bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The temperature‐ballast hypothesis explains carbon export efficiency observations in the Southern Ocean
Authors: Britten Gregory L. , Wakamatsu Lael , Primeau François W.
Published: February 2017

Carbon export from the Southern Ocean exerts a strong control on the ocean carbon sink, yet recent observations from the region demonstrate poorly understood relationships in which carbon export efficiency is weakly related to temperature. These observations conflict with traditional theory where export efficiency increases in colder waters. A recently proposed “temperature‐ballast hypothesis” suggests an explanatory mechanism where the effect of temperature‐dependent respiration is masked by variation in particle‐ballast as upwelling waters move northward from Antarctica. We use observations and statistical models to test this mechanism and find positive support for the hypothesized temperature‐ballast interactions. Best fitting models indicate a significant relation between export efficiency and silica‐ballast while simultaneously revealing the expected inverse effect of temperature once ballast is accounted for. These findings reconcile model predictions, metabolic theory, and carbon export observations in the Southern Ocean and have consequences for how the ocean carbon sink responds to climate change.
Simplicity as a Route to Impact in Materials Research
Authors: Tian Xinchun , Lind Kara R. , Yuan Bin , Shaw Santosh , Siemianowski Oskar , Cademartiri Ludovico
Published: February 2017

Materials scientists and engineers desire to have an impact. In this Progress Report we postulate a close correlation between impact – whether academic, technological, or scientific – and simple solutions, here defined as solutions that are inexpensive, reliable, predictable, highly performing, “stackable” (i.e., they can be combined and compounded with little increase in complexity), and “hackable” (i.e., they can be easily modified and optimized). In light of examples and our own experience, we propose how impact can be pursued systematically in materials research through a simplicity‐driven approach to discovery‐driven or problem‐driven research.
Kinetic modeling and process analysis for Desmodesmus sp. lutein photo‐production
Authors: del Rio‐Chanona Ehecatl Antonio , Ahmed Nur rashid , Zhang Dongda , Lu Yinghua , Jing Keju
Published: February 2017

Lutein is a high‐value bioproduct synthesized by microalga Desmodesmus sp. In the current study two aspects of this process are thoroughly investigated: identifying the complex effects of light intensity and nitrate concentration on biomass growth and lutein synthesis, and constructing an accurate kinetic model capable of simulating the entire bioprocess dynamic performance, neither of which has been previously addressed. Three original contributions are presented here. First, it is found that completely opposite to a nitrogen‐limiting culture, under nitrogen‐sufficient conditions a higher lutein content is caused by a higher light intensity and lower nitrate concentration. Second, contrary to lutein content, total lutein production always increases with the increasing nitrate concentration. Third, through experimental verification, the proposed kinetic model is characterized by high accuracy and predictability, indicating its competence for future process design, control, and optimization. Based on the model, optimal light intensities for lutein production and microalgae growth are identified. © 2017 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 63: 2546–2554, 2017
Thermal behavior of thermoplastic polymer nanocomposites containing graphene nanoplatelets
Authors: Caradonna Andrea , Colucci Giovanna , Giorcelli Mauro , Frache Alberto , Badini Claudio
Published: February 2017

Polypropylene (PP), acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), and thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) nanocomposites filled with 5 wt % of two different kinds of commercially available graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs) were prepared. Composites materials were characterized in terms of thermal properties (thermal conductivity and thermal stability) in order to study the effect of different fillers within different thermoplastic matrices. The exfoliation process and the mechanical properties were also investigated. We chose three different thermoplastic polymers (polyolefin, copolymer and elastomer) to cover a wide range of thermoplastic materials and identify a guideline in the use of GNPs for nanocomposite materials. No drastic differences were observed in terms of mechanical properties when the same matrices were filled with different GNPs. Concerning thermal conductivity, it was observed that the GNPs plane dimensions play a crucial role in the increase of conductive properties. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2017, 134, 44814.
New 3‐Substituted‐2‐(4‐hydroxyanilino)pyridine Derivatives: Synthesis, Antitumor Activity, and Tubulin Polymerization Inhibition
Authors: Elmeligie Salwa , Khalil Nadia A. , Ahmed Eman M. , Emam Soha H.
Published: February 2017

A series of new pyridine derivatives 4a–c, 5a–d, 6a–d, 7a–f, and 8a–f structurally related to ABT‐751 were synthesized and characterized by spectroscopic means and elemental analysis. All the synthesized compounds were tested for their cytotoxic activity in vitro against the HCT‐116 and HepG‐2 cancer cell lines using the MTT assay. The results showed that compound 8d has higher cytotoxic activity than the reference antimitotic agent colchicine, against both tested cell lines, with IC50 = 0.52 and 1.40 μM, respectively. The three most active compounds, 5d, 8b, and 8d, were further screened in vitro for inhibition of tubulin and showed remarkable results in comparison to colchicine.
Perceptual evaluation of synthetic gaze jitter
Authors: Krejtz Krzysztof , Duchowski Andrew , Zhou Heng , Jörg Sophie , Niedzielska Anna
Published: February 2017

Eye movements are an essential part of non‐verbal behavior. Non‐player characters, as they occur in many games, communicate with the player through dialogue and non‐verbal behavior and can have a strong influence on player experience or even on gameplay. In this paper, we evaluate a procedural model designed to synthesize the subtleties of eye motion. More specifically, our model adds microsaccadic jitter and pupil unrest both modeled by 1/fα or pink noise to the saccadic main sequence. In a series of perceptual two‐alternative forced‐choice experiments, we explore the perceived naturalness of different parameters of pink noise by comparing synthesized motions to rendered motion of recorded eye movements at extreme close shot and close shot distances. Our results show that, on average, animations based on a procedural model with pink noise were perceived and evaluated as highly natural, whereas data‐driven motion without any jitter or with unfiltered jitter were consistently selected as the least natural in appearance.
Determine exogenous human DDAH2 gene function in rabbit bone marrow–derived endothelial progenitor cells in vitro
Authors: Shoeibi Sara , Mohammadi Shabnam , Sadeghnia Hamid Reza , Mahdipour Elahe , Ghayour‐Mobarhan Majid
Published: February 2017

The in vitro amplification of endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) is an important method because of its role in gene transferring and regenerative medicine. In this study, we isolated rabbit bone marrow–derived EPCs to further manipulation and overexpression of dimethylarginine dimethylaminohydrolase (DDAH) in EPCs. Isolated EPCs were cultured, expanded in endothelial basal medium. Morphology of EPCs and expression levels of surface markers detected using immunocytochemistry staining and through the use of flow cytometery. Endothelial progenitor cells were transfected with plasmid vectors expressing human DDAH2 (DDAH2‐EPCs). Three days after gene transfer, positive transfected‐EPCs proliferation and DDAH activity were assayed. We observed colonies conformation and endothelium‐like morphology gradually in the third week of culture. Characterization results revealed positive expression of EPC surface markers CD106, Flk‐1, vWF, and CD34 using few identification techniques. Overexpression of DDAH2 increased citrulline production after 96 hours of transfection, 235.34 ± 0.69 vs 95.26 ± 5.76 ng/mL; P = .023. These results suggest that cell population with EPC characteristics can be simply isolated from rabbit bone marrow and successfully engineered to overexpress exogenous gene. In this study, we offer a feasible method to isolate and identify EPCs from bone marrow. In addition, an efficient transfection with a plasmid vector (without risk of interference) can be constructed a hybrid structure with EPC and DDAH2 gene to examine their function in vitro.
EGF domain of coagulation factor IX is conducive to exposure of phosphatidylserine
Authors: Hidai Chiaki , Fujiwara Yusuke , Kokubun Shinichiro , Kitano Hisataka
Published: February 2017

Lipid rafts are an initiation site for many different signals. Recently, we reported that an EGF domain in activated coagulation factor IX (EGF‐F9) increases lipid raft formation and accelerates cell migration. However, the detailed mechanism is not well understood. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of EGF‐F9 on the cell membrane. A431 cells (derived from human squamous cell carcinoma) were treated with recombinant EGF‐F9. Cells were immunocytochemically stained with probes for lipid rafts or phosphatidylserine (PS). After 3 min of treatment with EGF‐F9, cholera toxin subunit B (CTxB) binding domains emerged at the adhesive tips of filopodia. Subsequently, CTxB staining was observed on the filopodial shaft. Finally, large clusters of CTxB domains were observed at the edge of cell bodies. Markers for lipid rafts, such as caveolin‐1 and a GPI anchored protein, co‐localized with CTxB. Staining with annexin V and XII revealed that PS was exposed at the tips of filopodia, translocated on filopodial shafts, and co‐localized with CTxB at the rafts. Immunocytochemistry showed that scramblase‐1 protein was present at the filopodial tips. Our data indicates that EGF‐F9 accelerates PS exposure around the filopodial adhesion complex and induces clustering of lipid rafts in the cell body. PS exposure is thought to occur on cells undergoing apoptosis. Further study of the function of the EGF‐F9 motif in mediating signal transduction is necessary because it is shared by a number of proteins.
Association between lymph node yield and survival among patients undergoing radical nephroureterectomy for urothelial carcinoma of the upper tract
Authors: Zareba Piotr , Rosenzweig Barak , Winer Andrew G. , Coleman Jonathan A.
Published: February 2017

BACKGROUND

Prior studies examining the value of lymph node (LN) dissection (LND) in patients with urothelial carcinoma of the upper urinary tract (UTUC) have produced conflicting results. The objective of the current study was to assess the relationship between LN yield and survival among patients undergoing radical nephroureterectomy (RNU).

METHODS

The National Cancer Data Base was used to identify patients with non‐metastatic UTUC who were treated with RNU between 2004 and 2012. The association between LN yield and overall survival (OS) was assessed using Cox proportional hazards regression, with adjustment for patient, tumor, and facility characteristics.

RESULTS

Of the 14,472 patients, 2926 (20%) underwent LND. The median yield was 2 LNs (interquartile range 1‐6 LNs). Among the entire cohort and the LN‐negative (pN0) subgroup, a higher LN yield was associated with lower all‐cause mortality (multivariable hazard ratio [HR] 0.94 per 5 LNs removed, 95% confidence interval [95% CI] 0.89‐1.00 [P = .034] for the entire cohort and HR 0.86, 95% CI 0.79‐0.94 [P = .001] for the pN0 subgroup). Among patients with positive LNs (pN+), there was no association noted between LN yield and OS; however, positive and negative LN counts were found to be independent predictors of OS (HR 1.27 per 5 positive LNs, 95% CI 1.16‐1.39 [P<.001] and HR 0.90 per 5 negative LNs, 95% CI 0.82‐1.00 [P = .049]).

CONCLUSIONS

In this large, contemporary cohort of patients with UTUC, LND was found to be used infrequently despite evidence that a higher LN yield is associated with lower all‐cause mortality. Cancer 2017;123:1741–1750. © 2017 American Cancer Society.
Challenge of FNA diagnosis of angiomyolipoma: A study of 33 cases
Authors: Zhou Haijun , Guo Ming , Gong Yun
Published: February 2017

BACKGROUND

Angiomyolipoma (AML), typically composed of smooth muscle, vessels, and fat, is generally a benign tumor in the kidneys. However, it occasionally occurs in extrarenal sites and behaves like a malignant tumor. AML is uncommonly encountered in fine‐needle aspiration (FNA) samples and can cause diagnostic difficulty.

METHODS

We searched our pathology database for FNA cases diagnosed between 2003 and 2015 that were subsequently confirmed to be AML in the same lesion by surgical pathologic evaluation. The diagnostic performance, challenges, and cytologic features were retrospectively reviewed.

RESULTS

In total, 33 FNA cases from 31 patients were identified. The final surgical pathologic diagnoses included 30 primary AMLs (28 in kidneys and 2 in liver) and 3 were metastases (in liver, lung, and abdominal wall, respectively). Aspiration sites included kidney/retroperitoneum (n = 28), abdominal wall (n = 1), lung (n = 1), and liver (n = 3). The FNA diagnoses were consistent with/favor AML (n = 16), descriptive (n = 12), nondiagnostic (n = 2), and erroneous (n = 3). Of the 3 erroneous cases, 2 were diagnosed as renal cell carcinoma, and 1 was diagnosed as a pleomorphic malignant neoplasm. Cytologically, cases with predominantly spindle cells were the most commonly encountered (n = 19). Cases with predominantly epithelioid cells (n = 6) can pose a diagnostic difficulty and were observed in all 3 metastatic AMLs and in 2 of the 3 erroneous cases. Immunostains were performed on 11 FNAs and helped the diagnosis in 9 cases.

CONCLUSIONS

FNA diagnosis of AML may be challenging, especially in cases with a predominantly epithelioid component and/or an extrarenal location. Immunostaining is important to improve diagnostic accuracy of this rare entity. Cancer Cytopathol 2017;125:257–266. © 2016 American Cancer Society.
Introducing distributed dynamic data‐intensive (D3) science: Understanding applications and infrastructure
Authors: Jha Shantenu , Katz Daniel S. , Luckow Andre , Chue Hong  Neil , Rana Omer , Simmhan Yogesh
Published: February 2017

A common feature across many science and engineering applications is the amount and diversity of data and computation that must be integrated to yield insights. Datasets are growing larger and becoming distributed; their location, availability, and properties are often time‐dependent. Collectively, these characteristics give rise to dynamic distributed data‐intensive applications. While “static” data applications have received significant attention, the characteristics, requirements, and software systems for the analysis of large volumes of dynamic, distributed data, and data‐intensive applications have received relatively less attention. This paper surveys several representative dynamic distributed data‐intensive application scenarios, provides a common conceptual framework to understand them, and examines the infrastructure used in support of applications.
TOAST: Automatic tiling for iterative stencil computations on GPUs
Authors: Rocha Rodrigo C. O. , Pereira Alyson D. , Ramos Luiz , Góes Luís F. W.
Published: February 2017

The stencil pattern is important in many scientific and engineering domains, spurring great interest from researchers and industry. In recent years, various optimizations have been proposed for parallel stencil applications running on graphics processing units (GPUs). In particular, tiling is a technique that can significantly enhance application performance by improving data locality and by reducing the volume of communication between host memory and GPU. In addition, tiling enables stencil applications to process inputs that are larger than the physical GPU memory. However, implementing tiling efficiently is complex, time‐consuming, and error‐prone. In this paper, we propose transparently optimized automatic stencil tiling (TOAST), an automatic tiling mechanism for iterative stencil computations running on GPUs; TOAST has 3 main benefits: (1) It incorporates an optimization model that seeks to maximize data reuse within tiles while respecting the amount of dynamically available GPU memory; (2) it offers a virtualized GPU memory for stencil computations, allowing for large input data; and (3) it performs optimal tiling transparently to the developer of the parallel stencil application. The current implementation of TOAST augments the PSkel framework with an internal solver based on genetic algorithms. Our experimental results show that TOAST improves the performance of iterative stencil applications by up to 13 ×  compared with their multithreaded (central processing unit–based) optimized versions and up to 48 ×  compared with a naive tiling approach on GPU. The TOAST mechanism is able to automatically achieve a low percentual overhead of data management compared with actual stencil computation.
Energy optimization methodology for e‐infrastructure providers
Authors: Astsatryan Hrachya , Narsisian Wahi , Kocharyan Aram , Da Costa Georges , Hankel Albert , Oleksiak Ariel
Published: February 2017

The environmental protection is a dominant concern for all types of industries, organizations, and governments. In this regard, the reduction of the energy consumption is substantial in bringing down the CO2 gas emission, which is considered as an important factor causing global warming. The e‐infrastructure service providers, such as National Research and Education Networks or National Grid Initiatives have crucial role in the context of energy awareness because the energy consumption of the networking, data, and computational infrastructures keeps increasing exponentially over the time. In addition to this, scientific gateways and cloud services are becoming more significant to tackle scientific and societal challenges. Therefore, there is a need to provide robust and reliable services taking into account energy consumption aspect of e‐infrastructures. The aim of the article is to introduce an energy optimization methodology for the beneficiaries of the e‐infrastructures to explore, optimize, and report the energy consumption and CO2 emission of data, computing, and networking facilities. The suggested methodology has been implemented within the Armenian e‐infrastructure aiming at the reduction of the energy consumption and thereby the CO2 emission.
Detection and Measurement of Methionine Oxidation in Proteins
Authors: Sen K. Ilker , Hepler Robert , Nanda Hirsh
Published: February 2017

Methionine oxidation is a prevalent modification found in proteins both in biological settings and in the manufacturing of biotherapeutic molecules. In cells, the oxidation of specific methionine sites can modulate protein function or promote interactions that trigger signaling pathways. In biotherapeutic development, the formation of oxidative species could be detrimental to the efficacy or safety of the drug product. Thus, methionine oxidation is a critical quality attribute that needs to be monitored throughout development. Here we describe a method using LC/MS/MS to identify site‐specific methionine modifications in proteins. Antibodies are stressed with hydrogen peroxide, and the level of Met oxidation is compared to that of reference molecules. The protocols presented here are not specific to methionine and can be used more generally to identify other PTM risk sites in molecules after various types of treatments. © 2017 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
A meta‐analysis of the relation between therapeutic alliance and treatment outcome in eating disorders
Authors: Graves Tiffany A. , Tabri Nassim , Thompson‐Brenner Heather , Franko Debra L. , Eddy Kamryn T. , Bourion‐Bedes Stephanie , Brown Amy , Constantino Michael J. , Flückiger Christoph , Forsberg Sarah , Isserlin Leanna , Couturier Jennifer , Paulson Karlsson Gunilla , Mander Johannes , Teufel Martin , Mitchell James E. , Crosby Ross D. , Prestano Claudia , Satir Dana A. , Simpson Susan , Sly Richard , Lacey J. Hubert , Stiles‐Shields Colleen , Tasca Giorgio A. , Waller Glenn , Zaitsoff Shannon L. , Rienecke Renee , Le Grange Daniel , Thomas Jennifer J.
Published: February 2017

The therapeutic alliance has demonstrated an association with favorable psychotherapeutic outcomes in the treatment of eating disorders (EDs). However, questions remain about the inter‐relationships between early alliance, early symptom improvement, and treatment outcome. We conducted a meta‐analysis on the relations among these constructs, and possible moderators of these relations, in psychosocial treatments for EDs. Twenty studies met inclusion criteria and supplied sufficient supplementary data. Results revealed small‐to‐moderate effect sizes, βs = 0.13 to 0.22 (p < .05), indicating that early symptom improvement was related to subsequent alliance quality and that alliance ratings also were related to subsequent symptom reduction. The relationship between early alliance and treatment outcome was partially accounted for by early symptom improvement. With regard to moderators, early alliance showed weaker associations with outcome in therapies with a strong behavioral component relative to nonbehavioral therapies. However, alliance showed stronger relations to outcome for younger (vs. older) patients, over and above the variance shared with early symptom improvement. In sum, early symptom reduction enhances therapeutic alliance and treatment outcome in EDs, but early alliance may require specific attention for younger patients and for those receiving nonbehaviorally oriented treatments.
Caribbean massive corals not recovering from repeated thermal stress events during 2005–2013
Authors: Neal Benjamin Paul , Khen Adi , Treibitz Tali , Beijbom Oscar , O'Connor Grace , Coffroth Mary Alice , Knowlton Nancy , Kriegman David , Mitchell B. Greg , Kline David I.
Published: February 2017

Massive coral bleaching events associated with high sea surface temperatures are forecast to become more frequent and severe in the future due to climate change. Monitoring colony recovery from bleaching disturbances over multiyear time frames is important for improving predictions of future coral community changes. However, there are currently few multiyear studies describing long‐term outcomes for coral colonies following acute bleaching events. We recorded colony pigmentation and size for bleached and unbleached groups of co‐located conspecifics of three major reef‐building scleractinian corals (Orbicella franksi, Siderastrea siderea, and Stephanocoenia michelini; n = 198 total) in Bocas del Toro, Panama, during the major 2005 bleaching event and then monitored pigmentation status and changes live tissue colony size for 8 years (2005–2013). Corals that were bleached in 2005 demonstrated markedly different response trajectories compared to unbleached colony groups, with extensive live tissue loss for bleached corals of all species following bleaching, with mean live tissue losses per colony 9 months postbleaching of 26.2% (±5.4 SE) for O. franksi, 35.7% (±4.7 SE) for S. michelini, and 11.2% (±3.9 SE) for S. siderea. Two species, O. franksi and S. michelini, later recovered to net positive growth, which continued until a second thermal stress event in 2010. Following this event, all species again lost tissue, with previously unbleached colony species groups experiencing greater declines than conspecific sample groups, which were previously bleached, indicating a possible positive acclimative response. However, despite this beneficial effect for previously bleached corals, all groups experienced substantial net tissue loss between 2005 and 2013, indicating that many important Caribbean reef‐building corals will likely suffer continued tissue loss and may be unable to maintain current benthic coverage when faced with future thermal stress forecast for the region, even with potential benefits from bleaching‐related acclimation.
Planar‐Chiral [2.2]Paracyclophane‐Based Amides as Proligands for Titanium‐ and Zirconium‐Catalyzed Hydroamination
Authors: Braun Carolin , Bräse Stefan , Schafer Laurel L.
Published: February 2017

A synthetic route to racemic and enantiopure planar chiral [2.2]paracyclophanes with amide groups was developed to combine the well‐established reactivity of amides as N,O‐chelating ligands in hydroamination reactions with the planar chirality of the [2.2]paracyclophane backbone. A mono‐ as well as a tethered bis(amide) were synthesized and investigated as ligands for titanium and zirconium. Hydroamination reactivity studies showed their ability to translate their planar chirality into central chirality in the product.
Dissociated patterns of anti‐correlations with dorsal and ventral default‐mode networks at rest
Authors: Chen Jingyuan E. , Glover Gary H. , Greicius Michael D. , Chang Catie
Published: February 2017

Previous studies of resting state functional connectivity have demonstrated that the default‐mode network (DMN) is negatively correlated with a set of brain regions commonly activated during goal‐directed tasks. However, the location and extent of anti‐correlations are inconsistent across different studies, which has been posited to result largely from differences in whether or not global signal regression (GSR) was applied as a pre‐processing step. Notably, coordinates of seed regions‐of‐interest defined within the posterior cingulate cortex (PCC)/precuneus, an area often employed to study functional connectivity of the DMN, have been inconsistent across studies. Taken together with recent observations that the DMN contains functionally heterogeneous subdivisions, it is presently unclear whether these seeds map to different DMN subnetworks, whose patterns of anti‐correlation may differ. If so, then seed location may be a non‐negligible factor that, in addition to differences in preprocessing steps, contributes to the inconsistencies reported among published studies regarding DMN correlations/anti‐correlations. In this study, they examined anti‐correlations of different subnetworks within the DMN during rest using both seed‐based and point process analyses, and discovered that: (1) the ventral branch of the DMN (vDMN) yielded significantly weaker anti‐correlations than that associated with the dorsal branch of the DMN (dDMN); (2) vDMN anti‐correlations introduced by GSR were distinct from dDMN anti‐correlations; (3) PCC/precuneus seeds employed by earlier studies mapped to different DMN subnetworks, which may explain some of the inconsistency (in addition to preprocessing steps) in the reported DMN anti‐correlations. Hum Brain Mapp 38:2454–2465, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Apolipoprotein(a) inhibits hepatitis C virus entry through interaction with infectious particles
Authors: Oliveira Catarina , Fournier Carole , Descamps Véronique , Morel Virginie , Scipione Corey A. , Romagnuolo Rocco , Koschinsky Marlys L. , Boullier Agnès , Marcelo Paulo , Domon Jean‐Marc , Brochot Etienne , Duverlie Gilles , Francois Catherine , Castelain Sandrine , Helle Francois
Published: February 2017

The development of different cell culture models has greatly contributed to increased understanding of the hepatitis C virus (HCV) life cycle. However, it is still challenging to grow HCV clinical isolates in cell culture. If overcome, this would open new perspectives to study HCV biology, including drug‐resistant variants emerging with new antiviral therapies. In this study we hypothesized that this hurdle could be due to the presence of inhibitory factors in patient serum. Combining polyethylene glycol precipitation, iodixanol gradient, and size‐exclusion chromatography, we obtained from HCV‐seronegative sera a purified fraction enriched in inhibitory factors. Mass spectrometric analysis identified apolipoprotein(a) (apo[a]) as a potential inhibitor of HCV entry. Apo(a) consists of 10 kringle IV domains (KIVs), one kringle V domain, and an inactive protease domain. The 10 KIVs are present in a single copy with the exception of KIV type 2 (KIV2), which is encoded in a variable number of tandemly repeated copies, giving rise to numerous apo(a) size isoforms. In addition, apo(a) covalently links to the apolipoprotein B component of a low‐density lipoprotein through a disulfide bridge to form lipoprotein(a). Using a recombinant virus derived from the JFH1 strain, we confirmed that plasma‐derived and recombinant lipoprotein(a) as well as purified recombinant apo(a) variants were able to specifically inhibit HCV by interacting with infectious particles. Our results also suggest that small isoforms are less inhibitory than the large ones. Finally, we observed that the lipoprotein moiety of HCV lipoviroparticles was essential for inhibition, whereas functional lysine‐binding sites in KIV7, KIV8, and KIV10 were not required. Conclusions: Our results identify apo(a) as an additional component of the lipid metabolism modulating HCV infection. (Hepatology 2017;65:1851‐1864)
Strong subsite‐specific variation in detecting advanced adenomas by fecal immunochemical testing for hemoglobin
Authors: Brenner Hermann , Niedermaier Tobias , Chen Hongda
Published: February 2017

Fecal immunochemical tests (FITs) for hemoglobin are increasingly recommended and used in colorectal cancer (CRC) screening. We aimed to provide a detailed assessment of the sensitivity of FIT according to type and subsite of neoplasms in a true screening setting. A quantitative FIT (FOB Gold, Sentinel Diagnostics, Milano, Italy) was applied prior to colonoscopy by 3,466 participants of the German screening colonoscopy program. Subsite specific sensitivity for various types of colorectal neoplasms was derived by comparing FIT results with findings at screening colonoscopy. The most advanced finding at colonoscopy was CRC, advanced adenoma, and nonadvanced adenoma in 29, 354 and 686 cases, respectively. Per‐adenoma sensitivity for large advanced adenomas (>1 cm) strongly varied by location (p < 0.001): cecum: 0/14 (0%), ascending colon and right flexure: 11/43 (26%), transverse colon and left flexure: 2/14 (14%), descending colon: 7/12 (58%), sigmoid colon: 47/92 (51%), rectum: 14/39 (36%). By contrast, the FIT detected all of 5 proximal CRC and 23 out of 24 (96%) distal CRCs, whereas per‐adenoma sensitivity of both proximal (17/259, 7%) and distal nonadvanced adenomas (20/237, 8%) essentially equaled the false positivity rate among those without neoplasms (152/2,397, 6%). In conclusion, we found a very large gradient of subsite specific FIT sensitivity for detecting large advanced adenomas ranging from 0% for advanced adenomas located in the cecum to >50% for those located in the descending or sigmoid colon. By contrast, FIT sensitivity was uniformly excellent for CRC and uniformly poor for nonadvanced adenomas, regardless of their location.
Design and Synthesis of Novel Thioureas Derived from 4‐(4‐Fluorophenoxy)aniline as Anticancer Agents
Authors: Yıldız İnci Nejla , Oruç‐Emre Emine Elçin , Taşdemir Demet , Karaküçük‐İyidoğan Ayşegül , Ulaşlı Mustafa , Bayram Hasan
Published: February 2017

A new series of thiourea derivatives were obtained by the reaction of 4‐(4‐fluorophenoxy) aniline with different isothiocyanates. Their chemical structures were confirmed by ultraviolet (UV), infrared (IR), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and mass spectral data and elemental analysis. All the synthesized thiourea derivatives were evaluated for their in vitro cancer activity against the human breast cancer cell lines MCF‐7 (human breast adenocarcinoma) and SKBr‐3 (human epithelial breast adenocarcinoma). Most of the derivatives exhibited significant anticancer activity. Especially, compound 3 showed the most potent activity (IC50
20.1 μM) against SKBr‐3 when compared with the drugs 5‐fluorouracil and cisplatin, and, most importantly, it did not affect normal breast epithelial cells (4010).
Rice Husk‐derived Hierarchical Micro/Mesoporous Carbon–Silica Nanocomposite as Superior Filler for Green Electronic Packaging Material
Authors: Hsieh Ya‐Yu , Tsai Yun‐Chih , Lin Hong‐Ping , Hsu Chun‐Han
Published: February 2017

In this study, a carbon‐controllable hierarchical micro/mesoporous carbon–silica material derived from agricultural waste rice husk was easily synthesized and utilized as filler in an epoxy matrix for electronic packaging applications. Scanning electron microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, and N2 adsorption/desorption isotherms were used to characterize the morphology, thermal stability, carbon content, and porous structural properties, respectively, of the as‐obtained carbon–silica material, namely rice husk char (RHC). As a filler material, the uniformly dispersed RHC filler in the epoxy/RHC composite was easily prepared through hydrogen bonding of the silanol group of silica with the epoxy matrix. For electronic packaging applications, the thermal conductivity and thermomechanical properties (storage modulus and coefficient of thermal expansion) of the epoxy/RHC composites improved with increasing carbon content. Moreover, loading of the 40% RHC filler substantially enhanced the storage modulus of the epoxy/RHC composite (5735 MPa) compared to the epoxy with 40% commercial silica filler (3681 MPa). Considerable commercial potential is expected for the carbon–silica composite because of the simple synthesis process and outstanding performance of the prepared packaging material.
Brightening the Day With Flashes of Positive Mental Imagery: A Case Study of an Individual With Depression
Authors: Blackwell Simon E. , Holmes Emily A.
Published: February 2017

This article presents a case example of an individual with current major depression engaging in a positive mental imagery intervention, specifically a computerized cognitive training paradigm involving repeated practice in generating positive imagery in response to ambiguous scenarios. The patient's reported experience of the intervention suggests the potential of the positive imagery intervention to “brighten” everyday life via promoting involuntary “flashes” of positive mental imagery in situations related to the scenarios, with associated beneficial effects on positive affect, future expectations, and behavior. Enhancing this aspect of the training–i.e., involuntary positive imagery in contexts where it is adaptive–may hold particular promise for reducing anhedonic symptoms of depression. Developing simple computerized interventions to increase the experience of positive mental imagery in everyday life could therefore provide a useful addition to the drive to improve treatment outcomes.
Cornea and its adaptation to environment and accommodation function in veiled chameleon (Chamaeleo calyptratus): ultrastructure and 3D transmission electron tomography
Authors: Akhtar Saeed , Khan Adnan A , Albuhayzah Hussain A , Almubrad Turki M
Published: February 2017

We investigate the ultrastructural features and 3D electron tomography of chameleon (Chamaeleon calyptratus) which is a native of desert environments of Saudi Arabia. The corneas of the chameleon were fixed in 2.5% glutaraldehyde containing cuprolinic blue in sodium acetate buffer for electron microscopy and tomography, and observed under a JEOL 1400 transmission electron microscope. The thin cornea (21.92 μm) contained 28–30 collagen fibril lamellae. The middle stromal lamellae (from 13 to 19) contained keratocytes with a long cell process and filled with granular material. The CF diameter increased from lamella 1 (30.44 ± 1.03) to Lamella 5 (52.83 ± 2.00) then decreased towards the posterior stoma. The percentage of large CF diameters (55–65 nm) was very high in the lamellae L14 (38.8%) and L15 (85.7%). The mean PGs area of the posterior stroma (448.21 ± 24.84 nm2) was significantly larger than the mean PGs area of the anterior, (309.86 ± 8.2 nm2) and middle stroma 245.94 ± 8.28 nm2). 3D electron tomography showed the distribution of PGs around and over the CF. Variable diameters of CFs in the anterior stroma may provide compact lamellae which may restrict the low wavelength of light. Variable diameters of CFs in the anterior stroma may provide compact lamellae which may restrict the low wavelength of light. This accommodation function is achieved by bending of the cornea. During bending the anterior stroma was stretched and the posterior stroma was compressed due to the presence of small CFs. The middle stroma remained stiff due to the presence of large CFs. Large proteoglycans not only maintain hydration for a longer period of time, but also act as a lubricant to neutralise the shear forces in the anterior and posterior stroma during bending.
The Consumption of Household Goods, Bargaining Power and their Relationship with a Conditional Cash Transfer Program in Peru
Authors: García Luis
Published: February 2017

This research assesses the effect of the JUNTOS cash transfer program on the consumption of certain merit goods (such as food) and demerit goods (such as alcoholic drinks). We address the following question: What is the impact of the cash transfer on the consumption of these goods? This research utilises socioeconomic information from the Peruvian National Household Survey 2009–2014. The results of the fixed‐effects estimates show that the JUNTOS program's beneficiary households spend a large proportion of the family budget on food consumption, children's clothing and education, while no impact is found on consumption of soft drinks, alcoholic drinks and tobacco. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Diffusion tensor imaging of the human calf: Variation of inter‐ and intramuscle‐specific diffusion parameters
Authors: Schlaffke Lara , Rehmann Robert , Froeling Martijn , Kley Rudolf , Tegenthoff Martin , Vorgerd Matthias , Schmidt‐Wilcke Tobias
Published: February 2017

Purpose

To investigate to what extent inter‐ and intramuscular variations of diffusion parameters of human calf muscles can be explained by age, gender, muscle location, and body mass index (BMI) in a specific age group (20–35 years).

Materials and Methods

Whole calf muscles of 18 healthy volunteers were evaluated. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed using a 3T scanner and a 16‐channel Torso XL coil. Diffusion‐weighted images were acquired to perform fiber tractography and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) analysis for each muscle of both legs. Fiber tractography was used to separate seven lower leg muscles. Associations between DTI parameters and confounds were evaluated. All muscles were additionally separated in seven identical segments along the z‐axis to evaluate intramuscular differences in diffusion parameters.

Results

Fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity (MD) were obtained for each muscle with low standard deviations (SDs) (SDFA: 0.01–0.02; SDMD: 0.07–0.14(10−3)). We found significant differences in FA values of the tibialis anterior muscle (AT) and extensor digitorum longus (EDL) muscles between men and women for whole muscle FA (two‐sample t‐tests; AT: P = 0.0014; EDL: P = 0.0004). We showed significant intramuscular differences in diffusion parameters between adjacent segments in most calf muscles (P < 0.001). Whereas muscle insertions showed higher (SD 0.03–0.06) than muscle bellies (SD 0.01–0.03), no relationships between FA or MD with age or BMI were found.

Conclusion

Inter‐ and intramuscular variations in diffusion parameters of the calf were shown, which are not related to age or BMI in this age group. Differences between muscle belly and insertion should be considered when interpreting datasets not including whole muscles.

Level of Evidence: 3

Technical Efficacy: Stage 1

J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2017;46:1137–1148.
Misconceptions regarding basic thermodynamics and enzyme kinetics have led to erroneous conclusions regarding the metabolic importance of lactate dehydrogenase isoenzyme expression
Authors: Bak Lasse K. , Schousboe Arne
Published: February 2017

Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) catalyzes the interconversion of pyruvate and lactate involving the coenzyme NAD+. Part of the foundation for the proposed shuttling of lactate from astrocytes to neurons during brain activation is the differential distribution of LDH isoenzymes between the two cell types. In this short review, we outline the basic kinetic properties of the LDH isoenzymes expressed in neurons and astrocytes, and argue that the distribution of LDH isoenzymes does not in any way govern directional flow of lactate between the two cellular compartments. The two main points are as follows. First, in line with the general concept of chemical catalysis, enzymes do not influence the thermodynamic equilibrium of a chemical reaction but merely the speed at which equilibrium is obtained. Thus, differential distribution of LDH isoenzymes with different kinetic parameters does not predict which cells are producing and which are consuming lactate. Second, the thermodynamic equilibrium of the reaction is toward the reduced substrate (i.e., lactate), which is reflected in the concentrations measured in brain tissue, suggesting that the reaction is at near‐equilibrium at steady state. To conclude, the cellular distribution of LDH isoenzymes is of little if any consequence in determining any directional flow of lactate between neurons and astrocytes. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Monoamine oxidase‐A and B activities in the cerebellum and frontal cortex of children and young adults with autism
Authors: Gu Feng , Chauhan Ved , Chauhan Abha
Published: February 2017

Monoamine oxidases (MAOs) catalyze the metabolism of monoamine neurotransmitters, such as serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine, and are key regulators for brain function. In this study, we analyzed the activities of MAO‐A and MAO‐B in the cerebellum and frontal cortex from subjects with autism and age‐matched control subjects. In the cerebellum, MAO‐A activity in subjects with autism (aged 4–38 years) was significantly lower by 20.6% than in controls. When the subjects were divided into children (aged 4–12 years) and young adults (aged 13–38 years) subgroups, a significant decrease by 27.8% in the MAO‐A activity was observed only in children with autism compared with controls. When the 95% confidence interval of the control group was taken as a reference range, reduced activity of MAO‐A was observed in 70% of children with autism. In the frontal cortex, MAO‐A activity in children with autism was also lower by 30% than in the control group, and impaired activity of MAO‐A was observed in 55.6% of children with autism, although the difference between the autism and control groups was not significant when all subjects were considered. On the contrary, there was no significant difference in MAO‐B activity in both the cerebellum and frontal cortex between children with autism and the control group as well as in adults. These results suggest impaired MAO‐A activity in the brain of subjects with autism, especially in children with autism. Decreased activity of MAOs may lead to increased levels of monoaminergic neurotransmitters, such as serotonin, which have been suggested to have a critical role in autism. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Pathway‐analysis of published genome‐wide association studies of lung cancer: A potential role for the CYP4F3 locus
Authors: Yin Jieyun , Liu Hongliang , Liu Zhensheng , Owzar Kouros , Han Younghun , Su Li , Wei Yongyue , Hung Rayjean J. , Brhane Yonathan , McLaughlin John , Brennan Paul , Bickeboeller Heike , Rosenberger Albert , Houlston Richard S. , Caporaso Neil , Landi Maria Teresa , Heinrich Joachim , Risch Angela , Christiani David C. , Amos Christopher I. , Wei Qingyi
Published: February 2017

The fatty acids (FAs) metabolism is suggested to play a pivotal role in the development of lung cancer, and we explored that by conducting a pathway‐based analysis. We performed a meta‐analysis of published datasets of six genome wide association studies (GWASs) from the Transdisciplinary Research in Cancer of the Lung (TRICL) consortium, which included 12 160 cases with lung cancer and 16 838 cancer‐free controls. A total of 30 722 single‐nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) from 317 genes relevant to FA metabolic pathways were identified. An additional dataset from the Harvard Lung Cancer Study with 984 cases and 970 healthy controls was also added to the final meta‐analysis. In the initial meta‐analysis, 26 of 28 SNPs that passed false discovery rate multiple tests were mapped to the CYP4F3 gene. Among the 26 top ranked hits was a proxy SNP, CYP4F3 rs4646904 (P = 8.65 × 10−6, FDR = 0.018), which is suggested to change splicing pattern/efficiency and to be associated with gene expression levels. However, after adding data of rs4646904 from the Harvard GWAS, the significance in the combined analysis was reduced to P = 3.52 × 10−3 [odds ratio (OR) = 1.07, 95% confidence interval (95%CI) = 1.03–1.12]. Interestingly, the small Harvard dataset also pointed to the same direction of the association in subgroups of smokers (OR = 1.07) and contributed to a combined OR of 1.13 (95% CI = 1.06–1.20, P = 6.70 × 10−5). The results suggest that a potentially functional SNP in CYP4F3 (rs4646904) may contribute to the etiology of lung cancer, especially in smokers. Additional mechanistic studies are warranted to unravel the potential biological significance of the finding.
Dual echo Dixon imaging with a constrained phase signal model and graph cuts reconstruction
Authors: Stinson Eric G. , Trzasko Joshua D. , Fletcher Joel G. , Riederer Stephen J.
Published: February 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this work is to derive and demonstrate constrained‐phase dual‐echo Dixon imaging within a maximum likelihood framework solved with a regularized graph‐cuts‐guided optimization.

Theory and Methods

Dual‐echo Dixon reconstruction is fundamentally underdetermined; however, adopting a constrained‐phase signal model reduces the number of unknowns and the nonlinear problem can be solved under a maximum likelihood framework. Period shifts in the field map (manifesting as fat/water signal swaps) must also be corrected. Here, a regularized cost function promotes a smooth field map and is solved with a graph‐cuts‐guided greedy binary optimization. The reconstruction shown here is compared to two other prevalent Dixon reconstructions in experimental phantom and human studies.

Results

Reconstructed images of the water and fat signal are shown for a phantom study, and in vivo studies of foot/ankle, pelvis, and CE‐MRA of the thighs. The method shown here compared favorably with the other two methods. Large field inhomogeneities on the order of 20 ppm were resolved, thereby avoiding the fat and water signal swaps present in images reconstructed with the other methods.

Conclusion

Constrained‐phase dual‐echo Dixon imaging solved with a regularized graph‐cuts‐guided optimization has been derived and demonstrated to successfully separate water and fat images in the presence of large magnetic field inhomogeneities. Magn Reson Med 78:2203–2215, 2017. © 2017 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.