bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Aerosol indirect effects from ground‐based retrievals over the rain shadow region in Indian subcontinent
Authors: Harikishan G. , Padmakumari B. , Maheskumar R. S. , Pandithurai G. , Min Q. L.
Published: February 2016

Aerosol‐induced changes in cloud microphysical and radiative properties have been studied for the first time using ground‐based and airborne observations over a semiarid rain shadow region. The study was conducted for nonprecipitating, ice‐free clouds during monsoon (July to September) and postmonsoon (October) months, when cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) concentrations over the region of interest increased monotonically and exhibited characteristics of continental origin. A multifilter rotating shadowband radiometer and microwave radiometric profiler were used to retrieve the cloud optical depth and liquid water path (LWP), respectively, from which cloud effective radius (CER) was obtained. CER showed wide variability from 10–18 µm and a decreasing trend toward the postmonsoon period. During monsoon, the estimated first aerosol indirect effect (AIE) increased from 0.01 to 0.23 with increase in LWP. AIE at different super saturations (SS) showed maximum value (significant at 95%) at 0.4% SS and higher LWP bin (250–300 g/m2). Also, statistically significant AIE values were found at 0.6% and 0.8% SSs but at lower LWP bin (200–250 g/m2). The relationship between CCN and CER showed high correlation at 0.4% SS at higher LWP bin, while at higher SSs good correlations were observed at lower LWPs. Data combined from ground‐based and aircraft observations showed dominance of microphysical effect at aerosol concentrations up to 1500 cm−3 and radiative effect at higher concentrations. This combined cloud microphysical and aerosol radiative effect is more prominent during postmonsoon period due to an increase in aerosol concentration.
Statistics of GNSS amplitude scintillation occurrences over Dakar, Senegal, at varying elevation angles during the maximum phase of solar cycle 24
Authors: Akala A. O. , Awoyele A. , Doherty P. H.
Published: February 2016

This study characterizes Global Navigation Satellite System amplitude scintillation over Dakar (14.75°N, 17.45°W, magnitude latitude: 5.88°N), Senegal. The data, which we arranged on daily and monthly scales, cover 14 months: September–November 2012; February–December 2013; and January–February 2014. The data were further binned into three levels of scintillation using the S4 index: weak (0.3 ≤ S4 < 0.4), moderate (0.4 ≤ S4 < 0.7), and intense (S4 ≥ 0.7), over varying elevation angles (10°, 20°, and 30°). Daily occurrences of scintillation were most frequent around 22–02 LT. On a month‐by‐month basis, October recorded the highest occurrences of scintillations, while June recorded the least. Furthermore, contrary to Akala et al. (2014, 2015) who earlier reported January as off season for scintillation occurrences at some sites in Africa, namely, Lagos (Central West Africa), Nairobi, and Kampala (East Africa), the current study recorded some scintillation occurrences at Dakar (far west of West Africa) in January. It therefore implies that longitudinal variations do exist in the climatology of ionospheric scintillations over Africa. Consequently, detailed understanding of the climatology and daily distributions of ionospheric scintillations over equatorial Africa, which is our key objective in this study (from the perspective of Dakar), is the basic requirement for developing robust physics‐based scintillation models for the African equatorial region. Finally, we noted that the conventional adoption of high‐elevation masking angles during scintillation data processing, with a view to suppressing multipath effects usually hid important ionospheric‐induced scintillation data.
Predictability of horizontal water vapor transport relative to precipitation: Enhancing situational awareness for forecasting western U.S. extreme precipitation and flooding
Authors: Lavers David A. , Waliser Duane E. , Ralph F. Martin , Dettinger Michael D.
Published: February 2016

The western United States is vulnerable to socioeconomic disruption due to extreme winter precipitation and floods. Traditionally, forecasts of precipitation and river discharge provide the basis for preparations. Herein we show that earlier event awareness may be possible through use of horizontal water vapor transport (integrated vapor transport (IVT)) forecasts. Applying the potential predictability concept to the National Centers for Environmental Prediction global ensemble reforecasts, across 31 winters, IVT is found to be more predictable than precipitation. IVT ensemble forecasts with the smallest spreads (least forecast uncertainty) are associated with initiation states with anomalously high geopotential heights south of Alaska, a setup conducive for anticyclonic conditions and weak IVT into the western United States. IVT ensemble forecasts with the greatest spreads (most forecast uncertainty) have initiation states with anomalously low geopotential heights south of Alaska and correspond to atmospheric rivers. The greater IVT predictability could provide warnings of impending storminess with additional lead times for hydrometeorological applications.
Rain‐aerosol relationships influenced by wind speed
Authors: Yang Yang , Russell Lynn M. , Lou Sijia , Liu Ying , Singh Balwinder , Ghan Steven J.
Published: February 2016

Aerosol optical depth (AOD) has been shown to correlate with precipitation rate (R) in recent studies. The R‐AOD relationships over oceans are examined in this study using 150 year simulations with the Community Earth System Model. Through partial correlation analysis, with the influence of 10 m wind speed removed, R‐AOD relationships exert a change from positive to negative over the midlatitude oceans, indicating that wind speed makes a large contribution to the relationships by changing the sea‐salt emissions. A simulation with prescribed sea‐salt emissions shows that wind speed leads to increasing R by +0.99 mm d−1 averaged globally, offsetting 64% of the wet scavenging‐induced decrease between polluted and clean conditions, defined according to percentiles of AOD. These demonstrate that wind speed is one of the major drivers of R‐AOD relationships. Relative humidity at 915 hPa can also result in the positive relationships; however, its role is smaller than that of wind speed.
Fault interactions and triggering during the 10 January 2012 Mw 7.2 Sumatra earthquake
Authors: Fan Wenyuan , Shearer Peter M.
Published: February 2016

The 10 January 2012 Mw 7.2 Sumatra earthquake in the Wharton basin occurred 3 months before the great Mw 8.6 and Mw 8.2 earthquakes in the same region, which had complex ruptures and are the largest strike‐slip earthquakes ever recorded. Teleseismic P wave back projection of the Mw 7.2 earthquake images a unilateral rupture lasting ∼40 s without observable frequency dependency (low frequency, 0.05–0.3 Hz, high frequency, 0.3–1 Hz). In addition to radiation bursts during the Mw 7.2 main shock, coherent energy releases from 50 to 75 s and from 100 to 125 s are observed about 143 km northeast of the main shock rupture and landward of the trench. Analysis of globally recorded P waves, in both 0.02–0.05 Hz velocity records and 1–5 Hz stacked envelope functions, confirms the presence of coherent sources during the time windows. The observed energy bursts are likely to be large early aftershocks occurring on or near the subduction interface. Both dynamic and static triggering could have induced these early aftershocks, as they initiated after the surface wave passed by, and the Coulomb stress perturbations from the Mw 7.2 main shock promote earthquakes in the observed locations. The earthquake sequence is a clear example of a seaward‐intraplate strike‐slip earthquake triggering landward‐intraplate earthquakes in the same region, in contrast to previously reported normal‐reverse or reverse‐normal interactions at subduction zones.
Southern Ocean deep convection as a driver of Antarctic warming events
Authors: Pedro J. B. , Martin T. , Steig E. J. , Jochum M. , Park W. , Rasmussen S. O.
Published: February 2016

Simulations with a free‐running coupled climate model show that heat release associated with Southern Ocean deep convection variability can drive centennial‐scale Antarctic temperature variations of up to 2.0°C. The mechanism involves three steps: Preconditioning: heat accumulates at depth in the Southern Ocean; Convection onset: wind and/or sea ice changes tip the buoyantly unstable system into the convective state; and Antarctic warming: fast sea ice‐albedo feedbacks (on annual‐decadal time scales) and slow Southern Ocean frontal and sea surface temperature adjustments to convective heat release (on multidecadal‐century time scales) drive an increase in atmospheric heat and moisture transport toward Antarctica. We discuss the potential of this mechanism to help drive and amplify climate variability as observed in Antarctic ice core records.
Multiyear climate prediction with initialization based on 4D‐Var data assimilation
Authors: Mochizuki Takashi , Masuda Shuhei , Ishikawa Yoichi , Awaji Toshiyuki
Published: February 2016

An initialization relevant to interannual‐to‐decadal climate prediction has usually used a simple restoring approach for oceanic variables. Here we demonstrate the potential use of four‐dimensional variational (4D‐Var) data assimilation on the leading edge of initialization approach particularly in multiyear (5 year long) climate prediction. We perform full‐field initialization rather than anomaly initialization and assimilate the atmosphere states together with the ocean states to an atmosphere‐ocean coupled climate model. In particular, it is noteworthy that ensembles of multiyear hindcasts using our assimilation results as initial conditions exhibit an improved skill in hindcasting the multiyear changes of the upper ocean heat content (OHC) over the central North Pacific. The 4D‐Var approach enables us to directly assimilate a time trajectory of slow changes of the Aleutian Low that are compatible with the sea surface height and the OHC. Consequently, we can estimate a coupled climate state suitable for hindcasting dynamical changes over the extratropical North Pacific as observed.
Multidecadal changes in Iceland Scotland Overflow Water vigor over the last 600 years and its relationship to climate
Authors: Mjell Tor Lien , Ninnemann Ulysses S. , Kleiven Helga F. , Hall Ian R.
Published: February 2016

Changes in the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) have commonly been invoked to explain the low‐frequency climate changes evident over millennial‐multidecadal timescales during the Holocene period. While there is growing evidence that deep ocean circulation varied on millennial timescales, little is known about ocean variability on shorter timescales. Here we use a marine sediment core (GS06‐144‐09MC‐D) recovered from a high accumulation rate site on the Gardar Drift in the Iceland Basin (60°19′N, 23°58′W, 2081 m) to reconstruct decadal‐centennial variability in the vigor of Iceland‐Scotland Overflow Water (ISOW) with the paleocurrent proxy “sortable silt” mean grain size
. Our
record reveals that changes in ISOW vigor have occurred on multidecadal‐centennial timescales over the past ~600 years; similar timescales as documented in Atlantic Multidecadal Variability observations and reconstructions. Our findings support a link between changes in basin‐wide climate and deep ocean circulation.
SNAI1 promotes the development of HCC through the enhancement of proliferation and inhibition of apoptosis
Authors: Qi Jianni , Li Tao , Bian Hongjun , Li Feifei , Ju Ying , Gao Shanshan , Su Jingran , Ren Wanhua , Qin Chengyong
Published: February 2016

SNAI1, a zinc‐finger transcription factor, plays an important role in the induction of epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) in various cancers. However, the possible functions of SNAI1 in the proliferation and apoptosis of hepatocellular carcinoma have not been clearly identified. In this study, we investigated the effects and mechanisms of SNAI1 in the proliferation and apoptosis of hepatocellular carcinoma using clinical samples and cell lines. We found that SNAI1 is highly expressed in the tissues of liver cancer compared with adjacent nontumor tissues. SNAI1 is also highly expressed in the hepatoma cell lines HepG2, SMMC‐7721, and BEL‐7402 compared with the human normal liver cell line L02. We also observed that SNAI1 expression was correlated with distal metastasis, incomplete tumor capsule formation, and histological differentiation in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Moreover, we demonstrated that knockdown of SNAI1 via lentiviral vectors of RNAi against SNAI inhibited cell proliferation by inducing G1 arrest, which was accompanied by the downregulation of cyclin D1 but not that of cyclin A. In addition, knockdown of SNAI1 promoted apoptosis by decreasing the expression of Bcl‐2. In conclusion, our findings revealed that SNAI1 is involved in the development of hepatocellular carcinoma via regulating the growth and apoptosis of tumor cells.
Fault‐tolerant control for wireless networked control systems with an integrated scheduler
Authors: Xu D. , Ding S. X. , Wang Y. , Li L.
Published: February 2016

This paper addresses a study of fault‐tolerant control (FTC) for wireless networked control systems (WNCSs) in industrial automatic processes. The WNCSs is composed of many subsystems, which operate with different sampling cycles. In order to meet the real‐time requirements and ensure a deterministic data transmission, the time division multiple access (TDMA) mechanism is adopted in WNCSs. The data in WNCSs are transmitted following a TDMA‐based scheduler. According to the periodicity, WNCSs integrated with the scheduler is first formulated as discrete linear time periodic systems (LTPSs). Afterwards, a fault estimation method for LTPSs is developed under a H∞ performance specification with a regional pole constraint. With the achieved state observer and fault estimator, an FTC strategy for LTPSs is explored. Finally, the proposed methods are verified on a physical experimental WiNC platform. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
MoS2 Tribotronic Transistor for Smart Tactile Switch
Authors: Xue Fei , Chen Libo , Wang Longfei , Pang Yaokun , Chen Jian , Zhang Chi , Wang Zhong Lin
Published: February 2016

A novel tribotronic transistor has been developed by vertically coupling a single‐electrode mode triboelectric nanogenerator and a MoS2 field effect transistor. Once an external material contacts with or separates from the device, negative charges are induced by triboelectrification on the surface of the polymer frictional layer, which act as a “gate” voltage to modulate the carrier transport in the MoS2 channel instead of the conventional applied gate voltage; the drain‐source current can be tuned in the range of 1.56–15.74 μA, for nearly ten times. The application of this MoS2 tribotronic transistor for the active smart tactile switch is also demonstrated, in which the on/off ratio can reach as high as ≈16 when a finger touches the device and the increased drain‐source current is sufficient to light two light‐emitting diodes. This work may provide a technique route to utilize the 2D materials based tribotronic transistors in MEMS, nanorobotics, and human–machine interfacing.
Ever‐Increasing Pseudocapacitance in RGO–MnO–RGO Sandwich Nanostructures for Ultrahigh‐Rate Lithium Storage
Authors: Yuan Tianzhi , Jiang Yinzhu , Sun Wenping , Xiang Bo , Li Yong , Yan Mi , Xu Ben , Dou Shixue
Published: February 2016

Lithium ion batteries have attained great success in commercialization owing to their high energy density. However, the relatively delaying discharge/charge severely hinders their high power applications due to intrinsically diffusion‐controlled lithium storage of the electrode. This study demonstrates an ever‐increasing surface redox capacitive lithium storage originating from an unique microstructure evolution during cycling in a novel RGO–MnO–RGO sandwich nanostructure. Such surface pseudocapacitance is dynamically in equilibrium with diffusion‐controlled lithium storage, thereby achieving an unprecedented rate capability (331.9 mAh g−1 at 40 A g−1, 379 mAh g−1 after 4000 cycles at 15 A g−1) with outstanding cycle stability. The dynamic combination of surface and diffusion lithium storage of electrodes might open up possibilities for designing high‐power lithium ion batteries.
Graphene‐Functionalized Natural Microcapsules: Modular Building Blocks for Ultrahigh Sensitivity Bioelectronic Platforms
Authors: Wang Lili , Ng WeiBeng , Jackman Joshua A. , Cho Nam‐Joon
Published: February 2016

Natural cellular materials with honeycomb or foam microstructures are excellent inspirations for the biomimetic design of sensitive and robust bioelectronic interfaces. Herein, the fabrication of a hierarchical, self‐assembled platform that combines a natural cellular material (Lycopodium clavatum pollen spores) with an electrically conductive material (reduced graphene oxide, defined as rGO) for the first time is reported. The spores function as natural building blocks which are functionalized with crumpled rGO and then deposited on a silicon oxide surface, yielding a 3D architecture with electroactive properties. The hybrid material design is incorporated into a field‐effect transistor device and employed in an antibody‐based detection scheme in order to measure the concentration of a target protein with a limit of detection of 1 × 10−15 m, which is five orders of magnitude better than a conventional rGO‐based biosensor tested in comparison. The findings in this work highlight the merit of integrating natural cellular materials with electrically conductive materials, offering a framework to develop high‐sensitivity bioelectronic platforms.
Poisson Ratio and Piezoresistive Sensing: A New Route to High‐Performance 3D Flexible and Stretchable Sensors of Multimodal Sensing Capability
Authors: Li Yan , Luo Sida , Yang Ming‐Chia , Liang Richard , Zeng Changchun
Published: February 2016

The performance of flexible and stretchable sensors relies on the optimization of both the flexible substrate and the sensing element, and their synergistic interactions. Herein, a novel strategy is reported for cost‐effective and scalable manufacturing of a new class of porous materials as 3D flexible and stretchable piezoresistive sensors, by assembling carbon nanotubes onto porous substrates of tunable Poisson ratios. It is shown that the piezoresistive sensitivity of the sensors increases as the substrate's Poisson's ratio decreases. Substrates with negative Poisson ratios (auxetic foams) exhibit significantly higher piezoresistive sensitivity, resulting from the coherent mode of deformation of the auxetic foam and enhanced changes of tunneling resistance of the carbon nanotube networks. Compared with conventional foam sensors, the auxetic foam sensor (AFS) with a Poisson's ratio of –0.5 demonstrates a 300% improvement in piezoresistive sensitivity and the gauge factor increases as much as 500%. The AFS has high sensing capability, is extremely robust, and capable of multimodal sensing, such as large deformation sensing, pressure sensing, shear/torsion sensing, and underwater sensing. AFS shows great potential for a broad range of wearable and portable devices applications, which are described by reporting on a series of demonstrations.
pH‐Activatable MnO‐Based Fluorescence and Magnetic Resonance Bimodal Nanoprobe for Cancer Imaging
Authors: Hsu Benedict You Wei , Ng Michael , Tan Aaron , Connell John , Roberts Thomas , Lythgoe Mark , Zhang Yu , Wong Siew Yee , Bhakoo Kishore , Seifalian Alexander M. , Li Xu , Wang John
Published: February 2016

Stimuli‐responsive nanoprobes that combine both fluorescence and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are anticipated to be highly beneficial for tumor visualization with high imaging sensitivity. By employing an interfacial templating scheme, a pH‐activatable fluorescence/MRI dual‐modality imaging nanoprobe is successfully developed based on the coencapsulation of MnO nanoparticles and coumarin‐545T inside a hybrid silica nanoshell. To promote cancer cell targeting with high‐specificity, the nanoprobes are also conjugated with folic acid to establish a greater affinity for cancer cells that over‐express folate receptors on their cell membrane. In the new nanosystem, MnO nanoparticles are shown to function as an efficient fluorescence quencher of coumarin‐545T prior to cellular uptake. However, fluorescence recovery is achieved upon acidic dissolution of the MnO nanoparticles following receptor‐mediated endocytosis into the low pH compartments of the cancer cells. Meanwhile, the Mn2+ ions thus released are also shown to exert a strong T1 contrast enhancement in the cancer cells. Therefore, by demonstrating the dual‐activatable MRI and fluorescence imaging in response to the low pH conditions, it is envisioned that these nanoprobes would have tremendous potential for emerging cancer‐imaging modalities such as image‐guided cancer therapy.
Electrospraying Nanometer‐Thin Elastomer Films for Low‐Voltage Dielectric Actuators
Authors: Weiss Florian M. , Töpper Tino , Osmani Bekim , Peters Sven , Kovacs Gabor , Müller Bert
Published: February 2016

Micrometer‐thin polymer films are often prepared using spin coating. In applications such as low‐voltage dielectric elastomer actuators (DEAs), however, nanometer‐thin polymer layers are required. In this paper, it is demonstrated that alternating current electrospray deposition allows for the fabrication of high‐quality nanometer‐thin polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) films. The growth of the PDMS with an average molecular weight of 6000 g mol−1 at rates of 0.02–5.54 nm s−1 was in situ monitored by means of spectroscopic ellipsometry. The Cauchy layer model performs above a deposition‐rate‐dependent average film thickness, which is associated with a confluent film. The droplet size measurements as the function of deposition rate show that inertia and polarization forces dominate in liquid PDMS electrospraying. The roughness of the deposited films increases with the spray rate. After UV‐light curing under Ar atmosphere, however, the films smoothen to root‐mean‐square roughness values between 0.20 and 0.28 nm determined by atomic force microscopy on areas of 5 μm × 5 μm and between 2 and 20 nm determined by interferometry on an area of 0.72 mm2. Such electrosprayed PDMS films with (sub‐)nanometer roughness qualify for the fabrication of low‐voltage DEAs.
Evaluation of the relative accuracy of anthropometric indicators to assess body fatness as measured by air displacement plethysmography in Indian women
Authors: Varghese Deethu Sara , Sreedhar S. , Balakrishna N. , Venkata Ramana Y.
Published: February 2016

Objective

To assess the relative accuracy of anthropometric indicators of body fatness or adiposity as compared to the percent fat measured by air displacement plethysmography in Indian women with normal body mass index (BMI).

Methods

Percent body fat was assessed using the BodPod in 58 women, aged 30–56 years. The relative accuracy of anthropometric indicators of body fatness like BMI, waist‐stature‐ratio (WSR), waist‐thigh‐ratio (WTR), waist‐hip‐ratio (WHR), and circumferences at arm, neck, chest, waist, hip, and thigh were tested using an ROC curve analysis.

Results

Seventy‐nine percent women had excess body fat (≥30%). Among the 10 indicators tested, BMI and arm circumference (AC) demonstrated high accuracy (AUC > 0.9) to assess body fatness with derived cutoffs of 21.2 kg/m2 and 24.2 cm, respectively. WSR and circumferences at neck, chest, waist, hip, and thigh showed moderate accuracy to assess body fatness, whereas WHR and WTR demonstrated poor accuracy.

Conclusions

BMI and AC were the best performing indicators of adiposity among the indicators studied. AC, being a single measurement, is practical and a good choice. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 28:743–745, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Generating a taxonomy for genetic conditions relevant to reproductive planning
Authors: Korngiebel Diane M. , McMullen Carmit K. , Amendola Laura M. , Berg Jonathan S. , Davis James V. , Gilmore Marian J. , Harding Cary O. , Himes Patricia , Jarvik Gail P. , Kauffman Tia L. , Kennedy Kathleen A. , Simpson Dana Kostiner , Leo Michael C. , Lynch Frances L. , Quigley Denise I. , Reiss Jacob A. , Richards C. Sue , Rope Alan F. , Schneider Jennifer L. , Goddard Katrina A. B. , Wilfond Benjamin S.
Published: February 2016

As genome or exome sequencing (hereafter genome‐scale sequencing) becomes more integrated into standard care, carrier testing is an important possible application. Carrier testing using genome‐scale sequencing can identify a large number of conditions, but choosing which conditions/genes to evaluate as well as which results to disclose can be complicated. Carrier testing generally occurs in the context of reproductive decision‐making and involves patient values in a way that other types of genetic testing may not. The Kaiser Permanente Clinical Sequencing Exploratory Research program is conducting a randomized clinical trial of preconception carrier testing that allows participants to select their preferences for results from among broad descriptive categories rather than selecting individual conditions. This paper describes (1) the criteria developed by the research team, the return of results committee (RORC), and stakeholders for defining the categories; (2) the process of refining the categories based on input from patient focus groups and validation through a patient survey; and (3) how the RORC then assigned specific gene–condition pairs to taxonomy categories being piloted in the trial. The development of four categories (serious, moderate/mild, unpredictable, late onset) for sharing results allows patients to select results based on their values without separately deciding their interest in knowing their carrier status for hundreds of conditions. A fifth category, lifespan limiting, was always shared. The lessons learned may be applicable in other results disclosure situations, such as incidental findings. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Clinical audit of genetic testing and referral patterns for fragile X and associated conditions
Authors: Cotter Megan , Archibald Alison D. , McClaren Belinda J. , Burgess Trent , Francis David , Hills Louise , Martyn Melissa , Oertel Ralph , Slater Howard , Cohen Jonathan , Metcalfe Sylvia A.
Published: February 2016

An audit was conducted of laboratory/clinical databases of genetic tests performed between January 2003 and December 2009, and for 2014, as well as referrals to the clinical service and a specialist multidisciplinary clinic, to determine genetic testing request patterns for fragile X syndrome and associated conditions and referrals for genetic counseling/multidisciplinary management in Victoria, Australia. An expanded allele (full mutation, premutation or intermediate) was found in 3.7% of tests. Pediatricians requested ∼70% of test samples, although fewer general practitioners and more obstetricians/gynecologists ordered tests in 2014. Median age at testing for individuals with a full mutation seeking a diagnosis without a fragile X family history was 4.3 years (males) and 9.4 years (females); these ages were lower when pediatricians ordered the tests (2.1 years and 6.1 years, respectively). Individuals with a premutation were generally tested at a later age (median age: males, 33.2 years; females, 36.4 years). Logistic regression showed that a family history of ID (OR 3.28 P = 0.005, CI 1.77–5.98) was the only indication to independently increase the likelihood of a test‐positive (FM or PM) result. Following testing, ∼25% of full mutation or premutation individuals may not have attended clinical services providing genetic counseling or multidisciplinary management for these families. The apparent delay in fragile X syndrome diagnosis and lack of appropriate referrals for some may result in less than optimal management for these families. These findings suggest continued need for awareness and education of health professionals around diagnosis and familial implications of fragile X syndrome and associated conditions. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
A pilot integrative genomics study of GABA and glutamate neurotransmitter systems in suicide, suicidal behavior, and major depressive disorder
Authors: Yin Honglei , Pantazatos Spiro P. , Galfalvy Hanga , Huang Yung‐yu , Rosoklija Gorazd B. , Dwork Andrew J. , Burke Ainsley , Arango Victoria , Oquendo Maria A. , Mann Joseph John
Published: February 2016

Gamma‐amino butyric acid (GABA) and glutamate are the major inhibitory and excitatory neurotransmitters in the mammalian central nervous system, respectively, and have been associated with suicidal behavior and major depressive disorder (MDD). We examined the relationship between genotype, brain transcriptome, and MDD/suicide for 24 genes involved in GABAergic and glutamatergic signaling. In part 1 of the study, 119 candidate SNPs in 24 genes (4 transporters, 4 enzymes, and 16 receptors) were tested for associations with MDD and suicidal behavior in 276 live participants (86 nonfatal suicide attempters with MDD and 190 non‐attempters of whom 70% had MDD) and 209 postmortem cases (121 suicide deaths of whom 62% had MDD and 88 sudden death from other causes of whom 11% had MDD) using logistic regression adjusting for sex and age. In part 2, RNA‐seq was used to assay isoform‐level expression in dorsolateral prefrontal cortex of 59 postmortem samples (21 with MDD and suicide, 9 MDD without suicide, and 29 sudden death non‐suicides and no psychiatric illness) using robust regression adjusting for sex, age, and RIN score. In part 3, SNPs with subthreshold (uncorrected) significance levels below 0.05 for an association with suicidal behavior and/or MDD in part 1 were tested for eQTL effects in prefrontal cortex using the Brain eQTL Almanac (www.braineac.org). No SNPs or transcripts were significant after adjustment for multiple comparisons. However, a protein coding transcript (ENST00000414552) of the GABA A receptor, gamma 2 (GABRG2) had lower brain expression postmortem in suicide (P = 0.01) and evidence for association with suicide death (P = 0.03) in a SNP that may be an eQTL in prefrontal cortex (rs424740, P = 0.02). These preliminary results implicate GABRG2 in suicide and warrant further investigation and replication in larger samples. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Population inference from contemporaryAmerican craniometrics
Authors: Algee‐Hewitt Bridget F.B.
Published: February 2016

Objectives

This analysis delivers a composite picture of population structure, admixture, ancestry variation, and personal identity in the United States, as observed through the lens of forensic anthropological casework and modern skeletal collections. It tests the applicability of the probabilistic clustering methods commonly used in human population genetics for the analysis of continuous, cranial measurement data, to improve population inference for admixed individuals without prior knowledge of sample origins.

Materials and Methods

The unsupervised model‐based clustering methods of finite mixture analysis are used here to reveal latent population structure and generate admixture proportions for craniofacial measurements from the Forensic Anthropology Data Bank (FDB). Craniometric estimates of ancestry are also generated under a three contributor model, sourcing parental reference populations from the Howells Craniometric Dataset. Tests of association are made among the coefficients of cluster memberships and the demographic information documented for each individual in the FDB. Clustering results are contextualized within the framework of conventional approaches to population structure analysis and individual ancestry estimation to discuss method compatibility.

Results

The findings reported here for contemporary American craniometrics are in agreement with the expected patterns of intergroup relationships, geographic origins and results from published genetic analyses.

Discussion

Population inference methods that allow for the model‐bound estimation of admixture and ancestry proportions from craniometric data not only enable parallel—skeletal and genetic—analyses but they are also shown to be more informative than those methods that perform hard classifications using externally‐imposed categories or seek to explain gross variation by low‐dimensional projections. Am J Phys Anthropol 160:604–624, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Allergic rhinitis affects the duration of rapid eye movement sleep in children with sleep‐disordered breathing without sleep apnea
Authors: Di Francesco Renata C. , Alvarez Jessica
Published: February 2016

Background

Our goals were to assess whether allergic rhinitis (AR) is an aggravating factor that affects the severity of sleep apnea in children with tonsils/adenoid hypertrophy (T&A) and to compare polysomnographic data from children with and without AR.

Methods

This prospective study included 135 children (age range, 3 to 14 years) with sleep‐disordered breathing (SDB) resulting from T&A. Children with lung, neurological, or craniofacial problems; septal deviations; previous pharyngeal surgeries; or orthodontic treatments were excluded. All children underwent a clinical evaluation, nasopharyngoscopy or lateral X‐ray imaging, sleep study, and hypersensitivity skin‐prick test.

Results

The mean patient age was 6.44 ± 2.55 years (83 males). AR was present in 42.2% of the children; 40% presented with sleep apnea; and 17.04% had sleep apnea and AR. The percentage of time spent in the rapid eye movement (REM) sleep stage was lower among children with AR without sleep apnea (p = 0.028); however, the percentage of REM sleep was not significantly different among children with apnea (p = 0.2922). No difference in the apnea‐hypopnea index (AHI) was observed between the children with (AHI = 2.79 events/hour) and without AR (3.75 events/hour, p = 0.4427). A multivariate analysis showed that nasal congestion was an important factor that can affect the duration of the REM sleep stage.

Conclusion

AR affects REM sleep in children with SDB without sleep apnea, and AR is not an aggravating factor regarding the severity of AHI.
Sphenoid sinus malignancies: a population‐based comprehensive analysis
Authors: Ghosh Ritam , Dubal Pariket M. , Chin Oliver Y. , Patel Tapan D. , Echanique Kristen A. , Baredes Soly , Liu James K. , Eloy Jean Anderson
Published: February 2016

Background

Sinonasal malignancies are rare, representing less than 1% of all cancers, with the sphenoid sinus accounting for 1% to 2% of these cases. Sphenoid sinus malignancies exhibit very poor outcomes. There is a paucity of literature describing their histopathological features, incidence trends, treatment, and survival. We seek to elucidate these factors using a national population‐based resource.

Methods

The Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database was used to identify malignant sphenoid sinus tumors. The results were analyzed for demographics, incidence, and clinicopathologic trends. Survival was calculated using Kaplan‐Meier analysis.

Results

The search identified 472 cases. The mean and median age at diagnosis was 60.0 years. Males represented 54.9% of cases. By race/ethnicity, 82.4% were white and 8.5% were black. The four most common histopathologies were squamous cell neoplasms (29.4%), adenocarcinomas (14.4%), non‐Hodgkin's mature B‐cell lymphomas (13.1%), and unspecified epithelial neoplasms (11.0%). The overall incidence from 2000 to 2012 was 0.030 per 100,000. Kaplan‐Meier analysis demonstrated an overall 5‐year disease‐specific survival (DSS) of 48.1%. Of the most common histopathological subtypes, 5‐year DSS was best for mature B‐cell NHL (64.0%) and worst for unspecified epithelial neoplasms (25.6%).

Conclusion

Sphenoid sinus malignancies are rare, with high prevalence in white males. The most common histopathology is squamous cell neoplasms. They exhibit significant locoregional extension. Of the common sphenoid sinus malignant subtypes, 5‐year DSS is best for mature B‐cell NHL and worst for unspecified epithelial neoplasms.
Enantio‐ and Diastereoselective Synthesis of exo‐Peroxyacetals: An Organocatalyzed Peroxyhemiacetalization/oxa‐Michael Addition Cascade
Authors: Maity Sanjay , Parhi Biswajit , Ghorai Prasanta
Published: February 2016

An unprecedented enantioselective peroxyhemiacetalization/oxa‐Michael addition cascade of ortho‐formyl homochalcones has been developed using cinchona‐alkaloid‐based chiral bifunctional organocatalysts to provide cis‐configured exo‐peroxyacetals, a new class of organic peroxide, in good yields with excellent enantio‐ and diastereoselectivities. The resulting cis‐configured exo‐peroxyacetals were converted into the corresponding trans‐configured peroxyacetals without affecting the enantioselectivity. Furthermore, the displacement of the peroxide moiety of exo‐peroxyacetals with various nucleophiles has been demonstrated to afford 1,3‐disubstituted isochromans with high diastereoselectivities and excellent enantioselectivities.
Substrate‐Controlled Product Divergence: Conversion of CO2 into Heterocyclic Products
Authors: Rintjema Jeroen , Epping Roel , Fiorani Giulia , Martín Eddy , Escudero‐Adán Eduardo C. , Kleij Arjan W.
Published: February 2016

Substituted epoxy alcohols and amines allow substrate‐controlled conversion of CO2 into a wide range of heterocyclic structures through different mechanistic manifolds. This new approach results in an unusual scope of CO2‐derived products by initial activation of CO2 through either the amine or alcohol unit, thus providing nucleophiles for intramolecular epoxy ring opening under mild reaction conditions. Control experiments support the crucial role of the amine/alcohol fragment in this process with the nucleophile‐assisted ring‐opening step following an SNi pathway, and a 5‐exo‐tet cyclization, thus leading to heterocyclic scaffolds.
Monodisperse Dual‐Functional Upconversion Nanoparticles Enabled Near‐Infrared Organolead Halide Perovskite Solar Cells
Authors: He Ming , Pang Xinchang , Liu Xueqin , Jiang Beibei , He Yanjie , Snaith Henry , Lin Zhiqun
Published: February 2016

Extending the spectral absorption of organolead halide perovskite solar cells from visible into near‐infrared (NIR) range renders the minimization of non‐absorption loss of solar photons with improved energy alignment. Herein, we report on, for the first time, a viable strategy of capitalizing on judiciously synthesized monodisperse NaYF4:Yb/Er upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) as the mesoporous electrode for CH3NH3PbI3 perovskite solar cells and more importantly confer perovskite solar cells to be operative under NIR light. Uniform NaYF4:Yb/Er UCNPs are first crafted by employing rationally designed double hydrophilic star‐like poly(acrylic acid)‐block‐poly(ethylene oxide) (PAA‐b‐PEO) diblock copolymer as nanoreactor, imparting the solubility of UCNPs and the tunability of film porosity during the manufacturing process. The subsequent incorporation of NaYF4:Yb/Er UCNPs as the mesoporous electrode led to a high efficiency of 17.8 %, which was further increased to 18.1 % upon NIR irradiation. The in situ integration of upconversion materials as functional components of perovskite solar cells offers the expanded flexibility for engineering the device architecture and broadening the solar spectral use.
3D Bioprinting of Tissue/Organ Models
Authors: Pati Falguni , Gantelius Jesper , Svahn Helene Andersson
Published: February 2016

In vitro tissue/organ models are useful platforms that can facilitate systematic, repetitive, and quantitative investigations of drugs/chemicals. The primary objective when developing tissue/organ models is to reproduce physiologically relevant functions that typically require complex culture systems. Bioprinting offers exciting prospects for constructing 3D tissue/organ models, as it enables the reproducible, automated production of complex living tissues. Bioprinted tissues/organs may prove useful for screening novel compounds or predicting toxicity, as the spatial and chemical complexity inherent to native tissues/organs can be recreated. In this Review, we highlight the importance of developing 3D in vitro tissue/organ models by 3D bioprinting techniques, characterization of these models for evaluating their resemblance to native tissue, and their application in the prioritization of lead candidates, toxicity testing, and as disease/tumor models.
Controlled Folding, Motional, and Constitutional Dynamic Processes of Polyheterocyclic Molecular Strands
Authors: Barboiu Mihail , Stadler Adrian‐Mihail , Lehn Jean‐Marie
Published: February 2016

General design principles have been developed for the control of the structural features of polyheterocyclic strands and their effector‐modulated shape changes. Induced defined molecular motions permit designed enforcement of helical as well as linear molecular shapes. The ability of such molecular strands to bind metal cations allows the generation of coiling/uncoiling processes between helically folded and extended linear states. Large molecular motions are produced on coordination of metal ions, which may be made reversible by competition with an ancillary complexing agent and fueled by sequential acid/base neutralization energy. The introduction of hydrazone units into the strands confers upon them constitutional dynamics, whereby interconversion between different strand compositions is achieved through component exchange. These features have relevance for nanomechanical devices. We present a morphological and functional analysis of such systems developed in our laboratories.
Reduction‐Induced Highly Selective Uptake of Cesium Ions by an Ionic Crystal Based on Silicododecamolybdate
Authors: Seino Saori , Kawahara Ryosuke , Ogasawara Yoshiyuki , Mizuno Noritaka , Uchida Sayaka
Published: February 2016

Cation adsorption and exchange has been an important topic in both basic and applied chemistry relevant to materials synthesis and chemical conversion, as well as purification and separation. Selective Cs+ uptake from aqueous solutions is especially important because Cs+ is expensive and is contained in radioactive wastes. However, the reported adsorbents incorporate Rb+ as well as Cs+, and an adsorbent with high selectivity toward Cs+ has not yet been reported. Highly selective uptake of Cs+ by an ionic crystal (etpyH)2[Cr3O(OOCH)6(etpy)3]2[α‐SiMo12O40]⋅3 H2O (etpy =4‐ethylpyridine) is described. The compound incorporated up to 3.8 mol(Cs+) mol(s)−1 (where s=solid) by cation‐exchange with etpyH+ and reduction of silicododecamolybdate with ascorbic acid. The amount of Cs+ uptake was comparable to that of Prussian blue, which is widely recognized as a good Cs+ adsorbent. Moreover, other alkali‐metal and alkaline‐earth‐metal cations were almost completely excluded (<0.2 mol mol(s)−1).
Synthesis of halide anion‐doped bismuth terephthalate hybrids for organic pollutant removal
Authors: Zhao Xinyun , Xiong Xuyang , Chen Xi , Hu Juncheng , Li Jinlin
Published: February 2016

Halide anion‐doped bismuth terephthalate hybrids were synthesized using a facile solvothermal method. Four series of hybrids doped with halide anions X− (F−, Cl−, Br− and I−) were produced by varying the molar ratios (n) of X− relative to Bi(NO3)3 (n = 0.25, 0.5, 0.75 and 1) in dimethylformamide solution. The results indicated that 0.25 equiv. of different halide anion‐doped bismuth terephthalate hybrids, especially BiBDC‐Cl(0.25) and BiBDC‐Br(0.25), exhibited excellent photocatalytic activity under visible light and UV light irradiation. They also exhibited excellent adsorption performance for Rhodamine B which could be attributed to high surface areas and negative charge on the surface of the catalysts. Moreover, the degradation of Rhodamine B under visible light irradiation is a photosensitization process and •O2− is the most important active species. The halide anion‐doped bismuth terephthalate hybrids are promising photocatalysts for removal of organic pollutants. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Covalent immobilization of trypsin onto thermo‐sensitive poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide‐co‐acrylic acid) microspheres with high activity and stability
Authors: Lai Enping , Wang Yuxia , Wei Yi , Li Guang , Ma Guanghui
Published: February 2016

Poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide‐co‐acrylic acid) (P(NIPAM‐co‐AA)) microspheres with a high copolymerized AA content were fabricated using rapid membrane emulsification technique. The uniform size, good hydrophilicity, and thermo sensitivity of the microspheres were favorable for trypsin immobilization. Trypsin molecules were immobilized onto the microspheres surfaces by covalent attachment. The effects of various parameters such as immobilization pH value, enzyme concentration, concentration of buffer solution, and immobilization time on protein loading amount and enzyme activity were systematically investigated. Under the optimum conditions, the protein loading was 493 ± 20 mg g−1 and the activity yield of immobilized trypsin was 155% ± 3%. The maximum activity (Vmax) and Michaelis constant (Km) of immobilized enzyme were found to be 0.74 μM s−1 and 0.54 mM, respectively. The immobilized trypsin showed better thermal and storage stability than the free trypsin. The enzyme‐immobilized microspheres with high protein loading amount still can show a thermo reversible phase transition behavior. The research could provide a strategy to immobilize enzyme for application in proteomics. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2016, 133, 43343.
Wire‐shaped, dye‐sensitized solar cells with poly(vinyl alcohol) gel electrolyte and metal filaments
Authors: Kwon Ji Hyun , Kim Jeong Soo
Published: February 2016

A kind of wire‐shaped, dye‐sensitized solar cell (WDSSC) composed of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) gel electrolyte and filament‐formed electrodes of titanium and platinum was prepared, and its photovoltaic performance was analyzed with the variations in the dimensions of the electrodes and cells. The dimensions of the wire‐shaped cell were adjusted through the thickness of the TiO2 layer, the amount of PVA gel electrolyte, and length of the Pt filament. The dominant parameters determining the cell performance were mainly analyzed with the results from the various scanning electron microscopy images and fitted plots of electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. Although the conversion efficiencies of the fabricated WDSSCs were relatively lower than those of the conventional dye‐sensitized solar cells, this development should provide important guiding directions for the design of similar WDSSCs with higher efficiencies. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2016, 133, 43439.
Sorption equilibria and diffusion of toluene, methanol, and cyclohexane in/through elastomers
Authors: Santos C.I.A.V. , Mialdun A. , Legros J.C. , Shevtsova V.
Published: February 2016

Molecular transport of toluene, methanol, and cyclohexane and their mixtures in Chemraz 505 elastomer has been investigated using gravimetric techniques for short and long time exposure in these solvents. The sorption–desorption results have been used to calculate the diffusion coefficients by solving Fick's equation under appropriate boundary conditions. The dependence of sorption, desorption, diffusion, and permeation on temperature and composition changes was also studied. The results are discussed in terms of possible interactions between Chemraz 505 polymer and the solvent molecules. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2016, 133, 43449.