bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Differences in the early cognitive development of children and great apes
Authors: Wobber Victoria , Herrmann Esther , Hare Brian , Wrangham Richard , Tomasello Michael
Published: June 2013

There is very little research comparing great ape and human cognition developmentally. In the current studies we compared a cross‐sectional sample of 2‐ to 4‐year‐old human children (n = 48) with a large sample of chimpanzees and bonobos in the same age range (n = 42, hereafter: apes) on a broad array of cognitive tasks. We then followed a group of juvenile apes (n = 44) longitudinally over 3 years to track their cognitive development in greater detail. In skills of physical cognition (space, causality, quantities), children and apes performed comparably at 2 years of age, but by 4 years of age children were more advanced (whereas apes stayed at their 2‐year‐old performance levels). In skills of social cognition (communication, social learning, theory of mind), children out‐performed apes already at 2 years, and increased this difference even more by 4 years. Patterns of development differed more between children and apes in the social domain than the physical domain, with support for these patterns present in both the cross‐sectional and longitudinal ape data sets. These results indicate key differences in the pattern and pace of cognitive development between humans and other apes, particularly in the early emergence of specific social cognitive capacities in humans. © 2013Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Dev Psychobiol 56: 547–573, 2014.
Identification of a putative transcriptome signature common to neuroblastoma and neural crest cells
Authors: Angeles Rabadán M. , Usieto Susana , Lavarino Cinzia , Martí Elisa
Published: June 2013

Neuroblastoma, the most common extracranial tumor in children, is caused by genetic lesions in neural crest precursors of the peripheral nervous system. However, since neural crest cells are neither present after birth and nor are they readily accessible for analysis, very little is known about the genetic networks they might share with neuroblastoma cells during their development, despite their common embryonic origin. Here we have developed a novel resource for lineage tracing and for the isolation of neural crest cells in the chick embryo, enabling us to perform a genome‐wide expression screen in neural crest progenitors. In this analysis, we efficiently retrieved known neural crest specific genes that validate our screening strategy and we identified new genes that participate in diverse cell activities, yet with a strong representation of genes associated to cell signaling and cell mobility, two hallmarks of migratory cells. We crossed this transcriptome data with that in the neuroblastoma gene server to search for the human orthologues of these genes associated with neuroblastoma. Accordingly, we retrieved 54 genes expressed strongly in both populations, from which we were able to validate a total of 27 genes expressed in the neural crest that are relevant to neuroblastoma formation. We propose that neural crest and neuroblastoma tumor cells share a common genetic signature that might serve to characterize neuroblastoma cancer stem cells, thereby contributing to the identification of specific targets against which new therapeutic strategies can be designed. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Develop Neurobiol 73:815–827, 2013
A new method for identifying rapid decline dynamics in wild vertebrate populations
Authors: Di Fonzo Martina , Collen Ben , Mace Georgina M.
Published: June 2013

Tracking trends in the abundance of wildlife populations is a sensitive method for assessing biodiversity change due to the short time‐lag between human pressures and corresponding shifts in population trends. This study tests for proposed associations between different types of human pressures and wildlife population abundance decline‐curves and introduces a method to distinguish decline trajectories from natural fluctuations in population time‐series. First, we simulated typical mammalian population time‐series under different human pressure types and intensities and identified significant distinctions in population dynamics. Based on the concavity of the smoothed population trend and the algebraic function which was the closest fit to the data, we determined those differences in decline dynamics that were consistently attributable to each pressure type. We examined the robustness of the attribution of pressure type to population decline dynamics under more realistic conditions by simulating populations under different levels of environmental stochasticity and time‐series data quality. Finally, we applied our newly developed method to 124 wildlife population time‐series and investigated how those threat types diagnosed by our method compare to the specific threatening processes reported for those populations. We show how wildlife population decline curves can be used to discern between broad categories of pressure or threat types, but do not work for detailed threat attributions. More usefully, we find that differences in population decline curves can reliably identify populations where pressure is increasing over time, even when data quality is poor, and propose this method as a cost‐effective technique for prioritizing conservation actions between populations.
A novel method for design of gray‐level transformation functions for image contrast improvement based on the histogram equalization technique
Authors: Murahira Kota , Kawakami Takashi , Taguchi Akira
Published: June 2013

Histogram equalization (HE) is a simple and effective method for contrast enhancement as it can automatically define the gray‐level transformation function based on the distribution of gray levels included in an image. HE fails to produce satisfactory results for a broad variety of low‐contrast images because HE does not use the spatial features included in the input image. This paper proposes a novel contrast enhancement method using not only the conventional histogram but also the differential gray‐level histogram of the input image. The differential gray‐level histogram contains edge information from the input image. Edge information is one of the important spatial features of the image. We can extract the regions that are to be emphasized by using both the conventional histogram and the differential gray‐level histogram. The input histogram is modified by the histogram of the extracted regions. The gray‐level transformation function is derived using the modified histogram. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electron Comm Jpn, 96(7): 57–66, 2013; Published online in Wiley Online Library (wileyonlinelibrary.com). DOI 10.1002/ecj.11397
Contrast control of far‐infrared camera by varying the image sensor temperature
Authors: Fujitsuka Norio , Naganawa Hiroshi
Published: June 2013

Far‐infrared cameras are thought to be well suited for the detection of pedestrians at night. However, around sunset during the summer, because the temperature difference between pedestrians and background objects becomes small, it is difficult for a far‐infrared camera to distinguish pedestrians. To solve this problem, we propose a new contrast control method that involves varying the image sensor temperature. By increasing the image sensor temperature from 25 °C to 50 °C, the contrast between the road surface and clothes and between the sky and clothes is increased about 1.54‐ and 1.64‐fold, respectively. The contrast between the sky and skin increased about 1.55‐fold, but the contrast between the road surface and skin did not increase. This is because the emissivities of these objects were similar. The contrast control method is effective for detecting objects with relatively large differences in emissivity at about the same temperature. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electron Comm Jpn, 96(7): 52–56, 2013; Published online in Wiley Online Library (wileyonlinelibrary.com). DOI 10.1002/ecj.11405
Method of measuring contrast‐to‐noise ratio (CNR) in nonuniform image area in digital radiography
Authors: Mori Masaki , Imai Kuniharu , Ikeda Mitsuru , Iida Youko , Ito Fukiko , Yoneda Kazuo , Enchi Yukihiro
Published: June 2013

One of the physical indices for evaluating the image quality of digital radiography is the contrast‐to‐noise ratio (CNR). The CNR was reported to simulate human perception. Thus, the CNR is a variable index for evaluating detectability in digital radiography. However, it is difficult to evaluate the CNR in a nonuniform image area. In this study, we have devised a new method for measuring the CNR in a nonuniform image area on digital radiography using the top‐hat transform. Furthermore, we investigated the radiation dose dependence of CNR in the digital image of an anthropomorphic breast phantom containing a simulated calcification. We have shown that the CNR in a nonuniform image area can be analyzed with high accuracy by the devised method for measuring the CNR. As for the radiation dose dependence of the CNR, the CNR increased with the mAs values and fell depending on the increase in the density of mammary glands in the anthropomorphic breast phantom. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electron Comm Jpn, 96(7): 32–41, 2013; Published online in Wiley Online Library (wileyonlinelibrary.com). DOI 10.1002/ecj.11416
Differential Pulse Voltammetric Determination of Montelukast in Tablets and Human Plasma by Using Chitosan Modified Carbon Paste Electrode
Authors: Yıldız Gülcemal , Aydoğmuş Zeynep , Kauffmann Jean‐Michel
Published: June 2013

Electrochemical reduction and determination of montelukast (MKS) was studied in methanol – 0.1 M HCl solution (1 : 1, v/v) by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) at chitosan modified carbon paste electrode. The linear range was 1.70×10−7–1.83×10−5 M for DPV analysis. Limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) were 5.32×10−8 M and 1.61×10−7 M, respectively. The developed method was successfully applied to the determination of MKS in tablets and spiked human plasma. The results obtained were in good agreement with those obtained using a reported spectrofluorimetric technique.
Electrochemical Estrogen Receptor α based Biosensor for Label‐Free Detection of Estradiol
Authors: Guo Zhenzhong , Zine Nadia , Balaguer Patrick , Zhang Aidong , Namour Philippe , Lagarde Florence , Jaffrezic‐Renault Nicole
Published: June 2013

We describe a new electrochemical biosensor based on estrogen receptor α (ER‐α) for label‐free detection of 17β‐estradiol, a model of endocrine‐disrupting compounds. ER‐α is coupled onto the gold electrode through its 6‐His tag and NTA‐copper complex. After interaction of estradiol with ER‐α, the biosensor presents a well‐defined peak at +500 mV due to estradiol oxidation (E17 peak). The linear range of detection is from 1 fM to 1 nM and the detection limit is 1 fM. Good selectivity was obtained for interfering substances at nanomolar level, for concentration of E17 up to 0.1 pM. The E17 was detected in hospital effluents.
Bayesian spatial design of optimal deep tube well locations in Matlab, Bangladesh
Authors: Warren Joshua L. , Perez‐Heydrich Carolina , Yunus Mohammad
Published: June 2013

We introduce a method for statistically identifying the optimal locations of deep tube wells (DTWs) to be installed in Matlab, Bangladesh. DTW installations serve to mitigate exposure to naturally occurring arsenic found at groundwater depths less than 200 m, a serious environmental health threat for the population of Bangladesh. We introduce an objective function, which incorporates both arsenic level and nearest‐town population size, to identify optimal locations for DTW placement. Assuming complete knowledge of the arsenic surface, we then demonstrate how minimizing the objective function over a domain favors DTWs placed in areas with high arsenic values and close to largely populated regions. Given only a partial realization of the arsenic surface over a domain, we use a Bayesian spatial statistical model to predict the full arsenic surface and estimate the optimal DTW locations. The uncertainty associated with these estimated locations is correctly characterized as well. The new method is applied to a dataset from a village in Matlab, and the estimated optimal locations are analyzed along with their respective 95% credible regions. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Effect of cross‐section interpolated bathymetry on 2D hydrodynamic model results in a large river
Authors: Conner Jeff T. , Tonina Daniele
Published: June 2013

Two‐dimensional (2D) hydrodynamic models have been increasingly used to quantify aquatic habitat and stream processes, such as sediment transport, streambed morphological evolution, and inundation extents. Because river topography has a strong influence on predicted hydraulic conditions, 2D models require accurate and detailed bathymetric data of the stream channel and surrounding floodplains. Besides collection of mass points to construct high‐resolution three‐dimensional surfaces, bathymetries may be interpolated from cross‐sections. However, limited information is available on the effects of cross‐section spacing and the derived interpolated bathymetry on 2D model results in large river systems. Here, we investigated the effects of cross‐section spacing on flow properties simulated with 2D modeling at low, medium and high discharges in two morphologically different reaches, a simple (almost featureless with low sinuosity) and a complex (presenting pools, riffles, runs, contractions and expansions) reach of the Snake River (Idaho, USA), the tenth largest river in the United States in terms of drainage area. We compared the results from 2D models developed with complete channel bathymetry acquired with multibeam sonar data and photogrammetry, with 2D model results that were developed using interpolated topography from uniformly distributed transects. Results indicate that cross‐sections spaced equal to or greater than 2 times the average channel width (W*) smooths the bathymetry and suppresses flow structures. Conversely, models generated with cross‐sections spaced at 0.5 and 1 W* have stream flow properties, sediment mobility and spatial habitat distribution similar to those of the complete bathymetry. Furthermore, differences in flow properties between interpolated and complete topography models generally increase with discharge and with channel complexity. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Effect of natural restoration time of abandoned farmland on soil detachment by overland flow in the Loess Plateau of China
Authors: Wang Bing , Zhang Guang‐hui , Shi Yang‐yang , Zhang X.C. , Ren Zong‐ping , Zhu Liang‐jun
Published: June 2013

Vegetation restoration has significant effects on soil properties and vegetation cover and thus affects soil detachment by overland flow. Few studies have been conducted to evaluate this effect in the Loess Plateau where a Great Green Project was implemented in the past decade. This study was carried out to quantify the effects of age of abandoned farmland under natural vegetation restoration on soil detachment by overland flow and soil resistance to erosion as reflected by soil erodibility and critical shear stress. The undisturbed soil samples were collected from five abandoned farmlands with natural restoration age varying from 3 to 37 years. The samples were subjected to flow scouring in a 4.0 m long by 0.35 m wide hydraulic flume under six different shear stresses ranging from 5.60 to 18.15 Pa. The results showed that the measured soil detachment capacities in currently cultivated farmland were 24.1 to 35.4 times greater than those of the abandoned farmlands. For the abandoned farmlands, soil detachment capacities fluctuated greatly due to the complex effects of root density and biological crust thickness, and could be simulated well by flow shear stress and biological crust thickness with a power function (NSE = 0.851). Soil erodibility of abandoned farmlands decreased gradually with restoration age and reached a steady stage when restoration age was greater than 28 years. The critical shear stress of the natural abandoned farmlands declined when restoration age was less than 18 years and then increased due to the episodic influences of vegetation recovery and biological crust development. More studies in the Loess Plateau are necessary to quantify the relationship between soil detachment capacity and biological crust thickness for better understanding the mechanism of soil detachment under natural vegetation restoration. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Multiscale Stochastic Volatility with the Hull–White Rate of Interest
Authors: Kim Jeong‐Hoon , Yoon Ji‐Hun , Yu Seok‐Hyon
Published: June 2013

Although interest rates fluctuate randomly, many option‐pricing models do not fully take into account their stochastic nature because of their generally limited impact on option prices. However, stochastic changes in stochastic interest rates may exert a significant impact on option prices when issues of maturity, hedging, or stochastic volatility are considered. This study incorporates the term structure of a stochastic interest rate driven by a Hull–White process into a stochastic volatility model in order to assess the sensitivity of option prices to changes in interest rate. It demonstrates that a stochastic volatility model with a stochastic interest rate outperforms a model with a constant interest rate, particularly, for short time‐to‐maturity European options. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Jrl Fut Mark 34:819–837, 2014
Impact of atmospheric deposition on the contrasting iron biogeochemistry of the North and South Atlantic Ocean
Authors: Ussher Simon J. , Achterberg Eric P. , Powell Claire , Baker Alex R. , Jickells Tim D. , Torres Ricardo , Worsfold Paul J.
Published: June 2013

Dissolved iron (dFe) distributions and atmospheric and vertical subduction fluxes of dFe were determined in the upper water column for two meridional transects of the Atlantic Ocean. The data demonstrate the disparity between the iron biogeochemistry of the North and South Atlantic Ocean and show well‐defined gradients of size fractionated iron species in surface waters between geographic provinces. The highest dFe and lowest mixed layer residence times (0.4–2.5 years) were found in the northern tropical and subtropical regions. In contrast, the South Atlantic Gyre had lower dFe concentrations (<0.4 nM) and much longer residence times (>5 years), presumably due to lower atmospheric inputs and more efficient biological recycling of iron in this region. Vertical input fluxes of dFe to surface waters ranged from 20 to 170 nmol m–2 d–1 in the North Atlantic and tropical provinces, whereas average fluxes of 6–13 nmol m–2 d–1 were estimated for the South Atlantic. Our estimates showed that the variable dFe distribution over the surface Atlantic (<0.1–2.0 nM) predominantly reflected atmospheric Fe deposition fluxes (>50% of total vertical Fe flux to surface waters) rather than upwelling or vertical mixing. This demonstrates the strength of the connection between land‐derived atmospheric Fe fluxes and the biological cycling of carbon and nitrogen in the Atlantic Ocean.
An integrated genomic, transcriptional and protein investigation of FGFRL1 as a putative 4p16.3 deletion target in bladder cancer
Authors: di Martino Erica , Taylor Claire F. , Roulson Jo‐An , Knowles Margaret A.
Published: June 2013

Loss of heterozygosity (LOH) of chromosome arm 4p is a common event in bladder and other malignancies. At least three distinct regions of deletion have been identified, but the deletion targets have so far remained elusive. In this study, we have identified a novel region of deletion mapping to 4p16.3 spanning 0–2.1 Mb, in 15% of bladder tumors and 24% of bladder cancer cell lines. FGFRL1, which maps within this region, was investigated as putative deletion target. The retained FGFRL1 allele was not mutated in cell lines and tumors with LOH, although in patients heterozygous for the rs4647930 functional polymorphism, the common allele was preferentially lost in tumor tissue. Epigenetic silencing of the retained allele was also excluded as levels of FGFRL1 mRNA and protein were similar in cell lines and tumors with and without 4p16.3 loss. However, while FGFRL1 protein was moderately expressed in all layers of the normal bladder epithelium, the majority of tumors showed areas of downregulation. Overall, average FGFRL1 protein expression was significantly lower in bladder tumors compared to normal tissue, but downregulation was independent from 4p16.3 LOH status, FGFR3 mutation, and tumor grade and stage. In conclusion, although we found no evidence supporting a “two‐hit” inactivation of FGFRL1 in bladder carcinogenesis, the effect of heterozygous deletion coupled with functional polymorphisms, and the role of post‐transcriptional downregulation deserves further investigation. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Degradation of mangrove tissues by arboreal termites (Nasutitermes acajutlae) and their role in the mangrove C cycle (Puerto Rico): Chemical characterization and organic matter provenance using bulk δ13C, C/N, alkaline CuO oxidation‐GC/MS, and solid‐state 13C NMR
Authors: Vane Christopher H. , Kim Alexander W. , Moss‐Hayes Vicky , Snape Colin E. , Diaz Miguel Castro , Khan Nicole S. , Engelhart Simon E. , Horton Benjamin P.
Published: June 2013

Arboreal termites are wood decaying organisms that play an important role in the first stages of C cycling in mangrove systems. The chemical composition of Rhizophora mangle, Avicennia germinans, and Laguncularia racemosa leaf, stem, and pneumatophore tissues as well as associated sediments was compared to that of nests of the termite Nasutitermes acajutlae. Nests gave δ13C values of −26.1 to −27.2‰ (±0.1) and C/N of 43.3 (±2.0) to 98.6 (±16.2) which were similar to all stem and pneumatophores but distinct from mangrove leaves or sediments. Organic matter processed by termites yielded lignin phenol concentrations (Λ, lambda) that were 2–4 times higher than stem or pneumatophores and 10–20 times higher than that of leaves or sediments, suggesting that the nests were more resistant to biodegradation than the mangrove vegetation source. 13C NMR revealed that polysaccharide content of mangrove tissues (50–69% C) was higher than that of the nests (46–51% C). Conversely, lignin accounted for 16.2–19.6% C of nest material, a threefold increase relative to living mangrove tissues; a similar increase in aromatic methoxyl content was also observed in the nests. Lipids (aliphatic and paraffinic moieties) were also important but rather variable chemical components of all three mangrove species, representing between 13.5 and 28.3% of the C content. Termite nests contained 3.14 Mg C ha−1 which represents approximately 2% of above ground C storage in mangroves, a value that is likely to increase upon burial due to their refractory chemical composition.
Modeling of flame characteristics under O2/CO2 atmosphere by detailed chemical kinetics
Authors: Zhao Ran
Published: June 2013

Oxy‐fuel (O2/CO2) combustion is one of the several promising new technologies which can realize the integrated control of CO2, SO2, NOX, and other pollutants. The most significant feature of oxy‐fuel combustion is the presence of high CO2 concentration in the combustion atmosphere. As the physical and chemical properties of CO2 and N2 are very different, the flame characteristics of fuels under O2/CO2 atmosphere can be quite different from those under conventional air atmosphere. Up to now, the variation of flame characteristics of n‐alkanes and the reaction mechanisms under O2/CO2 atmosphere have been unclear. In this paper, flame characteristics of three typical pre‐mixed flames were studied under both ordinary air atmosphere and O2/CO2 atmospheres over a wide range of CO2 concentrations in the combustion systems. A unified detailed chemical kinetic model was also validated and used to simulate the flame characteristics of the three types of fuels. Based on the verified model, the influences of various parameters (atmosphere, excess oxygen ratio, O2 concentration, CO2 concentration, and alkane type) on the flame characteristics were systematically investigated. It can be concluded that a high CO2 concentration atmosphere has different effects on the ignition, laminar flame speed, and adiabatic temperature characteristics. This work confirms that the chemical effects of CO2 play a pronounced role on the flame characteristics, especially for the ignition time property. These calculations also give new insight into the complexity of the effects of the high CO2 concentration atmosphere and should help to improve the understanding of experimentally measured oxy‐fuel combustion and flame characteristics in the literature.
Cost‐effectiveness of a stepped care programme to prevent depression and anxiety in residents in homes for the older people: a randomised controlled trial
Authors: Bosmans J. E. , Dozeman E. , van Marwijk Harm W. J. , van Schaik Digna J. F. , Stek Max L. , Beekman Aartjan T. F. , van der Horst Henriette E.
Published: June 2013

Background

Depression and anxiety are common in residents of elderly homes. Both disorders have negative effects on functioning, well‐being and health‐care utilisation. Besides treatment, prevention can be an option to reduce the burden of mental disorders. The objective of this study was to evaluate the cost‐effectiveness of a stepped care programme to prevent the onset of depression and anxiety disorders in residents of elderly homes compared with usual care from a societal perspective.

Methods

Outcomes were incidence of depression and/or anxiety, severity of depressive and anxiety symptoms and quality‐adjusted life years. Health‐care utilisation was measured during interviews. Multiple imputation was used to impute missing cost and effect data. Uncertainty around cost differences and incremental cost‐effectiveness ratios was estimated using bootstrapping. Cost‐effectiveness planes and acceptability curves were created.

Results

The incidence of depression and anxiety combined in the intervention group was not reduced in comparison with the usual care group. There was also no effect on the other outcomes. Mean total costs in the intervention group were €838 higher than in the usual care group, but this difference was not statistically significant (95% confidence interval, −593 to 2420). Cost‐effectiveness planes showed that there was considerable uncertainty. Cost‐effectiveness acceptability curves showed that the maximum probability of the intervention being cost‐effective in comparison with usual care was 0.46 for reducing the incidence of depression and anxiety combined.

Conclusion

A stepped care programme to prevent depression and anxiety in older people living in elderly homes was not considered cost‐effective in comparison with usual care. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Do extreme climate events require extreme forcings?
Authors: Kumar Arun , Chen Mingyue , Hoerling Martin , Eischeid Jon
Published: June 2013

The question whether extreme climate events require extreme forcings is assessed for the severe Great Plains drought during May–July 2012. This drought event had a rapid onset, and little indications or early warnings for its sudden emergence existed. The analysis of its origins is based on a dynamical seasonal climate forecast system where states of the ocean, atmosphere, land, sea ice, and atmospheric trace gases were initialized in late April 2012, and an ensemble of forecasts was made. Based on the diagnosis of a spectrum of possible outcomes for precipitation over the Great Plains from this system, it is concluded that the extreme Great Plains drought did not require extreme external forcings and could plausibly have arisen from atmospheric noise alone. Implications for developing early warning system for extreme events in general are also discussed.
Histologic grade as prognostic indicator for mucoepidermoid carcinoma: A population‐level analysis of 2400 patients
Authors: Chen Michelle M. , Roman Sanziana A. , Sosa Julie A. , Judson Benjamin L.
Published: June 2013

Background

Mucoepidermoid carcinoma (MEC) is an uncommon malignancy. To the best of our knowledge, this is the largest study investigating disease‐specific survival (DSS) of parotid MEC and the first population‐level study of the distribution of nodal metastases.

Methods

Patients with MEC of the parotid gland were identified in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database (1988–2009).

Results

We identified 2400 patients with MEC: 522 low grade, 1137 intermediate grade, and 741 high grade. Five‐year DSS rates for low‐grade, intermediate‐grade, and high‐grade MEC were 98.8%, 97.4%, and 67.0%, respectively (p < .001). Negative prognostic factors included high grade, increasing patient age, and tumor size, extraparenchymal extension, nodal metastases, and distant metastases. High‐grade MEC was more likely to have lymph node metastases in levels I to III (34.0%) than low‐grade (3.3%) and intermediate‐grade MEC (8.1%; p < .001).

Conclusion

Grade influences the prognosis and distribution of nodal metastases. Results indicate that management guidelines should vary based on grade. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck 36: 158–163, 2014
Circulating CD4‐positive lymphocyte levels as predictor of response to induction chemotherapy in patients with advanced laryngeal cancer
Authors: Dewyer Nicholas A. , Wolf Gregory T. , Light Emily , Worden Francis , Urba Susan , Eisbruch Avraham , Bradford Carol R. , Chepeha Douglas B. , Prince Mark E. , Moyer Jeffrey , Taylor Jeremy
Published: June 2013

Background. Tumor regression after induction chemotherapy (ICT) identifies laryngeal cancers that are responsive to chemoradiation. Patient immune parameters have recently been associated with response to chemotherapy and may identify responding patients. A retrospective analysis was performed to determine if pretreatment, circulating T lymphocyte levels predicted ICT response in patients with advanced laryngeal cancer.

Methods. Pretreatment, circulating T lymphocyte subpopulations were correlated with response to therapy and survival. Results were compared with similar data from an identical phase II trial involving patients with oropharyngeal cancer.

Results. An increased percentage of CD4+ cells predicted response to ICT and suggested improved survival in patients with laryngeal, but not oropharyngeal, cancer. In the combined group of patients, increased CD4 levels predicted response to ICT.

Conclusion. These findings demonstrate the potential importance of the immune system in chemotherapy response and clinical outcome. Differences in findings between patients with advanced laryngeal and oropharyngeal cancer may reflect different cellular immunity function in the patients with human papillomavirus (HPV)‐16+ oropharyngeal cancer. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck 36: 9–14, 2014
Preservation of greater auricular nerve during parotidectomy: Sensation, quality of life, and morbidity issues. A Systematic Review
Authors: George Michael , Karkos Petros D. , Dwivedi Raghav C. , Leong Samuel C. , Kim Dae , Repanos Costa
Published: June 2013

Background

Our objectives were to assess the evidence of preservation of the greater auricular nerve in parotidectomy with regard to morbidity and quality of life.

Methods

This was a systematic review. Inclusion criteria were: English literature, prospective and retrospective studies. Exclusion criteria were: single case reports, “teaching” reviews. Outcome measures were: tactile sensation, pain, thermal sensitivity, and quality of life.

Results

Although quality of life does not seem to be adversely affected when the greater auricular nerve is sacrificed, preservation of the posterior branch was recommended in 8 studies. When preserving the nerve, the incremental operative time increase is no more than 10 to 5 minutes after a rapid learning curve.

Conclusions

There is level Ib evidence that preservation of the greater auricular nerve minimizes the postoperative sensory disturbance and should be considered whenever tumor clearance is not compromised. There is no evidence that overall quality of life is affected when the greater auricular nerve is sacrificed. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck 36: 603–608, 2014
Lymph node density—Prognostic value in head and neck cancer
Authors: Rudra Sonali , Spiotto Michael T. , Witt Mary Ellyn , Blair Elizabeth A. , Stenson Kerstin , Haraf Daniel J.
Published: June 2013

Background

The purpose of this study was to determine the prognostic value of lymph node density in head and neck cancer.

Methods

We utilized a prospective, multicenter database of 223 patients with head and neck cancer to identify patients who underwent lymph node dissection before chemoradiation to assess the prognostic significance of lymph node density.

Results

In 38 patients who met study criteria, lymph node density ≤0.20 predicted for improved overall survival (OS; 79% vs 50%; p = .04). Lymph node density was also associated with a trend toward improved 3‐year locoregional control (96% vs 79%; p = .14) and distant metastasis–free survival (93% vs 78%; p = .13). In the patients with treatment failure distantly or locoregionally, that failure was earlier in patients with lymph node density >0.20 than in patients with lymph node density ≤0.20 (median, 12.7 months vs 5.2 months; p = .004).

Conclusion

Our data suggest that lymph node density predicts for OS in patients with head and neck cancer and that the difference in OS may be because of differences in time to failure. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck 36: 266–272, 2014
Regulation of bile acid metabolism: New insights from inside
Authors: Quintero Pablo , Arrese Marco
Published: June 2013

Sayin SI, Wahlstrom A, Felin J, Jantti S, Marschall HU, Bamberg K, et al. Gut microbiota regulates bile acid metabolism by reducing the levels of tauro-beta-muricholic acid, a naturally occurring FXR antagonist. Cell Metab 2013;17:225-235. (Reprinted with permission).

Bile acids are synthesized from cholesterol in the liver and further metabolized by the gut microbiota into secondary bile acids. Bile acid synthesis is under negative feedback control through activation of the nuclear receptor farnesoid X receptor (FXR) in the ileum and liver. Here we profiled the bile acid composition throughout the enterohepatic system in germfree (GF) and conventionally raised (CONV-R) mice. We confirmed a dramatic reduction in muricholic acid, but not cholic acid, levels in CONV-R mice. Rederivation of Fxr-deficient mice as GF demonstrated that the gut microbiota regulated expression of fibroblast growth factor 15 in the ileum and cholesterol 7a-hydroxylase (CYP7A1) in the liver by FXR-dependent mechanisms. Importantly, we identified tauroconjugated beta- and alpha-muricholic acids as FXR antagonists. These studies suggest that the gut microbiota not only regulates secondary bile acid metabolism but also inhibits bile acid synthesis in the liver by alleviating FXR inhibition in the ileum.
Paracrine Signals From Liver Sinusoidal Endothelium Regulate Hepatitis C Virus Replication
Authors: Rowe Ian A. , Galsinh Sukhdeep K. , Wilson Garrick K. , Parker Richard , Durant Sarah , Lazar Catalin , Branza-Nichita Norica , Bicknell Roy , Adams David H. , Balfe Peter , McKeating Jane A.
Published: June 2013

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a major cause of global morbidity, causing chronic liver injury that can progress to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. The liver is a large and complex organ containing multiple cell types, including hepatocytes, sinusoidal endothelial cells (LSEC), Kupffer cells, and biliary epithelial cells. Hepatocytes are the major reservoir supporting HCV replication; however, the role of nonparenchymal cells in the viral lifecycle remains largely unexplored. LSEC secrete factors that promote HCV infection and transcript analysis identified bone morphogenetic protein 4 (BMP4) as a candidate endothelial-expressed proviral molecule. Recombinant BMP4 increased HCV replication and neutralization of BMP4 abrogated the proviral activity of LSEC-conditioned media. Importantly, BMP4 expression was negatively regulated by vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF-A) by way of a VEGF receptor-2 (VEGFR-2) primed activation of p38 MAPK. Consistent with our

in vitro

observations, we demonstrate that in normal liver VEGFR-2 is activated and BMP4 expression is suppressed. In contrast, in chronic liver disease including HCV infection where there is marked endothelial cell proliferation, we observed reduced endothelial cell VEGFR-2 activation and a concomitant increase in BMP4 expression.

Conclusion

: These studies identify a role for LSEC and BMP4 in HCV infection and highlight BMP4 as a new therapeutic target for treating individuals with liver disease. (Hepatology 2014;59:375–384)
Changes of soil surface roughness under water erosion process
Authors: Zheng Zi‐Cheng , He Shu‐Qin , Wu Fa‐Qi
Published: June 2013

The objective of this study was to determine the changing characteristics of soil surface roughness under different rainfall intensities and examine the interaction between soil surface roughness and different water erosion processes. Four artificial management practices (raking cropland, artificial hoeing, artificial digging, and contour tillage) were used according to the local agriculture customs of the Loess Plateau of China to simulate different types of soil surface roughness, using an additional smooth slope for comparison purposes. A total of 20 rainfall simulation experiments were conducted in five 1 m by 2 m boxes under two rainfall intensities (0.68 and 1.50 mm min−1) on a 15° slope. During splash erosion, soil surface roughness decreased in all treatments except raking cropland and smooth baseline under rainfall intensity of 0.68 mm min−1, while increasing for all treatments except smooth baseline under rainfall intensity of 1.50 mm min−1. During sheet erosion, soil surface roughness decreased for all treatments except hoeing cropland under rainfall intensity of 0.68 mm min−1. However, soil surface roughness increased for the artificial hoeing and raking cropland under rainfall intensity of 1.50 mm min−1. Soil surface roughness has a control effect on sheet erosion for different treatments under two rainfall intensities. For rill erosion, soil surface roughness increased for raking cropland and artificial hoeing treatments, and soil surface roughness decreased for artificial digging and the contour tillage treatments under two rainfall intensities. Under rainfall intensity of 0.68 mm min−1, the critical soil surface roughness was 0.706 cm for the resistance control of runoff and sediment yield. Under rainfall intensity of 1.50 mm min−1, the critical soil surface roughness was 1.633 cm for the resistance control of runoff, while the critical soil surface roughness was 0.706 cm for the resistance control of sediment yield. These findings have important implications for clarifying the erosive nature of soil surface roughness and harnessing sloped farmland. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Direct exposure at the air–liquid interface: evaluation of an in vitro approach for simulating inhalation of airborne substances
Authors: Rach Jessica , Budde Jessica , Möhle Niklas , Aufderheide Michaela
Published: June 2013

In toxicology, the strategies for testing the hazardous potential of substances are changing as a result of the ongoing progress in the development of in vitro methods and the demand of the authorities to reduce animal testing. Even in the complex field of inhalation toxicology with its high requirements on the technical implementation and cell culture models, the preconditions for using such methods are fulfilled. We here introduce a sophisticated technique that enables the stable and reproducible exposure of cultivated cells to airborne substances at the air–liquid interface by means of the CULTEX® Radial Flow System (RFS) module. The feasibility and suitability of the experimental setup is demonstrated by dose‐response investigations of mainstream cigarette smoke and particulate matter of four substances in different lung epithelial cell lines. A dose‐dependent cytotoxcity of the test substances was verified by applying different exposure times. The high reproducibility of the results indicate the reliability of the presented method and recommend the integration of such in vitro approaches in the field of inhalation toxicology by advancing their regulatory validation. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Transient inhibition of connective tissue infiltration and collagen deposition into porous poly(lactic‐co‐glycolic acid) discs
Authors: Love Ryan J. , Jones Kim S.
Published: June 2013

Connective tissue rapidly proliferates on and around biomaterials implanted in vivo, which impairs the function of the engineered tissues, biosensors, and devices. Glucocorticoids can be utilized to suppress tissue ingrowth, but can only be used for a limited time because they nonselectively arrest cell proliferation in the local environment. The present study examined use of a prolyl‐4‐hydroxylase inhibitor, 1,4‐dihydrophenonthrolin‐4‐one‐3‐carboxylic acid (1,4‐DPCA), to suppress connective tissue ingrowth in porous PLGA discs implanted in the peritoneal cavity for 28 days. The prolyl‐4‐hydroxylase inhibitor was found to be effective at inhibiting collagen deposition within and on the outer surface of the disc, and also limited connective tissue ingrowth, but not to the extent of glucocorticoid inhibition. Finally, it was discovered that 1,4‐DPCA suppressed Scavenger Receptor A expression on a macrophage‐like cell culture, which may account for the drug's ability to limit connective tissue ingrowth in vivo. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A: 101A: 3599–3606, 2013.
Quantum Chemical Calculations of Intramolecular Vibrational Redistribution and Energy Transfer of Dipeptides (GlyTyr and LeuTyr) and Applications to the RRKM Theory
Authors: Yang Ling , Niu Yingli , Zhu Chaoyuan , Fujimura Yuichi , Shiu Yingjen , Yu Jian‐Guo , Lin Sheng‐Hsien
Published: June 2013

Recently the quantum chemistry program can provide the anharmonic potentials for polyatomic molecules and clusters. It makes the quantum calculation of intramlecular vibrational redistribution (IVR) rates and intramolecular vibrational energy transfer possible. In the present paper, we apply the adiabatic approximation method to treat these two intramolecular energy redistribution processes. Using this method, we calculate the IVR rates of the dipeptides (glycyl tyrosine (GlyTyr) and leucyl tyrosine (LeuTyr)) and their cation radicals from the high frequency modes to the low frequency modes. Our theoretical results of the IVR lifetimes of the high frequency modes, like C‐H, N‐H, and O‐H stretching modes, for both GlyTyr and LeuTyr molecules and their cation radicals are about 1 ps, 10 ps, and 100 ps, respectively. It provides theoretical support for the claim that IVR takes place prior to dissociation and the IVR rates are determined by the functional group rather than the degrees of freedom of the system. Thus the Rice‐Ramsperger‐Kassel‐Marcus (RRKM) theory is suitable for investigating the photodissociation process of dipeptides. In addition, the calculated intramolecular energy transfer rate from O‐H stretching mode of the C‐termius of dipeptides to N‐H mode of N‐terminus is close to IVR rate.
Observational study of the cooling behavior of interstellar helium pickup ions in the inner heliosphere
Authors: Chen Jun Hong , Möbius Eberhard , Gloeckler George , Bochsler Peter , Bzowski Maciej , Isenberg Philip A. , Sokół Justyna M.
Published: June 2013

The velocity distribution of interstellar pickup ions (PUIs) has typically been described as evolving through fast pitch angle scattering followed by adiabatic cooling while being transported radially outward with the solar wind. In combination, the ionization rate, which controls the radial profile of the interstellar neutrals, and the cooling process determine the slope of the observed PUI distributions. Thus far, a cooling index of 3/2 for the PUI velocity distributions has been used in almost all studies. This value is based on the implicit assumptions of immediate PUI isotropization due to pitch angle scattering and solar wind expansion with the square of the distance from the Sun. Here we determine the observed cooling index in a comparison of He+ PUI distributions taken for 1 month in the upwind direction with ACE SWICS from 1999 through 2010 over the past solar cycle with such an isotropic PUI model, treating the cooling index as a free parameter. The ionization rate is obtained simultaneously from independent observations. To separate effects of slow pitch angle scattering of PUIs, the comparison is repeated for times restricted to perpendicular interplanetary magnetic field (IMF). When averaged over the entire data set, the cooling index is very close to 3/2. However, it varies substantially from 1.1 to 1.9 between samples, shows a distinct variation with solar activity, and has a significant correlation with sunspot number when data are restricted to nearly perpendicular IMF () excluding the slow pitch angle scattering in the radial IMF direction. The potential influence of slow pitch angle scattering, solar wind structures, and electron ionization on the cooling index and its variations is discussed.
Auxin producing non‐heterocystous Cyanobacteria and their impact on the growth and endogenous auxin homeostasis of wheat
Authors: Mazhar Sumaira , Cohen Jerry D. , Hasnain Shahida
Published: June 2013

Four non‐heterocystous cyanobacterial strains isolated from rhizosphere and soil surface mat of rice, wheat, and maize were identified by 16S rRNA gene sequencing and evaluated for auxin production as well as growth promotion of wheat. Isolated strains produced a diverse amount of auxin in BG11 media supplemented with different concentrations of L‐tryptophan. The amount of auxin detected with colorimetric methods was higher as compared to GC–MS analysis. Auxin production by cyanobacterial strains in BG 11 medium supplemented with 250 µg ml−1 L‐tryptophan ranged from 0.20 to 1.63 µg ml−1 IAA as revealed by gas chromatography and mass spectrometric (GC–MS) analysis. In a hydroponic growth system, the vegetative growth of wheat was stimulated appreciably by inoculation with cyanobacterial strains. The endogenous auxin content of wheat was significantly correlated with the exogenous auxin production of the cyanobacterial strains. It was observed that cyanobacterial strains produced more endogenous and exogenous auxin in the presence of a plant, showing that plants might be releasing some signals responsible for higher auxin production by cyanobacterial cultures. It was concluded that the auxin producing potential of cyanobacterial strains can be exploited for the promotion of wheat growth.
Fungal High‐throughput Taxonomic Identification tool for use with Next‐Generation Sequencing (FHiTINGS)
Authors: Dannemiller Karen C. , Reeves Darryl , Bibby Kyle , Yamamoto Naomichi , Peccia Jordan
Published: June 2013

Improvements in DNA sequencing technology provide unprecedented opportunities to explore fungal diversity, but also present challenges in data analysis due to the large number of sequences generated. Here, we describe an open source software program “FHiTINGS” that utilizes the output of a BLASTn (blastall) search to rapidly identify, classify, and parse internal transcribed spacer (ITS) DNA sequences produced in fungal ecology studies that utilize next‐generation DNA sequencing. This tool was designed for use with 454 pyrosequencing and is also appropriate for use with any sequencing platform that allows for BLAST searches against the indicated ITS database. For each sequence, FHiTINGS uses the lowest common ancestor method (LCA) to produce a single identification from BLAST output results, and then assigns taxonomic ranks from species through kingdom when possible for each sequence based on the Index Fungorum database. The program then sums and sorts this data into tabular form to enable rapid analysis of the sample, including α‐diversity measures or richness. In silico testing demonstrates the time required to analyze and classify 1000 sequences is reduced from over 2 h by manual sorting to <1 min of computational time when using FHiTINGS, and that the classification output from the software is consistent with that derived from manual sorting of the data.