bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Asymmetric Sequential Aza‐Diels‐Alder and O‐Michael Addition: Efficient Construction of Chiral Hydropyrano[2,3‐b]pyridines
Authors: Yin Xiang , Zhou Qingqing , Dong Lin , Chen Yingchun
Published: October 2015

An asymmetric aza‐Diels‐Alder and O‐Michael addition sequence has been developed to construct chiral hydropyrano[2,3‐b]pyridine derivatives with good yields and excellent stereoselectivity, by starting with N‐Ts‐1‐aza‐1,3‐butadienes and aliphatic aldehydes tethered to an α,β‐unsaturated ketone motif. A tandem O‐Michael addition reaction was completed via acid catalysis.
Formation of Chiral α‐Monofluorinated‐β‐amino Esters through Organocatalytic Asymmetric Reduction of α‐Fluoro‐β‐enamino Esters by Trichlorosilane
Authors: Zhang Peng , Wang Chao , Zhou Li , Sun Jian
Published: October 2015

A concise method was developed to prepare chiral α‐monofluorinated‐β‐amino esters through N‐sulfinyl urea catalyzed asymmetric hydrosilylation of α‐fluoro‐β‐enamino esters, which affords high yields, good to high diastereoselectivities (up to>99/1), and moderate to good enantioselectivities (up to 83% ee).
Age–period–cohort analysis in the 1870s: Diagrams, stereograms, and the basic differential equation
Authors: Keiding Niels
Published: October 2015

The period 1868–1880 saw a dramatic development in analytical and graphical descriptions of mortality, varying with time and age; this took place almost entirely in the German language. This report attempts a survey of these developments with brief notes on other graphical representations and on how they evolved into the Lexis diagram and the McKendrick–Von Foerster equation of the present time. The Canadian Journal of Statistics 39: 405–420; 2011 © 2011 Statistical Society of Canada
In vivo real‐time lymphatic draining using quantum‐dot optical imaging in mice
Authors: Kosaka Nobuyuki , Mitsunaga Makoto , Choyke Peter L. , Kobayashi Hisataka
Published: October 2015

The lymphatic system is essential for fluid regulation and for the maintenance of host immunity. However, in vivo lymph flow is difficult to track in real time, because of the lack of an appropriate imaging method. In this study, we combined macro‐zoom fluorescence microscopy with quantum‐dot (Qdot) optical lymphatic imaging to develop an in vivo real‐time optical lymphatic imaging method that allows the tracking of lymph through lymphatic channels and into lymph nodes. After interstitial injection of Qdots in a mouse, rapid visualization of the cervical lymphatics and cervical lymph nodes was achieved. Real‐time monitoring of the injected Qdots revealed that the cortex of the node enhanced first followed by a net‐like pattern in the central portion of the node. Histology revealed that the rim and net‐like enhancing regions corresponded to the subcapsular sinuses and medullary sinuses respectively. Additionally, multiplexed two‐color real‐time lymphatic tracking was performed with two different Qdots. With this real‐time imaging system, we successfully tracked microscopic lymphatic flow in vivo. This method could have a potential impact for lymphatic research in visualizing normal or abnormal functional lymphatic flows. Published 2012. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.
Rapid spectrophotometric technique for quantifying iron in cells labeled with superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles: potential translation to the clinic
Authors: Dadashzadeh Esmaeel R. , Hobson Matthew , Henry Bryant L. , Dean Dana D. , Frank Joseph A.
Published: October 2015

Labeling cells with superparamagnetic iron oxide (SPIO) nanoparticles provides the ability to track cells by magnetic resonance imaging. Quantifying intracellular iron concentration in SPIO labeled cells would allow for the comparison of agents and techniques used to magnetically label cells. Here we describe a rapid spectrophotometric technique (ST) to quantify iron content of SPIO‐labeled cells, circumventing the previous requirement of an overnight acid digestion. Following lysis with 10% sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) of magnetically labeled cells, quantification of SPIO doped or labeled cells was performed using commonly available spectrophotometric instrument(s) by comparing absorptions at 370 and 750 nm with correction for turbidity of cellular products to determine the iron content of each sample. Standard curves demonstrated high linear correlation (R2 = 0.998) between absorbance spectra of iron oxide nanoparticles and concentration in known SPIO‐doped cells. Comparisons of the ST with inductively coupled plasma–mass spectroscopy (ICP‐MS) or nuclear magnetic resonance relaxometric (R2) determinations of intracellular iron contents in SPIO containing samples resulted in significant linear correlation between the techniques (R2 vs ST, R2 > 0.992, p < 0.0001; ST vs ICP‐MS, R2 > 0.995, p < 0.0001) with the limit of detection of ST for iron = 0.66 µg ml−1 for 106 cells ml−1. We have developed a rapid straightforward protocol that does not require overnight acid digestion for quantifying iron oxide content in magnetically labeled cells using readily available analytic instrumentation that should greatly expedite advances in comparing SPIO agents and protocols for labeling cells. Published 2012. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.
Field dependence of T1 for hyperpolarized [1‐13C]pyruvate
Authors: Chattergoon N. , Martínez‐Santiesteban F. , Handler W. B. , Ardenkjær‐Larsen J. H. , Scholl T. J.
Published: October 2015

In vivo metabolism of hyperpolarized pyruvate has been demonstrated to be an important probe of cellular glycolysis in diseases such as cancer. The usefulness of hyperpolarized 13C imaging is dependent on the relaxation rates of the 13C‐enriched substrates, which in turn depend on chemical conformation and properties of the dissolution media such as buffer composition, solution pH, temperature and magnetic field. We have measured the magnetic field dependence of the spin–lattice relaxation time of hyperpolarized [1‐13C]pyruvate using field‐cycled relaxometry. [1‐13C]pyruvate was hyperpolarized using dynamic nuclear polarization and then rapidly thawed and dissolved in a buffered solution to a concentration of 80 mmol l−1 and a pH of ~7.8. The hyperpolarized liquid was transferred within 8 s to a fast field‐cycling relaxometer with a probe tuned for detection of 13C at a field strength of ~0.75 T. The magnetic field of the relaxometer was rapidly varied between relaxation and acquisition fields where the sample magnetization was periodically measured using a small flip angle. Data were recorded for relaxation fields varying between 0.237 mT and 0.705 T to map the T1 dispersion of the C‐1 of pyruvate. Using similar methods, we also determined the relaxivity of the triarylmethyl radical (OX063; used for dynamic nuclear polarization) on the C‐1 of pyruvate at field strengths of 0.001, 0.01, 0.1 and 0.5 T using 0.075, 1.0 and 2.0 mmol l−1 concentrations of OX063 in the hyperpolarized pyruvate solution. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Prolactin and breast cancer: The need to avoid undertreatment of serious psychiatric illnesses in breast cancer patients: A review
Authors: Froes Brandao Denise , Strasser‐Weippl Kathrin , Goss Paul E.
Published: October 2015

Hyperprolactinemia, defined as a sustained elevation of prolactin (PRL) levels greater than 530 mIU/L in women and greater than 424 mIU/L in men, has been implicated for a long time in breast cancer etiology and prognosis. Elevated PRL values (approximately 2‐3 times higher than the reference values) are a common adverse effect of antipsychotic medications, especially with first‐generation drugs, and most antipsychotics carry a standard warning regarding PRL elevations on their US product labels. These associations foster undertreatment of serious psychiatric illnesses in both otherwise healthy patients and cancer patients. This review assesses both the preclinical and clinical evidence that has led to the hypothesis of PRL's role in breast cancer risk or breast cancer progression. It is concluded that taken together, the published data are unconvincing and insufficient to deprive cancer patients in general and breast cancer patients specifically of potentially effective antipsychotic or antidepressant medications for serious psychiatric indications. We thus call on revised medication guidelines to avoid the existing undertreatment of serious psychiatric illnesses among cancer patients based on an unproven contraindication to psychiatric medications. Cancer 2016;122:184–188. © 2015 American Cancer Society.
Synthesis of Janus Mesoporous Silica Nanostructures with Organic–Inorganic Hybrid Components through a Sprout‐Like Growth Method
Authors: Wang Xue , Guan Buyuan , He Yapeng , Zhang Ye , Cao Yu , Liu Yunling , Qiao Zhen‐An , Huo Qisheng
Published: October 2015

In this paper, we have established a simple and generalizable sprout‐like growth method for the facile synthesis of Janus mesoporous silica nanostructures with organic–inorganic hybrid components by using periodic mesoporous organosilica (PMO) nanoparticles as seeds with mesoporous SiO2 as branches growing on the PMO surface. The morphology of Janus nanostructures with different lengths and numbers of SiO2 branches can be easily controlled by varying the tetraethoxysilane concentration in the synthesis system. The Janus nanostructures are also easily modified with different SO3H and NH2 groups on the SiO2 branches and PMO cores, respectively, and exhibit excellent catalytic performance in the deacetalization–Henry cascade reaction.
Context‐aware scheduling in MapReduce: a compact review
Authors: Idris Muhammad , Hussain Shujaat , Ali Maqbool , Abdulali Arsen , Siddiqi Muhammad Hameed , Kang Byeong Ho , Lee Sungyoung
Published: October 2015

It is a fact that the attention of research community in computer science, business executives, and decision makers is drastically drawn by big data. As the volume of data becomes bigger, it needs performance‐oriented data‐intensive processing frameworks such as MapReduce, which can scale computation on large commodity clusters. Hadoop MapReduce processes data in Hadoop Distributed File System as jobs scheduled according to YARN fair scheduler and capacity scheduler. However, with advancement and dynamic changes in hardware and operating environments, the performance of clusters is greatly affected. Various efforts in literature have been made to address the issues of heterogeneity (i.e., clusters consisting of virtual machines and machines with different hardware), network communication, data locality, better resource utilization, and run‐time scheduling. In this paper, we present a survey to discuss various research efforts made so far to improve Hadoop MapReduce scheduling. We classify scheduling algorithms and techniques proposed in the literature so far based on their addressing areas and present a taxonomy. Furthermore, we also discuss various aspects of open issues and challenges in the scheduling of MapReduce to improve its performance. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Ray‐tracing domain decomposition methods for real‐time simulation on multi‐core and multi‐processor systems
Authors: Magoulès Frédéric , Gbikpi‐Benissan Guillaume , Callet Patrick
Published: October 2015

This paper describes the use of domain decomposition methods for accelerating wave physics simulation. Numerical wave‐based methods provide more accurate simulation than geometrical methods, but at a higher computation cost as well. In the context of virtual reality, the quality of the results is estimated according to human perception, what makes geometrical methods an interesting approach for achieving real‐time physically‐based rendering. Here, we investigate a geometrical method based on both beams and rays tracing, which we enhance by two levels of parallel processing. Techniques from domain decomposition methods are coupled with classical parallel computing on both shared and distributed memory. Both optic and acoustic renderings are experimented to evaluate the acceleration impact of the domain decomposition scheme. Speedup measurements clearly show the efficiency of using domain decomposition methods for real‐time simulation of wave physics. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A science data gateway for environmental management
Authors: Agarwal Deborah A. , Faybishenko Boris , Freedman Vicky L. , Krishnan Harinarayan , Kushner Gary , Lansing Carina , Porter Ellen , Romosan Alexandru , Shoshani Arie , Wainwright Haruko , Weidmer Arthur , Wu Kesheng
Published: October 2015

Science data gateways are effective in providing complex science data collections to the world‐wide user communities. In this paper we describe a gateway for the Advanced Simulation Capability for Environmental Management (ASCEM) framework. Built on top of established web service technologies, the ASCEM data gateway is specifically designed for environmental modeling applications. Its key distinguishing features include (1) handling of complex spatiotemporal data, (2) offering a variety of selective data access mechanisms, (3) providing state‐of‐the‐art plotting and visualization of spatiotemporal data records, and (4) integrating seamlessly with a distributed workflow system using a RESTful interface. ASCEM project scientists have been using this data gateway since 2011. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Development of numerical linear algebra algorithms in dynamic fixed‐point format: a case study of Lanczos tridiagonalization
Authors: Pradhan Tapan , Kabi Bibek , Mohanty Ramanarayan , Routray Aurobinda
Published: October 2015

Proper range and precision analysis play an important role in the development of fixed‐point algorithms for embedded system applications. Numerical linear algebra algorithms used to find singular value decomposition of symmetric matrices are suitable for signal and image‐processing applications. These algorithms have not been attempted much in fixed‐point arithmetic. The reason is wide dynamic range of data and vulnerability of the algorithms to round‐off errors. For any real‐time application, the range of the input matrix may change frequently. This poses difficulty for constant and variable fixed‐point formats to decide on integer wordlengths during float‐to‐fixed conversion process because these formats involve determination of integer wordlengths before the compilation of the program. Thus, these formats may not guarantee to avoid overflow for all ranges of input matrices. To circumvent this problem, a novel dynamic fixed‐point format has been proposed to compute integer wordlengths adaptively during runtime. Lanczos algorithm with partial orthogonalization, which is a tridiagonalization step in computation of singular value decomposition of symmetric matrices, has been taken up as a case study. The fixed‐point Lanczos algorithm is tested for matrices with different dimensions and condition numbers along with image covariance matrix. The accuracy of fixed‐point Lanczos algorithm in three different formats has been compared on the basis of signal‐to‐quantization‐noise‐ratio, number of accurate fractional bits, orthogonality and factorization errors. Results show that dynamic fixed‐point format either outperforms or performs on par with constant and variable formats. Determination of fractional wordlengths requires minimization of hardware cost subject to accuracy constraint. In this context, we propose an analytical framework for deriving mean‐square‐error or quantization noise power among Lanczos vectors, which can serve as an accuracy constraint for wordlength optimization. Error is found to propagate through different arithmetic operations and finally accumulate in the last Lanczos vector. It is observed that variable and dynamic fixed‐point formats produce vectors with lesser round‐off error than constant format. All the three fixed‐point formats of Lanczos algorithm have been synthesized on Virtex 7 field‐programmable gate array using Vivado high‐level synthesis design tool. A comparative study of resource usage and power consumption is carried out. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Effect of realistic sea surface movements in achieving full‐view coverage camera sensor network
Authors: Manoufali Mohamed , Kong Peng‐Yong , Jimaa Shihab
Published: October 2015

In stationary camera sensor networks (CSNs), when the deployment characteristics and sensing models are defined, the coverage can be deduced and remain unchanged over time. However, in the maritime environment, the rough and random sea condition can move CSN from the initial location. We envisage that camera sensors are mounted on quasi‐mobile platforms such as buoys. Hence, it is important to understand the effect of realistic sea surface movements in achieving full‐view coverage because in full‐view coverage, target's facing direction is taken into account to judge whether a target is guaranteed to be captured because image shot at the frontal viewpoint of a given target considerably increases the possibility to detect and recognize the target. To accurately emulate the maritime environment, the movement of the buoy, which is attached with a cable that is nailed at the sea floor, has been characterized based on the sea wave that is created by the wind, and it is limited by the cable. The average percentage of full‐view coverage has been evaluated based on different parameters such as equilateral triangle grid length, sensing radius of camera, wind speed and wave height. Furthermore, a method to improve the target detection and recognition has been proposed in the presence of poor link quality using cooperative transmission with low power consumption. In some parameter scenario, the cooperative transmission method has achieved around 70% improvement in the average percentage of full‐view coverage of a given target and total reduction of around 13% for the total transmission power PTotal(Q). Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Cytohistology of papillary carcinoid and emerging concept of pulmonary neuroendocrine neoplasms
Authors: Yang Grace C. H.
Published: October 2015

This timely review starts by reporting the clinical, cytologic and histologic features of a morphologic variant of pulmonary carcinoid tumor forming exclusively of papillae. This growth pattern is so rare that it was not included in 2014 WHO classification of pulmonary neuroendocrine neoplasms. The current concept is reviewed, and example of spindle cell carcinoid, atypical carcinoid, large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma, and small cell carcinoma are illustrated with fine needle aspiration cytology, surgical and clinical follow‐up. Finally, the new findings in cell biology and molecular biology that led to the emerging concept that carcinoids and high‐grade neuroendocrine lung carcinomas are separate biological entities are reviewed and summarized in a tumorigenic module. Diagn. Cytopathol. 2016;44:52–60. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
What does the recent literature add to the identification and investigation of fractures in child abuse: an overview of review updates 2005–2013
Authors: Maguire Sabine , Cowley Laura , Mann Mala , Kemp Alison
Published: October 2015

Background:

Fractures are a manifestation of physical abuse and common accidental injuries. Distinguishing which fractures are indicative of abuse and optimizing the identification of occult fractures are the challenges.

Objectives:

To identify additional studies published since our original systematic reviews to address these two issues.

Methods:

An all‐language literature search of 14 databases was conducted for the years 2005–2013, using revised keywords. All studies underwent standardized critical appraisal by two independent reviewers, applying quality criteria relating to the confirmation of child abuse, exclusion of abuse and quality of skeletal survey conducted. A meta‐analysis, stratified by age, was conducted to determine the predictive value for abuse of specific fractures by fitting a random effects model.

Results:

Twenty‐three studies addressed ‘radiological investigations’, and nine studies ‘fractures indicative of abuse’. Radiological studies reiterated that a single investigation (skeletal survey or radionuclide imaging ) will miss some abusive fractures; in 8.4–37.6% of children, the repeat skeletal survey added new information that influenced the child protection procedures. Debate continues as to the optimal images to include in the repeat skeletal survey. A meta‐analysis of femoral and humeral fractures by age highlighted that children younger than 18 months are significantly more likely to have sustained their fracture as a consequence of abuse, than those aged 1–4 years.

Authors' Conclusions:

Recent literature validates the original conclusions that repeat skeletal imaging adds important information on fractures. Comparative studies of femoral, humeral, rib and skull fractures enabled a meta‐analysis by age, however further comparative studies are needed.
Fast‐seeking control for two‐stage actuator system in optical disk drives
Authors: Okuyama Atsushi
Published: October 2015

A new fast‐seeking control method for the two‐stage actuator system in an optical disk drive has been developed. Fast seeking is performed by means of velocity control in two modes. The lens velocity in the first mode, which is estimated using a multirate observer, is equal to the pickup unit velocity, and it is controlled in order to prevent the lens from vibrating. The lens velocity in the second mode is equal to the specified target velocity, and it is controlled in order to improve the laser‐spot positioning accuracy. A DVD‐ROM drive is tested to confirm that the control system we propose significantly improves the seeking capabilities. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electr Eng Jpn, 180(3): 64–71, 2012; Published online in Wiley Online Library (wileyonlinelibrary.com). DOI 10.1002/eej.21244
Simultaneous Voltammetric Determination of Heavy Metals by Use of Crown Ether‐modified Electrodes and Chemometrics
Authors: González‐Calabuig Andreu , Guerrero David , Serrano Núria , del Valle Manel
Published: October 2015

A three‐sensor array consisting of a graphite‐epoxy composite electrode (GEC), 4‐carboxybenzo‐18‐crown‐6‐GEC and 4‐carboxybenzo‐15‐crown‐5‐GEC was employed for the simultaneous determination of Cd(II), Pb(II) and Hg(II) by differential pulse anodic stripping voltammetry (DPASV). Sensors were firstly studied for the determination of Hg(II); secondly, peak current responses confirmed that all sensors showed differentiated response for the three considered metals. A response model was developed to resolve mixtures of Cd(II), Pb(II) and Hg(II) at the µg L−1 level; Discrete Wavelet Transform was selected as preprocessing tool and artificial neural network used for the modelling of the obtained responses.
The Origins of Low‐Fracture Conductivity in Soft Shale Formations: An Experimental Study
Authors: Zou Yushi , Ma Xinfang , Zhang Shicheng , Zhou Tong , Ehlig‐Economides Christine , Li Han
Published: October 2015

Sufficient fracture conductivity must be sustained in fracture networks created by massive slickwater fracturing to continue the exploitation of ultralow‐permeability shale formations. However, unrealistic conductivity values obtained under ideal laboratory conditions are generally utilized for fracture designs. In this study, we outlined an experimental program to measure the conductivity of different possible fracture patterns in the fracture network, such as standard smooth fractures and shear fractures, with varying amounts of proppant and placement patterns. The results show that low‐conductivity fractures are likely to form in a soft shale. The high roughness and shear displacement of fracture surfaces improve conductivity. However, the crushing degree of the surface asperities is high for soft shale, which reduces the self‐supporting capability of the fracture. The conductivity values under ideal proppant‐placement conditions are overestimated substantially.
Use of Surfactants for Continuous Operation of Aqueous Electrochemical Flow Capacitors
Authors: Lee Juhan , Weingarth Daniel , Grobelsek Ingrid , Presser Volker
Published: October 2015

The electrochemical flow capacitor (EFC) is a novel design for supercapacitor technologies. To avoid misinterpretation arising from non‐flow analytical methods, we have investigated an EFC system under continuous flow conditions. Several different surfactants were introduced as modifiers to activated carbon in an aqueous electrolyte with sodium sulfate (Na2SO4). A significant reduction in viscosity was found by adding sodium lignosulfonate, and as a consequence, a maximum volumetric capacitance of 26 F cm−3 was achieved for the EFC system. A steady performance of the EFC system was observed for 200 h in terms of the specific capacitance (90±5 F g−1); however, degradation in the power performance was observed. Membrane fouling was confirmed to be the major contributor to the power degradation, and a cleaning process using water was developed to partially restore the initial performance (≈70 %).
Study on proton mineral ions interchange at the solution/bacterial interface
Authors: Mishra Vishal
Published: October 2015

A four‐lumped stochastic model has been developed in this work to elucidate the relationship between concentrations of proton and the number of active sites present on the surface of bacterium cells. Titration was performed for calcium and magnesium ions using periodic‐limited residence time reactor. Denaturation of the cell surface at various gradients of protons was studied by measuring the value of zeta potential. The statistical error functions were used to interpret the suitability of the proposed model. The precision of the model was observed through linear and nonlinear regression coefficients. The model was evaluated in maxima and minima boundary conditions of proton concentration at various temperature levels. Temperature changes in the model and its effect on surface of bacterium cells have also been studied. © 2015 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Environ Prog, 35: 624–632, 2016
Channel response to an extreme flood and sediment pulse in a mixed bedrock and gravel‐bed river
Authors: Nelson Andrew , Dubé Kathy
Published: October 2015

We exploit a natural experiment caused by an extreme flood (~500 year recurrence interval) and sediment pulse derived from more than 2500 concurrent landslides to explore the influence of valley‐scale geomorphic controls on sediment slug evolution and the impact of sediment pulse passage and slug deposition and dispersion on channel stability and channel form. Sediment slug movement is a crucial process that shapes gravel‐bed rivers and alluvial valleys and is an important mechanism of downstream bed material transport. Further, increased bed material transport rates during slug deposition can trigger channel responses including increases in lateral mobility, channel width, and alluvial bar dominance.

Pre‐ and post‐flood LiDAR and aerial photographs bracketing the 2007 flood on the Chehalis River in south‐western Washington State, USA, document the channel response with high spatial and temporal definition. The sediment slug behaved as a Gilbert Wave, with both channel aggradation and sequestration of large volumes of material in floodplains of headwaters' reaches and reaches where confined valleys enter into broad alluvial valleys. Differences between the valley form of two separate sub‐basins impacted by the pulse highlight the important role channel and channel‐floodplain connectivity play in governing downstream movement of sediment slug material.

Finally, channel response to the extreme flood and sediment pulse illustrate the connection between bed material transport and channel form. Specifically, the channel widened, lateral channel mobility increased, and the proportion of the active channel covered by bars increased in all reaches in the study area. The response scaled tightly with the relative amount of bed material sediment transport through individual reaches, indicating that the amount of morphological change caused by the flood was conditioned by the simultaneous introduction of a sediment pulse to the channel network. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Pesticides in blood from spectacled caiman (Caiman crocodilus) downstream of banana plantations in Costa Rica
Authors: Grant Paul B.C. , Woudneh Million B. , Ross Peter S.
Published: October 2015

Spectacled caiman (Caiman crocodilus) are fish-eating crocodilians that inhabit freshwater habitat in tropical regions of the Americas. To assess the exposure of caiman to pesticides from banana plantations, the authors collected whole blood samples (30 mL) from 14 adult caiman that were captured in the North Atlantic region of Costa Rica. Blood samples were analyzed for 70 legacy- and current-use pesticides and breakdown products using newly developed ultra-trace, high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS). Caiman accumulated pesticides ranked by concentration as dieldrin > permethrin > mirex > 4,4′-DDE > alpha-endosulfan > heptachlor epoxide > oxychlordane > heptachlor > cypermethrin. Caiman within the high-intensity banana crop watershed of Rio Suerte had higher pesticide burdens relative to other more remote locations (F = 12.79; p = 0.00). Pesticide concentration decreased with distance from upstream banana plantations in this river system (F = 20.76; p = 0.00). Caiman body condition was negatively correlated with total pesticide concentrations (F = 6.23; p = 0.02) and with proximity to banana plantations (F = 5.05; p = 0.04). This suggests that either pesticides elicited toxic effects in caiman, resulting in diminished overall health, or that the quantity or quality of their prey was reduced by pesticides downstream of plantation waterways. The authors' results indicate that pesticide use in banana plantations is impacting a high trophic level species inhabiting one of the most important wilderness areas in Costa Rica (Tortuguero National Park). Environ Toxicol Chem 2013;32:2576–2583. © 2013 SETAC
Two new spontaneous hybrids of American hard pines from Pinus sect. Trifoliae (Pinaceae) found in the unique Russian Sochi Arboretum
Authors: Businský Roman
Published: October 2015

In the 1990s, an extraordinarily abundant live collection of the genus Pinus, including 49 species, 4 subspecies, and 7 interspecific hybrids, found in the Sochi Arboretum in Russia on the northeast coast of the Black Sea, was taxonomically revised. Among these taxa, two previously unknown interspecific hybrids of American hard pine species from P. sect. Trifoliae had arisen spontaneously in culture. These are described here as the new hybrid species Pinus × transamericana (P. muricata × P. rigida) and Pinus × critchfieldii (P. patula × P. taeda). All known natural or artificial interspecific hybrids within P. sect. Trifoliae are listed, and hybridization between American hard pine species is discussed. (© 2012 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Modelling sediment transport over partially non‐erodible bottoms
Authors: Rulot F. , Dewals B.J. , Erpicum S. , Archambeau P. , Pirotton M.
Published: October 2015

In‐depth‐averaged and cross‐section‐averaged morphodynamic models, based on explicit time integration, it may happen that the computed bed level becomes lower than the top level of a non‐erodible layer (e.g. concrete, bedrock or armoured layer). This is a standard pitfall, which has been addressed in different ways. In this paper, we present an original approach for avoiding computation of non‐physical bed levels, using an iterative procedure to correct the outward sediment fluxes. The procedure is shown to be computationally efficient while it achieves a high accuracy in terms of mass conservation. We compare our original approach with the existing Struiksma's method and with a reformulation of the problem in terms of mathematical optimization of a linear or nonlinear objective function under linear constraints.

The new procedure has been incorporated into an existing finite volume morphodynamic model. It has been validated with several 1D benchmarks leading to configurations with sediment transport over non‐erodible bottom. The computation time has been verified not to increase by more than 15% compared with runs without non‐erodible bottom. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Analyses of Seismic Deformation at the Kibyra Roman Stadium, Southwest Turkey
Authors: Karabacak Volkan , Yönlü Önder , Dökü Eray , Kıyak Nafiye Güneç , Altunel Erhan , Özüdoğru Şükrü , Yalçıner Cahit Çağlar , Akyüz Hüsnü Serdar
Published: October 2015

The ancient city of Kibyra in southwest Turkey has the potential to reveal the location and date of historical earthquakes. The most compelling evidence for earthquake faulting is observed in the city's Roman stadium. Damage related to seismic shaking is characterized by systematically collapsed columns, dilated and collapsed walls, and by rotated and displaced blocks in the stadium. Detailed archaeoseismological observations suggest that Kibyra was affected by earthquakes that were also recorded in historical earthquake catalogs. Although there is no historical record of a large earthquake after the 5th century A.D., Optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating of deposits under the collapsed blocks suggests a later seismic event. OSL results indicate that another large event occurred in southwest Turkey, probably around the 10–11th century A.D., and caused extensive damage (Io = VIII‐IX) to the Kibyra stadium.
Parameters affecting mineral trapping of CO2 sequestration in brines
Authors: Liu Qi , Maroto‐Valer M. Mercedes
Published: October 2015

Carbon dioxide sequestration using brines has emerged as a promising technology to mitigate the adverse impacts of climate change due to its large storage capacity and favorable chemistries. However, the permanent storage of CO2 in brines takes significantly long periods of time as the formation of carbonates is very slow. This review focuses on the four main parameters (brine composition, brine pH, system temperature, and pressure) that have been reported to have a major effect on mineral trapping of CO2 sequestration in brines. These parameters are difficult to control for in situ underground CO2 sequestration. However, understanding the effects of these main parameters is useful for both aboveground and underground carbonation reactions. Brine pH is the most important parameter. The precipitation of carbonate minerals is favored over a basic pH of 9.0. In order to promote the formation of carbonates, brine pH could be enhanced by using additives. System temperature has a greater effect than pressure. © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd
Toward a Humane Death with Dementia
Authors: Dresser Rebecca
Published: October 2015

In this issue, Paul Menzel and M. Colette Chandler‐Cramer propose a novel advance directive. Besides giving competent people the opportunity to refuse future life‐prolonging medical interventions, they say, advance directives should give people the opportunity to refuse ordinary food and water if they later experience severe dementia.

This proposal is both appealing and unsettling. It is appealing because it offers some relief to people seeking to avoid the prolonged decline and extreme incapacity they have witnessed in relatives and friends with advanced dementia. But does it sufficiently protect patients? Menzel and Chandler‐Cramer want to empower competent persons to impose potential discomfort and distress on a later self who cannot understand the reasons for that choice. In this situation, the price of respecting autonomy is paid by a frail incapacitated patient who has no idea why food and water are no longer offered to her.
Differential hippocampal shapes in posterior cortical atrophy patients: A comparison with control and typical AD subjects
Authors: Manning Emily N. , Macdonald Kate E. , Leung Kelvin K. , Young Jonathan , Pepple Tracey , Lehmann Manja , Zuluaga Maria A. , Cardoso M. Jorge , Schott Jonathan M. , Ourselin Sebastien , Crutch Sebastian , Fox Nick C. , Barnes Josephine
Published: October 2015

Posterior cortical atrophy (PCA) is a neurodegenerative syndrome characterized by predominant visual deficits and parieto‐occipital atrophy, and is typically associated with Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathology. In AD, assessment of hippocampal atrophy is widely used in diagnosis, research, and clinical trials; its utility in PCA remains unclear. Given the posterior emphasis of PCA, we hypothesized that hippocampal shape measures may give additional group differentiation information compared with whole‐hippocampal volume assessments. We investigated hippocampal volume and shape in subjects with PCA (n = 47), typical AD (n = 29), and controls (n = 48). Hippocampi were outlined on MRI scans and their 3D meshes were generated. We compared hippocampal volume and shape between disease groups. Mean adjusted hippocampal volumes were ∼8% smaller in PCA subjects (P < 0.001) and ∼22% smaller in tAD subject (P < 0.001) compared with controls. Significant inward deformations in the superior hippocampal tail were observed in PCA compared with controls even after adjustment for hippocampal volume. Inward deformations in large areas of the hippocampus were seen in tAD subjects compared with controls and PCA subjects, but only localized shape differences remained after adjusting for hippocampal volume. The shape differences observed, even allowing for volume differences, suggest that PCA and tAD are each associated with different patterns of hippocampal tissue loss that may contribute to the differential range and extent of episodic memory dysfunction in the two groups. Hum Brain Mapp 36:5123–5136, 2015. © 2015 The Authors Human Brain Mapping Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Role of TM6SF2 rs58542926 in the pathogenesis of nonalcoholic pediatric fatty liver disease: A multiethnic study
Authors: Goffredo Martina , Caprio Sonia , Feldstein Ariel E. , D'Adamo Ebe , Shaw Melissa M. , Pierpont Bridget , Savoye Mary , Zhao Hongyu , Bale Allen E. , Santoro Nicola
Published: October 2015

We assessed the association between the single‐nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs58542926 in the transmembrane 6 superfamily member 2 (TM6SF2) gene and fatty liver disease in obese youth. We genotyped the TM6SF2 rs58542926 SNP in a multiethnic cohort of 957 obese children and adolescents (42% Caucasians, 28% African Americans, 30% Hispanics). All underwent an oral glucose tolerance test, a liver panel, and a lipid profile. Of them, 454 children underwent a magnetic resonance imaging study to assess hepatic fat content and 11 underwent liver biopsy to assess the degree of disease severity. The minor allele of the rs58542926 SNP was associated with high hepatic fat content in Caucasians and African Americans (all P < 0.05), with high alanine aminotransferase levels in Hispanics (P < 0.05) and a more favorable lipoprotein profile (lower low‐density lipoprotein, small dense low‐density lipoprotein, and very small low‐density lipoprotein) in Caucasians and Hispanics (all P < 0.05). The liver biopsy showed a higher prevalence of fibrosis (P = 0.04) and a higher nonalcoholic fatty liver disease activity score (P = 0.05) in subjects carrying the minor allele than in those homozygous for the common allele. Moreover, we observed a joint effect among the TM6SF2 rs58542926, the PNPLA3 rs738409, and the GCKR rs1260326 SNPs in determining intrahepatic fat accumulation (P < 0.05). Conclusion: The rs58542926 SNP in the TM6SF2 gene is associated with pediatric nonalcoholic fatty liver disease but may confer protection against cardiovascular risk. (Hepatology 2016;63:117–125)
New Phragmalin‐Type Limonoid Orthoesters from the Bark of Chukrasia tabularis var. velutina
Authors: Liu Wen‐Xing , Chen Duo‐Zhi , Ding Jia‐Yin , Hao Xiao‐Jiang , Li Shun‐Lin
Published: October 2015

Three new phragmalin‐type limonoid orthoesters, velutabularins K–M (1–3) and seven structurally related known compounds were isolated from the bark of Chukrasia tabularis var. velutina. The structures of these compounds were elucidated by spectroscopic analysis. The structure of 1 was confirmed by single crystal X‐ray diffraction. In addition, the brine shrimp lethality of compounds 1, 3, and the known compounds was evaluated.
Two New Cucurbitane Triterpenoids from Immature Fruits of Momordica charantia
Authors: Li Zhen‐Jie , Chen Jian‐Chao , Deng Yuan‐Yuan , Song Na‐Li , Yu Mu‐Yuan , Zhou Lin , Qiu Ming‐Hua
Published: October 2015

Two new cucurbitane triterpenoids, kuguacin X (1) and kuguaglycoside I (2), together with three known analogs, were isolated from immature fruits of Momordica charantia. By detailed analysis of IR, NMR, and MS data, acid hydrolysis, and comparison with spectroscopic data of known compounds, the new compounds were determined to be (23E)‐5β,19‐epoxycucurbita‐6,23‐diene‐3β,22ξ,25‐triol (1) and (23E)‐5β,19‐epoxycucurbita‐6,23‐dien‐19‐on‐3β,25‐diol 3‐O‐β‐D‐allopyranoside (2).
Design and Synthesis of New Bile AcidSterol Conjugates Linked via 1,2,3‐Triazole Ring
Authors: Pospieszny Tomasz
Published: October 2015

A new steroid conjugates have been obtained from bile acids and sterol derivatives using ‘click chemistry’. Intermolecular 1,3‐dipolar cycloaddition of the propargyl ester of bile acids (lithocholic, deoxycholic, and cholic acid) and azide derivatives of sterols (ergosterol and cholesterol) gave a new bile acidsterol conjugates linked with a 1,2,3‐triazole ring. The structures of all products were confirmed by spectroscopic (1H‐ and 13C‐NMR, and FT‐IR) analyses, mass spectrometry (ESI‐MS), and in silico biological activity evaluation methods (PASS), as well as PM5 semiempirical methods.
Synthesis of 1,3‐Dihydro‐3‐oxo‐2‐benzofuran‐1‐carboxylates via Intramolecular Cyclization of 2‐[2‐(Dimethoxymethyl)phenyl]‐ 2‐hydroxyalkanoates Followed by Oxidation
Authors: Kobayashi Kazuhiro , Kuroda Minami , Shigemura Yuuho
Published: October 2015

A novel and efficient method for the preparation of 1,3‐dihydro‐3‐oxo‐2‐benzofuran‐1‐carboxylates 4 under mild conditions has been developed. Thus, the reaction of [2‐(dimethoxymethyl)phenyl]lithiums, generated easily from 1‐bromo‐2‐(dimethoxymethyl)benzenes 1, with α‐keto esters gives the corresponding 2‐[2‐(dimethoxymethyl)phenyl]‐2‐hydroxyalkanoates 2. The TsOH‐catalyzed cyclization of these hydroxy acetals is followed by the oxidation of the resulting cyclic acetals 3 with PCC to give the desired products in satisfactory yields. The reaction of [2‐(dimethoxymethyl)‐4,5‐dimethoxyphenyl]lithium with (MeOCO)2, followed by treatment with NaBH4 or organolithiums, affords 2‐[2‐(dimethoxymethyl)‐4,5‐dimethoxyphenyl]‐2‐hydroxyalkanoates 6, which can similarly be transformed into the corresponding 1,3‐dihydro‐3‐oxo‐2‐benzofuran‐1‐carboxylates 7 in reasonable yields.
Sink or Swim: Empowering Leadership and Overload in Teams' Ability to Deal with the Unexpected
Authors: Magni Massimo , Maruping Likoebe M.
Published: October 2015

The notion of improvisation has recently emerged in managerial studies as a viable solution to flexibly dealing with unexpected occurrences in work environments. However, past research on team improvisation has overlooked the contingencies that allow teams to effectively improvise. Drawing upon demand‐control theory, we investigate how empowering leadership and overload affect the improvisation‐performance relationship in the context of 48 work teams. Our results suggest that empowering leadership positively moderates the relationship between improvisation and performance, while overload attenuates the same relationship. Moreover, we found a joint effect of overload and empowering leadership influencing the improvisation‐performance link, such that improvisation is most positively related to performance when empowering leadership is high and overload is low. Conversely, we found that empowering leadership is particularly detrimental to the improvisation‐performance relationship when team members perceive high degrees of overload. Our findings make important contributions to the extant team literature as well as to the emerging literature on team improvisation. We outline several significant insights for HR managers and team leaders who are responsible for supporting teams that face unexpected events in the work environment. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Bioprinting and Tissue Engineering: Recent Advances and Future Perspectives
Authors: Seliktar Dror , Dikovsky Daniel , Napadensky Eduardo
Published: October 2015

Bioprinting in tissue engineering applies 3D printing technologies towards the development of precisely designed scaffolds for tissue repair and organ replacement. The printed scaffolds may incorporate polymeric constituents together with biological payloads, including cells and biochemically active additives. The scaffolds can be designed with spatial precision, achieving both biochemical and biophysical heterogeneity that mimic the extracellular environment of the body’s tissues. Recent advances in 3D bioprinting have applied a strategy of controlling physical properties together with bioactivity to influence specific interactions with cellular systems, including spatial and temporal patterns of biochemical and biomechanical cues that regulate cell behavior and improve tissue integration. Important new advances in tissue engineering have now been realized based on these approaches, and clinical applications for printed scaffolds continue to drive further improvements to 3D bioprinter technologies.
Feature extraction through generalization of histogram refinement technique for local region‐based object attributes
Authors: An Youngeun , Rasheed Waqas , Park Seungjin , Park Jongan
Published: October 2015

Content based image retrieval (CBIR) is used to retrieve digital images from large databases. However, the problem of retrieving images on the basis of the contents remains largely unsolved. The proposed method of image retrieval is based on the information provided by histogram analysis of the intensity or grayscale values of images. Some additional properties are also calculated and used that are based on regional characteristics of various objects in the image. The need to retrieve the additional regional properties arises due to the fact that the standard histograms are insensitive to small changes in images. Many images of different types can have similar histograms, because, histograms provide only a coarse characterization of an image. This is the main disadvantage of using histograms. This research is based on the concept of Histogram Refinement (Pass and Zabih, IEEE Workshop Appl Comput Vision (1996), 96–102). Distributing the grayscale image intensities by splitting the pixels using their intensity values into several classes just like the histogram refinement method can provide an estimate of the object characteristics present in an image. After the calculation of clusters using a color refinement method, the inherent features of each of the clusters is calculated based on the regional properties of the clusters. These additional region based features expound some structural information of the image. Finally, all of these features are used for image retrieval. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Imaging Syst Technol, 21, 298–306, 2011;
Depth map estimation based on linear regression using image focus
Authors: Malik Aamir Saeed , Song Taek Lyul , Choi Tae‐Sun
Published: October 2015

This article presents a method for depth estimation using image focus based on the linear regression model. Two datasets are selected for each pixel based on the maximum value which is calculated using Laplacian operator. Then linear regression model is used to find lines that approximate these datasets. The best fit lines are found using least squares method. After approximating the two lines, their intersection point is calculated, and weights are assigned to calculate the new value for the depth map. The proposed method is compared with four depth estimation algorithms. Six different objects are selected for testing the proposed method. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Imaging Syst Technol, 21, 241–246, 2011;