bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effect of an equal‐access military health system on racial disparities in colorectal cancer screening
Authors: Changoor Navin R. , Pak Linda M. , Nguyen Louis L. , Bleday Ronald , Trinh Quoc‐Dien , Koehlmoos Tracey , Learn Peter A. , Haider Adil H. , Goldberg Joel E.
Published: September 2018

BACKGROUND

Racial disparities in colorectal cancer (CRC) screening are frequently attributed to variations in insurance status. The objective of this study was to ascertain whether universal insurance would lead to more equitable utilization of CRC screening for black patients in comparison with white patients.

METHODS

Claims data from TRICARE (insurance coverage for active, reserve, and retired members of the US Armed Services and their dependents) for 2007‐2010 were queried for adults aged 50 years in 2007, and they were followed forward in time for 4 years (ages, 50‐53 years) to identify their first lower endoscopy and/or fecal occult blood test (FOBT). Variations in CRC screening were compared with descriptive statistics and multivariate logistic regression.

RESULTS

Among the 24,944 patients studied, 69.2% were white, 20.3% were black, 4.9% were Asian, and 5.6% were other. Overall, 54.0% received any screening: 83.7% received endoscopy, and 16.3% received FOBT alone. Compared with whites, black patients had higher screening rates (56.5%) and had 20% higher risk‐adjusted odds of being screened (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.11‐1.29). Asian patients had a likelihood of screening similar to that of white patients (odds ratio [OR], 1.06; 95% CI, 0.92‐1.23). Females (OR, 1.20; 95% CI, 1.10‐1.33), active‐duty personnel (OR, 1.15; 95% CI, 1.06‐1.25), and officers (OR, 1.28; 95% CI, 1.18‐1.37) were also more likely to be screened.

CONCLUSION

Within an equal‐access, universal health care system, black patients had higher rates of CRC screening in comparison with prior reports and even in comparison with white patients within the population. These findings highlight the need to understand and develop meaningful approaches for promoting more equitable access to preventative care. Moreover, equal‐access, universal health insurance for both the military and civilian populations can be presumed to improve access for underserved minorities.
Pediatric melanoma in melanoma‐prone families
Authors: Goldstein Alisa M. , Stidd Kelsey C. , Yang Xiaohong R. , Fraser Mary C. , Tucker Margaret A.
Published: September 2018

BACKGROUND

In the United States, only approximately 0.4% of all melanomas are diagnosed in patients aged <20 years. To the authors' knowledge, melanoma in pediatric members of melanoma‐prone families has not been fully investigated to date. The objective of the current study was to evaluate pediatric patients with melanoma with extensive follow‐up in melanoma‐prone families with and without cyclin‐dependent kinase inhibitor 2A (CDKN2A) mutations.

METHODS

For this non‐population‐based study, families were followed prospectively for up to 40 years. A total of 60 families with ≥ 3 patients with melanoma were included for analysis: 30 CDKN2A mutation‐positive (CDKN2A+) and 30 CDKN2A mutation‐negative (CDKN2A‐) families. Age at the time of first melanoma and number of melanomas were obtained for each patient and summarized by family or sets (CDKN2A + vs CDKN2A‐). For set comparisons and categorical variables (occurrence of melanoma in pediatric patients, number of melanomas, number of patients with single or multiple melanomas), the Pearson chi‐square or Fisher exact test was used.

RESULTS

Regardless of CDKN2A status, melanoma‐prone families were found to have 6‐fold to 28‐fold higher percentages of patients with pediatric melanoma compared with the general population of patients with melanoma in the United States. Within CDKN2A + families, pediatric patients with melanoma were significantly more likely to have multiple melanomas compared with their relatives who were diagnosed at age >20 years (71% vs 38%, respectively; P = .004). CDKN2A + families had significantly higher percentages of pediatric patients with melanoma compared with CDKN2A‐ families (11.1% vs 2.5%; P = .004).

CONCLUSIONS

These observations have implications for the prevention of melanoma as well as clinical care for its early detection. Children in melanoma‐prone families should have careful sun protection from an early age and skin surveillance to reduce their risk of melanoma.
A Novel Assay Format as an Alternative to ELISA: MINA Test for Biotin
Authors: Piletsky Stanislav S. , Cass Anthony E. G. , Piletska Elena V. , Czulak Joanna , Piletsky Sergey A.
Published: September 2018

A novel abiotic assay based on biotin‐specific fluorescent molecularly imprinted polymer nanoparticles (nanoMIPs) which acted as both reporter probes and binding agents, was developed. This is a first report of an assay which, unlike ELISA, required no washing steps or addition of enzyme substrates, making it more user‐friendly. The components of the molecularly imprinted polymer nanoparticles assay (MINA) were assembled in microtiter plates fitted with magnetic inserts. The fluorescent nanoMIPs were bound to biotin‐conjugated magnetic particles, which were attracted to the inserts. The addition of free biotin caused a displacement of the fluorescent nanoMIPs into solution, generating a signal proportional to the concentration of biotin. The nanoMIPs had a dissociation constant (Kd) of 14 nM, allowing the assay to detect biotin at nano‐molar concentrations. The pre‐assembled assay only required the addition of the sample and measurement of the fluorescence, and it functioned well after six weeks of storage without refrigeration. The assay did not show the susceptibility to several compounds which are known to interfere with avidin and streptavidin‐based assays, such as mercaptoethanol and sugars. The protocols optimized in this work could be used to develop the abiotic assays for any other compound of interest.
Protocol for Chromatin Immunoprecipitation of Meiotic‐Stage‐Specific Tomato Anthers
Authors: Chouaref Jihed , de Boer Esther , Fransz Paul , Stam Maike
Published: September 2018

Interactions occurring between DNA and proteins across the nuclear genome regulate numerous processes, including meiosis. Meiosis ensures genetic variation and balanced segregation of homologous chromosomes. It involves complex DNA‐protein interactions across the entire genome to regulate a broad range of processes, including formation and repair of double‐strand DNA breaks (DSBs), chromosome compaction, homolog pairing, synapsis, and homologous recombination. The latter meiotic event, meiotic recombination, often occurs at discrete locations in a genome, within a tight time window. The identification of genomic binding sites of meiotic proteins is a major step toward understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying meiotic recombination and provides important information for plant breeding. Collecting meiotic cells from plants is challenging, tedious, and time consuming, since the meiocyte‐producing organs, the anthers, are generally small and limited to certain developmental stages of plants. Here we provide a protocol to isolate meiotic‐stage‐specific anthers and perform ChIP on this material. We have developed a ChIP protocol specifically suited to (1) small amounts of input material and (2) proteins that bind transiently to chromatin and at very low frequency. © 2018 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Ordered Mesoporous LiFe5O8 Thin‐Film Photoanodes for Water Splitting
Authors: Waitz Stefanie , Suchomski Christian , Brezesinski Torsten , Marschall Roland
Published: September 2018

The optical and photoelectrochemical properties of ordered mesoporous α‐LiFe5O8 thin films have been investigated. These sol−gel thin films exhibit a complex band structure, indicating a band gap of 2.45 eV, with additional absorption in the visible region up to λ=600 nm. Mott−Schottky plots reveal their applicability as photoanodes for water splitting (as they are n‐type semiconductors) and photoelectrochemical tests show good performance for water oxidation.
Receptivity to restorative justice: A survey of goal importance, process effectiveness, and support for victim–offender conferencing
Authors: Paul Gregory D. , Swan Emily C.
Published: September 2018

As the use of restorative justice processes continues to grow in the West, it is helpful to understand the factors that influence people's support for the use of restorative processes. Working from a conflict goals perspective, this study explores how support for the use of victim–offender conferencing following instances of first‐time, nonviolent offending by youth is influenced by perceived importance of justice outcomes, perceived effectiveness of conventional and restorative processes at accomplishing those outcomes, and perceived appropriateness of conventional and restorative processes. It concludes with a discussion of implications for restorative justice research and advocacy.
Fabrication of a Mo‐Doped Strontium Cobaltite Perovskite Hybrid Supercapacitor Cell with High Energy Density and Excellent Cycling Life
Authors: Tomar Anuj Kumar , Singh Gurmeet , Sharma Raj Kishore
Published: September 2018

Enriched with oxygen vacancies, Mo‐doped strontium cobaltite (SrCo0.9Mo0.1O3−δ, SCM) is synthesized as an oxygen anion‐intercalated charge‐storage material through the sol–gel method. The supplemented oxygen vacancies, good electrical conductivity, and high ion diffusion coefficient bestow the SCM electrode with excellent specific capacitance (1223.34 F g−1) and specific capacity (168.88 mAh g−1) at 1 A g−1. The decisive constant (b‐value) deduced for the charge storage mechanism (low scan‐rate region) is nearly 0.8, indicating a highly capacitive process. In the high scan‐rate region, however, the b‐value is almost 0.5, and a linear pattern of charge (q) versus the inverse of the square root of the scan rate (v−1/2) is obtained. The results reveal O2− diffusion as the rate‐limiting factor for charge storage. Furthermore, a hybrid cell (SCM∥LRGONR) is fabricated by using lacey, reduced graphene oxide nanoribbon (LRGONR) as the negative electrode, which exhibits a high energy density (74.8 Wh kg−1 at a power density of 734.5 W kg−1). With a charging time of only 20.7 s, the cell sustains a very high energy density (33 Wh kg−1) with a high power delivery rate (6600 W kg−1). The excellent cycling stability (165.1 % activated specific capacitance retention and 97.6 % of the maximum value attained) after 10 000 charge–discharge cycles, demonstrates SCM is a potential electrode material for supercapacitors.
Incidence and trend of type 1 diabetes and the underlying environmental determinants
Authors: Xia Ying , Xie Zhiguo , Huang Gan , Zhou Zhiguang
Published: September 2018

A wealth of epidemiological studies concerning the distribution of type 1 diabetes (T1D) around the world have pointed to the appreciable variation in the incidence of T1D among disparate age groups, ethnicities, and geographical locations. On the whole, the incidence of childhood T1D has been on the rise, and a plausible inverse relationship between the initial incidence rate and the following annual increase in incidence has been raised. Countries that used to exhibit lower incidences tend to have steep annual increase whereas those with already‐established high incidences are more likely to show a modest increase or even stabilization in T1D incidence. Environmental agents considered responsible for the current evolving pattern of T1D incidence will be detailed, mainly including the increasing prevalence of childhood obesity, viral infections in a chronic manner, maternal‐child interaction such as breastfeeding, and latitude‐ultraviolet B‐vitamin D pathway. Certain rationale has been put forward in an attempt to explain the potential association between environmental agents and development of T1D. For instance, accelerator hypothesis regards insulin resistance as the promoter of earlier disease onset in obese children whereas the negative correlation of microbial infections in background populations with incidence of T1D represents the basic component of the hygiene hypothesis. Further investigations are still warranted to verify these theories across multiple ethnic groups and to identify additional contributors to the variation in T1D incidence.
A bioenergetics evaluation of temperature‐dependent selection for the spawning phenology by Snake River fall Chinook salmon
Authors: Plumb John M.
Published: September 2018

High water temperatures can increase the energetic cost for salmon to migrate and spawn, which can be important for Snake River fall‐run Chinook salmon because they migrate great distances (>500 km) at a time when river temperatures (18–24°C) can be above their optimum temperatures (16.5°C). Average river temperatures and random combinations of migration and spawning dates were used to simulate fish travel times and determine the energetic consequences of different thermal experiences during migration. An energy threshold criterion (4 kJ/g) was also imposed on survival and spawning success, which was used to determine how prevailing temperatures might select against certain migration dates and thermal experiences, and in turn, explain the selection for the current spawning phenology of the population. Scenarios of tributary use for thermal refugia under increasing water temperatures (1, 2, and 3°C) were also run to determine which combinations of migration dates, travel rates, and resulting thermal experiences might be most affected by energy exhaustion. As expected, when compared to observations, the model under existing conditions and energy use could explain the onset, but not the end of the observed spawning migration. Simulations of early migrants had greater energy loss than late migrants regardless of the river temperature scenario, but higher temperatures disproportionately selected against a larger fraction of early‐migrating fish, although using cold‐water tributaries during migration provided a buffer against higher energy use at higher temperatures. The fraction of simulated fish that exceeded the threshold for migration success increased from 58% to 72% as average seasonal river temperatures over baseline temperatures increased. The model supports the conclusion that increases in average seasonal river temperatures as little as 1°C could impose greater thermal constraints on the fish, select against early migrants, and in turn, truncate the onset of the current spawning migration.
Habitat or temporal isolation: Unraveling herbivore–parasitoid speciation patterns using double digest RADseq
Authors: Zhang Y. Miles , Bass Amber I. H. , Fernández D. Catalina , Sharanowski Barbara J.
Published: September 2018

Ecological speciation is often observed in phytophagous insects and their parasitoids due to divergent selection caused by host‐associated or temporal differences. Most previous studies have utilized limited genetic markers or distantly related species to look for reproductive barriers of speciation. In our study, we focus on closely related species of Lygus bugs and two sister species of Peristenus parasitoid wasps. Using mitochondrial DNA COI and genomewide SNPs generated using ddRADseq, we tested for potential effects of host‐associated differentiation (HAD) or temporal isolation in this system. While three species of Lygus are clearly delineated with both COI and SNPs, no evidence of HAD or temporal differentiation was detected. Two Peristenus sister species were supported by both sets of markers and separated temporally, with P. mellipes emerging early in June and attacking the first generation of Lygus, while P. howardi emerging later in August and attacking the second generation of their hosts. This is one of the few studies to examine closely related hosts and parasitoids to examine drivers of diversification. Given the results of this study, the Lygus‐Peristenus system demonstrates temporal isolation as a potential barrier to reproductive isolation for parasitoids, which could indicate higher parasitoid diversity in regions of multivoltine hosts. This study also demonstrates that incorporating systematics improves studies of parasitoid speciation, particularly by obtaining accurate host records through rearing, carefully delimiting cryptic species and examining population‐level differences with genomic‐scale data among closely related taxa.
The effectiveness of journals as arbiters of scientific impact
Authors: Paine C. E. Timothy , Fox Charles W.
Published: September 2018

Academic publishers purport to be arbiters of knowledge, aiming to publish studies that advance the frontiers of their research domain. Yet the effectiveness of journal editors at identifying novel and important research is generally unknown, in part because of the confidential nature of the editorial and peer review process. Using questionnaires, we evaluated the degree to which journals are effective arbiters of scientific impact on the domain of Ecology, quantified by three key criteria. First, journals discriminated against low‐impact manuscripts: The probability of rejection increased as the number of citations gained by the published paper decreased. Second, journals were more likely to publish high‐impact manuscripts (those that obtained citations in 90th percentile for their journal) than run‐of‐the‐mill manuscripts; editors were only 23% and 41% as likely to reject an eventual high‐impact paper (pre‐ versus postreview rejection) compared to a run‐of‐the‐mill paper. Third, editors did occasionally reject papers that went on to be highly cited. Error rates were low, however: Only 3.8% of rejected papers gained more citations than the median article in the journal that rejected them, and only 9.2% of rejected manuscripts went on to be high‐impact papers in the (generally lower impact factor) publishing journal. The effectiveness of scientific arbitration increased with journal prominence, although some highly prominent journals were no more effective than much less prominent ones. We conclude that the academic publishing system, founded on peer review, appropriately recognizes the significance of research contained in manuscripts, as measured by the number of citations that manuscripts obtain after publication, even though some errors are made. We therefore recommend that authors reduce publication delays by choosing journals appropriate to the significance of their research.
Prevalence and diversity of haemosporidian parasites in the yellow‐rumped warbler hybrid zone
Authors: Cozzarolo Camille‐Sophie , Jenkins Tania , Toews David P. L. , Brelsford Alan , Christe Philippe
Published: September 2018

Parasites can play a role in speciation, by exerting different selection pressures on different host lineages, leading to reproductive barriers in regions of possible interbreeding. Hybrid zones therefore offer an ideal system to study the effect of parasites on speciation. Here, we study a hybrid zone in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains where two yellow‐rumped warbler subspecies, Setophaga coronata coronata and S. c. auduboni, interbreed. There is partial reproductive isolation between them, but no evidence of strong assortative mating within the hybrid zone, suggesting the existence of a postzygotic selection against hybrids. Here, we test whether haemosporidian parasites might play a role in selecting against hybrids between S. c. coronata and S. c. auduboni. We screened birds from five transects across the hybrid zone for three phylogenetic groupings of avian haemosporidians Plasmodium, Haemoproteus and Leucocytozoon parasites and quantified intensity of infection. Contrary to our prediction, hybrids did not have higher haemosporidian parasite prevalence. Variation in Haemoproteus prevalence was best explained by an interaction between a birds’ hybrid index and elevation, while the probability of infection with Leucocytozoon parasites was only influenced by elevation. We also found no significant difference in the diversity of haemosporidian lineages between the warbler subspecies and their hybrids. Finally, intensity of infection by Haemoproteus increased significantly with elevation, but was not significantly linked to birds’ hybrid index. In conclusion, our data suggest that haemosporidian parasites do not seem to play a major role in selecting against hybrids in this system.
Ontogenetic resource utilization and migration reconstruction with δ13C values of essential amino acids in the Cynoscion acoupa otolith
Authors: Vane Kim , Larsen Thomas , Scholz‐Böttcher Barbara M. , Kopke Bernd , Ekau Werner
Published: September 2018

With the increasing anthropogenic impacts on fish habitats, it has become more important to understand which primary resources sustain fish populations. This resource utilization can differ between fish life stages, and individuals can migrate between habitats in search of resources. Such lifetime information is difficult to obtain due to the large spatial and temporal scales of fish behavior. The otolith organic matrix has the potential to indicate this resource utilization and migration with δ13C values of essential amino acids (EAAs), which are a direct indication of the primary producers. In a proof‐of‐concept study, we selected the Acoupa weakfish, Cynoscion acoupa, as a model fish species with distinct ontogenetic migration patterns. While it inhabits the Brazilian mangrove estuaries during juvenile stages, it moves to the coastal shelf as an adult. Thus, we expected that lifetime resource utilization and migration would be reflected in δ13CEAA patterns and baseline values in C. acoupa otoliths. By analyzing the C. acoupa otolith edges across a size range of 12–119 cm, we found that baseline δ13CEAA values increased with size, which indicated an estuarine to coastal shelf distribution. This trend is highly correlated with inorganic δ13C values. The δ13CEAA patterns showed that estuarine algae rather than mangrove‐derived resources supported the juvenile C. acoupa populations. Around the juvenile size of 40 cm, resource utilization overlapped with those of adults and mean baseline δ13CEAA values increased. This trend was confirmed by comparing otolith core and edges, although with some individuals potentially migrating over longer distances than others. Hence, δ13CEAA patterns and baseline values in otoliths have great potential to reconstruct ontogenetic shifts in resource use and habitats. The insight could aid in predictions on how environmental changes affect fish populations by identifying the controlling factors at the base of the food web.
Assessing scale‐wise similarity of curves with a thick pen: As illustrated through comparisons of spectral irradiance
Authors: Hartikainen Saara M. , Jach Agnieszka , Grané Aurea , Robson Thomas Matthew
Published: September 2018

Forest canopies create dynamic light environments in their understorey, where spectral composition changes among patterns of shade and sunflecks, and through the seasons with canopy phenology and sun angle. Plants use spectral composition as a cue to adjust their growth strategy for optimal resource use. Quantifying the ever‐changing nature of the understorey light environment is technically challenging with respect to data collection. Thus, to capture the simultaneous variation occurring in multiple regions of the solar spectrum, we recorded spectral irradiance from forest understoreys over the wavelength range 300–800 nm using an array spectroradiometer. It is also methodologically challenging to analyze solar spectra because of their multi‐scale nature and multivariate lay‐out. To compare spectra, we therefore used a novel method termed thick pen transform (TPT), which is simple and visually interpretable. This enabled us to show that sunlight position in the forest understorey (i.e., shade, semi‐shade, or sunfleck) was the most important factor in determining shape similarity of spectral irradiance. Likewise, the contributions of stand identity and time of year could be distinguished. Spectra from sunflecks were consistently the most similar, irrespective of differences in global irradiance. On average, the degree of cross‐dependence increased with increasing scale, sometimes shifting from negative (dissimilar) to positive (similar) values. We conclude that the interplay of sunlight position, stand identity, and date cannot be ignored when quantifying and comparing spectral composition in forest understoreys. Technological advances mean that array spectroradiometers, which can record spectra contiguously over very short time intervals, are being widely adopted, not only to measure irradiance under pollution, clouds, atmospheric changes, and in biological systems, but also spectral changes at small scales in the photonics industry. We consider that TPT is an applicable method for spectral analysis in any field and can be a useful tool to analyze large datasets in general.
Giant coral reef fishes display markedly different susceptibility to night spearfishing
Authors: Pearse Alan R. , Hamilton Richard J. , Choat John Howard , Pita John , Almany Glenn , Peterson Nate , Hamilton Grant S. , Peterson Erin E.
Published: September 2018

The humphead wrasse (Cheilinus undulatus) and bumphead parrotfish (Bolbometopon muricatum) are two of the largest, most iconic fishes of Indo‐Pacific coral reefs. Both species form prized components of subsistence and commercial fisheries and are vulnerable to overfishing. C. undulatus is listed as Endangered and B. muricatum as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. We investigated how night spearfishing pressure and habitat associations affected both species in a relatively lightly exploited setting; the Kia fishing grounds, Isabel Province, Solomon Islands. We used fisheries‐independent data from underwater visual census surveys and negative binomial models to estimate abundances of adult C. undulatus and B. muricatum as a function of spearfishing pressure and reef strata. Our results showed that, in Kia, night spearfishing pressure from free divers had no measurable effect on C. undulatus abundances, but abundances of B. muricatum were 3.6 times lower in areas of high spearfishing pressure, after accounting for natural variations due to habitat preferences. It is likely the species’ different nocturnal aggregation behaviors, combined with the fishers’ use of night spearfishing by spot‐checking underpin these species’ varying susceptibility. Our study highlights that B. muricatum is extremely susceptible to night spearfishing; however, we do not intend to draw conservation attention away from C. undulatus. Our data relate only to the Kia fishing grounds, where human population density is low, the spot‐checking strategy is effective for reliably spearing large numbers of fish, particularly B. muricatum, and fisheries have only recently begun to be commercialized; such conditions are increasingly rare. Instead, we recommend that regional managers assess the state of their fisheries and the dynamics affecting the vulnerability of the fishes to fishing pressure based on local‐scale, fisheries‐independent data, where resources permit.
Proteomic analysis of human T cell‐derived exosomes reveals differential RAS/MAPK signaling
Authors: Azoulay‐Alfaguter Inbar , Mor Adam
Published: September 2018

Exosomes are cell‐derived vesicles that have been implicated in the pathogenesis of many inflammatory diseases. More specifically, it has been shown that T cell‐derived exosomes can induce immunological responses; however, little is known about the mechanism and the molecular content of these vesicles. Here, we used a proteomic approach to characterize human T cell‐derived exosomes. We found that specific proteins of the RAS signaling pathway were enriched in exosomes derived from activated T cells, and that these vesicles induced ERK phosphorylation in recipient immune cells. Our findings support a mechanistic role of exosomes in cellular activation, and further studies should consider exosomes as a biomarker for inflammatory diseases.
Interference mitigation technique with coverage improvement in indoor VLC system
Authors: Shashikant  , Garg Parul , Sharma Prabhat Kumar
Published: September 2018

We consider an indoor visible light communication system in which an arbitrary number of light‐emitting diodes are transmitting the information to the users. Due to the circular field of view of the light‐emitting diode transmitters, there is always a trade‐off between the coverage and interference at the receiving end. Any approach to increase the coverage area increases the overlapping area of two or more field of views resulting in severe interference at the receiver. In this paper, we propose a method that simultaneously reduces the interference due to multiple sources in an indoor visible light communication system and improves the coverage area. The signal‐to‐interference ratio (γSIR)–based approach is used for analyzing the outage and error performances. Specifically, the effect of the proposed method is investigated on various performance metrics such as signal‐to‐interference ratio, coverage probability, and bit error rate. The effect of ambient light on system performance is also incorporated in the analysis.
SDN‐based parallel link discovery in optical transport networks
Authors: Montero Rafael , Agraz Fernando , Pagès Albert , Perelló Jordi , Spadaro Salvatore
Published: September 2018

The use of optical technologies in modern network scenarios has increased in the last decade, mostly due to their support in crucial networking topics (ie, bandwidth and scalability). In parallel, these scenarios have also experienced the emergence of a new paradigm recognized as software‐defined networking (SDN), which bases on the decoupling of forwarding and control functions, with aims to provide a more efficient way to manage network resources compared to legacy networking architectures. As both SDN and optical technologies are constantly being introduced in different networking scenarios (eg, data centers, metro, and access networks), their coexistence becomes a must. In this matter, it is important to notice that SDN was initially designed for electronic‐based networks; hence, its support for optical technologies is still at an early stage. Consequently, integration of both solutions still requires research efforts by the community. In this paper, we present a mechanism to address topology discovery in wavelength‐switching optical transport networks (OTNs). In particular, we discuss the importance of the topology discovery function and analyse the proposed mechanism, which bases itself on the use of wavelength‐specific signaling tones as link‐binding data to provide preservice parallel link discovery in OTNs. Furthermore, we validate the method experimentally against an emulated OTN testbed with two different setups and compare the results to our previous work on this subject, achieving substantial reductions in the total topology discovery time.
Extraction and purification of isochlorogenic acid C from Chrysanthemum morifolium using ionic liquid‐based ultrasound‐assisted extraction and aqueous two‐phase system
Authors: Jiang Yuqi , Ning Zhunmei , Li Shuang
Published: September 2018

Ionic liquid‐based ultrasonic‐assisted extraction (IL‐UAE) was developed to extract and separate the isochlorogenic acid C (ICGA) from a cultivar of Chrysanthemum morifolium (Chrysanthemummorifolium Ra Tnat.). The influencing parameters, including IL concentration, liquid‐to‐solid ratio, and ultrasonic time, were optimized using response surface methodology. Of the ILs studied, 1‐butyl‐3‐methylimidazolium bromide [(Bmim)Br] exhibited the best extraction ability. The optimized conditions included liquid‐to‐solid ratio of 23.44:1, ultrasonic time of 48.99 min, and IL concentration of 0.65 mol/L. Under the optimal conditions, the extraction yield of ICGA could reach to 4.20 mg/g. An aqueous two‐phase system was applied for purification and separation of ICGA. The maximum extraction efficiency of 98.18% was obtained under the conditions of (NH4)2SO4 of 4.5 g, pH of 3.0, and a temperature of 20°C at aqueous solution. Furthermore, the thermodynamic parameters showed that the purification of ICGA from salt‐rich phase to IL‐rich phase was a spontaneous and exothermic process. The results indicated that the proposed system is simple, rapid, and effective to serve as a viable and sustainable platform for the extraction and purification of ICGA from Chrysanthemum morifolium flowers.
Shifted balance of dorsal versus ventral striatal communication with frontal reward and regulatory regions in cannabis‐dependent males
Authors: Zhou Feng , Zimmermann Kaeli , Xin Fei , Scheele Dirk , Dau Wolfgang , Banger Markus , Weber Bernd , Hurlemann René , Kendrick Keith M. , Becker Benjamin
Published: September 2018

The transition from voluntary to addictive behavior is characterized by a loss of regulatory control in favor of reward driven behavior. Animal models indicate that this process is neurally underpinned by a shift in ventral–dorsal striatal control of behavior; however, this shift has not been directly examined in humans. The present resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study employed a two‐step approach to: (a) precisely map striatal alterations using a novel, data‐driven network classification strategy combining intrinsic connectivity contrast with multivoxel pattern analysis and, (b) to determine whether a ventral to dorsal striatal shift in connectivity with reward and regulatory control regions can be observed in abstinent (28 days) male cannabis‐dependent individuals (n = 24) relative to matched controls (n = 28). Network classification revealed that the groups can be reliably discriminated by global connectivity profiles of two striatal regions that mapped onto the ventral (nucleus accumbens) and dorsal striatum (caudate). Subsequent functional connectivity analysis demonstrated a relative shift between ventral and dorsal striatal communication with fronto‐limbic regions that have been consistently involved in reward processing (rostral anterior cingulate cortex [ACC]) and executive/regulatory functions (dorsomedial prefrontal cortex [PFC]). Specifically, in the cannabis‐dependent subjects, connectivity between the ventral striatum with the rostral ACC increased, whereas both striatal regions were uncoupled from the regulatory dorsomedial PFC. Together, these findings suggest a shift in the balance between dorsal and ventral striatal control in cannabis dependence. Similar changes have been observed in animal models and may promote the loss of control central to addictive behavior.
Repeated injection of KMRC011, a medical countermeasure for radiation, can cause adverse health effects in cynomolgus monkeys
Authors: Lee Hong‐Soo , Park Yoo‐Jin , Cho Doo‐Wan , Han Su‐Cheol , Jun Soo Youn , Jung Gi Mo , Lee Woo‐Jong , Choi Chi‐Min , Park Eun‐Jung , Pak Son‐Il
Published: September 2018

High‐dose radiation‐induced tissue damage is a major limiting factor in the medical application of nuclear technology. Herein, we tested 28‐day repeated‐dose toxicity of KMRC011, an agonist of toll‐like receptor (TLR) 5, which is being developed as a medical countermeasure for radiation, using cynomolgus monkeys. KMRC011 (0.01, 0.02 or 0.04 mg/kg/day) was intramuscularly injected once daily for 4 weeks, and each two monkeys in both control and 0.04 mg/kg/day group were observed for an additional 2‐week recovery period. There were no dose‐related toxicological changes in mortality, clinical observations, body weight, food consumption, ophthalmological findings, electrocardiographs, coagulation, serum chemistry, organ weights, or urinalysis and urine chemistry. Although treatment‐related changes, such as increased white blood cells, increased absolute and relative neutrophils, decreased relative lymphocytes and inflammatory lesions, were noted in the maximum dose group, these findings were not observed after the 2‐week recovery period. Further, we considered that the kidneys and heart may be target organs of TLR5 agonists, as well as the spleen, and that autophagic signals can be triggered in tissue damage and the repair process. Importantly, accumulation of p62 protein, an indicator of autophagy, and a decrease of caveolin‐1 protein, a regulator of TLR5 protein half‐life, were found in both tissues from the highest dose group. Therefore, we conclude that the no‐observed‐adverse‐effect level for KMRC011 may be greater than 0.04 mg/kg/day in male and female monkeys. Additionally, we propose that further studies are needed to identify the molecular signals, which are related to KMRC011‐induced adverse effects.
Hemostasis management and therapeutic plasma exchange: Results of a practice survey
Authors: Zantek Nicole D. , Boral Leonard I. , Li Yanhua , Yamada Chisa , Svensson Annika M. , Crane Jason E. , Smith Roy E. , Pagano Monica B. , Rollins‐Raval Marian A. , Schmidt Amy E. , Wong Edward C. C. , Wu Yanyun
Published: September 2018

Background

Patients undergoing therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE) may present with risks for hemorrhage or thrombosis. Use of replacement fluids devoid of coagulation factors will decrease factor levels and platelet levels. There are no established guidelines for hemostasis management in these situations.

Materials and methods

A survey to evaluate current hemostasis management practice during TPE was conducted using online survey software. One response per institution was analyzed based on a hierarchical algorithm, excluding membrane filtration users, resulting in a maximum of 107 respondents. Descriptive analysis was performed with results reported as the number and frequency (%) of respondents to each question.

Results

Apheresis Medicine physicians, alone (59.4%) or jointly with the requesting provider (29.2%), choose the replacement fluid. Based on a theoretical patient case receiving five TPEs approximately every other day, the percent of respondents who would use albumin with or without normal saline was 94.7% with no history of a bleeding or clotting disorder, 1.1% with active bleeding, and 8.8% with hypofibrinogenemia (<100 mg/dL) due to recent TPE. More respondents would use albumin with or without normal saline for replacement fluid when a minor invasive procedure (49.5%) vs a major surgery (8.9%) was performed 1 day before TPE. Replacement fluid selection varied among respondents for several other clinical conditions. The most frequent use for cryoprecipitate by respondents (14.3%) was hypofibrinogenemia.

Conclusions

These survey results demonstrate wide interinstitutional variation in replacement fluid selection to manage hemostasis in patients undergoing TPE. Further studies are needed to guide optimal hemostasis management with TPE.
GPR177 promotes gastric cancer proliferation by suppressing endoplasmic reticulum stress‐induced cell death
Authors: Seo Jaesung , Lee Seung‐H. , Park Soo‐Y. , Jeong Mi‐H. , Lee Soo Y. , Kim Mi‐J. , Yoo Jung‐Y. , Jang Subhin , Choi Kyung‐C. , Yoon  Ho‐G.
Published: September 2018

Gastric cancer is the fourth most common cancer worldwide. Despite the high incidence of gastric cancer, efficient chemotherapy treatments still need to be developed. In this study, we examined the anticancer effects of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress inducer tunicamycin in gastric cancer. Previously, we found that overexpression of WLS1/GPR177 correlated with poor prognosis in patients with gastric cancer. Furthermore, tunicamycin treatment downregulated GPR177 expression in a dose‐dependent manner. GPR177 transports WNT ligand from ER to the plasma membrane, mediating its secretion to the extracellular matrix. In gastric cancer cells, GPR177 preferentially localizes to the ER. Small interfering RNA‐mediated knockdown of GPR177 leads to sensitization to ER stress and induces apoptosis of cancer cells along with tunicamycin treatment. GPR177 suppression promoted the ER stress‐mediated proapoptotic pathway, such as PERK‐CHOP cascade. Furthermore, fluorouracil treatment combined with tunicamycin dramatically reduced cancer cell proliferation. Efficacy of tunicamycin chemotherapy treatments depended on GPR177 expression in gastric cancer cell lines. Together, our results indicate that ER stress can potentiate anticancer effects and suggest GPR177 as a potential gastric cancer therapeutic target.
No evidence for a major effect of three common polymorphisms of theGPx1,MnSOD, andCATgenes on PCOS susceptibility
Authors: Salahshoor Mohammad Reza , Sohrabi Maryam , Jalili Faramarz , Jalili Parnian , Rezavand Negin , Haghnazari Lida , Jalili Cyrus
Published: September 2018

Aim

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is one of the prevalent endocrine‐metabolic disorders. It is proposed that oxidative stress contributes to PCOS susceptibility and its metabolic associations. The current study aimed to investigate the influence ofGPx1(rs1050450),MnSOD(rs4880), andCatalase(rs1001179) variants with PCOS susceptibility, for the first time.

Methods

In a case‐control study, 350 Kurdish female volunteers (175 PCOS patients and 175 healthy controls) from Western Iran were studied. Genotyping forGPx1andMnSODwere done using PCR‐RFLP and forCATthe allele‐specific PCR method was used.

Results

The percentage of patients suffering from hirsutism, acne, and acanthosis among patients with PCOS were 44.6%, 30.3%, and 14.9%, respectively. Distribution of alleles among patients suffering from PCOS versus healthy women was ‘Pro’ (69.1% vs 68.8%) and ‘Leu’ (31.4% vs 31.2%) forGpx1, ‘Ala’ (61.43% vs 56.57%) and ‘Val’ (38.57% vs 43.43%) forMnSOD, and ‘C’ (83.43% vs 84.57%) and ‘T’ (16.57% vs 15.43%) forCAT.

Conclusion

GPx1(rs1050450),MnSOD(rs4880), andCAT(rs1001179) variants might not be a risk factor for PCOS.
Androgen receptor expression reduces stemness characteristics of prostate cancer cells (PC3) by repression of CD44 and SOX2
Authors: Srinivasan Deepa , Senbanjo Linda , Majumdar Sunipa , Franklin Renty B. , Chellaiah Meenakshi A.
Published: September 2018

Studies have shown that a subgroup of tumor cells possess stemness characteristics having self‐renewal capacity and the ability to form new tumors. We sought to identify the plausible stemness factor that determines the “molecular signature” of prostate cancer (PCa) cells derived from different metastases (PC3, PCa2b, LNCaP, and DU145) and whether androgen receptor (AR) influences the maintenance of stemness features. Here we show sex‐determining region Y (SRY)‐box 2 (SOX2) as a putative stem cell marker in PC3 PCa cells and not in DU145, PCa2b, or LNCaP cells. PCa2b and PC3 cells were derived from bone metastases. PCa2b cells which are positive for the AR failed to demonstrate the expression of either cluster of differentiation 44 (CD44) or SOX2. Knockdown (KD) of AR in these cells did not affect the expression of either CD44 or SOX2. Conversely, PC3 cells, which are negative for AR, expressed both CD44 and SOX2. However, the expression of AR downregulated the expression of both CD44 and SOX2 in PC3 cells. CD44 regulates SOX2 expression as KD of CD44 and reduces SOX2 levels considerably. SOX2 KD attenuated not only the expression of SNAIL and SLUG but also the migration and tumorsphere formation in PC3 cells. Collectively, our findings underscore a novel role of CD44 signaling in the maintenance of stemness and progression of cancer through SOX2 in AR‐independent PC3 cells. SOX2 has a role in the regulation of expression of SNAIL and SLUG. SOX2 could be a potential therapeutic target to thwart the progression of SOX2‐positive cancer cells or recurrence of androgen‐independent PCa.
RI‐MP3 calculations of biomolecules based on the fragment molecular orbital method
Authors: Ishikawa Takeshi , Sakakura Kota , Mochizuki Yuji
Published: September 2018

In this study, the third‐order Møller–Plesset perturbation (MP3) theory using the resolution of the identity (RI) approximation was combined with the fragment molecular orbital (FMO) method to efficiently calculate a high‐order electron correlation energy of biomolecular systems. We developed a new algorithm for the RI‐MP3 calculation, which can be used with the FMO scheme. After test calculations using a small molecule, the FMO‐RI‐MP3 calculations were performed for two biomolecular systems comprising a protein and a ligand. The computational cost of these calculations was only around 5 and 4 times higher than those of the FMO‐RHF calculations. The error associated with the RI approximation was around 2.0% of the third‐order correlation contribution to the total energy. However, the RI approximation error in the interaction energy between the protein and ligand molecule was insignificantly small, which reflected the negligible error in the inter fragment interaction energy. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Comparison of non‐volatile and volatile flavor compounds in six Pleurotus mushrooms
Authors: Yin Chaomin , Fan Xiuzhi , Fan Zhe , Shi Defang , Yao Fen , Gao Hong
Published: September 2018

BACKGROUND

Non‐volatile and volatile flavor compounds of six Pleurotus mushrooms including Pleurotus citrinopileatus, P. cornucopiae, P. djamor, P. floridanus, P. ostreatus and P. sapidus were studied.

RESULTS

The content of total free amino acids ranged from 21.80 to 40.60 g kg−1 and the content of monosodium glutamate (MSG)‐like amino acids ranged from 3.10 to 8.64 g kg−1. The content of total 5′‐nucleotides ranged from 4.16 to 8.80 g kg−1 while the content of flavor 5′‐nucleotides ranged from 2.00 to 4.51 g kg−1. Sixty‐three volatile compounds were identified in six Pleurotus mushrooms, including 17 aldehydes, 10 ketones, 14 alcohols, 2 ethers, 5 acids, 5 hydrocarbons, 10 heterocyclic and aromatic compounds. 1‐Octen‐3‐one and 1‐octen‐3‐ol were the key odor compounds in P. citrinopileatus, P. djamor, P. ostreatus, P. floridanus and P. sapidus, while 1‐octen‐3‐one, 1‐octen‐3‐ol and 2‐octenal were the key odor compounds in P. cornucopiae.

CONCLUSION

Pleurotus citrinopileatus had highest content of total free amino acids (40.60 g kg−1), total 5′‐nucleotides (8.80 g kg−1) and flavor 5′‐nucleotides (4.51 g kg−1) than other Pleurotus mushrooms. Moreover, eight‐carbon compounds were the most abundant compounds in six Pleurotus mushrooms. Our study should be helpful in promoting the cultivation and consumption of these Pleurotus mushrooms. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry
Determination of optimum harvest maturity and non‐destructive evaluation of pod development and maturity in cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) using a multiparametric fluorescence sensor
Authors: Tee Yei‐Kheng , Balasundram Siva K , Ding Phebe , M Hanif Ahmad Husni , Bariah Khairul
Published: September 2018

BACKGROUND

A series of fluorescence indices (anthocyanin, flavonol, chlorophyll and nitrogen balance) were deployed to detect the pigments and colourless flavonoids in cacao pods of three commercial cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) genotypes (QH1003, KKM22 and MCBC1) using a fast and non‐destructive multiparametric fluorescence sensor. The aim was to determine optimum harvest periods (either 4 or 5 months after pod emergence) of commercial cacao based on fluorescence indices of cacao development and bean quality.

RESULTS

As pod developed, cacao exhibited a rise with the peak of flavonol occurring at months 4 and 5 after pod maturity was initiated while nitrogen balance showed a decreasing trend during maturity. Cacao pods contained high chlorophyll as they developed but chlorophyll content declined significantly on pods that ripened at month 5.

CONCLUSION

Cacao pods harvested at months 4 and 5 can be considered as commercially‐ready as the beans have developed good quality and comply with the Malaysian standard on cacao bean specification. Thus, cacao pods can be harvested earlier when they reach maturity at month 4 after pod emergence to avoid germinated beans and over fermentation in ripe pods harvested at month 5. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry