bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Sosialisasi Pembuatan Dan Penggunaan Tempat Pengering Sederhana
Authors: Asmilawati Asmilawati , Azis Abdul , Mursalim  , Muhidong Junaedi , Waris  , Sapsal Tahir
Published: August 2024

Kelurahan Campaga memiliki potensi yang besar didalam perkebunan dan pangan. Komoditi perkebunan yang besar di kelurahan Campaga yaitu cengkeh, kakao dan kopi. Salah satu tanaman komoditi pangan yang besar di kelurahan Campaga yaitu padi. Pengeringan termasuk salah satu proses penting dalam pasca panen untuk mempertahankan kualitas hasil pertanian, dengan melakukan pengeringan kadar air biji-bijian akan berkurang dan mencegah pertumbuhan jamur sehingga dapat disimpan lebih lama. Tujuan dari program kerja ini yaitu sebagai alternatif dalam proses pengeringan biji-bijian khususnya gabah bagi petani di kelurahan Campaga. Program kerja ini diharapkan dapat membantu masyarakat kelurahan Campaga mempermudah dalam proses pengeringan hasil perkebunannya. Metode pelaksanaan program kerja yang dilakukan, yaitu tahapan persiapan yang mencakup kegiatan pembelian bahan-bahan yang dibutuhkan dan juga persiapan alat-alat yang akan digunakan dalam pembuatan, tahapan pembuatan dimana merangkai bahan-bahan yang sudah disiapkan menjadi tempat pengering sederhana, tahapan pelaksanaan yaitu sosialisasi tentang manfaat tempat pengering gabah sederhana. Adapun sasaran dari kegiatan ini yaitu masyarakat kelurahan Campaga khususnya ibu rumah tangga. Hasil yang didapatkan yaitu respon positif dari masyarakat kelurahan Campaga. Adapun respon positif dari masyarakat yaitu ibu-ibu yang mau menerima tempat pengering sederhana yang telah dibuat untuk mencoba mengeringkan gabahnya atau hasil perkebunan lainnya. Kesimpulannya yaitu Hasil pelaksanaan pengabdian masyarakat melalui program kerja Perancangan dan Pembuatan Tempat Pengering Gabah Sederhana di Kelurahan Campaga sebagai bentuk perkenalan kepada masyarakat dan pelaksanaan program kerja memenuhi indikator keberhasilan serta mendapat respon positif dari masyarakat kelurahan Campaga.
Dimensional Changes of Red Dragon Fruit (Hylocereus Polyrhizuz) Slices During the Drying Process
Authors: Putri Sejagat Laradita , Muhidong Junaedi , Salim Iqbal , Yumeina Diyah
Published: August 2024

Dragon fruit is one of the fruits with a fairly high water content which causes an increase in water activity and accelerates the growth rate of microorganisms. research was conducted to determine the shrinkage that occurs in the fruit. Two different sample sizes were used in this study. Both were cylindrical in shape with a diameter of 2.5 cm and different lengths. 3 cm (Sample A) and 1.5 cm (Sample D). The number of samples used for sample A and sample D was 5 pieces each. Measurements of weight and dimensions (sample length and diameter) were repeated every 15 minutes during the drying time at 45 ºC. Once the sample weight was constant, the material was put back into the oven at 105 ºC for 72 hours. After 72 hours, the sample was weighed and measured to determine the dry weight of the sample. Based on the study of the pattern of changes in the dimensions of red dragon fruit during the drying process, it can be concluded that the pattern of changes in volume ratio to KAbb is a linear pattern with an R2 value of 0.9946. The pattern of changes in volume ratio to KAbb is polynomial degree 2 and 3, but the R2 value is greater for degree 3, so degree 3 is more suitable for estimating the volume ratio of KAbb.values.
“It’s Not Going to Be Okay”: Stoic Wisdom for a Difficult World
Authors: Davis Trent
Published: August 2024

This paper opens with a family anecdote in which my future mother in-law, when asked what wise advice she would offer undergraduate university students, replied, “I would tell them it’s not going to be okay.” Can we learn to keep engaging with the world despite its inevitable disappointments? I propose that Stoic philosophy, by “orienting” our “attention” and “courage,” can help us navigate the troubled post-COVID world we share. To help make this more concrete, I describe a critical moment I observed in which a maskless shopper insulted fellow patrons in a grocery store for wearing a mask. I then develop the Stoic themes of acknowledgement (a commitment to the facts) and affinity (reaching out to others to build community). In the conclusion I return to the “maskless shopper” incident to consider how my two Stoic themes might help open a dialogue with this person. After discussing the limitations to such an undertaking, given the surge in populism over the last decade, I conclude with the appropriately tough-minded Stoic proposition that despite the obstacles, we must keep trying.
An Apprenticeship in Failure: Self-Cultivation and the Question of What to Do With Our Desires
Authors: Saari Antti , Varpanen Jan
Published: August 2024

Taking Marcel Proust’s In Search of Lost Time (À la recherche du temps perdu) as a literary vehicle, this article uses a psychoanalytic lens to examine the problem of what to do with our desires in the philosophy of education. The article describes an apprenticeship, a personal process of learning in which an ethical rapport with desire can be established. Apprenticeship entails a temporal relationship called “afterwardsness” (Nachträglichkeit), in which the subject constructs the truth of its desires in hindsight. This result can only be achieved by first failing to see the possibility of attaining the object of desire and then eventually coming to understand the nature of desire in general. While others have framed the relationship between desire and education in terms of either fulfilling one’s desires or questioning their desirability, we argue that a more lasting ethical attunement to desire can be found via an apprenticeship in failure.
Cyclic di-GMP as an Antitoxin Regulates Bacterial Genome Stability and Antibiotic Persistence in Biofilms
Authors: Liao Hebin , Yan Xiaodan , Wang Chenyi , Huang Chun , Zhang Wei , Xiao Leyi , Jiang Jun , Bao Yongjia , Huang Tao , Zhang Hanbo , Guo Chunming , Zhang Yufeng , Pu Yingying
Published: August 2024

Biofilms are complex bacterial communities characterized by a high persister prevalence, which contributes to chronic and relapsing infections. Historically, biofilm persister formation has been linked to constraints imposed by their dense structures. However, we observed an elevated persister frequency accompanying the stage of cell adhesion, marking the onset of biofilm development. Subsequent mechanistic studies uncovered a distinctive type of toxin-antitoxin (TA) module triggered by cell adhesion, which is responsible for this elevation. In this module, the toxin HipH acts as a genotoxic deoxyribonuclease, inducing DNA double strand breaks and genome instability. While the second messenger c-di-GMP functions as the antitoxin, exerting control over HipH expression and activity. The dynamic interplay between c-di-GMP and HipH levels emerges as a crucial determinant governing genome stability and persister generation within biofilms. These findings unveil a unique TA system, where small molecules act as the antitoxin, outlining a biofilm-specific molecular mechanism influencing genome stability and antibiotic persistence, with potential implications for treating biofilm infections.
Validación de las Puntuaciones de un Instrumento para Medir Habilidades de Investigación Científica en Estudiantes de 7° Básico a II° Medio
Authors:   , Acevedo Donoso Paulina Cinthya
Published: August 2024

La enseñanza de las Ciencias contribuye a desarrollar competencias del siglo XXI, mediante las habilidades de investigación científica. En Chile, la información sobre el nivel de desempeño de las habilidades científicas y cómo medirlas es insuficiente. El objetivo del estudio es validar la interpretación de las puntuaciones de un instrumento que mide habilidades de investigación científica en estudiantes de 7° Básico a II° Medio. El instrumento se diseñó considerando los Estándares evaluativos internacionales para utilizar las puntuaciones de manera diagnóstica o formativa en Ciencias Naturales. Las preguntas se construyeron usando como referentes teóricos las pruebas internacionales TIMSS y PISA. El instrumento se aplicó como prueba de papel y lápiz, con 30 preguntas de selección múltiple y respuesta única a 215 estudiantes. Se analizaron las diversas evidencias de validez basadas en: el contenido del instrumento por medio de juicio experto, en la estructura interna con análisis factorial exploratorio. Asimismo, parámetros de dificultad, discriminación, opciones de respuesta e imparcialidad. Se analizó la confiabilidad de las puntuaciones en la propuesta final del instrumento. Los resultados indican que es un instrumento válido, confiable e imparcial para la variable género, siendo apta para el uso propuesto. Palabras claves: Habilidad de investigación científica, evidencias de validez.
Distribución y actividad potencial de bacterias desnitrificantes aerobias aisladas de sedimentos de una laguna costera al noroeste de México
Authors: Peña-Zuñiga Pedro , Samperio-Ramos Guillermo A , Pajares-Moreno Silvia
Published: August 2024

La desnitrificación es la principal vía por la cual el nitrógeno fijado se pierde en los sistemas marinos y consiste en la respiración secuencial de nitrato a nitrógeno molecular a través de diversos microorganismos heterótrofos. Ya que los sedimentos estuarinos representan un nicho importante para la desnitrificación, este estudio evaluó la distribución y actividad potencial de bacterias desnitrificantes aerobias aisladas de sedimentos a 2 profundidades y en 2 hábitats (con pastos de Zostera marina y sin pastos) a lo largo de un transecto en la Bahía de San Quintín (México), así como su relación con diferentes parámetros ambientales. Se aislaron 1,611 bacterias, de las cuales 85.1% contuvieron alguno de los genes desnitrificantes (nirK, nirS o nosZ). Su distribución fue heterogénea en la bahía y estuvo influenciada principalmente por la textura, el pH, el carbono orgánico total y el nitrógeno total de los sedimentos, encontrándose una mayor abundancia de bacterias desnitrificantes en los sedimentos superficiales (66.2%). Los aislados desnitrificantes se clasificaron en 23 especies pertenecientes a γ-Proteobacteria (82.4% de los aislados), α Proteobacteria (7.9%), Bacilli (5.7%) y Actinobacteria (4%). Se comprobó la actividad desnitrificante en condiciones aerobias en 7 especies de bacterias portadoras de genes desnitrificantes: Paracoccus marcusii, Planococcus maritimus, Planococcus rifietoensis, Pseudomonas songnenensis, Psychrobacter alimentarius, Psychrobacter celer y Psychrobacter piscatorii. Los resultados sugieren que estos sedimentos presentan una elevada abundancia de bacterias cultivables con genes nirK, nirS o nosZ; sin embargo, en la mayoría no se pudo comprobar la actividad desnitrificante en condiciones aerobias, posiblemente debido a la inactividad de estos genes o de aquellos involucrados en la reducción de nitrato (nas, nar o nap). Este estudio representa el primer paso hacia el entendimiento de la ecología de los microorganismos involucrados en la desnitrificación aerobia en la Bahía de San Quintín y en las lagunas costeras en general.
Teaching Environmental Literacy in a Language Bridging Setup
Authors: Quezada Rodeth Jane C. , Balorio Chesyl E. , Hapay Keilah Althea F. , Verdida Rubie Mae G.
Published: August 2024

In the context of educational settings characterized by linguistic diversity, the challenges inherent in teaching within a language-bridging framework underscore the necessity of overcoming language barriers to instill environmental literacy among elementary students. This study delves into the practices and experiences of educators in imparting environmental knowledge amidst linguistic challenges, employing a qualitative research design to explore the multifaceted dimensions of teaching environmental literacy in such contexts. Through purposive sampling and in-depth interviews with six elementary school teachers, the research elucidated the utilization of a holistic instructional approach, while also highlighting the impediment posed by teachers' lack of dialect proficiency, leading to language obstacles in the classroom. However, the study unveiled the adaptive strategies employed by teachers, such as two-way learning, to facilitate effective language transition during instruction. The findings not only shed light on the current pedagogical landscape but also point towards future directions, emphasizing the significance of continual professional development, collaborative teaching practices, cultural awareness training, and community engagement as pivotal avenues to surmount language barriers and cultivate environmentally literate students.
Economic Advantage of Sorghum Based Intercropping System for Western Zone of Tamil Nadu, India
Authors: S Divya Dharshini , Ramanthan SP. , S Kokilavani , Reddy Devanakonda Venkata Sai Chakradhar , P Priyanka , K Pugazenthi
Published: August 2024

Sorghum is the fifth most important crop. Being a C4 crop, it can withstand adverse climatic conditions. It can be used for food, feed, fodder, and biofuel. Sorghum can perform better under future climatic conditions than other crops and can be a better option in the future that can ensure the food and nutritional security of the country. A sorghum-based intercropping system can be a great option to ensure sustainability by fetching additional income from legume crops without compromising the yield of sorghum. An experiment was conducted at Tamil Nadu Agricultural University during the summer of 2021 to evaluate the economic benefits of a sorghum-based intercropping system. The treatment consists of T1-Sorghum Sole crop, T2-2rows of Sorghum+2rows of Cowpea, T3-2rows of Sorghum+1row of Cowpea, T4-2rows of Sorghum+2rows of Greengram, T5-2rows of Sorghum+1rows of Greengram, T6-2rows of Sorghum+2rows of Lablab, T7-2rows of Sorghum+1rows of Lablab. The economic benefits of the cropping system were evaluated by considering the yield, BCR, and LER. The yield of sorghum (3 t ha-1) planted under T7 was significantly higher than that of sole sorghum (T1). The net return from T7 (₹ 67872 ha-1) was higher than other treatments because of the additional income generated from the lablab (high market value at the time of harvest). The B:C ratio of the intercropping system was 2.7, whereas sole sorghum registered the lowest BCR of 1.9. The compatible performance of the intercropping system yielded a higher net return and BCR. Hence, intercropping of sorghum with legumes (especially lablab) is more productive and remunerative under a 2:1 pattern compared to sole cropping.
Sulfur budget and global climate impact of the A.D. 1835 eruption of Cosigüina volcano, Nicaragua
Authors: Longpré Marc‐Antoine , Stix John , Burkert Cosima , Hansteen Thor , Kutterolf Steffen
Published: September 2014

Large explosive volcanic eruptions can inject massive amounts of sulfuric gases into the Earth's atmosphere and, in so doing, affect global climate. The January 1835 eruption of Cosigüina volcano, Nicaragua, ranks among the Americas' largest and most explosive historical eruptions, but whether it had effects on global climate remains ambiguous. New petrologic analyses of the Cosigüina deposits reveal that the eruption released enough sulfur to explain a prominent circa A.D. 1835 sulfate anomaly in ice cores from both the Arctic and Antarctic. A compilation of temperature‐sensitive tree ring chronologies indicates appreciable cooling of the Earth's surface in response to the eruption, consistent with instrumental temperature records. We conclude that this eruption represents one of the most important sulfur‐producing events of the last few centuries and had a sizable climate impact rivaling that of the 1991 eruption of Mount Pinatubo.
A ULF wave driver of ring current energization
Authors: Murphy Kyle R. , Mann Ian R. , Ozeke Louis G.
Published: September 2014

ULF wave radial diffusion plays an important role in the transport of energetic electrons in the outer radiation belt, yet similar ring current transport is seldom considered even though ions satisfy a nearly identical drift resonance condition albeit without the relativistic correction. By examining the correlation between ULF wave power and the response of the ring current, characterized by Dst, we demonstrate a definite correlation between ULF wave power and Dst. Significantly, the lagged correlation peaks such that ULF waves precede the response of the ring current and Dst. We suggest that this correlation is the result of enhanced radial transport and energization of ring current ions through drift resonance and ULF wave radial diffusion of ring current ions. An analysis and comparison of the ion and electron diffusion coefficients further support this conclusion, ULF waves providing an important missing physical transport process explaining Dst underestimation in ring current models.
Planetary period oscillations in Saturn's magnetosphere: Comparison of magnetic oscillations and SKR modulations in the postequinox interval
Authors: Provan G. , Lamy L. , Cowley S. W. H. , Dougherty M. K.
Published: September 2014

We compare the properties of planetary period oscillations observed in Saturn kilometric radiation (SKR) and magnetospheric magnetic field data from Saturn equinox in August 2009 to July 2013. As shown previously, the southern and northern oscillation periods converged across equinox from ~10.8 h and ~10.6 h, respectively, during southern summer, to closely common values ~10.7 h approximately 1 year after equinox. Near coalescence is judged to have occurred approximately 3 months earlier in the SKR data, centered in late June 2010, than in the magnetic data, in late September, though SKR periods were particularly difficult to determine during this interval due to less clearly modulated emissions. Both data sets agree, however, that by early November 2010 the two periods had separated again but remained closely spaced with a difference in period of ~3 min about a mean of ~10.67 h, with the southern period remaining longer than the northern. Thus, no enduring reversal of the northern and southern periods took place following near coalescence in mid‐2010, the periods remaining uncrossed to the end of the interval studied here. The SKR modulations also show effects related to the sharp amplitude changes observed in the magnetic oscillation data at ~100–200 day intervals since February 2011, though the correspondences are not exact, indicating that other factors such as “seeing” effects on the variable Cassini orbit are also involved. Postequinox variations in the relative phase between the magnetic and SKR oscillations are also shown to be related to changes in orbit apoapsis orientation.
Costs Associated With Severe and Nonsevere Systemic Lupus Erythematosus in Canada
Authors: Clarke Ann E. , Urowitz Murray B. , Monga Neerav , Hanly John G.
Published: September 2014

Objective

To evaluate the annual direct medical cost of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in Canada by disease severity and to estimate the incremental cost associated with disease severity and flares.

Methods

Medical charts of consecutive patients seen in 3 SLE‐specialized treatment centers between July 2007 and June 2008 were retrospectively assessed for disease severity at baseline and for disease activity and health care resource utilization over the following 2 years (±6 months). Annual cost was stratified by disease severity at baseline. Two‐year cost was compared for patients with and without flares over 2 years. Multiple linear regression was used to determine the associations between annual cost and SLE severity, and between 2‐year cost and the number and type of flare (mild/moderate versus severe).

Results

A total of 109 active SLE patients (94% women, mean age 41.4 years, mean disease duration 11.3 years, 56 patients with severe disease) were studied. The average annual direct medical cost was $10,608 Canadian (2010 dollars) and was higher for patients with severe disease, $15,048 versus $5,917 (P < 0.001). The 2‐year direct cost for patients with at least 1 flare was $22,633 versus $11,113 (P = 0.028) for patients without flares. The mean incremental annual cost was $7,007 (95% confidence interval [95% CI] $3,487, $13,048) for an SLE patient with severe disease, and the 2‐year mean incremental cost was $5,848 (95% CI $2,919, $8,777) for each additional severe flare.

Conclusion

The direct health care cost of SLE patients in Canada is influenced by disease severity and the type and frequency of flares.
Development of Functional Impairment and Disability in Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients Followed for 20 Years: Relation to Disease Activity, Joint Damage, and Comorbidity
Authors: Kapetanovic Meliha C. , Lindqvist Elisabet , Nilsson Jan‐Åke , Geborek Pierre , Saxne Tore , Eberhardt Kerstin
Published: September 2014

Objective

To study the course of impairment measured by Signals of Functional Impairment (SOFI) and disability measured by the Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) over 20 years in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients followed from the time of diagnosis, and to explore the contribution of disease activity, joint damage, and comorbidity to variation of SOFI and HAQ over time.

Methods

Patients diagnosed with RA from 1985–1989 were prospectively monitored. There were 183 patients, 63% women, mean ± SD age 52 ± 12 years. Disease activity was measured by the 44‐joint Disease Activity Score (DAS), joint damage by Larsen score, and comorbidity by the Charlson Comorbidity Index. The contribution of comorbidity, DAS, and joint damage on development of SOFI and HAQ was studied at 0, 5, 10, 15, and 20 years followup (hierarchical regression model) and over the total study period using a longitudinal regression model.

Results

SOFI progressed over 20 years while progression of HAQ levelled off after 10 years. For SOFI, DAS and joint damage contributed the most (2–28% and 3–31%, respectively). Over 20 years, SOFI was explained by DAS (20%), joint damage (20%), age (7%), and comorbidity (4%). For HAQ, DAS contributed the most (4–24%). Over 20 years, HAQ was explained by DAS (20%), joint damage (2%), sex (7%), comorbidity (6%), and age (4%).

Conclusion

Over 20 years, 51% of the variation of SOFI and 39% of the variation of HAQ could be explained by age, sex, variations in comorbidity, disease activity, and joint damage. Over time, disease activity contributed significantly to both SOFI and HAQ. Joint damage contributed predominantly to SOFI.
Perspectives of Vulnerable US Hispanics With Rheumatoid Arthritis on Depression: Awareness, Barriers to Disclosure, and Treatment Options
Authors: Withers Mellissa , Moran Rosalinda , Nicassio Perry , Weisman Michael H. , Karpouzas George A.
Published: September 2014

Objective

Despite the high prevalence of depression among vulnerable Hispanics with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), many do not disclose it or seek treatment. This study explored patient perceptions of depression, its association with their primary disease, barriers to disclosure, reasons for low utilization of mental health care resources, and culturally acceptable intervention approaches.

Methods

Semistructured interviews were conducted with 46 participants with RA. Depression was evaluated using Patient Health Questionnaire 9 (PHQ‐9).

Results

Thirty‐three percent of participants were moderately depressed at the time of the interview, based on PHQ‐9 score ≥10; 12 of 46 patients (26%) stated they were depressed regardless of PHQ‐9 score. Depression was perceived as a long‐term, severe problem leading to suicide. It was associated with weakness and character flaws, contributing to stigma and reduced likelihood of disclosure. Antidepressants were not acceptable; self‐reliance and interventions incorporating interpersonal connections were preferred. Systems‐related barriers to disclosure included lack of verbal screening, language barriers, limited clinic visit time, and lack of continuity of care, restricting trust with providers.

Conclusion

Rectifying misconceptions, as well as providing education regarding the association between RA and depression, the continuum of symptoms, and the range of experiences incurred are needed to facilitate earlier recognition and reduce stigma. Use, duration, and goals of antidepressant therapy should be clarified. Providers should strive to establish trust and conduct in‐person depression screening to facilitate disclosure. Interventions with an interpersonal component, such as support groups or patient navigators, were preferred. Themes emphasizing coping strategies, stress reduction, positive thinking, self‐efficacy, and resiliency are likely to be most acceptable.
The Association Between Low Socioeconomic Status With High Physical Limitations and Low Illness Self‐Perception in Patients With Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis: Results From the Childhood Arthritis Prospective Study
Authors: Verstappen Suzanne M. M. , Cobb Joanna , Foster Helen E. , Fu Bo , Baildam Eileen , Wedderburn Lucy R. , Davidson Joyce E. , Ioannou John , Chieng Alice , Hyrich Kimme L. , Thomson Wendy
Published: September 2014

Objective

To examine the association between socioeconomic status (SES) and delay to a pediatric rheumatology clinic, disease severity, and illness perception in patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis in England.

Methods

Using the Index of Multiple Deprivation, 923 consecutive children from the Childhood Arthritis Prospective Study were assigned to SES groups: high‐SES (19.1%), middle‐SES (44.5%), or low‐SES (36.4%). At baseline, disease activity was assessed, and the Childhood Health Assessment Questionnaire (C‐HAQ), the Illness Perception Questionnaire, and the Child Health Questionnaire, version Parent Form 50, were completed. Linear median regression analyses or zero‐inflated negative binominal (ZINB) regression analyses were used.

Results

Delay to first pediatric rheumatology consultation was the same between the 3 SES groups. Although disease activity scores assessed by the pediatric rheumatologist did not differ between the 3 SES groups, persons in the low‐SES group recorded higher C‐HAQ scores compared to the high‐SES group (zero‐inflated part of ZINB odds ratio 0.28 [95% confidence interval (95% CI) 0.14, 0.55], count part of ZINB β 0.26 [95% CI 0.05, 0.48]). Parents with low SES also reported more often that their children's school work or activities with friends had been limited. Furthermore, the low‐SES group had a worse perception about the consequences of the disease and the effect of treatment than those in the high‐SES group.

Conclusion

Patients from a low‐SES background report more problems with daily activities and have a lower perception of the consequences of the disease than patients from a high‐SES background, warranting special attention from a multidisciplinary team.
Core–Shell Structured High‐k Polymer Nanocomposites for Energy Storage and Dielectric Applications
Authors: Huang Xingyi , Jiang Pingkai
Published: September 2014

High‐k polymer nanocomposites have considerable potential in energy storage and dielectric applications because of their ease of processing, flexibility, and low cost. Core–shell nanoarchitecture strategies are versatile and powerful tools for the design and synthesis of advanced high‐k polymer nanocomposites. Recent and in‐progress state‐of‐the‐art advancements in the application of core–shell nanoarchitecture strategies to design and prepare high‐k polymer nanocomposites are summarized. Special focus is directed to emphasizing their advantages over conventional melt‐mixing and solution‐mixing methods: first, homogeneous nanoparticle dispersion can be easily achieved even in highly loaded nanocomposites; second, the dielectric constant of the nanocomposites can be effectively enhanced and meanwhile the high breakdown strength can be well‐preserved; third, for nanocomposites filled with electrically conductive nanoparticles, dielectric loss can be effectively surpressed, and meanwhile a high dielectric constant can be achieved. In addition, fundamental insights into the roles of the interfaces on the dielectric properties of the nanocomposites can be probed. The last part of the article is concluded with current problems and future perspectives of utilizing the core–shell nanoarchitecture strategies for the development of high‐k polymer nanocomposites.
pseudo Enantiomeric Carbohydrate Olefin Ligands – Case Study and Application in Kinetic Resolution in Rhodium(I)‐Catalysed 1,4‐Addition
Authors: Grugel Holger , Albrecht Fabian , Boysen Mike M. K.
Published: September 2014

In order to investigate significant differences in asymmetric induction for pseudo enantiomeric carbohydrate olefin ligands in rhodium(I)‐catalysed 1,4‐addition reactions, we designed a set of new olefin ligands differing in relative configuration and pyranoside conformation. With these, we have successfully elucidated structural requirements for metal binding and also identified an improved alternative for one pseudo enantiomer. Furthermore, we report the efficient kinetic resolution of a racemic 4‐hydroxycyclopentenone derivative by 1,4‐addition.

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Hydroaminomethylation of Olefins with Aminomethyltrifluoroborate by Photoredox Catalysis
Authors: Miyazawa Kazuki , Koike Takashi , Akita Munetaka
Published: September 2014

A photocatalytic hydroaminomethylation of olefins with N‐protected aminomethyltrifluoroborates has been developed. This methodology provides a new strategy for the introduction of a primary aminomethyl group onto electron‐deficient CC bonds. This reaction constitutes a facile entry into synthetically useful γ‐aminobutyric acid (GABA) derivatives such as baclofen.

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α,α‐Dichlorination of Oxindole Derivatives Using (Dichloroiodo)benzene
Authors: Murphy Graham K. , Abbas Farhana Z. , Poulton Amy V.
Published: September 2014

Use of the hypervalent aryl‐λ3‐iodane reagent iodobenzene dichloride (PhICl2) in the α‐carbonyl dichlorination of 2‐oxindoles is reported. Treating a series of diversely substituted 3‐diazo‐2‐oxindoles with PhICl2 in the presence of pyridine, a Lewis base iodane‐activator, results in 3,3‐dichloro‐2‐oxindole products. Activation of PhICl2 is key to the chlorination proceeding rapidly, chemoselectively and in good to excellent yields. This investigation represents a novel approach to the synthesis of 3,3‐disubstituted‐2‐oxindoles, and illustrates the compatibility of the ligand‐transfer reaction with the 2‐oxindole scaffold.

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Copper‐Free Sonogashira Coupling Reaction Catalyzed by PVC‐Supported Triazine Palladium(II) Complex Under Aerobic Conditions
Authors: Bakherad Mohammad , Keivanloo Ali , Hadi Amene , Siavoshi Maesoume
Published: September 2014

A PVC‐supported triazine palladium(II) complex is a highly active catalyst for the copper‐free Sonogashira coupling of aryl halides with terminal alkynes at room temperature under aerobic conditions. This phosphine‐free heterogeneous palladium catalyst can be easily recovered from the products and reused many times.
Untersuchung schwacher Protein‐Ligand‐Wechselwirkungen mithilfe langlebiger NMR‐Zustände: verbesserter Kontrast für das fragmentbasierte Wirkstoffscreening
Authors: Buratto Roberto , Mammoli Daniele , Chiarparin Elisabetta , Williams Glyn , Bodenhausen Geoffrey
Published: September 2014

Die vorteilhaften Eigenschaften langlebige Zustände (LLS, “long‐lived states”) in der NMR‐Spektroskopie ermöglichen ein effizientes Affinitätsscreening von Substanzbibliotheken. Wir beschreiben hier die Anwendung der LLS in kompetitiven Bindungsstudien, um präzise auch schwache Bindungskonstanten von Fragmenten an die ATP‐Bindungsstelle der N‐terminalen ATPase‐Domäne des Hitzeschockproteins 90 (Hsp90), einem therapeutischen Ansatzpunkt in der Krebstherapie, zu bestimmen. Der LLS‐Ansatz ermöglicht es, Liganden über einen außergewöhnlich weiten Bereich von Affinitäten aufzuspüren, denn er kann auch bei Ligandenkonzentrationen [L], die einige Größenordnungen kleiner als die DissoziationskonstantenKDsind, verwendet werden. Diese Eigenschaft macht das LLS‐Experiment besonders für die erste Stufe des fragmentbasierten Screenings attraktiv, in dem kleine Moleküle (Fragmente) mit geringer Bindungsneigung identifiziert werden müssen, was mit allen anderen biophysikalischen Methoden nur schwer gelingt.
Disease Activity in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Correlates With Expression of the Transcription Factor AT‐Rich–Interactive Domain 3A
Authors: Ward Julie M. , Rose Kira , Montgomery Courtney , Adrianto Indra , James Judith A. , Merrill Joan T. , Webb Carol F.
Published: September 2014

Objective

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a complex and multifactorial autoimmune disease with striking clinical, immunologic, and genetic heterogeneity, despite nearly ubiquitous antinuclear antibody (ANA) production. Multiple gene polymorphisms have been associated with the disease, but these individually account for only a very small percentage of overall SLE risk. In earlier studies, constitutive expression of the DNA‐binding protein AT‐rich–interactive domain 3A (ARID3a) in transgenic mouse B lymphocyte lineage cells led to spontaneous ANA production and preferential development of B cells associated with production of polyreactive antibodies. Therefore, we undertook this study to determine whether ARID3a was overexpressed in B lymphocytes of SLE patients and whether ARID3a expression was associated with disease severity.

Methods

A cross‐section of SLE patients, rheumatoid arthritis patients, and age‐ and sex‐matched controls was analyzed longitudinally for lupus disease activity, numbers of ARID3a+ peripheral blood mononuclear B cells from multiple B cell subsets, and immunoglobulin and cytokine levels.

Results

Fifty of 115 SLE patients (43%) had dramatically increased numbers of ARID3a+ B cells compared to healthy controls. ARID3a was not expressed in naive B cells of healthy controls, but was abundant in these precursors of antibody‐secreting cells in SLE patients. Total numbers of ARID3a+ B cells correlated with increased disease activity as defined by SLE Disease Activity Index scores in individuals assessed at 3 time points.

Conclusion

These findings identify B cell anomalies in SLE that allow stratification of patient samples based on ARID3a expression and implicate ARID3a as a potential marker of CD19+ B lymphocytes correlated with disease activity.
Meta‐Analysis of Assay Sensitivity and Study Features in Clinical Trials of Pharmacologic Treatments for Osteoarthritis Pain
Authors: Dworkin Robert H. , Turk Dennis C. , Peirce‐Sandner Sarah , He Hua , McDermott Michael P. , Hochberg Marc C. , Jordan Joanne M. , Katz Nathaniel P. , Lin Allison H. , Neogi Tuhina , Rappaport Bob A. , Simon Lee S. , Strand Vibeke
Published: September 2014

Objective

To identify patient, study, and site factors associated with assay sensitivity in clinical trials of pharmacologic treatments for osteoarthritis (OA) pain.

Methods

We examined associations between study characteristics and the standardized effect size (SES) in a database of 171 publicly available randomized clinical trials of pharmacologic treatment for OA pain. The included trials 1) evaluated oral, topical, or transdermal treatments, 2) had treatment durations of ≥7 days, 3) used parallel‐group or crossover designs, 4) included patients with OA of the knee, hip, and/or hand, and 5) were placebo controlled and double blind. Crossover trials were excluded, because complete information was available for only 2 of 20 treatment conditions.

Results

There was considerable heterogeneity in the SES among the examined trials. A multiple meta‐regression analysis indicated that trials with shorter treatment period durations and those that did not permit concomitant analgesics had significantly greater assay sensitivity. In univariate analyses of efficacious treatments, trials conducted outside North America and those with a minimum baseline pain intensity score (as defined by the inclusion criterion) of ≥40 (0–100 scale) had a significantly larger SES, although these relationships were not significant in the multiple meta‐regression analysis.

Conclusion

The analyses examined potentially modifiable correlates of study SES and showed that longer treatment durations and allowing concomitant analgesics in randomized clinical trials of OA pain are associated with reduced assay sensitivity. These data provide a foundation for investigating strategies to improve assay sensitivity and thereby decrease the likelihood of false‐negative outcomes in randomized clinical trials of efficacious treatments for OA pain.
The Effect of Goal Difficulty on Escalation of Commitment
Authors: Lee Jong Seok , Keil Mark , Wong Kin Fai Ellick
Published: September 2014

Escalation of commitment to a failing course of action is a problem in behavioral decision making that occurs across a wide range of social contexts. In this research, we show that examining escalation of commitment from a goal setting theory perspective provides fresh insights into how goal difficulty influences escalation of commitment. Specifically, through a series of two experiments, we found a curvilinear relationship between goal difficulty and post‐feedback goal commitment, which was mediated by valence and expectancy associated with goal attainment. In turn, it is commitment to goals that leads individuals to continue a previous course of action despite negative feedback. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Simple processes for optimized growth and harvest of Ettlia sp. by pH control using CO2 and light irradiation
Authors: Yoo Chan , La Hyun‐Joon , Kim Sun‐Chang , Oh Hee‐Mock
Published: September 2014

Microalgae cultures show wide range of pH depending on the availability of light and CO2 for their strain specific photosynthesis. Thus, the modulation of light irradiation and CO2 supply can be applied for the pH control of microalgae cultures. The optimal pH of Ettlia sp. YC001, for phototrophic growth and auto‐flocculation was investigated by controlling light irradiation and 10% CO2 supply. Ettlia sp. YC001 showed the highest biomass productivity, 96.7 mg L−1 d−1, at pH 8.5. The flocculating activity of Ettlia sp. YC001 showed a sigmoid pattern with pH increase and was above 70% at pH 10.5. Based on these differentiated optimal pH regimes for the growth and flocculation, an integrated process consisting of cultivation and settling vessels was proposed. The integrated process demonstrated that high flocculation activity of Ettlia sp. YC001 could be achieved in the settling vessel with various hydraulic retention times by only irradiation of light to maintain high pH while maintaining the optimal growth in cultivation vessel with the light irradiation and CO2 supply at pH 8.5. Thus, the proposed strategy for pH control would provide a simple, cost‐effective, and flexible design and operation for microalgae cultivation‐harvest systems. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2015;112: 288–296. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Transdifferentiation of chondrocytes into neuron‐like cells induced by neuronal lineage specifying growth factors
Authors: Greene Carol Ann , Green Colin R. , Sherwin Trevor
Published: September 2014

We previously reported that neural‐crest‐derived stromal cells from adult human and rat corneas can differentiate into neuron‐like cells when treated with neuronal lineage specifying growth factors. However, it remains unclear whether this level of cell plasticity is unique to the corneal stromal cell population present in the eye. In this study, non‐neural‐crest‐derived chondrocytes from the xiphosternum of adult rats were subjected to the same differentiation protocol. Cells of the adult rat xiphosternum can also differentiate into neuron‐like cells when treated with neurogenic differentiation specifying growth factors. After 1 week in neurogenic differentiation culture conditions, the chondrocytes changed from a round to a stellate morphology and started to express neuron‐specific protein neurofilament‐200 (NF‐200), microtubule associated protein‐2 (Map‐2), and β‐III tubulin. Lineage‐specifying growth factors can affect changes in morphology and protein expression of adult cells in culture, findings that challenge the notion of a restricted differentiation potential of adult cell populations and questions the stability of the differentiated state of cells.
Oil|Water Interfacial Phosphate Transfer Facilitated by Boronic Acid: Observation of Unusually Fast Oil|Water Lateral Charge Transport
Authors: Li Meng , Lewis Grace E. M. , James Tony D. , Long Yi‐Tao , Kasprzyk‐Hordern Barbara , Mitchels John M. , Marken Frank
Published: September 2014

Anion transfer for highly hydrophilic phosphate and hydroxide anions into a water‐immiscible organic phase, 3‐(4‐phenylpropyl)‐pyridine (or PPP), is driven with the tetraphenylporphyrinato manganese(II/III) (or TPPMn) redox system and facilitated with a hydrophobic oil‐based boronic acid ((3‐(1,3‐dioxo‐6‐propylamino‐1H‐benzo[de]isoquinolin‐2(3 H)‐yl)phenyl)boronic acid). Both 1) experiments with random arrays of microdroplets (transient) and 2) experiments in a gold–gold dual‐plate oil‐filled microtrench generator‐collector configuration (approaching steady state), show that phosphate transfer is facilitated by boronic acid. At pH 7.5 a switch in mechanism occurs from phosphate transfer to hydroxide transfer. Accelerated charge transport is observed lateral to the oil|water interface. Improved boronic acid facilitators and nanotrench electrodes are discussed in terms of future feasibility for phosphate sensing applications.
Two‐dimensional motility of a macrophage cell line on microcontact‐printed fibronectin
Authors: Hind Laurel E. , Mackay Joanna L. , Cox Dianne , Hammer Daniel A.
Published: September 2014

The ability of macrophages to migrate to sites of infection and inflammation is critical for their role in the innate immune response. Macrophage cell lines have made it possible to study the roles of individual proteins responsible for migration using molecular biology, but it has not been possible to reliably elicit the motility of macrophage cell lines in two dimensions. In the past, measurements of the motility of macrophage cell lines have been largely limited to transwell assays which provide limited quantitative information on motility and limited ability to visualize cell morphology. We used microcontact printing to create polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) surfaces functionalized with fibronectin that otherwise support little macrophage adhesion. We used these surfaces to measure macrophage migration in two dimensions and found that these cells migrate efficiently in a uniform field of colony‐stimulating factor‐1, CSF‐1. Knockdown of Cdc42 led to a nonstatistically significant reduction in motility, whereas chemical inhibition of PI3K activity led to a complete loss of motility. Inhibition of the RhoA kinase, ROCK, did not abolish the motility of these cells but caused a quantitative change in motility, reducing motility significantly on high concentrations of fibronectin but not on low concentrations. This study illustrates the importance of studying cell motility on well controlled materials to better understand the exact roles of specific proteins on cell migration. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Clinico‐morphological features of BRAF inhibition–induced proliferative skin lesions in cancer patients
Authors: Belum Viswanath Reddy , Rosen Alyx C. , Jaimes Natalia , Dranitsaris George , Pulitzer Melissa P. , Busam Klaus J. , Marghoob Ashfaq A. , Carvajal Richard D. , Chapman Paul B. , Lacouture Mario E.
Published: September 2014

BACKGROUND

The use of BRAF inhibitors may lead to the development of cutaneous toxicities such as rashes, photosensitivity, alopecia, palmoplantar erythrodysesthesia, and proliferative skin lesions, including keratoacanthomas (KAs) and cutaneous squamous cell carcinomas (cuSCCs). The latter are noteworthy for their potential to exhibit malignant features, and they may necessitate invasive treatment. Their prompt identification is of primary importance for directing supportive care efforts and maintaining dose intensity while minimizing the morbidity associated with supportive care interventions. Because such lesions are less familiar to oncologists, this study was designed to characterize their clinico‐morphological features, which have not been hitherto described.

METHODS

The clinical and dermoscopic characteristics and risk factors of new‐onset proliferative skin lesions (benign verrucous lesions and KAs/cuSCCs) developing after the initiation of treatment with vemurafenib, dabrafenib, and XL281 were analyzed; the histopathological diagnoses were ascertained.

RESULTS

The majority of the lesions were benign verrucous lesions (78%, n = 87), whereas KAs/cuSCCs represented 22% (n = 25). The median times to biopsy for the initial verrucous lesions and KAs/cuSCCs were 4.8 and 10.5 weeks, respectively. The clinico‐morphological features significant for KAs/cuSCCs included a larger size (P < .001), a nodular appearance (P < .001), a central keratin plug (P < .001), a central ulceration or crust (P = .04), an adherent scale (P = .02), an erythematous halo (P = .03), and a scaly ring (collarette; P < .001) at the periphery.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings represent the first detailed description of the clinico‐morphological characteristics that permit distinction between the benign and malignant skin lesions induced by BRAF inhibitors. They are valuable for the recognition of lesions that require intervention and/or a dermatology referral versus those that permit provisional monitoring. Cancer 2015;121:60–68. © 2014 American Cancer Society.
Function of Metals and Supports on the Hydrodeoxygenation of Phenolic Compounds
Authors: Deepa Ayillath K. , Dhepe Paresh L.
Published: September 2014

Hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) is an important process for removing oxygen from lignin‐derived phenolic monomers to obtain chemicals that can be used as fuel or fuel additives. A systematic study is performed to check the effects of supports (acidic, neutral, basic) and noble metals (Pd, Pt, Ru) on the HDO of phenol, guaiacol, and eugenol. Evaluation of the combinations of metals and supports under the similar reaction conditions shows that the metals supported on a highly acidic support (SiO2‐Al2O3) yield complete hydrogenation products with the possibility of CO bond cleavage to achieve a real HDO activity, whereas on a mildly acidic support (γ‐Al2O3), a complicated product distribution is achieved, and neutral (C) and basic (HT) supports give restricted hydrogenation activity but yield the products with very high selectivity. On the basis of the results, reaction pathways are suggested and deliberated. The catalysts show reproducible activity in recycle runs. The catalysts are characterized by various techniques (XRD, TEM, TPD, ICP‐OES) to establish the catalyst activity–property relationship.
From Gene Towards Selective Biomass Valorization: Bacterial β‐Etherases with Catalytic Activity on Lignin‐Like Polymers
Authors: Picart Pere , Müller Christoph , Mottweiler Jakob , Wiermans Lotte , Bolm Carsten , Domínguez de María Pablo , Schallmey Anett
Published: September 2014

Microbial β‐etherases, which selectively cleave the β‐O‐4 aryl ether linkage present in lignin, hold great promise for future applications in lignin valorization. However, very few members have been reported so far and little is known about these enzymes. By using a database mining approach, four novel bacterial β‐etherases were identified, recombinantly produced in Escherichia coli, and investigated together with known β‐etherases in the conversion of various lignin and non‐lignin‐type model compounds. The resulting activities revealed the significant influence of the substituents at the phenyl ring adjacent to the ether bond. Finally, β‐etherase activity on polymeric substrates, measured by using a fluorescently labeled synthetic lignin, was also proven; this underlined the applicability of the enzymes for the conversion of lignin into renewable chemicals.