bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Multifunctional Cyclopentadienes as a Scaffold for Combinatorial Bioorganometallics in [(η5‐C5H2R1R2R3)M(CO)3] (M=Re, 99mTc) Piano‐Stool Complexes
Authors: Frei Angelo , Spingler Bernhard , Alberto Roger
Published: April 2018

Multifunctional cyclopentadiene (Cp) ligands and their rhenium and 99mTc complexes were prepared by a versatile synthetic route. The properties of these Cp ligands can be tuned on demand, either during their synthesis (variation of R1) or through post‐synthetic functionalization with two equal or different vectors (V1 and V2). Variation of these groups enables a combinatorial approach in the synthesis of bioorganometallic complexes. This is demonstrated by the preparation of Cp ligands containing both electron‐donating and electron‐withdrawing groups at the R1 position and their subsequent homo‐ or heterofunctionalization with biovector models (benzylamine and phenylalanine) under standard amide bond‐formation conditions. All ligands can be coordinated to the fac‐[Re(CO)3]+ and fac‐[99mTc(CO)3]+ cores to give tetrafunctional complexes in straightforward and functional‐group‐tolerant procedures. The 99mTc complexes were prepared in one step, in 30 min, and under aqueous conditions from generator‐eluted [99mTcO4]−.
Sex differences in the contemporary management of HIV patients admitted for acute myocardial infarction
Authors: Ogunbayo Gbolahan O. , Bidwell Katrina , Misumida Naoki , Ha Le Dung , Abdel‐Latif Ahmed , Elayi Claude S. , Smyth Susan , Messerli Adrian W.
Published: April 2018

Background

Studies have reported sex differences in the management of patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in the general population. This observational study is designed to evaluate whether sex differences exist in the contemporary management of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) patients admitted for diagnosis of AMI.

Hypothesis

There is no difference in management of HIV patients with AMI.

Methods

Using the National Inpatient Sample database, we identified patients with a primary diagnosis of AMI and a secondary diagnosis of HIV. We described baseline characteristics and outcomes using NIS documentation. Our primary areas of interest were revascularization and mortality.

Results

Among 2 977 387 patients presenting from 2010 to 2014 with a primary diagnosis of AMI, 10907 (0.4%) had HIV (mean age, 54.1 ± 9.3 years; n = 2043 [18.9%] female). Females were younger, more likely to be black, and more likely to have hypertension, diabetes, obesity, and anemia. Although neither males nor females were more likely to undergo coronary angiography in multivariate analysis, revascularization was performed less frequently in females than in males (45.4% vs 62.7%; P < 0.01), driven primarily by lower incidence of PCI. In a multivariate model, females were less likely to undergo revascularization (OR: 0.59, 95% CI: 0.45–0.78, P < 0.01), a finding driven solely by PCI (OR: 0.64, 95% CI: 0.49–0.83, P < 0.01). All‐cause mortality was similar in both groups.

Conclusions

AMI was more common in males than females with HIV. Females with HIV were more likely to be younger and black and less likely to be revascularized by PCI.
Cytodiagnosis of inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor: A report of three cases in infants
Authors: Ghosh Moupali , Islam Nelofar , Saha Hinglaj , Mukhopadhyay Madhumita , Datta Chhanda , Saha Koushik , Chatterjee Uttara
Published: April 2018

Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor is a tumor of intermediate grade with a low rate of metastasis. The tumor often mimics malignancy. There is sparse literature available describing the cytological findings of this rare condition. It often presents in infancy and childhood as an intra‐abdominal mass. Here, we describe the cytological findings of three cases of inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor in infants aged 10 months, 4 months, and 15 months, respectively. While the first two cases are fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) smears, the third case is that of an intraoperative imprint cytology. All the three smears showed low cellularity with small clusters of bland spindle cells, along with sprinkling of inflammatory cells, suggestive of an inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor. The diagnosis was later confirmed on histopathology and positive immunostaining for ALK.
Social immunity in honeybees—Density dependence, diet, and body mass trade‐offs
Authors: Jones Ben , Shipley Emily , Arnold Kathryn E.
Published: April 2018

Group living is favorable to pathogen spread due to the increased risk of disease transmission among individuals. Similar to individual immune defenses, social immunity, that is antiparasite defenses mounted for the benefit of individuals other than the actor, is predicted to be altered in social groups. The eusocial honey bee (Apis mellifera) secretes glucose oxidase (GOX), an antiseptic enzyme, throughout its colony, thereby providing immune protection to other individuals in the hive. We conducted a laboratory experiment to investigate the effects of group density on social immunity, specifically GOX activity, body mass and feeding behavior in caged honey bees. Individual honeybees caged in a low group density displayed increased GOX activity relative to those kept at a high group density. In addition, we provided evidence for a trade‐off between GOX activity and body mass: Individuals caged in the low group density had a lower body mass, despite consuming more food overall. Our results provide the first experimental evidence that group density affects a social immune response in a eusocial insect. Moreover, we showed that the previously reported trade‐off between immunity and body mass extends to social immunity. GOX production appears to be costly for individuals, and potentially the colony, given that low body mass is correlated with small foraging ranges in bees. At high group densities, individuals can invest less in social immunity than at low densities, while presumably gaining shared protection from infection. Thus, there is evidence that trade‐offs at the individual level (GOX vs. body mass) can affect colony‐level fitness.
Insights into the bacterial symbiont diversity in spiders
Authors: Zhang Lihua , Yun Yueli , Hu Guowen , Peng Yu
Published: April 2018

Most spiders are natural enemies of pests, and it is beneficial for the biological control of pests to learn the relationships between symbionts and their spider hosts. Research on the bacterial communities of insects has been conducted recently, but only a few studies have addressed the bacterial communities of spiders. To obtain a complete overview of the microbial communities of spiders, we examined eight species of spider (Pirata subpiraticus, Agelena difficilis, Artema atlanta, Nurscia albofasciata, Agelena labyrinthica, Ummeliata insecticeps, Dictis striatipes, and Hylyphantes graminicola) with high‐throughput sequencing based on the V3 and V4 regions of the 16S rRNA gene. The bacterial communities of the spider samples were dominated by five types of endosymbionts, Wolbachia, Cardinium, Rickettsia, Spiroplasma, and Rickettsiella. The dominant OTUs (operational taxonomic units) from each of the five endosymbionts were analyzed, and the results showed that different spider species were usually dominated by special OTUs. In addition to endosymbionts, Pseudomonas, Sphingomonas, Acinetobacter, Novosphingobium, Aquabacterium, Methylobacterium, Brevundimonas, Rhizobium, Bradyrhizobium, Citrobacter, Arthrobacter, Pseudonocardia, Microbacterium, Lactobacillus, and Lactococcus were detected in spider samples in our study. Moreover, the abundance of Sphingomonas, Methylobacterium, Brevundimonas, and Rhizobium in the spider D. striatipes was significantly higher (p < .05) than the bacterial abundance of these species in seven other spider species. These findings suggest that same as in insects, co‐infection of multiple types of endosymbionts is common in the hosts of the Araneae order, and other bacterial taxa also exist in spiders besides the endosymbionts.
Native myocardial T1 time can predict development of subsequent anthracycline‐induced cardiomyopathy
Authors: Muehlberg Fabian , Funk Stephanie , Zange Leonora , von Knobelsdorff‐Brenkenhoff Florian , Blaszczyk Edyta , Schulz Alexander , Ghani Saeed , Reichardt Annete , Reichardt Peter , Schulz‐Menger Jeanette
Published: April 2018

Aims

This study aims to assess subclinical changes in functional and morphological myocardial magnetic resonance parameters very early into an anthracycline treatment, which may predict subsequent development of anthracycline‐induced cardiomyopathy (aCMP).

Methods and results

Thirty sarcoma patients with planned anthracycline‐based chemotherapy (360–400 mg/m2 doxorubicin‐equivalent) were recruited. Median treatment time was 19.1 ± 2.1 weeks. Enrolled individuals received three cardiovascular magnetic resonance studies (before treatment, 48 h after first anthracycline treatment, and upon completion of treatment). Native T1 mapping (modified Look–Locker inversion recovery 5s(3s)3s), T2 mapping, and extracellular volume maps were acquired in addition to a conventional cardiovascular magnetic resonance with steady‐state free precession cine imaging at 1.5 T. Patients were given 0.2 mmol/kg gadoteridol for extracellular volume quantification and late gadolinium enhancement imaging. Development of relevant aCMP was defined as drop of left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) by >10%. For analysis, 23 complete data sets were available. Nine patients developed aCMP with LVEF reduction >10% until end of chemotherapy. Baseline LVEF was not different between patients with and without subsequent aCMP. When assessed 48 h after first dose of antracyclines, patients with subsequent aCMP had significantly lower native myocardial T1 times compared with before therapy (1002.0 ± 37.9 vs. 956.5 ± 29.2 ms, P < 0.01) than patients who did not develop aCMP (990.9 ± 56.4 vs. 978.4 ± 57.4 ms, P > 0.05). Patients with aCMP had decreased left ventricular mass upon completion of therapy (86.9 ± 24.5 vs. 81.1 ± 22.3 g; P = 0.02), while patients without aCMP did not show a change in left ventricular mass (81.8 ± 21.0 vs. 79.2 ± 18.1 g; P > 0.05). No patient developed new myocardial scars or compact myocardial fibrosis under chemotherapy.

Conclusions

Early decrease of T1 times 48 h after first treatment with anthracyclines can predict the development of subsequent aCMP after completion of chemotherapy.
T cell‐derived IFN‐γ downregulates protective group 2 innate lymphoid cells in murine lupus erythematosus
Authors: Düster Mathis , Becker Martina , Gnirck Ann‐Christin , Wunderlich Malte , Panzer Ulf , Turner Jan‐Eric
Published: April 2018

Innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) are important regulators of the immune response and play a crucial role in the restoration of tissue homeostasis after injury. GATA‐3+ IL‐13‐ and IL‐5‐producing group 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2s) have been shown to promote tissue repair in barrier organs, but despite extensive research on ILCs in the recent years, their potential role in autoimmune diseases is still incompletely understood. In the present study, we investigate the role of ILC2s in the MRL/MpJ‐Faslpr (MRL‐lpr) mouse model for severe organ manifestation of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). We show that in these MRL‐lpr mice, progression of lupus nephritis is accompanied with a reduction of ILC2 abundance in the inflamed renal tissue. Proliferation/survival and cytokine production of kidney‐residing ILC2s was suppressed by IFN‐γ and, to a lesser extent, by IL‐27 which were produced by activated T cells and myeloid cells in the nephritic kidney, respectively. Most importantly, restoration of ILC2 numbers by IL‐33‐mediated expansion ameliorated lupus nephritis and prevented mortality in MRL‐lpr mice. In summary, we show here that development of SLE‐like kidney inflammation leads to a downregulation of the renal ILC2 response and identify an ILC2‐expanding therapy as a promising treatment approach for autoimmune diseases.
Unprecedented Stereocontrol in the Synthesis of 1,2,3‐Trisubstituted Tetrahydro‐β‐carbolines through an Asymmetric Pictet–Spengler Reaction towards Sarpagine‐Type Indole Alkaloids
Authors: Rahman M. Toufiqur , Cook James M.
Published: April 2018

The asymmetric Pictet–Spengler (P‐S) reaction of chiral Nb‐ethynyl‐substituted tryptophan methyl ester derivatives (from both d‐ and l‐tryptophan) with a simple aliphatic aldehyde, exhibited unprecedented selectivity towards either of the diastereomeric products. A simple variation of conditions could alter the outcome of the cyclization from either 100 % trans‐selective to 100 % cis‐selective originating entirely from internal asymmetric induction under mild conditions. This resulted in a highly efficient access to both 1,3‐cis‐(1,2,3‐trisubstituted tetrahydro‐β‐carbolines, THβCs) and 1,3‐trans‐(1,2,3‐trisubstituted THβCs). To the best of our knowledge, this type of stereocontrol has never been observed from tryptophan methyl ester derivatives (either D or L) in accessing either 1,3‐disubstituted or 1,2,3‐trisubstituted THβCs. By exploiting this very useful ambidextrous diastereoselectivity, we have set the crucial C‐3 and C‐5 stereocenters of C‐19 methyl‐substituted sarpagine/macroline/ajmaline alkaloids beginning with the DNA‐encoded and cheaper l‐(–)‐tryptophan, as well as optionally from commercially available d‐(+)‐tryptophan.
Call blocking and outage probability in energy‐efficient LTE networks
Authors: Kanwal Kapil , Safdar Ghazanfar Ali , Rehman Masood Ur
Published: April 2018

Mobile operators are continuously expanding network infrastructure through the deployment of additional base stations to satisfy ever growing user demands. In parallel, number of users is also increasing due to advancement in mobile applications. Enlarged number of users and base stations introduce major problems, such as call blocking and outage probability, due to limited resources and interference caused by frequency reuse, respectively. Both these parameters play a key role in estimation of overall system performance. Alongside, energy efficiency (EE) is a vital parameter to enable portability and longevity of mobile user equipment. This paper investigates call blocking and channel outage probability in reduced early handover (REHO) deployed Long‐Term Evolution networks. System level simulations are performed in MATLAB to analyze the performance of REHO before it is compared with Long‐Term Evolution standard and other state of the art for key performance‐related parameters including EE, outage probability, and call blocking probability. Besides increased EE, REHO is also found to be competitive enough in terms of call blocking probability in the presence of Poisson process call arrivals.
Indoor wideband directional millimeter wave channel measurements and analysis at 26 GHz, 32 GHz, and 39 GHz
Authors: Khalily Mohsen , Taheri Sohail , Payami Sohail , Ghoraishi Mir , Tafazolli Rahim
Published: April 2018

This paper presents details of the wideband directional propagation measurements of millimeter‐wave (mmWave) channels in the 26 GHz, 32 GHz, and 39 GHz frequency bands in an indoor typical office environment. More than 14 400 power delay profiles (PDPs) were measured across the 26 GHz band and over 9000 power delay profiles have been recorded for the 32 GHz and 39 GHz bands at each measurement point. A mmWave wideband channel sounder has been used, where signal analyzer and vector signal generator were employed. Measurements have been conducted for both co and cross‐antenna polarization. The setup provided 2 GHz bandwidth and the mechanically steerable directional horn antenna with 8 degrees beamwidth provides 8 degrees of directional resolution over the azimuth for 32 GHz and 39 GHz, whereas 26 GHz measurement setup provides the angular resolution of 5 degrees. Measurements provide path loss, delay, and spatial spread of the channel. Large‐scale fading characteristics, RMS delay spread, RMS angular spread, and angular and delay dispersion are presented for 3 mmWave bands for the line‐of‐sight scenario.
Chlorine‐rich amphibole and biotite in the A‐type granites, Rajasthan, NW India: Potential indicators of subsolidus fluid–rock interaction and metallogeny
Authors: Kaur Parampreet , Chaudhri Naveen , Eliyas Nusrat
Published: April 2018

The A‐type granites in the northern Delhi fold belt, Rajasthan, India, comprise Cl‐enriched amphibole and biotite. These hydrous phases, in general, show significant variation in the Cl and F contents on the scale of individual intrusions and also at times on thin‐section scale. This variation of the hydrous phases that equilibrated with the fluid is principally controlled by the variation in the fluid activity ratios of aCl‐/aOH‐ and aF‐/aOH‐. The activity gradients in the fluid developed due to the interaction between the granites and an externally derived Cl‐bearing fluid coupled with limited integrated fluid flux. The fraction of the fluid that reached the least albitised granite was highly Cl‐rich as a consequence of preferential extraction of water from the grain‐boundary fluid for the formation of hydrous phases like epidote and sericite. The occurrence of Cl‐rich amphibole and biotite coupled with the variation in their halogen contents in the A‐type granites can act as potential indicators of hydrothermal fluid activity and the subsequent mineralisation in a region.
Fibroblast Growth Factor 15–Dependent and Bile Acid–Independent Promotion of Liver Regeneration in Mice
Authors: Kong Bo , Sun Runbin , Huang Mingxing , Chow Monica D. , Zhong Xiao‐Bo , Xie Wen , Lee Yi‐Horng , Guo Grace L.
Published: April 2018

The role of intestine‐derived factors in promoting liver regeneration after partial hepatectomy (PHx) are not entirely known, but bile acids (BAs) and fibroblast growth factor 15 (Fgf15) that is highly expressed in the mouse ileum could promote hepatocyte proliferation. Fgf15 strongly suppresses the synthesis of BAs, and emerging evidence indicates that Fgf15 is important for liver regeneration. The mechanisms by which Fgf15 promotes liver regeneration are unclear, but Fgf15 may do so indirectly by reducing BA levels and/or directly by promoting cell proliferation. However, it remains undetermined whether these two mechanisms are independent or integrated. In this study, we aimed to clarify these relationships by generating Fgf15 Tet‐Off, transgenic mice (Fgf15 Tg) that had very low BA levels as a result from overexpressed Fgf15‐mediated suppression of BA synthesis. Compared with wild‐type mice, the Fgf15 Tg mice showed increased hepatocyte proliferation even without surgery, and a further induction of the genes in cell‐cycle progression after PHx. Moreover, overexpression of Fgf15 by adeno‐associated virus (AAV)‐Fgf15 transduction or treatment with the recombinant Fgf15 protein led to increased cell proliferation in vivo. Furthermore, Fgf15 Tg mice exhibited an earlier and greater activation of mitogen‐activated protein kinase, signal transducer and activator of transcription 3, and NF‐κB signaling pathways in the priming stage, and a disruption of the hippo signaling pathway in the termination stage of liver regeneration. Conclusion: Direct in vivo evidence demonstrates that Fgf15 is critical in stimulating the phases of priming and termination of liver regeneration that are critical for cell survival and liver‐size determination, independent of BA levels. (Hepatology 2018; 00:000‐000).
Understanding the use of India's National Health Insurance Scheme for family planning and reproductive health services in Uttar Pradesh
Authors: Mozumdar Arupendra , Aruldas Kumudha , Jain Aparna , Reichenbach Laura
Published: April 2018

India's National Health Insurance Scheme, Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana (RSBY), expands health services to families living below the poverty line by enrolling them into the scheme through selected health facilities. Use and reasons for nonuse of RSBY for family planning (FP) and reproductive health (RH) services have not been explored previously. This cross‐sectional study explored the use of RSBY for FP/RH services at private health facilities, knowledge of FP/RH service availability, and factors influencing knowledge among RSBY enrolled families. A total of 726 women and 640 men from enrolled families living in 3 cities of Uttar Pradesh, India, were interviewed. Use of FP/RH services at private hospitals enrolled in the RSBY was 2%. Nearly 20% of respondents used FP or delivery services from unenrolled private hospitals but could have accessed these services through the scheme. Over 75% of respondents were unaware of FP/RH service availability through RSBY. Respondents with some education were more likely to have this knowledge, while poorer families were less likely to have this knowledge. Findings suggest that for RSBY to reach the most vulnerable families, efforts need to be made to better educate enrolled families about their entitlements and benefits of the scheme.
Prediction of vegetation anomalies over an inland river basin in north‐western China
Authors: Fu Jing , Niu Jun , Sivakumar Bellie
Published: April 2018

Vegetation cover plays an important role in linking the atmosphere, water, and land and is deemed as a key indicator in the terrestrial ecological system. Therefore, it is of great importance to monitor vegetation dynamics and understand the mechanisms of vegetation change, including that driven by climate change. This study examines (a) the evolution of vegetation dynamics over the Heihe River Basin in the typical arid zone in north‐western China using nonparametric Mann–Kendall test and Thiel Sen's slope; (b) the relationships between remotely sensed vegetation indices (normalized difference vegetation index [NDVI] and enhanced vegetation index [EVI]) and hydroclimatic variables based on correlation analysis; and (c) the prediction of vegetation anomalies using a multiple linear regression model. For the analysis, the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer NDVI/EVI product and the gridded daily meteorological data at a spatial resolution of 0.125° over the period 2001–2010 are considered. The results indicate that vegetation cover improved over a large proportion during 2001–2010, with a significant trend towards warm and wet, characterized by an increase in average annual temperature and precipitation by 0.042 °C/year and 5.8 mm/year, respectively. We test the feasibility of NDVI and EVI in quantifying the responses of vegetation anomaly to climate change and develop a statistical model to predict vegetation dynamics in the basin. The NDVI‐based model is found to be more reliable than the EVI‐based model, partly due to the vegetation characteristics and geomorphologic properties of the study region. The proposed model performs well when there is no lag time between meteorological factors and vegetation indices for grassland and cropland, whereas 1‐month lead time prediction is found to be best for forest. The soil water content is introduced as an extra explanatory variable, which effectively improves the prediction accuracy for different land use types. In general, the predictive ability of the proposed model is stable and satisfactory, and the model can provide useful early warning information for regional water resources management under changing climate.
Sequence of theory‐of‐mind acquisition in Turkish children from diverse social backgrounds
Authors: Selcuk Bilge , Brink Kimberly A. , Ekerim Muge , Wellman Henry M.
Published: April 2018

We examined the sequence of theory of mind (ToM) acquisition in 260 Turkish children (Mage = 53.36 months, SD = 10.37) and the demographic factors associated with it. Children came from 5 different cities in Turkey. Their ToM skills were measured using ToM Scale, which probes various mental state understandings from diverse desires to hidden emotions. These Turkish children demonstrated the traditional, collectivist ToM acquisition pattern evident in Iran and China with earlier understanding of knowledge access than diverse beliefs, not the western, individualist pattern evident in the United States, Australian, and German children. Gender, socio‐economic status (SES), and number of adults living in the home influenced the pace of children's ToM acquisitions. A post hoc analysis examined a minority of children that exhibited individualist ToM acquisition with earlier achievement of diverse beliefs than knowledge access. The results contribute to a fuller sociocultural understanding of ToM development including examination of variations within a single heterogeneous developing country. They also further suggest the importance of exposure to different ideas and beliefs in large households for earlier understanding of varying belief states.

Highlights

We assessed theory of mind (ToM) acquisition in 260 Turkish children whose families spanned a large range of social class circumstances.

We measured ToM via Wellman and Liu's scale (2004), consisting of five items testing diverse desires, diverse belief, knowledge access, false belief, and hidden emotion.

The Turkish children demonstrated the traditional, collectivist ToM acquisition pattern, but a minority of children exhibited individualistic ToM acquisition. In cultures where elements of individualism and collectivism are blended, children can come to different orders of acquisition in accord with recent arguments that cultural development often represents a coexistence of different reasoning styles.
Pathogenic and targetable genetic alterations in 70 urachal adenocarcinomas
Authors: Reis Henning , van der Vos Kristan E. , Niedworok Christian , Herold Thomas , Módos Orsolya , Szendrői Attila , Hager Thomas , Ingenwerth Marc , Vis Daniël J. , Behrendt Mark A. , de Jong Jeroen , van der Heijden Michiel S. , Peyronnet Benoit , Mathieu Romain , Wiesweg Marcel , Ablat Jason , Okon Krzysztof , Tolkach Yuri , Keresztes David , Nagy Nikolett , Bremmer Felix , Gaisa Nadine T. , Chlosta Piotr , Kriegsmann Joerg , Kovalszky Ilona , Timar József , Kristiansen Glen , Radzun Heinz‐Joachim , Knüchel Ruth , Schuler Martin , Black Peter C. , Rübben Herbert , Hadaschik Boris A. , Schmid Kurt Werner , van Rhijn Bas W.G. , Nyirády Péter , Szarvas Tibor
Published: April 2018

Urachal cancer (UrC) is a rare but aggressive malignancy often diagnosed in advanced stages requiring systemic treatment. Although cytotoxic chemotherapy is of limited effectiveness, prospective clinical studies can hardly be conducted. Targeted therapeutic treatment approaches and potentially immunotherapy based on a biological rationale may provide an alternative strategy. We therefore subjected 70 urachal adenocarcinomas to targeted next‐generation sequencing, conducted in situ and immunohistochemical analyses (including PD‐L1 and DNA mismatch repair proteins [MMR]) and evaluated the microsatellite instability (MSI) status. The analytical findings were correlated with clinicopathological and outcome data and Kaplan‐Meier and univariable/multivariable Cox regression analyses were performed. The patients had a mean age of 50 years, 66% were male and a 5‐year overall survival (OS) of 58% and recurrence‐free survival (RFS) of 45% was detected. Sequence variations were observed in TP53 (66%), KRAS (21%), BRAF (4%), PIK3CA (4%), FGFR1 (1%), MET (1%), NRAS (1%), and PDGFRA (1%). Gene amplifications were found in EGFR (5%), ERBB2 (2%), and MET (2%). We detected no evidence of MMR‐deficiency (MMR‐d)/MSI‐high (MSI‐h), whereas 10 of 63 cases (16%) expressed PD‐L1. Therefore, anti‐PD‐1/PD‐L1 immunotherapy approaches might be tested in UrC. Importantly, we found aberrations in intracellular signal transduction pathways (RAS/RAF/PI3K) in 31% of UrCs with potential implications for anti‐EGFR therapy. Less frequent potentially actionable genetic alterations were additionally detected in ERBB2 (HER2), MET, FGFR1, and PDGFRA. The molecular profile strengthens the notion that UrC is a distinct entity on the genomic level with closer resemblance to colorectal than to bladder cancer.
An investigation of ICT knowledge and skills in Vietnam
Authors: Khanh Tran Ngo Nhu , Winley Graham Kenneth
Published: April 2018

This study examines the present and future demands for knowledge and skills among IT professionals in organizations in Vietnam. A theoretical framework with 3 components is used: 6 domains of IT professional expertise; items representing knowledge and skills associated with the domains; and sourcing strategies that organizations may implement in order to procure basic IT knowledge and skills. The findings provide insights that are not found in existing studies of ICT in Vietnam which instead are focused on specific ICT issues and ICT development at a national level rather than at the level of organizations. In particular, findings are compared with predictions presented in the only 2 similar recent studies conducted in 2011.
Decellularization and characterization of a whole intervertebral disk xenograft scaffold
Authors: Hensley Austin , Rames Jess , Casler Victor , Rood Christopher , Walters Joshua , Fernandez Christopher , Gill Sanjitpal , Mercuri Jeremy J.
Published: April 2018

Intervertebral disk (IVD) degeneration is a multifactor process that results in the physical destruction of the nucleus pulposus (NP) and annulus fibrosus (AF). This compromises IVD function and causes significant disability and economic burden. Strategies to replace the entire composite structure of the IVD are limited and most approaches do not recapitulate the heterogenous biochemical composition, microarchitecture or mechanical properties of the native tissue. Our central hypothesis was that donor IVDs which resemble the size and biochemistry of human lumbar IVDs could be successfully decellularized while retaining the tissue's structure and function with the long‐term goal of creating a composite scaffold for tissue engineering the human IVD. Accordingly, we optimized a procedure to decellularize bovine tail IVDs using a combination of detergents, ultrasonication, freeze‐thaw cycles, and nucleases. The resultant decellularized whole IVD xenografts retained distinct AF and NP regions which contained no visible intact cell nuclei and minimal residual bovine deoxyribose nucleic acid (DNA; 65.98 ± 4.07 and 47.12 ± 13.22 ng/mg, respectively). Moreover, the NP region of decellularized IVDs contained 313.40 ± 50.67 µg/mg glycosaminoglycan. The presence of collagen type II was confirmed via immunohistochemistry. Additionally, histological analysis of the AF region of decellularized IVDs demonstrated retention of the native angle‐ply collagen microarchitecture. Unconfined compression testing demonstrated no significant differences in swelling pressure and toe‐region modulus between fresh and decellularized IVDs. However, linear region moduli, peak stress and equilibrium moduli were all significantly reduced. Together, this research demonstrates a successful initial step in developing a biomimetic acellular whole IVD xenograft scaffold for use in IVD tissue engineering. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A: 106A:2412–2423, 2018.
MNPs‐NHC6H4SO3H as high‐performance catalyst for the synthesis of 1,4‐diazepines containing tetrazole ring under microwave irradiation
Authors: Safaei‐Ghomi Javad , Paymard‐Samani Soleiman , Shahbazi‐Alavi Hossein
Published: April 2018

MNPs‐NHC6H4SO3H as an efficient catalyst was prepared and characterized by X‐ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT‐IR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM), DLS dynamic light scattering (DLS), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) techniques. The catalytic activity of MNPs‐NHC6H4SO3H was investigated in the synthesis of 1,4‐diazepines containing the tetrazole ring via a four‐component reaction under microwave irradiation. The heterogeneous catalyst could be recovered easily and reused six times without significant loss of its catalytic activity. The present work demonstrates the advantages of microwave irradiation‐assisted heterogeneous catalysis in the synthesis of 1,4‐diazepines containing the tetrazole ring, compounds that generate great attention in many applications, particularly in medicinal chemistry and drug discovery.
Flag‐transitive 2‐ designs of product type
Authors: Zhan Xiaoqin , Zhou Shenglin , Chen Guangzu
Published: April 2018

In this paper, we prove that if a 2‐ design admits a flag‐transitive automorphism group G, then G is of affine, almost simple type, or product type. Furthermore, we prove that if G is product type then is either a 2‐(25, 4, 12) design or a 2‐(25, 4, 18) design with .
Ursolic acid ameliorates CCl4‐induced liver fibrosis through the NOXs/ROS pathway
Authors: Gan Dakai , Zhang Wang , Huang Chenkai , Chen Jiang , He Wenhua , Wang Anjiang , Li Bimin , Zhu Xuan
Published: April 2018

Liver fibrosis is a reversible wound‐healing response that occurs after liver injury. NADPH oxidases (NOXs) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) which are expressed in hepatocytes (HCs), hepatic stellate cells (HSCs), and Kupffer cells (KCs) play an important role in the development of hepatic fibrosis. In in vitro studies, we had shown that ursolic acid (UA) could reverse liver fibrosis by inhibiting the activation of NOX‐mediated fibrotic signaling networks in HSCs. In this study, we verified that UA could alleviate CCl4‐induced liver fibrosis by reducing the expression of NOXs/ROS in HCs, HSCs, KCs. Meanwhile, the phagocytic index α and clearance index K which represent phagocytosis of KCs were unchanged. Together, all our data demonstrated that UA induced the proliferation of HCs, promoted apoptosis in HSCs, and prevented activation of KCs in vivo by reducing the expression of NOXs/ROS in HCs, HSCs, KCs. Besides, UA had no effect on the host defense function.
Spatial variability of SPI and RDIst drought indices applied to intense episodes of drought occurred in Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil
Authors: Sobral Bruno Serafini , Oliveira‐Júnior José Francisco , de Gois Givanildo , Pereira‐Júnior Edson Rodrigues
Published: April 2018

This article aims to evaluate the spatial distribution of the standard precipitation index (SPI) and the standardized form of the reconnaissance drought index (RDIst) when applied to intense episodes of drought in the state of Rio de Janeiro (SRJ), Brazil. Data of 99 rainfall stations and 17 temperature stations collected during 31 consecutive years (1979–2009) were used to generate both drought indices, in the annual scale. Rainfall data faults were filled with normal climatological rainfall values provided by the Brazilian National Institute of Meteorology (INMET) in the period 1979–1997. The 3B43 product of the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Satellite (TRMM) data faults was used to fill up rainfall data faults during the period from 1998 to 2009. As for the temperature data, faults were completed based on the historical (1961–1990) average of the temperatures registered in stations within the same region. For the calculation of SPI and RDIst indices in the annual scale it was used the computational tool Drinc (drought indices calculator). Spatial results were achieved using the spline tension method applied to the five most intense drought events (1984/1985, 1993/1994, 1997/1998, 1999–2000, 2002/2003 and 2007/2008) of the series, according to each index. The spline tension method presents satisfactory spatial consistency in the characterization of drought in SRJ. The results for indices SPI and RDIst presented similarities in terms of spatial variation when applied to the SRJ, as the SPI demonstrated good characterization of drought severity with fewer data requirements.
Review of critical discourse analysis in tourism studies
Authors: Qian Jianwei , Wei Jiewen , Law Rob
Published: April 2018

Critical discourse analysis (CDA) is one of the prevalent schools in discourse analysis, which is particularly useful in analyzing in‐depth meanings under a specific social context. Tourism researchers have realized the effectiveness of such an approach in exploring multifaceted tourism phenomena and have, thus, conducted studies in various tourism areas. A timely review of CDA in tourism offers signposts for the previous works of scholars and guidance for scholars who want to deploy CDA methods in the future. In this study, 50 articles were eventually reviewed on the basis of rigorous selection criteria. Bibliometric and thematic features of these articles are identified. Five key areas, namely, travel motivation, destination image, tourism marketing, sustainable tourism, and social relationship in tourism, were determined to dominate the current CDA studies in tourism, which is distinctly helpful in enriching the understanding of the academia toward tourism and in supporting the sustainable development of the industry. This study also draws the academia's attention toward CDA to consider deploying this method in examining various tourism phenomena under a broader social context.
Spatial heterogeneity in the paraglacial response to post‐Little Ice Age deglaciation of four headwater cirques in the Western Alps
Authors: Kirkbride Martin P. , Deline Philip
Published: April 2018

This paper aims to understand how the paraglacial response to recent glacier retreat varies between four cirques in the Western Alps. Post‐Little Ice Age glacier retreat has created extensive forelands where a variety of gravitational and fluvial process operate on both till‐floored and rock‐floored cirques. These processes may affect transitions from subglacial to proglacial landsystems, by reworking sediment and reorganising drainage. Landsystems achieve a state of preservation once no more adjustment is possible due to buffering by channel network evolution, channel armouring, and sediment exhaustion. We find no consistent trajectory of change across all studied sites: paraglacial responses differ from the classical valley–glacier model, involving variable slope‐channel coupling. Proglacial drainage networks on till surfaces have become more integrated by reducing their low‐order bifurcation ratios, unlike streams locked into rock channels. Reasons for diverse and site‐specific behaviour include cirque floor width, gradient, and surface materials (bedrock, fine till, and/or blocky till). At some cirques, these restrict the downstream diffusion of a paraglacial “signal” of fluvial‐transported sediment. At others, increased sediment flux originated from the erosion of terminal moraines. A high proportion of glacial material generally remains within the glacier foreland, due to proglacial basin sediment traps, inefficiency of fluvial networks, armouring of floors by coarse tills, and rock‐controlled channels. The millennial‐timescale preservation potential of most recent primary glacial deposits and within‐cirque paraglacial landforms appears to be high.
Language development in the pediatric cochlear implant patient
Authors: Ruben Robert J.
Published: April 2018

Objective

To access the long‐term outcomes of children implanted during most sensitive period for language development.

Study design

Literature review.

Method

An initial PubMed search was carried out using the search terms language development and cochlear implant resulted in 1149 citations. A second search was carried out on the initial citations using the criterion of implantation in the period of birth to 24 months, which identified 386 articles. These were analyzed to determine those studies in which linguistic outcome was measured at least three or more years following implantation.

Results

Twenty‐one reports published from 2004 to 2017 that met the criteria. The range of follow‐up was from 3 years to an excess of 10 years. Four => 10‐year follow‐up reports were consistent in showing that the earlier the subject is implanted the better the outcome. Many, but not all, of these children did obtain age‐appropriate language. There were 17 reports with follow‐up from 3 to less than 10 years. In 7 of the 11 studies, the children's expressive language was reported to have reached an age level of less than 80%. The results for receptive language showed that 4 of the 11 studies found that the children achieved a receptive language age level of less than 80%. There were 8 studies which documented the effect of implantation before 12 months of age and between 12 and 24 months of age and they all found that the earlier the implantation, the better the outcome for language.

Conclusion

The cochlear implant is efficacious in the amelioration of receptive and expressive language deficits in most congenitally deafened children implanted before the age of one. The language outcomes for those implanted after the age of one decline as the age of implantation increases.

Level of Evidence

N/A.
Oxidation behavior of a 2D‐SiCf/BN/SiBCN composite at 1350–1650 °C in air
Authors: Tan Xi , Liu Wei , Cao Lamei , Dai Shenglong
Published: April 2018

A continuous SiC fiber reinforced SiBCN composite (2D‐SiCf/BN/SiBCN) was fabricated via resin transfer molding (RTM) and polymer infiltration and pyrolysis (PIP). The oxidation behavior of the composite was studied in air at 1350, 1500, and 1650 °C as a function of time. The microstructure, morphology, phase composition of the oxide scales, oxidation kinetics, and residual strength of the composite were determined. Composite self‐healing and logarithmic oxidation kinetics were observed. The residual flexural strength of the composite after oxidation was also evaluated. The composite seems promising in applications for high temperature structural materials above 1350 °C.
Poly[3,4‐dihydroxybenzhydrazide]: A Polydopamine Analogue?
Authors: Petran Anca , Hădade Niculina D. , Filip Claudiu , Filip Xenia , Bende Attila , Popa Adriana , Liebscher Jürgen
Published: April 2018

3,4‐Dihydroxybenzhydrazide (DHBH) could be considered a structural analogue of dopamine, forming polymers under oxidative conditions in a polydopamine (PDA) fashion. However, the former turns out to be more reluctant to oxidize and thus, more drastic conditions must be applied to achieve polymerization. Heating of DHBH in the presence of ammonium peroxydisulfate in Tris buffer yields a mixture of oligomers (average 9–10 monomer units). Although it looks black like PDA, its structure is very different. The polymer is not built up by CC bond formation but by replacement of hydroxyl groups resulting in acylhydrazine, acylhydrazone, and 1,3,4‐oxadiazoline bridging. Since the catechol moiety of the starting material is destroyed, the polymer lacks the mussel‐like anchoring property found in PDA.
Reassessing the impact of descriptive norms on charitable giving
Authors: Lindersson Linda , Guntell Linda , Carlsson Rickard , Agerström Jens
Published: April 2018

The usefulness of conveying descriptive norms (“this is what most people do”) for prosocial purposes such as environmental conservation and charitable giving has recently been called into question. Two experiments (N = 748) evaluated the hypothesis that descriptive norms increase people's intentions to donate to charity. Overall, the results supported this hypothesis. Another aim was to examine the robustness of the local norm superiority effect that proposes that the local norms of one's immediate environment are superior to other descriptive norms (global and social identity norms). This hypothesis was not supported. The results suggest that differences between different types of norms are likely to be small.
Loss of N‐WASP drives early progression in an Apc model of intestinal tumourigenesis
Authors: Morris Hayley T , Fort Loic , Spence Heather J , Patel Rachana , Vincent David F , Park James H , Snapper Scott B , Carey Francis A , Sansom Owen J , Machesky Laura M
Published: April 2018

N‐WASP (WASL) is a widely expressed cytoskeletal signalling and scaffold protein also implicated in regulation of Wnt signalling and homeostatic maintenance of skin epithelial architecture. N‐WASP mediates invasion of cancer cells in vitro and its depletion reduces invasion and metastatic dissemination of breast cancer. Given this role in cancer invasion and universal expression in the gastrointestinal tract, we explored a role for N‐WASP in the initiation and progression of colorectal cancer. While deletion of N‐wasp is not detectably harmful in the murine intestinal tract, numbers of Paneth cells increased, indicating potential changes in the stem cell niche, and migration up the crypt–villus axis was enhanced. Loss of N‐wasp promoted adenoma formation in an adenomatous polyposis coli (Apc) deletion model of intestinal tumourigenesis. Thus, we establish a tumour suppressive role of N‐WASP in early intestinal carcinogenesis despite its later pro‐invasive role in other cancers. Our study highlights that while the actin cytoskeletal machinery promotes invasion of cancer cells, it also maintains normal epithelial tissue function and thus may have tumour suppressive roles in pre‐neoplastic tissues. © 2018 The Authors. The Journal of Pathology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland.
Combustion Rate and Light Emission of Mg/NaNO3/Na2C2O4/Binder – Flares
Authors: Li Jin‐Shuh , Chung Chun‐Ming , Yang Tsung‐Mao , Hwang Chyi‐Ching , Lu Kai‐Tai , Yeh Tsao‐Fa
Published: April 2018

The illuminating compositions composed of magnesium (Mg), sodium nitrate (NaNO3), Sodium oxalate (Na2C2O4) and binder (Epoxy and Polyamide) were prepared to study the combustion performances, and explored the formulas possessed with both high luminous intensity and low burning rate. The illuminating composition of the Luu‐2B/B aircraft parachute flare was adopted as a standard formula with a weight percentage of Mg/NaNO3/binder=61: 30.9: 8.1, and Na2C2O4 was used as an additive agent for reducing burning rate. Furthermore, Taguchi's experimental design method was used to design nine experimental formulas by way of orthogonal array with four control factors and three levels. The experimental results indicated that the optimal formula for long‐duration illuminating composition was the Mg/NaNO3 weight ratio of 2 : 1 (total content 92.9 wt.%), the Epoxy‐polyamide content of 7.1 wt.%, the additional Na2C2O4 of 4 wt. % and the Na2C2O4 particle size of less than150 μm.
Inhibition of UVB‐induced pro‐inflammatory cytokines and MMP expression by Zanthoxylum rhetsa bark extract and its active constituent hesperidin
Authors: Santhanam Ramesh Kumar , Fakurazi Sharida , Ahmad Syahida , Abas Faridah , Ismail Intan Safinar , Rukayadi Yaya , Akhtar Muhammad Tayyab , Shaari Khozirah
Published: April 2018

The antiphoto aging property of Zanthoxylum rhetsa obtained from Pangkor Island, Malaysia, was evaluated. Solvent fractions of different polarity obtained from the methanolic extract of the bark material were initially tested for anticollagenase and antielastase activities. The ethyl acetate fraction showed bioactivity against the protease enzymes. Hence, it was subjected to further purification via column chromatography, to yield a major constituent, hesperidin. Subsequently, the ethyl acetate fraction and hesperidin were tested for their effects against UVB‐induced cytotoxicity and expressions of inflammatory cytokines (IL‐6, IL‐1β, and TNF‐α), NF‐κB, and MMPs (MMP1, 3, and 9) in human dermal fibroblasts (HDF). Both fraction and pure compound prevented UVB‐induced cytotoxicity in HDF cells, in a dose dependent manner. Moreover, the ethyl acetate fraction inhibited the increase of pro‐inflammatory cytokines induced by UVB to a level similar to the control (without UV treatment). Additionally, the fraction significantly inhibited the expressions of NF‐κB, MMP 1, MMP 3, and MMP 9 in HDF cells treated with UVB. Similar effects were observed with hesperidin. The results obtained suggested that the ethyl acetate fraction of Z. rhetsa and its bioactive constituent, hesperidin, have the potential to be used as active ingredients in sunscreen and antiphoto aging formulations.