bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Nonpromoter methylation of the CDKN2A gene with active transcription is associated with improved locoregional control in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma
Authors: Ben‐Dayan Miriam M. , Ow Thomas J. , Belbin Thomas J. , Wetzler Joshua , Smith Richard V. , Childs Geoffrey , Diergaarde Brenda , Hayes D. Neil , Grandis Jennifer R. , Prystowsky Michael B. , Schlecht Nicolas F.
Published: January 2017

We previously reported a novel association between CDKN2A nonpromoter methylation and transcription (ARF/INK4a) in human papillomavirus associated oropharyngeal tumors. In this study we assessed whether nonpromoter CDKN2A methylation in laryngeal squamous cell carcinomas (LXSCC) conferred a similar association with transcription that predicted patient outcome. We compared DNA methylation and ARF/INK4a RNA expression levels for the CDKN2A locus using the Illumina HumanMethylation27 beadchip and RT‐PCR in 43 LXSCC tumor samples collected from a prospective study of head and neck cancer patients treated at Montefiore Medical Center (MMC). Validation was performed using RNAseq data on 111 LXSCC tumor samples from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). The clinical relevance of combined nonpromoter CDKN2A methylation and transcription was assessed by multivariate Cox regression for locoregional recurrence on a subset of 69 LXSCC patients with complete clinicopathologic data from the MMC and TCGA cohorts. We found evidence of CDKN2A nonpromoter hypermethylation in a third of LXSCC from our MMC cohort, which was significantly associated with increased ARF and INK4a RNA expression (Wilcoxon rank‐sum, P = 0.007 and 0.003, respectively). A similar association was confirmed in TCGA samples (Wilcoxon rank‐sum test P < 0.0001 for ARF and INK4a). Patients with CDKN2A hypermethylation or high ARF/INK4a expression were significantly less likely to develop a locoregional recurrence compared to those with neither of the features, independent of other clinicopatholgic risk factors (adjusted hazard ratio=0.21, 95% confidence interval:0.05–0.81). These results support the conclusion that CDKN2A nonpromoter methylation is associated with increased ARF and INK4a RNA expression, and improved locoregional control in LXSCC.
A rare CFTR mutation associated with severe disease progression in a 10‐year‐old Hispanic patient
Authors: Soe Katherine , Gregoire‐Bottex M. Myrtha
Published: January 2017

Key Clinical Message

Cystic fibrosis is a life‐shortening multisystem genetic disease. While readily tested, few tests analyze rare gene mutations prevalent among ethnic minorities. This case of a Hispanic child with a rare CF‐causing c.233dupT mutation and severe disease emphasizes the need for broad CFTR mutation analyses and genotyping particularly in minority populations.
Nasopharyngeal colonization with Streptococcus pneumoniae triggers dendritic cell dependent antibody responses against invasive disease in mice
Authors: Dommaschk Anne , Ding Nadine , Tort Tarres Meritxell , Bittersohl Lara F. , Maus Regina , Stolper Jennifer , Jonigk Danny , Braubach Peter , Lippmann Torsten , Welte Tobias , Maus Ulrich A.
Published: January 2017

Nasopharyngeal colonization with Streptococcus pneumoniae (Spn) is an important precondition for the development of pneumococcal pneumonia. At the same time, nasopharyngeal colonization with Spn has been shown to mount adaptive immune responses against Spn in mice and humans. Cellular responses of the nasopharyngeal compartment, including the nasal‐associated lymphoid tissue, to pneumococcal colonization and their importance for developing adaptive immune responses are poorly defined. We show that nasopharyngeal colonization with S. pneumoniae led to substantial expansion of dendritic cells (DCs) both in nasopharyngeal tissue and nasal‐associated lymphoid tissue of mice. Depletion of DCs achieved by either diphtheria toxin (DT) treatment of chimeric zDC+/DTR mice, or by use of FMS‐like tyrosine kinase 3 ligand (Flt3L) KO mice exhibiting congenitally reduced DC pool sizes, significantly diminished antibody responses after colonization with Spn, along with impaired protective immunity against invasive pneumococcal disease. Collectively, the data show that classical DCs contribute to pneumococcal colonization induced adaptive immune responses against invasive pneumococcal disease in two different mouse models. These data may be useful for future nasopharyngeal vaccination strategies against pneumococcal diseases in humans.
Substituent and Lewis Acid Promoted Dual Behavior of Epoxides towards [3+2]‐Annulation Reactions with Donor‐Acceptor Cyclopropanes: Synthesis of Substituted Cyclopentane and Tetrahydrofuran
Authors: Pandey Ashok Kumar , Varshnaya Rohit Kumar , Banerjee Prabal
Published: January 2017

Substituent and Lewis acid promoted generation of functionalized enolates from epoxides is developed. Divergent attack of the enolate on donor‐acceptor cyclopropanes, i.e. C‐attack or O‐attack depending upon substituents present in both reacting partners, produced different products. C‐attack gave functionalized cyclopentane derivatives, whereas O‐attack furnished tetrahydrofuran derivatives through [3+2]‐annulation reactions. Moreover, to increase the utility of our method, synthesized diastereomeric cyclopentane derivatives were converted into synthetically useful cyclopentene and cyclopentanone analogs.
Montmorillonite‐Supported Iron Oxide for Hydrogen Storage by Chemical Looping
Authors: Ma Zhong , Xiao Rui , Zhang Huiyan
Published: January 2017

A technology for hydrogen storage is proposed based on the repeated reduction of magnetite (Fe3O4+4 H2→3 Fe+4 H2O) and the oxidization of metallic iron (3 Fe+4 H2O→Fe3O4+4 H2). Herein, we prepared three montmorillonite (MMT)‐supported iron oxide samples by using a sol–gel method and demonstrated their application in hydrogen storage through a chemical looping process. The redox performance of the Fe‐MMT samples was studied at 600 °C in a fixed‐bed reactor. The results showed that 70 Fe‐MMT (with 70 wt % Fe2O3) exhibited relatively good redox performance owing to its excellent anti‐agglomeration ability and sintering resistance. After the redox performance tests, Fe2SiO4 was observed in all Fe‐MMT samples. It was worth noting that the diffraction intensity of Fe2SiO4 in 70 Fe‐MMT was much weaker than in 30 Fe‐MMT (30 wt % Fe2O3) and 50 Fe‐MMT (50 wt % Fe2O3), which was owed to the high MMT content in the 30 Fe‐MMT and 50 Fe‐MMT samples. The formation of Fe2SiO4 in repeated redox cycles could reduce the stability and recyclability of Fe‐MMT samples. This might be the major reason for the better hydrogen storage performance of 70 Fe‐MMT compared with 30 Fe‐MMT and 50 Fe‐MMT.
The free energy of locking a ring: Changing a deoxyribonucleoside to a locked nucleic acid
Authors: Xu You , Villa Alessandra , Nilsson Lennart
Published: January 2017

Locked nucleic acid (LNA), a modified nucleoside which contains a bridging group across the ribose ring, improves the stability of DNA/RNA duplexes significantly, and therefore is of interest in biotechnology and gene therapy applications. In this study, we investigate the free energy change between LNA and DNA nucleosides. The transformation requires the breaking of the bridging group across the ribose ring, a problematic transformation in free energy calculations. To address this, we have developed a 3‐step (easy to implement) and a 1‐step protocol (more efficient, but more complicated to setup), for single and dual topologies in classical molecular dynamics simulations, using the Bennett Acceptance Ratio method to calculate the free energy. We validate the approach on the solvation free energy difference for the nucleosides thymidine, cytosine, and 5‐methyl‐cytosine. © 2017 The Authors. Journal of Computational Chemistry Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Evaluation of the hybrid resolution PACE model for the study of folding, insertion, and pore formation of membrane associated peptides
Authors: Ward Michael D. , Nangia Shivangi , May Eric R.
Published: January 2017

The PACE force field presents an attractive model for conducting molecular dynamics simulations of membrane‐protein systems. PACE is a hybrid model, in which lipids and solvents are coarse‐grained consistent with the MARTINI mapping, while proteins are described by a united atom model. However, given PACE is linked to MARTINI, which is widely used to study membranes, the behavior of proteins interacting with membranes has only been limitedly examined in PACE. In this study, PACE is used to examine the behavior of several peptides in membrane environments, namely WALP peptides, melittin and influenza hemagglutinin fusion peptide (HAfp). Overall, we find PACE provides an improvement over MARTINI for modeling helical peptides, based on the membrane insertion energetics for WALP16 and more realistic melittin pore dynamics. Our studies on HAfp, which forms a helical hairpin structure, do not show the hairpin structure to be stable, which may point toward a deficiency in the model. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Time‐dependent density functional theory study on direction‐dependent electron and hole transfer processes in molecular systems
Authors: Partovi‐Azar Pouya , Kaghazchi Payam
Published: January 2017

We report on real‐time time‐dependent density functional theory calculations on direction‐dependent electron and hole transfer processes in molecular systems. As a model system, we focus on α‐sulfur. It is shown that time scale of the electron transfer process from a negatively charged S8 molecule to a neighboring neutral monomer is comparable to that of a strong infrared‐active molecular vibrations of the dimer with one negatively charged monomer. This results in a strong coupling between the electrons and the nuclei motion which eventually leads to S8 ring opening before the electron transfer process is completed. The open‐ring structure is found to be stable. The similar infrared‐active peak in the case of hole transfer, however, is shown to be very weak and hence no significant scattering by the nuclei is possible. The presented approach to study the charge transfer processes in sulfur has direct applications in the increasingly growing research field of charge transport in molecular systems. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Extreme biophysics: Enzymes under pressure
Authors: Huang Qi , Rodgers Jocelyn M. , Hemley Russell J. , Ichiye Toshiko
Published: January 2017

A critical question about piezophilic (pressure‐loving) microbes is how their constituent molecules maintain function under high pressure. Here, factors are examined that may lead to the increased activity under pressure in dihydrofolate reductase from the piezophilic Moritella profunda compared to the homologous enzyme from the mesophilic Escherichia coli. Molecular dynamics simulations are performed at various temperatures and pressures to examine how pressure affects the flexibility of the enzymes from these two microbes, since both stability and flexibility are necessary for enzyme activity. The results suggest that collective motions on the 10‐ns timescale are responsible for the flexibility necessary for “corresponding states” activity at the growth conditions of the parent organism. In addition, the results suggest that while the lower stability of many enzymes from deep‐sea microbes may be an adaptation for greater flexibility at low temperatures, high pressure may enhance their adaptation to low temperatures. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
A macro analytic method for coal tar derived from pyrolysis at different temperatures
Authors: Liu Qihang , Li Xiaoming , Wu Keng
Published: January 2017

There is considerable interest in experimental and computational investigations of how tar is affected by the conditions employed for coal pyrolysis. Although a multitude of analysis methods for coal tar have been developed and tested, few have focused on the dynamics of tar formation on a macro level. In this work, an experimental device was designed to analyze the dynamic characteristics of the tar release process at different temperatures. The tar yield was continuously recorded during the process of coal pyrolysis; then the release proportion of coal tar, which was similar to weightless conversion in thermogravimetric analysis, was defined. Based on the macroscopic phenomena of tar release, dynamic equations were deduced to establish a hybrid dynamic model for tar generation. The fitting result illustrates that the established hybrid dynamic model is effective for predicting the tar yield. Furthermore, the shrinking core model, a multi‐particle first‐order reaction, and the Anti–Jander diffusion equation were built to elucidate the macro release mechanisms of coal tar.
Congolese children with sickle cell trait may exhibit glomerular hyperfiltration: A case control study
Authors: Aloni Michel Ntetani , Ngiyulu René Makwala , Nsibu Célestin Ndosimao , Ekulu Pépé Mfutu , Makulo Jean Robert , Gini‐Ehungu Jean‐Lambert , Nseka Nazaire Mangani , Lepira François Bompeka
Published: January 2017

Background

The prevalence of sickle cell trait is extremely high in sub‐Saharan Africa. Recent studies have reported the impact of sickle cell carriers on renal function. However, data on renal abnormalities in children with sickle cell trait in this part of the world are unknown. In this report, we assess the glomerular function of children with sickle cell trait (SCT).

Methods

A case control study was conducted to assess the glomerular function in 43 Congolese children with sickle cell trait (Hb‐AS) matched for age to 65 children with sickle cell anemia in steady state (Hb‐SS) and 67 normal controls (Hb‐AA).

Results

There was a significant difference in the blood pressure levels between the Hb‐AS group vs Hb‐SS group (P<.05). The estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) corrected for body surface area was increased in Hb‐AS group compared to Hb‐AA group, but there was no significant difference between the two groups (P=.48). At the same time, the eGFR was decreased, but no significantly so, in the Hb‐AS group compared to the Hb‐SS group (P=.19). The proportion of children with Hb‐AS (16.3%) who had hyperfiltration was higher compared to the proportion (6.1%) found in the Hb‐AA group, but lower compared to the proportion found in the Hb‐SS group (30%). However, in both situations, the difference was not statistically significant. No case of proteinuria was detected in children with Hb‐AS.

Conclusion

It appears that at least one of six children with SCT had hyperfiltration. The findings could form a basis for further studies on this renal physiology among SCT individuals in Africa.
Oxidative bromination and oxidation of organic substrates catalyzed by bis[2,2'‐hydroxyphenylbenzimidazole]Fe(III) complex entrapped in zeolite‐Y cavity
Authors: Eshwar Rao Shilpa , Virupaiah Gayathri
Published: January 2017

BACKGROUND

Zeolite encapsulated transition metal complexes have proven to be better catalysts for most organic transformations as they share advantages of both homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysts because the complex inside the zeolite cage can move within the cavity but at the same time cannot come out of it owing to its size. Hence, some reports claim application of these encapsulated complexes in various organic transformations. Introduction of bromine into aromatic compounds is an important fundamental reaction in organic chemistry. On the other hand, oxidations of saturated and unsaturated compounds also find application in the synthesis of fine chemicals.

RESULTS

The positions of peaks in the cyclic voltammogram of the encapsulated complex were unaltered, accompanied by an increase in current with scan rate, substantiating encapsulation of the complex within the cavity. This complex was catalytically active in the presence of H2O2 towards the oxidation of cyclohexane and ethylbenzene. Its catalytic efficiency was examined in the oxidative bromination of organic substrates using KBr at room temperature, wherein high para‐selectivity was obtained. It displayed better conversion/selectivity than Fe(opbmzl)2NO3 retaining its catalytic activity up to five consecutive runs. Plausible mechanisms involving hydro‐peroxo intermediate have been proposed.

CONCLUSION

Zeolite encapsulated bis[2,2'‐hydroxyphenylbenzimidazole]Fe(III) complex behaved as a versatile catalyst for various organic transformations. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry
Comparing positive and negative reinforcement: A fantasy experiment
Authors: Nevin John A. , Mandell Charlotte
Published: January 2017

We propose quantitative experimental approaches to the question of whether positive and negative reinforcement are functionally different, and discuss scientific and ethical concerns that would arise if these approaches were pursued.
Synthesis of Tetrahydrobenzo[g]Quinoline Derivatives Using Recoverable Carbonaceous Material as Heterogeneous Catalyst
Authors: Lin Jialing , Chen Jiameng , Ji Hongfu , Zhao Jun , Zhang Furen , Li Chunmei
Published: January 2017

A variety of substituted benzo[g]quinoline‐5,10‐dione derivatives were synthesized via one‐pot three‐component reaction of 2‐hydroxynaphthalene‐1,4‐dione, aromatic aldehydes, and (E)‐3‐aminobut‐2‐enoates using carbonaceous material as the heterocyclic catalyst. This procedure is simple and efficient owing to short reaction times, easy work‐up, and recovery of heterogeneous catalyst. This procedure develops an efficient and promising synthetic method to construction of the benzo[g]quinoline‐5,10‐dione skeleton.
The extraordinary windstorm of 7 December 1868 in the Czech Lands and its central European context
Authors: Brázdil Rudolf , Szabó Péter , Stucki Peter , Dobrovolný Petr , Řezníčková Ladislava , Kotyza Oldřich , Valášek Hubert , Melo Marián , Suchánková Silvie , Dolák Lukáš , Chromá Kateřina
Published: January 2017

An extreme windstorm that took place on 7 December 1868 in the Czech Lands is analysed by means of rich documentary evidence from narrative sources, damage records, forestry journals and newspapers. Early meteorological measurements and a numerical atmospheric reanalysis support the documentary reconstruction. The windstorm reached hurricane‐force over the Czech Lands between 0900 and 1600 of local mean time and was related to the passage of a cold front. The high winds, achieving hurricane‐force, led to loss of human lives and many other casualties, as well as to severe damage to buildings and other structures. In particular, the documentary sources facilitate a quantitative reconstruction of the massive windthrow that occurred in forested areas across the Czech Lands, where the windstorm damaged at least 8 million m3 of timber, which is arguably more than has been lost to any single similar event since. Reasons for the extreme windthrow, apart from wind forces and destabilization arising from wet and thawed soils, were found in increased vulnerability arising out of old, dense and mono‐species conifer stands and inadequate clear‐cutting and thinning measures. For the Czech Lands, this event was the most damaging windstorm in the 19th century. Moreover, damage reports are found from the British Isles, the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany to Austria, the Czech Lands and Poland, documenting its disastrous effects on a (sub‐)continental scale.
Biochemical markers to predict internal browning disorders in ‘Rocha’ pear during storage under high CO2
Authors: Deuchande Teresa , Larrigaudière Christian , Guterres Umbelina , Carvalho Susana MP , Vasconcelos Marta W
Published: January 2017

BACKGROUND

The aim of this study was to identify biochemical markers to predict internal browning disorders (IBD) in ‘Rocha’ pear. Fruits from five orchards were stored for 45 days under cold air followed by 100 days in browning‐inducing controlled atmosphere (CA) conditions (1 kPa O2 + 10 kPa CO2).

RESULTS

Relationships between concentrations of ethanol (EtOH), acetaldehyde (AcDH) and ascorbic acid (AA), activities of peroxidase (POX) and polyphenoloxidase (PPO) and IBD incidence were established. The partial least square (PLS) model using the most promising markers, EtOH and AcDH, explained 89% of the variance in IBD incidence, whereas the univariate models based on the same markers explained between 89 and 94%. In contrast, the models based on AA levels and AA depletion rate only explained 57 and 82% of the variance in IBD incidence respectively. Model validation confirmed the robustness of EtOH for the prediction (R2 = 0.91, RMSE = 11.1) and allowed proposing a threshold level of 30 µL EtOH L−1 above which IBD may occur. Using this threshold value, the storage time limit associated with the occurrence of the first IBD symptoms was predicted with an acceptable RMSE of 9 days.

CONCLUSION

This work clearly identifies biochemical IBD markers for ‘Rocha’ pear and shows that dynamic changes in ethanol concentration during the beginning of storage may be used to predict IBD development. Therefore the results presented herein represent a major step forward in the prediction of IBD in ‘Rocha’ pear. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry
Stability of color in Spanish‐style green table olives pasteurized and stored in plastic containers
Authors: Sánchez Antonio Higinio , López‐López Antonio , Beato Víctor Manuel , de Castro Antonio , Montaño Alfredo
Published: January 2017

BACKGROUND

There is an increasing interest in the use of pasteurizable plastic packaging by the olive industry. In order to investigate the change from traditional glass or varnished can containers to plastic packaging, the proper plastic material that is compatible with fermented olives while maintaining color quality during pasteurization treatment and storage must be selected. This work is focused on color stability in two distinct pasteurizable plastic containers with different oxygen permeability.

RESULTS

In PET + MDPE/EVOH (polyethylene terephthalate + medium‐density polyethylene/ethylene vinyl alcohol) pouches, pasteurization provoked severe browning which drastically decreased their color shelf life (<6 weeks). However, this browning did not occur in the unpasteurized product without preservatives owing to the presence of microorganisms. In AlOx‐coated PET + MDPE (aluminum oxide coating on polyethylene terephthalate + medium‐density polyethylene) pouches, color changes were small or negligible throughout storage, especially if ascorbic acid was added to the packing solution (shelf life > 6.5 months).

CONCLUSION

The plastic material had a significant effect on the retention of color of the pasteurized product. The use of AlOx‐coated PET + MDPE pouches could be an alternative to traditional packaging for the pasteurization and storage of Spanish‐style green olives from a color quality standpoint. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry
The involvement of MsmK in pathogenesis of the Streptococcus suis serotype 2
Authors: Tan Mei‐Fang , Liu Wan‐Quan , Zhang Chun‐Yan , Gao Ting , Zheng Lin‐Lin , Qiu De‐Xin , Li Lu , Zhou Rui
Published: January 2017

Streptococcus suis serotype 2 (SS2) is an important swine and human pathogen that causes global economic and public health problems. Virulent S. suis strains successfully maintain high bacterial concentrations in host blood and rapidly adapt to challenging environments within hosts. Successful survival in hosts is a major factor influencing the pathogenesis of SS2. We have previously identified that SS2 colonization in mouse brain is possibly affected by the ATPase, MsmK of carbohydrate ATP‐binding cassette (ABC) transporters because of carbohydrate utilization. In this study, the chain length of the msmK deletion mutant was longer than that of the wild type, and the former was significantly more susceptible than the latter when theses strains were exposed to mouse blood both in vivo and in vitro. The hemolytic activity of the mutant strain was decreased. Although the adhesion of the mutant to HEp‐2 cell lines was enhanced, the deletion of msmK impaired the abilities of SS2 to resist phagocytosis and survive severe stress conditions. MsmK contributed to the survival and adaptation of SS2 in host bloodstream. Therefore, MsmK was identified as a multifunctional component that not only contributed to carbohydrate utilization but also participated in SS2 pathogenesis.
Boundary layer mesh generation on arbitrary geometries
Authors: Aubry R. , Dey S. , Mestreau E. L. , Karamete B. K.
Published: January 2017

Volume boundary layer mesh generation on non‐smooth geometries with multiple normals is considered in this work. A new highlight is given to corner and ridge boundary layer mesh generation through the generalized Voronoi diagram in general, and the spherical Voronoi diagram in particular. This provides the keystone to allow for the first time boundary layer mesh generation at arbitrary corner configurations. The work proposed in is revisited and compared with the new approach. A detailed description of the new algorithm is provided. The spherical Voronoi diagram delivers geometrically the optimal normals as well as topologically the optimal connectivities, as far as normality is concerned. Numerical examples illustrate the accuracy and robustness of the method. This approach seems to handle arbitrary geometry boundary layer mesh generation, in theory as well as in practice. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Synergetic reinforcements of epoxy composites with glass fibers and hyperbranched polymers
Authors: Li Shuiping , Wu Qisheng , Cui Chong , Zhu Huajun , Hou Haijun , Lin Qing , Li Yanbo , Lv Tingting
Published: January 2017

Glass fibers (GFs) and hyperbranched polymers with amino terminal groups (HBPA) were introduced into epoxy/polyamide system to fabricate high‐performance composites. The impact resistance and mechanical characterization of epoxy/HBPA/GFs composites was performed to investigate the effect of GFs in the composites. The composites revealed noticeable improvement in tensile strength, elongation at break, flexural strength as well as impact resistance in comparison with the unmodified and HBPA modified epoxy/polyamide thermosets. FESEM morphologies showed that the toughening mechanisms could be attributed to the yielding deformation, phase separation and micro‐crack toughening mechanisms. POLYM. COMPOS., 39:2871–2879, 2018. © 2017 Society of Plastics Engineers
Defined daily doses (DDD) do not accurately reflect opioid doses used in contemporary chronic pain treatment
Authors: Nielsen Suzanne , Gisev Natasa , Bruno Raimondo , Hall Wayne , Cohen Milton , Larance Briony , Campbell Gabrielle , Shanahan Marian , Blyth Fiona , Lintzeris Nicholas , Pearson Sallie , Mattick Richard , Degenhardt Louisa
Published: January 2017

Objective

To assess how well the defined daily dose (DDD) metric reflects opioid utilisation among chronic non‐cancer pain patients.

Design

Descriptive, cross‐sectional study, utilising a 7‐day medication diary.

Setting

Community‐based treatment settings, Australia.

Subjects

A sample of 1101 people prescribed opioids for chronic non‐cancer pain.

Methods

Opioid dose data was collected via a self‐completed 7‐day medication diary capturing names, strengths and doses of each medication taken in the past week. Median daily dose was calculated for each opioid. Comparisons were made to the World Health Organization's (WHO) DDD metric.

Results

WHO DDDs ranged from 0.6 to 7.1 times the median opioid doses used by the sample. For transdermal fentanyl and oral hydromorphone, the median dose was comparable with the DDD. The DDD for methadone was 0.6 times lower than the median doses used by this sample of chronic pain patients. In contrast, the DDD for oxycodone and transdermal buprenorphine, the most commonly used strong opioids for chronic pain in Australia, was two to seven times higher than actual doses used.

Conclusions

For many opioids, there are key differences between the actual doses used in clinical practice and the WHO's DDDs. The interpretation of opioid utilisation studies using population‐level DDDs may be limited, and a recalibration of the DDD for many opioids or the reporting of opioid utilisation in oral morphine equivalent doses is recommended. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Effect of organoclay incorporation and blending protocol on performance of PA6/ABS nanocomposites compatibilized with SANMA
Authors: Castro L.D.C. , Oliveira A.D. , Kersch M. , Altstädt V. , Pessan L.A.
Published: January 2017

The effect of organoclay incorporation and four different blending protocols on morphological, rheological, thermal, thermomechanical, and mechanical properties of PA6/ABS/SANMA/OMMT (55.0/35.0/5.0/5.0 wt%) nanocomposites was evaluated. As expected, even only with minor amounts of clay loading, significant reinforcement effect on mechanical and thermomechanical properties was achieved. Despite the morphological and structural similarities between studied compositions, it was found that mixing sequence might have great influence in mechanical properties, particularly in toughness. It is supposed that compatibilizing process though in situ reactions is much more efficient when PA6, ABS and SANMA are blended in the same extrusion step. Otherwise, when such condition is not satisfied, PA6/OMMT interactions seems to hamper the compatibilizing effect of SANMA, leading to inferior impact strength. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 57:1147–1154, 2017. © 2017 Society of Plastics Engineers
PTh/Co3O4 nanocomposites as new conducting materials for micro/nano‐sized electronic devices
Authors: Ozkazanc Ersel
Published: January 2017

This paper reports polythiophene/cobalt (II,III) oxide (PTh/Co3O4) nanocomposites synthesized via in situ polymerization of thiophene in the presence of Co3O4 at various molar concentrations. Samples were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT‐IR), X‐ray diffraction (XRD), Energy‐dispersive X‐ray (EDX) spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The alternating current (ac) conductivity of the samples was studied depending on the temperature. XRD analyses indicated that the filling process decreased the π − π stacking distance of PT chains. The most significant shift was observed in the C‐S band of PTh depending on the filling process. Thermal stability of the PTh increased with increasing concentration of Co3O4. Filling process reduced the surface roughness of PTh. The ac conductivity analyses indicated that charge transport mechanism of the samples was consistent with corraleted barrier hopping (CBH) model. The conductivity of PTh increased about 18 times for maximum filling level depending on temperature and frequency. The thermal stability and controllable ac conductivity properties of PTh/Co3O4 nanocomposites showed that they can be used in the production of micro/nano‐sized electronic circuit elements with lower cost. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 57:1168–1178, 2017. © 2017 Society of Plastics Engineers
Poly(lactic acid)/modified gum arabic based bionanocomposite films: Thermal degradation kinetics
Authors: Tripathi Neelima , Monika  , Katiyar Vimal
Published: January 2017

The present work demonstrates the thermal degradation behavior of polylactic acid (PLA) and oligo‐(lactic acid)‐grafted‐gum arabic (LA‐g‐GA) based bionanocomposite films. The LA‐g‐GA was prepared by polycondensation of lactic acid in the presence of gum arabic, and proved to be a unique biobased filler. The thermal degradation of PLA was found to be a single‐step process. Thermogravimetric Analysis hyphenated to Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy. (TGA‐FTIR) was conducted to study the evolved gaseous products from PLA and PLA/LA‐g‐GA samples, for interpreting the degradation pathways. The detailed investigation about thermal degradation kinetics of PLA and PLA/LA‐g‐GA bionanocomposite films were performed using isoconversional models (Augis & Benett, Flynn‐wall‐ozawa and Kissinger‐Akhira‐Sunose) and model fitting method (Kissinger). Activation energies obtained by F‐W‐O and K‐A‐S models have been found to be in good agreement with Kissinger model as compared to Augis & Bennett model. The activation energies of neat PLA films were determined from Kissinger, Augis & Bennett, F‐W‐O and K‐A‐S models, and were found to be 254, 259, 257, and 260 kJ mol−1, respectively. For the composite films, it was observed that the activation energy of degradation is dependent on its conversion. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 57:1193–1206, 2017. © 2017 Society of Plastics Engineers
Key messages for communicating information about BRCA1 and BRCA2 to women with breast or ovarian cancer: Consensus across health professionals and service users
Authors: Jacobs Chris , Pichert Gabriella , Harris Jackie , Tucker Kathy , Michie Susan
Published: January 2017

Background

Genetic testing of cancer predisposing genes will increasingly be needed in oncology clinics to target cancer treatment. This Delphi study aimed to identify areas of agreement and disagreement between genetics and oncology health professionals and service users about the key messages required by women with breast/ovarian cancer who undergo BRCA1/BRCA2 genetic testing and the optimal timing of communicating key messages.

Methods

Participants were 16 expert health professionals specialising in oncology/genetics and 16 service users with breast/ovarian cancer and a pathogenic BRCA1/BRCA2 variant. Online questionnaires containing 53 inductively developed information messages were circulated to the groups separately. Participants rated each message as key/not key on a Likert scale and suggested additional messages. Questionnaires were modified according to the feedback and up to 3 rounds were circulated. Consensus was reached when there was ≥75% agreement.

Results

Thirty key messages were agreed by both groups with 7 of the key messages agreed by ≥95% of participants: dominant inheritance, the availability of predictive testing, the importance of pretest discussion, increased risk of breast and ovarian cancer, and the option of risk‐reducing mastectomy and bilateral salpingo‐oophorectomy. Both groups agreed that key messages should be communicated before genetic testing and once a pathogenic variant has been identified.

Conclusions

There was a high level of agreement within and between the groups about the information requirements of women with breast/ovarian cancer about BRCA1/BRCA2. These key messages will be helpful in developing new approaches to the delivery of information as genetic testing becomes further integrated into mainstream oncology services.
The connection between extreme stratospheric polar vortex events and tropospheric blockings
Authors: Huang Jinlong , Tian Wenshou , Zhang Jiankai , Huang Qian , Tian Hongying , Luo Jiali
Published: January 2017

The variations of tropospheric blockings and their connections with the stratospheric polar vortex during different stages of the life cycle of extreme stratospheric polar vortex events (i.e. strong vortex (SV) events and weak vortex (WV) events) are investigated. The blocking frequency decreases over the Euro‐Atlantic sector and increases over the western North Pacific during the onset and maturation stages of SV events. There are more blocking days over the western North Pacific and weakened upward planetary wave fluxes in the stratosphere during the maturation stage of shorter time‐scale SV events than during longer time‐scale SV events and the weakening of the upward planetary wave fluxes mainly results from the linear wave interference effect. The blocking frequency is increased over the Euro‐Atlantic sector during the decline stage of SV events. This increase is found to be related to the descending stratospheric zonal wind anomalies and the poleward displacement of the eddy‐driven jet stream, which lasts for about 10 days and is associated with the descending positive stratospheric Northern Annular Mode (NAM) anomalies. The increased blocking frequency leads to an enhancement of the planetary wave fluxes in the stratosphere via both the linear wave interference (for shorter time‐scale SV events) and nonlinear wave interference (for longer time‐scale SV events) effect.

The changes of the blocking frequency during the growth stage of WV events are almost opposite to those observed during the onset and maturation stages of SV events. The blocking frequency decreases over the Euro‐Atlantic sector after the central dates of WV events, which are related to the descending stratospheric zonal wind anomalies and the equatorward displacement of the eddy‐driven jet stream preceded by the descending negative stratospheric NAM anomalies about 10 days. We found that the nonlinear wave interference begins to make a considerable contribution to the weakening of the upward wave fluxes in the stratosphere after the central date of WV events and this is not emphasized in previous literature.
Bora wind and heavy persistent precipitation: atmospheric water balance and role of air–sea fluxes over the Adriatic Sea
Authors: Davolio Silvio , Henin Riccardo , Stocchi Paolo , Buzzi Andrea
Published: January 2017

The Adriatic basin is regularly affected by cold, strong and gusty bora winds blowing from the northeast, especially during winter. These events are characterized by intense air–sea interactions and produce important meteorological effects not only over the eastern Adriatic basin, where bora originates and attains its maximum intensity, but also downstream over the Italian peninsula where heavy rainfall and snowfall can occur.

The present study aims at evaluating the impact of surface fluxes of sensible and latent heat, that characterize air–sea interaction during a bora episode, on wind strength and profiles over the Adriatic Sea, in relation to intense precipitation affecting the Apennines and the Italian coast. High‐resolution numerical simulations are used in order to assess the role of surface fluxes in modulating the atmospheric water balance, modifying the thermodynamic characteristic of the boundary layer and, in turn, the dynamics of the orographic flow regime.

Results show that while surface evaporation is responsible for a relatively small contribution to the total atmospheric water budget over the Adriatic area, surface fluxes still have a remarkable impact on precipitation via dynamical processes. Both sensible and latent heat fluxes modify the speed, temperature and moisture profiles of the low‐level bora wind, sensibly changing the dynamical characteristics of interaction of the flow with the downstream orography. The orographic flow regime determines the intensity and location of orographically induced uplift and hence precipitation. Therefore, the picture that directly associates the precipitation amount upstream and over the Apennines with the degree of moistening of air during its passage over the sea and with orographic uplift is shown to be too simplistic. The variations of the wind speed and static stability due to surface fluxes involve complex and nonlinear effects, changing the flow regime in response to the orographic forcing and thus determining amount and location of heavy precipitation.
Diagnosis and normalization of gridpoint background‐error variances induced by a block‐diagonal wavelet covariance matrix
Authors: Chabot V. , Berre L. , Desroziers G.
Published: January 2017

A wavelet block‐diagonal approach can be used in order to specify 3D background‐error covariances from ensemble data. In this study, it is first formally demonstrated how resulting variances in grid‐point space can be expressed and diagnosed from variances of wavelet coefficients of background errors. In particular, it is shown that grid‐point variances can be seen as resulting from the application of scale‐dependent spatial filters to wavelet variance fields. In the context of correlation modelling, these formal results can be used for computing normalization coefficients in an accurate and efficient way, in order to ensure that diagonal elements of the resulting correlation matrix are effectively equal to one. The links between these normalization coefficients and correlation length‐scales are illustrated and discussed. The impact of this normalization approach is also examined in analysis and forecast experiments with the Météo‐France ARPEGE 4D‐Var system.
A γ‐Strawman privacy‐preserving scheme in weighted social networks
Authors: Chen Jing , Zhang Bowen , Chen Min , Yuan Quan , Du Ruiying
Published: January 2017

With the dramatic development of social network applications, such as the Facebook, Twitter, and MySpace, privacy‐preserving problem is getting increasingly concerned. Apart from node information, researchers have found that structure information can also leak data providers' privacy, especially in weighted social networks. However, most of the existing private‐preserving schemes focus on a single aspect. The comprehensive consideration introduces two challenges. On one hand, the different anonymity demands of node and structure information lead to the collision of different design criteria, which is called as consistency matching problem. On the other hand, the simple combination of existing schemes may introduce large amounts of unnecessary changes, which makes the published information meaningless. Thus, we must find the balance between anonymity demands and changes, which is called as optimization trade‐off problem. In this paper, we propose a γ‐Strawman privacy‐preserving scheme in weighted social networks to solve these challenges. To address consistency matching problem, we propose a greedy algorithm based on a user trade‐off metric. For optimization tradeoff problem, a closeness edge‐editing technology is considered, which can change the private information slightly. Finally, we evaluate our scheme on real‐world datasets, the experimental results show that the γ‐Strawman scheme is efficient. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Toxicity assessment of zero valent iron nanoparticles on Artemia salina
Authors: Kumar Deepak , Roy Rajdeep , Parashar Abhinav , Raichur Ashok M. , Chandrasekaran Natarajan , Mukherjee Anita , Mukherjee Amitava
Published: January 2017

The present study deals with the toxicity assessment of two differently synthesized zero valent iron nanoparticles (nZVI, chemical and biological) as well as Fe2+ ions on Artemia salina at three different initial concentrations of 1, 10, and 100 mg/L of these particles. The assessment was done till 96 h at time intervals of 24 h. EC50 value was calculated to evaluate the 50% mortality of Artemia salina at all exposure time durations. Between chemically and biologically synthesized nZVI nanoparticles, insignificant differences in the level of mortality were demonstrated. At even 24 h, Fe2+ ion imparted complete lethality at the highest exposure concentration (100 mg/L). To understand intracellular oxidative stress because of zero valent iron nanoparticles, ROS estimation, SOD activity, GSH activity, and catalase activity was performed which demonstrated that ionic form of iron is quite lethal at high concentrations as compared with the same concentration of nZVI exposure. Lower concentrations of nZVI were more toxic as compared with the ionic form and was in order of CS‐nZVI > BS‐nZVI > Fe2+. Cell membrane damage and bio‐uptake of nanoparticles were also evaluated for all three concentrations of BS‐nZVI, CS‐nZVI, and Fe2+ using adult Artemia salina in marine water; both of which supported the observations made in toxicity assessment. This study can be further explored to exploit Artemia salina as a model organism and a biomarker in an nZVI prone aquatic system to detect toxic levels of these nanoparticles. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Environ Toxicol 32: 1617–1627, 2017.
Cyto‐genotoxicity and oxidative stress in common carp (Cyprinus carpio) exposed to a mixture of ibuprofen and diclofenac
Authors: Islas‐Flores Hariz , Manuel Gómez‐Oliván Leobardo , Galar‐Martínez Marcela , Michelle Sánchez‐Ocampo Esmeralda , SanJuan‐Reyes Nely , Ortíz‐Reynoso Mariana , Dublán‐García Octavio
Published: January 2017

Thirty million people worldwide consume each day nonsteroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), a heterogeneous group of pharmaceuticals used for its analgesic, antipyretic, and anti‐inflammatory properties. Recent studies report high NSAID concentrations in wastewater treatment plant effluents, in surface, ground, and drinking water, and in sediments. NSAIDs are also known to induce toxicity on aquatic organisms. However, toxicity in natural ecosystems is not usually the result of exposure to a single substance but to a mixture of toxic agents, yet only a few studies have evaluated the toxicity of mixtures. The aim of this study was to evaluate the toxicity induced by diclofenac (DCF), ibuprofen (IBP), and their mixture on a species of commercial interest, the common carp Cyprinus carpio. The median lethal concentration of IBP and DCF was determined, and oxidative stress was evaluated using the following biomarkers: lipid peroxidation and activity of the antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione peroxidase. Cyto‐genotoxicity was evaluated by micronucleus test, comet assay, and the specific activity of caspase‐3. Results show that DCF, IBP, and a mixture of these pharmaceuticals induced free radical production, oxidative stress and cyto‐genotoxicity in tissues of C. carpio. However, a greater effect was elicited by the mixture than by either pharmaceutical alone in some biomarkers evaluated, particularly in gill. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Environ Toxicol 32: 1637–1650, 2017.
Genetic polymorphism in matrix metalloproteinase‐9 and transforming growth factor‐β1 and susceptibility to combined pulmonary fibrosis and emphysema in a Chinese population
Authors: Xu Ling , Bian Wei , Gu Xiao‐Hua , Shen Ce
Published: January 2017

In this study, we aimed to explore the association of genetic polymorphism in matrix metalloproteinase‐9 (MMP‐9) and transforming growth factor‐β1 (TGF‐β1) and the susceptibility to combined pulmonary fibrosis and emphysema (CPFE). We examined the polymorphisms of the MMP‐9 C‐1562T and TGF‐β1 T869C in 38 CPFE patients, 50 pulmonary emphysema patients, and 34 idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) patients. The frequencies of polymorphic genotypes in MMP‐9 were 78.95% CC and 21.05% CT in CPFE group, 76.0% CC and 24.0% CT in emphysema group, and 100.0% CC in IPF group. There were highly statistically significant increased frequencies of the CT genotype and T allele in CPFE and emphysema groups compared with IPF group (p < 0.05). The frequencies of polymorphic genotypes in TGF‐β1 were 2.63% CC, 28.95% CT, 68.42% TT in CPFE group, 4.00% CC, 16.00% CT, 80.00% TT in emphysema group, and 5.88% CC, 41.18% CT, 52.94% TT in IPF group. Significant increases in the TT genotype and T allele frequencies were observed in emphysema group compared with IPF group (p < 0.05). Our study has showed that T allele in MMP‐9 (C‐1562T) and T allele in TGF‐β1 (T869C) are risk factors of pulmonary emphysema. The T allele in MMP‐9 (C‐1562T) possibly predisposes patients with pulmonary fibrosis to develop emphysema.
Institutions on the Edge
Authors: Helmke Gretchen
Published: January 2017

Why does institutional instability pervade the developing world? Examining contemporary Latin America, Institutions on the Edge develops and tests a novel argument to explain why institutional crises emerge, spread, and repeat in some countries, but not in others. The book draws on formal bargaining theories developed in the conflict literature to offer the first unified micro-level account of inter-branch crises. In so doing, Helmke shows that concentrating power in the executive branch not only fuels presidential crises under divided government, but also triggers broader constitutional crises that cascade on to the legislature and the judiciary. Along the way, Helmke highlights the importance of public opinion and mass protests, and elucidates the conditions under which divided government matters for institutional instability.