bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Palladium nanoparticles deposited on a graphene–benzimidazole support as an efficient and recyclable catalyst for aqueous‐phase Suzuki–Miyaura coupling reaction
Authors: Sarvestani Mosayeb , Azadi Roya
Published: December 2016

Graphene oxide was functionalized with benzimidazole for palladium immobilization. The resultant graphene–benzimidazole‐supported palladium composite (G‐BI‐Pd) was characterized using infrared and Raman spectroscopies, transmission electron microscopy and energy‐dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy. G‐BI‐Pd showed excellent catalytic activity and fast reaction kinetics in the aqueous‐phase Suzuki–Miyaura reaction of aryl iodides and bromides with phenylboronic acid under relatively mild conditions (5–25 min, 80 °C). The catalyst can be used several times without any significant loss of its catalytic activity.
Bone Microstructure of Pareiasaurs (Parareptilia) from the Karoo Basin, South Africa: Implications for Growth Strategies and Lifestyle Habits
Authors: Canoville Aurore , Chinsamy Anusuya
Published: December 2016

Numerous morphological studies have been carried out on pareiasaurs; yet their taxonomy and biology remain incompletely understood. Earlier works have suggested that these herbivorous parareptiles had a short juvenile period as compared to the duration of adulthood. Several studies further suggested an (semi‐) aquatic lifestyle for these animals, but more recent investigations have proposed a rather terrestrial habitat. Bone paleohistology is regarded as a powerful tool to assess aspects of tetrapod paleobiology, but few studies have been conducted on pareiasaurs. The present study assesses intra and inter‐specific histovariability of pareiasaurs and provides fresh insights into their paleobiology, thereby permitting a re‐evaluation of earlier hypotheses. Our sample comprises various skeletal elements and several specimens covering most of the taxonomic and stratigraphic spectrum of South African pareiasaurs, including large and basal forms from the Middle Permian, as well as smaller and more derived forms from the Late Permian. Our results concerning size of elements and histological tissues show that for pareiasaurs, element size is not a good indicator of ontogenetic age, and furthermore, suggest that the specific diversity of the Middle Permian pareiasaurs may have been underestimated. The bone histology of these animals shows that they experienced a relatively rapid growth early in ontogeny. Periosteal growth later slowed down, but seems to have been protracted for several years during adulthood. Pareiasaur bone microanatomy is unusual for continental tetrapods, in having spongious stylopod diaphyses and thin compact cortices. Rigorous paleoecological interpretations are thus limited since no modern analogue exists for these animals. Anat Rec, 300:1039–1066, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Neuroprotective and Ameliorating Impacts of Omega‐3 Against Aspartame‐induced Neuronal and Astrocytic Degeneration
Authors: Ali Eyad M.T. , Sonpol Hany M.A.
Published: December 2016

Aspartame (ASP) is one of the commonest artificial sweetener used all over the world and considered as an extremely risky compound and raises a lot of controversy. Therefore, this study was designed to investigate cellular damage of the anterior horn cells in the spinal cord of albino male rats and the possibility of hindering these changes by using omega‐3 (OM3).Thirty seven adult male albino rats were divided into three groups: Control, ASP‐treated and ASP + OM3‐treated groups. Spinal cord sections were prepared and stained with Hx&E, caspase‐3 and GFAP immunostaining. All data were morphometrically and statistically analyzed. In ASP‐treated group, the cell body of some degenerated neurons was swollen and its cytoplasm was vacuolated. Their nuclei were eccentric and pyknotic. Moreover, other neurons were of a heterogeneous pattern in the form of cell body shrinkage, loss of Nissl substance, intensely stained eosinophilic cytoplasm and a small darkly stained nucleus that may eventually fragment. However, the cells were apparently normal in ASP+ OM3‐treated group. Strong +ve caspase‐3 stained neurons were detected in ASP‐treated group. Furthermore, the immunoreaction was faint on treating the rats with both ASP and OM3. Few number of +ve GFAP‐ stained astrocytes were observed in ASP‐treated rats. On the other hand, the immunoreactivity for GFAP was found to be intense in the ASP + OM3‐treated group. Additionally, there was a significant decrease in the surface area percentage of the +ve GFAP‐stained astrocytes of the ASP‐treated group compared to the control and the ASP + OM3‐treated groups. Anat Rec, 300:1290–1298, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Multidecadal convection permitting climate simulations over Belgium: sensitivity of future precipitation extremes
Authors: Saeed Sajjad , Brisson Erwan , Demuzere Matthias , Tabari Hossein , Willems Patrick , van Lipzig Nicole P. M.
Published: December 2016

We performed five high resolution (2.8 km) decadal convection permitting scale (CPS) climate simulations over Belgium using the COSMO‐CLM regional climate model and examined the future changes in daily precipitation extremes compared to coarser resolution simulations. The CPS model underestimates the higher percentiles during both seasons, however, some improvements in the higher percentile values are noticed during the summer season. Analysis of three future climate simulations indicates that the CPS model modifies the future signals of daily precipitation extremes compared to their forcing non‐CPS simulations during summer. During this season, the increase (decrease) in the daily precipitation extremes is stronger in the CPS compared to the non‐CPS simulations. During winter, no significant changes between CPS and non‐CPS were found.
The Effect of Expected Value on Attraction Effect Preference Reversals
Authors: Farmer George D. , Warren Paul A. , El‐Deredy Wael , Howes Andrew
Published: December 2016

The attraction effect shows that adding a third alternative to a choice set can alter preference between the original two options. For over 30 years, this simple demonstration of context dependence has been taken as strong evidence against a class of parsimonious value‐maximising models that evaluate alternatives independently from one another. Significantly, however, in previous demonstrations of the attraction effect alternatives are approximately equally valuable, so there was little consequence to the decision maker irrespective of which alternative was selected. Here we vary the difference in expected value between alternatives and provide the first demonstration that, although extinguished with large differences, this theoretically important effect persists when choice between alternatives has a consequence. We use this result to clarify the implications of the attraction effect, arguing that although it robustly violates the assumptions of value‐maximising models, it does not eliminate the possibility that human decision making is optimal. © 2016 The Authors Journal of Behavioral Decision Making Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
White matter integrity of the medial forebrain bundle and attention and working memory deficits following traumatic brain injury
Authors: Owens Jacqueline A. , Spitz Gershon , Ponsford Jennie L. , Dymowski Alicia R. , Ferris Nicholas , Willmott Catherine
Published: December 2016

Background and Objective

The medial forebrain bundle (MFB) contains ascending catecholamine fibers that project to the prefrontal cortex (PFC). Damage to these fibers following traumatic brain injury (TBI) may alter extracellular catecholamine levels in the PFC and impede attention and working memory ability. This study investigated white matter microstructure of the medial MFB, specifically the supero‐lateral branch (slMFB), following TBI, and its association with performance on attention and working memory tasks.

Method

Neuropsychological measures of attention and working memory were administered to 20 moderate‐severe participants with TBI (posttraumatic amnesia M = 40.05 ± 37.10 days, median time since injury 10.48 months, range 3.72–87.49) and 20 healthy controls. Probabilistic tractography was used to obtain fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity (MD) values for 17 participants with TBI and 20 healthy controls.

Results

When compared to controls, participants with TBI were found to have significantly lower FA (p < .001) and higher MD (p < .001) slMFB values, and they were slower to complete tasks including Trail Making Task‐A, Hayling, selective attention task, n‐back, and Symbol Digit Modalities Test.

Conclusion

This study was the first to demonstrate microstructural white matter damage within the slMFB following TBI. However, no evidence was found for an association of alterations to this tract and performance on attentional tasks.
Pattern of gray matter volumes related to retinal thickness and its association with cognitive function in relapsing–remitting MS
Authors: Stellmann Jan‐Patrick , Cetin Hanife , Young Kim Lea , Hodecker Sibylle , Pöttgen Jana , Bittersohl Diana , Hassenstein Andrea , Oberwahrenbrock Timm , Heesen Christoph , Siemonsen Susanne
Published: December 2016

Background

Neurodegeneration in multiple sclerosis (MS) may be investigated in the visual system as optical coherence tomography (OCT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) allows examining structural integrity in detail. The association between thickness of retinal layers and focal cortical volumes beyond the primary visual system has not been thoroughly investigated.

Objective

To investigate the association between focal cortical volume and thickness of retinal layers.

Methods

Fifty‐four patients (relapsing–remitting MS, mean age 40.5 years, mean disease duration 7.6 years, median EDSS 2) underwent OCT and MRI. The association between focal cortical volume and OCT measurements was investigated with voxel‐based morphometry (VBM). Patterns of association were determined with Yeo's functional network atlas and the Harvard‐Oxford cortical atlas. We used GEE models with cortical volumes from the FreeSurfer parcellation to confirm VBM results. Post hoc, we analyzed the association between OCT, focal cortical volumes, and an extended neuropsychological assessment in a subgroup of 14 patients.

Results

Macular retinal nerve fiber layer (mRNFL) and ganglion cell /inner plexiform layer (GCIPL) showed a robust association with mainly the insular cortex and the cingulate cortex. VBM findings were confirmed with FreeSurfer volumes. The post hoc analysis detected significant correlations between both OCT outcomes and cognition.

Conclusion

Besides the primary visual system, OCT outcomes show a correlation pattern with cortical regions that are known to be important for cognitive performance, predominantly the insula in both hemispheres. Thus, OCT should be further investigated as a marker for neurodegeneration in MS.
Prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors in people with epilepsy
Authors: Vivanco‐Hidalgo Rosa Maria , Gomez Alejandra , Moreira Antia , Díez Laura , Elosua Roberto , Roquer Jaume
Published: December 2016

Objectives

Epilepsy has been associated with cardiovascular comorbidity. This study aimed to assess the potential association between cardiovascular risk factors (CRFs), antiepileptic drugs (AEDs), and etiology.

Material and Methods

A single‐center retrospective epilepsy cohort from the decade of 2004–2013 was assessed. Poisson regression models with robust variance were estimated to obtain CRF prevalence ratios (PR) according to AED prescription and etiology.

Results

After excluding patients in the monotherapy group with vascular etiology or previous cardiovascular events, in the remaining 400 patients, enzyme‐inducer AEDs (EIAEDs), especially phenytoin (PHT), were associated with higher prevalence of dyslipidemia (PRa 1.77, p < .05), compared to valproic acid. No etiology was associated with higher prevalence of any CRF.

Conclusions

Patients treated with EIAEDs, especially PHT, had higher prevalence of dyslipidemia.
Virus‐like particles: Next‐generation nanoparticles for targeted therapeutic delivery
Authors: Rohovie Marcus J. , Nagasawa Maya , Swartz James R.
Published: December 2016

Most drug therapies distribute the agents throughout the entire body, even though the drugs are typically only needed at specific tissues. This often limits dosage and causes discomfort and harmful side‐effects. Significant research has examined nanoparticles (NPs) for use as targeted delivery vehicles for therapeutic cargo, however, major clinical success has been limited. Current work focuses mainly on liposomal and polymer‐based NPs, but emerging research is exploring the engineering of viral capsids as noninfectious protein‐based NPs—termed virus‐like particles (VLPs). This review covers the research that has been performed thus far and outlines the potential for these VLPs to become highly effective delivery vehicles that overcome the many challenges encountered for targeted delivery of therapeutic cargo.
ICAM‐1‐targeted nanocarriers attenuate endothelial release of soluble ICAM‐1, an inflammatory regulator
Authors: Manthe Rachel L. , Muro Silvia
Published: December 2016

Targeting of drug nanocarriers (NCs) to intercellular adhesion molecule‐1 (ICAM‐1), an endothelial‐surface protein overexpressed in many pathologies, has shown promise for therapeutic delivery into and across this lining. However, due to the role of ICAM‐1 in inflammation, the effects of targeting this receptor need investigation. Since ICAM‐1 binding by natural ligands (leukocyte integrins) results in release of the “soluble ICAM‐1” ectodomain (sICAM‐1), an inflammatory regulator, we investigated the influence of targeting ICAM‐1 with NCs on this process. For this, sICAM‐1 was measured by ELISA from cell‐medium supernatants, after incubation of endothelial cell (EC) monolayers in the absence versus presence of anti‐ICAM NCs. In the absence of NCs, ECs released sICAM‐1 when treated with a pro‐inflammatory cytokine. This was reduced by inhibiting matrix metalloproteinases MMP‐9 or MMP‐2, yet inhibiting both did not render additive effects. Release of sICAM‐1 mainly occurred at the basolateral versus apical side, and both MMP‐9 and MMP‐2 influenced apical release, while basolateral release depended on MMP‐9. Interestingly, anti‐ICAM NCs reduced sICAM‐1 to a greater extent than MMP inhibition, both at the apical and basolateral sides. This effect was enhanced with time, although NCs had been removed after binding to cells, ruling out a “trapping” effect of NCs. Instead, inhibiting anti‐ICAM NC endocytosis counteracted their inhibition on sICAM‐1 release. Hence, anti‐ICAM NCs inhibited sICAM‐1 release by mobilizing ICAM‐1 from the cell‐surface into intracellular vesicles. Since elevated levels of sICAM‐1 associate with numerous diseases, this effect represents a secondary benefit of using ICAM‐1‐targeted NCs for drug delivery.
Effect of guanidine and arginine on protein–ligand interactions in multimodal cation‐exchange chromatography
Authors: Parimal Siddharth , Garde Shekhar , Cramer Steven M.
Published: December 2016

The addition of fluid phase modifiers provides significant opportunities for increasing the selectivity of multimodal chromatography. In order to optimize this selectivity, it is important to understand the fundamental interactions between proteins and these modifiers. To this end, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were first performed to study the interactions of guanidine and arginine with three proteins. The simulation results showed that both guanidine and arginine interacted primarily with the negatively charged regions on the proteins and that these regions could be readily predicted using electrostatic potential maps. Protein surface characterization was then carried out using computationally efficient coarse‐grained techniques for a broader set of proteins which exhibited interesting chromatographic retention behavior upon the addition of these modifiers. It was shown that proteins exhibiting an increased retention in the presence of guanidine possessed hydrophobic regions adjacent to negatively charged regions on their surfaces. In contrast, proteins which exhibited a decreased binding in the presence of guanidine did not have hydrophobic regions adjacent to negatively charged patches. These results indicated that the effect of guanidine could be described as a combination of competitive binding, charge neutralization and increased hydrophobic interactions for certain proteins. In contrast, arginine resulted in a significant decrease in protein retention times primarily due to competition for the resin and steric effects, with minimal accompanying increase in hydrophobic interactions. The approach presented in this paper which employs MD simulations to guide the application of coarse‐grained approaches is expected to be extremely useful for methods development in downstream bioprocesses. © 2017 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 33:435–447, 2017
Biological pretreatment of corn stover with Phlebia brevispora NRRL‐13108 for enhanced enzymatic hydrolysis and efficient ethanol production
Authors: Saha Badal C. , Kennedy Gregory J. , Qureshi Nasib , Cotta Michael A.
Published: December 2016

Biological pretreatment of lignocellulosic biomass by white‐rot fungus can represent a low‐cost and eco‐friendly alternative to harsh physical, chemical, or physico‐chemical pretreatment methods to facilitate enzymatic hydrolysis. In this work, solid‐state cultivation of corn stover with Phlebia brevispora NRRL‐13018 was optimized with respect to duration, moisture content and inoculum size. Changes in composition of pretreated corn stover and its susceptibility to enzymatic hydrolysis were analyzed. About 84% moisture and 42 days incubation at 28°C were found to be optimal for pretreatment with respect to enzymatic saccharification. Inoculum size had little effect compared to moisture level. Ergosterol data shows continued growth of the fungus studied up to 57 days. No furfural and hydroxymethyl furfural were produced. The total sugar yield was 442 ± 5 mg/g of pretreated corn stover. About 36 ± 0.6 g ethanol was produced from 150 g pretreated stover per L by fed‐batch simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF) using mixed sugar utilizing ethanologenic recombinant Eschericia coli FBR5 strain. The ethanol yields were 32.0 ± 0.2 and 38.0 ± 0.2 g from 200 g pretreated corn stover per L by fed‐batch SSF using Saccharomyces cerevisiae D5A and xylose utilizing recombinant S. cerevisiae YRH400 strain, respectively. This research demonstrates that P. brevispora NRRL‐13018 has potential to be used for biological pretreatment of lignocellulosic biomass. This is the first report on the production of ethanol from P. brevispora pretreated corn stover. © 2017 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 33:365–374, 2017
Impact of treatment on progression to castration‐resistance, metastases, and death in men with localized high‐grade prostate cancer
Authors: Miller Eric T. , Chamie Karim , Kwan Lorna , Lewis Michael S. , Knudsen Beatrice S. , Garraway Isla P.
Published: December 2016

Men with high‐grade prostate cancer (HGPC) are at greatest risk of disease progression. Clinical risk factors associated with castration‐resistant prostate cancer (CRPC), metastases, and prostate cancer‐specific mortality (PCSM) were identified in a contemporary HGPC cohort. Clinical data was collected from men diagnosed with Gleason sum (GS) ≥8 at the Greater Los Angeles Veterans Affairs (GLA‐VA) Healthcare System between 2000 and 2013. Multivariable competing risks regression analyses assessed progression to CRPC, metastases, and PCSM within three treatment strata. The cumulative incidence of disease progression was calculated at 2, 5, and 10‐year time points. Review of 2149 prostate cancer cases yielded 322 with HGPC. Median survival times for cancer‐specific and overall mortality were significantly shorter in men treated with primary androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) (P = 0.0002 and P < 0.0001). Multivariable analyses revealed that clinical stage N1, GS 10, and treatment with primary ADT were significantly associated with increased risk of CRPC, metastases, and PCSM. Significant differences in these outcomes were not observed in men treated with radical prostatectomy (RP) when compared to those treated with radiation therapy combined with short‐term ADT (XRT‐ADT). Ten‐year event rates of progression to CRPC, metastases, and PCSM, for men treated with primary ADT, were 45.5%, 25.4%, and 25.1%, respectively. In conclusion, GS 10 and lymph node involvement, as well as primary ADT treatment in men with HGPC was associated with increased risk of CRPC, metastases, and PCSM. Curative‐intent treatment with RP or XRT‐ADT is associated with reduced progression rates and death in men with HGPC.
Conformational Analysis of a High‐Mannose‐Type Oligosaccharide Displaying Glucosyl Determinant Recognised by Molecular Chaperones Using NMR‐Validated Molecular Dynamics Simulation
Authors: Suzuki Tatsuya , Kajino Megumi , Yanaka Saeko , Zhu Tong , Yagi Hirokazu , Satoh Tadashi , Yamaguchi Takumi , Kato Koichi
Published: December 2016

Exploration of the conformational spaces of flexible oligosaccharides is essential to gain deeper insights into their functional mechanisms. Here we characterised dynamic conformation of a high‐mannose‐type dodecasaccharide with a terminal glucose residue, a critical determinant recognised by molecular chaperones. The dodecasaccharide was prepared by our developed chemoenzymatic technique, which uses 13C labelling and lanthanide tagging to detect conformation‐dependent paramagnetic effects by NMR spectroscopy. The NMR‐validated molecular dynamics simulation produced the dynamic conformational ensemble of the dodecasaccharide. This determined its spatial distribution as well as the glycosidic linkage conformation of the terminal glucose determinant. Moreover, comparison of our results with previously reported crystallographic data indicates that the chaperone binding to its target oligosaccharides involves an induced‐fit mechanism.
Remote monitoring of the cardiac rhythm: where do we stand today?
Authors: Deftereos S. , Papoutsidakis N. , Giannopoulos G. , Kossyvakis C. , Lekakis J.
Published: December 2016

Remote monitoring systems, in their current forms, are networked communication solutions allowing exchange of digitized data from implanted or wearable devices. These data usually include electrocardiographic recordings, but nowadays they may encompass much more than that, allowing a continuously updated knowledge of a multitude of device‐ or patient‐related parameters. Remote monitoring has been shown, as one would have expected, to reduce the need for office visits and allow earlier detection—and thus management—of arrhythmic events. However, although there are hints that they may also be associated with improved clinical outcomes, the absence of randomized trials dictates a cautious interpretation of existing evidence. Furthermore, there are still several questions regarding their cost‐effectiveness, the patient populations that could benefit from them, as well as how the transmitted data should be interpreted and acted upon by physicians. In this review, we present and critically examine the current state of affairs of remote cardiac rhythm monitoring systems.

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Multiple liver abscesses and bacteremia caused by Streptococcus constellatus infection: a case report
Authors: Akuzawa Nobuhiro , Hatori Takashi , Kitahara Yonosuke , Kurabayashi Masahiko
Published: December 2016

Key Clinical Message

The Streptococcus milleri group (SMG) comprises commensal mucosal bacteria. Pyogenic liver abscesses due to hematogenous SMG infection are rare but can be observed even in healthy patients. In such cases, physicians should consider the existence of primary lesions that allow penetration of the SMG.
Reversible Selectivity Modulation of Gasoline and Diesel by a Facile Metal‐Salt‐Modified Fischer–Tropsch Synthesis Strategy
Authors: Wang Hao , Xu Ke , Cheng Yi , Pei Yan , Yan Shirun , Qiao Minghua , Li Zhen Hua , Zong Baoning
Published: December 2016

The front cover artwork for Issue 24/2016 is provided by the Qiao group, Fudan University (P.R. China). The image shows flexible product control of gasoline and diesel in Fischer–Tropsch synthesis via a facile metal salt‐modified strategy. See the Communication itself at https://doi.org/10.1002/cctc.201600899.
Beryllium und Kupfer‐Beryllium‐Legierungen
Authors: Nagel Nikolaus
Published: December 2016

Das Leichtmetall Beryllium ist ein verhältnismäßig seltenes Element, das heute in erster Linie aus Bertrandit gewonnen wird. Es wird hauptsächlich als reines Metall oder in Form von Kupfer‐Beryllium‐Legierungen z. B. in Automobilindustrie, Luft‐ und Raumfahrt sowie elektrischen Bauteilen verwendet. Der breite Anwendungsbereich ergibt sich in erster Linie aufgrund des extrem hohen Festigkeit/Dichte‐Verhältnisses. Ein Überblick zur Geschichte des Metalls und dessen Gewinnung sowie zu den Eigenschaften von CuBe‐Legierungen und deren Recycling wird gegeben.
Lithiumgewinnung aus anspruchsvollen Lagerstätten: Zinnwaldit und magnesiumreiche Salzseen
Authors: Bertau Martin , Voigt Wolfgang , Schneider Anke , Martin Gunther
Published: December 2016

Lithium kommt gebunden in Silikatgesteinen und gelöst in Salzseen vor. Beide Rohstofftypen, deren Ressourcen den zu erwartenden Bedarf um ein Vielfaches übersteigen, werden für die Lithiumgewinnung genutzt. Eine Übersicht der bekannten Lagerstätten mit ihrer Geochemie und den gegenwärtig genutzten Verfahren der Lithiumgewinnung wird gegeben. Diese Verfahren lehnen sich noch eng an die historischen Erstgewinnungen von Lithiumcarbonat an. Neue Prozessansätze der Direktcarbonatisierung von Zinnwaldit, der Salzsäure‐ und Oxalsäurelaugung sowie ein neues Verfahren zur Lithiumcarbonatgewinnung aus magnesiumreichen Brines werden vorgestellt.
Highly Efficient Synthesis of α‐Halomethylketones via Ce(SO4)2/Acid Co‐Catalyzed Hydration of Alkynes
Authors: Zou Huaxu , Jiang Jun , Yi Niannian , Fu Wenqiang , Deng Wei , Xiang Jiannan
Published: December 2016

A general atom‐economical approach for the synthesis of α‐halomethyl ketones is demonstrated through Ce(SO4)2/acid co‐catalyzed hydration of a wide range of haloalkynes. The reactions are conducted under convenient conditions and provide products with excellent regioselectivity in good to excellent yields, with broad substrate scope. This protocol is an alternative to conventional α‐halogenation of ketones.
Electrosynthesis of Arylsulfonamides from Amines and Sodium Sulfinates Using H2O‐NaI as the Electrolyte Solution at Room Temperature
Authors: Zhang Chen , Chen Yibin , Yuan Gaoqing
Published: December 2016

With H2O as the solvent and NaI as the supporting electrolyte, a green and efficient electrochemical route has been developed to synthesize arylsulfonamides via I2 electrogenerated in situ at a graphite anode to promote the reaction of sodium sulfinates with aromatic or aliphatic primary and secondary amines. The target products could be obtained in good to excellent yields at room temperature.
Synthesis and Characterization of Osmium Polycyclic Aromatic Complexes via Nucleophilic Reactions of Osmapentalyne
Authors: Zhu Qin , Zhu Congqing , Deng Zhihong , He Guomei , Chen Jiangxi , Zhu Jun , Xia Haiping
Published: December 2016

Treatment of osmapentalyne [Os{≡C‐C(COOMe)=CH‐C=CH‐C(PPh3)=CH‐}Cl(PPh3)2]+ with arylamines in the presence of Cs2CO3 produced osmium‐bridged polycyclic aromatic complexes. In this reaction, metal carbyne of osmapentalyne was first attacked by nucleophiles, followed by a C‐H oxidative addition. The UV‐Vis spectra of these osmium‐bridged polycyclic aromatic complexes were measured. The result shows that these osmium‐bridged polycyclic aromatic complexes have broad absorption in the UV‐Vis region up to 650 nm.
Ag Nanowire‐Ag Nanoparticle Hybrids for the Highly Enhanced Fluorescene Detection of Protoporphyrin IX Based on Surface Plasmon‐Enhanced Fluorescence
Authors: Wang Yunjia , Zu Xihong , Yi Guobin , Luo Hongsheng , Huang Hailiang , Song Xuliang
Published: December 2016

In this study, we developed an approach to fabricate novel 1D Ag NWs‐Ag NPs hybrid substrate for enhanced fluorescene detection of protoporphyrin IX (PpIX) based on surface plasmon‐enhanced fluorescence. The Ag NWs‐Ag NPs hybrid was synthesized by combining the hydrothermal method and self‐assembly method with the asisstance of polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP). When the Ag NWs‐Ag NPs hybrid was deposited on the glass substrate and employed as active substrate to detect PpIX, the fluorescence intensity of PpIX was enhanced greatly due to the coupling effect of localized surface plasmon‐localized surface plasmon (LSP‐LSP) and localized surface plasmon‐surface plasmon propagation (LSP‐SPP) which induced great enhancement of the electromagnetic field. Furthermore, the enhancement effect was approximately linear when the concentration of PpIX was ranged from 1×10−7 mol/L to 2×10−5 mol/L, and the photobleaching phenomenon of PpIX was reduced greatly, indicating that the fabricated Ag NWs‐Ag NPs hybrid substrate had well performance for PpIX imaging. This work provides an effective approach to prepare highly sensitive and stable fluorescence enhancement substrate, and has great potential application in fluorescence imaging.
Preparation of Molecularly Imprinted Electrochemical Sensor for Detection of Vincristine Based on Reduced Graphene Oxide/Gold Nanoparticle Composite Film
Authors: Zhang Yan , Zheng Jing , Guo Mandong
Published: December 2016

An innovative molecularly imprinted electrochemical sensor was fabricated based on reduced graphene oxide (RGO) and gold nanocomposite (Au) for rapid detection of vincristine (VCR). The RGO‐Au composite membrane was obtained via direct one‐step electrodeposition technique of graphene oxide (GO) and chloroauric acid (HAuCl4) on the surface of a glassy carbon electrode (GCE) by means of cyclic voltammetry (CV) in the potential range between −1.5 and 0.6 V in phosphate buffer solution (PBS) of pH 9.18, which is capable of effectively utilizing its superior electrical conductivity, larger specific surface area due to its synergistic effect between RGO and Au. The molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) were synthesized on the RGO‐Au modified glassy carbon electrode surface with VCR as the template molecular, methyl acrylic acid (MAA) as the functional monomer, and ethylene glycol maleic rosinate acrylate (EGMRA) as a cross‐linker. The performance of the sensor was investigated by cyclic voltammetry (CV), differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) in detail. Under the optimum conditions, the fabricated sensor exhibited a linear relationship between oxidation peak current and VCR concentration over the range of 5.0×10−8–5.0×10−6 mol·L minus;1 with a correlation coefficient of 0.9952 and a detection limit (S/N=3) of 2.6×10minus;8 mol·Lminus;1. The results indicated that the imprinted polymer films exhibited an excellent selectivity for VCR. The imprinted sensor was successfully used to determine VCR in real samples with recoveries of 90% –120% by using the standard addition method.
Synthesis of Visible‐Light‐Driven g‐C3N4/PPy/Ag Ternary Photocatalyst with Improved Photocatalytic Performance
Authors: Zhang Fengli , Duan Fang , Ding Zhigang , Chen Mingqing
Published: December 2016

g‐C3N4/PPy/Ag ternary photocatalyst was synthesized by a three‐step method. Firstly, graphitic carbon nitride (g‐C3N4) photocatalyst was obtained by sintering melamine at high temperature, then a series of g‐C3N4/PPy composite photocatalysts were prepared by in‐situ polymerization of pyrrole, and finally the g‐C3N4/PPy/Ag ternary composite photocatalyst was obtained by depositing Ag on the surface of g‐C3N4/PPy. The photocatalytic activities of as‐prepared samples were evaluated by degradation of antibiotic tetracycline (TC) under visible light. The influence of the amounts of polypyrrole (PPy) and Ag on the photocatalytic activity of g‐C3N4/PPy/Ag ternary photocatalyst was investigated. Both PPy and Ag played critical roles for the enhanced photocatalytic activity of g‐C3N4/PPy/Ag. The g‐C3N4/PPy/Ag composites exhibited remarkably improved photocatalytic activities for degrading TC compared with g‐C3N4, g‐C3N4/PPy and g‐C3N4/Ag. Besides, the photocatalytic mechanism was also analyzed. The band match of PPy with g‐C3N4 benefited the separation of photo‐generated carriers in g‐C3N4, and the deposited Ag nanoparticles played important roles as an electron mediator due to the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) effects. The present study offered new insight into the design of the economical and gently environment‐friendly synthesis of highly efficient photocatalysts.
Identification, characterization, and expression of sarcomeric tropomyosin isoforms in zebrafish
Authors: Dube Dipak K. , Dube Syamalima , Abbott Lynn , Wang Jushuo , Fan Yingli , Alshiekh‐Nasany Ruham , Shah Kalpesh K. , Rudloff Alexander P. , Poiesz Bernard J. , Sanger Jean M. , Sanger Joseph W.
Published: December 2016

Tropomyosin is a component of thin filaments that constitute myofibrils, the contractile apparatus of striated muscles. In vertebrates, except for fish, four TPM genes TPM1, TPM2, TPM3, and TPM4 are known. In zebrafish, there are six TPM genes that include the paralogs of the TPM1 (TPM1‐1 and TPM1‐2), the paralogs of the TPM4 gene (TPM4‐1 and TPM4‐2), and the two single copy genes TPM2 and TPM3. In this study, we have identified, cloned, and sequenced the TPM1‐1κ isoform of the TPM1‐1 gene and also discovered a new isoform TPM1‐2ν of the TPM1‐2. Further, we have cloned and sequenced the sarcomeric isoform of the TPM4‐2 gene designated as TPM4‐2α. Using conventional RT‐PCR, we have shown the expression of the sarcomeric isoforms of TPM1‐1, TPM1‐2, TPM2, TPM3, TPM4‐1, and TPM4‐2 in heart and skeletal muscles. By qRT‐PCR using both relative expression as well as the absolute copy number, we have shown that TPM1‐1α, TPM1‐2α, and TPM1‐2ν are expressed mostly in skeletal muscle; the level of expression of TPM1‐1κ is significantly lower compared to TPM1‐1α in skeletal muscle. In addition, both TPM4‐1α and TPM4‐2α are predominantly expressed in heart. 2D Western blot analyses using anti‐TPM antibody followed by Mass Spectrometry of the proteins from the antibody‐stained spots show that TPM1‐1α and TPM3α are expressed in skeletal muscle whereas TPM4‐1α and TPM3α are expressed in zebrafish heart. To the best of our knowledge, this is by far the most comprehensive analysis of tropomyosin expression in zebrafish, one of the most popular animal models for gene expression study.
Induced Europium Circularly Polarized Luminescence Monitors Reversible Drug Binding to Native α1‐Acid Glycoprotein
Authors: Jennings Laura , Waters Ryan S. , Pal Robert , Parker David
Published: December 2016

Alpha‐1‐acid glycoprotein (α1‐AGP) is an important blood plasma glycoprotein. Following an acute‐phase reaction such as stress, inflammation, burn, or infection, the bloodstream concentration of α1‐AGP can increase up to 400 % of its normal concentration. A wide range of drugs is known to bind α1‐AGP. Increased binding of pharmacologically active compounds to α1‐AGP moderates their clinical effect by decreasing the amount of unbound drug in the bloodstream. This has important clinical ramifications for such applications as the duration of anesthesia and in determining dosage for drug therapy. In this study, the competitive binding to α1‐AGP of a dynamically racemic europium(III) complex with seven pharmacologically active drugs absorbing in the range λ 250–290 nm was monitored by following changes in europium total emission and in induced circularly polarized luminescence (CPL). Binding affinities corresponding to Kd values in the range 0.5–100 μm were measured, in good agreement with published data.
Optimal timing of influenza vaccination during 3‐week cytotoxic chemotherapy cycles
Authors: Keam Bhumsuk , Kim Min‐Kyung , Choi Yunhee , Choi Su‐Jin , Choe Pyoeng Gyun , Lee Kyung‐Hun , Kim Tae Min , Kim Tae‐Yong , Oh Do‐Youn , Kim Dong‐Wan , Im Seock‐Ah , Kim Nam‐Joong , Heo Dae Seog , Park Wan Beom , Oh Myoung‐don
Published: December 2016

BACKGROUND

Cytopenia occurs frequently during cytotoxic chemotherapy. Little is known about the optimal timing of influenza vaccination for patients receiving chemotherapy. This study compared the immunogenicity of an influenza vaccine administered concurrently with chemotherapy (day 1) and within the cytopenic period (day 11) during 3‐week cytotoxic chemotherapy cycles.

METHODS

Adult patients with solid cancer undergoing scheduled 3‐week cytotoxic chemotherapy were randomly assigned to receive the 2014‐2015 seasonal influenza vaccine on day 1 or 11 during the chemotherapy cycle. Patients were stratified by their age (<60 and ≥60 years) and previous influenza vaccination status. Antibody responses to influenza vaccine strains H1N1, H3N2, and B were measured before and 21 to 28 days after vaccination with a hemagglutination inhibition antibody assay.

RESULTS

Ninety‐seven patients were randomized into a day 1 group (n = 43) or a day 11 group (n = 54). Eighty‐three patients were included in the final analysis. The mean age was 54 (± 11) years. Cancer types included breast (61%) and lung cancer (30%). Baseline characteristics were not significantly different between the groups. Seroprotection rates after vaccination were also not significantly different for the day 1 and 11 groups (strain H1N1, 67% vs 75% [P = .403]; strain H3N2, 77% vs 80% [P = .772]; strain B, 21% vs 27% [P = .472]). Seroconversion rates and postvaccination geometric mean titers were also similar for the groups. Vaccine‐related adverse events were more common in the day 11 group (13% vs. 32%; P = .040).

CONCLUSIONS

The antibody responses to influenza vaccination on days 1 and 11 during a 3‐week cytotoxic chemotherapy cycle were comparable. Influenza vaccination can be performed concurrently with cytotoxic chemotherapy or during the cytopenic period. Cancer 2017;123:841–48. © 2016 American Cancer Society.
Spatial patterning of excitatory and inhibitory neuropil territories during spinal circuit development
Authors: Yan Qing , Zhai Lu , Zhang Bo , Dallman Julia E.
Published: December 2016

To generate rhythmic motor behaviors, both single neurons and neural circuits require a balance between excitatory inputs that trigger action potentials and inhibitory inputs that promote a stable resting potential (E/I balance). Previous studies have focused on individual neurons and have shown that, over a short spatial scale, excitatory and inhibitory (E/I) synapses tend to form structured territories with inhibitory inputs enriched on cell bodies and proximal dendrites and excitatory inputs on distal dendrites. However, systems‐level E/I patterns, at spatial scales larger than single neurons, are largely uncharted. We used immunostaining for PSD‐95 and gephyrin postsynaptic scaffolding proteins as proxies for excitatory and inhibitory synapses, respectively, to quantify the numbers and map the distributions of E/I synapses in zebrafish spinal cord at both an embryonic stage and a larval stage. At the embryonic stage, we found that PSD‐95 puncta outnumber gephyrin puncta, with the number of gephyrin puncta increasing to match that of PSD‐95 puncta at the larval stage. At both stages, PSD‐95 puncta are enriched in the most lateral neuropil corresponding to distal dendrites while gephyrin puncta are enriched on neuronal somata and in the medial neuropil. Significantly, similar to synaptic puncta, neuronal processes also exhibit medial‐lateral territories at both developmental stages with enrichment of glutamatergic (excitatory) processes laterally and glycinergic (inhibitory) processes medially. This establishment of neuropil excitatory‐inhibitory structure largely precedes dendritic arborization of primary motor neurons, suggesting that the structured neuropil could provide a framework for the development of E/I balance at the cellular level. J. Comp. Neurol. 525:1649–1667, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
CO Adsorption on GaPd—Unravelling the Chemical Bonding in Real Space
Authors: Villaseca Sebastián Alarcón , Ormeci Alim , Levchenko Sergey V. , Schlögl Robert , Grin Yuri , Armbrüster Marc
Published: December 2016

The electron localizability indicator—an efficient quantum chemical tool for analysis of chemical bonding—is applied to unveil the chemical bonding behind the CO adsorption on the (

) surface of the highly selective semi‐hydrogenation catalyst GaPd. Refining the commonly applied Blyholder model, the obtained results are in excellent agreement with previous experimental and theoretical findings. The clean GaPd(

) surface presents unshielded negatively charged Pd centers and positively charged Ga species partially shielded by dangling bonds. The CO molecule adsorbs on‐top of the Pd centers perperdicular to the surface, while no CO‐Ga interaction is observed. The chemical bonding analysis results in deep understanding, thus enabling a cost efficient route to innovative materials by reverse engineering.
Cellulose Biorefinery Based on a Combined Catalytic and Biotechnological Approach for Production of 5‐HMF and Ethanol
Authors: Sorokina Ksenia N. , Taran Oxana P. , Medvedeva Tatiana B. , Samoylova Yuliya V. , Piligaev Alexandr V. , Parmon Valentin N.
Published: December 2016

In this study, a combination of catalytic and biotechnological processes was proposed for the first time for application in a cellulose biorefinery for the production of 5‐hydroxymethylfurfural (5‐HMF) and bioethanol. Hydrolytic dehydration of the mechanically activated microcrystalline cellulose over a carbon‐based mesoporous Sibunt‐4 catalyst resulted in moderate yields of glucose and 5‐HMF (21.1–25.1 and 6.6–9.4 %). 5‐HMF was extracted from the resulting mixture with isobutanol and subjected to ethanol fermentation. A number of yeast strains were isolated that also revealed high thermotolerance (up to 50 °C) and resistance to inhibitors found in the hydrolysates. The strains Kluyveromyces marxianus C1 and Ogataea polymorpha CBS4732 were capable of producing ethanol from processed catalytic hydrolysates of cellulose at 42 °C, with yields of 72.0±5.7 and 75.2±4.3 % from the maximum theoretical yield of ethanol, respectively.
Factors Influencing the Performance of Pd/C Catalysts in the Green Production of Hydrogen from Formic Acid
Authors: Zacharska Monika , Bulusheva Lyubov G. , Lisitsyn Alexander S. , Beloshapkin Sergey , Guo Yina , Chuvilin Andrey L. , Shlyakhova Elena V. , Podyacheva Olga Y. , Leahy James J. , Okotrub Alexander V. , Bulushev Dmitri A.
Published: December 2016

Formic acid derived from biomass is known to be used for hydrogen production over Pd catalysts. The effects of preparation variables, structure of the carbon support, surface functional composition on the state of Pd, and catalytic properties of the samples in the vapor‐phase decomposition of formic acid were studied. In all catalysts derived from Pd acetate, metal particles visible by conventional TEM had similar sizes, but the adsorption capacity towards CO responded strongly to N‐doping of the carbon surface. Moreover, a decrease in the CO/Pd values was accompanied by a significant increase in the reaction rate. Taking account of X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and atomic resolution high‐angle annular dark‐field scanning transmission electron microscopy (HAADF/STEM) data, the trends observed were assigned to a larger fraction of single electron‐deficient Pd atoms in the N‐doped samples, which do not adsorb CO but interact with formic acid to produce hydrogen. This was confirmed by extended DFT studies. The obtained results are valuable for the development of Pd catalysts on carbon supports for different processes.
Implementing PacketEconomy: Distributed money‐based QoS in OMNET++
Authors: Koutsiamanis Remous‐Aris , Efraimidis Pavlos S.
Published: December 2016

In this work we examine how quality of service (QoS) can be achieved in a real network by allowing packets to coordinate using fiat money in a market economy for router queue positions. In this context we implement and evaluate the PacketEconomy mechanism in the discrete‐event simulator OMNET++, using the standard INET library for simulating Internet Protocol version 6 networks and evaluate throughput, end‐to‐end delay, and packet drop rates. Additionally, we examine whether the flows have a game‐theoretic incentive to participate in the market economy, while covering both Transmission Control Protocol– and User Datagram Protocol–based flows in multiple different cases. The mechanism achieves QoS by allowing packets with different QoS requirements waiting to be served in router queues to mutually trade positions by exchanging money. Notably, each flow can independently and selfishly define the ask and bid prices of its packets. In this manner, packets can coordinate to be able to self‐regulate their packet‐specific access to shared network resources. The results are promising and show that the innovative PacketEconomy mechanism provides robust, effective, and fine‐grained QoS while maintaining end‐user control for both rate‐ and window‐based flows.
LRP: Link quality‐aware queue‐based spectral clustering routing protocol for underwater acoustic sensor networks
Authors: Faheem Muhammad , Tuna Gurkan , Gungor Vehbi Cagri
Published: December 2016

Recently, underwater acoustic sensor networks (UASNs) have been considered as a promising approach for monitoring and exploring the oceans in lieu of traditional underwater wireline instruments. As a result, a broad range of applications exists ranging from oil industry to aquaculture and includes oceanographic data collection, disaster prevention, offshore exploration, assisted navigation, tactical surveillance, and pollution monitoring. However, the unique characteristics of underwater acoustic communication channels, such as high bit error rate, limited bandwidth, and variable delay, lead to a large number of packet drops, low throughput, and significant waste of energy because of packets retransmission in these applications. Hence, designing an efficient and reliable data communication protocol between sensor nodes and the sink is crucial for successful data transmission in underwater applications. Accordingly, this paper is intended to introduce a novel nature‐inspired evolutionary link quality‐aware queue‐based spectral clustering routing protocol for UASN‐based underwater applications. Because of its distributed nature, link quality‐aware queue‐based spectral clustering routing protocol successfully distributes network data traffic load evenly in harsh underwater environments and avoids hotspot problems that occur near the sink. In addition, because of its double check mechanism for signal to noise ratio and Euclidean distance, it adopts opportunistically and provides reliable dynamic cluster‐based routing architecture in the entire network. To sum up, the proposed approach successfully finds the best forwarding relay node for data transmission and avoids path loops and packet losses in both sparse and densely deployed UASNs. Our experimental results obtained in a set of extensive simulation studies verify that the proposed protocol performs better than the existing routing protocols in terms of data delivery ratio, overall network throughput, end‐to‐end delay, and energy efficiency.