bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Saturated branched fatty compounds: Proven industrial processes and new alternatives
Authors: Haßelberg Jennifer , Behr Arno
Published: November 2015

This paper reviews properties and synthesis of saturated branched fatty compounds and their application. Especially industrially established processes based on the Guerbet reaction, Fatty acid isomerization, Oxo‐ and Koch synthesis will be presented. Also new laboratory methods will be discussed, e.g., the Lewis acid‐induced hydroalkylation of oleic acids. Recently, another new process has been developed and tested in miniplant scale, the homogeneously catalyzed co‐oligomerization of linoleic acid with ethylene. This process combines the co‐oligomerization step with the heterogeneously catalyzed hydrogenation and an additional extraction to recycle the catalyst.

Practical applications: This review presents synthesis routes of saturated branched fatty compounds based on both, established processes in industry and recent research results on alternative routes. A new developed process on the co‐oligomerization of fatty acids or esters is highlighted as an alternative route to form saturated branched fatty compounds. Reformulation of mineral oil based lubricants for improved biodegradability in, e.g., high‐loss lubrication systems and high‐risk hydraulic systems is highly encouraged by the oleo industry. Therefore, chemical modification of vegetable oils is also interesting for recent research on biolubricants. In addition the paper reviews latest scientific papers and patents on already industrially established processes or synthesis routes, like the fatty acid isomerization, hydroformylation, and the formation of Guerbet alcohols or Neo acids. Covering the respective reactions this review combines interesting synthesis routes for both, oleo‐ and petrochemistry.

Saturated branched fatty compounds can be synthesized from both, petro‐ and oleochemical feedstock. Respective industrial processes and new synthesis routes are reviewed. New modification methods of vegetable oils represent interesting alternatives for, e.g., the formation of biolubricants.
Hypervalent Iodine Promoted Regioselective Oxidative C–H Functionalization: Synthesis of N‐(Pyridin‐2‐yl)benzo[d]thi­azol‐2‐amines
Authors: Mariappan Arumugam , Rajaguru Kandasamy , Santharam Roja Somi , Muthusubramanian Shanmugam , Bhuvanesh Nattamai
Published: November 2015

Biologically potent N‐(pyridin‐2‐yl)benzo[d]thiazol‐2‐amines were conveniently synthesized from simple heteroaryl‐thioureas through an oxidative C–S bond formation strategy that employed phenyliodine(III) bis(trifluoroacetate) as the oxidant. This protocol features a metal‐free approach, a broad scope of substrates, short reaction times, and a simple product purification procedure.
Solvent and Temperature Effects on the Platinum‐Catalyzed Oxidative Coupling of 1‐Naphthols
Authors: Maphoru Mabuatsela V. , Heveling Josef , Kesavan Pillai Sreejarani
Published: November 2015

Using H2O2 as the oxidant, 1‐naphthols with electron‐donating groups at the 2‐ and 4‐positions couple oxidatively over a carbon‐supported platinum catalyst to 3,3′‐substituted 1,1′‐binaphthalenylidene‐4,4′‐diones and 4,4′‐substituted 2,2′‐binaphthalenylidene‐1,1′‐diones, respectively. The binaphthalenyl diols are the intermediates. The selectivity to individual products is influenced by the reaction temperature (room temp. or reflux) and by the solvent used. Under reflux, complete conversions are obtained within 40 min. At room temp. high diol yields can be obtained, e.g. 96 % from 2‐methyl‐1‐naphthol in MeOH. Under reflux the reaction proceeds always further to the diones (at least to some extent), and THF is a promising solvent for the selective one‐pot two‐step oxidation of 1‐naphthols to the diones (e.g. 81 % from 4‐methoxy‐1‐naphthol). In most other solvents (reflux) naphthoquinones are observed as byproducts. In an attempt to optimize the yield of menadione, 30.5 % was obtained in boiling MeNO2.
Ductility‐dependent intensity measure that accounts for ground‐motion spectral shape and duration
Authors: Marafi Nasser A. , Berman Jeffrey W. , Eberhard Marc O.
Published: November 2015

The calculated nonlinear structural responses of a building can vary greatly, even if recorded ground motions are scaled to the same spectral acceleration at a building's fundamental period. To reduce the variation in structural response at a particular ground‐motion intensity, this paper proposes an intensity measure (IMcomb) that accounts for the combined effects of spectral acceleration, ground‐motion duration, and response spectrum shape. The intensity measure includes a new measure of spectral shape that integrates the spectrum over a period range that depends on the structure's ductility. The new IM is efficient, sufficient, scalable, transparent, and versatile. These features make it suitable for evaluating the intensities of measured and simulated ground motions.

The efficiency and sufficiency of the new IM is demonstrated for the following: (i) elastic‐perfectly plastic single‐degree‐of‐freedom (SDOF) oscillators with a variety of ductility demands and periods; (ii) ductile and brittle deteriorating SDOF systems with a variety of periods; and (iii) collapse analysis for 30 previously designed frames. The efficiency is attributable to the inclusion of duration and to the ductility dependence of the spectral shape measure. For each of these systems, the transparency of the intensity measure made it possible to identify the sensitivity of structural response to the various characteristics of the ground motion. Spectral shape affected all structures, but in particular, ductile structures. Duration only affected structures with cyclic deterioration. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The importance of accurately representing submerged vegetation morphology in the numerical prediction of complex river flow
Authors: Boothroyd Richard J. , Hardy Richard J. , Warburton Jeff , Marjoribanks Timothy I.
Published: November 2015

This paper reports a novel method for the incorporation of complex plant morphologies into a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model, allowing the numerical prediction of flows around individual plants. The morphological complexity, which comprises the vertical and lateral distribution of individual branches and leaves is captured through terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) and is maintained in the numerical prediction of flow fields. This is achieved where the post‐processed, voxelized plant representation is incorporated into a CFD scheme through a mass flux scaling algorithm (MFSA). Flow around Prunus laurocerasus has been modelled under foliated and defoliated states following the removal of leaves. The complex plant morphologies are shown to produce spatially heterogeneous downstream velocity fields, with velocity profiles that deviate significantly from the idealized inflected shape. Rapid transition between the high velocity free stream zone and the zone of reduced velocity in the plant wake indicate shearing of flow, with the point of reattachment extending up to seven plant lengths downstream. The presence of leaves significantly modifies the flow field response, with development of a second, more pronounced wake structure around the dense foliage. This approach provides a full flow numerical description of the pressure field, enabling the vegetative drag force to be quantified. For the example given here, drag force is an order of magnitude greater for the foliated state. The methodology outlined here demonstrates the importance of accurately representing complex plant morphology in hydraulic models, and allows drag forces and coefficients to be calculated for specific plant species. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Bioaccumulation of human pharmaceuticals in fish across habitats of a tidally influenced urban bayou
Authors: Du Bowen , Haddad Samuel P. , Luek Andreas , Scott W. Casan , Saari Gavin N. , Burket S. Rebekah , Breed Christopher S. , Kelly Martin , Broach Linda , Rasmussen Joseph B. , Chambliss C. Kevin , Brooks Bryan W.
Published: November 2015

Though pharmaceuticals and other contaminants of emerging concern are increasingly observed in inland water bodies, the occurrence and bioaccumulation of pharmaceuticals in estuaries and coastal ecosystems are poorly understood. In the present study, bioaccumulation of select pharmaceuticals and other contaminants of emerging concern was examined in fish from Buffalo Bayou, a tidally influenced urban ecosystem that receives effluent from a major (∼200 million gallons per day) municipal wastewater treatment plant in Houston, Texas, USA. Using isotope dilution liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry, various target analytes were observed in effluent, surface water, and multiple fish species. The trophic position of each species was determined using stable isotope analysis. Fish tissue levels of diphenhydramine, which represented the only pharmaceutical detected in all fish species, did not significantly differ between freshwater and marine fish predominantly inhabiting benthic habitats; however, saltwater fish with pelagic habitat preferences significantly accumulated diphenhydramine to the highest levels observed in the present study. Consistent with previous observations from an effluent-dependent freshwater river, diphenhydramine did not display trophic magnification, which suggests site-specific, pH-influenced inhalational uptake to a greater extent than dietary exposure in this tidally influenced urban ecosystem. The findings highlight the importance of understanding differential bioaccumulation and risks of ionizable contaminants of emerging concern in habitats of urbanizing coastal systems. Environ Toxicol Chem 2016;35:966–974. © 2015 SETAC
Numerical study of the properties of the central moment lattice Boltzmann method
Authors: Ning Yang , Premnath Kannan N. , Patil Dhiraj V.
Published: November 2015

Central moment lattice Boltzmann method (LBM) is one of the more recent developments among the lattice kinetic schemes for computational fluid dynamics. A key element in this approach is the use of central moments to specify the collision process and forcing, and thereby naturally maintaining Galilean invariance, an important characteristic of fluid flows. When the different central moments are relaxed at different rates like in a standard multiple relaxation time (MRT) formulation based on raw moments, it is endowed with a number of desirable physical and numerical features. Because the collision operator exhibits a cascaded structure, this approach is also known as the cascaded LBM. While the cascaded LBM has been developed sometime ago, a systematic study of its numerical properties, such as the accuracy, grid convergence, and stability for well‐defined canonical problems is lacking, and the present work is intended to fulfill this need. We perform a quantitative study of the performance of the cascaded LBM for a set of benchmark problems of differing complexity, viz., Poiseuille flow, decaying Taylor–Green vortex flow, and lid‐driven cavity flow. We first establish its grid convergence and demonstrate second‐order accuracy under diffusive scaling for both the velocity field and its derivatives, that is, the components of the strain rate tensor, as well. The method is shown to quantitatively reproduce steady/unsteady analytical solutions or other numerical results with excellent accuracy. The cascaded MRT LBM based on the central moments is found to be of similar accuracy when compared with the standard MRT LBM based on the raw moments, when a detailed comparison of the flow fields are made, with both reproducing even the small scale vortical features well. Numerical experiments further demonstrate that the central moment MRT LBM results in significant stability improvements when compared with certain existing collision models at moderate additional computational cost. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Futures Price Response to Crop Reports in Grain Markets
Authors: Mattos Fabio L. , Silveira Rodrigo L. F.
Published: November 2015

The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of crop reports from U.S. and Brazil on corn and soybean futures markets over the period 2004–2014. A TARCH model with dummy variables to measure the impact of crop reports is used. Results indicate that U.S. reports consistently affect corn and soybean futures price volatility, while Brazilian crop reports' impact on volatility is of smaller magnitude. Further, these impacts are generally found to be stronger when crop reports are released in the months preceding the beginning of harvest. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Jrl Fut Mark 36:923–942, 2016
Mobile Billing and Payments Recommendations for Utilities
Authors:   iFactor Consulting
Published: November 2015

The rise of smartphone adoption and changes in mobile technology are affecting the way consumers interact with service providers. For utilities, mobile applications and mobile‐optimized websites are providing customers a new level of self‐service options for reporting power outages, tracking home energy use, and managing their accounts. Although many of North America's utility companies are now offering these mobile self‐service solutions to customers, utilities in general are lagging behind many other industries in offering mobile billing and payment options.
New England Can Import Canadian Hydropower to Meet Environmental Goals
Authors: O'Connor David
Published: November 2015

Canadian hydropower has often been suggested as a potentially valuable addition to the portfolio of generation sources that supply electricity to consumers in New England.
Northeastern Natural Gas Dependency by Generators Stretching Limits
Authors: DeCotis Paul A.
Published: November 2015

As natural gas remains plentiful and regulatory initiatives like the US Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) Clean Power Plan drive more electricity generation toward gas, regions of the United States will at some point hit the wall. We can see it coming like an unstoppable force hitting an unmovable object. The natural gas and electricity industries provide foundational services that underpin our social, health, and economic well‐being. They are also critical to protecting our national security.
Utility Regulation Principles Vary Widely Country to Country
Authors: Makholm Jeff D.
Published: November 2015

The world of international energy is hard to study. Local customs, terms, and methods are rarely comparable.
Human Capital Factors Affecting Human Resource (HR) Managers' Commitment to HR and the Mediating Role of Perceived Organizational Value on HR
Authors: Oh In‐Sue , Blau Gary , Han Joo Hun , Kim Seongsu
Published: November 2015

Human resource (HR) managers’ commitment to their occupation (HR) leads to the proper delivery and implementation of HR practices and, therefore, is deemed as a critical factor for the success of HR practices. Based on sociocognitive, human capital, and signaling theories, this study examines: (a) HR managers’ own and their chief HR officer's (CHRO) HR‐specific human capital as antecedents of their commitment to HR, and (b) the mediating mechanism through which the CHRO’s HR‐specific human capital positively influences HR managers’ commitment to HR. Based on 146 HR managers from 146 organizations in South Korea, the findings of the current study suggest that HR managers with higher levels of HR‐specific human capital and those working with CHROs with higher levels of HR‐specific human capital tend to have higher levels of commitment to HR. In addition, CHROs with higher levels of HR‐specific human capital positively influence HR managers’ commitment to HR by signaling to them that HR and its function are valued and cared about by their organizations. Theoretical and practical implications of this study are discussed along with study limitations and further research directions. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Translocation and biokinetic behavior of nanoscaled europium oxide particles within 5 days following an acute inhalation in rats
Authors: Creutzenberg Otto , Kock Heiko , Schaudien Dirk
Published: November 2015

Nanoscaled europium oxide (Eu2O3) particles were inhaled by rats after acute exposure and the potential translocation of particles followed by chemical analysis and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) was investigated. An aqueous dispersion (phosphate buffer/bovine serum albumin) of a commercially available Eu2O3 particle fraction consisting partially of nanoscaled particles was aerosolized with pressurized air. After rapid evaporation, rats inhaled the dry aerosol for 6 h in a single exposure resulting in an alveolar calculated dose of approximately 39.5 μg Eu2O3. Using chemical analysis, 36.8 μg Eu2O3 was detected 1 h after lung inhalation. The amount declined slightly to 34.5 μg after 1 day and 35.0 μg after 5 days. The liver showed an increase of Eu2O3 from 32.3 ng 1 h up to 294 ng 5 days after inhalation. Additionally, lung‐associated lymph nodes, thymus, kidneys, heart and testis exhibited an increase of europium over the period investigated. In the blood, the highest amount of europium was found 1 h after treatment whereas feces, urine and mesenteric lymph nodes revealed the highest amount 1 day after treatment. Using TEM analysis, particles could be detected only in lungs, and in the liver, no particles were detectable. In conclusion, the translocation of Eu2O3 within 5 days following inhalation could be determined very precisely by chemical analysis. A translocation of Eu2O3 particulate matter to liver was not detectable by TEM analysis; thus, the overproportional level of 0.8% of the lung load observed in the liver after 5 days suggests a filtering effect of dissolved europium with accumulation. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Effects of Long-Term Odanacatib Treatment on Bone Gene Expression in Ovariectomized Adult Rhesus Monkeys: Differentiation From Alendronate
Authors: Muise Eric S , Podtelezhnikov Alexei A , Pickarski Maureen , Loboda Andrey , Tan Yejun , Hu Guanghui , Thomspon John R , Duong Le T
Published: November 2015

Similar efficacy of the cathepsin K inhibitor odanacatib (ODN) and the bisphosphonate alendronate (ALN) in reducing bone turnover markers and increasing bone mineral density in spine and hip were previously demonstrated in ovariectomized (OVX)-monkeys treated for 20 months in prevention mode. Here, we profiled RNA from tibial metaphysis and diaphysis of the same study using Affymetrix microarrays, and selected 204 probe sets (p < 0.001, three-group ANOVA) that were differentially regulated by ODN or ALN versus vehicle. Both drugs produced strikingly different effects on known bone-related genes and pathways at the transcriptional level. Although ALN either reduced or had neutral effects on bone resorption–related genes, ODN significantly increased the expression of osteoclast genes (eg, APC5, TNFRSF11A, CTSK, ITGB3, and CALCR), consistent with previous findings on the effects of this agent in enhancing the number of nonresorbing osteoclasts. Conversely, ALN reduced the expression of known bone formation–related genes (eg, TGFBR1, SPP1, RUNX2, and PTH1R), whereas ODN either increased or had neutral effects on their expression. These differential effects of ODN versus ALN on bone resorption and formation were highly correlative to the changes in bone turnover markers, cathepsin K (Catk) target engagement marker serum C-terminal cross-linked telopeptide (1-CTP) and osteoclast marker tartrate resistant acid phosphatase isoform 5b (TRAP5b) in the same monkeys. Overall, the molecular profiling results are consistent with the known pharmacological actions of these agents on bone remodeling and clearly differentiate the molecular mechanisms of ODN from the bisphosphonates. © 2016 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.
DMSO Enhances TGF‐β Activity by Recruiting the Type II TGF‐β Receptor From Intracellular Vesicles to the Plasma Membrane
Authors: Huang Shuan Shian , Chen Chun‐Lin , Huang Franklin W. , Hou Wei‐Hsien , Huang Jung San
Published: November 2015

Dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) is used to treat many diseases/symptoms. The molecular basis of the pharmacological actions of DMSO has been unclear. We hypothesized that DMSO exerts some of these actions by enhancing TGF‐β activity. Here we show that DMSO enhances TGF‐β activity by ∼3–4‐fold in Mv1Lu and NMuMG cells expressing Smad‐dependent luciferase reporters. In Mv1Lu cells, DMSO enhances TGF‐β‐stimulated expression of P‐Smad2 and PAI‐1. It increases cell‐surface expression of TGF‐β receptors (TβR‐I and/or TβR‐II) by ∼3–4‐fold without altering their cellular levels as determined by 125I‐labeled TGF‐β‐cross‐linking/Western blot analysis, suggesting the presence of large intracellular pools in these cells. Sucrose density gradient ultracentrifugation/Western blot analysis reveals that DMSO induces recruitment of TβR‐II (but not TβR‐I) from its intracellular pool to plasma‐membrane microdomains. It induces more recruitment of TβR‐II to non‐lipid raft microdomains than to lipid rafts/caveolae. Mv1Lu cells transiently transfected with TβR‐II‐HA plasmid were treated with DMSO and analyzed by indirect immunofluoresence staining using anti‐HA antibody. In these cells, TβR‐II‐HA is present as a vesicle‐like network in the cytoplasm as well as in the plasma membrane. DMSO causes depletion of TβR‐II‐HA‐containing vesicles from the cytoplasm and co‐localization of TβR‐II‐HA and cveolin‐1 at the plasma membrane. These results suggest that DMSO, a fusogenic substance, enhances TGF‐β activity presumably by inducing fusion of cytoplasmic vesicles (containing TβR‐II) and the plasma membrane, resulting in increased localization of TβR‐II to non‐lipid raft microdomains where canonical signaling occurs. Fusogenic activity of DMSO may play a pivotal role in its pharmacological actions involving membrane proteins with large cytoplasmic pools. J. Cell. Biochem. 117: 1568–1579, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Design, Synthesis, and Biological Evaluation of New 8‐Trifluoromethylquinoline Containing Pyrazole‐3‐carboxamide Derivatives
Authors: Nayak Nagabhushana , Ramprasad Jurupula , Dalimba Udayakumar
Published: November 2015

The article describes the design, synthesis, and characterization of a new series of 8‐trifluoromethylquinoline substituted pyrazole‐3‐carboxamides (9a, 9b, 9c, 9d, 9e, 9f, 9g, 9h, 9i, 9j, 9k, 9l, 9m, 9n, 9o, 9p, 9q, 9r, 9s, 9t) derived from different primary and secondary amines. The intermediate and target compounds were characterized using spectroscopic methods. The structures of intermediate 7 and target molecule 9d were evidenced by the single crystal X‐ray study. All the synthesized target compounds (9a, 9b, 9c, 9d, 9e, 9f, 9g, 9h, 9i, 9j, 9k, 9l, 9m, 9n, 9o, 9p, 9q, 9r, 9s, 9t) and three intermediates (6, 7, 8) were screened for their in vitro antitubercular activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv strain. Two compounds, 9k and 9t, showed significant inhibition activity with MIC of 3.13 µg/mL, which is comparable with the activity of standard drug, ethambutol. The carboxamides derived from benzylamine derivatives were more active than their aniline analogs. In general, the hybrid amides with a N‐methylene linkage (‐CONHCH2‐) exhibited enhanced antitubercular activity. In the antibacterial screening, intermediate 3‐hydrazinyl‐2‐methyl‐8‐(trifluoromethyl)quinoline (6) displayed remarkable activity against the tested bacterial strains. Further, the active anti‐TB derivatives were non‐toxic to benign NIH 3T3 cells, which demonstrate the lack of general cellular toxicity and hence signifies their suitability for further lead development.
Interhospital transfer patients discharged by academic hospitalists and general internists: Characteristics and outcomes
Authors: Sokol‐Hessner Lauge , White Andrew A. , Davis Katherine F. , Herzig Shoshana J. , Hohmann Samuel F.
Published: November 2015

BACKGROUND

Prior work suggests interhospital transfer (IHT) may be a risky event. Outcomes for patients transferred from another acute care institution and discharged by hospitalists and general internists at academic health systems are not well described.

OBJECTIVE

Investigate the characteristics and outcomes of IHT patients compared with patients admitted from the emergency department (ED) to academic health systems.

DESIGN

Retrospective cohort study.

SETTING/PATIENTS

A total of 885,392 adult inpatients discharged by hospitalists or general internal medicine physicians from 158 academic medical centers and affiliated hospitals participating in the University HealthSystem Consortium Clinical Database and Resource Manager from April 1, 2011 to March 31, 2012.

METHODS

Patient cohorts were defined by admission source: those from another acute care institution were IHTs, and those coming through the ED whose source of origination was not another hospital or ambulatory surgery site were ED admissions. In‐hospital mortality was our primary outcome. We analyzed our data using descriptive statistics, t tests, χ2 tests, and logistic regression.

RESULTS

Compared with ED admissions, IHT patients had a longer average length of stay, higher proportion of time spent in the intensive care unit, higher costs per hospital day, lower frequency of discharges home, and higher inpatient mortality (4.1% vs 1.8%, P < 0.01). After adjusting for patient characteristics and risk of mortality measures, IHT patients had a higher risk of in‐hospital death (odds ratio: 1.36, 95% confidence interval: 1.29–1.43).

CONCLUSIONS

In this large national sample, IHT status is independently associated with inpatient mortality. Journal of Hospital Medicine 2016;11:245–250. © 2015 Society of Hospital Medicine
Diffusional kurtosis imaging for differentiating between high‐grade glioma and primary central nervous system lymphoma
Authors: Pang Haopeng , Ren Yan , Dang Xuefei , Feng Xiaoyuan , Yao Zhenwei , Wu Jingsong , Yao Chengjun , DI Ning , Ghinda Diana Cristina , Zhang Yong
Published: November 2015

Background

The aim of this study was to assess the diagnostic accuracy of diffusion kurtosis magnetic resonance imaging parameters for differentiating high‐grade gliomas (HGGs) from primary central nervous system lymphomas (PCNSLs).

Methods

Diffusion parameters, including fractional anisotropy (FA), mean diffusivity (MD), axial diffusivity (λ//), radial diffusivity (λ⊥); and kurtosis parameters, including mean kurtosis (MK), axial kurtosis (K//), and radial kurtosis (K⊥), were normalized to contralateral normal‐appearing white matter (NAWMc) to decrease inter‐individual and inter‐regional changes across the entire brain, and then compared with the solid parts of 20 HGGs and 11 PCNSLs [median 95% confidence interval (CI), P < 0.004; 0.05/14], significance level, Kolmogorov‐Smirnov test, Bonferroni correction].

Results

FA, MD, λ//, and λ⊥ values were higher in HGGs than in PCNSLs, but not significantly [HGGs: 0.209 (95% CI, 0.134–0.338), 1.385 (95% CI, 1.05–1.710), 1.655 (95% CI, 1.30–2.060), 1.228 (95% CI, 0.932–1.480), respectively; PCNSLs: 0.143 (95% CI, 0.110–0.317), 1.070 (95% CI, 0.842–1.470), 1.260 (95% CI, 0.960–1.930), 1.010 (95% CI, 0.782–1.240)], respectively; P = 0.120, 0.010, 0.004, and 0.004, respectively). However, MK and K// were significantly higher in PCNSLs compared with HGGs [PCNSLs: 0.765 (95% CI, 0.697–0.890), 0.787 (95% CI, 0.615–1.030), respectively; HGGs: 0.531 (95% CI, 0.402–0.766), 0.532 (95% CI, 0.432–0.680], respectively; P = 0.001, 0.000, respectively); but not K⊥ [0.774 (95% CI, 0.681–0.899) for PCNSLs; 0.554 (95% CI, 0.389−0.954) for HGGs; P = 0.024].

Conclusion

There were significant differences in kurtosis parameters (MK and K//) between HGGs and PCNSLs, while differences in diffusion parameters between them did not reach significance; hence, better separation was achieved with these parameters than with conventional diffusion imaging parameters. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2016;44:30–40.
Pilot study on the detection of antiandrogen resistance using serial diffusion‐weighted imaging of bone metastases in prostate cancer
Authors: Reischauer Carolin , Koh Dow‐Mu , Froehlich Johannes M. , Patzwahl René , Binkert Christoph A. , Gutzeit Andreas
Published: November 2015

Purpose

To evaluate serial apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) measurements of bone metastases in prostate cancer to determine whether antiandrogen resistance can be detected and time to progression estimated.

Materials and Methods

Diffusion‐weighted imaging (DWI) was performed at 1.5T in nine patients with treatment‐naïve metastatic prostate cancer (20 lesions) before antiandrogen treatment, after 1, 2, and 3 months of treatment, and thereafter every 4 months over 31 months or until antiandrogen resistance was detected. Tumor volumes were stable over time. Time courses of the ADCs when averaged over entire lesions and on functional diffusion maps (fDMs) were analyzed using marginal linear model (MLM) analysis.

Results

Starting at 1 month, MLM analysis revealed decreasing mean ADCs (P = 0.001) over time. Simultaneously, the percentage of voxels with significantly higher ADCs decreased (P = 0.004), whereas the percentage of voxels with significantly lower ADCs increased (P < 0.001) on fDMs. Both mean ADCs (P = 0.042) and percentages of voxels with significantly higher ADCs on fDMs (P = 0.039) decreased more rapidly over time in patients with a shorter progression‐free interval (PFI). Likewise, higher (P = 0.001) and more rapidly increasing (P = 0.002) percentages of voxels with significantly lower ADCs on fDMs were associated with a shorter PFI.

Conclusion

The results of our pilot study suggest that the evolution of ADCs over time may permit early identification of antiandrogen resistance in bone metastases. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2016;43:1407–1416.
Respiratory syncytial virus shedding by children hospitalized with lower respiratory tract infection
Authors: Takeyama Aya , Hashimoto Koichi , Sato Masatoki , Kawashima Ryoko , Kawasaki Yukihiko , Hosoya Mitsuaki
Published: November 2015

Children with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection shed virus for variable periods. The aim of this study was to quantify the viral load in nasopharyngeal aspirates of children with RSV throughout their hospitalization. This study included 37 children who were admitted with a diagnosis of RSV infection based on a positive rapid diagnostic test. Nasopharyngeal aspirates were collected from patients every day, from admission to discharge. Viral detection and quantification were performed using quantitative real‐time PCR. Of the 37 patients, RSV‐A was detected in 29 and RSV‐B in 6. Two patients were PCR‐negative for any type of RSV. RSV‐A was detected in 12 of 16 patients (75%) 6 days after admission. These patients shed detectable virus from days 1 to 12, and for a significantly longer period (mean 5.7 days) than RSV‐B (mean 3.8 days) patients. Half of the RSV‐A patients were also positive on day 14 following onset. RSV‐A was detected in patients <12 months of age for significantly longer periods after onset than in patients ≥12 months of age. RSV‐A viral load was negatively correlated with days from admission and days from onset. Because RSV shedding was frequently prolonged, the hospitalized children may have contracted RSV as a nosocomial infection. To prevent nosocomial RSV infections in hospital wards, healthcare workers must take appropriate infection control measures and provide adequate guidance on hand washing to the family of the patient.J. Med. Virol. 88:938–946, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Optical Studies of Poly(hydroxy imide) to Polybenzoxazole Thermal Rearrangement
Authors: Jarząbek Boz·ena , Wójtowicz Magdalena , Wolińska‐Grabczyk Aleksandra
Published: November 2015

Studies of the optical properties of poly(hydroxy imide) (HPI) exposed to stepwise heating from room temperature up to 400 °C are reported in this work. It is demonstrated that this new method can be used to monitor thermal rearrangement (TR) of HPI to polybenzoxazole (PBO). Temperature dependences of the absorption edge parameters (Urbach energy and energy gap) are obtained and used to estimate the changes in the defects states and conjugation within the polymer chain associated with its TR to PBO. It is shown that the conversion temperatures determined based on the optical studies correspond to those received from the thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) investigations. Moreover, it is demonstrated that transition to PBO is accompanied by an 11‐fold increase in nitrogen permeability associated with only a slight decrease in O2/N2 selectivity from 8.8 to 7.2.

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Homeobox A9 directly targeted by miR‐196b regulates aggressiveness through nuclear Factor‐kappa B activity in non‐small cell lung cancer cells
Authors: Yu Seong‐Lan , Lee Dong Chul , Sohn Hyun Ahm , Lee Soo Young , Jeon Hyo Sung , Lee Joon H. , Park Chang Gyo , Lee Hoi Young , Yeom Young Il , Son Ji Woong , Yoon Yoo Sang , Kang Jaeku
Published: November 2015

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are recognized as crucial posttranscriptional regulators of gene expression, and play critical roles as oncogenes or tumor suppressors in various cancers. Here, we show that miR‐196b is upregulated in mesenchymal‐like‐state non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells and lung cancer tissues. Moreover, miR‐196b upregulation stimulates cell invasion and a change in cell morphology to a spindle shape via loss of cell‐to‐cell contacts. We identified homeobox A9 (HOXA9) as a target gene of miR‐196b by using public databases such as TargetScan, miRDB, and microRNA.org. HOXA9 expression is inversely correlated with miR‐196b levels in clinical NSCLC samples as compared to that in corresponding control samples, and with the migration and invasion of NSCLC cells. Ectopic expression of HOXA9 resulted in a suppression of miR‐196b‐induced cell invasion, and HOXA9 reexpression increased E‐cadherin expression. Furthermore, HOXA9 potently attenuated the expression of snail family zinc finger 2 (SNAI2/SLUG) and matrix metallopeptidase 9 (MMP9) by controlling the binding of nuclear factor–kappa B to the promoter of SLUG and MMP9 genes, respectively. Therefore, we suggest that HOXA9 plays a central role in controlling the aggressive behavior of lung cancer cells and that miR‐196b can serve as a potential target for developing anticancer agents. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Intra‐rater reliability and diagnostic accuracy of a new vaginal dynamometer to measure pelvic floor muscle strength in women with urinary incontinence
Authors: Romero‐Cullerés Georgia , Peña‐Pitarch Esteban , Jané‐Feixas Celia , Arnau Anna , Montesinos Jesus , Abenoza‐Guardiola Montserrat
Published: November 2015

Aims

The first choice treatment in urinary incontinence (UI) is rehabilitation of the pelvic floor in order to improve muscle strength. However, no entirely reliable instruments for quantifying pelvic floor muscle (PFM) strength are currently available. Our aim was to test the intra‐rater reliability and diagnostic accuracy of a new vaginal dynamometer for measuring PFM strength.

Methods

Test‐retest reliability study. One hundred and four women with stress urinary incontinence (SUI) were recruited. Patients were excluded if they had a history consistent with urge urinary incontinence or pelvic organ prolapse, pregnancy, previous urogynecological surgery, severe vaginal atrophy, or neurological conditions. The examination comprised digital palpation quantified by the modified Oxford scale and by two consecutive dynamometry measurements obtained using a new prototype dynamometer. This instrument comprises a speculum in which an inductive displacement sensor (LVDTSM210.10.2.KTmodel, Schreiber) is attached to a spring of known stiffness constant (k). The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was calculated to assess intra‐rater reliability. Diagnostic accuracy was assessed using Receiver Operating Characteristics (ROC) curves analysis.

Results

Of the 104 subjects included, 59.6% presented scores between 0–2 on the Oxford scale. Intra‐rater reliability was 0.98 (95%CI: 0.97–0.99). In the Bland & Altman plot, the distribution of disagreements was similar in the lowest and the highest strength values. The diagnostic accuracy of the dynamometer with regard to digital palpation showed an area under the curve of 0.85 (95%CI: 0.77–0.93).

Conclusions

Our results suggest that this new vaginal dynamometer is a reliable and valid instrument for quantifying PFM strength. Neurourol. Urodynam. 36:333–337, 2017. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Urodynamics findings in transverse myelitis patients with lower urinary tract symptoms: Results from a tertiary referral urodynamic center
Authors: Gliga Louise A. , Lavelle Rebecca S. , Christie Alana L. , Coskun Burhan , Greenberg Benjamin M. , Carmel Maude E. , Lemack Gary E.
Published: November 2015

Aims

To characterize urodynamic findings in patients referred with transverse myelitis (TM) and lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS), as well as to identify any characteristics predictive of urodynamics findings.

Methods

This is a retrospective review of an IRB‐approved neurogenic bladder database of patients followed by a single surgeon between 2001 and 2013. Patient characteristics, questionnaire data, radiologic studies, and urodynamic parameters were analyzed.

Results

Of the 836 patients in the neurogenic bladder database, 28 patients (17 females, 11 males) were referred with a principle diagnosis of TM (3%). Twenty‐one of twenty‐eight patients (75%) underwent urodynamics testing. Bladder management at initial urologic evaluation was CIC or urethral catheter for 16/28 patients (57.1%). Median MCC was 303 ml (85–840 ml), detrusor overactivity (DO) was present in 16/21 (76%), detrusor sphincter dyssynergia (DSD) in 10/21 (48%), and decreased compliance in 7/21 (33%). For those voiding, mean Qmax was 12 ± 10 ml/sec and pdet at Qmax was 41 ± 17 cmH2O. Longitudinally extensive TM (LETM) was the only patient characteristic associated with DO (P = 0.0276). No other patient characteristics were associated with urodynamics parameters.

Conclusions

Significant urodynamic testing abnormalities are noted in the majority of TM patients undergoing urodynamics, with 95% having DO, DSD, altered compliance, or detrusor underactivity. Other than the association between LETM and DO, there were no patient characteristics predictive of urodynamics findings. Based on the severity of urodynamics findings in our series, patients with TM and LUTS should have thorough baseline urological evaluations including urodynamics and be offered ongoing surveillance. Neurourol. Urodynam. 36:360–363, 2017. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
A novel gastrointestinal microbiome modulator from soy pods reduces absorption of dietary fat in mice
Authors: Boué Stephen , Fortgang Ilana , Levy Ronald J , Bhatnagar Deepak , Burow Matthew , Fahey George , Heiman Mark L
Published: November 2015

Objective

Simplification of diets, low in variety but high in energy, contributes to the loss in diversity observed in the obese gastrointestinal (GI) microbiome. A novel GI microbiome modulator (GIMM) as a dietary intervention was developed.

Methods

Mice were fed either an obesogenic diet (ObD) or an ObD containing 15% activated soy pod fiber (ObD‐ASPF) for 30 days. The diets were isocaloric and balanced for macronutrient content. ASPF is a novel fiber preparation from whole soy pods that is activated to produce glyceollins.

Results

Mice fed ObD‐ASPF did not gain body fat. This was associated with decreased absorption of calories (P < 0.05) and increased fecal excretion of triglycerides, which may be attributed to decreased bile acid secretion (P < 0.05). A shift (P < 0.05) in abundances of microbiota in 10 genera was observed. Mice fed ObD‐ASPF had elevated plasma concentrations of the anti‐inflammatory IL‐10 (P < 0.05) and decreased (P < 0.05) plasma concentrations of the neutrophil chemoattractant CXCL1.

Conclusions

A novel dietary intervention derived from soy pods that acts to hinder absorption of dietary fat and glucose in mice was developed. More studies with this GIMM in animal models of diet‐induced nonalcoholic fatty liver diseases, type 2 diabetes, and autism are needed.
Is Post‐Graduate Training Essential for Practice Readiness?
Authors: Robinson Daniel , Speedie Marilyn
Published: November 2015

Few things are more fundamental to the purpose of health professions training than to prepare practice‐ready health professionals. The Accreditation Council of Pharmacy Education (ACPE) Standards 2016 address graduate readiness to 1) provide direct patient care in a variety of health care settings (practice‐ready) and 2) contribute as a member of an interprofessional collaborative patient care team (team‐ready). ACPE Standards 2007 states that graduates should be prepared to deliver direct patient care. This includes the ability to design, implement, monitor, evaluate, and adjust pharmacy care plans that are patient specific and to function effectively as a member of an interprofessional team. Yet, controversy remains within the profession regarding the practice‐readiness of PharmD graduates, which has been further fueled by the recent ACCP White Paper on Collaborative Drug Therapy Management and Comprehensive Medication Management ‐ 2015. This commentary makes the case that PharmD graduates are practice‐ready and it offers a solution that may settle this lingering controversy.
Solar‐grade boron emitters by BF3 plasma doping and role of the co‐implanted fluorine
Authors: Lanterne Adeline , Le Perchec Jérôme , Coig Marianne , Milési Frédéric , Boucher Julie , Veschetti Yannick
Published: November 2015

We investigate the electrical properties and dopant profiles of boron emitters performed by plasma immersion ion implantation from boron trifluoride (BF3) gas precursor, thermally annealed and passivated by silicon oxide/silicon nitride stacks. High thermal budgets are required for doses compatible with screen‐printed metal pastes, to reach very good activation rates. However, if good sheet resistances and saturation current densities may be obtained, we met strong limitations of the implied open‐circuit voltage of the n‐type Czochralski silicon substrates, which is incompatible with high‐efficiency solar cells. Such limitations are not encountered with beamline where pure B+ ions are implanted. Efforts on the passivation quality may improve the implied open‐circuit voltage but are not sufficient. We provide experimental comparison between beamline and plasma immersion allowing us to discriminate the causes explaining this observation (implantation technique or ion specie used) and to infer our interpretation: The co‐implantation of fluorine seems to indirectly impact the lifetime of the core substrate after thermal annealing. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Experiences and desired nursing assistance of women on out‐patient breast cancer chemotherapy in Southeastern Nigeria
Authors: Anarado A. N. , Ezeome E. R. , Ofi O. B. , Nwaneri A. C. , Ogbolu Y.
Published: November 2015

Objective

This study explored the experiences and nursing support needs of women undergoing out‐patient breast cancer chemotherapy in two teaching hospitals in Southeastern Nigeria.

Methods

Using a qualitative descriptive design, based on grounded theory approach and focus group discussion (FGD) methodology, 20 histological confirmed breast cancer patients at different stages of combination chemotherapy (cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, and fluorouracil ) were purposively selected and engaged in FGDs at two surgical oncology clinics. Data saturation was reached at the fourth FGD. The audio‐taped and transcribed data were content analyzed using thematic approach.

Results

Participants were all christians of the Igbo‐speaking ethnic group, and aged between 36 and 66 years. Most were married and had at least primary education. Five themes emerged from the FGDs: inadequate preparation for chemotherapy; chemotherapy scary, distressful, and financially demanding; hope, faith and courage sustained treatment; self‐care actions initiated to ‘weather the storm’; and nursing assistance desired to foster hope and enhance patients' acceptance of, adjustment and adherence to breast cancer chemotherapy in Nigeria. Culture influenced their chemotherapy perspectives and coping.

Conclusion

Women with breast cancer in southeastern Nigeria desired but were inadequately prepared to cope with chemotherapy distress they experienced. Nurses could help patients to accept and navigate through chemotherapy by initiating and supporting effective and efficient self‐care actions that are culturally congruent.Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Strain relaxation in Ge microcrystals studied by high‐resolution X‐ray diffraction
Authors: Rozbořil Jakub , Meduňa Mojmír , Falub Claudiu Valentin , Isa Fabio , von Känel Hans
Published: November 2015

Deposition on patterned substrates is a promising method for obtaining high quality, strain and defect free heteroepitaxial layers. In this paper we investigate the crystalline structure of quasi‐continuous Ge layers consisting of closely spaced microcrystals on a Si substrate patterned in the form of a regular net of lithographically defined squared based pillars. Lattice parameters, strain and degree of relaxation of the Ge microcrystals are measured by standard high‐resolution X‐ray diffraction using reciprocal space mapping. In particular, we focus on the impact of Si pillar size and spacing on the Ge crystal quality by analyzing how the bending of crystal lattice planes caused by thermal stress relaxation and random crystal tilts affect the width of the diffraction peaks.
Probing NWP model deficiencies by statistical postprocessing
Authors: Rosgaard Martin H. , Nielsen Henrik Aa. , Nielsen Torben S. , Hahmann Andrea N.
Published: November 2015

This article describes a Model Output Statistics (MOS) framework for wind speed forecast accuracy improvement. The approach is used to identify non‐intuitive explanatory value from a diagnostic variable in an operational numerical weather prediction (NWP) model generating global weather forecasts four times daily, with numerous users worldwide. The analysis is based on two years of hourly wind speed time series measured at three locations: offshore, in coastal flat terrain, and inland in complex topography. Together with wind speed and wind direction predictors derived from the prognostic wind field, the lifted index NWP model diagnostic is found to perform well as statistical wind speed forecast model predictor.
Towards ensemble data assimilation for the Environment Canada Regional Ice Prediction System
Authors: Shlyaeva Anna , Buehner Mark , Caya Alain , Lemieux Jean‐François , Smith Gregory C. , Roy François , Dupont Frédéric , Carrieres Tom
Published: November 2015

A short‐range high‐resolution sea ice prediction system has been developed at Environment Canada. This study describes the first steps towards transitioning this system from a simple deterministic data assimilation system based on the three‐dimensional variational (3D‐Var) approach into a data assimilation system based on an ensemble of ensemble‐variational (EnVar) analyses. First, an ensemble of 3D‐Var analyses using static background‐error covariances is implemented and used to evaluate different strategies for simulating model uncertainties during the ensemble forecast step; these range from perturbing parameters within the sea ice model to completely disabling the sea ice dynamics or thermodynamics in some of the ensemble members. The experiments show a good ensemble spread–error relationship in areas with low or high ice concentration, though more work is needed to better simulate uncertainties in areas with intermediate ice concentration. Second, results from idealized experiments with EnVar analyses using ensemble covariances are presented. They demonstrate the potential improvement of sea ice analyses from using state‐dependent multivariate ensemble covariances when assimilating ice concentration observations to correct both ice concentration and unobserved variables such as ice thickness and ocean temperature.