bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Food Addiction in a Spanish Sample of Eating Disorders: DSM‐5 Diagnostic Subtype Differentiation and Validation Data
Authors: Granero Roser , Hilker Ines , Agüera Zaida , Jiménez‐Murcia Susana , Sauchelli Sarah , Islam Mohammed A. , Fagundo Ana B. , Sánchez Isabel , Riesco Nadine , Dieguez Carlos , Soriano José , Salcedo‐Sánchez Cristina , Casanueva Felipe F. , De la Torre Rafael , Menchón José M. , Gearhardt Ashley N. , Fernández‐Aranda Fernando
Published: August 2014

Although the concept of ‘food addiction’ (FA) has raised growing interest because of evidence for similarities between substance dependence and excessive food intake, there is a lack of studies that explore this construct among the wide spectrum of eating disorders (EDs). Besides providing validation scores of a Spanish version of the Yale FA Scale (YFAS‐S), this study examined the prevalence of ‘FA’ among ED subtypes compared with healthy‐eating controls (HCs) and the association between ‘FA’ scores, eating symptomatology and general psychopathology. A sample of 125 adult women with ED, diagnosed according to Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 5 criteria, and 82 healthy‐eating women participated in the study. All participants were assessed with the YFAS‐S, the ED Inventory‐2 and the Symptom Checklist‐Revised. Results showed that the internal structure of the one‐dimensional solution for the YFAS‐S was very good (α = 0.95). The YFAS‐S has a good discriminative capacity to differentiate between ED and controls (specificity = 97.6% and sensitivity (Se) = 72.8%; area under receiver operating characteristic curve = 0.90) and a good Se to screen for specific ED subtypes. YFAS‐S scores were associated with higher levels of negative affect and depression, higher general psychopathology, more severe eating pathology and greater body mass index. When comparing the prevalence of ‘FA’ between ED subtypes, the lowest prevalence of ‘FA’, measured with the YFAS‐S, was for the anorexia nervosa (AN) restrictive subtype with 50%, and the highest was for the AN binge–purging subtype (85.7%), followed by bulimia nervosa (81.5%) and binge eating disorder (76.9%). In conclusion, higher YFAS‐S scores are associated with bingeing ED‐subtype patients and with more eating severity and psychopathology. Although the ‘FA’ construct is able to differentiate between ED and HC, it needs to be further explored. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and Eating Disorders Association.
Flammability properties of paper coated with poly (methylenephosphine), an organophosphorus polymer
Authors: Priegert Andrew M. , Siu Paul W. , Hu Thomas Q. , Gates Derek P.
Published: August 2014

The flame retardant properties of paper coated with either poly(methylenephosphine) (PMP) or poly(methylenephosphine oxide) (PMP‐O) are evaluated. Paper sheets made from thermomechanical pulp were coated with PMP (Mn = 27,000 g mol−1, polydispersity index (PDI) = 1.47), PMP‐O (Mn = 30,000 g mol−1, PDI = 1.24), or monobasic ammonium phosphate (MAP) to achieve an approximate loading of 0.8 mmol P/g paper. Thermal stability studies by thermogravimetric analysis show that the paper degrades in two main stages, with the second thermo‐oxidative stage having a slower rate of degradation for paper treated with flame retardants. The flame retardancy of the sheets was evaluated by Technical Association of Pulp and Paper Industry Standard Method T461 cm‐00 and by limiting oxygen index (LOI) according to ASTM D2863. After leaching with water, samples coated with PMP or PMP‐O show no loss of flame retardancy, while those coated with MAP lose all flame retardancy. The LOI of paper coated with PMP (23.1%) or PMP‐O (25.9%) is higher than those of uncoated paper (19.6%), but lower than MAP‐coated paper (34.7%). Analysis of the char provided evidence that the flame retardant mechanism of PMP and PMP‐O involves the formation of phosphorus oxides and acids. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Exact pressure integrations on submerged bodies in waves using a quadtree adaptive mesh algorithm
Authors: Rodrigues J. M. , Guedes Soares C.
Published: August 2014

The development of an adaptive free surface, mesh cutting, methodology, in order to analytically integrate pressures on varying wet parts of partially submerged surfaces in the presence of waves, is presented. Given a function of free‐surface elevation, the algorithm checks for the intersection of the body with the free surface and, based on user‐defined parameters, modifies the initial mesh, by subdividing the elements where necessary and eliminating others, via a quadtree approach. Redundant sub‐divisions, generated in the quad‐division process, are partially eliminated, but the quadrilateral nature of the elements is always kept. The free‐surface function must be single‐valued and its definition domain simply connected. Hydrostatic and Froude–Krylov forces are computed exactly on each panel by means of analytical formulations, which are derived and presented, based on the theory of linear gravity waves and from applying Green's theorem. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
MicroRNA‐145 as one negative regulator of astrogliosis
Authors: Wang Chih‐Yen , Yang Shang‐Hsun , Tzeng Shun‐Fen
Published: August 2014

Astrogliosis occurs at the lesion site within days to weeks after spinal cord injury (SCI) and involves the proliferation and hypertrophy of astrocytes, leading to glia scar formation. Changes in gene expression by deregulated microRNAs (miRNAs) are involved in the process of central nervous system neurodegeneration. Here, we report that mir‐145, a miRNA enriched in rat spinal neurons and astrocytes, was downregulated at 1 week and 1 month after SCI. Our in vitro studies using astrocytes prepared from neonatal spinal cord tissues indicated that potent inflammagen lipopolysaccharide downregulated mir‐145 expression in astrocytes, suggesting that SCI‐triggered inflammatory signaling pathways could play the inhibitory role in astrocytic mir‐145 expression. To induce overexpression of mir‐145 in astrocytes at the spinal cord lesion site, we developed a lentivirus‐mediated pre‐miRNA delivery system using the promoter of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), an astrocyte‐specific intermediate filament. The results indicated that astrocyte‐specific overexpression of mir‐145 reduced astrocytic cell density at the lesion border of the injured spinal cord. In parallel, overexpression of mir‐145 reduced the size of astrocytes and the number of related cell processes, as well as cell proliferation and migration. Through a luciferase reporter system, we found that GFAP and c‐myc were the two potential targets of mir‐145 in astrocytes. Together, the findings demonstrate the novel role of mir‐145 in the regulation of astrocytic dynamics, and reveal that the downregulation of mir‐145 in astrocytes is a critical factor inducing astrogliosis after SCI. GLIA 2015;63:194–205
Altered microglial phagocytosis in GPR34‐deficient mice
Authors: Preissler Julia , Grosche Antje , Lede Vera , Le Duc Diana , Krügel Katja , Matyash Vitali , Szulzewsky Frank , Kallendrusch Sonja , Immig Kerstin , Kettenmann Helmut , Bechmann Ingo , Schöneberg Torsten , Schulz Angela
Published: August 2014

GPR34 is a Gi/o protein‐coupled receptor (GPCR) of the nucleotide receptor P2Y12‐like group. This receptor is highly expressed in microglia, however, the functional relevance of GPR34 in these glial cells is unknown. Previous results suggested an impaired immune response in GPR34‐deficient mice infected with Cryptococcus neoformans. Here we show that GPR34 deficiency results in morphological changes in retinal and cortical microglia. RNA sequencing analysis of microglia revealed a number of differentially expressed transcripts involved in cell motility and phagocytosis. We found no differences in microglial motility after entorhinal cortex lesion and in response to laser lesion. However, GPR34‐deficient microglia showed reduced phagocytosis activity in both retina and acutely isolated cortical slices. Our study identifies GPR34 as an important signaling component controlling microglial function, morphology and phagocytosis. GLIA 2015;63:206–215
Increased oligodendrogenesis by humanin promotes axonal remyelination and neurological recovery in hypoxic/ischemic brains
Authors: Chen Jing , Sun Miao , Zhang Xia , Miao Zhigang , Chua Balvin H. L. , Hamdy Ronald C. , Zhang Quan‐Guang , Liu Chun‐Feng , Xu Xingshun
Published: August 2014

Oligodendrocytes are the predominant cell type in white matter and are highly vulnerable to ischemic injury. The role of oligodendrocyte dysfunction in ischemic brain injury is unknown. In this study, we used a 24‐amino acid peptide S14G‐Humanin (HNG) to examine oligodendrogenesis and neurological functional recovery in a hypoxic/ischemic (H/I) neonatal model. Intraperitoneal HNG pre‐treatment decreased infarct volume following H/I injury. Delayed HNG treatment 24 h after H/I injury did not reduce infarct volume but did decrease neurological deficits and brain atrophy. Delayed HNG treatment did not attenuate axonal demyelination at 48 h after H/I injury. However, at 14 d after H/I injury, delayed HNG treatment increased axonal remyelination, the thickness of corpus callosum at the midline, the number of Olig2+/BrdU+ cells, and levels of brain‐derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). Our results suggest that targeting oligodendrogenesis via delayed HNG treatment may represent a promising approach for the treatment of stroke. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
The expression of glucocorticoid receptor is negatively regulated by active androgen receptor signaling in prostate tumors
Authors: Xie Ning , Cheng Helen , Lin Dong , Liu Liangliang , Yang Ou , Jia Li , Fazli Ladan , Gleave Martin E. , Wang Yuzhuo , Rennie Paul , Dong Xuesen
Published: August 2014

The glucocorticoid and androgen receptors (GR and AR) can commonly regulate up to 50% of their target genes in prostate cancer (PCa) cells. GR expression is stimulated by castration therapy, which has been proposed to be one mechanism that compensates for AR signaling blockade and promotes castration‐resistant PCa (CRPC) progression. However, whether GR functions as a driver for CRPC or a marker reflecting AR activity remains unclear. Here, we applied PCa tissue microarrays to show that GR protein levels were elevated by castration therapy, but reduced to pre‐castration levels when tumors were at the CRPC stage. Using subrenal capsule xenograft models, we showed that GR expression was inversely correlated with AR and PSA expressions. GR expression levels are not associated with tumor invasion and metastasis phenotypes. In castration‐resistant C4‐2 xenografts expressing AR shRNA, regressing tumors induced by AR knockdown expressed higher levels of GR and lower levels of PSA than non‐regressing tumors. Immunoblotting and real‐time PCR assays further showed that AR knockdown or AR antagonists increased GR expression at both mRNA and protein levels. ChIP combined with DNA sequencing techniques identified a negative androgen responsive element (nARE) 160K base pairs upstream of the GR gene. Gel shift assays confirmed that AR directly interacted with the nARE and luciferase assays demonstrated that the nARE could mediate transcription repression by ligand‐activated AR. In conclusion, GR expression is negatively regulated by AR signaling and may serve as a marker for AR signaling in prostate tumors.
REPORT ON THE STUDY INTERCORRELATIONS OF ENTRANCE TESTS AND GRADES, CLASS OF 1947 AT THE U. S. COAST GUARD ACADEMY
Authors: French John W.
Published: August 2014

A table was constructed giving the intercorrelations of seventy‐six measures made on the class of 1947 at the II. S. Coast Guard Academy. The Academy and the Educational Testing Service cooperated in the completion of this table. The study covers grades, entrance tests, and some personality ratings. The table is so enormous that it has not been reproduced with this report, but two copies have been transmitted to the Academy. In general it shows a high correlation among grades and good prediction of grades by academic entrance tests. The non‐academic entrance tests, however, do not correlate with grades or personality ratings.

The recommendation is made that the data on the Class of 1947 should not be used for the computation of suitable weights for the selection of an entrance battery: selection based on the mathematics tests was carried out to such a degree that their correlation with grades is so greatly reduced that any true correlation bsoomas submerged in chance variations. Two suggestions, however, are given: (a) Using a more difficult mathematics test for entrance purposes would probably make it possible to evaluate the test in spite of selection. (b) Although precise weights cannot be determined, the English tests and scientific aptitude tests should be weighted more heavily relative to mathematics.

A discussion is included of the correlations of each group of measures used.
GRADE ADJUSTMENTS FOR PREDICTION OF ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE: A REVIEW
Authors: Linn Robert L.
Published: August 2014

Several techniques of making grade adjustments are reviewed. Evaluations and comparisons of the various techniques are made in terms of the properties of the various models and on the basis of the empirical results based on the application of these models.

Although there are several relatively elegant models available, the empirical results have shown negligible improvement in predictive accuracy due to grade adjustments when (a) the results have been cross‐validated, and (b) one or more standardized test variables have been included as predictors.
SHORT‐TERM INSTRUCTION, TESTWISENESS, AND THE SCHOLASTIC APTITUDE TEST: A LITERATURE REVIEW WITH RESEARCH RECOMMENDATIONS
Authors: Pike Lewis W.
Published: August 2014

The research literature on short‐term instruction (STI) and intermediate‐term instruction (ITI) for the SAT‐Mathematics and SAT‐Verbal was reviewed. Selected studies of STI and ITI for tests other than the SAT‐M and SAT‐V, and of testwiseness (TW), per se, were included in the survey if they were judged relevant to the question of special instruction for the SAT.

The research studies were reviewed and interpreted within the framework of a score components model which posited four content‐related and two TW score components, as well as two secondary ones (test‐taking confidence and efficiency), that are theoretically subject to STI and ITI effects. In addition, examinee, item, and instructional characteristics were considered, as these relate to the score components model.

Basic discrepancies between negative and positive findings were noted for both the SAT‐M and the SAT‐V. These were generally resolved in favor of recognizing meaningful STI effects for the SAT‐M, but remain unresolved for the SAT‐V. Recommendations were made for SAT‐M and SAT‐V research allowing STI effects to be partitioned according to examinee, item, and instructional characteristics, as these apply to selected test score components.
BIAS REDUCTION USING MAHALANOBIS METRIC MATCHING
Authors: Rubin Donald B.
Published: August 2014

Monte Carlo methods are used to study the ability of nearest available Mahalanobis metric matching to make the means of matching variables more similar in matched samples than in random samples.
THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN RATINGS OF GRADUATE DEPARTMENTS AND FACULTY PUBLICATION RATES
Authors: Baird Leonard L.
Published: August 2014

The relationship between reputational ratings of graduate chemistry, history, and psychology departments and their faculties' scholarly productivity was examined using data from a national sample of departments in each field. Six measures of productivity, three for the entire career, and three for the most recent three years, were related to ratings of the “quality” of the faculty, which were obtained by following procedures used by Roose and Andersen (1970). Although some statistically significant relationships were obtained, a close examination of the data indicated that ratings are inadequate assessments of the scholarly contribution of faculty or the “quality” of departments.
MEASUREMENT ERROR AND SAT SCORE CHANGE
Authors: Alderman Donald L.
Published: August 2014

Score changes on admissions tests such as the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) can vary widely among individuals repeating the test. To a large extent these score changes probably reflect the influence of errors of measurement as test candidates with low initial scores usually experience score gains upon retesting while test candidates with high initial scores often show score losses‐ Besides this phenomenon of scores regressing toward the mean upon test repetition, student self‐selection may affect score change as test candidates who perceive their initial scores as underestimates of their true abilities decide to repeat the test. This study applies a procedure which yields estimates of true score change on the SAT adjusted for regression effects and student self‐selection. It is shown that student self‐selection in deciding to repeat an admissions test probably involves factors in addition to the measurement error attributable to variations in aspects of test specifications and to variations in responses of test candidates across forms, and that estimated true score change remains nearly constant across initial score levels in contrast to the negative slope of observed score change across initial score levels.
THE REAL TEST BIAS
Authors: Frederiksen Norman
Published: August 2014

Efforts to hold schools accountable produce pressures to improve performance on the tests (usually multiple‐choice) used in school evaluation. Because of their greater economy, such tests have virtually driven out tests requiring constructed responses. If tests do not represent the broad spectrum of skills that ought to be taught, they produce bias against teaching what they do not measure. Studies show that format makes little difference for basic skills tests but does make a difference for complex tasks involving problem solving. Bias produced by conventional test formats appears to favor teaching the abilities associated with crystallized intelligence and to discourage teaching that might develop fluid intelligence. The greater cost of less efficient tests might be justified by using them in instruction to provide practice and feedback.
LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY AS A MODERATOR VARIABLE IN TESTING ACADEMIC APTITUDE
Authors: Alderman Donald L.
Published: August 2014

It is often difficult to interpret test scores when the test is given in a student's second language. Student proficiency in the second language may then play a significant role in performance on the test, leading to scores reflecting the ability of interest only to the extent that the student possesses the prerequisite language skills for taking the test. This study demonstrates the role of language proficiency as a moderator variable in assessing academic aptitude. It is shown that the strength of the relationship between scores on the Scholastic Aptitude Test given in English and on the Prueba de Aptitud Académica given in Spanish increases as proficiency in English as a second language increases among students whose first language is Spanish. Scores on tests of student proficiency in English as a second language, like the Test of English as a Foreign Language for an international population or the English as a Second Language Achievement Test for an Hispanic population, indicate not only readiness for academic study in English but also the appropriateness of other tests given in English as a basis for admission and placement decisions.
STANDARD ERROR OF AN EQUATING BY ITEM RESPONSE THEORY
Authors: Lord Frederic M.
Published: August 2014

A formula is derived for the asymptotic standard error of a true‐score equating by item response theory. The equating method is applicable when the two tests to be equated are administered to different groups along with an anchor test. Numerical standard errors are shown for an actual equating (1) comparing the standard errors of IRT, linear, and equipercentile methods and (2) illustrating the effect of the length of the anchor test on the standard error of the equating.
TOWARD INTELLIGENT ASSESSMENT: AN INTEGRATION OF CONSTRUCTED RESPONSE TESTING, ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE, AND MODEL‐BASED MEASUREMENT
Authors: Bennett Randy Elliot
Published: August 2014

A new assessment conception is described that integrates constructed‐response testing, artificial intelligence, and model‐based measurement. The conception incorporates complex constructed‐response items for their potential to increase the validity, instructional utility, and credibility of standardized tests. Artificial intelligence methods are invoked to produce item‐level partial‐credit scores and diagnostic analyses similar to those of a human expert. Finally, cognitively‐grounded measurement models provide diagnostic statements based on commonalities in performance across items. Progress toward achieving this conception is examined, with emphasis on two automated scoring programs. Potential applications of intelligent assessment are discussed.
EDUCATIONAL STANDARDS IN THE 50 STATES: 1990
Authors: Coley Richard J. , Goertz Margaret E.
Published: August 2014

This report describes state educational standards in effect for the 1989–90 school year and is the third report in a series that has tracked state standards since 1984–85. The first part of the report summarizes state educational standards for the 1989–90 school year and the changes that took place across the states between 1984–85 and 1989–90. The second part of the report contains individual profiles of each of the 50 states. These profiles present more detailed information on student standards (testing, high school graduation requirements, attendance, and other policies); teacher standards (teacher preparation, certification and relicensing, and staff development); school and school district standards (minimum length of the school year and school day, and curriculum requirements); and public school choice programs.
INVESTIGATING ASSESSOR EFFECTS IN NATIONAL BOARD FOR PROFESSIONAL TEACHING STANDARDS ASSESSMENTS FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD/GENERALIST AND MIDDLE CHILDHOOD/GENERALIST CERTIFICATION
Authors: Engelhard George , Myford Carol M. , Cline Fred
Published: August 2014

The purposes of this study were to (1) examine, describe and evaluate the rating behavior of assessors scoring National Board for Professional Teaching Standards Early Childhood/Generalist or Middle Childhood/Generalist candidates, and (2) explore the effects of employing scoring designs using one assessor per exercise rather than two. Data from the 1997–98 Early Childhood/Generalist and Middle Childhood/Generalist assessments were analyzed using FACETS (Linacre, 1989) and SAS. While assessors differed somewhat in severity, most used the 12‐point rating scale consistently. Residual severity effects that persisted after rater training tended to cancel out when ratings were averaged across the ten exercises to produce a scaled score for a candidate. The results of the decision consistency analyses suggest that having one assessor score each exercise would not result in a large increase in candidates incorrectly denied or awarded certification. However, the decision consistency analyses by exercise reveal the low reliability of the exercise banking decisions. Variation in assessor severity can affect the fairness of these decisions.
GRADES AND TEST SCORES: ACCOUNTING FOR OBSERVED DIFFERENCES
Authors: Willingham Warren W. , Pollack Judith M. , Lewis Charles
Published: August 2014

Why do grades and test scores often differ? A framework of possible differences was proposed. An approximation of the framework was tested with data on 8454 high school students. Individual and group differences in grade versus test performance were substantially reduced by focusing the two measures on similar academic subjects, correcting for grading variations and unreliability, and adding teacher ratings and other information about students. Concurrent prediction of high school average was thus increased from .62 to .90; differential prediction was reduced to .02 letter‐grades. Grading variation was a major source of discrepancy between grades and test scores. The analysis suggested Scholastic Engagement as a promising organizing principle in understanding student achievement. It was defined by three types of observable behavior: employing school skills, demonstrating initiative, and avoiding competing activities. Groups differed in average achievement, but group performance was generally similar on grades and tests. If artifactual differences between the two measures are not corrected, common statistical estimates of test validity and fairness are unduly conservative. Different characteristics give grades and test scores complementary strengths in high‐stakes assessment. (Key words: validity, school achievement, scholastic engagement, group differences, grading, differential prediction)
STATISTICAL GRAPHICS: MAPPING THE PATHWAYS OF SCIENCE
Authors: Wainer Howard , Velleman Paul F.
Published: August 2014

In this paper we trace the evolution of statistical graphics from its departure from the common noun structure of Cartesian determinism, through William Playfair's revolutionary grammatical shift to graphs as proper nouns and alight on the modern conception of graph as an active participant in the scientific process of discovery. The ubiquitous availability of data, software, and cheap, high‐powered computing when coupled with the broad acceptance of the ideas in Tukey's 1977 treatise on exploratory data analysis has yielded a fundamental change in the way that the role of statistical graphics is thought of within science — as a dynamic partner and guide to the future rather than as a static monument to the discoveries of the past. We commemorate and illustrate this development while pointing readers to the new tools available and provide some indications of their potential.
Effects of N‐Acetyl‐L‐Cysteine‐Capped CdTe Quantum Dots on Bovine Serum Albumin and Bovine Hemoglobin: Isothermal Titration Calorimetry and Spectroscopic Investigations
Authors: Sun Haoyu , Cui Erqian , Tan Zhigang , Liu Rutao
Published: August 2014

The interactions of N‐acetyl‐L‐cysteine‐capped CdTe quantum dots (QDs) with bovine serum albumin (BSA) and bovine hemoglobin (BHb) were investigated by isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC), fluorescence, synchronous fluorescence, fluorescence lifetime, ultraviolet–visible absorption, and circular dichroism techniques. Fluorescence data of BSA–QDs and BHb–QDs revealed that the quenching was static in every system. While CdTe QDs changed the microenvironment of tryptophan in BHb, the microenvironment of BSA kept unchanged. Adding CdTe QDs affected the skeleton and secondary structure of the protein (BSA and BHb). The ITC results indicated that the interaction between the protein (BSA and BHb) and QDs‐612 was spontaneous and the predominant force was hydrophobic interaction. In addition, the binding constants were determined to be 1.19 × 105 L mol−1 (BSA–QDs) and 2.19 × 105 L mol−1 (BHb–QDs) at 298 K. From these results, we conclude that CdTe QDs have a larger impact on the structure of BHb than BSA.
Apoptotic Effects of Two COX‐2 Inhibitors on Breast Adenocarcinoma Cells Through COX‐2 Independent Pathway
Authors: Norouzi Mahnaz , Norouzi Shaghayegh , Amini Mohsen , Amanzadeh Amir , Irian Saeed , Salimi Mona
Published: August 2014

Recently, much effort has been directed toward the search for compounds that influence apoptosis and to understand their mechanisms of action. Cyclooxygenase (COX)‐2 inhibitors may induce apoptosis through the COX‐2‐independent mechanism via a mitochondrial pathway. In view of the reported antiproliferative activities of two COX‐2 inhibitor derivatives (1,2) in breast cancer cells (MCF‐7), the present study was undertaken to evaluate the potential of these compounds to induce apoptosis and unravel the associated mechanisms. The apoptotic activities of the two compounds were assessed using flow cytometry, fluorescence microscope, and Western blot analysis. Compounds1and2‐treated MCF‐7 cells revealed the apoptotic cell death, as confirmed by the changes in nuclear morphology and the increased annexin‐V/PI staining. Elevation of Bax to Bcl‐2 ratio and activation of caspase‐3 were found to be associated with the initiation of apoptosis induced by compound1. Further investigation showed that compounds1and2inhibited NF‐κB, FHC, and ERK activation, while no dramatic change was revealed in c‐Myc and EGR‐1 levels. Our data suggest that induction of apoptosis by compounds1and2is not associated with COX‐2 expression and occurs through the NF‐κB pathway, which sequentially inhibits P‐ERK and FHC expression. J. Cell. Biochem. 116: 81–90, 2015. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Reduction of Myeloid‐Derived Suppressor Cells and Lymphoma Growth by a Natural Triterpenoid
Authors: Radwan Faisal F.Y. , Hossain Azim , God Jason M. , Leaphart Nathan , Elvington Michelle , Nagarkatti Mitzi , Tomlinson Stephen , Haque Azizul
Published: August 2014

Lymphoma is a potentially life threatening disease. The goal of this study was to investigate the therapeutic potential of a natural triterpenoid, Ganoderic acid A (GA‐A) in controlling lymphoma growth both in vitro and in vivo. Here, we show that GA‐A treatment induces caspase‐dependent apoptotic cell death characterized by a dose‐dependent increase in active caspases 9 and 3, up‐regulation of pro‐apoptotic BIM and BAX proteins, and a subsequent loss of mitochondrial membrane potential with release of cytochrome c. In addition to GA‐A's anti‐growth activity, we show that lower doses of GA‐A enhance HLA class II‐mediated antigen (Ag) presentation and CD4+ T cell recognition of lymphoma cells in vitro. The therapeutic relevance of GA‐A treatment was also tested in vivo using the EL4 syngeneic mouse model of metastatic lymphoma. GA‐A‐treatment significantly prolonged survival of EL4 challenged mice and decreased tumor metastasis to the liver, an outcome accompanied by a marked down‐regulation of STAT3 phosphorylation, reduction myeloid‐derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), and enhancement of cytotoxic CD8+ T cells in the host. Thus, GA‐A not only selectively induces apoptosis in lymphoma cells, but also enhances cell‐mediated immune responses by attenuating MDSCs, and elevating Ag presentation and T cell recognition. The demonstrated therapeutic benefit indicates that GA‐A is a candidate for future drug design for the treatment of lymphoma. J. Cell. Biochem. 116: 102–114, 2015. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Coevolution of caudal skeleton and tail feathers in birds
Authors: Felice Ryan N.
Published: August 2014

Birds are capable of a wide range of aerial locomotor behaviors in part because of the derived structure and function of the avian tail. The tail apparatus consists of a several mobile (free) caudal vertebrae, a terminal skeletal element (the pygostyle), and an articulated fan of tail feathers that may be spread or folded, as well as muscular and fibroadipose structures that facilitate tail movements. Morphological variation in both the tail fan and the caudal skeleton that supports it are well documented. The structure of the tail feathers and the pygostyle each evolve in response to functional demands of differing locomotor behaviors. Here, I test whether the integument and skeleton coevolve in this important locomotor module. I quantified feather and skeletal morphology in a diverse sample of waterbirds and shorebirds using a combination of linear and geometric morphometrics. Covariation between tail fan shape and skeletal morphology was then tested using phylogenetic comparative methods. Pygostyle shape is found to be a good predictor of tail fan shape (e.g., forked, graduated), supporting the hypothesis that the tail fan and the tail skeleton have coevolved. This statistical relationship is used to reconstruct feather morphology in an exemplar fossil waterbird, Limnofregata azygosternon. Based on pygostyle morphology, this taxon is likely to have exhibited a forked tail fan similar to that of its extant sister clade Fregata, despite differing in inferred ecology and other aspects of skeletal anatomy. These methods may be useful in reconstructing rectricial morphology in other extinct birds and thus assist in characterizing the evolution of flight control surfaces in birds. J. Morphol. 275:1431–1440, 2014. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
HIV‐1 coreceptor usage in paired plasma RNA and proviral DNA from patients with acute and chronic infection never treated with antiretroviral therapy
Authors: Bon I. , Turriziani O. , Musumeci G. , Clò A. , Montagna C. , Morini S. , Calza L. , Gibellini D. , Antonelli G. , Re M. C.
Published: August 2014

Although an independent evolution of viral quasispecies in different body sites might determine a differential compartmentalization of viral variants, the aim of this paper was to establish whether sequences from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and plasma provide different or complementary information on HIV tropism in patients with acute or chronic infection. Tropism was predicted using genotypic testing combined with geno2pheno (coreceptor) analysis at a 10% false positive rate in paired RNA and DNA samples from 75 antiretroviral‐naïve patients (divided on the basis of avidity index into patients with a recent or long‐lasting infection). A high prevalence of R5 HIV strains (97%) was observed in both compartments (plasma and PBMCs) in patients infected recently. By contrast, patients with a long‐lasting infection showed a quite different situation in the two compartments, revealing more (46%) X4/DM in PBMCs than patients infected recently (3%) (P = 0.008). As‐ a knowledge of viral strains in different biological compartments might be crucial to establish a therapeutic protocol, it could be extremely useful to detect not only viral strains in plasma, but also viruses hidden or archived in different cell compartments to better understand disease evolution and treatment efficacy in patients infected with HIV. J. Med. Virol. 87:315–322, 2015. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Effect of different drying methods on chlorophyll, ascorbic acid and antioxidant compounds retention of leaves of Hibiscus sabdariffa L.
Authors: Kumar Sandopu Sravan , Manoj Prabhakaran , Shetty Nandini P , Giridhar Parvatam
Published: August 2014

BACKGROUND

Use of the indigenous, easily accessible leafy vegetable roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa L.) for value addition is gaining impetus as its nutritive and nutraceutical compounds are exposed by investigations. Being a perishable, storage is challenging, hence different methods of drying have been an attractive alternative for its postharvest usage in foods without much compromising its quality and antioxidant potential.

RESULTS

Room‐ and freeze‐dried samples were found to have best quality in terms of colour, total flavonoid content (18.53 ± 2.39 and 18.66 ± 1.06 g kg−1 respectively), total phenolic content (17.76 ± 1.93 and 18.91 ± 0.48 g kg−1), chlorophyll content (1.59 ± 0.001 and 1.55 ± 0.001 g kg−1) and ascorbic acid content (11.11 ± 1.04 and 8.92 ± 0.94 g kg−1) compared with those subjected to infrared, crossflow, microwave, oven or sun drying. Samples treated by room and freeze drying retained maximum antioxidant potential as shown by the phosphomolybdate method and the 2,2‐diphenyl‐1‐picrylhydrazyl free radical‐scavenging activity and ferric‐reducing antioxidant power assays. Cold water and hot water extracts showed significantly higher total phenolic content and total antioxidant activity owing to the greater solubility of phenolics and destruction of cellular components in polar solvents than in organic solvents.

CONCLUSION

The data obtained show the potential for retaining quality parameters of roselle leaf under suitable drying methods. © 2014 Society of Chemical Industry
High‐ but not low‐intensity light leads to oxidative stress and quality loss of cold‐stored baby leaf spinach
Authors: Glowacz Marcin , Mogren Lars M , Reade John PH , Cobb Andrew H , Monaghan James M
Published: August 2014

BACKGROUND

Quality management in the fresh produce industry is an important issue. Spinach is exposed to various adverse conditions (temperature, light, etc.) within the supply chain. The present experiments were conducted to investigate the effect of light conditions (dark, low‐intensity light (LL) and high‐intensity light (HL)) and photoperiod (6 h HL and 18 h dark) on the quality changes of cold‐stored spinach.

RESULTS

HL exposure resulted in oxidative stress, causing tissue damage and quality loss as evidenced by increased membrane damage and water loss. The content of total ascorbic acid was reduced under HL conditions. On the other hand, storage of spinach under LL conditions gave promising results, as nutritional quality was not reduced, while texture maintenance was improved. No significant differences, with the exception of nutritional quality, were found between spinach leaves stored under continuous (24 h) low‐intensity light (30–35 µmol m−2 s−1) and their counterparts stored under the same light integral over 6 h (130–140 µmol m−2 s−1).

CONCLUSION

LL extended the shelf‐life of spinach. The amount of light received by the leaves was the key factor affecting produce quality. Light intensity, however, has to be low enough not to cause excess oxidative stress and lead to accelerated senescence. © 2014 Society of Chemical Industry
NMR of solutes in nematic and smectic A liquid crystals: the anisotropic intermolecular potential
Authors: Burnell E. Elliott , Dong Ronald Y. , C. J. Weber Adrian , Yethiraj Anand
Published: August 2014

Orientational order parameters determined from 1H NMR spectroscopy of solutes in liquid crystals that form both nematic and smectic A phases are used to determine the solute smectic A order parameters and the smectic–nematic coupling term. For the analysis, it is necessary to know the nematic part of the potential in the smectic A phase: various ways of extrapolating parameters from the nematic phase to the smectic phase are explored. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Regional forecasts of photovoltaic power generation according to different data availability scenarios: a study of four methods
Authors: Fonseca Junior Joao Gari da Silva , Oozeki Takashi , Ohtake Hideaki , Takashima Takumi , Ogimoto Kazuhiko
Published: August 2014

The development of methods to forecast photovoltaic (PV) power generation regionally is of utmost importance to support the spread of such power systems in current power grids. The objective of this study is to propose and to evaluate methods to forecast regional PV power 1 day ahead of time and to compare their performances. Four forecast methods were regarded, of which two are new ones proposed in this study. Together, they characterize a set of forecast methods that can be applied in different scenarios regarding availability of data and infrastructure to make the forecasts. The forecast methods were based on the use of support vector regression and weather prediction data. Evaluations were performed for 1 year of hourly forecasts using data of 273 PV systems installed in two adjacent regions in Japan, Kanto, and Chubu. The results show the importance of selecting the proper forecast method regarding the region characteristics. For Chubu, the region with a variety of weather conditions, the forecast methods based on single systems' forecasts and the one based on stratified sampling provided the best results. In this case, the best annual normalized root mean square error (RMSE) and mean absolute error (MAE) were 0.25 and 0.15 kWh/kWhavg, respectively. For Kanto, with homogeneous weather conditions, the four methods performed similarly. In this case, the lowest annual forecast errors were 0.33 kWh/kWhavg for the normalized RMSE and 0.202 kWh/kWhavg for the normalized MAE. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Dynameomics: Data‐driven methods and models for utilizing large‐scale protein structure repositories for improving fragment‐based loop prediction
Authors: Rysavy Steven J. , Beck David A.C. , Daggett Valerie
Published: August 2014

Protein function is intimately linked to protein structure and dynamics yet experimentally determined structures frequently omit regions within a protein due to indeterminate data, which is often due protein dynamics. We propose that atomistic molecular dynamics simulations provide a diverse sampling of biologically relevant structures for these missing segments (and beyond) to improve structural modeling and structure prediction. Here we make use of the Dynameomics data warehouse, which contains simulations of representatives of essentially all known protein folds. We developed novel computational methods to efficiently identify, rank and retrieve small peptide structures, or fragments, from this database. We also created a novel data model to analyze and compare large repositories of structural data, such as contained within the Protein Data Bank and the Dynameomics data warehouse. Our evaluation compares these structural repositories for improving loop predictions and analyzes the utility of our methods and models. Using a standard set of loop structures, containing 510 loops, 30 for each loop length from 4 to 20 residues, we find that the inclusion of Dynameomics structures in fragment‐based methods improves the quality of the loop predictions without being dependent on sequence homology. Depending on loop length, ∼25–75% of the best predictions came from the Dynameomics set, resulting in lower main chain root‐mean‐square deviations for all fragment lengths using the combined fragment library. We also provide specific cases where Dynameomics fragments provide better predictions for NMR loop structures than fragments from crystal structures. Online access to these fragment libraries is available at http://www.dynameomics.org/fragments.
Circle Chart for the Monitoring of Maxima in Periodic Processes
Authors: Deng Peipei , Goh Thong Ngee , Cheng Yuan , Xie Min
Published: August 2014

An important process characteristic is process maxima as it is often an important quality or performance parameter. Such measurements often play a vital role in process analysis and have to be monitored carefully. In this paper, we consider the problem of monitoring process maxima when the process exhibits a kind of periodicity. A circle chart for periodical process maxima with or without seasonal patterns monitoring is developed and studied, by modeling the process maxima using the extreme value distribution. Mean normalization is applied for periodic process monitoring with seasonal patterns to facilitate comparison between different sections and periods. The average cycle run length is proposed to measure charting efficiency. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A Parallel Optimization Algorithm based on FANOVA Decomposition
Authors: Ivanov Momchil , Kuhnt Sonja
Published: August 2014

The analysis and modeling of complex industrial processes, like the forming of car parts, is often performed with the help of computer simulations. Optimization of such computer experiments usually relies on metamodel‐based sequential strategies. The existing sequential algorithms, however, share the limitation that they only allow a single simulation at a time. In this article, we present a very elegant way to produce a parallel optimization procedure, based on a technique from the sensitivity analysis toolbox—the functional analysis of variance graph. The proposed novel simultaneous optimization scheme is called the ParOF algorithm. It is compared with a very effective black‐box procedure—the well known efficient global optimization (EGO) algorithm, based on analytical test cases and an optimization study of a sheet forming simulation. Besides demonstrating the advantages of our parallel optimization method, the results show that it can successfully be applied to sheet metal forming for the purpose of quality improvement of the ready parts.Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Hydrothermal Synthesis and Characterization of a Novel 2D Luminescent Silver(I) Microporous Framework with 4‐(4‐Aminobenzene)‐1, 2, 4‐triazole using Tetranuclear Silver(I) Clusters as Secondary Building Blocks
Authors: Liu Yuan Yuan , Xu Yao Yao , Wang You You , Huo Jian Zhong , Ding Bin , Wang Ying , Wang Xiu Guang
Published: August 2014

The two‐dimensional (2D) cluster‐based silver(I) complex {[Ag2(μ3‐L1)2(μ2‐HL1)]·H2O·3NO3}n (1) was isolated under hydrothermal conditions using the multi‐dentate triazole derivative ligand 4‐(4‐aminobenzene)‐1, 2, 4‐triazole (L1) and the corresponding silver(I) salts. The results indicate that 1 is constructed by tetranuclear AgI clusters as secondary building blocks. Each tetranuclear AgI cluster links four neighboring AgI clusters by eight bridging μ3‐L1 ligands forming a two‐dimensional (2D) microporous cluster‐based framework. Compound 1 also represents a scarcely reported example of coordination frameworks with 4‐(4‐aminobenzene)‐1, 2, 4‐triazole. The solid‐state fluorescence spectrum of 1 exhibits strong red‐shifted enhanced photoluminescence emission in comparison with that of free L1. The versatile bidentate and tridentate coordination modes of L1 in 1 together with flexible dihedral angles between aromatic benzene and triazole rings also reveal great potential in the construction of functional frameworks with L1.
Human genetic disorders of sphingolipid biosynthesis
Authors: Astudillo Leonardo , Sabourdy Frédérique , Therville Nicole , Bode Heiko , Ségui Bruno , Andrieu‐Abadie Nathalie , Hornemann Thorsten , Levade Thierry
Published: August 2014

Monogenic defects of sphingolipid biosynthesis have been recently identified in human patients. These enzyme deficiencies affect the synthesis of sphingolipid precursors, ceramides or complex glycosphingolipids. They are transmitted as autosomal recessive or dominant traits, and their resulting phenotypes often replicate the abnormalities seen in murine models deficient for the corresponding enzymes. In quite good agreement with the known critical roles of sphingolipids in cells from the nervous system and the epidermis, these genetic defects clinically manifest as neurological disorders, including paraplegia, epilepsy or peripheral neuropathies, or present with ichthyosis. The present review summarizes the genetic alterations, biochemical changes and clinical symptoms of this new group of inherited metabolic disorders. Hypotheses regarding the molecular pathophysiology and potential treatments of these diseases are also discussed.
Dissolution kinetics of Si and Al from montmorillonite in carbonic acid solution
Authors: Ni Xiaoming , Li Quanzhong , Chen Wenxue
Published: August 2014

The reaction between carbonic acid and montmorillonite minerals was studied in order to provide a theoretical basis for analyzing changes in the physical properties of coal seams after CO2 injection and for optimizing CO2 pumping parameters. A single montmorillonite mineral of purity >90 % was selected and subjected to reactions at 25, 35, and 45 °C in carbonic acid solutions of varying acidity. The Si and Al concentrations in the solutions and the structure and elemental compositions of the montmorillonite before and after the reactions were analyzed using a spectrophotometer, an X-ray diffractometer, and an energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometer; kinetic reaction models were established for the dissolution of Si and Al in carbonic acid solutions in order to estimate the apparent activation energy of Si dissolution under different acidity conditions. The results indicate that Al dissolved rapidly and soon reached solubility equilibrium. On the other hand, Si concentration in the solutions increased rapidly and then gradually declined with vibrations, with maximum values at 25, 35, and 45 °C, which were observed at approximately 96, 72, and 48 h, respectively. In addition, Si dissolution fitted the diffusion-controlled reaction model well; as the pH value decreased, the apparent activation energy of Si dissolution decreased, and Si became easier to dissolve. Furthermore, it was concluded that as a weak acid, carbonic acid causes little damage to the mineral structure of montmorillonite.