bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Understanding Local and Macroscopic Electron Mobilities in the Fullerene Network of Conjugated Polymer‐based Solar Cells: Time‐Resolved Microwave Conductivity and Theory
Authors: Aguirre Jordan C. , Arntsen Christopher , Hernandez Samuel , Huber Rachel , Nardes Alexandre M. , Halim Merissa , Kilbride Daniel , Rubin Yves , Tolbert Sarah H. , Kopidakis Nikos , Schwartz Benjamin J. , Neuhauser Daniel
Published: October 2013

The efficiency of bulk heterojunction (BHJ) organic photovoltaics is sensitive to the morphology of the fullerene network that transports electrons through the device. This sensitivity makes it difficult to distinguish the contrasting roles of local electron mobility (how easily electrons can transfer between neighboring fullerene molecules) and macroscopic electron mobility (how well‐connected is the fullerene network on device length scales) in solar cell performance. In this work, a combination of density functional theory (DFT) calculations, flash‐photolysis time‐resolved microwave conductivity (TRMC) experiments, and space‐charge‐limit current (SCLC) mobility estimates are used to examine the roles of local and macroscopic electron mobility in conjugated polymer/fullerene BHJ photovoltaics. The local mobility of different pentaaryl fullerene derivatives (so‐called ‘shuttlecock’ molecules) is similar, so that differences in solar cell efficiency and SCLC mobilities result directly from the different propensities of these molecules to self‐assemble on macroscopic length scales. These experiments and calculations also demonstrate that the local mobility of phenyl‐C60 butyl methyl ester (PCBM) is an order of magnitude higher than that of other fullerene derivatives, explaining why PCBM has been the acceptor of choice for conjugated polymer BHJ devices even though it does not form an optimal macroscopic network. The DFT calculations indicate that PCBM's superior local mobility comes from the near‐spherical nature of its molecular orbitals, which allow strong electronic coupling between adjacent molecules. In combination, DFT and TRMC techniques provide a tool for screening new fullerene derivatives for good local mobility when designing new molecules that can improve on the macroscopic electron mobility offered by PCBM.
Robust Self‐Healing Host–Guest Gels from Magnetocaloric Radical Polymerization
Authors: Yu Chao , Wang Cai‐Feng , Chen Su
Published: October 2013

Given the increasing environmental and energy issues, materials with the ability to repair themselves following damage are highly desirable because this self‐healing property can prolong the lifespan of materials and reduce replacement costs. Host–guest assemblies are a powerful approach to create supramolecular materials with versatile functions. Here, a new mode of radical polymerization is demonstrated which is achieved via magnetocaloric effect to fabricate novel host–guest supramolecular gels within 5 min. The resulting gels can repair themselves spontaneously when damaged, without the assistance of any external stimuli, and possess great mechanical strength. Moreover, the Fe3O4‐doped supramolecular gels show accelerated self‐healing (from 24 h to 3 h) under an applied magnetic field, which is attributed to the synergy between host–guest healing and a magnetocaloric effect. This strategy might open a promising avenue for accelerating the use of host–guest assemblies to rapidly build robust materials.
Thiazole‐Based Novel Terpolymer Ligand and Its Transition Metal Complexes: Thermal and Biological Studies
Authors: Ahamed Mohamed A. Riswan , Burkanudeen Abdul R.
Published: October 2013

A new terpolymer ligand involving 2‐amino‐6‐nitro‐ benzothiazole, melamine, and formaldehyde (BMF) has been synthesized in the presence of dimethyl formamide medium. The BMF ligand was characterized by elemental analysis and various spectral techniques like Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, ultraviolet (UV)–visible spectroscopy, and 1H & 13C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy to elucidate the structure and properties of the terpolymer ligand. The BMF metal complexes were prepared using the BMF ligand with some transition metal ions, such as Cu2+, Ni2+, and Zn2+ ions, in the presence of ethanol medium. The prepared complexes have been characterized by elemental analysis and FTIR, electronic, electron spin resonance, and 1H & 13C NMR spectral studies. The molecular weight of the BMF ligand and its metal complexes was determined by gel permeation chromatography. The surface features and crystalline behavior of the ligand and its complexes were analyzed by scanning electron microscope (SEM) and X‐ray diffraction (XRD) methods. Thermal stability of the ligand and its metal complexes was studied by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Kinetic parameters such as activation energyand order of reaction (n), and thermodynamic parameters namely entropy change, free energy change, apparent entropy, and frequency factor were calculated using Freeman–Carroll, Sharp–Wentworth, and Phadnis–Deshpande (PD) methods. Thermal degradation model of the terpolymer ligand and its metal complexes was also proposed using the PD method. The antibacterial activities of the BMF ligand and its metal complexes were checked against chosen microbes such as Shigella sonnei, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella species, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, and Salmonella typhimurium. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Adv Polym Technol 2013, 32, 21376; View this article online at wileyonlinelibrary.com. DOI 10.1002/adv.21376
A conditioning platform based on fludarabine, busulfan, and 2 days of rabbit antithymocyte globulin results in promising results in patients undergoing allogeneic transplantation from both matched and mismatched unrelated donor
Authors: Devillier Raynier , Fürst Sabine , Crocchiolo Roberto , El‐Cheikh Jean , Castagna Luca , Harbi Samia , Granata Angela , D'Incan Evelyne , Coso Diane , Chabannon Christian , Picard Christophe , Etienne Anne , Calmels Boris , Schiano Jean-Marc , Lemarie Claude , Stoppa Anne-Marie , Bouabdallah Reda , Vey Norbert , Blaise Didier
Published: October 2013

Conditioning regimen including fludarabine, intravenous busulfan (Bx), and 5 mg/kg total dose of rabbit antithymocyte globulin (r‐ATG) (FBx‐ATG) results in low incidence of graft‐versus‐host disease (GVHD) and non‐relapse mortality (NRM) after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (Allo‐HSCT) from HLA‐matched related or unrelated donors (MUD). However, whether this platform produces similar results in the setting of one mismatch unrelated donor (MMUD) Allo‐HSCT is not known. We retrospectively analyzed patients aged less than 65 years who were diagnosed with hematological malignancies and received FBx‐ATG regimen prior to Allo‐HSCT from MUD (N = 74) or MMUD (N = 40). We compared outcome of MUD versus MMUD patients. There was no difference in the cumulative incidence of grades II–IV acute GVHD (MUD: 34% vs. MMUD: 35%, P = 0.918), but MMUD patients developed more grade III–IV acute GVHD (MUD: 5% vs. MMUD: 15%, P = 0.016). The cumulative incidences of overall chronic GVHD (MUD: 33% vs. MMUD: 22%, P = 0.088) and extensive chronic GVHD (MUD: 20% vs. MMUD: 19%, P = 0.594) were comparable. One‐year NRM was similar in both groups (MUD: 16% vs. MMUD: 14%, P = 0.292); similarly, progression‐free survival (MUD: 59% vs. MMUD: 55%, P = 0.476) and overall survival (MUD: 63% vs. MMUD: 61%, P = 0.762) were not different between both groups. With a median follow up of 24 months, 35 of 74 MUD patients (47%) and 19 of 40 MMUD patients (48%) were free of both disease progression and immunosuppressive treatment. We conclude that the FBx‐ATG regimen results in low incidences of NRM and GVHD in both MUD and the MMUD recipients. Am. J. Hematol. 89:83–87, 2014. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Malformations among the X‐linked intellectual disability syndromes
Authors: Stevenson Roger E. , Schwartz Charles E. , Rogers R. Curtis
Published: October 2013

Malformations are significant contributions to childhood mortality and disability. Their co‐occurrence with intellectual disability may compound the health burden, requiring additional evaluation and management measures. Overall, malformations of greater or lesser severity occur in at least some cases of almost half of the 153 XLID syndromes. Genitourinary abnormalities are most common, but tend to contribute little or no health burden and occur in only a minority of cases of a given XLID syndrome. Some malformations (e.g., lissencephaly, hydranencephaly, long bone deficiency, renal agenesis/dysplasia) are not amenable to medical or surgical intervention; others (e.g., hydrocephaly, facial clefting, cardiac malformations, hypospadias) may be substantially corrected. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Solid state grafting copolymerization of acrylamide onto poly(vinyl alcohol) initiated by redox system
Authors: Lu Yan , Jing Rong , Kong Qin‐ming , Zhu Pu‐xin
Published: October 2013

A solid state grafting copolymerization of acrylamide (AM) onto poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) was conducted with ammonium persulfate and sodium bisulfite redox system as initiators. Before the reaction the PVA powder and required amount of AM were mixed evenly, and sprayed with water to swell the PVA powder and to dissolve AM. Then the swollen PVA powder was sprayed with the redox solution, and the reaction temperature was controlled at a temperature between 30°C and 80°C for 120 min. The grafting percentage and efficiency were determined as functions of monomer/PVA ratio, initiator concentration and reaction temperature. The structure and performance of the graft copolymers were confirmed by FTIR‐ATR, XRD, 13C NMR, and thermogravimetric analysis, together with mechanical property and apparent viscosity measurements. It has been confirmed that grafting copolymerization of AM onto PVA initiated by this redox system occurred with higher grafting percentage and efficiency in the solid state. The thermal stability and water‐solubility of grafted PVA were found to be better than those of unmodified PVA. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2014, 131, 39938.
Status and the potential for extinction of the largetooth sawfish Pristis pristis in the Atlantic Ocean
Authors: Fernandez‐Carvalho Joana , Imhoff Johanna L. , Faria Vicente V. , Carlson John K. , Burgess George H.
Published: October 2013

Sawfishes currently are among the most threatened elasmobranchs in the world. Only two species inhabit Atlantic waters: the largetooth sawfish (Pristis pristis) and the smalltooth sawfish (Pristis pectinata), both having suffered dramatic declines in their ranges.

The goal of this study was to evaluate the status of P. pristis in the Atlantic, and estimate local extinction risk based on historical and recent occurrence records. In order to accomplish these goals, a thorough search for historical and recent records of P. pristis in the Atlantic was conducted, by reviewing scientific and popular literature, museum specimens, and contacting regional scientists from the species’ historical range.

In total, 801 P. pristis records (1830–2009) document its occurrence in four major regions in the Atlantic: USA (n = 41), Mexico and Central America (n = 535), South America (n = 162), and West Africa (n = 48). Locality data were not available for 15 records.

Historical abundance centres were the Colorado‐San Juan River system in Nicaragua and Costa Rica (and secondarily Lake Izabal of Guatemala), the Amazon estuary, and coastal Guinea‐Bissau.

Currently, the species faces drastic depletion throughout its entire former range and centres of abundance. It appears to have been extirpated from several areas. The probability of extinction was highest in the USA, northern South America (Colombia to Guyane), and southern West Africa (Cameroon to Namibia).

Currently, the Amazon estuary appears to have the highest remaining abundance of P. pristis in the Atlantic, followed by the Colorado–San Juan River system in Nicaragua and Costa Rica and the Bissagos Archipelago in Guinea Bissau. Therefore the protection of these populations is crucial for the preservation and recovery of the species.

Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Novel Rheumatoid Arthritis Susceptibility Locus at 22q12 Identified in an Extended UK Genome‐Wide Association Study
Authors: Orozco Gisela , Viatte Sebastien , Bowes John , Martin Paul , Wilson Anthony G. , Morgan Ann W. , Steer Sophia , Wordsworth Paul , Hocking Lynne J. ,   UK Rheumatoid Arthritis Genetics Consortium,   Wellcome Trust Case Control Consortium,   Biologics in Rheumatoid Arthritis Genetics and Genomics Study Syndicate Consortium, Barton Anne , Worthington Jane , Eyre Stephen
Published: October 2013

Objective

The number of confirmed rheumatoid arthritis (RA) loci currently stands at 32, but many lines of evidence indicate that expansion of existing genome‐wide association studies (GWAS) enhances the power to detect additional loci. This study was undertaken to extend our previous RA GWAS in a UK cohort, adding more independent RA cases and healthy controls, with the aim of detecting novel association signals for susceptibility to RA in a homogeneous UK cohort.

Methods

A total of 3,223 UK RA cases and 5,272 UK controls were available for association analyses, with the extension adding 1,361 cases and 2,334 controls to the original GWAS data set. The genotype data for all RA cases were imputed using the Impute program version 2. After stringent quality control thresholds were applied, 3,034 cases and 5,271 controls (1,831,729 single‐nucleotide polymorphisms [SNPs]) were available for analysis. Association testing was performed using Plink software.

Results

The analyses indicated a suggestive association with susceptibility to RA (P < 0.0001) for 6 novel RA loci that have been previously found to be associated with other autoimmune diseases; these 6 SNPs were genotyped in independent samples. Two of the associated loci were validated, one of which was associated with RA at genome‐wide levels of significance in the combined analysis, identifying a novel RA locus at 22q12 (P = 6.9 × 10−9). In addition, most of the previously known RA susceptibility loci were confirmed to be associated with RA, and for 16 of the loci, the strength of the association was increased.

Conclusion

This study identified a new RA locus mapping to 22q12. These results support the notion that increasing the power of GWAS enhances novel gene discovery.
A study of the influence of severe environmental conditions on common traffic congestion features
Authors: Rehborn Hubert , Koller Micha
Published: October 2013

On the basis of real traffic and environmental data measured on German freeways, we studied common features of traffic congestion under the influence of severe weather conditions. We have found that traffic features [J] and [S] defining traffic phases “wide moving jam” (J) and “synchronized flow” (S) in Kerner's three‐phase theory are indeed common spatiotemporal traffic features. The quantitative parameters for both traffic phases [S] and [J] were investigated in a comparison of “ideal” weather conditions (good visibility and no precipitation) and severe weather situations (icy road, wind, precipitation, etc.). We showed spatiotemporal congested patterns in several space–time diagrams based on the Automatic Tracking of Moving Jams/Forecasting of Traffic Objects (ASDA/FOTO) model reconstruction for roadside detectors. A statistical study of traffic phase [J] parameters was presented, showing the average values and standard deviation of the quantities. Similarities and differences were analyzed, and some consequences for vehicular applications were discussed to cope with severe weather conditions. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The Development of the Multidimensional Social Competence Scale: A Standardized Measure of Social Competence in Autism Spectrum Disorders
Authors: Yager Jodi , Iarocci Grace
Published: October 2013

Autism and its related disorders are commonly described as lying along a continuum that ranges in severity and are collectively referred to as autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). Although all individuals withASDmeet the social impairment diagnostic criteria outlined in theDSM‐IV‐TR, they do not present with the same social difficulties. The variability in the expression and severity of social competence is particularly evident among the group of individuals with “high‐functioning”ASDwho appear to have difficulty applying their average to above average intelligence in a social context. There is a striking paucity of empirical research investigating individual differences in social functioning among individuals with high‐functioningASD. It is possible that more detailed investigations of social competence have been impeded by the lack of standardized measures available to assess the nature and severity of social impairment. The aim of the current study was to develop and evaluate a parent rating scale capable of assessing individual differences in social competence (i.e. strengths and challenges) among adolescents withASD: theMultidimensionalSocialCompetenceScale (MSCS). Results from confirmatory factor analyses supported the hypothesized multidimensional factor structure of theMSCS. Seven relatively distinct domains of social competence were identified including social motivation, social inferencing, demonstrating empathic concern, social knowledge, verbal conversation skills, nonverbal sending skills, and emotion regulation. Psychometric evidence provided preliminary support for the reliability and validity of the scale. Possible applications of this promising new parent rating scale in both research and clinical settings are discussed.Autism Res2013, 6: 631–641.© 2013 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Implantable and ingestible medical devices with wireless telemetry functionalities: A review of current status and challenges
Authors: Kiourti Asimina , Psathas Konstantinos A. , Nikita Konstantina S.
Published: October 2013

Wireless medical telemetry permits the measurement of physiological signals at a distance through wireless technologies. One of the latest applications is in the field of implantable and ingestible medical devices (IIMDs) with integrated antennas for wireless radiofrequency (RF) communication (telemetry) with exterior monitoring/control equipment. Implantable medical devices (MDs) perform an expanding variety of diagnostic and therapeutic functions, while ingestible MDs receive significant attention in gastrointestinal endoscopy. Design of such wireless IIMD telemetry systems is highly intriguing and deals with issues related to: operation frequency selection, electronics and powering, antenna design and performance, and modeling of the wireless channel. In this paper, we attempt to comparatively review the current status and challenges of IIMDs with wireless telemetry functionalities. Full solutions of commercial IIMDs are also recorded. The objective is to provide a comprehensive reference for scientists and developers in the field, while indicating directions for future research. Bioelectromagnetics. 35:1–15, 2014. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Simultaneous confidence intervals for a success probability and intraclass correlation, with an application to screening mammography
Authors: Kim Jongphil , Lee Ji‐Hyun
Published: October 2013

This paper provides asymptotic simultaneous confidence intervals for a success probability and intraclass correlation of the beta‐binomial model, based on the maximum likelihood estimator approach. The coverage probabilities of those intervals are evaluated. An application to screening mammography is presented as an example. The individual and simultaneous confidence intervals for sensitivity and specificity and the corresponding intraclass correlations are investigated. Two additional examples using influenza data and sex ratio data among sibships are also considered, where the individual and simultaneous confidence intervals are provided.
Assessing intervention efficacy on high‐risk drinkers using generalized linear mixed models with a new class of link functions
Authors: Prates Marcos O. , Aseltine Robert H. , Dey Dipak K. , Yan Jun
Published: October 2013

Unhealthy alcohol use is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in the United States. Brief interventions with high‐risk drinkers during an emergency department (ED) visit are of great interest due to their possible efficacy and low cost. In a collaborative study with patients recruited at 14 academic ED across the United States, we examined the self‐reported number of drinks per week by each patient following the exposure to a brief intervention. Count data with overdispersion have been mostly analyzed with generalized linear mixed models (GLMMs), of which only a limited number of link functions are available. Different choices of link function provide different fit and predictive power for a particular dataset. We propose a class of link functions from an alternative way to incorporate random effects in a GLMM, which encompasses many existing link functions as special cases. The methodology is naturally implemented in a Bayesian framework, with competing links selected with Bayesian model selection criteria such as the conditional predictive ordinate (CPO). In application to the ED intervention study, all models suggest that the intervention was effective in reducing the number of drinks, but some new models are found to significantly outperform the traditional model as measured by CPO. The validity of CPO in link selection is confirmed in a simulation study that shared the same characteristics as the count data from high‐risk drinkers. The dataset and the source code for the best fitting model are available in Supporting Information.
SLC26 anion exchangers in uterine epithelial cells and spermatozoa: clues from the past and hints to the future
Authors: Chan Hsiao Chang , Sun Xiao
Published: October 2013

The solute carrier 26 (SLC26) family emerges as a distinct class of anion transporters with its members SLC26A3 (Slc26a3) and SLC26A6 (Slc26a6) reported to be electrogenic Cl−/HCO3− exchangers. While it is known that uterine fluid has high HCO3− content and that HCO3− is essential for sperm capacitation, the molecular mechanisms underlying the transport of HCO3− across uterine epithelial cells and sperm have not been fully investigated. The present review re‐examines the results from early reports studying anion transport, finding clues for the involvement of Cl−/HCO3− anion exchangers in electrogenic HCO3− transport across endometrial epithelium. We also summarise recent work on Slc26a3 and Slc26a6 in uterine epithelial cells and sperm, revealing their functional role in working closely with the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) for HCO3− transport in these cells. The possible involvement of these anion exchangers in other HCO3− dependent reproductive processes and their implications for infertility are also discussed.
Effect of Age of Permeable Pavements on Their Infiltration Function
Authors: Boogaard Floris , Lucke Terry , Beecham Simon
Published: October 2013

This study describes field investigations designed to compare the infiltration capacities of 55 permeable pavement systems installed in the Netherlands and in Australia. The ages of the pavements varied from 1 to 12 years. Using infiltrometer testing, the performance of the pavements has been compared in terms of their ability to infiltrate a three month average recurrence interval storm event in the case of the Australian pavements or the minimum specification for European infiltration capacities of 97.2 mm/h for the Dutch pavements. Many of the tested pavements broadly follow a hypothetical decay curve of infiltration rate with age of pavement. However, these are clustered into two distinct groups (Dutch and Australian) with the older Australian pavements appearing to maintain higher infiltration rates relative to their age. The study has shown that the performance of the clogged permeable pavement systems was still generally acceptable, even after many years in service.
IoT‐SVKSearch: a real‐time multimodal search engine mechanism for the internet of things
Authors: Ding Zhiming , Chen Zhikui , Yang Qi
Published: October 2013

Recent advances on the Internet of Things (IoT) have posed great challenges to the search engine community. IoT systems manage huge numbers of heterogeneous sensors and/or monitoring devices, which continuously monitor the states of real‐world objects, and most data are generated automatically through sampling. The sampling data are dynamically changing so that the IoT search engine should support real‐time retrieval. Additionally, the IoT search involves not only keyword matches but also spatial‐temporal searches and value‐based approximate searches, as IoT sampling data are generally from spatial‐temporal scenario. To meet these challenges, we propose a ‘Hybrid Real‐time Search Engine Framework for the Internet of Things based on Spatial‐Temporal, Value‐based, and Keyword‐based Conditions’ (‘IoT‐SVK Search Engine’ or simply ‘IoT‐SVKSearch’ for short) in this paper. The experiments show that the IoT‐SVK search engine has satisfactory performances in supporting real‐time, multi‐modal retrieval of massive sensor sampling data in the IoT. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A population study of urine glycerol concentrations in elite athletes competing in North America
Authors: Kelly Brian N. , Madsen Myke , Sharpe Ken , Nair Vinod , Eichner Daniel
Published: October 2013

Glycerol is an endogenous substance that is on the World Anti‐Doping Agency's list of prohibited threshold substances due to its potential use as a plasma volume expansion agent. The WADA has set the threshold for urine glycerol, including measurement uncertainty, at 1.3 mg/mL. Glycerol in circulation largely comes from metabolism of triglycerides in order to meet energy requirements and when the renal threshold is eclipsed, glycerol is excreted into urine. In part due to ethnic differences in postprandial triglyceride concentrations, we investigated urine glycerol concentrations in a population of elite athletes competing in North America and compared the results to those of athletes competing in Europe. 959 urine samples from elite athletes competing in North America collected for anti‐doping purposes were analyzed for urine glycerol concentrations by a gas chromatography mass‐spectrometry method. Samples were divided into groups according to: Timing (in‐ or out‐of‐competition), Class (strength, game, or endurance sports) and Gender. 333 (34.7%) samples had undetectable amounts of glycerol (<1 μg/mL). 861 (89.8%) of the samples had glycerol concentrations ≤20 μg/mL. The highest glycerol concentration observed was 652 μg/mL. Analysis of the data finds the effects of each category to be statistically significant. The largest estimate of the 99.9th percentile, from the in‐competition, female, strength athlete samples, was 1813 μg/mL with a 95% confidence range from 774 to 4251 μg/mL. This suggests a conservative threshold of 4.3 mg/mL, which would result in a reasonable detection window for urine samples collected in‐competition for all genders and sport classes. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Heterochrony in the regulation of the developing marsupial limb
Authors: Chew Keng Yih , Shaw Geoffrey , Yu Hongshi , Pask Andrew J. , Renfree Marilyn B.
Published: October 2013

Background: At birth, marsupial neonates have precociously developed forelimbs. The development of the tammar wallaby (Macropus eugenii) hindlimbs lags significantly behind that of the forelimbs. This differs from the grey short‐tailed opossum, Monodelphis domestica, which has relatively similar fore‐ and hindlimbs at birth. This study examines the expression of the key patterning genes TBX4, TBX5, PITX1, FGF8, and SHH in developing limb buds in the tammar wallaby. Results: All genes examined were highly conserved with orthologues from opossum and mouse. TBX4 expression appeared earlier in development than in the mouse, but later than in the opossum. SHH expression is restricted to the zone of polarising activity, while TBX5 (forelimb) and PITX1 (hindlimb) showed diffuse mRNA expression. FGF8 is specifically localised to the apical ectodermal ridge, which is more prominent than in the opossum. Conclusions: The most marked divergence in limb size in marsupials occurs in the kangaroos and wallabies. The faster development of the fore limb compared to that of the hind limb correlates with the early timing of the expression of the key patterning genes in these limbs. Developmental Dynamics 243:324–338, 2014. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Testing the genetic predictions of a biogeographical model in a dominant endemic Eastern Pacific coral (Porites panamensis) using a genetic seascape approach
Authors: Saavedra‐Sotelo Nancy C. , Calderon‐Aguilera Luis E. , Reyes‐Bonilla Héctor , Paz‐García David A. , López‐Pérez Ramón A. , Cupul‐Magaña Amilcar , Cruz‐Barraza José A. , Rocha‐Olivares Axayácatl
Published: October 2013

The coral fauna of the Eastern Tropical Pacific (ETP) is depauperate and peripheral; hence, it has drawn attention to the factors allowing its survival. Here, we use a genetic seascape approach and ecological niche modeling to unravel the environmental factors correlating with the genetic variation of Porites panamensis, a hermatypic coral endemic to the ETP. Specifically, we test if levels of diversity and connectivity are higher among abundant than among depauperate populations, as expected by a geographically relaxed version of the Abundant Center Hypothesis (rel‐ACH). Unlike the original ACH, referring to a geographical center of distribution of maximal abundance, the rel‐ACH refers only to a center of maximum abundance, irrespective of its geographic position. The patterns of relative abundance of P. panamensis in the Mexican Pacific revealed that northern populations from Baja California represent its center of abundance; and southern depauperate populations along the continental margin are peripheral relative to it. Genetic patterns of diversity and structure of nuclear DNA sequences (ribosomal DNA and a single copy open reading frame) and five alloenzymatic loci partially agreed with rel‐ACH predictions. We found higher diversity levels in peninsular populations and significant differentiation between peninsular and continental colonies. In addition, continental populations showed higher levels of differentiation and lower connectivity than peninsular populations in the absence of isolation by distance in each region. Some discrepancies with model expectations may relate to the influence of significant habitat discontinuities in the face of limited dispersal potential. Environmental data analyses and niche modeling allowed us to identify temperature, water clarity, and substrate availability as the main factors correlating with patterns of abundance, genetic diversity, and structure, which may hold the key to the survival of P. panamensis in the face of widespread environmental degradation.
Th1 cytokines are more effective than Th2 cytokines at licensing anti‐tumour functions in CD40‐activated human macrophages in vitro
Authors: Luheshi Nadia , Davies Gareth , Poon Edmund , Wiggins Kimberley , McCourt Matthew , Legg James
Published: October 2013

CD40 agonists are showing activity in early clinical trials in patients with advanced cancer. In animal models, CD40 agonists synergise with T‐cell‐activating therapies to inhibit tumour growth by driving tumour macrophage repolarisation from an immunosuppressive to a Th1 immunostimulatory, tumouricidal phenotype. We therefore tested the hypothesis that T‐cell‐derived cytokines license anti‐tumour functions in CD40‐activated human macrophages. CD40 ligand (CD40L) alone activated macrophages to produce immunosuppressive IL‐10, in a similar fashion to bacterial LPS, but failed to promote anti‐tumour functions. The Th1 cytokine IFN‐γ optimally licensed CD40L‐induced macrophage anti‐tumour functions, inducing a switch from IL‐10 to IL‐12p70 production, promoting macrophage‐mediated Th1 T‐cell skewing and enhancing tumouricidal activity. We found that even the Th2 cytokines IL‐4 and IL‐13 promoted IL‐12p70 production (albeit without inhibiting IL‐10 production) and enhanced Th1 T‐cell skewing by CD40L‐activated macrophages. However, IL‐4 and IL‐13 did not enhance tumouricidal activity in CD40L‐activated macrophages. Thus, while both Th1 and Th2 cytokines biased macrophages to a Th1 immunostimulatory phenotype, only Th1 cytokines promoted tumouricidal activity in CD40L‐activated macrophages. The presence of tumour‐infiltrating Th1 or Th2 cells might therefore be predictive for patient response to CD40 agonism.
T‐cell help dependence of memory CD8+T‐cell expansion upon vaccinia virus challenge relies on CD40 signaling
Authors: Bedenikovic Gregor , Crouse Josh , Oxenius Annette
Published: October 2013

Due to their capacity to differentiate into long‐lived memory cells, CD8+ T cells are able to resolve subsequent infections faster than during the primary response. Among other factors, CD4+ T cells play a crucial role during primary and secondary CD8+ T‐cell responses. However, the timing and mechanisms by which they influence CD8+ T cells may differ in primary and secondary responses. Here, we demonstrate that during both primary and secondary vaccinia virus infection, CD4+ T cells are necessary to promote CD8+ T‐cell responses. While CD4+ T cells contributed to memory CD8+ T‐cell development, they were even more important during memory recall responses during challenge, as absence of CD4+ T cells during challenge resulted in markedly decreased proliferation and increased apoptosis. T‐cell help during primary and secondary responses was mediated via CD40 signaling, with DCs being an integral part of that pathway. As opposed to primary CD8+ T‐cell responses where only a combination of agonistic CD40 signaling and provision of IL‐2 could substitute for T‐cell help, agonistic CD40 triggering alone was sufficient to rescue memory CD8+ T‐cell responses in absence of T‐cell help in the context of vaccinia virus infection.
Investigating the interface of the investment model and adult attachment theory
Authors: Carter Angela M. , Fabrigar Leandre R. , MacDonald Tara K. , Monner Laura J.
Published: October 2013

We examined whether the extent to which individuals accord importance to components of the investment model varies by attachment. In Study 1, rewards and costs in a hypothetical relationship were experimentally manipulated, and participants (single and dating undergraduates) reported perceptions of rewards, costs, and satisfaction. In Study 2, investments and alternative quality were manipulated, and participants reported perceptions of investments, alternatives, satisfaction, and commitment. Study 1 revealed that relative to others, individuals high in both anxiety and avoidance (i.e., fearful) accord less weight to rewards when determining satisfaction. Study 2 revealed that relative to others, individuals low in anxiety and high in avoidance (i.e., dismissing) accord more weight to investments and alternatives, and less weight to satisfaction when determining commitment. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Study on capillaries covalently bound with phospholipid vesicles for open‐tubular CEC and application to on‐line open‐tubular CEC‐MS
Authors: Tiala Heidi , Riekkola Marja‐Liisa , Wiedmer Susanne K.
Published: October 2013

Phospholipid vesicles were covalently attached to iminoaldehyde‐coated fused silica capillaries and applied to the separation of model steroids by open‐tubular CEC (OT‐CEC). The effects of reducing the formed Schiff's base with sodium borohydride and of the liposome composition on the stability of the coating were investigated. In addition, the studies were focused on the optimization of running conditions (pH values and composition of BGE solution) when CEC, using capillaries covalently bound with liposome dispersions, was coupled to MS. The effect of cholesterol in the liposome dispersion on the binding of model analytes was studied, using liposome dispersions comprising 80:20 mol% zwitterionic 1‐palmitoyl‐2‐oleyl‐sn‐glycero‐3‐phosphocholine (POPC) and the negatively charged phospholipid 1‐palmitoyl‐2‐oleoyl‐sn‐glycero‐3‐phospho‐l‐serine (POPS) and 40:40:20 mol% POPC/POPS/cholesterol. Cholesterol in liposomes (greatly) enhanced the stability of the capillaries by making the coatings more rigid, resulting in lower retention factors for all the studied model steroids. Although most of the studies were carried out by open tubular CEC‐UV Vis, the applicability of the capillaries to on‐line CEC‐MS was demonstrated as well. On‐line CEC‐MS studies on model steroids proved the suitability of coated capillaries for analyte–lipid membrane interaction studies, and especially for such analytes that are difficult to detect by conventional on‐line UV Vis.
Mendelian Randomization Analysis With Multiple Genetic Variants Using Summarized Data
Authors: Burgess Stephen , Butterworth Adam , Thompson Simon G.
Published: October 2013

Genome‐wide association studies, which typically report regression coefficients summarizing the associations of many genetic variants with various traits, are potentially a powerful source of data for Mendelian randomization investigations. We demonstrate how such coefficients from multiple variants can be combined in a Mendelian randomization analysis to estimate the causal effect of a risk factor on an outcome. The bias and efficiency of estimates based on summarized data are compared to those based on individual‐level data in simulation studies. We investigate the impact of gene–gene interactions, linkage disequilibrium, and ‘weak instruments’ on these estimates. Both an inverse‐variance weighted average of variant‐specific associations and a likelihood‐based approach for summarized data give similar estimates and precision to the two‐stage least squares method for individual‐level data, even when there are gene–gene interactions. However, these summarized data methods overstate precision when variants are in linkage disequilibrium. If the P‐value in a linear regression of the risk factor for each variant is less than , then weak instrument bias will be small. We use these methods to estimate the causal association of low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL‐C) on coronary artery disease using published data on five genetic variants. A 30% reduction in LDL‐C is estimated to reduce coronary artery disease risk by 67% (95% CI: 54% to 76%). We conclude that Mendelian randomization investigations using summarized data from uncorrelated variants are similarly efficient to those using individual‐level data, although the necessary assumptions cannot be so fully assessed.
Feasibility of tropical cyclone intensity estimation using satellite‐borne radiometer measurements: An observing system simulation experiment
Authors: Sieron Scott B. , Zhang Fuqing , Emanuel Kerry A.
Published: October 2013

This study evaluates the potential of a proposed technique in using satellite‐borne radiometer measurements and weather analyses to estimate the intensity of tropical cyclones. This theory shows that intensity is essentially directly related to the temperature deficit of cloud top versus sea surface, and the surplus in saturation entropy in the eyewall versus its surroundings. The eyewall entropy estimate comes from measurements of cloud top temperature and pressure, and the analysis provides the environmental saturation entropy. An Observing Systems Simulation Experiment was conducted, and the results were compared to those from previous studies using cloud‐profiling radar altimetry measurements. The use of cloud top pressure measurements may produce more accurate results. Inherent challenges still require caution in considering operational implementation.
Using the Climate Forecast System Reanalysis as weather input data for watershed models
Authors: Fuka Daniel R. , Walter M. Todd , MacAlister Charlotte , Degaetano Arthur T. , Steenhuis Tammo S. , Easton Zachary M.
Published: October 2013

Obtaining representative meteorological data for watershed‐scale hydrological modelling can be difficult and time consuming. Land‐based weather stations do not always adequately represent the weather occurring over a watershed, because they can be far from the watershed of interest and can have gaps in their data series, or recent data are not available. This study presents a method for using the Climate Forecast System Reanalysis (CFSR) global meteorological dataset to obtain historical weather data and demonstrates the application to modelling five watersheds representing different hydroclimate regimes. CFSR data are available globally for each hour since 1979 at a 38‐km resolution. Results show that utilizing the CFSR precipitation and temperature data to force a watershed model provides stream discharge simulations that are as good as or better than models forced using traditional weather gauging stations, especially when stations are more than 10 km from the watershed. These results further demonstrate that adding CFSR data to the suite of watershed modelling tools provides new opportunities for meeting the challenges of modelling un‐gauged watersheds and advancing real‐time hydrological modelling. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Assessing stimulus control and promoting generalization via video modeling when teaching social responses to children with autism
Authors: Jones JoAnna , Lerman Dorothea C. , Lechago Sarah
Published: October 2013

We taught social responses to young children with autism using an adult as the recipient of the social interaction and then assessed generalization of performance to adults and peers who had not participated in the training. Although the participants' performance was similar across adults, responding was less consistent with peers, and a subsequent probe suggested that the recipient of the social behavior (adults vs. peers) controlled responding. We then evaluated the effects of having participants observe a video of a peer engaged in the targeted social behavior with another peer who provided reinforcement for the social response. Results suggested that certain irrelevant stimuli (adult vs. peer recipient) were more likely to exert stimulus control over responding than others (setting, materials) and that video viewing was an efficient way to promote generalization to peers.
A MOMENT‐MATCHING METHOD FOR APPROXIMATING VECTOR AUTOREGRESSIVE PROCESSES BY FINITE‐STATE MARKOV CHAINS
Authors: Gospodinov Nikolay , Lkhagvasuren Damba
Published: October 2013

This paper proposes a moment‐matching method for approximating vector autoregressions by finite‐state Markov chains. The Markov chain is constructed by targeting the conditional moments of the underlying continuous process. The proposed method is more robust to the number of discrete values and tends to outperform the existing methods for approximating multivariate processes over a wide range of the parameter space, especially for highly persistent vector autoregressions with roots near the unit circle. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
An in vitro skin model to study the effect of mesenchymal stem cells in wound healing and epidermal regeneration
Authors: Ojeh Nkemcho O. , Navsaria Harshad A.
Published: October 2013

The development of new wound therapies, such as bioengineered skin equivalents, is an ongoing process. Multi‐potent mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) give rise to many tissue lineages and have been implicated in wound healing making them a potential candidate for cell‐based bioengineered products for injured tissue. In this study, we investigated the mesenchymal/epithelial interactions of cultured MSCs in comparison to cultured fibroblasts on epidermal proliferation, differentiation, and extracellular matrix (ECM) protein expression using a de‐epidermalized dermis (DED) skin model. We also studied whether MSCs can transdifferentiate to keratinocytes using the same model. Keratinocytes were cultured on unseeded DED or DED populated with fibroblasts or MSCs at an air‐liquid interface to induce epidermal differentiation. Fibroblasts or MSCs were also seeded on the papillary surface of the DED alone or on the reticular surface. General histology and immunostaining was performed on the skin equivalents to examine the expression of pan keratin (K) (K1, K5, K6, and K18) and protein markers for epidermal differentiation (K10), hyperproliferation (K6), proliferation (PCNA), ECM component (collagen type IV), and mesenchymal marker (vimentin). Keratinocyte‐fibroblast skin model and keratinocyte‐MSC skin model both displayed an epidermal phenotype similar to epidermis in vivo. Positive expression of proliferation, differentiation and ECM protein markers was observed. MSCs failed to adopt an epithelial phenotype in the DED skin model. Our findings highlight the potential use of MSCs in bioengineered tissue for the treatment of wounds. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A: 102A: 2785–2792, 2014.
p38 signaling in titanium particle‐induced MMP‐2 secretion and activation in differentiating MC3T3‐E1 cells
Authors: Chen Ming , Chen Pei‐Min , Dong Qi‐Rong , Huang Qun , She Chang , Xu Wei
Published: October 2013

The periprosthetic osteolysis induced by wear particles contributes to aseptic loosening after joint arthroplasty. The molecular mechanism underlying osteolysis remains to be described. In this study, cultured MC3T3‐E1 cells were incubated with titanium particles. We investigated the role of p38 mitogen‐activated protein kinase in the expression of MMP‐2 in response to wear particles. Our results demonstrated MC3T3‐E1 cells exposed to titanium particles had significantly increased levels of MMP‐2 and MT1‐MMP mRNA, whereas the TIMP‐2 mRNA level was unchanged. In MC3T3‐E1 cells, the protein expression of MMP‐2, MT1‐MMP, and active p38 was also elevated after titanium particle exposure, as detected by Western blot and Biotrak activity analyses. Inhibition studies showed that the specific p38 inhibitor SB203580 completely abrogated the increase in MMP‐2 and MT1‐MMP production induced by the titanium particles. Moreover, our results revealed that conditioned media‐stimulated osteoclast formation was related to the MMP‐2 activity of osteoblasts that were challenged with Ti particles. This study demonstrated that p38 signaling is required for MMP‐2 activity in osteoblasts under wear particle‐induced conditions. MMP‐2 could act as a catabolic element or a proinflammatory factor contributing to periprosthetic osteolysis. Therefore, the p38 pathway and MMP‐2 may play a critical role in the development of aseptic loosening. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A: 102A: 2824–2832, 2014.