bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Suburban Gothic
Authors: Redford Catherine
Published: June 2017

Suburban Gothic is a subgenre that exploits the anxiety that beneath the surface of idealized suburban communities – characterized as safe, spacious, family‐focused, and removed from the corruption of the city – lie danger and dysfunctionality. The threat, whether it be a ghost, a demon, or a serial killer, is nearly always positioned as internal; the house next door (or even one's own home and family), with its white picket fence and perfectly manicured lawns, is presented as being more menacing then the spooky old house on the hill or the stranger from out of town. Playing on fears about the “identikit” homes and families that the suburbs create, suburban Gothic suggests that there is something rotten hidden beneath the surface of these white, middle‐class communities. Issues of identity and conformity are addressed alongside anxieties about the destruction of the environment, as the suburbs expand and swallow up the countryside. The subgenre is most commonly associated with postwar North America, which saw mass suburban development as citizens bought into the ideas of prosperity and upward social mobility presented as part of the American dream.
Theory
Authors: Punter David
Published: June 2017

The theory of the Gothic – how and why it emerged; what sociocultural forces it responded to; its strangely unnatural persistence; and the ways in which it has constantly been reshaped over the years and indeed the centuries – has been a source of great and expanding interest since the late 1970s. Before that time, critical attention to the Gothic was largely descriptive, and based on the work of scholars who might be better described as connoisseurs. Principal among these was the remarkable Montague Summers, who amassed and worked from a huge library of Gothic texts; his monumental book
The Gothic Quest
(1938) provides plot summaries and contexts for a huge number of works that might be loosely called Gothic fiction, many of which had been forgotten before his time and have, indeed, since been forgotten again. But, even behind these sometimes apparently naïve descriptions, there lies an agenda that might be termed theoretical, in a way: namely, an attempt to demonstrate that Gothic fiction is essentially a Catholic form, in love with the trappings of the church as much as with the legacies of a defunct aristocracy (see
roman catholicism
).
Thompson,Alice
Authors: Germanà Monica
Published: June 2017

Published in 1990,Killing Timeforeshadows the recurrent themes of the subsequent works of Alice Thompson: set in the London underground, her debut novella explores the liminal space between desire and obsession, interrogating simultaneously – and self‐consciously, as the title suggests – the contentious boundaries between reality and fiction.Killing Timehas been followed by the publication of five novels to date:Justine(1996) (joint winner of the James Tait Black Memorial Prize for fiction),Pandora's B ox(1998),Pharos(2002),The Falconer(2008), andThe Existential Detective(2010). The five novels share an intense engagement with conventional Gothictopoi; revenants of both the psychological and supernatural kind possess the uncanny settings of her main novels, which, in turn, are haunted by a complex web of intertextual references, exposing the self‐reflexivity of her Gothic writing (seeintertext;uncanny, the). Though the novels present a cohesive set of shared themes articulated by a distinctive voice, Thompson's fiction is in fact difficult to categorize. The American modernism of Henry James' fiction, which Thompson investigated in her doctoral thesis at Oxford University; the magical realism of Angela Carter; and the psychological Gothic of Edgar Allan Poe and Daphne Du Maurier contribute overtly to the complex symbolism of her plots (seecarter, angela;du maurier, daphne;james, henry;poe, edgar allan).
W
alpole,
H
orace
Authors: Cooper L. Andrew
Published: June 2017

Horace Walpole (1717–97) wrote the novel
The Castle of Otranto
(1764), which named and arguably began the modern tradition of Gothic fiction. His macabre playfulness set a tone for the Gothic that remains prevalent, and his interest in taboo subjects shaped the Gothic as a form dedicated to exploring and defying the limits of human identity and behavior.
Werewolves
Authors: Fincher Max
Published: June 2017

Since making an appearance inThe Satyricon(61ce) by the Roman author Petronius, the werewolf has stalked its way across almost two thousand years of literature, including fairy and folktales, legend, poetry, and drama. From the sixteenth century onwards, a belief in lycanthropy, where a person believes him or herself to be a wolf and behaves as such, has been prevalent in folktales. In fairy tales such as Charles Perrault's “Little Red Riding Hood,” the wolf is symbolic of evil, embodying deception. In Christian theology, the wolf is most closely associated with the idea of the Devil.
W
harton,
E
dith
Authors: Horner Avril
Published: June 2017

The skill of Edith Wharton (1862–1937) at adapting Gothic tropes in order to produce subtle insights into and critiques of American culture and society is evident throughout her writing career (see
american gothic
). In her earlier work, Gothic images abound as a way of showing how women are imprisoned by social constraints; in the
House of Mirth
(1905), for example, Lawrence Selden perceives Lily Bart as “so evidently the victim of the civilization which had produced her, that the links of her brace seemed like manacles chaining her to her fate” and, later, Lily finds her aunt's house “as dreary as a prison” (1985: 7, 109). Rooms and houses frequently appear claustrophobic to Wharton's heroines, who find them tomblike and labyrinthine.
W
illiams,
T
ennessee
Authors: Bak John S.
Published: June 2017

In addition to being one of America's more important playwrights of the twentieth century, Tennessee Williams (1911–83) was also a significant voice in the nation's experiment with the Gothic. Domestic violence, murder, rape, castration, and even cannibalism fill the pages of Williams' stories and plays, each tinged with the same racial clashes and religious fanaticism present in much of the work of America's Southern Renaissance writers (see
southern gothic
).
Wordsworth,William
Authors: Miles Robert
Published: June 2017

William Wordsworth (1770–1850) is not customarily thought of as a Gothic writer. Indeed, the most common association between Wordsworth and the Gothic is his hostility toward it. In the preface toLyrical Ballads(1800), he famously complained that “the works of Shakespeare and Milton, are driven into neglect by frantic novels, sickly and stupid German tragedies, and deluges of idle and extravagant stories in verse” (Wordsworth 1974: I 129). The gentlemanly agreement between himself and Coleridge, that in their jointly written book of poems theLyrical Balladsthe latter would enjoy a license to indulge in poems of the supernatural while Wordsworth restricted himself to “subjects” chosen “from everyday life” (Coleridge 1983: II 7), underscores Wordsworth's reputation as a writer sternly opposed to the hair‐raising fripperies of popular modes of writing – to the “degrading thirst after outrageous stimulation” (Wordsworth 1974: I 129) – a hostility seemingly underlined by his aggressive marginalization of Coleridge's supernatural efforts in the second edition of theLyrical Ballads. Wordsworth's antipathy to the Gothic was further cemented in the critical imagination through two concurrent developments in the Victorian period: the canonization of Wordsworth as the principal architect of English Romanticism, understood as a recent apogee of high literature, and the demonization of Gothic as trash (seeromanticism). Of course, the origins of both developments stretch back to the Romantic period proper, but it was the Victorians who were largely responsible for categorizing the immediately preceding era as “Romantic.” If this was literature, with a capital “L,” it required an antithesis to complete the binary, and for this purpose was invented a second category, the “Gothic.” If one was poetic, masculine, and high, the other was prosaic, feminine, and low.
Chemotaxonomy in Relation to Molecular Phylogeny of Plants
Authors: Wink Michael , Waterman Peter G.
Published: June 2017

The sections in this article are

Introduction

The Establishment of Chemotaxonomy as a Research Discipline

Developments in Small Molecule Chemotaxonomy Over the Past 25 Years

Molecular Biology and Plant Taxonomy

Comparison between Patterns of Secondary Metabolites and Molecular Phylogeny

Acknowledgements
Spatial and Temporal Variation in Vacuolar Contents
Authors: Tomos A.D. , Leigh R.A. , Koroleva O.A.
Published: June 2017

The sections in this article are

Introduction

Functional Roles of Vacuoles

Generic Factors Affecting Vacuolar Solute Composition

Evidence for Heterogeneous Distribution of Solutes

Storage of Water

Conclusions
Ion Channels and Ion Co‐Transporters in the Tonoplast
Authors: Pantoja Omar , Barkla Bronwyn J. , Vera‐Estrella Rosario
Published: June 2017

The sections in this article are

Introduction

Ion Channels

Ion Co‐Transporters

Conclusions

Acknowledgments
Vacuolar Transport of Secondary Metabolites and Xenobiotics
Authors: Martinoia E. , Klein M. , Geisler M. , Sánchez‐Fernández R. , Rea P.A.
Published: June 2017

The sections in this article are

Introduction

Common Pathways for Detoxification

Secondary Energized Transporters andABCTransporters

Characteristics of VacuolarABCTransporters

Conclusions and Outlook

Note

Acknowledgments
Protein–Protein Interactions in Plant Thioredoxin Dependent Systems
Authors: Meyer Yves , Miginiac‐Maslow Myroslawa , Schürmann Peter , Jacquot Jean‐Pierre
Published: June 2017

The sections in this article are

Introduction

Description of the Chloroplastic and Cytosolic Systems in Eukaryotic Plants

Mechanism of Thioredoxin Catalysis and Consequences

Molecular Properties of the Thioredoxin Dependent Enzymes and Protein–Protein Recognition Properties

New Approaches for the Characterization of Thioredoxin Targets

Conclusions
Self‐Compartmentalizing Proteolytic Complexes
Authors: Veierskov Bjarke , Ingvardsen Christina
Published: June 2017

The sections in this article are

Introduction

Physical Properties of the Proteosome

Biological Processes Regulated by the Proteasome

ATP‐DependentClpProtease

Lon Proteases

Conclusions
Protein–Protein Interactions in the Regulation of Plant Gene Transcription
Authors: Zhou Dao‐Xiu
Published: June 2017

The sections in this article are

Introduction

PlantDNA‐Binding Transcription Factors

Combinatory Interactions and the Regulation of Specific Gene Expression

Interaction with Signaling Proteins

Extensive Protein Interactions Leading to the Assembly of Transcriptional Initiation Complexes

Conclusions
The Composition and Structure of Plant Primary Cell Walls
Authors: O'Neill Malcolm A. , York William S.
Published: June 2017

The sections in this article are

Introduction

Definition of the Wall

The Composition of the Primary Cell Wall

The Macromolecular Components of Primary Walls

Determination of the Structures of Primary Wall Polysaccharides

Oligosaccharide Profiling of Cell Wall Polysaccharides

The Structures of the Polysaccharide Components of Primary Walls

The Pectic Polysaccharides

Other Primary Wall Components

General Features of Wall Ultrastructural Models

Conclusions

Acknowledgements
Molecules in Context: Probes for Cell Wall Analysis
Authors: Willats William G.T. , Knox J. Paul
Published: June 2017

The sections in this article are

Introduction

Technologies for the Generation of Antibodies

Targets, Immunogens and Antigens

Extending Antibody Technologies: The Way Ahead
Non‐Enzymic Cell Wall (glyco)Proteins
Authors: Johnson Kim L. , Jones Brian J. , Schultz Carolyn J. , Bacic Antony
Published: June 2017

The sections in this article are

Introduction

Hydroxyproline‐Rich Glycoproteins (HRGPs)

Glycine‐Rich Proteins (GRPs)

Other Wall Proteins

Conclusion

Acknowledgements
Plant Cell Wall Biosynthesis: Making the Bricks
Authors: Doblin Monika S. , Vergara Claudia E. , Read Steve , Newbigin ED , Bacic Antony
Published: June 2017

The sections in this article are

Introduction

Synthesis at the Plasma Membrane

Synthesis in the Golgi Apparatus

Future Directions
‘Omics’ Approaches Towards Understanding Plant Phosphorus Acquisition and Use
Authors: Lan Ping , Li Wenfeng , Schmidt Wolfgang
Published: June 2017

Low availability of inorganic phosphate (Pi) induces dramatic changes in developmental and metabolic programs as well as in transcriptomic, proteomic and metabolomics profiles. Technical advances in ‘bottom‐up’ omics technologies have allowed novel and integrative insights into acclimative responses of plants, most of which are readily applicable to the development of Pi‐efficient crops. In this chapter, recent omics‐based progress in the genome‐wide analysis of transcriptional and post‐transcriptional gene regulation, Pi starvation‐induced histone modifications, and metabolic alterations that lead to remodelling of membrane lipids and rerouting of the carbohydrate flux is reviewed. Inferred from publicly available data sets, suites are further defined of commonly identified Pi‐responsive genes and proteins as core Pi starvation‐inducible (PSI) genes (the ‘phosphatome’) and proteins in the model species
Arabidopsis thaliana
.
Impacts of lung and tumor volumes on lung dosimetry for nonsmall cell lung cancer
Authors: Lei Weijie , Jia Jing , Cao Ruifen , Song Jing , Hu Liqin
Published: June 2017

The purpose of this study was to determine the impacts of lung and tumor volumes on normal lung dosimetry in three‐dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3DCRT), step‐and‐shoot intensity‐modulated radiotherapy (ssIMRT), and single full‐arc volumetric‐modulated arc therapy (VMAT) in treatment of nonsmall cell lung cancers (NSCLC). All plans were designed to deliver a total dose of 66 Gy in 33 fractions to PTV for the 32 NSCLC patients with various total (bilateral) lung volumes, planning target volumes (PTVs), and PTV locations. The ratio of the lung volume (total lung volume excluding the PTV volume) to the PTV volume (LTR) was evaluated to represent the impacts in three steps. (a) The least squares method was used to fit mean lung doses (MLDs) to PTVs or LTRs with power‐law function in the population cohort (N = 32). (b) The population cohort was divided into three groups by LTRs based on first step and then by PTVs, respectively. The MLDs were compared among the three techniques in each LTR group (LG) and each PTV group (PG). (c) The power‐law correlation was tested by using the adaptive radiation therapy (ART) planning data of individual patients in the individual cohort (N = 4). Different curves of power‐law function with high R2 values were observed between averaged LTRs and averaged MLDs for 3DCRT, ssIMRT, and VMAT, respectively. In the individual cohort, high R2 values of fitting curves were also observed in individual patients in ART, although the trend was highly patient‐specific. There was a more obvious correlation between LTR and MLD than that between PTV and MLD.
Synthesis and Vacuum Cold Spray Deposition of Biofunctionalized Nanodiamond/Hydroxyapatite Nanocomposite for Biomedical Applications
Authors: Li Deyan , Chen Xiuyong , Gong Yongfeng , Zhang Botao , Liu Yi , Jin Peipeng , Li Hua
Published: June 2017

Insufficient biological performances of titanium alloys have been the long‐standing problems for their clinical applications. Here, we report synthesis of novel hydroxyapatite/nanodiamond‐bone morphogenetic protein 2 (HA‐ND/BMP2) composite powder and their coatings deposited by vacuum cold spray operated at room temperature. The microstructure and chemistry of the HA‐ND/BMP2 powder and coatings are characterized by transmission electron microscopy, field‐emission scanning electron microscopy, thin‐film X‐ray diffraction, Raman spectrometry, and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy. In vitro growth assay of osteoblasts on the coatings showed that the biofunctionalized nanodiamonds promoted cell adhesion and proliferation. This study provides a promising technical route for constructing biofunctionalized nanocomposites coatings for potential biomedical applications.
Ultralong Phosphorescence of Water‐Soluble Organic Nanoparticles for In Vivo Afterglow Imaging
Authors: Zhen Xu , Tao Ye , An Zhongfu , Chen Peng , Xu Chenjie , Chen Runfeng , Huang Wei , Pu Kanyi
Published: June 2017

Afterglow or persistent luminescence eliminates the need for light excitation and thus circumvents the issue of autofluorescence, holding promise for molecular imaging. However, current persistent luminescence agents are rare and limited to inorganic nanoparticles. This study reports the design principle, synthesis, and proof‐of‐concept application of organic semiconducting nanoparticles (OSNs) with ultralong phosphorescence for in vivo afterglow imaging. The design principle leverages the formation of aggregates through a top‐down nanoparticle formulation to greatly stabilize the triplet excited states of a phosphorescent molecule. This prolongs the particle luminesce to the timescale that can be detected by the commercial whole‐animal imaging system after removal of external light source. Such ultralong phosphorescent of OSNs is inert to oxygen and can be repeatedly activated, permitting imaging of lymph nodes in living mice with a high signal‐to‐noise ratio. This study not only introduces the first category of water‐soluble ultralong phosphorescence organic nanoparticles but also reveals a universal design principle to prolong the lifetime of phosphorescent molecules to the level that can be effective for molecular imaging.
Alloy‐Based Anode Materials toward Advanced Sodium‐Ion Batteries
Authors: Lao Mengmeng , Zhang Yu , Luo Wenbin , Yan Qingyu , Sun Wenping , Dou Shi Xue
Published: June 2017

Sodium‐ion batteries (SIBs) are considered as promising alternatives to lithium‐ion batteries owing to the abundant sodium resources. However, the limited energy density, moderate cycling life, and immature manufacture technology of SIBs are the major challenges hindering their practical application. Recently, numerous efforts are devoted to developing novel electrode materials with high specific capacities and long durability. In comparison with carbonaceous materials (e.g., hard carbon), partial Group IVA and VA elements, such as Sn, Sb, and P, possess high theoretical specific capacities for sodium storage based on the alloying reaction mechanism, demonstrating great potential for high‐energy SIBs. In this review, the recent research progress of alloy‐type anodes and their compounds for sodium storage is summarized. Specific efforts to enhance the electrochemical performance of the alloy‐based anode materials are discussed, and the challenges and perspectives regarding these anode materials are proposed.
Alternatives to Phosphinooxazoline (t‐BuPHOX) Ligands in the Metal‐Catalyzed Hydrogenation of Minimally Functionalized Olefins and Cyclic β‐Enamides
Authors: Biosca Maria , Magre Marc , Coll Mercè , Pàmies Oscar , Diéguez Montserrat
Published: June 2017

This study presents a new series of readily accessible iridium‐ and rhodium‐phosphite/oxazoline catalytic systems that can efficiently hydrogenate, for the first time, both minimally functionalized olefins and functionalized olefins (62 examples in total) in high enantioselectivities (ees up to >99%) and conversions. The phosphite‐oxazoline ligands, which are readily available in only two synthetic steps, are derived from previous privileged 4‐alkyl‐2‐[2‐(diphenylphosphino)phenyl]‐2‐oxazoline (PHOX) ligands by replacing the phosphine moiety by a biaryl phosphite group and/or the introduction of a methylene spacer between the oxazoline and the phenyl ring. The modular design of the ligands has given us the opportunity not only to overcome the limitations of the iridium‐PHOX catalytic systems in the hydrogenation of minimally functionalized Z‐olefins and 1,1‐disubstituted olefins, but also to expand their use to unfunctionalized olefins containing other challenging scaffolds (e.g., exocyclic benzofused and triaryl‐substituted olefins) and also to olefins with poorly coordinative groups (e.g., α,β‐unsaturated lactams, lactones, alkenylboronic esters, etc.) with enantioselectivities typically >95% ee. Moreover, both enantiomers of the hydrogenation product could be obtained by simply changing the configuration of the biaryl phosphite moiety. Remarkably, the new catalytic systems also provided excellent enantioselectivities (up to 99% ee) in the asymmetric hydrogenation of another challenging class of olefins – the functionalized cyclic β‐enamides. Again, both enantiomers of the reduced amides could be obtained by changing the metal from Ir to Rh. We also demonstrated that environmentally friendly propylene carbonate can be used with no loss of enantioselectivity. Another advantage of the new ligands over the PHOX ligands is that the best ligands are derived from the affordable (S)‐phenylglycinol rather than from the expensive (S)‐tert‐leucinol.

magnified image
Enhancing oxygen permeation via multiple types of oxygen transport paths in hepta‐bore perovskite hollow fibers
Authors: Zhu Jiawei , Wang Tianlei , Song Zhe , Liu Zhengkun , Zhang Guangru , Jin Wanqin
Published: June 2017

Significance

The multiple types of efficient oxygen transport paths were demonstrated in high‐mechanical‐strength hepta‐bore Ba0.5Sr0.5Co0.8Fe0.2O3‐δ hollow fiber membranes. These types of paths play a prominent role in enhancing oxygen permeation fluxes (17.6 mL min−1 cm−2 at 1223 K) which greatly transcend the performance of state‐of‐the‐art Ba0.5Sr0.5Co0.8Fe0.2O3‐δ hollow fiber membranes, showing a good commercialization prospect. © 2017 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 63: 4273–4277, 2017
Next generation deep sequencing corrects diagnostic pitfalls of traditional molecular approach in a patient with prenatal onset of Pompe disease
Authors: Tsai Anne Chun‐Hui , Hung Yu‐Wen , Harding Cary , Koeller David M. , Wang Jing , Wong Lee‐Jun C.
Published: June 2017

Pompe disease is a rare inherited metabolic disorder of glycogen metabolism caused by mutations in the GAA gene, encoding the acid α‐1,4 glucosidase. Successful diagnosis of Pompe disease is achieved by clinical and biochemical evaluation followed by confirmation with DNA testing. Here, we report a male infant with a prenatal onset of cardiac symptoms and enzyme testing consistent with Pompe disease, but DNA testing by Sanger sequencing revealed no pathogenic variants. Due to the strong indication from clinical, enzymatic, and histological studies (despite the absence of molecular confirmation by traditional Sanger sequencing), enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) for Pompe disease was initiated. Reanalysis of the patient's DNA sample using next generation sequencing (NGS) of a panel of target genes causing glycogen storage disorders demonstrated compound heterozygosity for a point mutation and an exonic deletion in the GAA gene. This case illustrates the value of astute clinical judgement in patient management as well as the power of target capture deep NGS in the simultaneous detection of both a point mutation and a heterozygous exonic deletion by correcting pitfalls of the traditional PCR based sequencing, namely; allele dropout and the inability to detect exonic deletions.
The in vitro mucolytic effect of xylitol and dornase alfa on chronic rhinosinusitis mucus
Authors: Hardcastle Tim , Jain Ravi , Radcliff Fiona , Waldvogel‐Thurlow Sharon , Zoing Melissa , Biswas Kristi , Douglas Richard
Published: June 2017

Background

The overproduction and stagnation of purulent mucus impair mucociliary clearance and exacerbate the symptoms of chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS). There is a clinical need for effective topical mucolytic agents to facilitate removal of mucus and improve postoperative outcomes.

Methods

The effects of xylitol (5%) and dornase alfa (1 mg/mL) on mucus and mucus crusts were investigated. Viscoelasticity and viscosity of wet mucus derived from 30 CRS patients was measured with a plate rheometer. Postoperative dried mucus crust dissolution was measured by examining peripheral transparency, central transparency, and border definition of treated crust samples from 17 CRS patients.

Results

Xylitol and dornase alfa reduced wet mucus viscoelasticity at a frequency of 0.1 Hz significantly more than the saline control. Treatments also produced significantly lower viscosities than saline at a shear rate of 10 and 100 seconds−1. Xylitol and dornase alfa significantly decreased mucus crust border definition relative to saline.

Conclusion

Xylitol and dornase alfa may be efficacious mucolytics, encouraging the breakdown of postoperative mucus crusts and the reduction of viscoelasticity and viscosity of wet mucus. In vivo study is required to evaluate the potential of these agents in treating recalcitrant CRS.
Transport of Nonautonomous Solitons in Two‐Dimensional Disordered Media
Authors: Sun Zhi‐Yuan , Yu Xin
Published: June 2017

Transport of localized nonlinear excitations in disordered media is an interesting and important topic in modern physics. Investigated in this work is transport of two‐dimensional (2D) solitons for a nonlinear Schrödinger equation with inhomogeneous nonlocality and disorder. We use the variational method to show that, the shape (size) of solitons can be manipulated through adjusting the nonlocality, which, in turn, affects the soliton mobility. Direct numerical simulations reveal that the influence of disorder on the soliton transport accords with our analysis by the variational method. Besides, we have demonstrated an anisotropic transport of the 2D nonautonomous solitons as well. Our study is expected to shed light on modulating solitons through material properties for specifying their transport in disordered media.
Associations of endocrine stress‐related gene polymorphisms with risk of autism spectrum disorders: Evidence from an integrated meta‐analysis
Authors: Yang Ping‐yuan , Menga Ya‐jing , Li Tao , Huang Yi
Published: June 2017

Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are related to serotonin transporter (5‐HTT) and catechol‐O‐methyl transferase (COMT) as two most monoaminergic polymorphic variations. However, multiple studies assessing rs4680 and 5‐HTTLPR variants in ASD have reported inconsistent results. Therefore, we conducted an integrated meta‐analysis to combine case‐control and transmission/disequilibrium test (TDT) studies to determine whether COMT and 5‐HTT are associated with ASD. We searched multiple electronic databases (PubMed, EmBase and Web of Science) to identify studies assessing the rs4680 and 5‐HTTLPR variants in ASD from Jan 1997 to Dec 2016. Then allelic data from case–control and TDT studies were analyzed by the Catmap package in the R software. A total of 5 studies were eligible for the meta‐analysis of rs4680, including 3 case–control, 1 TDT and 1 TDT & case–control studies. Meanwhile, 22 studies of 5‐HTTLPR were available, including 16 TDT, 4 case–control and 2 TDT & case–control studies. The current meta‐analysis included 814 ASD cases, 741 controls and 311 families related to rs4680; 749 ASD cases, 1,118 controls and 1,861 families relevant to 5‐HTTLPR were also evaluated. For rs4680, the pooled OR was 1.18 (95% CI = 0.87–1.59, P = 0.29, Pheterogeneity < 0.00001). There was no significant association of rs4680 with risk of ASD between the two subgroups. For 5‐HTTLPR, the pooled OR was 1.05 (95% CI = 0.92–1.20, P = 0.4652, Pheterogeneity < 0.00001). Meanwhile, we found no significant risk in individual case–control or TDT studies. The above findings indicated that neither COMT rs4680 nor 5‐HTT 5‐HTTLPR polymorphism significantly affects ASD risk. Autism Res 2017, 10: 1722–1736. © 2017 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Lay Summary

Our results showed no evidence of significant association of either COMT rs4680 or 5‐HTT 5‐HTTLPR variants with ASD, showing that these two genes may not be major susceptible genetic factors in ASD occurrence, and may have a reciprocal action with each other in combination with environmental factors. These findings further provide evidence that a single gene variant may not dictate autism occurrence, but possibly contributes to a specific phenotype or subtype of ASD.
Neoadjuvant chemotherapy with MRI monitoring for breast cancer
Authors: Dave R V , Millican-Slater R , Dodwell D , Horgan K , Sharma N
Published: June 2017

Background

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) is increasingly being offered to patients with breast cancer. No survival benefit has been demonstrated for NACT, but it may serve to reduce tumour size and improve prognosis through the attainment of a pathological complete response (pCR). The role and mode of MRI monitoring during NACT remain unclear.

Methods

Patients managed with NACT at a UK centre over 7 years were studied using a prospectively maintained database, which also included details of MRI. Clinicopathological and radiological predictors of NACT response were analysed in a univariable setting and survival analysis was undertaken using the Kaplan–Meier method.

Results

A total of 278 patients underwent surgery following NACT, of whom 200 (71·9 per cent) had residual invasive disease and 78 (28·1 per cent) achieved a pCR. Attaining a pCR improved survival significantly compared with that of patients with residual invasive disease (mean 77·1 versus 66·0 months; P = 0·004) and resulted in significantly fewer recurrences (6·0 versus 24·3 per cent; P = 0·001). The pCR rate varied significantly among molecular subgroups of breast cancer (P < 0·001): luminal A, 6 per cent; luminal B/human epidermal growth factor 2 receptor (Her2)-negative, 21 per cent; luminal B/Her2-positive, 35 per cent, Her2-positive/non-luminal, 72 per cent; and triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), 32 per cent. High-grade disease (G3) correlated with an increased rate of pCR. A radiological response seen on the mid-treatment MRI was predictive of pCR (sensitivity 77·6 per cent, but specificity only 53·3 per cent), as was complete radiological response at final MRI (specificity 97·6 per cent, but sensitivity only 32·2 per cent).

Conclusion

NACT allows identification of patient subgroups within TNBC and Her2-positive cohorts with a good prognosis. MRI can be used to identify patients who are responding to treatment.
Two New Sesquiterpene Alcohols Isolated from Senecio hadiensis Forssk. Grown in Saudi Arabia
Authors: Ahmed Sarfaraz , Ahmad Mohammad Shamim , Yousaf Muhammad , Nur‐e‐Alam Mohammad , Al‐Rehaily Adnan J.
Published: June 2017

Phytochemical investigation on the aerial parts of Senecio hadiensis Forssk. led to the isolation of two new sesquiterpenoids, presilphiperfolan‐2α,5α,8α‐triol (1) and presilphiperfolan‐2α,5α,8α,10α‐tetraol (2) featuring the rare presilphiperfolane‐type frameworks. The structures of 1 and 2 were elucidated on the basis of extensive spectroscopic (1D‐ and 2D‐NMR, HR‐ESI‐MS) methods and by comparison with the literature data. The isolates 1 and 2 were evaluated in‐vitro for antiinflammatory, cytotoxic, and peroxisome proliferator activated receptor alpha and gamma (PPARα and PPARγ) agonistic activities.
Effect of the Leaf Essential Oil from Cinnamosma madagascariensis Danguy on Pentylenetetrazol‐induced Seizure in Rats
Authors: Rakotosaona Rianasoambolanoro , Randrianarivo Emmanuel , Rasoanaivo Philippe , Nicoletti Marcello , Benelli Giovanni , Maggi Filippo
Published: June 2017

In the Malagasy traditional practices, the smoke from burning leaves of Cinnamosma madagascariensis Danguy is inhaled to treat brain disorders such as dementia, epilepsy, and headache. In the present work, we have evaluated the in vivo anticonvulsant effects of the essential oil from leaves of C. madagascariensis (CMEO). CMEO was isolated by steam distillation. The anticonvulsant activity of CMEO (0.4 and 0.8 ml/kg bw) administered subcutaneously was evaluated on pentylenetetrazol (PTZ)‐induced seizures in Wistar rats; diazepam was used as positive control. Linalool, limonene, and myrcene were the major CMEO constituents. At the dose of 0.8 ml/kg, CMEO completely arrested the PTZ‐induced convulsions with moderate sedative effects. The traditional anticonvulsant use of C. madagascariensis was confirmed allowing us to candidate molecules from CMEO as potential drugs to treat convulsions associated with strong agitation.
Proton in a Confined Space: Structural Studies of H+⊂Crypt‐111 Iodide and Some Halogen‐Bonded Derivatives
Authors: Kumar Vijith , Pilati Tullio , Quici Silvio , Chierotti Michele R. , Nervi Carlo , Gobetto Roberto , Resnati Giuseppe
Published: June 2017

Experimental observations and modeling data are reported on the solid‐state structural features of crypt‐ 111⋅HI (1) and the three‐component co‐crystals that 1 forms with α,ω‐diiodoperfluoroalkanes 2 a–d. X‐ray analyses indicate that, in all five systems and at low temperature, the caged proton is covalently bonded to a single nitrogen atom and is involved in a network of intramolecular hydrogen bonds. In contrast, room‐temperature, solid‐state 15N NMR spectroscopy suggests magnetic equivalency of the two N atoms of crypt‐111 in both 1 and co‐crystals of 1 with diiodoperfluoroalkanes. Computational modelling confirms that the acidic hydrogen inside the cavity preferentially sits along the internitrogen axis and is covalently bonded to one nitrogen. The computed energy barriers suggest that the hopping of the encapsulated proton between the two N atoms of the cage can occur in the halogen‐bonded co‐crystals of 1⋅2, but it is hardly possible in the pure H+⊂crypt‐111 iodide 1. These different pictures of the proton position and dynamics obtained by using different techniques and conditions confirm the unique characteristics of the confined space within the cavity of crypr‐111 and the distinctive features of processes occurring therein.
From Well‐Defined Alkylzinc Phosphinates to Quantum‐Sized ZnO Nanocrystals
Authors: Wolska‐Pietkiewicz Małgorzata , Grala Agnieszka , Justyniak Iwona , Hryciuk Dymitr , Jędrzejewska Maria , Grzonka Justyna , Kurzydłowski Krzysztof J. , Lewiński Janusz
Published: June 2017

Despite various applications of alkylzinc carboxylates in chemistry and materials science, the corresponding organozinc derivatives of organophosphorus compounds still represent an insufficiently explored area. To fill this gap, we report on the synthesis of alkylzinc phosphinates and their use as efficient precursors of phosphinate‐coated ZnO nanocrystals in the quantum size regime. Examples of a series of alkylzinc phosphinates with the general formula [RZn(O2PR′2)] (R=tBu or Et) have been prepared through equimolar reactions between ZnR2 and a selected phosphinic acid, namely dimethylphosphinic acid (dmpha‐H), methylphenylphosphinic acid (mppha‐H), diphenylphosphinic acid (dppha‐H), or bis(4‐methoxyphenyl)phosphinic acid (dmppha‐H). The reactivities of alkylzinc phosphinate complexes toward H2O and O2 have also been investigated, which resulted in the isolation of two oxo‐zinc phosphinate clusters, that is, [Zn4(μ4‐O)(dppha)6] and [Zn4(μ4‐O)(dmppha)6], as well as the unique alkoxy(oxo)zinc cluster [Zn4(μ4‐O)(μ2‐OtBu)(dppha)5]. Analysis of the crystal structures has revealed that organozinc complexes incorporating phosphinate ligands exhibit a unique capacity for shape‐driven self‐assembly to produce extended networks, including noncovalent quasi‐porous materials. Finally, monodispersed and quantum‐sized ZnO NCs coated with phosphinate ligands have been prepared using a non‐external‐surfactant‐assisted wet‐chemical organometallic approach based on well‐defined [RZn(O2PR′2)]‐type compounds. The resulting brightly luminescent ZnO NCs exhibit average core sizes and hydrodynamic diameters in the ranges 2–4.5 nm and 5–8 nm, respectively. The size of the inorganic core is slightly affected by the character of the incorporated phosphinate ligand, being smallest for ZnO NCs coated by asymmetrically substituted mppha ligands. Regardless of whether or not various phosphinate coating ligands could be controllably applied on the ZnO NC surface, no significant differences were found in the luminescence profiles of the analyzed nanosystems.
Excess Electron Transfer through DNA Duplexes Comprising a Metal‐Mediated Base Pair
Authors: Hensel Susanne , Eckey Kevin , Scharf Philipp , Megger Nicole , Karst Uwe , Müller Jens
Published: June 2017

Excess electron transfer through one set of DNA duplexes comprising either one or two metal‐mediated thymine–HgII–thymine base pairs was studied. Towards this end, the metal‐mediated base pair(s) were introduced between an artificial nucleoside bearing a N,N,N′,N′‐tetramethyl‐1,5‐diaminonaphthalene derivative (dN, acting as a photoinducible electron donor) and 5‐bromo‐2′‐deoxyuridine (dB, acting as an electron acceptor). Upon one‐electron reduction, dB loses a bromide ion. The amount of unreacted dB remaining after irradiation—determined by LC/ICP‐MS—was used to evaluate the charge‐transfer efficiency across the metal‐mediated base pair(s). Reference measurements with canonical adenine:thymine base pairs prove the applicability of this approach for the detection of charge transfer in DNA. The data indicate that, for the set of DNA duplexes under investigation, excess electron transfer across a thymine–HgII–thymine base pair proceeds with low efficiency, comparable to the transfer across a thymine:thymine mispair. Two contiguous thymine–HgII–thymine base pairs effectively shut down excess electron transfer.
Selectivity of C−H versus C−F Bond Oxygenation by Homo‐ and Heterometallic Fe4, Fe3Mn, and Mn4 Clusters
Authors: de Ruiter Graham , Carsch Kurtis M. , Takase Michael K. , Agapie Theodor
Published: June 2017

A series of tetranuclear [LM3(HFArPz)3OM′][OTf]2 (M, M′=Fe or Mn) clusters that displays 3‐(2‐fluorophenyl)pyrazolate (HFArPz) as bridging ligand is reported. With these complexes, manganese was demonstrated to facilitate C(sp2)−F bond oxygenation via a putative terminal metal‐oxo species. Moreover, the presence of both ortho C(sp2)−H and C(sp2)−F bonds in proximity of the apical metal center provided an opportunity to investigate the selectivity of intramolecular C(sp2)−X bond oxygenation (X=H or F) in these isostructural compounds. With iron as the apical metal center, (M′=Fe) C(sp2)−F bond oxygenation occur almost exclusively, whereas with manganese (M′=Mn), the opposite reactivity is preferred.
Germline genetic variants in men with prostate cancer and one or more additional cancers
Authors: Pilié Patrick G. , Johnson Anna M. , Hanson Kristen L. , Dayno Megan E. , Kapron Ashley L. , Stoffel Elena M. , Cooney Kathleen A.
Published: June 2017

BACKGROUND

Prostate cancer has a significant heritable component, and rare deleterious germline variants in certain genes can increase the risk of the disease. The aim of the current study was to describe the prevalence of pathogenic germline variants in cancer‐predisposing genes in men with prostate cancer and at least 1 additional primary cancer.

METHODS

Using a multigene panel, the authors sequenced germline DNA from 102 men with prostate cancer and at least 1 additional primary cancer who also met ≥1 of the following criteria: 1) age ≤55 years at the time of diagnosis of the first malignancy; 2) rare tumor type or atypical presentation of a common tumor; and/or 3) ≥3 primary malignancies. Cancer family history and clinicopathologic data were independently reviewed by a clinical genetic counselor to determine whether the patient met established criteria for testing for a hereditary cancer syndrome.

RESULTS

Sequencing identified approximately 3500 variants. Nine protein‐truncating deleterious mutations were found across 6 genes, including BRCA2, ataxia telangiectasia mutated (ATM), mutL homolog 1 (MLH1), BRCA1 interacting protein C‐terminal helicase 1 (BRIP1), partner and localizer of BRCA2 (PALB2), and fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 (FGFR3). Likely pathogenic missense variants were identified in checkpoint kinase 2 (CHEK2) and homeobox protein Hox‐B13 (HOXB13). In total, 11 of 102 patients (10.8%) were found to have pathogenic or likely pathogenic mutations in cancer‐predisposing genes. The majority of these men (64%) did not meet current clinical criteria for germline testing.

CONCLUSIONS

Men with prostate cancer and at least 1 additional primary cancer are enriched for harboring a germline deleterious mutation in a cancer‐predisposing gene that may impact cancer prognosis and treatment, but the majority do not meet current criteria for clinical genetic testing. Cancer 2017;123:3925‐32. © 2017 American Cancer Society.
GPU processing of theta‐joins
Authors: Bellas Christos , Gounaris Anastasios
Published: June 2017

The GPGPU paradigm has recently been employed to accelerate the processing of big amounts of data through the utilization of the massive parallelism offered by modern GPUs. To date, several techniques have been proposed for the implementation of simple select, aggregate, and equality join operations on GPUs. In this paper, we study the efficient implementation of theta‐join queries between two relations using the CUDA framework. Theta‐joins are notoriously slow and thus can benefit from massively parallel execution. However, their GPU‐based implementation significantly differs from hash‐ and sort‐based equality joins and needs to be carefully crafted. The implementation is driven by two main objectives. The first relates to the attainment of high efficiency in the parallelization through data reuse, which relates to the minimization of accesses to the slow global memory. The second is about the most efficient exploitation of the available memory given that, in general, it cannot hold the entire input and result. We propose a methodology for processing theta‐joins on a GPU, which exploits the heterogeneous nature of GPGPU, while addressing memory limitations. Furthermore, we provide a series of implementation optimizations, which yield performance improvements of an order of magnitude.
The impact of social capitals on service quality of Chinese educational institutions: A multilevel analysis
Authors: Li Zhichao , Gan Siyun , Jia Ru
Published: June 2017

Most of the existed researches of educational service quality are concentrated on the definition of service quality in education, measurement methods and the establishment of scales, or on student perception of service quality and its implication, while researches on the causes of educational service quality are quite scarce. In this study, the discussion on the causes of educational service quality was complemented from the perspective of social network, especially through analysis at the team level. A total of 478 copies of social network questionnaires were collected from 15 educational teams. Meanwhile, targeting at the educational institutions' customers, the service quality survey was conducted with 1,487 copies of valid samples in total. The results indicate that individual‐level social capital in the form of trust relations positively influences educational service quality. Among the group level factors, group centrality and number of cliques have a significant impact on group members' service quality, which also moderate the effect of trust on service quality.
Profiling ephedrine prepared from N‐methylalanine via the Akabori‐Momotani reaction
Authors: Doddridge Alexandra , Collins Michael , Salouros Helen
Published: June 2017

Novel methods for synthesising methylamphetamine precursors are appearing in clandestine laboratories within Australia. One such laboratory involved the synthesis of ephedrine from N‐methylalanine and benzaldehyde via the Akabori‐Momotani reaction. This article presents chiral and stable isotope ratios of ephedrine synthesised via this method, along with a chemical profile of methylamphetamine produced from this ephedrine. Based on the chiral results and the δ13C, δ15N, and δ2H values, it is possible to distinguish ephedrine made via the Akabori‐Momotani reaction from ephedrine of a “natural”, “semi‐synthetic”, or “fully‐synthetic” origin. Methylamphetamine and ephedrine samples synthesised from benzaldehyde having an enriched δ2H value (ie, > 0‰), via the Akabori‐Momotani reaction, had an isotopic profile which set them apart from all other methylamphetamine samples. It was noted, however, that using stable isotope ratios alone to determine the precursor of methylamphetamine is limited; they could not with confidence differentiate between methylamphetamine and ephedrine synthesised from benzaldehyde having a depleted δ2H value (ie, <0‰) from other ephedrine sources and phenyl‐2‐propanone based methylamphetamine samples profiled.
Habitat age influences metacommunity assembly and species richness in successional pond ecosystems
Authors: Sferra Christopher O. , Hart Justin L. , Howeth Jennifer G.
Published: June 2017

Metacommunity theory suggests that species diversity can depend upon the time since initiation of community assembly, or habitat age, as the relative influence of regional and local structuring processes changes over succession. There are, however, few studies that evaluate the role of habitat age in structuring species richness (diversity–age) over large, fine‐resolution age gradients of secondary succession in metacommunities. To test theoretical predictions of diversity–age relationships in metacommunities, zooplankton species richness and composition along a successional chronosequence in beaver (Castor canadensis) ponds were evaluated. The age of ponds was determined using dendrochronology and historical photography, and ranged from 23 to 69 yr of age. A unimodal relationship between zooplankton species richness and habitat age was observed among the successional ecosystems. This hump‐shaped relationship with community assembly time is congruent with theoretical predictions of species richness in metacommunities and can be explained by the increasing importance of local, relative to regional, structuring processes over successional trajectories. Observed patterns of diversity and composition responded to age‐mediated effects on the local pond environment; older ponds were deeper, had lower colored dissolved organic carbon, and were permanent. Additionally, there were weak but significant dispersal effects on community composition across the region. The lack of consistent community composition by successional stage reflected variation from differences in pond nutrient availability and species dispersal. The results indicate that regional and local age‐dependent structuring mechanisms operate at each successional stage on different local colonist pools and environments yielding communities that reflect succession in their richness response. Consequently, secondary succession should be considered an influential driver of species diversity across temporal and spatial scales in metacommunities.
Reliable and Reproducible Separation of 3,9‐ and 3,10‐Dibromoperylenes and the Photophysical Properties of Their Alkynyl Derivatives
Authors: Hayashi Koichiro , Inouye Masahiko
Published: June 2017

We developed a reliable and reproducible method for the separation of 3,9‐dibromoperylene and 3,10‐dibromoperylene resulting from bromination of perylene by using sequential and repeated recrystallization. Because of the unprecedented purities of the dibromoperylenes, they exhibit the highest melting temperatures so far reported. In addition, various alkynylperylenes were prepared from the dibromoperylenes, and we investigated the photophysical characteristics of these alkynyl derivatives in detail.
Thioamide‐Substituted Cinchona Alkaloids as Efficient Organocatalysts for Asymmetric Decarboxylative Reactions of MAHOs
Authors: Singjunla Yuttapong , Pigeaux Morgane , Laporte Romain , Baudoux Jérôme , Rouden Jacques
Published: June 2017

A new class of thioamide‐substituted cinchona derivatives is reported. A convergent and practical approach was developed to insert the thioamide functional group onto the cinchonidine from readily available dithioesters. These organocatalysts were effective in asymmetric decarboxylative Mannich and protonation reactions of α‐amido‐substituted malonic acid half oxyesters (MAHOs), affording α,β‐ and α‐amino acid derivatives, respectively, in good yields and stereoselectivities.