bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Recent decline in prostate cancer incidence in the United States, by age, stage, and Gleason score
Authors: Herget Kimberly A. , Patel Darshan P. , Hanson Heidi A. , Sweeney Carol , Lowrance William T.
Published: December 2015

Prostate cancer incidence is sensitive to screening practices, however the impact of recent screening recommendations from the United States Preventative Services Task Force on prostate cancer incidence by age, stage, race, and Gleason score is unknown. This study described the timing and magnitude of changes in prostate cancer incidence trends in the United States by month of diagnosis, and evaluated trends by age, Gleason score, and stage at diagnosis. We analyzed prostate cancer incidence trends using Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) program data for men diagnosed with invasive prostate cancer from 2007 through 2012. JoinPoint analysis was used to detect changes in the rate of annual percent change (APC) in prostate cancer incidence for all diagnoses and by age, Gleason score, race, and stage. Prostate cancer incidence declined at an estimated −19.6% APC beginning May 2011. This decline was observed in all age groups. Low‐grade tumors (Gleason score ≤6) showed a steeper decline (−29.1% APC) than high‐grade tumors (Gleason score 8–10: −10.8% APC). Only stage I/II and stage III tumors saw declines (−24.2% and −16.7% APC, respectively). A sharp decline in prostate cancer incidence began before release of the United States Preventative Services Task Force October 2011 draft and May 2012 final screening recommendation. The greatest change occurred with incidence of low‐grade tumors, although there is concern that some high‐grade tumors may now go undetected.
The conditioned medium from osteo‐differentiating human mesenchymal stem cells affects the viability of triple negative MDA‐MB231 breast cancer cells
Authors: Librizzi Mariangela , Tobiasch Edda , Luparello Claudio
Published: December 2015

This study aimed to investigate the effect of conditioned media (CM) from osteo‐differentiating and adipo‐differentiating human mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) isolated from lipoaspirates of healthy female donors on the viability of triple‐negative breast cancer cells MDA‐MB231. The CM of undifferentiated and differentiating MSCs were collected after 7, 14, 21 and 28 days of culture. The effects of MSC CM on cell proliferation were assessed using an 3‐(4,5‐dimethylthiazol‐2‐yl)‐2,5‐diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay after 24 h. The effects of osteo‐differentiating cell CM on apoptotic promotion, cell cycle impairment, mitochondrial transmembrane potential dissipation, production of reactive oxygen species and autophagosome accumulation were analysed by flow cytometry and Western blot. MTT assay showed that only CM collected from osteo‐induced cells at day 28 (d28O‐CM) reduced tumour cell viability. Treatment with d28O‐CM restrained cell cycle progression through G2 phase, elicited a caspase‐8‐driven apoptotic effect already after 5 h of culture, and down‐regulated autophagosome accumulation and beclin‐1 expression. The finding that factor(s) secreted by osteo‐differentiating MSCs shows properties of an apoptotic inducer and autophagy inhibitor on triple‐negative breast cancer cells may have an important applicative potential that deserves further investigation. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Aryl Polyenes, a Highly Abundant Class of Bacterial Natural Products, Are Functionally Related to Antioxidative Carotenoids
Authors: Schöner Tim A. , Gassel Sören , Osawa Ayako , Tobias Nicholas J. , Okuno Yukari , Sakakibara Yui , Shindo Kazutoshi , Sandmann Gerhard , Bode Helge B.
Published: December 2015

Bacterial pigments of the aryl polyene type are structurally similar to the well‐known carotenoids with respect to their polyene systems. Their biosynthetic gene cluster is widespread in taxonomically distant bacteria, and four classes of such pigments have been found. Here we report the structure elucidation of the aryl polyene/dialkylresorcinol hybrid pigments of Variovorax paradoxus B4 by HPLC‐UV‐MS, MALDI‐MS and NMR. Furthermore, we show for the first time that this pigment class protects the bacterium from reactive oxygen species, similarly to what is known for carotenoids. An analysis of the distribution of biosynthetic genes for aryl polyenes and carotenoids in bacterial genomes is presented; it shows a complementary distribution of these protective pigments in bacteria.
Insights into the Biosynthesis of Dehydroalanines in Goadsporin
Authors: Ozaki Taro , Kurokawa Yukari , Hayashi Shohei , Oku Naoya , Asamizu Shumpei , Igarashi Yasuhiro , Onaka Hiroyasu
Published: December 2015

Dehydroalanines in goadsporin are proposed to be formed by GodF and GodG, which show slight homology to the N‐terminal glutamylation and C‐terminal elimination domains, respectively, of LanB, a class I lanthipeptide dehydratase. Although similar, separated‐type LanBs are conserved among thiopeptides and indispensable for their biosynthesis and biological activities, these enzymes had not yet been characterized. Here, we identified goadsporin B, which has unmodified Ser4 and Ser14, from both godF and godG disruptants. The godG disruptant also produced goadsporin C, a glutamylated‐Ser4 variant of goadsporin B. These results suggested that dehydroalanines are formed by glutamylation and glutamate elimination. NMR analysis revealed for the first time that the glutamyl group was attached to a serine via an ester bond, by the catalysis of LanB‐type enzymes. Our findings provide insights into the function of separated‐type LanBs involved in the biosynthesis of goadsporin and thiopeptides.
De Novo Synthesis of Gold‐Nanoparticle‐Embedded, Nitrogen‐Doped Nanoporous Carbon Nanoparticles (Au@NC) with Enhanced Reduction Ability
Authors: Liao Yu‐Te , Chen Jeffrey E. , Isida Yohei , Yonezawa Tetsu , Chang Wei‐Chen , Alshehri Saad M. , Yamauchi Yusuke , Wu Kevin C.‐W.
Published: December 2015

A de novo synthesis of gold‐nanoparticle‐embedded, nitrogen‐doped nanoporous carbon nanoparticles (Au@NC) was investigated in this work. Chloroauroic acid was encapsulated inside zeolitic imidazolate framework‐8 (ZIF‐8) nanoparticles during the synthesis and later reduced into gold nanoparticles. The as‐synthesized gold‐nanoparticle‐embedded ZIF‐8 (Au@ZIF‐8) was then carbonized into Au@NC to enhance the stability of the nanoporous support. The results show that Au@NC exhibits a porous structure containing 3 wt % of gold. 2‐Methylimidazole provided an abundant amount of nitrogen (19 wt %) on the carbon matrix, which resulted in a hydrophilic and positively charged surface that is useful for the reduction of 4‐nitrophenol. The results of the catalytic reaction indicate that synthesized Au@NC could act as an effective catalyst with a turnover frequency (TOF) of 1185 g−1 s−1, which is higher than that of conventional naked Au nanoparticles (TOF: 339 g−1 s−1) and that of Au nanoparticles on activated carbon (TOF: 89 g−1 s−1). We propose that the enhanced performance of Au@NC resulted from homogeneous distribution of Au nanoparticles along with the hydrophilic and positively charged nitrogen‐doped carbon surface.
Apple‐Biowaste‐Derived Hard Carbon as a Powerful Anode Material for Na‐Ion Batteries
Authors: Wu Liming , Buchholz Daniel , Vaalma Christoph , Giffin Guinevere A. , Passerini Stefano
Published: December 2015

Modern industrial agriculture is strongly influenced by product norms and standards, resulting in massive amounts of fresh fruit that is left in the field or wasted in spite of their good nutritional value. Herein, we present the synthesis of hard carbon from natural apple biowaste, and its use of biomass is a suitable strategy for the development of cheap and powerful carbon‐based active materials for Na‐ion batteries. The hard carbon exhibits a good rate capability [112 mAh g−1 at 5 C (1 A g−1)], excellent long‐term cycling stability (1000 cycles at 5 C), and high specific capacity (245 mAh g−1 at 0.1 C) with full retention after 80 cycles. The full capacity (250 mAh g−1) of the hard carbon is also obtained in Na‐ion cells by using the layered P2‐type NaxNi0.22Co0.11Mn0.66O2 cathode. The good electrochemical performance as well as the low cost and environmental friendliness of the apple‐biowaste‐derived hard carbon proves its suitability for future Na‐ion batteries.
Assessing the reliability of different real‐time optimization methodologies
Authors: Mendoza Diego Fernando , Graciano José Eduardo Alves , dos Santos Liporace Fabio , Le Roux Galo Antonio Carrillo
Published: December 2015

There is not a consensus about the benefits of implementing Real‐Time Optimization (RTO) technologies to increase the profit of process plants. A lack of experimental and theoretical works which evaluate the scope and limitations of different RTO approaches makes it more difficult to have a sensible opinion about this topic. Most works available in the open literature that study different RTO approaches use few (often one) operation conditions to draw general conclusions about the virtues of a particular methodology. In the present work, we compare the performance of the classical two‐step method with more recently proposed derivative‐based methods (modifier adaptation, Integrated System Optimization Parameter Estimation (ISOPE), and an algorithm based on the Sufficient Conditions of Feasibility and Optimality (SCFO)) under different measurement noise, model mismatch, and disturbance using a Monte Carlo methodology. The results show that the classical RTO method can be reasonably reliable if provided with a model flexible enough to mimic the local process topology, a parameter estimation method suitable for handling measurement noise characteristics, and a method to improve the sample information quality. Implementing a derivative‐based RTO method, in cases of evident model mismatch, should be considered only if the gap between the predicted and the real optimum is large enough and the level of measurement noise is low.
Solvent removal from cyclohexane‐extracted oil sands gangue
Authors: Nikakhtari Hossein , Pal Krupal , Wolf Sebastian , Choi Phillip , Liu Qi , Gray Murray R.
Published: December 2015

Solvent extraction of bitumen from the Alberta oil sands has the potential to overcome the shortcomings of the current aqueous extraction process by reducing fresh water demand and eliminating tailings ponds. Bitumen is recovered as a solution, leaving behind the solids (or gangue) with a residual solvent and water from the original ore. Removing the solvent from the gangue is a crucial step that involves evaporation of volatile material (cyclohexane) from a porous matrix in the presence of a less volatile immiscible phase (water). In this study, we examined the effects of relative humidity, temperature, and the addition of water during cyclohexane extraction on the extent of cyclohexane removal from the extraction gangue. The drying curves showed two constant‐rate periods, with the initial period mainly removing cyclohexane, and the second mainly removing water. The initial drying rate of gangue in an environmental chamber was 2.7 times faster than drying in a fume hood due to the stronger convective currents in the chamber produced by its fan. The initial drying rate was independent of the relative humidity, which was in the range of 30–90 %, but the residual cyclohexane content in the gangue increased at high relative humidity. The addition of water to oil sands prior to cyclohexane extraction increased the residual cyclohexane in the gangue, likely by forming a barrier to efficient evaporation.
Inhibitors of Ras–SOS Interactions
Authors: Lu Shaoyong , Jang Hyunbum , Zhang Jian , Nussinov Ruth
Published: December 2015

Activating Ras mutations are found in about 30 % of human cancers. Ras activation is regulated by guanine nucleotide exchange factors, such as the son of sevenless (SOS), which form protein–protein interactions (PPIs) with Ras and catalyze the exchange of GDP by GTP. This is the rate‐limiting step in Ras activation. However, Ras surfaces lack any evident suitable pockets where a molecule might bind tightly, rendering Ras proteins still ‘undruggable’ for over 30 years. Among the alternative approaches is the design of inhibitors that target the Ras–SOS PPI interface, a strategy that is gaining increasing recognition for treating Ras mutant cancers. Herein we focus on data that has accumulated over the past few years pertaining to the design of small‐molecule modulators or peptide mimetics aimed at the interface of the Ras–SOS PPI. We emphasize, however, that even if such Ras–SOS therapeutics are potent, drug resistance may emerge. To counteract this development, we propose “pathway drug cocktails”, that is, drug combinations aimed at parallel (or compensatory) pathways. A repertoire of classified cancer, cell/tissue, and pathway/protein combinations would be beneficial toward this goal.
Optimizing the DNA yield for molecular analysis from cytologic preparations
Authors: Roy‐Chowdhuri Sinchita , Chow Chi‐Wan , Kane Mary K. , Yao Hui , Wistuba Ignacio I. , Krishnamurthy Savitri , Stewart John , Staerkel Gregg
Published: December 2015

BACKGROUND

Cytology smears and cytospin preparations are increasingly being used for molecular testing. With these limited samples, optimizing tissue extraction to maximize the DNA yield is, therefore, critical. This study examined 2 common methods of tissue extraction and compared DNA yields from different types of glass slides.

METHODS

The H226 lung cancer cell line and 5 clinical samples of cellular effusions were used to prepare Diff‐Quik–stained cytospins on 4 types of glass slides: fully frosted (FF), nonfrosted (NF), positively charged (PC), and silane‐coated (SC). Tissue extraction was performed by either scalpel‐blade scraping or cell lifting with the Pinpoint Slide DNA Isolation System (Zymo Research). DNA was extracted with the QIAamp DNA Mini Kit (Qiagen) and was quantified with the Quant‐iT PicoGreen Kit (Life Technologies).

RESULTS

The DNA yield in cell‐line cytospins was significantly lower from FF slides versus NF, PC, and SC slides with both scraping and cell‐lifting methods. In addition, scraping yielded significantly more DNA than cell lifting (P = .005). DNA yields from 5 clinical effusion cases with FF and NF slides showed results similar to the results for cell‐line samples, with scraping consistently yielding more DNA than cell lifting and with NF slides outperforming FF slides.

CONCLUSIONS

Optimizing the DNA yield extracted from cytology specimens maximizes the chances of successful molecular testing and is critical in cases of low or marginal cellularity. This study demonstrates the following: 1) scraping yields more DNA than cell lifting, and 2) NF slides yield more DNA than FF slides. Cancer Cytopathol 2016;124:254–60. © 2015 American Cancer Society.
Performance optimisation strategies for automatically generated FPGA accelerators for biomedical models
Authors: Yu Ting , Oppermann Julian , Bradley Chris , Sinnen Oliver
Published: December 2015

Biomedical modelling that is mathematically described by ordinary differential equations (ODEs) is often one of the most computationally intensive parts of simulations. With high inherent parallelism, hardware acceleration based on field programmable gate array has great potential to increase the computational performance of the ODE model integration while being very power efficient. ODE‐based Domain‐specific Synthesis Tool is a tool we proposed previously to automatically generate the complete hardware/software co‐design framework for computing biomedical models based on CellML. Although it provides remarkable performance improvement and high energy efficiency compared with CPUs and GPUs, there is still a great potential for optimisation. In this paper, we investigate a set of optimisation strategies including compiler optimisation, resource fitting and balancing, and multiple pipelines. They all have in common that they can be performed automatically and hence can be integrated in our domain‐specific high level synthesis tool. We evaluate the optimised hardware accelerator modules generated by ODE‐based Domain‐specific Synthesis Tool on real hardware based on their resource usage, processing speed and power consumption. The results are compared with single threaded and multi‐core CPUs with/without Streaming SIMD Extension (SSE) optimisation and a graphics card. The results show that the proposed optimisation strategies provide significant performance improvement and result in even more energy‐efficient hardware accelerator modules. Furthermore, the resources of the target field programmable gate array device can be more efficiently utilised in order to fit larger biomedical models than before. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Window‐LRFU: a cache replacement policy subsumes the LRU and window‐LFU policies
Authors: Bai Sen , Bai Xin , Che Xiangjiu
Published: December 2015

Replacement algorithms have been widely used as key technologies for cache management in areas such as file systems or database management. A replacement algorithm determines which page to be evicted when the cache is full and a new page is referenced. Because replacement policies considering only recency or frequency such as LRU (Least Recently Used) and LFU (Least Frequently Used) do not perform well, replacement polices that take both recency and frequency into account have been intensively studied. As a classical replacement policy, LRFU (Least Recently/Frequently Used) policy subsumes the LRU and LFU policy. However, because LFU is not able to adapt to the change of page accessing pattern and it is hard to select a suitable λ for each certain trace, LRFU cannot always guarantee a good performance. In this paper, we propose a Window‐LRFU policy, to subsume the LRU and Window‐LFU policies. Experimental results show that the Window‐LRFU policy outperforms LRFU and has at least competitive performance than other classical algorithms. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Structure–Property Relationships in Hydroxide‐Exchange Membranes with Cation Strings and High Ion‐Exchange Capacity
Authors: Wang Junhua , Gu Shuang , Xiong Ruichang , Zhang Bingzi , Xu Bingjun , Yan Yushan
Published: December 2015

A series of poly(2,4‐dimethyl‐1,4‐phenylene oxide) hydroxide‐exchange membranes (HEMs) with cation strings containing a well‐defined number of cations (CS‐n) and similar, high ion‐exchange capacities are synthesized to investigate the effect of cation distribution on key HEM properties. As the number of cations on each string grows, the size of the ionic clusters increases from 10 to 55 nm. Well‐connected ion pathways and a hydrophobic framework are observed for n≥4. The enhanced phase segregation increases the hydroxide conductivity from CS‐1 to CS‐6 (30 to 65 mS cm−1) and suppresses the water uptake (from 143 % to 62 %). Moreover, molar hydroxide conductivities for CS‐n membranes show two distinctive stages as n increases: ∼23 S cm2 mol−1 for n≤3; and ∼34 cm2 mol−1 for n≥4.
Drugs of abuse in maternal hair and paired neonatal meconium: an objective assessment of foetal exposure to gestational consumption
Authors: Joya Xavier , Marchei Emilia , Salat‐Batlle Judith , García‐Algar Oscar , Calvaresi Valeria , Pacifici Roberta , Pichini Simona
Published: December 2015

In a prospective sample of 80 mother‐infant dyads, we investigated whether drugs of abuse in maternal hair measured during the pregnancy trimesters were also present in neonatal meconium. Principal drugs of abuse were analyzed in the three consecutive maternal hair segments and meconium samples by ultra‐performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry assay.

Of the 80 mothers, 32 (40%) presented one or more hair shafts with at least one of the analyzed drugs of abuse and/or its metabolites. The drug of abuse with a higher prevalence in our study population was methamphetamine: 19 mothers had methamphetamine in one or more hair segments (59.4%). The second most detected drug of abuse was cocaine; nine mothers presented cocaine in one or more hair segments (28.1%). Nineteen pregnant women consumed at least one drug of abuse during the first trimester, ten continued consuming drugs of abuse during the second trimester; and nine consumed until the end of pregnancy. Five of the nine newborns from mothers who consumed drugs during the whole pregnancy showed drugs of abuse in meconium samples. Newborns from the 23 remaining mothers with one or two hair shafts positive to drugs of abuse did not present drugs in their meconium. Indeed from these results, it seems that discontinuous and/or sporadic consumption during pregnancy could produce a negligible transplacental passage and hence negative results in meconium. Furthermore, the role of placenta in the metabolism and excretion of drugs of abuse is still to be precisely investigated. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The site of tumor development determines immunogenicity via temporal mobilization of antigen‐laden dendritic cells in draining lymph nodes
Authors: Joncker Nathalie T. , Bettini Sarah , Boulet Delphine , Guiraud Martine , Guerder Sylvie
Published: December 2015

The elimination of solid tumors largely depends on effective T‐cell priming by dendritic cells (DCs). For decades, studies focusing on antitumoral immune responses have been performed with tumors transplanted subcutaneously (s.c.). These studies however do not take into account the heterogeneous tissue distribution and functionality of the different DC subsets. Given the crucial role of DCs in inducing protective immune response, we postulated that the anatomic location of tumor development may greatly impact tumor immunogenicity. We therefore implanted tumor cells either in the DC‐rich dermis environment or in the s.c. tissue that mainly contains macrophages and monocytes. We showed that intradermal (i.d.), but not s.c. tumors are rapidly rejected in a T‐cell‐dependent manner and induce protective T‐cell responses. The rejection of i.d. tumors correlates with rapid recruitment of dermal DCs presenting the tumor antigen to both CD4 and CD8 T cells in the draining lymph nodes (dLNs). The same DC subsets were mobilized upon s.c. tumor transplantation but with delayed kinetics. Altogether, our results show that the anatomical site of tumor development influences tumor immunogenicity, notably by controlling the kinetics of DC mobilization in the draining LNs.
AIM2 inflammasome in infection, cancer, and autoimmunity: Role in DNA sensing, inflammation, and innate immunity
Authors: Man Si Ming , Karki Rajendra , Kanneganti Thirumala‐Devi
Published: December 2015

Recognition of DNA by the cell is an important immunological signature that marks the initiation of an innate immune response. AIM2 is a cytoplasmic sensor that recognizes dsDNA of microbial or host origin. Upon binding to DNA, AIM2 assembles a multiprotein complex called the inflammasome, which drives pyroptosis and proteolytic cleavage of the proinflammatory cytokines pro‐IL‐1β and pro‐IL‐18. Release of microbial DNA into the cytoplasm during infection by Francisella, Listeria, Mycobacterium, mouse cytomegalovirus, vaccinia virus, Aspergillus, and Plasmodium species leads to activation of the AIM2 inflammasome. In contrast, inappropriate recognition of cytoplasmic self‐DNA by AIM2 contributes to the development of psoriasis, dermatitis, arthritis, and other autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. Inflammasome‐independent functions of AIM2 have also been described, including the regulation of the intestinal stem cell proliferation and the gut microbiota ecology in the control of colorectal cancer. In this review we provide an overview of the latest research on AIM2 inflammasome and its role in infection, cancer, and autoimmunity.
Studies of Multicenter and Intermolecular Dihydrogen B–H···H–C Bonding in [4,8,8′‐exo‐{PPh3Cu}‐4,8,8′‐(μ‐H)3‐commo‐3,3′‐Co(1,2‐C2B9H9)(1′,2′‐C2B9H10)]
Authors: Smol'yakov Alexander F. , Korlyukov Alexander A. , Dolgushin Fedor M. , Balagurova Elena V. , Chizhevsky Igor T. , Vologzhanina Anna V.
Published: December 2015

An experimentally based and theoretical electron density study of the title compound has been carried out, giving the first experimental description for the two types of bonding: between the transition metal (i.e., Co) and the dicarbollide dianions that occurs through the open C2B3face of thenido‐carborane and between the anioniccommocluster (i.e., Cobdc) and the transition metal (i.e., Cu) involving three unique (B–H)3···Cu bonds. The Co···dicarbollide and Cu···Cobdc bonds are shown to have a multicenter character, whereas direct Co···Cu interaction is found to be absent. The effect of the [Cu(PPH3)]+association with the Cobdc anion on the Co···dicarbollide bonding is discussed. The description of intramolecular Co···dicarbollide and intermolecular B–H···H–C connectivity in terms of the Hirshfeld approach and Voronoi tessellation is compared with the QTAIM results to confirm their qualitative and semiquantitative similarity.
Salt‐Acid‐Surfactant Lyotropic Liquid Crystalline Mesophases: Synthesis of Highly Transparent Mesoporous Calcium Hydroxyapatite Thin Films
Authors: Tunkara Ebrima , Dag Ömer
Published: December 2015

Even though calcium hydroxyapatite [Ca10(PO4)6(OH)2, HAp] is one of the most investigated materials in the literature, the synthesis of mesoporous transparent thin film of HAp has not yet been reported. We show herein that mixtures of phosphoric acid (H3PO4·H2O, PA), calcium nitrate tetrahydrate [Ca(NO3)2·4H2O, CaN] and non‐ionic surfactant [C12H25(OCH2CH2)10OH, C12E10] can self‐assemble into stable lyotropic liquid crystalline (LLC) mesophases. The clear aqueous solutions of the mixtures can be spin‐coated over any substrate and then calcined to form highly transparent mesoporous HAp (mHAp) thin films. From among the compositions studied, three molar ratios of CaN/PA/C12E10 [3.3:2:1 (low), 5.8:3.5:1 (intermediate) and 8.4:5:1 (high)] were chosen for large‐scale preparation to investigate their structural and thermal properties. The mHAp films form at around 300 °C and fully crystalize at 500 °C, retaining their transparency, uniformity and porosity in all compositions with few differences. The surface area and pore volume decrease, and the pore size and pore size distribution increase with increasing annealing temperature for all compositions.
Substrate‐Controlled Synthesis of Functionalized Cyclohexanes with Four Stereocenters by Organocatalytic Asymmetric Domino Reactions Between γ‐Nitro Ketone and Enone
Authors: Yu Lu , Yang Zhen , Peng Jianzhao , Li Pengfei
Published: December 2015

Organocatalytic asymmetric domino reactions of γ‐nitro ketones and enones have been developed for the construction of functionalized cyclohexane skeletons with four stereogenic carbon atoms, including one tetrasubstituted carbon stereocenter. 5‐Nitropentan‐2‐one and 6‐nitrohexan‐3‐one reacted with chalcone to afford six‐membered carbocycles with four consecutive stereocenters in yields of 51–91 % with 81–93 % ee and >20:1 dr. In addition, 4‐nitro‐1‐phenylbutan‐1‐one reacted with 4‐arylbut‐3‐en‐2‐ones to afford six‐membered carbocycles with two double consecutive stereocenters in yields of 59–92 % with 89–94 % ee and >20:1 dr. Interestingly, both four consecutive and nonconsecutive stereocenters could be constructed by these substrate‐controlled domino reactions.
Synthesis of Spiranes by Thiol‐Mediated Acyl Radical Cyclization
Authors: Hsu Day‐Shin , Chen Chih‐Hao , Hsu Chi‐Wei
Published: December 2015

A general and efficient method for the preparation of spiro compounds is described. Various enone‐aldehydes were exposed to t‐dodecanethiol and AIBN at 75 °C in toluene to afford spirocyclic 1,4‐diketones in moderate to good yields.
Gold‐Catalyzed Allenamide [2+2+2]‐Cyclotrimerization
Authors: Hernández‐Díaz Cristina , Rubio Eduardo , González José M.
Published: December 2015

A protocol involving a gold(I)‐catalyzed reaction to elaborate cyclic frames by selective trimerization reactions of N‐allenylsulfonamides is reported. Efficiency in the formation of the target [2+2+2] products depends on the concentration of the reagents, the nature of the ancillary ligand on the gold catalyst, and, to a significant extent, on the selection of a low reaction temperature. This singular catalytic allene cycloaddition gives adducts in high isolated yields. In addition to representing a new gold‐catalyzed reaction, the reported allenamide cyclotrimerization offers a significant extension to the scant number of allenes that have effectively entered this cyclization mode by use of other metal‐catalyzed reactions. Upon aromatization of the assembled adducts, the overall reaction matches the outcome of related and widely investigated alkyne trimerization reactions.
Effects of pH on leaching behavior of compacted cement solidified/stabilized lead contaminated soil
Authors: Wang Ping , Xue Qiang , Li Jiang‐Shan , Zhang Ting‐Ting
Published: December 2015

The compacted cement stabilized/solidified (S/S) metal contaminated soil could be used for “controlled utilization,” such as road base, quarry rehabilitation, and lagoon closure. However, the complexity and variability of environment, especially the acid rain and alkaline leachate, greatly influence the leaching behaviors of S/S heavy metal contaminated soil and threaten the environment. The leaching characteristics of the compacted S/S samples were investigated over a wide range of pH (2.65, 3.65, 5.00, 7.00, and 10.00). Semidynamic leaching tests were conducted to evaluate the effects of pH on effectiveness and controlling leaching mechanism of compacted cement S/S treated lead (Pb) contaminated soil. Results showed that there was no obviously change of the cumulative fraction of Pb leached (CFL) in weak acid or weak alkaline conditions (pH ranging from 5.00 to 10.00), and the strong acid significantly altered the leaching behaviors of Pb. The calculated values of effective diffusion coefficient (De) and leachability index (LX) indicated that the mobility of Pb2+ was weak and the compacted S/S treatment could be used for “controlled utilization” with environment pH value ranging from 3.65 to 10.00. Especially, the LX value was 8.49 when the compacted S/S sample was immersed in the leachant with pH 2.65, indicated that the S/S sample was not considered appropriate for disposal. The mechanism controlling Pb2+ leaching from S/S samples at all the pH range (2.65–10.00) appeared to be diffusion, and with pH decreasing in acid conditions, the controlling leaching mechanism somehow was changing from diffusion to surface wash‐off. © 2015 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Environ Prog, 35: 149–155, 2016
Responsible handling of tunnel spoil through the example of Koralm Tunnel contract KAT2 / Verantwortungsvoller Umgang mit Tunnelausbruch am Beispiel Koralmtunnel, Baulos KAT2
Authors: Posch Helmut , Nahold Manfred , Kager Matthias , Kolb Erich , Bauer Felix , Huber Markus
Published: December 2015

Contract KAT2 will altogether produce about 8.6 m. t of excavated material. Most of this will be used as fill for various purposes or processed as aggregates for concrete production. This article deals with the management of the material excavated from the tunnel and of material, which has been affected by ground improvement measures or could have been contaminated during excavation or transport. Causes for chemical problems and risks with waste are identified, and possibilities and solutions for technically correct recycling or disposal in compliance with the conditions of waste management law are presented. As an example, the influence of selected additives such as cement or resin foam is discussed. There is also a description of investigation results into the evidence that high concentrations occur in the determination of iron and aluminium in the eluate. These parameters are of significance for the recycling of rock since they are limited under the Austrian federal waste management plan (BAWP).

Im Baulos KAT2 fallen insgesamt rund 8,6 Mio. t Tunnelausbruchmaterial an. Der überwiegende Teil wird als Schüttmaterial mit unterschiedlichen Verwendungen verwertet oder für die Herstellung von Gesteinskörnungen zur Betonherstellung aufbereitet. Dieser Beitrag behandelt den Umgang mit Tunnelausbruchmaterial und mit Material, das durch gebirgsverbessernde Maßnahmen beeinflusst wird oder das im Löseprozess und dem Transport verunreinigt werden kann. Ursachen für abfallchemische Auffälligkeiten und Risiken werden aufgezeigt; Möglichkeiten und Lösungen für die fachgerechte Verwertung oder Beseitigung unter Einhaltung abfallrechtlicher Rahmenbedingungen werden vorgestellt. Exemplarisch wird der Einfluss ausgewählter Hilfsstoffe wie Zement oder Harzschaum diskutiert. Beschrieben werden auch Untersuchungsergebnisse zum Nachweis, dass bei der Bestimmung von Eisen und Aluminium im Eluat hohe Konzentrationen auftreten. Diese Parameter sind für die Verwertung des Gesteins von Bedeutung, weil sie nach Bundesabfallwirtschaftsplan (BAWP) begrenzt sind.
Variation des Reibungswinkels bei der Bemessung von Baugrubenwänden mit der Finite‐Elemente‐Methode
Authors: Perau Eugen , Zillmann Antonia
Published: December 2015

Im vorliegenden Beitrag werden anhand zweier exemplarischer Systeme von Verbauwänden Berechnungen mit der Finiten‐Elemente‐Methode (FEM) durchgeführt. Es handelt sich um eine einfach rückverankerte Spundwand sowie eine zweifach ausgesteifte Spundwand, bei denen der berechnete Erddruck, die Spannungen am Erdwiderlager, die Biegemomente der Verbauwand, die Stützkräfte, die Wandverformungen sowie die Gesamtstandsicherheit untersucht werden. Variiert werden dabei der Reibungswinkel sowie die Aushubtiefe. Als ein erstes Ergebnis der Parameterstudie wird der Einfluss des Reibungswinkels auf die für die Bemessung der Systeme relevanten Berechnungsergebnisse diskutiert.

Auf Basis der Parameterstudie wird abgeleitet, in welcher Weise sich verschiedene Nachweisverfahren gemäß Eurocode 7 auf die Bemessung auswirken. Es wird also z. B. untersucht, welche Auswirkung eine Reduktion des Reibungswinkels gemäß Nachweisverfahren DA3 im Vergleich zu einer Erhöhung der Schnittgrößen gemäß DA2 auf die Bemessung einer Verbaukonstruktion hat. Ebenfalls werden verschiedene Möglichkeiten zur Reduktion der Scherparameter mit der FEM beim Nachweis der Gesamtstandsicherheit diskutiert. Abschließend werden Schlussfolgerungen zur Anwendung der verschiedenen Nachweisverfahren beim Einsatz der FEM gezogen sowie Hinweise zur Modellierung der Konstruktionsteile gegeben.

Variation of the friction angle for design of excavation pit walls with the finite element method. In this article calculations for two exemplary systems of excavation pit walls are performed using the Finite Element Method (FEM). The first system represents a single anchored pit wall, the second a double supported pit wall. For both systems the calculated earth pressures and the pressures of the earth support are evaluated as well as the bending moments of the wall, the supporting forces, the displacements of the wall and finally the overall stability. In the study the friction angle of the soil and the excavation level are varied. As a first goal the influence of the friction angle on the calculated results are presented which are relevant for design of the structure.

Based on this parameter study it will be shown how the different design approaches according to Eurocode 7 influence the design. For example, the effect of reduction of the friction angle according to design approach DA3 is compared with an increase of the internal forces according to DA2. Also discussed are different ways to reduce the friction angle with FEM to proof the overall stability. Finally, conclusions are drawn to the application of the FEM in different proofs of stability of excavation pit walls and hints are given to model the elements of the construction.
Molecular epidemiology and genetic diversity of hepatitis B virus in Ethiopia
Authors: Hundie Gadissa Bedada , Raj V. Stalin , Michael Daniel Gebre , Pas Suzan D. , Osterhaus Albert D.M.E. , Koopmans Marion P. , Smits Saskia L. , Haagmans Bart L.
Published: December 2015

Although hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is hyperendemic in Ethiopia and constitutes a major public health problem, little is known about its genetic diversity, genotypes, and circulation. The aim of this study was to determine the molecular epidemiology and genetic diversity of HBV in Ethiopia, using 391 serum samples collected from HBsAg‐positive blood donors living in five different geographic regions. The HBV S/pol gene was amplified, sequenced, and HBV genotypes, subgenotypes, serotypes, and major hydrophilic region (MHR) variants were determined. Phylogenetic analysis of 371 samples (95%) revealed the distribution of genotypes A (78%) and D (22%) in Ethiopia. Further phylogenetic analysis identified one subgenotype (A1) within genotype A, and 4 subgenotypes within genotype D (D1; 1.3%, D2; 55%, D4; 2.5%, and D6; 8.8%). Importantly, 24 isolates (30%) of genotype D formed a novel phylogenetic cluster, distinct from any known D subgenotypes, and two A/D recombinants. Analysis of predicted amino‐acid sequences within the HBsAg revealed four serotypes: adw2 (79%), ayw1 (3.1%), ayw2 (7.8%), and ayw3 (11.6%). Subsequent examination of sequences showed that 51 HBV isolates (14%) had mutations in the MHR and 8 isolates (2.2%) in the reverse transcriptase known to confer antiviral resistance. This study provides the first description of HBV genetic diversity in Ethiopia with a predominance of subgenotypes A1 and D2, and also identified HBV isolates that could represent a novel subgenotype. Furthermore, a significant prevalence of HBsAg variants in Ethiopian population is revealed. J. Med. Virol. 88:1035–1043, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Differential effects of three echovirus strains on cell lysis and insulin secretion in beta cell derived lines
Authors: Sarmiento Luis , Medina Anya , Aziz Kosrat , Anagandula Mahesh , Cabrera‐Rode Eduardo , Fex Malin , Frisk Gun , Cilio Corrado M.
Published: December 2015

In an earlier study, infection of human pancreatic islets with epidemic strains of echovirus (E4, E16, E30), with proven but differently ability to induce islet autoimmunity, resulted either in a severe damage (i.e., E16 and E30) or proceeded without visible changes in infected islets (i.e., E4). In this study, the ability of these strains to replicate in beta cells and the consequence of such an infection for beta cell lysis and beta cell function was studied in the pancreatic beta cell lines INS‐1, MIN6, and NIT‐1. The strains of E16 and E30 did replicate in INS1, MIN6, and NIT1 cells and resulted in a pronounced cytopathic effect within 3 days following infection. By contrast, E4 replicated in all examined insulinoma cells with no apparent cell destruction. The insulin release in response to high glucose stimulation was hampered in all infected cells (P < 0.05) when no evidence of cytolysis was present; however, the adverse effect of E16 and E30 on insulin secretion appeared to be higher than that of the E4 strain. The differential effects of echovirus infection on cell lysis, and beta cell function in the rodent insulinoma INS1, MIN6, and NIT 1 cells reflect those previously obtained in primary human islets and support the notion that the insulin—producing beta cells can harbor a non‐cytopathic viral infection. J. Med. Virol. 88:971–978, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
A novel Raman spectroscopic approach to identify polymorphism in leflunomide: a combined experimental and theoretical study
Authors: Sharma Poornima , Gangopadhyay Debraj , Umrao Sima , Kumar Shiv , Ghosh A. K. , Mishra P. C. , Singh Ranjan K.
Published: December 2015

Polymorphism is an important characteristic which affects the activity, solubility and other physical properties of a compound and can be induced by varying temperature, pressure and solvent. The presence and conversion of α to β polymorphic forms of an anti‐rheumatic drug leflunomide have been studied by temperature‐dependent and in situ Raman observations. Both α and β polymorphs were found to co‐exist in the temperature interval 367–372 K. The α form alone exists below 367 K and the β form alone above 373 K. The CO stretching band clearly demonstrates the α → β conversion because of breaking of N–H···O bond and formation of N–H···N bond. On cooling the Raman spectra suggest the irreversibility of this conversion. Thermodynamic stability, crystal parameters and surface morphology of both forms in the leflunomide powder used for the present study have been verified by differential scanning calorimetry, X‐ray powder diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Recent advances in linear and non‐linear Raman spectroscopy. Part IX
Authors: Nafie Laurence A.
Published: December 2015

This annual review is published to provide an overview of advances in the field of Raman spectroscopy as reflected in papers published each year in the Journal of Raman Spectroscopy (JRS) as well as in trends across related journals that have published papers in the broad field of Raman spectroscopy. The content is obtained from statistical data on article counts obtained from Thomson Reuters ISI Web of Science Core Collection by year and by subfield of Raman spectroscopy. Additional information is gleaned from presentations at the VIII International Conference on Advanced Vibrational Spectroscopy (ICAVS‐8) in Vienna, Austria in July 2015 and those featuring Raman scattering at SCIX 2015 organized by the Federation of Analytical Chemistry and Spectroscopy Societies (FACSS) in Providence, Rhode Island, USA, in September/October 2015. Coverage is also provided for topics from the conference ECONOS 2015 held in April in Leuven, Belgium. Finally, papers published in JRS in 2014 are highlighted and arranged by topics at the frontier of Raman spectroscopy. Taken from these various viewpoints, it is clear that Raman spectroscopy continues to be a rapidly expanding field that provides sensitive photonic information of matter at the molecular level in an ever‐widening arena of novel applications. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Sequential biases in accumulating evidence
Authors: Kulinskaya Elena , Huggins Richard , Dogo Samson Henry
Published: December 2015

Whilst it is common in clinical trials to use the results of tests at one phase to decide whether to continue to the next phase and to subsequently design the next phase, we show that this can lead to biased results in evidence synthesis. Two new kinds of bias associated with accumulating evidence, termed ‘sequential decision bias’ and ‘sequential design bias’, are identified. Both kinds of bias are the result of making decisions on the usefulness of a new study, or its design, based on the previous studies. Sequential decision bias is determined by the correlation between the value of the current estimated effect and the probability of conducting an additional study. Sequential design bias arises from using the estimated value instead of the clinically relevant value of an effect in sample size calculations. We considered both the fixed‐effect and the random‐effects models of meta‐analysis and demonstrated analytically and by simulations that in both settings the problems due to sequential biases are apparent. According to our simulations, the sequential biases increase with increased heterogeneity. Minimisation of sequential biases arises as a new and important research area necessary for successful evidence‐based approaches to the development of science. © 2015 The Authors. Research Synthesis Methods Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Effect of laser therapy on immune cells infiltrate after excisional wounds in diabetic rats
Authors: de Loura Santana Cristiano , de Fátima Teixeira Silva Daniela , de Souza Amanda Pires , Jacinto Marcos Vinicius , Bussadori Sandra Kalil , Mesquita‐Ferrari Raquel Agnelli , Fernandes Kristianne Porta Santos , França Cristiane Miranda
Published: December 2015

Background and Objective

Diabetes alters innate and specific immunity, causing an imbalanced tissue repair process. Very active neutrophils and macrophages are found for a long time in chronic wounds in those individuals. The aim of this study was to evaluate the response of the main effector cells of immunity (neutrophils, macrophages, and T lymphocytes) and to compare the effects of two laser therapy regimens in the postoperative treatment of excision wounds.

Method

Diabetes was induced in female Wistar rats and a punch was used to cause wounds in the dorsum of each individual. The animals were randomly allocated to a control group (CG), in which the wound was untreated, a single‐dose laser group (SLG), in which the wound was submitted to single dose of laser therapy at wavelength of 660 nm, output power of 30 mW, energy density of 4 J/cm2, and 26‐second exposure time, and a fractionated‐dose laser group (FLG), submitted to 1 J/cm2 of laser therapy on Days 1, 3, 8, and 10. Euthanasia was performed on five animals from each group Days 1, 3, 8, 10, 15, and 22. The wound was removed and routinely processed for immunohistochemistry against elastase, CD3, CD68, and CD206 antibodies. The samples were photographed and labeled cells were counted by a blinded observer. The Kruskal–Wallis test was used for the statistical analysis.

Results

Neutrophils were predominant in the SLG on Day 1, whereas these cells were mostly found in the CG on Day 3 (P < 0.05). The T lymphocyte count was similar in all groups in the throughout the experiment. On Day 3, the SLG exhibited a greater number of total macrophages (CD68+) (P < 0.05), whereas the macrophage count was similar among the different groups on the other evaluation days. The CD206 + cell counts revealed that the SLG had more M2 macrophages than the CG on Day 8 (P < 0.05), whereas the FLG exhibited more M2 macrophages than the CG on Day 10 (P < 0.05).

Conclusion

The present findings demonstrate that laser therapy can alter the composition of inflammatory infiltrate in diabetic wounds, leading to a more balanced response transiting from a rapid neutrophil infiltration through to M2 macrophage polarization, especially with a single application of 4 J/cm2 in the immediate postoperative period. Lasers Surg. Med. 48:45–51, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Reactive Coatings in Glass Capillaries: Preparation of Temperature‐ and Light‐Responsive Surfaces and Accurate Determination of Wettability Switching
Authors: Wagner Natalie , Kessler Daniel , Theato Patrick
Published: December 2015

The inner walls of thin glass capillaries are coated with a reactive precursor coating that can be converted into different temperature‐ and light‐responsive coatings. The switching range of wettability can be determined by measuring the meniscus height of water inside these capillaries at different temperatures and upon UV‐light irradiation. In comparison with the sessile drop measurement, very accurate equilibrium contact angles are obtained by this method.

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