructure of the membranes. This study may provide useful insights in the formation and mass transport behavior of highly efficient polymeric membranes applicable to clean energy purification and CO2 capture, and possibly bridge the material‐induced technology gap between academia and industry.

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Federated trouble ticket system for service management support in loosely coupled multi‐domain environments
Authors: Vuletić Pavle V. , Vuleta‐Radoičić Jovana J. , Kalogeras Dimitrios
Published: January 2015

Operating services in multi‐domain environments is inherently more complex than in a single domain because of the existence of multiple managed domains with various operating procedures, devices and systems in use. This increased complexity on one side and the demand to provide efficient and reliable services in such environment on the other impose the need to automate service operations processes and procedures. However, in loosely coupled federated service environments where participating domains retain absolute control over internal resources and processes, remotely operated configuration commands, which are prerequisite for automated operations, directly threaten the autonomy of the participating members. In this article, we identify key business processes and required operating support systems components unique to federated environments by analysing process flows for services jointly provided by European National Research and Education Networks. Although we conclude that the involvement of human operators in key service operations processes is inevitable, we propose a new workflow scheme and other necessary components needed to integrate domains in a way that minimizes manual intervention. The proposed scheme interconnects independently operating trouble ticket systems (TTSs) from participating domains in a federated TTS (FTTS). The proposed FTTS is not constrained just to the basic function of TTS—fault management, but it supports all key federated service operation activities like service provisioning, problem or performance management. The proposed fully decentralized federated scheme retains the main inherent capabilities of TTSs such as tracking, escalation and expiration and at the same time supports the desired federated service communication processes. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Non‐isothermal crystallization kinetics and spherulitic morphology of nucleated poly(lactic acid): effect of dilithium cis‐4‐cyclohexene‐1,2‐dicarboxylate as a novel and efficient nucleating agent
Authors: Li Chenglang , Dou Qiang
Published: January 2015

The effect of dilithium cis‐4‐cyclohexene‐1,2‐dicarboxylate (CHDA‐Li) as a novel and efficient nucleating agent on the crystallization behaviors and spherulitic morphology of poly(lactic acid) (PLA) as well as non‐isothermal crystallization kinetics of the nucleated PLA was studied by means of differential scanning calorimetry and polarized light microscopy. The results show that CHDA‐Li serves as a good nucleating agent to accelerate the crystallization rate of PLA. The nucleation ability of CHDA‐Li is superior to octamethylenedicarboxylic dibenzoylhydrazide. With the incorporation of CHDA‐Li, the number of the spherulites increases, and the size decreases significantly. The non‐isothermal crystallization kinetics of the nucleated PLA can be well described by Jeziorny's and Mo's models. The activation energies (ΔE) of non‐isothermal crystallization were calculated by Kissinger's and Friedman's methods. The crystallization rate of PLA/0.5 wt% CHDA‐Li sample is faster than that of PLA/0.2 wt% CHDA‐Li sample, while the ΔE of the former is lower than that of the latter. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Hypogammaglobulinemia in children after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation: A cytokine mediated immunoglobulin isotype class switch arrest?
Authors: Sundin Mikael , Remberger Mats , Lindqvist Henric , Omazic Brigitta , Sundberg Berit , Uzunel Mehmet , Winiarski Jacek
Published: January 2015

Background

Hypogammaglobulinemia (hypo‐IgG) is common early post‐HSCT in children, occasionally necessitating long‐term immunoglobulin (Ig) G replacement therapy. IgG replacement may not reduce mortality, although infectious complications are decreased

Procedure

Clinical data and samples from 86 children were analyzed retrospectively with the aim to identify risk factors for developing long‐term hypo‐IgG (i.e., requiring ≥3 months IgG replacement) post‐HSCT and studying the underlying biology. Laboratory studies covered serum cytokines, IGHG2 genotyping and routine laboratory investigations. Results were analyzed statistically.

Results

Forty‐eight percent of the children developed long‐term hypo‐IgG. These children were younger (<5 years) and had higher acute GvHD incidence, but had better overall survival (88% vs. 69%, P = 0.036). Significantly lower Ig levels post‐HSCT but equal immune cell recovery were seen in patients with long‐term hypo‐IgG compared with those of transient or no hypo‐IgG. Pre‐HSCT IL‐6 and ‐7 and post‐HSCT BAFF and APRIL levels were significantly higher in the long‐term hypo‐IgG group.

Conclusions

Findings suggests an unfavorable cytokine milieu for graft‐derived immune recovery, possibly inducing Ig isotype class switch arrest. Younger age, acute GvHD, and higher pre‐HSCT IL‐6 levels were identified as significant risk factors for long‐term hypo‐IgG. Long‐term hypo‐IgG post‐HSCT does not need to be unfavorable and could be an effect of deteriorated cytokine signaling. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2015;62:890–896. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.