bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Ring/Shell Ion Distributions at Geosynchronous Orbit
Authors: Thomsen M. F. , Denton M. H. , Gary S. P. , Liu Kaijun , Min Kyungguk
Published: November 2017

One year's worth of plasma observations from geosynchronous orbit is examined for ion distributions that may simultaneously be subject to the ion Bernstein (IB) instability (generating fast magnetosonic waves) and the Alfvén cyclotron (AC) instability (generating electromagnetic ion cyclotron waves). Confirming past analyses, distributions with robust ∂fp(v⊥)/∂v⊥ > 0 near v|| = 0, which we denote as “ring/shell” distributions, are commonly found primarily on the dayside of the magnetosphere. A new approach to high‐fidelity representation of the observed ring/shell distribution functions in a form readily suited to both analytical moment calculation and linear dispersion analysis is presented, which allows statistical analysis of the ring/shell properties. The ring/shell temperature anisotropy is found to have a clear upper limit that depends on the parallel beta of the ring/shell (β||r) in a manner that is diagnostic of the operation of the AC instability. This upper limit is only reached in the postnoon events, which are primarily produced by the energy‐ and pitch angle‐dependent magnetic drifts of substorm‐injected ions. Further, it is primarily the leading edge of such injections, where the distribution is strongly ring‐like, that the AC instability appears to be operating. By contrast, the ratio of the ring energy to the Alfvén energy remains well within the range of 0.25–4.0 suitable for IB instability throughout essentially all of the events, except those that occur in denser cold plasma of the outer plasmasphere.
Extreme Threshold Failures Within a Heterogeneous Elastic Thin Sheet and the Spatial‐Temporal Development of Induced Seismicity Within the Groningen Gas Field
Authors: Bourne S. J. , Oates S. J.
Published: November 2017

Measurements of the strains and earthquakes induced by fluid extraction from a subsurface reservoir reveal a transient, exponential‐like increase in seismicity relative to the volume of fluids extracted. If the frictional strength of these reactivating faults is heterogeneously and randomly distributed, then progressive failures of the weakest fault patches account in a general manner for this initial exponential‐like trend. Allowing for the observable elastic and geometric heterogeneity of the reservoir, the spatiotemporal evolution of induced seismicity over 5 years is predictable without significant bias using a statistical physics model of poroelastic reservoir deformations inducing extreme threshold frictional failures of previously inactive faults. This model is used to forecast the temporal and spatial probability density of earthquakes within the Groningen natural gas reservoir, conditional on future gas production plans. Probabilistic seismic hazard and risk assessments based on these forecasts inform the current gas production policy and building strengthening plans.
OMI Satellite and Ground‐Based Pandora Observations and Their Application to Surface NO2 Estimations at Terrestrial and Marine Sites
Authors: Kollonige Debra E. , Thompson Anne M. , Josipovic Miroslav , Tzortziou Maria , Beukes Johan P. , Burger Roelof , Martins Douglas K. , van Zyl Pieter G. , Vakkari Ville , Laakso Lauri
Published: November 2017

The Pandora spectrometer that uses direct‐Sun measurements to derive total column amounts of gases provides an approach for (1) validation of satellite instruments and (2) monitoring of total column (TC) ozone (O3) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2). We use for the first time Pandora and Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) observations to estimate surface NO2 over marine and terrestrial sites downwind of urban pollution and compared with in situ measurements during campaigns in contrasting regions: (1) the South African Highveld (at Welgegund, 26°34′10″S, 26°56′21″E, 1,480 m asl, ~120 km southwest of the Johannesburg‐Pretoria megacity) and (2) shipboard U.S. mid‐Atlantic coast during the 2014 Deposition of Atmospheric Nitrogen to Coastal Ecosystems (DANCE) cruise. In both cases, there were no local NOx sources but intermittent regional pollution influences. For TC NO2, OMI and Pandora difference is ~20%, with Pandora higher most times. Surface NO2 values estimated from OMI and Pandora columns are compared to in situ NO2 for both locations. For Welgegund, the planetary boundary layer (PBL) height, used in converting column to surface NO2 value, has been estimated by three methods: co‐located Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) observations; a model simulation; and radiosonde data from Irene, 150 km northeast of the site. AIRS PBL heights agree within 10% of radiosonde‐derived values. Absolute differences between Pandora‐ and OMI‐estimated surface NO2 and the in situ data are better at the terrestrial site (~0.5 ppbv and ~1 ppbv or greater, respectively) than under clean marine air conditions, with differences usually >3 ppbv. Cloud cover and PBL variability influence these estimations.
Snow Densification and Recent Accumulation Along the iSTAR Traverse, Pine Island Glacier, Antarctica
Authors: Morris E. M. , Mulvaney R. , Arthern R. J. , Davies D. , Gurney R. J. , Lambert P. , De Rydt J. , Smith A. M. , Tuckwell R. J. , Winstrup M.
Published: November 2017

Neutron probe measurements of snow density from 22 sites in the Pine Island Glacier basin have been used to determine mean annual accumulation using an automatic annual layer identification routine. A mean density profile which can be used to convert radar two‐way travel times to depth has been derived, and the effect of annual fluctuations in density on estimates of the depth of radar reflectors is shown to be insignificant, except very near the surface. Vertical densification rates have been derived from the neutron probe density profiles and from deeper firn core density profiles available at 9 of the sites. These rates are consistent with the rates predicted by the Herron and Langway model for stage 1 densification (by grain‐boundary sliding, grain growth and intracrystalline deformation) and stage 2 densification (predominantly by sintering), except in a transition zone extending from ≈8 to ≈13 m from the surface in which 10–14% of the compaction occurs. Profiles of volumetric strain rate at each site show that in this transition zone the rates are consistent with the Arthern densification model. Comparison of the vertical densification rates and volumetric strain rates indicates that the expected relation to mean annual accumulation breaks down at high accumulation rates even when corrections are made for horizontal ice velocity divergence.
Transient Traceability Analysis of Land Carbon Storage Dynamics: Procedures and Its Application to Two Forest Ecosystems
Authors: Jiang Lifen , Shi Zheng , Xia Jianyang , Liang Junyi , Lu Xingjie , Wang Ying , Luo Yiqi
Published: November 2017

Uptake of anthropogenically emitted carbon (C) dioxide by terrestrial ecosystem is critical for determining future climate. However, Earth system models project large uncertainties in future C storage. To help identify sources of uncertainties in model predictions, this study develops a transient traceability framework to trace components of C storage dynamics. Transient C storage (X) can be decomposed into two components, C storage capacity (Xc) and C storage potential (Xp). Xc is the maximum C amount that an ecosystem can potentially store and Xp represents the internal capacity of an ecosystem to equilibrate C input and output for a network of pools. Xc is codetermined by net primary production (NPP) and residence time (τN), with the latter being determined by allocation coefficients, transfer coefficients, environmental scalar, and exit rate. Xp is the product of redistribution matrix (τch) and net ecosystem exchange. We applied this framework to two contrasting ecosystems, Duke Forest and Harvard Forest with an ecosystem model. This framework helps identify the mechanisms underlying the responses of carbon cycling in the two forests to climate change. The temporal trajectories of X are similar between the two ecosystems. Using this framework, we found that different mechanisms lead to a similar trajectory between the two ecosystems. This framework has potential to reveal mechanisms behind transient C storage in response to various global change factors. It can also identify sources of uncertainties in predicted transient C storage across models and can therefore be useful for model intercomparison.
Evaluation and Enhancement of Permafrost Modeling With the NASA Catchment Land Surface Model
Authors: Tao Jing , Reichle Rolf H. , Koster Randal D. , Forman Barton A. , Xue Yuan
Published: November 2017

Besides soil hydrology and snow processes, the NASA Catchment Land Surface Model (CLSM) simulates soil temperature in six layers from the surface down to 13 m depth. In this study, to examine CLSM's treatment of subsurface thermodynamics, a baseline simulation produced subsurface temperatures for 1980–2014 across Alaska at 9 km resolution. The results were evaluated using in situ observations from permafrost sites across Alaska. The baseline simulation was found to capture the broad features of interannual and intraannual variations in soil temperature. Additional model experiments revealed that (i) the representativeness of local meteorological forcing limits the model's ability to accurately reproduce soil temperature and (ii) vegetation heterogeneity has a profound influence on subsurface thermodynamics via impacts on the snow physics and energy exchange at surface. Specifically, the profile‐average RMSE for soil temperature was reduced from 2.96 to 2.10°C at one site and from 2.38 to 2.25°C at another by using local forcing and land cover, respectively. Moreover, accounting for the influence of soil organic carbon on the soil thermal properties in CLSM leads to further improvements in profile‐average soil temperature RMSE, with reductions of 16%–56% across the different study sites. The mean bias of climatological active layer thickness is reduced by 36%–89%, and the RMSE is reduced by 11%–47%. Finally, results reveal that at some sites it may be essential to include a purely organic soil layer to obtain, in conjunction with vegetation and snow effects, a realistic “buffer zone” between the atmospheric forcing and soil thermal processes.
miR‐373 regulates inflammatory cytokine‐mediated chondrocyte proliferation in osteoarthritis by targeting the P2X7 receptor
Authors: Zhang Wei , Zhong Biao , Zhang Chi , Luo Congfeng , Zhan Yulin
Published: November 2017

Inflammatory cytokines commonly initiate extreme changes in the synovium and cartilage microenvironment of osteoarthritis (OA) patients, which subsequently cause cellular dysfunction, especially in chondrocytes. It has been reported that induction of the purinergic P2X7 receptor (P2X7R) can regulate the expression of a variety of inflammatory factors, including interleukin (IL)‐6 and ‐8, leading to OA pathogenesis. However, knowledge of the mechanism of upregulation of P2X7R in OA is still incomplete, and its role in chondrocyte proliferation is also not clear. It was reported previously that the expression of P2X7R was controlled by certain microRNAs, and so we tested the expression of several microRNAs and found that microRNA‐373 (miR‐373) was downregulated in the chondrocytes from OA patients. Regarding the mechanism of action, miR‐373 inhibited chondrocyte proliferation by suppressing the expression of P2X7R, as well as inflammatory factors such as IL‐6 and IL‐8. Furthermore, the proliferative and pro‐inflammatory effects of miR‐373 on the chondrocytes could be suppressed by a P2X7R antagonist, further suggesting that miR‐373 mediates chondrocyte proliferation and inflammation by targeting P2X7R. Generally, our results suggest a novel method for OA treatment by targeting the miR‐373–P2X7R pathway.
Budding Yeast

S
accharomyces Cerevisiae

as a Model Genetic Organism
Authors: Burgess Sean M , Powers Ted , Mell Joshua Chang
Published: November 2017

Budding yeast has served as an experimental organism for genetic research for over 50 years. The yeast shares a common cell division cycle and cellular architecture with other eukaryotes, and as a microorganism, it is easily propagated and manipulated in the laboratory. An intense focus on the central dogma, the cell cycle and sexual reproduction unleashed new fields including gene silencing, homologous recombination and differential gene expression, among others. The ease of genetic analysis allowed researchers to study processes to a degree not seen for other model organisms. As was often the case, new techniques were developed in yeast that are now broadly used. Budding yeast was the first eukaryote to be sequenced, which, in turn, led to genome‐wide analyses to map gene networks common to all life. Research on yeast has also informed us on the molecular basis of human diseases from birth defects to neurodegenerative disorders.

Key Concepts

Budding yeast is nonpathogenic, easy to grow and amenable to genetic analysis.

Core cellular functions and cell architecture are highly conserved with other eukaryotes.

Genes from other species can be expressed in yeast and function in place of the homologous yeast gene.

Sexual reproduction allows for genetic recombination and recovery of haploid yeasts expressing recessive phenotypes.

Homologous recombination is used to facilitate genome engineering.

Many tools used in molecular biology were developed in yeast (e.g. yeast two‐hybrid assay).

Budding yeast was the first eukaryote to have its entire genome sequenced.

A vast amount of yeast information has been catalogued in the
Saccharomyces
Genome Database (SGD) and is readily accessible to anyone.

The yeast knockout collection has been used for genome‐wide studies of gene function.
Brain Organoids
Authors: Gabriel Elke , Gopalakrishnan Jay
Published: November 2017

Recent developments in stem cell technologies are extending the boundaries forward to produce not only specific cell types but also even complex 3D structures, such as organoids, ‘mini organs in dish’. One such type is brain organoids derived from human pluripotent stem cells. Brain organoids consist of various cell types of ectodermal lineage and self‐assemble into organised structures resembling early human brain. Brain organoids exhibit ventricular zones (VZs) consisting of highly proliferative neural stem cells. During neurogenesis, neural stem cells differentiate and migrate from the VZ to the marginal zone of the organoid to form a primitive cortical plate by differentiating to neurons.

Brain organoids provide novel insights into human brain development and give new opportunities to study neurodevelopmental disorders such as microcephaly
in vitro
. In future, brain organoids can serve as a useful tool to model neurodegenerative disorders in humans and for therapeutic screening and drug testing in high‐throughput assays.

Key Concepts

Human 3D cell culture models are an alternative to animal models to study developmental diseases in humans.

Pluripotent stem cells can differentiate into complex 3D organoids.

Differentiating cells self‐assemble to form tissue‐like structures.

Brain organoids recapitulate important aspects of human brain development.

Brain organoids recapitulate early events in human brain development.

Brain organoids serve as a tool to model neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative diseases.

Brain organoids can be used in high‐throughput assays for drug screening and toxicity testing.
Stylistic Fronting
Authors: Holmberg Anders
Published: November 2017

Stylistic Fronting (SF) is a phenomenon where a syntactic constituent is moved to what looks like the subject position in finite sentences with a subject gap, that is, subject relatives, embedded subject questions, other embedded sentences with the subject extracted, and various types of impersonal sentences. The phenomenon has mainly been studied in the context of Icelandic, Faroese, and Old Scandinavian, but is now known also to occur in Old Romance languages, and SF‐like phenomena can be observed in various other languages, too. A striking property of SF is the range of categories that can undergo the movement: they include participles, infinitives, predicative adjectives, verb particles, adverbs, the negation, PPs, and DPs. Although SF looks like movement to a vacant subject position, the categories moved are mostly not subject‐like at all. Another striking property of SF is the lack of a distinctive semantic effect. One of the key questions in the research on SF is: what kind of movement is SF? Does it fall into any of the established types of movement (A‐movement, A‐bar movement, head movement), or is it a distinct, new type of movement? Is it movement in the phonological component (which would explain the lack of semantic effect)? What function does it have? What is the movement trigger? The chapter will enumerate and discuss the syntactic, diagnostic properties of SF, taking SF in Icelandic as the standard. It will discuss and compare the various syntactic analyses proposed in the literature for SF, and the theories proposed to explain the properties of SF.
The Experimental Approach to Studying Employers' Hiring Behavior
Authors: Gërxhani Klarita
Published: November 2017

This essay advocates the use of experimental methods to study labor demand. Experimentation contributes to a better understanding of employers' hiring behavior by establishing what is cause and what is effect in observed behavior and allows for a better grip on the mechanisms underlying the hiring process. Given the difficulties in obtaining information from employers, experiments offer a fruitful alternative route to collecting information about the hiring process. The limited existing research provides a basis for new and promising steps into the future. To address research questions related to employers' hiring behavior, I propose combining experimental methods; implementing cross‐country experimental designs; conducting experiments on online labor markets; and using experimental control to explore the interaction between social context and biological factors. Setting these steps will give employers' decisions the attention they deserve when it comes to the important role that hiring plays in generating labor market (in)equalities.
Environmental Accounting
Authors: Muller Nicholas Z.
Published: November 2017

While metrics such as gross domestic product (GDP) constitute important means to gauge the value of production, it is widely recognized that indices that focus exclusively on market production are incomplete. Omitted environmental assets include (i) those that have the capacity to act as a source of valuable inputs to production such as timber, subsurface minerals, or fisheries; and (ii) media that serve as a sink for anthropogenic residuals such as air, water, or soil. The human health impacts depend crucially on two parameters in the integrated asset models (IAMs): the effect that exposures to fine particles have on adult mortality rates and the value attributed to small changes in mortality risk. This essay focuses on recent research that augments standard measures of output to include damages from air and greenhouse gas pollution into national output.
Immigrant Adolescents: Opportunities and Challenges
Authors: Titzmann Peter F. , P. Juang Linda
Published: November 2017

Immigration is a critical issue for adolescent development as migration around the world continues at an increased pace. This essay provides insights into the opportunities and challenges in this area of research, but also spotlights important work that can serve as the foundation for future investigations. Our focus is on adolescent immigrants, as a substantial share of international migrants is under the age of 20. We first address specific issues across the crucial life domains of family, peers, and school, highlighting the need for developing outcome‐ and domain‐specific models in immigration research instead of focusing on “The Integration” of adolescent immigrants in general. We will then discuss more general challenges and future avenues in research with immigrant adolescents: the interplay of development and acculturation, discrimination, and the increasing heterogeneity of modern societies.
The Reading Brain: The Canary in the Mind
Authors: Wolf Maryanne
Published: November 2017

The development of the seemingly simple cultural invention of reading alters the brain of each literate individual, propulses the intellectual development of the species, and provides human beings with a history of past knowledge as a foundation for future thought. Understanding how this happened in the species provides unexpected lessons for how children learn, how teachers teach, and how the brain learns anything new. Understanding the intrinsic plasticity of the reading brain circuit provides a cautionary tale for examining the cognitive impact of different media on how we read and how we think.
Empirical and Nonempirical Methods
Authors: Dan Viorela
Published: November 2017

The dividing line between empirical and nonempirical methods is marked by scholars' approach to knowledge gain (i.e., epistemology). Empirical methods typically involve systematic collection and analysis of data (i.e., observation and evidence). They are used primarily in quantitative research involving original collection of data, but also in secondary analyses and increasingly in qualitative research. Scholars using nonempirical methods consider that reflection, personal observation, and authority/experience are just as valuable for knowledge acquisition as empirical data. In communication studies, scholars are likely to have a clear preference for either empirical or nonempirical methods. Yet, their scholarship may well include both.
Ethnography of Communication
Authors: Noy Chaim
Published: November 2017

Ethnography of communication (EC) is a comprehensive and interdisciplinary approach to the study of language and communication as actions that transpire in naturally occurring, everyday situations and interactions. The approach was conceived by Dell Hymes and colleagues in the 1960s and 1970s; it combines on the one hand, a richly descriptive ethnographic focus, with a detailed research procedure (Hymes' SPEAKING acronym) on the other hand. Hymes' SPEAKING acronym brings to the fore an array of components of communicative interaction, including participants, channels and media, sign systems, and more. In addition to the emphasis on communication as essential to sociocultural life, EC scholars typically focus on the unique cultural dimensions of communicative events and processes. EC advances a theoretical view whereby language and communication are essential social and cultural features, which allows smooth interchanges between studying the detail of actual situated interactions and the larger societal structures, relations, and identities that these interactions help to produce. EC is a productive approach to both research and theorizing, and it has inspired research in nearby fields, including linguistic anthropology, discourse studies, linguistic ethnography, interactional sociolinguistics, new literacy studies, and writing studies.
Interactive Interviewing
Authors: Phillips Joshua Daniel
Published: November 2017

Interactive interviewing has its groundwork in autoethnography. However, instead of relying on the experiences of one researcher as a site for data collection, interactive interviewing involves a process where two or more researchers ask questions and share narratives with one another as a way to explore a given topic.
Operationalization
Authors: van Driel Irene Ingeborg
Published: November 2017

Operationalization describes a crucial step in the deductive research process in which conceptual definitions are translated into ones that can be measured, or
operationalized
. Operationalization then, literally refers to the operations executed to measure the research concepts and the connection between them in the real world. Adequate operational definitions specify what a concept is and what it is not. Sufficiently narrow, clear definitions of research concepts are needed to ensure reliability as well as validity of research endeavors. Operational definitions are reliable when operations of a study can be replicated. Validity is ensured if the definition adequately reflects the relevant research concept. Violence can, for example, be defined conceptually as harming another person intentionally. Directing violent behavior at inanimate objects then, cannot be counted as violence in an operationalization of that concept. Most research concepts can be operationalized in numerable ways. Ultimately, the researcher has to make conscious decisions about which dimensions of the concept are of relevance to the study at hand and make sure that those dimensions are included in the conceptual definition.
Universal field matching in craniospinal irradiation by a background‐dose gradient‐optimized method
Authors: Traneus Erik , Bizzocchi Nicola , Fellin Francesco , Rombi Barbara , Farace Paolo
Published: November 2017

Purpose

The gradient‐optimized methods are overcoming the traditional feathering methods to plan field junctions in craniospinal irradiation. In this note, a new gradient‐optimized technique, based on the use of a background dose, is described.

Methods

Treatment planning was performed by RayStation (RaySearch Laboratories, Stockholm, Sweden) on the CT scans of a pediatric patient. Both proton (by pencil beam scanning) and photon (by volumetric modulated arc therapy) treatments were planned with three isocenters. An ‘in silico’ ideal background dose was created first to cover the upper‐spinal target and to produce a perfect dose gradient along the upper and lower junction regions. Using it as background, the cranial and the lower‐spinal beams were planned by inverse optimization to obtain dose coverage of their relevant targets and of the junction volumes. Finally, the upper‐spinal beam was inversely planned after removal of the background dose and with the previously optimized beams switched on.

Results

In both proton and photon plans, the optimized cranial and the lower‐spinal beams produced a perfect linear gradient in the junction regions, complementary to that produced by the optimized upper‐spinal beam. The final dose distributions showed a homogeneous coverage of the targets.

Discussion

Our simple technique allowed to obtain high‐quality gradients in the junction region. Such technique universally works for photons as well as protons and could be applicable to the TPSs that allow to manage a background dose.
Progress Toward the Clinical Translation of Bioinspired Peptide and Protein Assemblies
Authors: Hainline Kelly M. , Fries Chelsea N. , Collier Joel H.
Published: November 2017

Supramolecular materials composed of proteins and peptides have been receiving considerable attention toward a range of diseases and conditions from vaccines to drug delivery. Owing to the relative newness of this class of materials, the bulk of work to date has been preclinical. However, examples of approved treatments particularly in vaccines, dentistry, and hemostasis demonstrate the translational potential of supramolecular polypeptides. Critical milestones in the clinical development of this class of materials and currently approved supramolecular polypeptide therapies are described in this study. Additional examples of not‐yet‐approved materials that are steadily advancing toward clinical use are also featured. Spherical assemblies such as virus‐like particles, designed protein nanoparticles, and spherical peptide amphiphiles are highlighted, followed by fiber‐forming systems such as fibrillizing peptides, fiber‐forming peptide‐amphiphiles, and filamentous bacteriophages.
Materials genomics‐guided ab initio screening of MOFs with open copper sites for acetylene storage
Authors: Zhang Ce , Lan Youshi , Guo Xiangyu , Yang Qingyuan , Zhong Chongli
Published: November 2017

Discovering high‐performance metal‐organic frameworks (MOFs) with open metal sites has become an increasingly hot research topic in the field of safe storage and transportation of acetylene. Following the concept of Materials Genomics proposed recently, a database of 502 experimental MOFs was built by searching the structures deposited in the CSD with the dicopper paddle‐wheel node Cu2(COO)4 as the characteristic materials gene. On the basis of the developed ab initio force field, a high‐throughput computational screening was conducted to examine the property‐performance relationships of MOFs containing Cu‐OMS for C2H2 storage at ambient conditions. The optimal ranges of the structural and energetic features for the design of such MOFs were suggested. From our computational screening, three potentially promising MOFs were identified which exhibit a performance outperforming those MOFs reported experimentally so far with record high gravimetric C2H2 uptakes, both in the total and deliverable adsorption capacities. © 2017 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 64: 1389–1398, 2018
Donor age determines outcome in acute leukemia patients over 40 undergoing haploidentical hematopoietic cell transplantation
Authors: Canaani Jonathan , Savani Bipin N. , Labopin Myriam , Huang Xiao‐Jun , Ciceri Fabio , Arcese William , Koc Yener , Tischer Johanna , Blaise Didier , Gülbas Zafer , Van Lint Maria Teresa , Bruno Benedetto , Mohty Mohamad , Nagler Arnon
Published: November 2017

Haploidentical hematopoietic cell transplantation (haplo‐HCT) is being increasingly used in acute leukemia patients as an alternative transplant modality when matched sibling or matched unrelated donors are unavailable. As several potential haploidentical relative donors are typically available for a given patient, optimizing donor selection to improve clinical outcome is crucial. The impact of donor age and kinship on the outcome of acute leukemia patients is not clearly established in this setting. Using the multinational registry of the acute leukemia working party of the European society for blood and marrow transplantation we retrospective analyzed the clinical outcome of 1270 acute myeloid leukemia and acute lymphoblastic leukemia patients who underwent haplo‐HCT between 2005 and 2015. Patients over the age of 40 were significantly affected by increasing donor age resulting in higher non‐relapse mortality (NRM) [Hazard ratio (HR)=1.86, confidence interval (CI) 95%, 1.18‐2.94; P = .007], inferior leukemia‐free survival (LFS) (HR = 1.59, CI 95%, 1.13‐2.24; P = .007), and overall survival (OS) (HR = 1.74, CI 95%, 1.22‐2.47; P = .002) when donors were over the age of 40. Additionally, kinship was found to be prognostically significant as patients transplanted from children donors over the age of 35 experienced an increased rate of NRM (HR = 1.82, CI 95%, 1.13‐2.9; P = .01), inferior LFS (HR = 1.5, CI 95%, 1.05‐2.13; P = .03), and OS (HR = 1.5, CI 95%, 1.04‐2.15; P = .03). For patients younger than 40 years, donor age and kinship were mostly not clinically impactful. Our data establish donor age and kinship as significant determinants of outcome following haplo‐HCT for acute leukemia patients.
Sinonasal cancer in the Italian national surveillance system: Epidemiology, occupation, and public health implications
Authors: Binazzi Alessandra , Corfiati Marisa , Di Marzio Davide , Cacciatore Anna M. , Zajacovà Jana , Mensi Carolina , Galli Paolo , Miligi Lucia , Calisti Roberto , Romeo Elisa , Franchi Alessandro , Marinaccio Alessandro
Published: November 2017

Background

Sinonasal cancer (SNC) is a rare tumor with predominant occupational etiology associated with exposures to specific carcinogens. The aim of this study is to describe SNC cases recorded in Italy in the period 2000‐2016.

Methods

Clinical information, occupational history, and lifestyle habits of SNC cases collected in the Italian Sinonasal Cancer Register were examined. Age‐standardized rates were estimated.

Results

Overall, 1529 cases were recorded. The age‐standardized incidence rates per 100 000 person‐years were 0.65 in men and 0.26 in women. Occupational exposures were predominant among the attributed exposure settings, primarily to wood and leather dusts. Other putative causal agents included chrome, solvents, tannins, formaldehyde, textile dusts, and pesticides. Many cases had unknown exposure.

Conclusions

Epidemiological surveillance of SNC cases and their occupational history is fundamental for monitoring the occurrence of the disease in exposed workers in industrial sectors generally not considered at risk of SNC as well as in non‐occupational settings.
Applicability of 3D‐dental reconstruction in cervical odontometrics
Authors: Kazzazi Seyedeh M. , Kranioti Elena F.
Published: November 2017

Objectives

The objective of this study was to assess the accuracy, reliability, and reproducibility of computed tomography (CT) images in measuring cervical mesiodistal and buccolingual tooth sizes, by comparing the values obtained by 3D virtual models from CT images with those obtained using digital calipers.

Materials and methods

In total, 530 maxillary and mandibular teeth of 51 individuals from two Iron Age sites were scanned using a Siemens Somatom sensation 64‐slice computed tomography machine, and the images were reconstructed and measured. Values obtained by direct measurement served as the primary reference for cervical measurements. Intra‐ and inter‐observer reliability was assessed by calculating technical error of measurements (TEM), relative technical error of measurements (rTEM), and the coefficient of reliability (R).

Results

Results showed that virtual cervical measurements were not significantly different from the actual measurements, and the correlation of the two measurement methods shows that the methods are comparable. Inter‐ and intra‐observer error analysis also indicated high replicability of measurements with both measuring methods (R > 0.99). The rTEM values for all the measurements were below the 5% standards for anthropometric studies.

Discussion

CT is a non‐invasive technique that allows for an accurate and detailed visualization of morphological features without causing any damage to teeth. Our findings indicate that virtual odontometric analysis is a reliable method, similar to traditional physical odontometric analysis. Currently, the virtual system is likely to be more suitable for fragile specimens, such as archaeological samples.
Dealing with Difficulties: What to Say When Parties Won't Settle and Only Want to Prove They Are Right
Authors: Goldberg Stephen B. , Brett Jeanne M. , Blohorn‐Brenneur Beatrice , Rogers Nancy H.
Published: November 2017

This article, adapted from “How Mediation Works: Theory, Research, and Practice,” published earlier this year by Emerald Insight, is intended in part for a traditional audience of mediators, aspiring mediators, and lawyers. But the book also aimed at a broader audience, including the increasing number of disputants who have been directed or encouraged to mediate by judges or lawyers, yet know little or nothing about it.
Magnesium Boryl Reactivity with 9‐BBN and Ph3B: Rational B−B′ Bond Formation and Diborane Isomerization
Authors: Pécharman Anne‐Frédérique , Hill Michael S. , McMullin Claire L. , Mahon Mary F.
Published: November 2017

Reactions of a magnesium‐based pinacolatoboryl nucleophile with the electrophilic organoboranes, 9‐BBN and Ph3B, provide facile B−B′ single bond formation. Although the Ph3B derivative is thermally stable, when heated, the unsymmetrical diborane(5) anion derived from 9‐BBN is found to isomerize to two regioisomeric species via a proposed mechanism involving dehydroboration of the borabicyclo[3.3.1]nonane and syn‐diboration of the resultant alkenyl carbocycle.
A Stable Nanocobalt Catalyst with Highly Dispersed CoNx Active Sites for the Selective Dehydrogenation of Formic Acid
Authors: Tang Conghui , Surkus Annette‐Enrica , Chen Feng , Pohl Marga‐Martina , Agostini Giovanni , Schneider Matthias , Junge Henrik , Beller Matthias
Published: November 2017

Novel nanostructured catalysts with highly dispersed cobalt have been synthesized by the pyrolysis of metal phenanthroline complexes. Materials with significantly different properties were obtained by simply tuning the metal/ligand ratio. The catalytic potential of this class of compounds is shown by the first example of the dehydrogenation of formic acid under the catalysis of atomically dispersed cobalt. From TEM, XPS, and XRD characterization, KSCN poisoning, and acid leaching, the formation of CoNx species as the active site seems key to the success of this reaction. Excellent stability and recyclability make this new catalyst also attractive for other applications.
Photoinduced Remote Functionalisations by Iminyl Radical Promoted C−C and C−H Bond Cleavage Cascades
Authors: Dauncey Elizabeth M. , Morcillo Sara P. , Douglas James J. , Sheikh Nadeem S. , Leonori Daniele
Published: November 2017

A photoinduced cascade strategy leading to a variety of differentially functionalised nitriles and ketones has been developed. These reactions rely on the oxidative generation of iminyl radicals from simple oximes. Radical transposition by C(sp3)−(sp3) and C(sp3)−H bond cleavage gives access to distal carbon radicals that undergo SH2 functionalisations. These mild, visible‐light‐mediated procedures can be used for remote fluorination, chlorination, and azidation, and were applied to the modification of bioactive and structurally complex molecules.
Development of an Efficient Biosensor for the In Vivo Monitoring of Cu+ and pH in the Brain: Rational Design and Synthesis of Recognition Molecules
Authors: Liu Wei , Dong Hui , Zhang Limin , Tian Yang
Published: November 2017

An efficient biosensor was created for the ratiometric monitoring of Cu+ and pH in the brain using both current and potential outputs. A series of N,N‐bis(2‐[2‐(ethylthio)ethyl])‐based (NS4s) derivatives was designed for the specific recognition of Cu+. After systematically evaluating the electrochemical parameters of Cu+ oxidation by tuning alkyl chain length, polyaromatic structure, and substitute group site of NS4, N,N‐bis(2‐[2‐(ethylthio)ethyl])‐2‐naphthamide (NS4‐C1) was finally optimized for Cu+ detection as it showed the most negative potential and the largest current density. At the same time, 9,10‐anthraquinone was used as a selective pH sensor with 2,2′‐azino‐bis(3‐ethylbenzthiazoline‐6‐sulfonic acid) as an internal reference. This single biosensor with both current and potential signal outputs can simultaneously determine Cu+ concentrations from 0.5 to 9.5 μm and pH values ranging from 6.0 to 8.0. The efficient biosensor was applied to the simultaneous detection of Cu+ and pH in the live brain. The average levels of Cu+ were reported for the first time in the cortex, hippocampus, and striatum in a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease.
Radical Cyclization of Alkene‐Tethered Ketones Initiated by Hydrogen‐Atom Transfer
Authors: Saladrigas Mar , Bosch Caroline , Saborit Gisela V. , Bonjoch Josep , Bradshaw Ben
Published: November 2017

An unprecedented C−C coupling reaction between alkenes and ketones by hydrogen‐atom transfer, using Fe(acac)3 and PhSiH3 in EtOH, is described. This mild protocol features high site selectivity and allows the construction of sterically congested structures containing tertiary alcohols and quaternary centers. The overall process introduces a novel strategic bond disconnection for ring‐closing reactions.
Synthesis of a novel organosoluble, biocompatible, and antibacterial chitosan derivative for biomedical applications
Authors: Rizwan Muhammad , Yahya Rosiyah , Hassan Aziz , Yar Muhammad , Anita Omar Ros , Azari Pedram , Danial Azzahari Ahmad , Selvanathan Vidhya , Rageh Al‐Maleki Anis , Venkatraman Gopinath
Published: November 2017

Electrospun materials have a number of applications in the tissue engineering field. However, the limited solubility of chitosan (CS), especially in organic solvents, makes its electrospinning with other synthetic organosoluble polymers impossible. In this article, we report the synthesis of a novel organosoluble derivative of CS through the application of a simple synthetic methodology. CS was reacted with 1,3‐diethyl‐2‐thiobarbituric acid (DETBA) with triethylorthoformate in the presence of methanol and acetic acid (4:1). The functional groups in the synthesized materials were confirmed by Fourier transform infrared and solid‐state NMR spectroscopy, whereas X‐ray diffraction revealed the level of crystallinity. The CS derivative (CS–DETBA) was tested for its cytotoxic effects on human gastric adenocarcinoma AGS cells and was found to be nontoxic. The prepared derivative showed a much enhanced inhibitory effect on the growth of three bacterial strains, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Staphylococcus aureus, over that of CS itself. Overall, CS–DETBA showed good solubility in a range of organic solvents, such as dimethyl sulfoxide and N,N‐dimethylformamide, and was blended with polycaprolactone (PCL) to form films and electrospun nanofibers. The morphologies of the synthesized materials were analyzed by field emission scanning electron microscopy, and the fiber diameter was 360 nm under optimum conditions. This study demonstrated that the CS–DETBA–PCL blend could be a potential material for tissue engineering and biomedical applications. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2018, 135, 45905.
Integrated Dynamics Control and Energy Efficiency Optimization for Overactuated Electric Vehicles
Authors: Li Boyuan , Du Haiping , Li Weihua , Zhang Bangji
Published: November 2017

A large number of studies have been conducted on the dynamics control of electric vehicles or on the optimization of their energy efficiency but few studies have looked at both of these together. In this study, an integrated dynamics control and energy efficiency optimization strategy is proposed for overactuated electric vehicles, where the control of both longitudinal and lateral dynamics is dealt with while the energy efficiency is optimized. First, considering the trade‐off between control performance and energy efficiency, criteria are defined to categorize the vehicle motion status as linear pure longitudinal motion and non‐linear motion or turning motion. Then different optimization targets are developed for different motion status. For the pure linear longitudinal motion and cornering motion, the energy efficiency and vehicle dynamics performance are equally important and a trade‐off control performance between them needs to be achieved. For the non‐linear turning motion, vehicle handling and stability performance are the primary concerns, and energy efficiency is a secondary target. Based on the defined targets, the desired longitudinal and lateral tyre forces and yaw moment are then optimally distributed to the wheel driving and steering torques. Finally numerical simulations are used to verify the effectiveness of the proposed strategies. The simulation results show that the proposed strategies can provide good dynamics control performance with less energy consumption.
A Bayesian scoring rule on clustered event data for familial risk assessment – An example from colorectal cancer screening
Authors: Rieger Anna K. , Mansmann Ulrich R.
Published: November 2017

Colorectal cancer screening is well established. The identification of high risk populations is the key to implement effective risk‐adjusted screening. Good statistical approaches for risk prediction do not exist. The family's colorectal cancer history is used for identification of high risk families and usually assessed by a questionnaire. This paper introduces a prediction algorithm to designate a family for colorectal cancer risk and discusses its statistical properties. The new algorithm uses Bayesian reasoning and a detailed family history illustrated by a pedigree and a Lexis diagram. The algorithm is able to integrate different hereditary mechanisms that define complex latent class or random factor structures. They are generic and do not reflect specific genetic models. This is comparable to strategies in complex segregation analysis. Furthermore, the algorithm can integrate different statistical penetrance models for right censored event data. Computational challenges related to the handling of the likelihood are discussed. Simulation studies assess the predictive quality of the new algorithm in terms of ROC curves and corresponding AUCs. The algorithm is applied to data of a recent study on familial colorectal cancer risk. Its predictive performance is compared to that of a questionnaire currently used in screening for familial colorectal cancer. The results of the proposed algorithm are robust against different inheritance models. Using the simplest hereditary mechanism, the simulation study provides evidence that the algorithm improves detection of families with high cancer risk in comparison to the currently used questionnaire. The applicability of the algorithm goes beyond the field of colorectal cancer.
Spectroscopic determination of succinylcholine in dosage forms using eosin Y
Authors: Ayad Magda M. , Belal Fathalla , Hosney Mervet M. , Abo El Abass Samah , Elsayed Nora
Published: November 2017

Two simple and sensitive analytical assay methods using spectrophotometry and spectrofluorimetry techniques were developed for the estimation of succinylcholine chloride (SUC) in pharmaceutical preparations. The suggested methods are based on the formation of an ion pair complex formed between the drug and eosin Y spectrophotometrically (Method I), or the suppressive effect of succinylcholine on the native fluorescence property of eosin Y (Method II). The spectrophotometric method (Method I) involves measuring the absorbance of the complex between succinylcholine and eosin Y at 550 nm in Britton Robinson buffer of pH 3. However, the spectrofluorimetric method (Method II) involves measuring the quenching effect of the studied drug on the native fluorescence property of eosin Y at the same pH at 550 nm after excitation at 480 nm. The absorbance versus concentration of the drug is rectilinear over the range of 0.5 to 15 μg/ml. The formation constant was 3.5 × 104and the Gibb's free energy change was −2.5 × 104 J/mol. In Method II, the relative fluorescence intensity was directly proportional to SUC concentration over the range of 0.05 to 1 μg/ml. The proposed methods allowed a successful application to the estimation of succinylcholine ampoules. An explanation of the reaction pathway was postulated.
MiR-128 regulation of glucose metabolism and cell proliferation in triple-negative breast cancer
Authors: Xiao M , Lou C , Xiao H , Yang Y , Cai X , Li C , Jia S , Huang Y
Published: November 2017

Background

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is prone to metastasis and has a poor prognosis, with lower survival rates than other breast cancer subtypes. MicroRNAs have recently emerged as powerful regulators of cancer processes and become a promising target in cancer therapy.

Methods

Expression of miR-128 was examined in invasive ductal breast cancer, and its relationship with clinicopathological features analysed. A series of in vitro and in vivo experiments were performed to investigate the function and mechanism of miR-128 in the development of invasive ductal breast cancer.

Results

A cohort of 110 women with TNBC and 117 with non-TNBC were included in the study. In multivariable Cox regression analysis, overall and disease-free survival were significantly associated with lymph node metastasis, histological grade and molecular subtype. Subgroup analysis showed that low expression of miR-128 correlated with shorter overall and disease-free survival in TNBC (P < 0·001), and shorter overall but not disease-free survival in non-TNBC. In addition, miR-128 was able to inhibit glucose metabolism, mitochondrial respiration and proliferation of TNBC cells. These effects were consistent with miR-128 targeting inhibition of the insulin receptor and insulin receptor substrate 1.

Conclusion

MiR-128 might be a prognostic marker and possible molecular target for therapy in patients with TNBC.