bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Coral reef organisms as bioregion indicators off Halmahera, Moluccas, Indonesia
Authors: Gittenberger Adriaan , Draisma Stefano G. A. , Arbi Ucu Yanu , Langenberg Victor , Erftemeijer Paul L. A. , Tuti Yosephine , Hoeksema Bert W.
Published: August 2014

In the planning of marine protected areas for the conservation of coral reef systems, it is important to be able to distinguish between certain bioregions, i.e. regions with distinct species assemblages. This was done off western Halmahera (Moluccas, Indonesia), where three such bioregions were distinguished based on species inventories of 41 coral reef sites.

The relative value of species belonging to different trophic groups was examined with regard to their possible role as indicators for these three regions. The study focused on ascidians (Ascidiacea), macroalgae, mushroom corals (Fungiidae), and a selection of coral‐associated gastropods (Epitoniidae and Coralliophilidae).

The best results for the detection of bioregions were obtained when datasets of all four trophic groups were pooled. When comparing the taxa and their indicator values, ascidians were the most suitable, followed by macroalgae, corals and gastropods with 98, 83, 71 and 66 % certainties, respectively. The occurrence of 17 species correlated strongly with the bioregions, which therefore were identified as potential indicator species consisting of 13 ascidians, three macroalgae, and one mushroom coral. These data suggest that ascidians have a significant value as indicators to evaluate bioregion boundaries.

Water quality measurements indicated that salinity and turbidity could be responsible for at least part of the differences between the species assemblages in the three bioregions.

© 2014 The Authors. Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Use of sulfur‐oxidizing bacteria as recognition elements in hydrogen sulfide biosensing system
Authors: Janfada Behdokht , Yazdian Fatemeh , Amoabediny Ghassem , Rahaie Mahdi
Published: August 2014

Four sulfur‐oxidizing bacteria (Thiobacillus thioparus, Acidithiobacillus thiooxidans PTCC1717, Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans PTCC1646, and Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans PTCC1647) were used as biorecognition elements in a hydrogen sulfide biosensing system. All the experiments were performed in 0.1 M phosphate buffer solution containing 1–20 ppm H2S with optimum pH and temperature for each species. Although H2S was applied to the biosensing system, the dissolved O2 content decreased. Dissolved O2 consumed by cells in both free and immobilized forms was measured using a dissolved oxygen sensor. Free bacterial cells exhibit fast response (<200 Sec). Immobilization of the cells on polyvinyl alcohol was optimized using an analytical software. Immobilized A. ferrooxidans and A. thiooxidans retained more than 50% of activity after 30 days of immobilization. According to the data, A. thiooxidans and A. ferrooxidans are appropriate species for hydrogen sulfide biosensor.
(+)‐Valencene production in Nicotiana benthamiana is increased by down‐regulation of competing pathways
Authors: Cankar Katarina , Jongedijk Esmer , Klompmaker Martin , Majdic Timotej , Mumm Roland , Bouwmeester Harro , Bosch Dirk , Beekwilder Jules
Published: August 2014

Plant sesquiterpenes, such as (+)‐valencene, artemisinin, and farnesene are valuable chemicals for use as aromatics, pharmaceuticals, and biofuels. Plant‐based production systems for terpenoids critically depend on the availability of farnesyl diphosphate (FPP). Currently, these systems show insufficient yields, due to the competition for FPP of newly introduced pathways with endogenous ones. In this study, for the first time an RNAi strategy aiming at silencing of endogenous pathways for increased (+)‐valencene production was employed. Firstly, a transient production system for (+)‐valencene in Nicotiana benthamiana was set up using agroinfiltration. Secondly, silencing of the endogenous 5‐epi‐aristolochene synthase (EAS) and squalene synthase (SQS) that compete for the FPP pool was deployed. This resulted in a N. benthamiana plant that produces (+)‐valencene as a prevalent volatile with a 2.8‐fold increased yield. Finally, the size of the FPP pool was increased by overexpression of enzymes that are rate‐limiting in FPP biosynthesis. Combined with silencing of EAS and SQS, no further increase of (+)‐valencene production was observed, but emission of farnesol. Formation of farnesol, which is a breakdown product of FPP, indicates that overproducing sesquiterpenes is no longer limited by FPP availability in the cytosol. This study shows that metabolic engineering of plants can effectively be used for increased production of desired products in plants.
Transporting and Implementing the SafeCare® Home‐Based Programme for Parents, Designed to Reduce and Mitigate the Effects of Child Neglect: An Initial Progress Report
Authors: Gardner Ruth , Hodson Dawn , Churchill Gillian , Cotmore Richard
Published: August 2014

Key Practitioner Messages

SafeCare is a structured training programme for parents, developed in America for families where there were concerns about possible neglect or abuse.

SafeCare has been implemented in six NSPCC sites. An evaluation is considering whether and how it can contribute to the prevention and amelioration of child neglect in the UK.

The service development and early implementation experiences are outlined, including the varying practitioner responses to the implementation of a structured, manualised programme.
NanoSelect Precious Metal Catalysts and their Use in Asymmetric Heterogeneous Catalysis
Authors: Kirby Fiona , Moreno‐Marrodan Carmen , Baán Zoltan , Bleeker Bas F. , Barbaro Pierluigi , Berben Peter H. , Witte Peter T.
Published: August 2014

We studied the surface modification of supported colloidal precious metal catalysts. Chiral compounds derived from cinchona alkaloids and prolinol were synthesized and used as stabilizers/reductants to yield Pd and Pt colloidal nanoparticles. The new Pd catalysts were found to be highly active and selective catalysts for the semihydrogenation of 3‐hexyn‐1‐ol to cis‐3‐hexen‐1‐ol. The stabilizers affected the activity of the catalyst but not the selectivity. The catalysts were also evaluated in the asymmetric hydrogenation of methyl pyruvate and isophorone. No enantioselectivity was observed, which indicated that surface modification by the stabilizer did not induce chirality in the substrate. Achiral supported Pd and Pt colloidal catalysts were modified with cinchonidine. The modified Pt catalysts demonstrated a high activity for the hydrogenation of methyl pyruvate and a modest enantioselectivity of 47 %, which indicated that the chiral induction of supported colloidal catalysts is possible by modifying the catalyst surface with a chiral reagent.
Spatial Concentration and Temperature Profiles in Dual‐Packed‐Bed Catalytic Reactors: Oxidative Coupling of Methane
Authors: Zohour Bahman , Noon Daniel , Senkan Selim
Published: August 2014

Oxidative coupling of methane (OCM) is a complex surface catalysis and gas‐phase reaction process to transform methane into ethane, ethylene and higher molecular weight hydrocarbons (C2+). However, the C2+ product yields in single‐pass fixed‐bed reactors have been limited by the intrusion of gas‐phase combustion reactions. To remedy this problem, a dual‐bed OCM reactor configuration was explored in which the O2 feed was distributed between two sequential packed bed reactors with interstage cooling using La2O3–CeO2 nanofiber fabric catalysts. At the overall CH4/O2 feed ratio of 4.0, the dual‐bed reactor configuration with split O2 introduction resulted in the ultimate C2+ product yield of 21%, which is significantly higher than the 16% observed in the single‐bed OCM reactor. In addition, spatially resolved species concentration and temperature profiles along the entire length of the dual‐bed reactor were also acquired by using in situ microprobe sampling.
C(sp3)H Activation without a Directing Group: Regioselective Synthesis of N‐Ylide or N‐Heterocyclic Carbene Complexes Controlled by the Choice of Metal and Ligand
Authors: Cross Warren B. , Razak Sunnah , Singh Kuldip , Warner Andrew J.
Published: August 2014

N‐Ylide complexes of Ir have been generated by C(sp3)H activation of α‐pyridinium or α‐imidazolium esters in reactions with [Cp*IrCl2]2 and NaOAc. These reactions are rare examples of C(sp3)H activation without a covalent directing group, which—even more unusually—occur α to a carbonyl group. For the reaction of the α‐imidazolium ester [3H]Cl, the site selectivity of CH activation could be controlled by the choice of metal and ligand: with [Cp*IrCl2]2 and NaOAc, C(sp3)H activation gave the N‐ylide complex 4; in contrast, with Ag2O followed by [Cp*IrCl2]2, C(sp2)H activation gave the N‐heterocyclic carbene complex 5. DFT calculations revealed that the N‐ylide complex 4 was the kinetic product of an ambiphilic CH activation. Examination of the computed transition state for the reaction to give 4 indicated that unlike in related reactions, the acetate ligand appears to play the dominant role in CH bond cleavage.
Torréfaction de la biomasse lignocellulosique dans les liquides ioniques: Analyse comparative par spectroscopies de surface
Authors: Chérif Hadj‐Ahmed , Larachi Faical , Adnot Alain , Sarvaramini Amin
Published: August 2014

Torrefaction is a thermal pretreatment used to improve the physicochemical properties of lignocellulosic biomass prior to its thermochemical conversion. In this study, aspen wood imbued with a hydrophilic ionic liquid (1‐ethyl‐3‐methyl imidazolium trifluoromethanesulfonate) was torrefied, and the properties of the solid product were compared to those from conventional dry torrefaction. The solid products were characterized using X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy X (XPS), photoelectron energy loss spectroscopy (ESCALOSS), and X‐ray excited Auger electron spectroscopy X (XAES) in order to study the biomass surface modifications due to ionic‐liquid torrefaction in comparison to dry torrefaction. The results obtained show that ionic liquids led to lignin degradation while dry torrefaction mostly affected the carbon‐rich extractives. Lignin degradation was monitored using ESCALOSS and XAES techniques, which unveiled reduction in sp2 hybridized carbon forms. Finally, ionic‐liquid assisted torrefaction of the main biomass components, i.e., lignin, cellulose and hemicellulose, treated individually, showed a decrease in their O/C ratio in line with improved hydrophobicity and robustness against moisture uptake by the torrefied products. The diversity of trends revealed by our surface analysis study during the torrefaction of bare or ionic‐liquid‐impregnated wood, especially by means of ESCALOSS and XAES, requires the pursuit of research in order to describe more in‐depth the physicochemical processes involved during torrefaction.
Introduction to RNA‐Seq and its Applications to Drug Discovery and Development
Authors: Khatoon Zainab , Figler Bryan , Zhang Hui , Cheng Feng
Published: August 2014

Preclinical Research

RNA sequencing (RNA‐Seq) is a novel high‐throughput technology for comprehensive transcriptome study. It can measure the expression levels of thousands of genes simultaneously and provide insight into functional pathways and regulations in biological processes. In addition, RNA‐Seq can provide copious information on alternative splicing, allele‐specific expression, unannotated exons, and novel transcripts (gene or noncoding RNAs). This technology has revolutionized the way biologists examine transcriptomes and has been successfully applied in drug discovery and development, being able to identify drug‐related genes, microRNAs, and fusion proteins. In this overview, we will review this technology including data analysis, and its recent applications in drug discovery and development.
Stereoselective Access to the β‐D‐N‐Acetylhexosaminyl‐(1→4)‐1‐deoxy‐D‐nojirimycin Disaccharide Series Avoiding the Glycosylation Reaction
Authors: Guazzelli Lorenzo , Catelani Giorgio , D'Andrea Felicia , Gragnani Tiziana , Griselli Alessio
Published: August 2014

The synthesis of β‐D‐GlcNAc‐, β‐D‐GalNAc‐, β‐D‐ManNAc‐, and β‐D‐TalNAc‐(1→4)‐DNJ iminosugar disaccharides has been achieved, avoiding the glycosylation reaction, using a mixed tetracetonide of lactose [2,3:5,6:3′,4′‐tri‐O‐isopropylidene‐(6′‐O‐2‐methoxy‐2‐methylethyl)‐lactose dimethyl acetal] as starting material. The synthetic process is based on the transformation of the reducing unit of suitably protected β‐D‐hexosaminyl‐(1→4)‐aldehydo‐D‐glucose dimethyl acetal disaccharides into a deoxynojirimycin derivative. Key steps of the synthesis are: (a) the selective oxidation of the 5‐position of the D‐glucose unit, (b) release of the aldehydo function, (c) double reductive aminocyclisation of the 1,5‐dicarbonyl disaccharide intermediate, and (d) complete deprotection.
Role of explicit verbal information in conditioned analgesia
Authors: Carlino E. , Torta D.M.E. , Piedimonte A. , Frisaldi E. , Vighetti S. , Benedetti F.
Published: August 2014

Background

The exact role of expectation in conditioned analgesia is still elusive as it is not clear whether conditioning is an automatic process or rather it is cognitively mediated. This study is aimed at understanding the role of explicit verbal information in conditioned analgesia.

Methods

Two groups of healthy subjects received a conditioning procedure whereby two visual cues were paired with increase and decrease in stimulus intensity. In the ‘conditioning/verbal information’ group (VER), subjects were informed about the meaning of the cues, whereas no information was given to the second group (noVER). After two conditioning blocks, an evocation session was run in which the stimulus intensity was the same, irrespective of the cues. Pain perception was assessed according to a numerical rating scale from 0 (no pain) to 10 (maximal pain). The N2–P2 component of laser‐evoked potentials (LEP) was used as an index of index of brain responses to nociceptive stimuli.

Results

In the evocation session, only the VER group reported a decrease in pain rating and LEP amplitude when the cues were presented, suggesting that the visual–analgesic association does not occur without explicit verbal information.

Conclusions

In line with the cognitive theory of conditioning, our results indicate that just pairing a cue with different pain stimulus intensities is not sufficient, per se, to produce a learning process. What matters is the informational cognitive content of the cue, i.e. the meaning assigned to the cue itself. These findings may help understand the mechanisms of conditioned analgesia and more in general of learning.
Repeated intra‐articular injections of acidic saline produce long‐lasting joint pain and widespread hyperalgesia
Authors: Sugimura N. , Ikeuchi M. , Izumi M. , Kawano T. , Aso K. , Kato T. , Ushida T. , Yokoyama M. , Tani T.
Published: August 2014

Background

Synovial fluid in inflamed joint shows a drop in pH, which activates proton‐gated ion channels in nociceptors. No studies have ever tried to develop and characterize acid‐induced joint pain.

Methods

Rats were injected intra‐articularly with pH 4.0 acidic saline twice, 5 days apart. Pain‐related behaviour tests including weight‐bearing asymmetry, paw withdrawal threshold and knee compression threshold were conducted. To clarify the roles of proton‐gated ion channels, rats were injected intra‐articularly with selective antagonists for ASIC1a, ASIC3 and TRPV1 on day 5 (before the second injection) or on day 14. Underlying peripheral and central pain mechanisms were evaluated using joint histology, interleukin‐1β concentrations in the synovium, single‐fibre recording of the knee afferent and expression of phosphorylated cyclic adenosine monophosphate‐responsive element‐binding protein (p‐CREB) in the spinal dorsal horn.

Results

Repeated injections of acidic saline induced weight‐bearing asymmetry, decrease in paw withdrawal threshold and knee compression threshold bilaterally, which lasted until day 28. Early administration of ASIC3 antagonist reduced the bilateral and long‐lasting hyperalgesia. Neither articular degeneration nor synovial inflammation was observed. C‐fibre of the knee afferent was activated by acidic saline, which was attenuated by pre‐injection of ASIC3 antagonist. p‐CREB expression was transiently up‐regulated bilaterally on day 6, but not on day 14.

Conclusion

We developed and characterized a model of acid‐induced long‐lasting bilateral joint pain. Peripheral ASIC3 and spinal p‐CREB played important roles for the development of hyperalgesia. This animal model gives insights into the mechanisms of joint pain, which is helpful in developing better pain treatments.
Differential effects of voltage‐gated calcium channel blockers on calcium channel alpha‐2‐delta‐1 subunit protein‐mediated nociception
Authors: Chang E. , Chen X. , Kim M. , Gong N. , Bhatia S. , Luo Z.D.
Published: August 2014

Background

Overexpression of the voltage‐gated calcium channel (VGCC) alpha‐2‐delta1 subunit protein (Cavα2δ1) has been shown to cause pain states. However, whether VGCC are involved in pain states driven by abnormal Cavα2δ1 expression is not known.

Methods

Intrathecal injection of N‐, P/Q‐ and L‐type VGCC blockers were tested in two models: a transgenic neuronal Cavα2δ1 overexpression (TG) model with behavioural hypersensitivity and a spinal nerve ligation (SNL) model with Cavα2δ1 overexpression in sensory pathways and neuropathy pain states.

Results

The nociceptive response to mechanical stimuli was significantly attenuated in both models with ω‐conotoxin GVIA (an N‐type VGCC blocker) and nifedipine (an L‐type VGCC blocker), in which ω‐conotoxin GVIA appeared more potent than nifedipine. Treatments with ω‐agatoxin IVA (P‐VGCC blocker), but not ω‐conotoxin MVIIC (Q‐VGCC blocker) had similar potency in the TG model as the N‐type VGCC blocker, while both ω‐agatoxin IVA and ω‐conotoxin MVIIC had minimal effects in the SNL model compared with controls.

Conclusion

These findings suggest that, at the spinal level, N‐ and L‐type VGCC are likely involved in behavioural hypersensitivity states driven by Cavα2δ1 overexpression. Q‐type VGCC has minimal effects in both models. The anti‐nociceptive effects of P‐type VGCC blocker in the Cavα2δ1 TG mice, but minimally at the SNL model with presynaptic Cavα2δ1 up‐regulation, suggest that its potential action site(s) is at the post‐synaptic and/or supraspinal level. These findings support that N‐, L‐ and P/Q‐type VGCC have differential contributions to behavioural hypersensitivity modulated by Cavα2δ1 dysregulation at the spinal cord level.
LOW‐INCOME, MINORITY FATHERS’ CONTROL STRATEGIES AND THEIR CHILDREN'S REGULATORY SKILLS
Authors: Malin Jenessa L. , Cabrera Natasha J. , Karberg Elizabeth , Aldoney Daniela , Rowe Meredith L.
Published: August 2014

The current study explored the bidirectional association of children's individual characteristics, fathers’ control strategies at 24 months, and children's regulatory skills at prekindergarten (pre‐K). Using a sample of low‐income, minority families with 2‐year‐olds from the Early Head Start Research and Evaluation Project (n = 71), we assessed the association between child gender and vocabulary skills, fathers’ control strategies at 24 months (e.g., regulatory behavior and regulatory language), and children's sustained attention and emotion regulation at prekindergarten. There were three main findings. First, fathers overwhelmingly used commands (e.g., “Do that.”) to promote compliance in their 24‐month‐old children. Second, children's vocabulary skills predicted fathers’ regulatory behaviors during a father–child interaction whereas children's gender predicted fathers’ regulatory language during an interaction. Third, controlling for maternal supportiveness, fathers’ regulatory behaviors at 24 months predicted children's sustained attention at pre‐K whereas fathers’ regulatory language at 24 months predicted children's emotion regulation at pre‐K. Our findings highlight the importance of examining paternal contributions to children's regulatory skills.
Conceptual Considerations for First‐Year Assessment
Authors: Keup Jennifer R. , Kilgo Cindy A.
Published: August 2014

Supported by emerging research and practice, this chapter provides a comprehensive conceptual framework for first‐year assessment.
Teaching Group Work With The Great Debaters
Authors: Moe Jeffry , Autry Linda , Olson Joann S. , Johnson Kaprea F.
Published: August 2014

An experiential learning activity, based on the film The Great Debaters (Washington, ), was used during a group work class. Description and preliminary evaluation of the activity is provided, including analysis of participant scores on the group leader self‐efficacy instrument at multiple points. Implications and future directions for improvement are discussed.
Emotional Intelligence and Career Decision‐Making Self‐Efficacy: National and Gender Differences
Authors: Jiang Zhou
Published: August 2014

This study examined the effect of emotional intelligence (EI) on career decision‐making self‐efficacy (CDMSE) in an East Asian context, as well as the moderating roles of gender and country. Data were collected from undergraduate students from China (N = 149) and South Korea (N = 218). The results showed that all 4 factors of EI were positively related to CDMSE. Moreover, while the effects of 3 EI factors on CDMSE were found to be greater among the Chinese students than the South Korean students, no gender differences were detected. By introducing cultural influences, the findings provide important implications for career counseling.
Improving accuracy of portion‐size estimations through a stimulus equivalence paradigm
Authors: Hausman Nicole L. , Borrero John C. , Fisher Alyssa , Kahng SungWoo
Published: August 2014

The prevalence of obesity continues to increase in the United States (Gordon‐Larsen, The, & Adair, 2010). Obesity can be attributed, in part, to overconsumption of energy‐dense foods. Given that overeating plays a role in the development of obesity, interventions that teach individuals to identify and consume appropriate portion sizes are warranted. Specifically, interventions that teach individuals to estimate portion sizes correctly without the use of aids may be critical to the success of nutrition education programs. The current study evaluated the use of a stimulus equivalence paradigm to teach 9 undergraduate students to estimate portion size accurately. Results suggested that the stimulus equivalence paradigm was effective in teaching participants to make accurate portion size estimations without aids, and improved accuracy was observed in maintenance sessions that were conducted 1 week after training. Furthermore, 5 of 7 participants estimated the target portion size of novel foods during extension sessions. These data extend existing research on teaching accurate portion‐size estimations and may be applicable to populations who seek treatment (e.g., overweight or obese children and adults) to teach healthier eating habits.
Modulation of ERK5 Is a Novel Mechanism by Which Cdc42 Regulates Migration of Breast Cancer Cells
Authors: Zuo Yufeng , Wu Yuexiu , Wehrli Bret , Chakrabarti Subrata , Chakraborty Chandan
Published: August 2014

Members of Rho family GTPases including Cdc42 are known to play pivotal roles in cell migration. Cell migration is also known to be regulated by many protein kinases. Kinetworks KPSS 11.0 phospho‐site screening of Cdc42‐silenced Hs578T breast cancer cells revealed most dramatic change in ERK5 MAP kinase. In the present study, we set out to determine the relationship between Cdc42 and ERK5 and its significance in breast cancer cell migration and invasion. Specific siRNAs were used for knocking down Cdc42 or ERK5 in breast cancer cells. Increased ERK5 phosphorylation in breast cancer cells was achieved by infection of constitutively active MEK5 adenovirus. The cells were then subjected to cell migration or invasion assay without the presence of serum or any growth factor. We found that Cdc42 negatively regulated phosphorylation of ERK5, which in turn exhibited an inverse relationship with migration and invasiveness of breast cancer cells. To find out some in vivo relevance of the results of our in vitro experiments we also examined the expression of ERK5 in the breast cancer tissues and their adjacent normal control tissues by real‐time RT‐PCR and immunocytochemistry. ERK5 expression was found to be reduced in breast cancer tissues as compared with their adjacent uninvolved mammary tissues. Therefore, Cdc42 may promote breast cancer cell migration and invasion by inhibiting ERK5 phosphorylation and ERK5 expression may be inversely correlated with the progression of some breast tumors. J. Cell. Biochem. 116: 124–132, 2015. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Influence of NMR Data Completeness on Structure Determinations of Homodimeric Proteins
Authors: Lin Yi‐Jan , Ikeya Teppei , Kirchner Donata K. , Güntert Peter
Published: August 2014

The structure determination of homodimeric proteins by NMR using conventional NOESY experiments is still challenging due to the degeneracy of the chemical shifts in the identical monomers, which causes ambiguity in the NOE assignments. Residues involved in the interface between two monomers provide essential intermolecular NOEs for the structure determinations of homodimeric proteins. Hence NMR data, such as NOE peak lists and chemical shift assignments of these interface residues, play a crucial role for the successful structure determination of homodimeric proteins. This paper extends our previous report (Lin, Y.‐J.; Kirchner, D. K.; Güntert, P. J. Magn. Reson.­ 2012, 222, 96) and investigates the influence of incomplete NOESY peak lists combined with incomplete 1H chemical shift assignments of the interface residues on the structure determination of homodimeric proteins using the program CYANA. Data incompleteness was simulated by random omission of both NOESY cross peaks and interface 1H chemical shifts. Our results for three proteins with different percentages of interface residues reveal that the algorithm can tolerate about 40–50% NOESY peak omission with complete interface chemical shift assignments, which indicates that partial NOESY peak omission does not cause severe problems when the interface chemical shifts are completely assigned. Combining NOESY peak omission with incomplete interface chemical shift assignments, the tolerance for interface chemical shift omission decreases with the extent of omitted NOESY peaks. The tolerance for unassigned interface side chain, methyl and aromatic chemical shifts is affected more strongly by NOESY peak omission than that for the omission of general interface 1H chemical shifts including the backbone. In general about 10–30% peaks omission is tolerated in conjunction with missing chemical shift assignments. If more NOESY peaks are omitted calculations gradually become unstable and tend not to tolerate any missing interface chemical shifts. A large amount of omitted NOESY peaks, for instance 30% omission in our calculations, could decrease the tolerance for missing aromatic or methyl interface 1H chemical shifts to as few as 2–4 missing chemical shifts, suggesting that complete aromatic and methyl 1H chemical shift assignments are important when the NOESY peak data is significantly incomplete. Finally, for homodimeric proteins with a low percentage of interface residues, our results reveal that the omission of NOESY peaks, even at an extent of only 10%, can result in no tolerance against the omission of interface 1H chemical shifts, suggesting that the completeness of both interface 1H chemical shift assignments and NOESY peaks are important for the successful structure determination of proteins with a small homodimer interface.
Fabrication of Electrochemical Reduced Graphene Oxide Films on Glassy Carbon Electrode by Pulsed Potentiostatic Methods and Its Electrochemical Application
Authors: Wang Yanwei , Wu Yanju , Zhao Chunlei , Wang Fei
Published: August 2014

A graphene‐based electrochemical sensing platform for sensitive determination of baicalein was constructed by means of pulsed potentiostatic reduction of graphene oxide (GO) on a glassy carbon electrode (GCE). The resulting electrode (ERGO/GCE) was characterized by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The electrochemical behaviors of baicalein at the ERGO/GCE were investigated in detail by CV, chronoamperometry (CA) and chronocoulometry (CC). The experimental results demonstrated that the ERGO/GCE exhibited excellent response toward the redox of baicalein as evidenced by the significant enhancement of redox peak currents (ip) and the decreased peak‐to‐peak separation (ΔEp) in comparison with a bare GCE. Under the optimum experimental conditions, the reduction peak cureent was proportioanal to the baicalein concentration in the range of 5.0 × 10‐9 ∼ 5.0 × 10‐7 mol L‐1 with the detection limit of 2.0 × 10‐9 mol L‐1. The proposed method was also applied successfully to determine baicalein in spiked human blood serum samples.
Noninvasive, in vivo determination of uterine fibroid thermal conductivity in MRI‐guided high intensity focused ultrasound therapy
Authors: Zhang Jiming , Fischer John , Warner Lizette , Oto Aytekin , Hor Pei‐Herng , Muthupillai Raja
Published: August 2014

Purpose

To estimate the local thermal conductivity of uterine fibroid in vivo at a high temperature range (60–80°C) typically encountered in magnetic resonance imaging‐guided high‐intensity focused ultrasound (MRgHIFU) surgery. The thermal conductivity of uterine fibroids in vivo is unknown and knowledge about tissue thermal conductivity may aid in effective delivery of thermal energy for ablation.

Materials and Methods

All subjects (nine women) provided written informed consent to participate in this Institutional Review Board‐approved study. A total of 10 fibroids were treated using MRgHIFU surgery with real‐time temperature monitoring during both heating and cooling periods. The local thermal conductivity was determined by analyzing the spatiotemporal spread of temperature during the cooling period.

Results

The thermal conductivity of MRgHIFU‐treated uterine fibroids was 0.47 ± 0.07 W·m–1·K–1 (range: 0.25∼0.67 W·m–1·K–1) which is slightly lower than the reported value for skeletal muscle at temperatures of <40°C (0.52 to 0.62 W·m–1·K–1).

Conclusion

It is possible to estimate the thermal conductivity of uterine fibroids in vivo from the spatiotemporal spread of temperature around the HIFU focus during the cooling period. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2015;41:1654–1661. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Early 20th C Russian painting? Raman identification of modern pigments on a pastel supposedly Painted by the renowned artist Natalia Goncharova
Authors: Chaplin Tracey D. , Clark Robin J. H. , Singer Brian W.
Published: August 2014

A pastel painting considered to have been painted by renowned Russian artist Natalia Goncharova in c. 1913 has been shown by Raman microscopy of the pigments to have been painted after 1952, with the identification of dioxazine violet. The implications of this discovery are discussed. This result highlights the need for reliable and perceptive dating procedures for valuation purposes. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Optical response of helix‐free FLC: Continuous gray scale, fastest response, and lowest control voltage
Authors: Andreev Alexander L. , Andreeva Tatiana B. , Kompanets Igor N. , Zalyapin Nikolay V.
Published: August 2014

Electro‐optical response of a display cells with novel helix‐free FLC (differently, compensated helix ferroelectric—CHF) is considered. Predominance of the shear viscosity in the soliton mode of FLC director reorientation leads to weakening the temperature dependence of the response time. Increasing the electric field frequency expands this temperature interval, and it is 15°C… 45°C for the frequency about 3 kHz at ±1.5 V in a display cell with FLC viscosity of 0.7 P. Increasing the rotational viscosity up to 1.0 P provides the increase of speed ability due to Maxwell's nature of energy dissipation. The optical response time of 24 µs and light modulation frequency of 7 kHz were achieved at the amplitude of control voltage pulses ±1.5 V.

Thus, like NLC based cells, the experimental samples of CHF based display cells at the same (or even lower) value of voltage and electric field tension (1–2 V/µm) show the continuous gray scale and hysteresis‐free modulation characteristic (up to 5 kHz) but can provide 40–50 times (!) higher speed. These break‐through results characterize CHF as the most high‐speed materials for future 3D displays and displays using field sequential color technique, including FLCoS and TFT addressed, as well as displays with new functional properties.
Gender differences in associations of serum ferritin and diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and obesity in the China Health and Nutrition Survey
Authors: Han Ling‐ling , Wang Yu‐xia , Li Jia , Zhang Xiao‐lei , Bian Che , Wang He , Du Shufa , Suo Lin‐na
Published: August 2014

Scope

This study examines gender differences in associations of serum ferritin and diabetes, metabolic syndrome (MetS), and obesity in Chinese.

Methods and results

Based on a nationwide, population‐based China Health and Nutrition survey this study included 8564 men and women aged 18 years or older. Anthropometric and fasting blood glucose, insulin, lipids, ferritin, and transferrin data were collected. Ferritin concentrations were higher in men than women (201.55 ± 3.6 versus 80.46 ± 1.64 ng/mL, p < 0.0001). The prevalences of MetS, diabetes, obesity, and overweight were 8.05, 8.97, 4.67, 25.88% among men and 14.23, 6.58, 5.81, 26.82% among women, respectively. Elevated ferritin concentrations were associated with higher body mass index, waist circumference, lipids, insulin, glucose (all p < 0.0001). Serum ferritin concentrations increased gradually with aging among women. The inverted U‐shaped association between serum ferritin and age was observed among men. Elevated concentration of ferritins were significantly related with higher risk of MetS (p < 0.0001), obesity (p = 0.010), overweight (p < 0.0001), and diabetes (p < 0.0001) among men, but not among women.

Conclusion

There was a gender difference in associations between ferritin and MetS, obesity, and diabetes in Chinese adults. Further evaluations of the variation in gender on these associations are warranted to understand the mechanisms behind gender differences.
The role of peptides derived from Spirulina maxima in downregulation of FcεRI‐mediated allergic responses
Authors: Vo Thanh‐Sang , Ngo Dai‐Hung , Kang Kyong‐Hwa , Park Sun‐Joo , Kim Se‐Kwon
Published: August 2014

Scope

Spirulina has been found suitable for use as a bioactive additive. It is an excellent source of protein that can be hydrolyzed into bioactive peptides. Two peptides LDAVNR (P1) and MMLDF (P2) purified from enzymatic hydrolysate of Spirulina maxima have been reported to be effective against early atherosclerotic responses. In this study, the intracellular mechanism involved in the downregulation of these peptides on high‐affinity IgE receptor‐mediated allergic reaction was further investigated.

Methods and results

RBL‐2H3 mast cells were pretreated with P1 or P2 and sensitized with dinitrophenyl‐specific IgE antibody before stimulation of antigen dinitrophenyl‐BSA. It was revealed that P1 and P2 exhibited significant inhibition on mast‐cell degranulation via decreasing histamine release and intracellular Ca2+ elevation. The inhibitory activity of P1 was found due to blockade of calcium‐ and microtubule‐dependent signaling pathways. Meanwhile, the inhibition of P2 was involved in suppression of phospholipase Cγ activation and reactive oxygen species production. Moreover, the suppressive effects of P1 and P2 on generation of IL‐4 were evidenced via depression of nuclear factor‐κB translocation.

Conclusion

These findings indicate that peptides P1 and P2 from S. maxima may be promising candidates of antiallergic therapeutics, contributing to development of bioactive food ingredients for amelioration of allergic diseases.
β‐Carotene during the suckling period is absorbed intact and induces retinoic acid dependent responses similar to preformed vitamin A in intestine and liver, but not adipose tissue of young rats
Authors: Mušinović Hana , Bonet M. Luisa , Granados Nuria , Amengual Jaume , von Lintig Johannes , Ribot Joan , Palou Andreu
Published: August 2014

Scope

We studied β‐carotene (BC) absorption and metabolism and compared BC and retinyl palmitate (RE) for their impact on white adipose tissue (WAT) development in suckling rats.

Methods and results

Rat pups received daily orally from days 1–20 of life either the vehicle or vitamin A (approx. ×3 that ingested daily from maternal milk) in the form of BC or RE. Intact BC was found in serum and liver of BC‐supplemented rats. Both BC and RE supplementation increased retinoic acid mediated transcriptional responses in intestine (on Isx and Bco1) and the liver (on Cyp26a1 and Cpt1a). In contrast, responses in WAT were dependent on the vitamin A source: WAT of BC‐supplemented rats, like WAT of control rats, was enriched in larger adipocytes with increased adipogenic markers (peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor γ and downstream genes) and reduced markers of proliferative status (proliferating cell nuclear antigen) compared to WAT of RE‐supplemented rats.

Conclusion

BC is partly absorbed intact by suckling rats, which resembles the situation in humans and suggests that suckling rats may be an appropriate animal model to study BC uptake, metabolism and biological activity, particularly in infants. Vitamin A supplementation with BC or RE in early life differentially affects WAT and may thus entail different outcomes regarding adiposity programming.
Compact diplexer with slotline resonators for wideband and WLAN applications
Authors: Deng Hong‐wei , Zhao Yong‐jiu , He Ying , Liu Hao , Wang Hong‐li
Published: August 2014

In this article, a compact diplexer is proposed using the U‐shaped slotline resonator (U‐SR) and dual‐mode slotline resonator (DM‐SR) for wideband and WLAN applications. The filter using the U‐SR has three transmission poles in the passband and two transmission zeros near the passband edges. The wide upper‐stopband can be realized for the second mode of the U‐SR is well suppressed. The DM‐SR has two resonant frequencies (odd‐ and even‐modes) in the desired passband. And the odd‐mode resonant frequency can be flexibly controlled by the slotline stub, whereas the even‐mode one is fixed. Due to the main path signal counteraction and source‐load coupling, the filter using the DM‐SR possesses two transmission zeros in the upper‐stopband. The mutual loading effect of two filters can generate new transmission zeros, which are mainly applied to improve the isolation. Compact size can be obtained without extra matching network. A diplexer prototype is designed, and good agreement can be obtained between measured and simulated results. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 56:2480–2484, 2014
Dielectric characterization of various soil types using modified microstrip ring resonators techniques
Authors: Then Yi Lung , You Kok Yeow , Dimon Mohamad Ngasri , Tan Tian Swee , Lee Chia Yew
Published: August 2014

In this article, four nondestructive sensor tool of microstrip ring resonator (MRR) with mean diameter 84.8 mm were developed to determine different soil types based on the dielectric constant, εr′ of respective soil types using frequency‐variation method. The four MRR were designed with different angles of microstrip bends (conventional sensor = 0.98 rad, Sensor A = 1.34 rad, Sensor B = 1.57 rad, and Sensor C = 1.64 rad) at the sides of each corner and each sensor was modeled in resistor‐inductor‐capacitor (RLC)‐lumped element circuit with proper adjustment of capacitances. Seven types of soil samples were placed, respectively, on the MRR holder up to 25 mm. The S‐parameters measurement was made with E5071C vector network analyzer. In this article, the measured dielectric constant using proposed Sensor B has better accuracy with smallest overall uncertainties of 2.14% against commercial dielectric probe HP85070D and 2.43% against coaxial cavity technique while its sensitivity was determined at 0.125 toward the seven soil samples and measurement resolution of 0.849. Both mentioned parameters were the highest as compared to the other three proposed sensors. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 56:2498–2502, 2014
Small‐size triple‐wideband LTE tablet device antenna with a wideband feed structure formed by integrated matching network
Authors: Wong Kin‐Lu , Weng Tseng‐Wei
Published: August 2014

A small‐size tablet device antenna with three wide operating bands of 698–960 MHz (low band), 1710–2690 MHz (middle band), and 3400–3800 MHz (high band) for the long term evolution operation is presented. The antenna occupies a small ground clearance of 10 × 30 mm2 and has a thin thickness of 3 mm in the tablet device such as a tablet computer in this study. The antenna comprises three radiating branches (Branch 1, Branch 2, and Branch 3) and a wideband feed structure formed by the integrated matching network. Branch 1 and 2 are connected through a series chip inductor to control the antenna's first two resonant modes to occur in the desired low band and middle band, and Branch 3 generates a resonant mode in the desired high band. The integrated matching network comprises a shunt chip capacitor, a shunt chip inductor, and a series chip capacitor to cause dual‐resonance of the antenna's three resonant modes contributed by the three branches, thereby greatly enhancing the low‐band, middle‐band, and high‐band bandwidths to cover the desired operating bands of 698–960, 1710–2690, and 3400–3800 MHz. Details of the proposed antenna are described. Operating principle of the wideband feed structure formed by the integrated matching circuit is also discussed. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 56:2507–2512, 2014
Hybrid‐cascade coupled‐line phasers for high‐resolution radio‐analog signal processing
Authors: Paradis Thomas , Gupta Shulabh , Zhang Qingfeng , Jiang Li J. , Caloz Christophe
Published: August 2014

A hybrid‐cascade (HC) coupled‐line phaser configuration is presented to synthesize enhanced group delay responses for high‐resolution radio‐analog signal processing. Using exact analytical transfer functions, the superiority of HC coupled‐line phasers over conventional transversally cascaded C‐section phasers is demonstrated and verified using full‐wave simulations. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 56:2502–2504, 2014
A multinotched octagonal shaped fractal UWB antenna
Authors: Tripathi Shrivishal , Mohan Akhilesh , Yadav Sandeep
Published: August 2014

In this article, a simple design approach for small ultrawideband (UWB) antenna is presented. The small size and wideband operability is obtained by introducing Minkowski like fractal geometry in the design. It is observed that addition of fractal elements at the edges of octagonal shape leads to wideband phenomena. Furthermore, the insertion of multiple notches in the ground plane improves return loss characteristic in the desired UWB operational bandwidth of 3.1–10.6 GHz. The compact 16.5 × 13.5 mm2 antenna geometry size exhibits nearly omnidirectional radiation pattern, with VSWR < 2 over the entire UWB frequency range. The optimized antenna is fabricated and measured using vector network analyzer. The measured characteristics are in good agreement with the simulated one. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 56:2469–2473, 2014
Trapezoidal ring quad‐band fractal antenna for WLAN/WiMAX applications
Authors: Rajeshkumar V. , Raghavan S.
Published: August 2014

A novel multiband loaded trapezoidal ring fractal antenna (TRFA) is proposed for wireless local area network (WLAN) and worldwide interoperability for microwave access (WiMAX) applications. The self‐similarity property is applied to the trapezoidal structure and the fractal geometry is achieved by consecutive iterations. The proposed antenna has a compact size of 30 × 30 × 1.6 mm3. The antenna is fabricated and tested. The fourth iteration of the proposed TRFA covers the 2.4/5.2/5.8 GHz WLAN bands and 2.5/3.5/5.5 GHz WiMAX bands with uniform radiation characteristics and an average gain of 2.20 dBi. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 56:2545–2548, 2014
X‐band CMOS power amplifier with high efficiency for motion detection radar
Authors: Park Jonghoon , Lee Changhyun , Park Changkun
Published: August 2014

This article describes a highly efficient X‐band CMOS power amplifier. To obtain high drain voltage for high power, instead of using the typical cascode structure, we use a common‐source structure with a long channel length transistor. Generally, to enable high operating speed at high frequency, smaller transistor technology is used, but we demonstrate that using large transistor technology is also possible. The proposed power amplifier is designed with transistors of 300‐nm channel length in a common‐source structure using a differential structure of RFCMOS technology. Consequently, the maximum output power is 19 dBm with a power added efficiency of 40.5% at an input power of 5 dBm. This RFCMOS power amplifier includes all matching circuits and biasing circuits, and no external components are required. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 56:2552–2557, 2014
Wideband directive folded semicircular dipole antenna
Authors: Yeo Junho , Lee Jong‐Ig
Published: August 2014

A simple method to design a wideband directive antenna using a folded semicircular dipole (FSCD) antenna is presented. A planar semicircular dipole (SCD) antenna consists of two semicircular‐shaped arms with a small gap in between. In the proposed antenna, the two semicircular‐shaped arms are folded along the arm axis. The effects of varying the folding angle on the input reflection coefficient and the broadside gain of the FSCD antenna are investigated. A prototype of the proposed FSCD antenna with a folding angle of 60° is fabricated on an FR4 substrate, and its performance is compared with that of the planar SCD antenna. The measured frequency band of the planar SCD antenna for a voltage standing wave (VSWR) <2 is 0.91–20.0 GHz (182.6%) whereas that of the proposed FSCD antenna for a VSWR <2.3 is 0.99–18.79 GHz (180.0%). Broadside gain of the proposed antenna is above 1.5 dBi with maximum value of 8.1 dBi in the frequency range of 1–12 GHz, whereas broadside gain of the SCD antenna is above 1.5 dBi with maximum value of 3.2 dBi in the frequency range of 1–3.5 GHz. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 56:2513–2516, 2014
Pseudo‐Zernike polynomials for numerically stable PA modeling using 3G+ signals
Authors: Rawat Piyush , Rawat Meenakshi , Boulejfene N.
Published: August 2014

This article presents pseudo‐Zernike polynomials for numerically stable modeling and predistortion of high power amplifiers that, along with lesser coefficient dispersion, is capable of better model stability. Due to inherent properties of proposed basis function, orthogonality property of proposed basis function is independent of any phase rotation, which finds its use in baseband polynomial modeling. Moreover, in contrast to previously proposed orthogonal polynomial models, theoretically, presented model is independent from assumptions of Gaussian or uniform probability density function of the input signal unlike previous models. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 56:2569–2572, 2014