bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Synthesis, Crystal Structures, and Magnetic Properties of Heterodimetallic RuIII–3d Coordination Compounds Based on a Meridional Tricyanoruthenium(III) Building Block
Authors: Xiang Jing , Jia Li‐Hui , Wang Hui‐Sheng , Peng Shie‐Ming , Gao Song , Lau Tai‐Chu
Published: January 2015

The synthesis, crystal structures, and magnetic properties of three cyano‐bridged heterodimetallic compounds prepared from the paramagnetic RuIII building block mer‐[RuIII(CN‐sap)(CN)3]2– (1) are described. Complex 1 reacts with [MnII(LN5)(Cl)(H2O)]Cl and [MnII(bipy)2(Cl)2] (bipy = bipyridine) to produce the 1D zigzag chain {[RuIII(CN‐sap)(CN)](μ‐CN)2[MnII(LN5)]·3MeOH}n {2; LN5 = 2,13‐dimethyl‐3,6,9,12,18‐pentaazabicyclo[12.3.1]octadeca‐1(18),2,12,14,16‐pentaene, CN‐sapH2 = 2‐hydroxy‐N‐(2‐hydroxyphenyl)benzimidoyl cyanide} and the octanuclear compound {[RuIII(CN‐sap)(CN)](μ‐CN)2[MnII(bipy)(MeOH)][RuIII(CN‐sap)](μ‐CN)3[MnII(bipy)2]}2·8MeOH (3), respectively. The MnII centers have a pentagonal‐bipyramidal environment in 2 and a distorted octahedral environment in 3. Complex 1 reacts with [NiII(cyclen)(Cl)2] (cyclen = 1,4,7,10‐tetraazacyclododecane) in MeOH to produce the molecular square {[RuIII(CN‐sap)(CN)](μ‐CN)2[NiII(cyclen)]}2·8MeOH (4). Compounds 2 and 3 exhibit antiferromagnetic coupling between the RuIII and MnII centers, whereas 4 exhibits ferromagnetic coupling between the RuIII and NiII centers through the cyano bridges.
Copper(II) Complexes of 2,2′:6′,2″‐Terpyridine Derivatives for Catalytic Aerobic Alcohol Oxidations – Observation of Mixed‐Valence CuICuII Assembles
Authors: Zhang Guoqi , Liu E , Yang Chengxiong , Li Li , Golen James A. , Rheingold Arnold L.
Published: January 2015

The reactions of copper(II) salts with simple terpyridine (tpy) ligands gave mononuclear monoligand complexes 1–3, of which two new structures have been characterized by X‐ray crystallography. These complexes were applied as catalysts for the oxidation of benzylic alcohol to benzaldehyde in air in the presence of the radical 2,2,6,6‐tetramethylpiperidinyl‐1‐oxyl (TEMPO). Copper complexes 1 and 2 are efficient catalysts for the reactions in water at 70 °C with 4‐dimethylaminopyridine (DMAP) as an extra base. The influence of TEMPO on the formation of new reactive intermediates during the catalytic reactions was tentatively investigated by introducing TEMPO into the reaction solutions of tpy derivatives with copper dichloride. Two new complexes with interesting solid‐state structures resulting from these reactions have been isolated and characterized. The coordination reactions in the presence of TEMPO led to new mixed‐valence CuICuII supramolecular assembles (4 and 5), although they adopt either discrete complex or 1D polymeric structures. Further catalytic studies indicated that the mixed‐valence assembles 4 and 5 displayed higher catalytic activity than those of the mononuclear complexes under milder conditions. The relationship between the molecular structures of diverse copper complexes and their reactivity is discussed on the basis of the results obtained.
Soft compartmentalization: Combining droplet‐based microfluidics with freely accessible cells
Authors: Eicher Dominic , Ramanathan Nirupama , Merten Christoph A.
Published: January 2015

Droplet‐based microfluidics allows the generation and manipulation of many independent microreactors (pico‐ to nanoliter volumes) optionally hosting human cells. However, one limitation is that mammalian cells within droplets are not fully accessible from outside. The contents of the plugs cannot be completely exchanged so that washing steps for immunoassays are not possible. Additionally, imaging of cells is difficult because cells move within the volume of the plugs. Here, we present an approach in which droplets are used for the specific delivery of compounds across a 150 μm thick polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) membrane to cells grown on the opposite side of this thin membrane, resulting in spatially separated, parallelizable assays. As a first application, we used this setup to compartmentalize tetracycline within droplets and incubating them in a long channel for 16 h, after which the plugs were flushed out of the channels. Tetracycline diffused into the PDMS membrane and induced the expression of green fluorescent protein in HeLa cells within a large, freely accessible population in a pattern corresponding to the original positions of tetracycline droplets. This should allow the combination of droplet‐based microfluidics with cell‐based assays requiring long incubation times, studies of cell–cell interactions, and chemotaxis.
Acrylamide‐induced carcinogenicity in mouse lung involves mutagenicity: cII gene mutations in the lung of big blue mice exposed to acrylamide and glycidamide for up to 4 weeks
Authors: Manjanatha Mugimane G. , Guo Li‐Wu , Shelton Sharon D. , Doerge Daniel R.
Published: January 2015

Potential health risks for humans from exposure to acrylamide (AA) and its epoxide metabolite glycidamide (GA) have garnered much attention lately because substantial amounts of AA are present in a variety of fried and baked starchy foods. AA is tumorigenic in rodents, and a large number of in vitro and in vivo studies indicate that AA is genotoxic. A recent cancer bioassay on AA demonstrated that the lung was one of the target organs for tumor induction in mice; however, the mutagenicity of AA in this tissue is unclear. Therefore, to investigate whether or not gene mutation is involved in the etiology of AA‐ or GA‐induced mouse lung carcinogenicity, we screened for cII mutant frequency (MF) in lungs from male and female Big Blue (BB) mice administered 0, 1.4, and 7.0 mM AA or GA in drinking water for up to 4 weeks (19–111 mg/kg bw/days). Both doses of AA and GA produced significant increases in cII MFs, with the high doses producing responses 2.7–5.6‐fold higher than the corresponding controls (P ≤ 0.05; control MFs = 17.2 ± 2.2 and 15.8 ± 3.5 × 10−6 in males and females, respectively). Molecular analysis of the mutants from high doses indicated that AA and GA produced similar mutation spectra and that these spectra were significantly different from the spectra in control mice (P ≤ 0.01). The predominant types of mutations in the lung cII gene from AA‐ and GA‐treated mice were A:T → T:A, and G:C → C:G transversions, and −1/+1 frameshifts at a homopolymeric run of Gs. The MFs and types of mutations induced by AA and GA in the lung are consistent with AA exerting its genotoxicity via metabolism to GA. These results suggest that AA is a mutagenic carcinogen in mouse lungs and therefore further studies on its potential health risk to humans are warranted. Environ. Mol. Mutagen. 56:446–456, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Resource allocation and power control based on user grouping for underlay device‐to‐device communications in cellular networks
Authors: Dinh‐Van Son , Shin Yoan , Shin Oh‐Soon
Published: January 2015

Device‐to‐device (D2D) communications have emerged as a promising solution that can enable new wireless local services and can enhance the performance of wireless services in cellular networks. However, D2D links in a cellular network are difficult to establish because of mutual interference between cellular and D2D transmissions. Hence, it is of primary importance to devise a radio resource allocation scheme that can maximise the spectrum utilisation and at the same time minimise the impact of interference. In this article, we propose a novel resource allocation method for D2D communications underlaying cellular networks. The proposed method divides D2D pairs into several groups and allows spatially separated D2D users to belong to the same group so that they can exploit the same resource. An appropriate cellular device is selected to share its uplink resources with the D2D pairs in each group in such a way that an adequate signal‐to‐interference‐plus‐noise ratio for both cellular and D2D links can be guaranteed. We also propose a power control strategy for D2D links in order to maximise the number of D2D pairs that can be served. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Location‐based information transmission systems using visible light communications
Authors: Ho Siu‐Wai , Duan Jialong , Chen Chung Shue
Published: January 2015

Lighting systems are undergoing a revolution from fluorescent lamps or tubes to light emitting diodes that offer greater energy efficiency and a longer lifetime. This paper considers using these light sources to provide other benefits. The proposed system has low deployment cost and most importantly, it uses the unique characteristics of visible light to complement existing wireless communication systems. This paper outlines a system design with three features. First, it can provide a provable and secure wireless communication capability. In particular, a user is authenticated according to his or her location. Second, it includes indoor positioning systems with high precision. Finally, it also supports information broadcast with a high frequency reuse factor. This paper provides both experimental and theoretical results. We build the mathematical framework for the analysis of visible light positioning systems. Experimental results and analysis are given to explain the concerns of light sensors in a mobile phone for building an indoor positioning system. A novel authentication system based on users' locations is proposed. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Estimating the age of healthy infants from quantitative myelin water fraction maps
Authors: Dean Douglas C. , O'Muircheartaigh Jonathan , Dirks Holly , Waskiewicz Nicole , Lehman Katie , Walker Lindsay , Piryatinsky Irene , Deoni Sean C.L.
Published: January 2015

The trajectory of the developing brain is characterized by a sequence of complex, nonlinear patterns that occur at systematic stages of maturation. Although significant prior neuroimaging research has shed light on these patterns, the challenge of accurately characterizing brain maturation, and identifying areas of accelerated or delayed development, remains. Altered brain development, particularly during the earliest stages of life, is believed to be associated with many neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders. In this work, we develop a framework to construct voxel‐wise estimates of brain age based on magnetic resonance imaging measures sensitive to myelin content. 198 myelin water fraction (VFM) maps were acquired from healthy male and female infants and toddlers, 3 to 48 months of age, and used to train a sigmoidal‐based maturational model. The validity of the approach was then established by testing the model on 129 different VFM datasets. Results revealed the approach to have high accuracy, with a mean absolute percent error of 13% in males and 14% in females, and high predictive ability, with correlation coefficients between estimated and true ages of 0.945 in males and 0.94 in females. This work represents a new approach toward mapping brain maturity, and may provide a more faithful staging of brain maturation in infants beyond chronological or gestation‐corrected age, allowing earlier identification of atypical regional brain development. Hum Brain Mapp 36:1233–1244, 2015. © 2015 The Authors Human Brain Mapping Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Interaction of 1,3,2,4‐Benzodithiadiazines with Aromatic Phosphines and Phosphites
Authors: Grayfer Tatiana D. , Makarov Alexander Yu. , Bagryanskaya Irina Yu. , Irtegova Irina G. , Gatilov Yuri V. , Zibarev Andrey V.
Published: January 2015

Although an interaction between hydrocarbon and fluorocarbon 1,3,2,4‐benzodithiadiazines (1 ) and P(C6H5)3 continuously produces chiral 1,2,3‐benzodithiadiazol‐2‐yl iminophosporanes (2; in this work, 5,7‐difluoro derivative 2a ) via 1:1 condensation, an interaction between 1 and other PR3 reagents gives different products. With R  OC6H5 and both hydrocarbon and fluorocarbon 1, only X=P(OC6H5)3 (X = S, O) were identified in the complex reaction mixtures by 13С and 31Р NMR and GC‐MS. With R = C6F5, no interaction with the archetypal 1 was observed but catalytic addition of atmospheric water to the heterocycle afforded 2‐amino‐N‐sulfinylbenzenesulfenamide (4 ). With electrophilic B(C6F5)3 instead of nucleophilic P(C6F5)3, only adduct H3N→B(C6F5)3 and a new polymorph of C6F5B(OH)2 were isolated and identified by X‐ray diffraction (XRD). A molecular structure of 2a was confirmed by XRD, and the π‐stacked orientation of one of phenyl groups and heterocyclic moiety was observed. This structure is in general agreement with that calculated at the RI‐MP2 level of theory, as well as at three different levels of DFT theory with the PBE and B3LYP functionals. Mild thermolysis of 2a in a dilute decane solution gave persistent 5,7‐difluoro‐1,2,3‐benzodithiazolyl (3a ) identified by EPR in combination with DFT calculations.
Modulation of hepatic lipid metabolism by olive oil and its phenols in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease
Authors: Priore Paola , Cavallo Alessandro , Gnoni Antonio , Damiano Fabrizio , Gnoni Gabriele V. , Siculella Luisa
Published: January 2015

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) represents the most common chronic liver disease in western countries, being considered the hepatic manifestation of metabolic syndrome. Cumulative lines of evidence suggest that olive oil, used as primary source of fat by Mediterranean populations, may play a key role in the observed health benefits on NAFLD. In this review, we summarize the state of the art of the knowledge on the protective role of both major and minor components of olive oil on lipid metabolism during NAFLD. In particular, the biochemical mechanisms responsible for the increase or decrease in hepatic lipid content are critically analyzed, taking into account that several studies have often provided different and/or conflicting results in animal models fed on olive oil‐enriched diet. In addition, new findings that highlight the hypolipidemic and the antisteatotic actions of olive oil phenols are presented. As mitochondrial dysfunction plays a key role in the pathogenesis of NAFLD, the targeting of these organelles with olive oil phenols as a powerful therapeutic approach is also discussed. © 2015 IUBMB Life, 67(1):9–17, 2015
PROGRESSIVE MATRICES: AN EXPERIMENTAL, DEVELOPMENTAL, NONFACTORIAL ANALYSIS
Authors: Jacobs Paul I. , Vandeventer Mary
Published: January 2015

The Coloured Progressive Matrices Test (CPM), which is intended to measure inductive reasoning ability, has been reported to correlate .91 with WISC Full Scale IQ. Each item of the CPM Test displays a pattern with a section missing; below it are six response alternatives, one of which would correctly complete the pattern. In a previous study, remedial self‐instructional training led to item‐specific and temporary increases on the CPM Test scores of first‐graders.

In the present study, new and presumably better self‐instructional sequences were used with both first‐ and third‐grade Ss. Trained Ss did no better than control Ss on a CPM posttest. The test, however, appeared to confound “pure” inductive ability with ability to imagine how a response alternative would look if inserted into the pattern. A new test format was developed to eliminate the role of the latter ability by having S judge the correctness of already completed patterns. Dramatic increases in test scores were found. Apparently the advantage of two years' mental growth that third‐graders have over first‐graders on the conventionally adminstered CPM derives in large part from improved power of imagining how a distractor would look in a new location, rather than of inductive reasoning ability.

The new test format also showed that Ss were significantly better able to accept correctly completed than to reject incorrectly completed matrices. Among first‐graders, this tendency was significantly stronger for trained than for control Ss.
THE DEVELOPMENT AND EVALUATION OF SEVERAL PROGRAMMED TESTING METHODS
Authors: Linn Robert L. , Rock Donald A. , Cleary T. Anne
Published: January 2015

Seven programmed test procedures were developed and investigated using existing data on 190 verbal‐type items for 4,885 students. Tests were scored as if the student had taken items in the order implied by the test. Shortened conventional tests were also scored for comparative purposes. The criteria against which these procedures were evaluated were the 190‐item total test score and four outside criterion tests.

Against the criterion of reproducing the 190‐item total test score in the cross‐validation sample the programmed tests were found to he only slightly superior to the shortened conventional tests. However, the programmed tests had correlations with the outside criterion tests that were substantially higher than the corresponding shortened conventional tests. It was estimated that a test which was parallel to the 190‐item total test would have to be 3.36 times as long as the best programmed test to have an equal median correlation with the outside criterion tests.
FINANCIAL AID AWARDS OF HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS IN THE NORTHEASTERN STATES AS A FUNCTION OF SOCIOECONOMIC CLASS1
Authors: Schlekat George A.
Published: January 2015

The study analyzes the relationship between socioeconomic status of financial aid applicants and college practices in distributing aid, taking account of measured academic ability and financial need.

Five socioeconomic classes are distinguished, ranging from upper to lower; colleges are grouped according to source of control, type of student body, and type of institution; and awards are classified in seven combinations of grant, loan, and job. The study is limited to the Northeastern area of the United States, where the Scholastic Aptitude Test is predominantly used as a basis for college admission and financial aid decisions.

Socioeconomic status was determined from variables extracted from approximately 16,000 Parents' Confidential Statements, randomly selected from files accumulated during the 1964‐65 academic year. One thousand colleges returned 19,131 usable questionnaires. Award offers were made to 6,579 of the applications represented by the questionnaires and were included in the analysis.

Results of analyses of variance and covariance procedures indicate that there is no straightforward answer to the question of whether socioeconomic classes are treated differently. In some ways upper classes receive preferential treatment, apparently because of superior test scores; lower classes are treated better in other ways, partly because of their poverty.

It may be said that lower‐class applicants have a better chance of receiving aid, and in larger amounts, than their upper‐class peers. But their awards more often consist of loans and jobs rather than outright grants which are more frequently awarded to the upper‐class applicant. Thus, the upper socioeconomic classes are more likely to graduate from college with less indebtedness than lower classes, who not only mortgage their future more heavily but are also required to devote more of their free time to gainful employment.
THE ROLE OF AFFECT IN SHORT‐TERM MEMORY FOR PAIRED ASSOCIATES1
Authors: Nodine Calvin F. , Korn James H.
Published: January 2015

Short‐term memory (STM) in a “minimal” paired‐associate (PA) task was investigated by presenting Ss with two successive picture‐trigram (Exp. 1) or picture‐letter (Exp. 2) PA units. Affective content of one stimulus term was pleasant (P) and the other was unpleasant (U). After either a 3‐, 9‐, or 15‐sec retention interval, during which Ss engaged in number tracking, one of the two PA units was tested for recall. Recall of U units was inferior to P units for both response classes. However, with letters recall of P was higher than U at immediate recall (3 sec.), but affect did not differentially influence recall at 9 and 15 sec. With trigrams, differential recall extended from 3‐15 sec., but differences between P and U were attenuated. These findings suggest that the differential influence of affect on STM varies directly with task difficulty, represented in the PA task by differences in response availability.
CHILDREN'S SOCIAL SENSITIVITY AND THE RELATIONSHIP TO INTERPERSONAL COMPETENCE, INTRAPERSONAL COMFORT AND INTELLECTUAL LEVEL
Authors: Rothenberg Barbara B.
Published: January 2015

A method of measuring children's social sensitivity is described and the relationship between social sensitivity and certain variables hypothesized as important in its development is investigated. Using a series of four tape recordings depicting two adults in happy, angry, anxious, and sad interactions, social sensitivity was assessed in third and fifth grade children. Age, intellectual ability and interpersonal adjustment contributed most to the development of accurate social perceptions. Surprisingly, there were no significant effects on social sensitivity due to sex, ordinal position, or size of family.
CHOICE OF TEST LENGTH AND SAMPLE SIZE TO MAXIMIZE POWER OF A STATISTICAL TEST FOR A GIVEN COST1
Authors: Linn Robert L. , Cleary T. Anne
Published: January 2015

The effect of reliability of the dependent variable on the power of an F test for a one‐way analysis of variance is considered. Using the assumptions of classical test theory and a simple cost model, three methods of determining the optimum allocation of resources to test length and sample size are compared. The methods vary in accuracy, but all three have potential use for practical problems.
DEVELOPMENT OF NATIVE LANGUAGE SKILLS BEYOND THE EARLY YEARS
Authors: Carroll John B.
Published: January 2015

This chapter, prepared for a volume on Language Learning to be published by the National Council of Teachers of English, is a review of the development of language competence and performance skills beyond the years of primary language acquisition, i.e., from about the first grade on. First, development of specific skills relating to phonology, syntax, and vocabulary is reviewed, and then attention shifts to the development of “integrated skills”: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Emphasis is put on identifying dimensions of individual differences in rates of growth and development. Although a substantial degree of basic competence in the rules of the native language is attained by the normal child at school entry age, development is by no means complete at that time. In many aspects of language skill, development continues throughout the years of schooling and to a lesser extent throughout adult life In adult populations, there are enormous individual differences in nearly all aspects of language skill. Gaps in our knowledge of factors in development are pointed out
ATTITUDES AND SECONDARY SCHOOL BACKGROUNDS OF CATHOLICS ENTERING COLLEGE
Authors: Hartnett Rodney T. , Centra John A.
Published: January 2015

The purpose of this study was to compare Catholic freshmen enrolled at Catholic and non‐Catholic colleges who, in turn, had graduated from Catholic or non‐Catholic secondary schools. The sample consisted of 1,700 men from six Catholic and seven non‐Catholic colleges. Attitudes, background characteristics, and reasons for choice of college were examined by means of the College Student QuestionnaireS, Part 1, in order to investigate the conclusion of recent research that cumulative formal Catholic education produced adults who were not only more religious but whose attitudes reflected more social concern. Differences on the Social Conscience scale, however, suggested that students who chose a Catholic college already reflected more social concern. Other similarities and differences are also discussed.
Parametric analysis of response interruption and redirection as treatment for stereotypy
Authors: Saini Valdeep , Gregory Meagan K. , Uran Kirstin J. , Fantetti Michael A.
Published: January 2015

Response interruption and redirection (RIRD), a procedure in which demands are delivered contingent on stereotypy, has been shown to reduce vocal and motor stereotypy maintained by automatic reinforcement. However, RIRD can be time consuming and can interrupt ongoing activities and access to reinforcement for appropriate behavior. We attempted to address these limitations by comparing the effectiveness of RIRD using the standard 3‐demand procedure to RIRD using just 1 demand. Results showed that RIRD with 1 demand was effective in reducing stereotypy for all participants, required fewer demands overall, and resulted in shorter implementation time. In addition, 2 participants showed an increase in appropriate play during RIRD. These results suggest RIRD with 1 demand may be an effective and less intrusive procedure for reducing stereotypy.
In situ vascularization of injectable fibrin/poly(ethylene glycol) hydrogels by human amniotic fluid‐derived stem cells
Authors: Benavides Omar M. , Brooks Abigail R. , Cho Sung Kyung , Petsche Connell Jennifer , Ruano Rodrigo , Jacot Jeffrey G.
Published: January 2015

One of the greatest challenges in regenerative medicine is generating clinically relevant engineered tissues with functional blood vessels. Vascularization is a key hurdle faced in designing tissue constructs larger than the in vivo limit of oxygen diffusion. In this study, we utilized fibrin‐based hydrogels to serve as a foundation for vascular formation, poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) to modify fibrinogen and increase scaffold longevity, and human amniotic fluid‐derived stem cells (AFSC) as a source of vascular cell types (AFSC‐EC). AFSC hold great potential for use in regenerative medicine strategies, especially those involving autologous congenital applications, and we have shown previously that AFSC‐seeded fibrin‐PEG hydrogels have the potential to form three‐dimensional vascular‐like networks in vitro. We hypothesized that subcutaneously injecting these hydrogels in immunodeficient mice would both induce a fibrin‐driven angiogenic host response and promote in situ AFSC‐derived neovascularization. Two weeks postinjection, hydrogels were sectioned, and the following was demonstrated: the average maximum invasion distance of host murine cells into the subcutaneous fibrin/PEG scaffold was 147 ± 90 µm after 1 week and 395 ± 138 µm after 2 weeks; the average number of cell‐lined lumen per square millimeter was significantly higher in hydrogels seeded with stem cells or cocultures containing stem cells (MSC, 36.5 ± 11.4; AFSC, 47.0 ± 18.9; AFSC/AFSC‐EC, 32.8 ± 11.6; and MSC/HUVEC, 43.1 ± 25.1) versus endothelial cell types alone (AFSC‐EC, 9.7 ± 6.1; HUVEC, 14.2 ± 8.8); and a subset of these lumen were characterized by the presence of red blood cells. Select areas of cell‐seeded hydrogels contained CD31+ lumen surrounded by α‐smooth muscle cell support cells, whereas control hydrogels with no cells only showed infiltration of α‐smooth muscle cell–positive host cells. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A: 103A: 2645–2653, 2015.
Effect of microgrooved surface topography on osteoblast maturation and protein adsorption
Authors: De Luca Alba C. , Zink Mareike , Weidt Astrid , Mayr Stefan G. , Markaki Athina E.
Published: January 2015

Microgrooved surfaces have been used extensively to influence cell contact guidance. Guiding cell growth, extracellular matrix deposition, and mineralization is important for bone implant longevity. In this study, we investigated the osteoblast response to microgrooved metallic surfaces in serum‐supplemented medium. Groove spacing was comparable with the spread osteoblast size. Focal adhesions were observed to confine to the intervening ridge/groove boundaries. Osteoblasts bridged over the grooves and were unable to conform to the concave shape of the underlying grooves. Microgrooved surfaces induced higher osteoblast proliferation and metabolic activity after 14 days in osteogenic medium compared with as‐received surfaces, resulting in higher mineralization and alignment of cell‐secreted collagen after 28 days. To establish whether preferential cell attachment at the ridge/groove boundaries was influenced by the adhesion proteins contained in the serum‐supplemented media, fluorescently labeled fibronectin was adsorbed onto the microgrooved substrates at low concentrations, mimicking the concentrations found in blood serum. Fibronectin was found to selectively adsorb onto the ridge/groove boundaries, the osteoblast focal adhesion sites, suggesting that protein adsorption may have influenced the cell attachment pattern. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A: 103A: 2689–2700, 2015.
Kinetic Energy Partition Method for Competing Modes
Authors: Mineo Hirobumi , Chao Sheng D.
Published: January 2015

We present a new basis set expansion method for quantum dynamics systems with two competing modes where the interaction potentials are equally dominant. The new idea introduced here is a kinetic energy partition scheme instead of the usual division of the potential energy. The partition results in two kinetic energy terms with their effective masses. By distributing each partial kinetic energy to the respective potential, the full Hamiltonian can be expressed as the sum of the two competing modes. The solution procedure is illustrated by using a system consisting of a particle under the action of two harmonic potentials with different equilibrium distances and force constants. Next we apply this method to obtain the potential energy curves for the prototype hydrogen molecule ion. This new expansion converges very fast to the exact solutions for both eigenvalues and eigenfunctions.
Highly Selective Colorimetric Detection of Copper Ions Using Cysteamine Functionalized Gold Nanoparticles
Authors: Li Le , Yuan Zhiqin , Peng Xinkai , Li Lin , He Jiantai , Zhang Yangde
Published: January 2015

In this study, we designed a system of integrating gold nanoparticles and cysteamine to detect Cu2+ based on a colorimetric strategy. The quantified limit of detection towards Cu2+ is 0.4 µM, which is ∼50 times lower than the maximum contamination level (∼20 µM) in drinking water permitted by US environmental protection agency. The practicality of this system was further validated by detecting Cu2+ in different water samples.
A normal ovary in an abnormal location: A case of torsion
Authors: Otjen Jeffrey P , Stanescu Luana , Goldin Adam , Parisi Marguerite T
Published: January 2015

The clinical and radiologic diagnosis of adnexal torsion is challenging. The patient's history, physical examination, and laboratory evaluation may overlap significantly with other causes of abdominal pain. Ultrasound is the most common radiologic tool to assess for torsion, and the imaging findings can be equally equivocal. We present a case of adnexal torsion in an 18‐year‐old emergency room patient with abdominal pain, diagnosed by ultrasound based solely on an abnormal medial position of the ovary–a finding that has been only rarely mentioned in the literature, and never in isolation. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Ultrasound 43:578–580, 2015
Insights into a type III cohesin–dockerin recognition interface from the cellulose‐degrading bacterium Ruminococcus flavefaciens
Authors: Weinstein Jonathan Y. , Slutzki Michal , Karpol Alon , Barak Yoav , Gul Ozgur , Lamed Raphael , Bayer Edward A. , Fried Daniel B.
Published: January 2015

Cellulosomes are large multicomponent cellulose‐degrading assemblies found on the surfaces of cellulolytic microorganisms. Often containing hundreds of components, the self‐assembly of cellulosomes is mediated by the ultra‐high‐affinity cohesin–dockerin interaction, which allows them to adopt the complex architectures necessary for degrading recalcitrant cellulose. Better understanding of how the cellulosome assembles and functions and what kinds of structures it adopts will further effort to develop industrial applications of cellulosome components, including their use in bioenergy production. Ruminococcus flavefaciens is a well‐studied anaerobic cellulolytic bacteria found in the intestinal tracts of ruminants and other herbivores. Key to cellulosomal self‐assembly in this bacterium is the dockerin ScaADoc, found on the non‐catalytic structural subunit scaffoldin ScaA, which is responsible for assembling arrays of cellulose‐degrading enzymes. This work expands on previous efforts by conducting a series of binding studies on ScaADoc constructs that contain mutations in their cohesin recognition interface, in order to identify which residues play important roles in binding. Molecular dynamics simulations were employed to gain insight into the structural basis for our findings. A specific residue pair in the first helix of ScaADoc, as well as a glutamate near the C‐terminus, was identified to be essential for cohesin binding. By advancing our understanding of the cohesin binding of ScaADoc, this study serves as a foundation for future work to more fully understand the structural basis of cellulosome assembly in R. flavefaciens. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Very stable high molecular mass multiprotein complex with DNase and amylase activities in human milk
Authors: Soboleva Svetlana E. , Dmitrenok Pavel S. , Verkhovod Timofey D. , Buneva Valentina N. , Sedykh Sergey E. , Nevinsky Georgy A.
Published: January 2015

For breastfed infants, human milk is more than a source of nutrients; it furnishes a wide array of proteins, peptides, antibodies, and other components promoting neonatal growth and protecting infants from viral and bacterial infection. It has been proposed that most biological processes are performed by protein complexes. Therefore, identification and characterization of human milk components including protein complexes is important for understanding the function of milk. Using gel filtration, we have purified a stable high molecular mass (~1000 kDa) multiprotein complex (SPC) from 15 preparations of human milk. Light scattering and gel filtration showed that the SPC was stable in the presence of high concentrations of NaCl and MgCl2 but dissociated efficiently under the conditions that destroy immunocomplexes (2 M MgCl2, 0.5 M NaCl, and 10 mM DTT). Such a stable complex is unlikely to be a casual associate of different proteins. The relative content of the individual SPCs varied from 6% to 25% of the total milk protein. According to electrophoretic and mass spectrometry analysis, all 15 SPCs contained lactoferrin (LF) and α‐lactalbumin as major proteins, whereas human milk albumin and β‐casein were present in moderate or minor amounts; a different content of IgGs and sIgAs was observed. All SPCs efficiently hydrolyzed Plasmid supercoiled DNA and maltoheptaose. Some freshly prepared SPC preparations contained not only intact LF but also small amounts of its fragments, which appeared in all SPCs during their prolonged storage; the fragments, similar to intact LF, possessed DNase and amylase activities. LF is found in human epithelial secretions, barrier body fluids, and in the secondary granules of leukocytes. LF is a protein of the acute phase response and nonspecific defense against different types of microbial and viral infections. Therefore, LF complexes with other proteins may be important for its functions not only in human milk. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Automatic and quantitative assessment of regional muscle volume by multi‐atlas segmentation using whole‐body water–fat MRI
Authors: Karlsson Anette , Rosander Johannes , Romu Thobias , Tallberg Joakim , Grönqvist Anders , Borga Magnus , Dahlqvist Leinhard Olof
Published: January 2015

Purpose

To develop and demonstrate a rapid whole‐body magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) method for automatic quantification of total and regional skeletal muscle volume.

Materials and Methods

The method was based on a multi‐atlas segmentation of intensity corrected water–fat separated image volumes. Automatic lean muscle tissue segmentations were achieved by nonrigid registration of atlas datasets with 10 different manually segmented muscle groups. Ten subjects scanned at 1.5 T and 3.0 T were used as atlases, initial validation and optimization. Further validation used 11 subjects scanned at 3.0 T. The automated and manual segmentations were compared using intraclass correlation, true positive volume fractions, and delta volumes.

Results

For the 1.5 T datasets, the intraclass correlation, true positive volume fractions (mean ± standard deviation, SD), and delta volumes (mean ± SD) were 0.99, 0.91 ± 0.02, −0.10 ± 0.70L (whole body), 0.99, 0.93 ± 0.02, 0.01 ± 0.07L (left anterior thigh), and 0.98, 0.80 ± 0.07, −0.08 ± 0.15L (left abdomen). The corresponding values at 3.0 T were 0.97, 0.92 ± 0.03, −0.17 ± 1.37L (whole body), 0.99, 0.93 ± 0.03, 0.03 ± 0.08L (left anterior thigh), and 0.89, 0.90 ± 0.04, −0.03 ± 0.42L (left abdomen). The validation datasets showed similar results.

Conclusion

The method accurately quantified the whole‐body skeletal muscle volume and the volume of separate muscle groups independent of field strength and image resolution. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2015;41:1558–1569. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
The effect of tendon excursion velocity on longitudinal median nerve displacement: Differences between carpal tunnel syndrome patients and controls
Authors: Filius Anika , Thoreson Andrew R. , Wang Yuexiang , Passe Sandra M. , Zhao Chunfeng , An Kai‐Nan , Amadio Peter C.
Published: January 2015

The subsynovial connective tissue (SSCT) is a viscoelastic structure connecting the median nerve (MN) and the flexor tendons in the carpal tunnel. Increased strain rates increases stiffness in viscoelastic tissues, and thereby its capacity to transfer shear load. Therefore, tendon excursion velocity may impact the MN displacement. In carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) the SSCT is fibrotic and may be ruptured, and this may affect MN motion. In this study, ultrasonography was performed on 14 wrists of healthy controls and 25 wrists of CTS patients during controlled finger motions performed at three different velocities. Longitudinal MN and tendon excursion were assessed using a custom speckle tracking algorithm and compared across the three different velocities. CTS patients exhibited significantly less MN motion than controls (p ≤ 0.002). While in general, MN displacement increased with increasing tendon excursion velocity (p ≤ 0.031). These findings are consistent with current knowledge of SSCT mechanics in CTS, in which in some patients the fibrotic SSCT appears to have ruptured from the tendon surface. © 2015 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 33:483–487, 2015.
Classification of histologically scored human knee osteochondral plugs by quantitative analysis of magnetic resonance images at 3T
Authors: Lukas Vanessa A. , Fishbein Kenneth W. , Lin Ping‐Chang , Schär Michael , Schneider Erika , Neu Corey P. , Spencer Richard G. , Reiter David A.
Published: January 2015

This work evaluates the ability of quantitative MRI to discriminate between normal and pathological human osteochondral plugs characterized by the Osteoarthritis Research Society International (OARSI) histological system. Normal and osteoarthritic human osteochondral plugs were scored using the OARSI histological system and imaged at 3 T using MRI sequences producing T1 and T2 contrast and measuring T1, T2, and T2* relaxation times, magnetization transfer, and diffusion. The classification accuracies of quantitative MRI parameters and corresponding weighted image intensities were evaluated. Classification models based on the Mahalanobis distance metric for each MRI measurement were trained and validated using leave‐one‐out cross‐validation with plugs grouped according to OARSI histological grade and score. MRI measurements used for classification were performed using a region‐of‐interest analysis which included superficial, deep, and full‐thickness cartilage. The best classifiers based on OARSI grade and score were T1‐ and T2‐weighted image intensities, which yielded accuracies of 0.68 and 0.75, respectively. Classification accuracies using OARSI score‐based group membership were generally higher when compared with grade‐based group membership. MRI‐based classification—either using quantitative MRI parameters or weighted image intensities—is able to detect early osteoarthritic tissue changes as classified by the OARSI histological system. These findings suggest the benefit of incorporating quantitative MRI acquisitions in a comprehensive clinical evaluation of OA. © 2015 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 33:640–650, 2015.
Transfer accuracy and precision scoring in planar bone cutting validated with ex vivo data
Authors: Milano Federico Edgardo , Ritacco Lucas Eduardo , Farfalli Germán Luis , Bahamonde Luis Alberto , Aponte‐Tinao Luis Alberto , Risk Marcelo
Published: January 2015

The use of interactive surgical scenarios for virtual preoperative planning of osteotomies has increased in the last 5 years. As it has been reported by several authors, this technology has been used in tumor resection osteotomies, knee osteotomies, and spine surgery with good results. A digital three‐dimensional preoperative plan makes possible to quantitatively evaluate the transfer process from the virtual plan to the anatomy of the patient. We introduce an exact definition of accuracy and precision of this transfer process for planar bone cutting. We present a method to compute these properties from ex vivo data. We also propose a clinical score to assess the goodness of a cut. A computer simulation is used to characterize the definitions and the data generated by the measurement method. The definitions and method are evaluated in 17 ex vivo planar cuts of tumor resection osteotomies. The results show that the proposed method and definitions are highly correlated with a previous definition of accuracy based in ISO 1101. The score is also evaluated by showing that it distinguishes among different transfer techniques based in its distribution location and shape. The introduced definitions produce acceptable results in cases where the ISO‐based definition produce counter intuitive results. © 2015 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 33:699–704, 2015.
Synthesis of a metal–organic framework confined in periodic mesoporous silica with enhanced hydrostability as a novel fiber coating for solid‐phase microextraction
Authors: Abolghasemi Mir Mahdi , Yousefi Vahid , Piryaei Marzieh
Published: January 2015

A metal–organic framework/periodic mesoporous silica (MOF‐5@SBA‐15) hybrid material has been prepared by using SBA‐15 as a matrix. The prepared MOF‐5@SBA‐15 hybrid material was then deposited on a stainless‐steel wire to obtain the fiber for the solid‐phase microextraction of phenolic compounds. Modifications in the metal–organic framework structure have proven to improve the extraction performance of MOF/SBA‐15 hybrid materials, compared to pure MOF‐5 and SBA‐15. Optimum conditions include an extraction temperature of 75°C, a desorption temperature of 260°C, and a salt concentration of 20% w/v. The dynamic linear range and limit of detection range from 0.1–500 and from 0.01–3.12 ng/mL, respectively. The repeatability for one fiber (n = 3), expressed as relative standard deviation, is between 4.3 and 9.6%. The method offers the advantage of being simple to use, rapid, and low cost, the thermal stability of the fiber, and high relative recovery (compared to conventional methods) represent additional attractive features.
18F‐FDG PET‐CT as a supplement to CT/MRI for detection of nodal metastasis in hypopharyngeal SCC with palpably negative neck
Authors: Lee Ho‐Joon , Kim Jinna , Woo Ha Young , Kang Won Jun , Lee Jae‐Hoon , Koh Yoon Woo
Published: January 2015

Objectives/Hypothesis

To determine the diagnostic value of 18F‐fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography‐computed tomography (PET‐CT) compared with CT or magnetic resonance (MR) imaging for the detection of nodal metastasis in patients with hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) with palpably negative neck and to assess the role of PET‐CT as a supplement to CT/MR.

Study Design

Retrospective analysis.

Methods

A total of 39 patients with palpably negative neck (36 men and 3 women; average age 65.4 years) underwent tumor resection and neck dissection as primary treatment. All patients were preoperatively evaluated with PET‐CT and CT and/or MR, and imaging data were retrospectively reviewed. The diagnostic performance of PET‐CT, CT/MR, and a combination of PET‐CT and CT/MR was assessed using histopathologic results as a gold standard.

Results

Twenty (51.3%) of the 39 patients were found to have neck metastases. On a level‐based analysis, the sensitivity of PET‐CT, CT/MR, and combined interpretation of PET‐CT and CT/MR was 65.7%, 57.1%, and 65.7%, respectively, but without statistical significance. Of the six patients who showed false negative neck findings based on CT/MR in addition to palpation, four cases were still missed with additional PET‐CT.

Conclusions

The addition of PET‐CT examination to anatomic imaging involving CT and MR did not provide additional benefit for the preoperative evaluation of cervical nodal metastasis in patients with hypopharyngeal SCC with nonpalpable neck, yielding insufficient data to spare elective neck dissection.

Level of Evidence

4. Laryngoscope, 125:1607–1612, 2015
A randomized controlled trial of stretch‐and‐flow voice therapy for muscle tension Dysphonia
Authors: Watts Christopher R. , Hamilton Amy , Toles Laura , Childs Lesley , Mau Ted
Published: January 2015

Objectives

To investigate the effect of stretch‐and‐flow voice therapy on vocal function and handicap.

Study Design

Randomized controlled trial.

Methods

Participants with primary muscle tension dysphonia were randomly assigned to experimental or control groups. Experimental participants received vocal hygiene education followed by 6 weeks of stretch‐and‐flow voice therapy. Control participants received vocal hygiene education only. Outcome variables consisted of a measure of vocal handicap (Voice Handicap Index [VHI]), maximum phonation time, s/z ratio, and acoustic measures. All measures were obtained at baseline prior to treatment and within 2 weeks posttreatment or at the end of the control period. The pre‐ to posttreatment measurement change (delta Δ) was applied to statistical analyses.

Results

A multivariate analysis of variance revealed significant group differences in pre‐to‐post changes on measures of VHI, maximum phonation time, and cepstral peak prominence (CPP) in connected speech and vowels (P = 0.003, 0.013, 0.025, and 0.017 respectively), with a significant reduction of VHI (Cohen's d = 1.6), increase in maximum phonation time (Cohen's d = 1.2), increase of CPP in connected speech (Cohen's d = 1.2), and increase of CPP in vowels (Cohen's d = 1.1) in the experimental group compared to the control group.

Conclusions

This preliminary small sample randomized controlled trial found significantly greater improvement in vocal handicap, maximum phonation time, and acoustic measures of vocal function after participants received stretch‐and‐flow voice therapy compared to participants receiving vocal hygiene education alone. Additional research incorporating larger samples will be needed to confirm and further investigate these findings.

Level of Evidence

1b. Laryngoscope, 125:1420–1425, 2015