bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Positive feedback between chironomids and algae creates net mutualism between benthic primary consumers and producers
Authors: Herren Cristina M. , Webert Kyle C. , Drake Michael D. , Jake Vander Zanden M. , Einarsson Árni , Ives Anthony R. , Gratton Claudio
Published: November 2016

The chironomids of Lake Mývatn show extreme population fluctuations that affect most aspects of the lake ecosystem. During periods of high chironomid densities, chironomid larvae comprise over 90% of aquatic secondary production. Here, we show that chironomid larvae substantially stimulate benthic gross primary production (GPP) and net primary production (NPP), despite consuming benthic algae. Benthic GPP in experimental mesocosms with 140,000 larvae/m2 was 71% higher than in mesocosms with no larvae. Similarly, chlorophyll a concentrations in mesocosms increased significantly over the range of larval densities. Furthermore, larvae showed increased growth rates at higher densities, possibly due to greater benthic algal availability in these treatments. We investigated the hypothesis that larvae promote benthic algal growth by alleviating nutrient limitation, and found that (1) larvae have the potential to cycle the entire yearly external loadings of nitrogen and phosphorus during the growing season, and (2) chlorophyll a concentrations were significantly greater in close proximity to larvae (on larval tubes). The positive feedback between chironomid larvae and benthic algae generated a net mutualism between the primary consumer and primary producer trophic levels in the benthic ecosystem. Thus, our results give an example in which unexpected positive feedbacks can lead to both high primary and high secondary production.
Termites promote resistance of decomposition to spatiotemporal variability in rainfall
Authors: Veldhuis Michiel P. , Laso Francisco J. , Olff Han , Berg Matty P.
Published: November 2016

The ecological impact of rapid environmental change will depend on the resistance of key ecosystems processes, which may be promoted by species that exert strong control over local environmental conditions. Recent theoretical work suggests that macrodetritivores increase the resistance of African savanna ecosystems to changing climatic conditions, but experimental evidence is lacking. We examined the effect of large fungus‐growing termites and other non‐fungus‐growing macrodetritivores on decomposition rates empirically with strong spatiotemporal variability in rainfall and temperature. Non‐fungus‐growing larger macrodetritivores (earthworms, woodlice, millipedes) promoted decomposition rates relative to microbes and small soil fauna (+34%) but both groups reduced their activities with decreasing rainfall. However, fungus‐growing termites increased decomposition rates strongest (+123%) under the most water‐limited conditions, making overall decomposition rates mostly independent from rainfall. We conclude that fungus‐growing termites are of special importance in decoupling decomposition rates from spatiotemporal variability in rainfall due to the buffered environment they create within their extended phenotype (mounds), that allows decomposition to continue when abiotic conditions outside are less favorable. This points at a wider class of possibly important ecological processes, where soil‐plant‐animal interactions decouple ecosystem processes from large‐scale climatic gradients. This may strongly alter predictions from current climate change models.
2,6‐Diisopropylanilinium Bromobismuthates
Authors: Pandey Souvik , Nair Anju , Andrews Alex P. , Venugopal Ajay
Published: November 2016

A systematic approach to obtain bromobismuthates with various bismuth/halide ratios stabilised by 2,6‐diisopropylanilinium cations [ArNH3] (Ar = 2,6‐diisopropylphenyl) is presented. New bromobismuthate compounds [(ArNH3)(BiBr4)]∞ (1), [(ArNH3)3(Bi2Br9)]∞ (2), [(ArNH3)3(BiBr6)] (3) and [(ArNH3)4(BiBr6)(Br)] (4) with Bi/Br ratios of 1:4, 1:4.5, 1:6 and 1:7 have been isolated and structurally characterised. [Bi2Br9]∞ is a new structural motif in halobismuthate chemistry. In all the compounds, extensive hydrogen bonding is observed between the bromobismuthate moiety and the 2,6‐diiosopropylanilinium cation, thus stabilising the inorganic–organic hybrid structures. Preliminary optical spectroscopic studies indicate that the optical band gap can be tuned by controlling the bismuth/halide ratio, which results in different dimensionalities in the halobismuthate structure. The compounds exhibit thermal stability up to 250 °C.
Structural and Physical Investigations of Coordination Complexes Involving Pyridylethylenedithio–Tetrathiafulvalene Ligands Decorated with Cyanoethylsulfanyl and Cyanoethylselanyl Moieties
Authors: Douib Haiet , Pointillart Fabrice , Lefeuvre Bertrand , Golhen Stéphane , Cador Olivier , Le Guennic Boris , Gouasmia Abdelkrim , Ouahab Lahcène
Published: November 2016

The two new ligands 4,5‐bis(2‐cyanoethylthio)‐4′,5′‐(4‐pyridylethylene‐1,2‐dithio)tetrathiafulvalene (L1) and 4,5‐bis(2‐cyanoethylseleno)‐4′,5′‐(4‐pyridylethylene‐1,2‐dithio)tetrathiafulvalene (L2) have been elaborated and used to synthesize five new coordination complexes of transition‐metal ions, namely, [Mn2(hfac)4(L1)2]2 (1; hfac– = 1,1,1,5,5,5‐hexafluoroacetylacetonate), [Cd(hfac)2(L1)2]·2CHCl3 (2), [Cu(hfac)2(L1)2] (3), [Co(hfac)2(L1)2]·2C6H14 (4) and [Mn(hfac)2(L2)2]·2C6H14 (5), which were characterized by single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction. Compounds 2–5 were identified as mononuclear complexes with different crystal packing depending on the nature of the metal centre. On the contrary, compound 1 was identified as a cyclic tetranuclear complex in which L1 is coordinated to the MnII ions through two different pyridyl and nitrile functionalizations. The photophysical properties of the ligands L1 and L2 were studied in solution and rationalized with time‐dependent density functional theory calculations.
Incorporation of Transition‐Metal‐Ion Guests (Co2+, Ni2+, Cu2+, Zn2+) into the Ti2‐Containing 18‐Tungsto‐2‐arsenate(III) Monolacunary Host
Authors: Wang Kai‐Yao , Bassil Bassem S. , Xing Xiaolin , Keita Bineta , Bindra Jasleen Kaur , Diefenbach Kariem , Dalal Naresh S. , Kortz Ulrich
Published: November 2016

The four 18‐tungsto‐2‐arsenates(III) [MII(H2O)(TiIVO)2(α‐AsIIIW9O33)2]12– [M = Co (CoTi2), Ni (NiTi2), Cu (CuTi2), Zn (ZnTi2)] were rationally synthesized by treating the respective divalent metal ions with the monolacunary, dititanium(IV)‐containing polyanion precursor [(TiIVO)2(α‐AsIIIW9O33)2]14– (Ti2) in aqueous solution. All four polyanions are isostructural and correspond to dimers with two Ti4+ and one M2+ ion sandwiched between two [α‐AsIIIW9O33]9– units. The compounds were characterized in the solid state by single‐crystal XRD, infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, and elemental analysis and in solution by UV/Vis and NMR spectroscopy as well as electrochemistry. Variable‐temperature magnetic susceptibility and variable‐field magnetization characterization of the paramagnetic derivatives indicate antiferromagnetic interactions between nearest neighbors in the solid state. The resolved hyperfine structure obtained from multifrequency EPR measurements on CuTi2 (which exhibits a Jahn–Teller effect) in the solid state lead us to assign the ground state mainly to the Cu dx²–y² orbital. Despite the fact that the four polyanions are isostructural and have the same overall negative charge, the cyclic voltammetric patterns featuring their chemically reversible reduction waves display distinct features. Electrocatalytic studies demonstrate that the activities of the polyanions towards nitrate reduction are strikingly influenced by the nature of the substituent metal ion.
A Single Electrochemical Probe Used for Analysis of Multiple Nucleic Acid Sequences
Authors: Mills Dawn M. , Calvo‐Marzal Percy , Pinzon Jeffer M. , Armas Stephanie , Kolpashchikov Dmitry M. , Chumbimuni‐Torres Karin Y.
Published: November 2016

Electrochemical hybridization sensors have been explored extensively for analysis of specific nucleic acids. However, commercialization of the platform is hindered by the need for attachment of separate oligonucleotide probes complementary to a RNA or DNA target to an electrode's surface. Here we demonstrate that a single probe can be used to analyze several nucleic acid targets with high selectivity and low cost. The universal electrochemical four‐way junction (4J)‐forming (UE4J) sensor consists of a universal DNA stem‐loop (USL) probe attached to the electrode's surface and two adaptor strands (m and f) which hybridize to the USL probe and the analyte to form a 4J associate. The m adaptor strand was conjugated with a methylene blue redox marker for signal ON sensing and monitored using square wave voltammetry. We demonstrated that a single sensor can be used for detection of several different DNA/RNA sequences and can be regenerated in 30 seconds by a simple water rinse. The UE4J sensor enables a high selectivity by recognition of a single base substitution, even at room temperature. The UE4J sensor opens a venue for a re‐useable universal platform that can be adopted at low cost for the analysis of DNA or RNA targets.
Hybridization Biosensors Relying on Electrical Properties of Nucleic Acids
Authors: Ferapontova Elena E.
Published: November 2016

Electrochemical nucleic acids (NA) technologies allow development of sensitive and accurate, yet simple, inexpensive and robust analytical platforms, which can successfully compete with other approaches. In this Review, I critically overview the basic trends in construction of label‐free DNA hybridization genosensors exploiting variations in electrical properties of the electrode‐immobilized NA. It will be discussed how interfacial and electronic properties of NA can be modulated to allow efficient biosensor applications, including the choice of the redox probe and use of alternative linkers and immobilization strategies These results contribute to understanding of interfacial ET reactions in DNA and advanced design of fast, reliable and cost‐effective diagnostic devices.
Complexation Based Voltammetric Determination of Pantoprazole Sodium in Pharmaceutical Formulations and Rabbit Plasma
Authors: Khashaba Pakinaz Y. , Ali Hassan Refat H. , El‐Wekil Mohamed M.
Published: November 2016

Square wave adsorptive stripping voltammetric (SQWASV) method has been utilized to confirm and elucidate the possible complexation reaction between pantoprazole sodium and cobalt as a transition metal in Britton‐Robinson buffer (pH=7.0). The current signal due to the oxidation process was a function of the amount of pantoprazole sodium, pH of the medium, cobalt concentration and accumulation time at the electrode surface. The oxidation peak current has varied linearly with the concentration over the range of 0.1–9.0 nM. The limit of detection was found to be 0.04 nM. The validity of the method was successfully applied for the determination of pantoprazole sodium in pharmaceutical formulations with a pharmacokinetic study in rabbit plasma. The simplicity, rapidity, sensitivity and selectivity of this method make it a very attractive alternative to the other existing methods in the quality control laboratories.
Transcriptomic responses in the oral cavity of F344 rats and B6C3F1 mice following exposure to Cr(VI): Implications for risk assessment
Authors: Thompson Chad M. , Rager Julia E. , Suh Mina , Ring Caroline L. , Proctor Deborah M. , Haws Laurie C. , Fry Rebecca C. , Harris Mark A.
Published: November 2016

Exposure to hexavalent chromium [Cr(VI)] in drinking water was previously reported to increase oral tumor incidence in F344 rats. To investigate the mode of action for these tumors, transcriptomic profiles in oral mucosa samples of F344 rats and B6C3F1 mice were analyzed following exposure to 0.1–180 ppm Cr(VI) for 7 or 90 days. In rats, genome‐wide microarray analyses identified no significantly differentially expressed genes (DEGs) at either time point. In mice, 14 and 1 DEGs were respectively identified after 7 and 90 days of exposure. Therefore, relaxed statistical criteria were employed to identify potential DEGs (pDEGs), followed by high‐throughput benchmark dose modeling to identify responsive pDEGs for pathway enrichment analysis. This identified 288 and 168 pDEGs in the rat oral mucosa, of which only 20 and 7 showed evidence of dose‐response. No significant pathway enrichment was obtained with either pDEG or dose‐responsive pDEG lists. Similar results were obtained in mice. These analyses indicate a negligible transcriptional response in the oral mucosa of both species. Comparison of the total number of gene changes in the oral mucosa of rats and mice with responses in the duodenum of animals from the same study demonstrated remarkable dose‐response concordance across tissues and species as a function of tissue chromium concentration. The low chromium levels in the oral mucosa and negligible transcript response are consistent with an absence of tissue lesions. These findings are used to compare the merits of linear and nonlinear approaches for deriving toxicity criteria based on the oral tumors in rats. Environ. Mol. Mutagen. 57:706–716, 2016. © 2016 The Authors. Environmental and Molecular Mutagenesis Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Preparation of Different Nickel–Iron/Titania–Alumina Catalysts for Hydrogen/Carbon Monoxide Methanation under Atmospheric Pressure
Authors: Cheng Chongbo , Wu Chunfei , Shen Dekui
Published: November 2016

Bimetallic Ni–Fe/TiO2–Al2O3 catalysts were prepared by using the titania–alumina composite as a support, which was synthesized through three different methods (precipitation, co‐precipitation, and sol–gel). The synthesized catalysts were characterized by X‐ray diffraction, temperature‐programmed reduction, and transmission electron microscopy. The catalytic performance of the catalysts for the methanation of syngas was studied under atmospheric pressure. Ni and Fe species were found to be highly dispersed on the TiO2–Al2O3 composite prepared by the sol–gel method, which led to good catalytic performance for CO conversion (≈96.7 %) and methane selectivity (≈94.7 %) at lower temperatures. In addition, less amorphous carbon was deposited on the used Ni–Fe/TiO2–Al2O3 catalyst prepared by the sol–gel method. This was ascribed to the evidenced core‐in‐shell structures (TiO2 shell with Al2O3 core) of the TiO2–Al2O3 composite prepared by the sol–gel method, which led to prominent stability of the catalyst (≈30 h). The results give an applicable guide for the highly efficient methanation of syngas under atmospheric pressure.
Engineering sensor networks for energy studies of the built environment
Authors: Jensen Cory D , Marchiori Alan , Gerstle Nicholas
Published: November 2016

This study provides insight into the deployment of a scaled up wireless sensor network (WSN) from residential settings to medium sized apartment complex in the Western United States with a dry climate, in order to provide for environmental and inhabitant information that could be used in energy studies. The WSN is comprised of Epic core modules fit with the following sensors; Honeywell HIH‐5030 (humidity), Panasonic AMS302 (photodiode – light intensity), Panasonic AMN41122 (PIR motion), Microchip TC1046 (temperature), and MEDER MK06 (door switch). The deployed WSN makes use of a split low‐power sensor/core network architecture to reduce energy consumption of the sensors. When active, sensor nodes utilize 2.2 mA of current and ∼660 μJ of power is required to read all sensors (excluding the PIR) at a single point in time. A successful transmission used 22.5 mA for 78 ms, consuming 5 mJ and a failed transmission used 22.5 mA for 534 ms, consuming 36 mJ. Such low‐power operation enables sensor nodes to operate for over one year from a single coin‐cell battery. The observed packet delivery was best for nodes located closest to a base station and decreased with distance from the base station. However, slightly less than half of the expected number of packets were received overall. Finally, base energy analysis of the building under study was cast as three hypotheses in regards to the system being deployed and available metrics with the data collected. Results indicate inhabited units with individual swamp coolers, on average, utilize more energy (12.4 kWh/d, n = 3) vs. units that make use of a central evaporative cooling system (5.4 kWh/d, n = 3). Further, increased relative humidity in this study correlates with increased energy use. Our study demonstrates a realistic rapid deployment of WSN used to characterize energy use in a medium sized apartment complex in a dry climate in the Western U.S. It is proposed that such studies provide information for more rigorous energy studies that could be used in retro‐fit decision frameworks, energy use behavior studies, or via integration with additional internet of things technologies. © 2017 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Environ Prog, 36: 539–547, 2017
Disrupted female estrous cyclicity in the intrahippocampal kainic acid mouse model of temporal lobe epilepsy
Authors: Li Jiang , Kim Jae Seong , Abejuela Vincent A. , Lamano Jason B. , Klein Natalie J. , Christian Catherine A.
Published: November 2016

Objective

Reproductive dysfunction is a comorbidity that commonly occurs with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). Characterization of this comorbidity in various models of TLE in mice will greatly facilitate mechanistic investigations of the relationship between reproductive disorders and seizures initiated in the hippocampus. Here we investigate the impact on female reproductive estrous cyclicity in the intrahippocampal kainic acid mouse model of TLE and demonstrate the utility of using this model for future mechanistic studies.

Methods

Kainic acid (KA) or saline vehicle was stereotaxically injected in the right dorsal hippocampus of adult female C57BL/6J mice. Development of epilepsy was assessed by video monitoring for behavioral seizures. Reproductive function was assessed by daily estrous cycle monitoring and ovarian morphology. Estrous cycles were monitored for up to 2 months after injection. Ovarian morphology was examined by histological staining and assessment of follicular and luteal development.

Results

We observed spontaneous behavioral seizures in 82% of kainic‐acid‐treated mice. Irregular estrous cycles developed within 2 months after kainic acid injection. Sixty‐seven percent of KA‐treated mice showed disrupted estrous cycles, typically characterized by increased estrous cycle length, increased time spent in diestrus (nonfertile stage), and decreased time spent in estrus by 42 days post‐KA injection. The estrous cycle disruption, however, was not accompanied by major changes in ovarian morphology or follicular development. KA‐treated mice also displayed increased weight gain compared to control mice.

Significance

These data indicate that comorbid female irregular estrous cyclicity arises in the intrahippocampal kainic acid mouse model of TLE. This is the first demonstration of disrupted reproductive endocrine function in a mouse model of TLE initially produced by an insult specifically targeted to the hippocampus. This model should thus be useful for basic studies investigating the neural mechanisms driving comorbid reproductive dysfunction in epilepsy in women.
Toxicity of individual pharmaceuticals and their mixtures to Aliivibrio fischeri: Evidence of toxicological interactions in binary combinations
Authors: Di Nica Valeria , Villa Sara , Finizio Antonio
Published: November 2016

The combined toxicities of binary mixtures of veterinary pharmaceutical active compounds were examined using the bioluminescent bacterium Aliivibrio fischeri as a test organism (Microtox® test). Mixtures were prepared at an equitoxic ratio that corresponded to the inhibitory concentration, 10% (IC10) of individual pharmaceutical active compounds. In addition, the toxicity was determined of a multicomponent mixture that contained all of the investigated pharmaceutical active compounds mixed at a ratio corresponding to their individual predicted no-effect concentration (PNEC) values. The experimental results were successively compared with those obtained by applying the 2 most widely used models for predicting mixture toxicity, the concentration addition (CA) and independent action (IA) models. Although the toxicity of the multicomponent mixture tested was well predicted by the CA and IA models, deviations from the model predictions were found for almost all of the binary mixtures. The deviations from the CA and IA models were greater at lower concentrations, particularly when diclofenac sodium and amoxicillin were present in the mixture. Based on these results, another hypothesis was tested, that of toxicological interactions occurring in binary mixtures (in the direction of synergistic or antagonistic effects), by applying the combination index method, which allowed for computerized quantification of synergism, the additive effect and antagonism. The application of this method confirmed, for at least half of the binary combinations, the clear presence of synergistic deviations at the lowest tested concentrations, with a tendency toward antagonism at the higher ones. In 1 case, a relevant antagonistic interaction was observed. Environ Toxicol Chem 2017;36:815–822. © 2016 SETAC
Near‐optimal user assignment in LTE mobile networks with evolutionary computing
Authors: del Arco‐Vega Miguel A. , Cuadra Lucas , Portilla‐Figueras José Antonio , Salcedo‐Sanz Sancho
Published: November 2016

This paper tackles the problem of users assignment to evolved NodeBs in long‐term evolution mobile networks. We propose a model that aims at assigning users by minimizing a function called download time of the complete system, defined as the minimum time required for all the users in the system to complete their downloads. This strategy helps the network use its resources in a more balanced way, by assigning users from cells (which otherwise would be overloaded when using a simple signal‐to‐interference‐plus‐noise ratio‐based approach) to others with less load. The user‐cell association problem is, in general, a combinatorial NP hard problem. Although other approaches indirectly tackle this complexity by transforming the problem into another whose optimal solution is less difficult (but still with very high computational cost), we tackle directly our download time of the complete system minimization problem by finding an approximate solution provided by a specific implementation of an evolutionary algorithm, which is based on a long‐term evolution domain‐specific initial population along with fully tailored operators adapted to this assignment problem. A variety of experiments in different realistic scenarios point out that the proposed method outperforms the conventional signal‐to‐interference‐plus‐noise ratio‐based and load balancing approaches, specially in urban and dense urban environments (where the assignment is more critical in terms of capacity). We have also tested our approach in simple scenarios that mimic heterogeneous networks and ultra‐dense networks in which the number of users is similar to that of nodes, proving its beneficial properties. Our method is aimed at the design/dimensioning stage and not to the operation stage, and in this sense, it is an off‐line algorithm that could be useful to make better decisions on cost‐effective network dimensioning and upgrading.
Flame retardancy, antifungal efficacies, and physical–mechanical properties for wood/polymer composites containing zinc borate
Authors: Chan‐Hom Tanakit , Yamsaengsung Weawboon , Prapagdee Benjaphorn , Markpin Teerasak , Sombatsompop Narongrit
Published: November 2016

This work aimed to examine flame retardancy, antifungal performance and physical–mechanical properties for silane‐treated wood–polymer composites (WPCs) containing zinc borate (ZnB). ZnB with content from 0.0 to 7.0 wt% was added to WPCs, and silane‐treated wood contents were varied. The polymers used were poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) and high‐density polyethylene (HDPE). The decay test was performed according to the European standard EN 113. Loweporus sp., a white‐rot fungus, was used for antifungal performance evaluation. Antifungal performance was observed to decrease with wood content. Incorporation of ZnB at 1.0 wt% significantly increased the antifungal performance of WPCs. ZnB content of greater than 1.0 wt% lowered the antifungal properties of WPCs. The results suggested that the wood/PVC composite exhibited better antifungal performance than the wood/HDPE composite. The addition of wood flour to PVC and HDPE decreased flame retardancy, whereas the incorporation of ZnB retained the flame retardancy. ZnB was found to be more appropriate for wood/PVC than wood/HDPE as a result of hydrogen chloride generated from the dehydrochlorination reaction of PVC. The results indicated that the addition of ZnB did not affect the physical‐mechanical properties of neat polymers and the composites. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Human response to non‐injury accidental house fires
Authors: Xiong Lin , Bruck Dorothy , Ball Michelle
Published: November 2016

Research on fatal fires and evacuation exercises yield little or no information about how fire victims respond to a real house fire incident where occupants' mental stress levels differ greatly. Drawing upon daily records of fire incidents from the Victorian Metropolitan Fire Brigade and Country Fire Authority, Australia, 182 individuals who had survived accidental residential fires without serious injuries were interviewed. Similar to most literature, this paper found that electrical failure and cooking‐related activities were the main causes of non‐injury house fires. The smell of smoke was the top listed cue that first alerted an individual (‘host’ or person in the vicinity). The majority of hosts took proactive actions when facing the threat of a fire, while in only one third of survived fires no attempt to extinguish the fire was made at the time of ignition. This study did not reveal any significant relationships between main activities during a fire and occupant characteristics; however, people with no or only basic fire safety knowledge were more likely to engage in activities such as attempting to extinguish a fire/collect personal belongings/rescue pets/disconnect power source than those who had some level of fire training. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Synthesis and olfactory evaluation of spiro tricyclic diether structures
Authors: Ondet Pierrick , Plessis Caroline , Lemière Gilles , Duñach Elisabet
Published: November 2016

Readily available dienols were efficiently synthesised and cycloisomerised using a low catalyst loading of bismuth(III) triflate on the gram‐scale. Appealing complex tricyclic structures featuring a spirocyclic ether motif were obtained in very good yields. The olfactory properties of these original compounds has been assessed and pleasant fresh and woody notes from moderate to high intensity were noticed. In general, 2‐oxanorbornane compounds possess woody notes whereas analogous 7‐oxanorbornanes present greener tonalities. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A new mesh relaxation approach and automatic time‐step control method for boundary integral simulations of a viscous drop
Authors: Siqueira I. R. , Rebouças R. B. , Oliveira T. F. , Cunha F. R.
Published: November 2016

We present a numerical methodology for the simulation of a viscous drop under simple shear flows by using the boundary integral method. The present work treats only a single drop in an unbounded fluid‐flow, but the results can be directly applied to studies on the rheology of dilute emulsions, in which the hydrodynamic interactions between two or more drops can be neglected. Singular and non‐singular integral representations of the velocity field are considered. Several aspects of the method are presented, including a new mesh relaxation approach and an automatic time‐step control method. The relaxation strategy is used in order to contain the distortion of the mesh and is performed by using relaxation iterations in a virtual temporal march between each physical time step of the simulation and monitoring the standard deviation of the areas of the elements. The automatic time‐step control method uses a global quantity related to the drop deformation in order to automatically set the temporal integration time step. It is carried out in a way to keep the local integration error less than a given tolerance. This strategy reduces the computational cost of the simulation by dramatically reducing the number of time steps in the temporal integration process. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Reduced‐order modelling for linear heat conduction with parametrised moving heat sources
Authors: Brands Benjamin , Mergheim Julia , Steinmann Paul
Published: November 2016

The purpose of Reduced‐Order Modelling (ROM) is to substantially lower the computational cost of numerical simulations. As an example proper orthogonal decomposition (POD), which is optimal in a least‐square sense, is applied to compute basis functions using existing solutions, e.g. from previously computed simulations. These reduced basis functions are subsequently used for the Galerkin projection of the governing equations.

There is intense research on the application of ROM to parametrised partial differential equations (pPDE). However, in the case of transient equations research on ROM is mainly focused on models with constant parameters. In this paper an approach to cope with the linear heat conduction problem with a moving heat source is introduced. Problems of such kind are encountered in the simulation of laser or electron beam melting processes in additive manufacturing. To construct the reduced basis a nested POD method is used to mitigate the com‐putational costs of large‐scale eigenproblems. To further gain computational efficiency the discrete empirical interpolation method (DEIM) is applied to deal with non‐affine parameter dependencies.

Based on various numerical examples the approximation quality of the reduced models is discussed through direct comparison with large‐scale Finite Element simulations. (© 2016 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Reorganization of brain connectivity in obesity
Authors: Geha Paul , Cecchi Guillermo , Todd Constable R. , Abdallah Chadi , Small Dana M.
Published: November 2016

Global brain connectivity (GBC) identifies regions of the brain, termed “hubs,” which are densely connected and metabolically costly, and have a wide influence on brain function. Since obesity is associated with central and peripheral metabolic dysfunction we sought to determine if GBC is altered in obesity. Two independent fMRI data sets were subjected to GBC analyses. The first data set was acquired while participants (n = 15 healthy weight and 15 obese) tasted milkshake and the second with participants at rest (n = 33 healthy weight and 28 obese). In the resting state and during milkshake consumption GBC is consistently decreased in the ventromedial and ventrolateral prefrontal cortex, insula and caudate nucleus, and increased in brain regions belonging to the dorsal attention network including premotor areas, superior parietal lobule, and visual cortex. During milkshake consumption, but not at rest, additional decreases in GBC are observed in feeding‐related circuitry including the insula, amygdala, anterior hippocampus, hypothalamus, midbrain, brainstem and somatomotor cortex. Additionally, GBC differences were not accounted for by age. These results demonstrate that obesity is associated with decreased GBC in prefrontal and feeding circuits and increased GBC in the dorsal attention network. We therefore conclude that global brain organization is altered in obesity to favor networks important for external orientation over those monitoring homeostatic state and guiding feeding decisions. Furthermore, since prefrontal decreases are also observed at rest in obese individuals future work should evaluate whether these changes are associated with neurocognitive impairments frequently observed in obesity and diabetes. Hum Brain Mapp 38:1403–1420, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Corticostriatal connectivity fingerprints: Probability maps based on resting‐state functional connectivity
Authors: Jaspers Ellen , Balsters Joshua H. , Kassraian Fard Pegah , Mantini Dante , Wenderoth Nicole
Published: November 2016

Over the last decade, structure–function relationships have begun to encompass networks of brain areas rather than individual structures. For example, corticostriatal circuits have been associated with sensorimotor, limbic, and cognitive information processing, and damage to these circuits has been shown to produce unique behavioral outcomes in Autism, Parkinson's Disease, Schizophrenia and healthy ageing. However, it remains an open question how abnormal or absent connectivity can be detected at the individual level. Here, we provide a method for clustering gross morphological structures into subregions with unique functional connectivity fingerprints, and generate network probability maps usable as a baseline to compare individual cases against. We used connectivity metrics derived from resting‐state fMRI (N = 100), in conjunction with hierarchical clustering methods, to parcellate the striatum into functionally distinct clusters. We identified three highly reproducible striatal subregions, across both hemispheres and in an independent replication dataset (N = 100) (dice‐similarity values 0.40–1.00). Each striatal seed region resulted in a highly reproducible distinct connectivity fingerprint: the putamen showed predominant connectivity with cortical and cerebellar sensorimotor and language processing areas; the ventromedial striatum cluster had a distinct limbic connectivity pattern; the caudate showed predominant connectivity with the thalamus, frontal and occipital areas, and the cerebellum. Our corticostriatal probability maps agree with existing connectivity data in humans and non‐human primates, and showed a high degree of replication. We believe that these maps offer an efficient tool to further advance hypothesis driven research and provide important guidance when investigating deviant connectivity in neurological patient populations suffering from e.g., stroke or cerebral palsy. Hum Brain Mapp 38:1478–1491, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Emotion and personal space: Neural correlates of approach‐avoidance tendencies to different facial expressions as a function of coldhearted psychopathic traits
Authors: Vieira Joana B. , Tavares Tamara P. , Marsh Abigail A. , Mitchell Derek G.V.
Published: November 2016

In social interactions, humans are expected to regulate interpersonal distance in response to the emotion displayed by others. Yet, the neural mechanisms implicated in approach‐avoidance tendencies to distinct emotional expressions have not been fully described. Here, we investigated the neural systems implicated in regulating the distance to different emotions, and how they vary as a function of empathy. Twenty‐three healthy participants assessed for psychopathic traits underwent fMRI scanning while they viewed approaching and withdrawing angry, fearful, happy, sad and neutral faces. Participants were also asked to set the distance to those faces on a computer screen, and to adjust the physical distance from the experimenter outside the scanner. Participants kept the greatest distances from angry faces, and shortest from happy expressions. This was accompanied by increased activation in the dorsomedial prefrontal and orbitofrontal cortices, inferior frontal gyrus, and temporoparietal junction for angry and happy expressions relative to the other emotions. Irrespective of emotion, longer distances were kept from approaching faces, which was associated with increased activation in the amygdala and insula, as well as parietal and prefrontal regions. Amygdala activation was positively correlated with greater preferred distances to angry, fearful and sad expressions. Moreover, participants scoring higher on coldhearted psychopathic traits (lower empathy) showed reduced amygdala activation to sad expressions. These findings elucidate the neural mechanisms underlying social approach‐avoidance, and how they are related to variations in empathy. Hum Brain Mapp 38:1492–1506, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
High prevalence of self‐reported shoulder complaints after thyroid carcinoma surgery
Authors: Roerink Sean H. P. P. , Coolen Lien , Schenning Maria E. , Husson Olga , Smit Jan W. A. , Marres Henri A. , de Wilt Johannes H. W. , Netea–Maier Romana T.
Published: November 2016

Background

Shoulder complaints are frequently reported after surgical treatment for thyroid carcinoma. However, no specific literature on this topic is available for these patients and, hence, its impact on quality of life (QOL) is unknown and there are no known predictors of shoulder complaints in this specific patient population. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to assess the prevalence of shoulder‐related complaints and its relation to QOL and clinical characteristics after thyroid carcinoma surgery by means of a cross‐sectional case control study in a tertiary referral center.

Methods

The prevalence of shoulder complaints and its relation to clinical characteristics and QOL after thyroid carcinoma surgery (n = 109) was compared to a healthy control group (n = 81). Main outcome measures are prevalence of self‐reported shoulder complaints, results of the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand questionnaire (DASH), and the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire‐Core 30‐questions (EORTC‐QLQ‐C30).

Results

Patients with thyroid carcinoma, on average 10.2 years after thyroid surgery, reported a 58.7% prevalence of shoulder‐related complaints, which was significantly more than the 13.6% reported by healthy controls (p < .01). Patients with thyroid carcinoma scored worse than healthy controls on most of the different subscales of the DASH and EORTC‐QLQ‐C30. Bivariate association analysis identified level V neck dissection as being associated with the prevalence of shoulder complaints and the DASH score, and spinal accessory nerve damage and employment status as being associated with the DASH score. Prevalence of shoulder complaints and the DASH scores were significantly correlated to several EORTC‐QLQ‐C30 scores. Only 11.9% of patients with thyroid carcinoma retrospectively reported having received preoperative information on possible shoulder complaints and only 34.9% of patients with thyroid carcinoma retrospectively reported having received additional care for their shoulder complaints.

Conclusion

Shoulder complaints represent and underestimated problem and are reported by many patients who had surgery for thyroid carcinoma. Information provision to the patient should be improved, shoulder complaints should be registered, and additional care should be provided after thyroid carcinoma surgery to improve QOL. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck 39: 260–268, 2017
Free thyroid transfer: Short‐term results of a novel procedure to prevent post‐radiation hypothyroidism
Authors: Harris Jeffrey , Barber Brittany , Almarzouki Hani , Scrimger Rufus , Romney Jacques , O'Connell Daniel , Urken Mark , Seikaly Hadi
Published: November 2016

Background

The incidence of radiation‐induced hypothyroidism (RIH) in patients with head and neck cancer is >50%. The purpose of this study was to assess the long‐term efficacy of free thyroid transfer (FTT) for prevention of RIH in patients with head and neck cancer.

Methods

Hemithyroid dissection was completed in 10 patients with advanced head and neck cancer undergoing ablation, radial forearm free flap (RFFF) reconstruction, and postoperative radiotherapy (RT). The hemithyroid was anastomosed to the donor site vessels in the forearm. Thyroid laboratory testing and technetium (Tc) scans were performed 6 weeks and 12 months postoperatively to establish functional integrity.

Results

FTT was successfully performed in 9 of 10 recruited patients. Postoperative Tc scans demonstrated strong Tc uptake in the forearm donor site at 6 weeks and 12 months in all patients who underwent transplantations.

Conclusion

FTT is feasible with maintenance of function, and may represent a novel strategy for prevention of RIH. © 2016 Elsevier Head & Neck Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck 39: 1234–1238, 2017
Prevention of hepatic fibrosis with liver microsomal triglyceride transfer protein deletion in liver fatty acid binding protein null mice
Authors: Newberry Elizabeth P. , Xie Yan , Kennedy Susan M. , Graham Mark J. , Crooke Rosanne M. , Jiang Hui , Chen Anping , Ory Daniel S. , Davidson Nicholas O.
Published: November 2016

Blocking hepatic very low‐density lipoprotein secretion through genetic or pharmacologic inhibition of microsomal triglyceride transfer protein (Mttp) causes hepatic steatosis, yet the risks for developing hepatic fibrosis are poorly understood. We report that liver‐specific Mttp knockout mice (Mttp‐LKO) exhibit both steatosis and fibrosis, which is exacerbated by a high‐transfat/fructose diet. When crossed into germline liver fatty acid (FA) binding protein null mice (Mttp‐LKO, i.e., double knockout mice) hepatic steatosis was greatly diminished and fibrosis prevented, on both low‐fat and high‐fat diets. The mechanisms underlying protection include reduced long chain FA uptake, shifts in FA distribution (lipidomic profiling), and metabolic turnover, specifically decreased hepatic 18:2 FA and triglyceride species and a shift in 18:2 FA use for oxidation versus incorporation into newly synthesized triglyceride. Double knockout mice were protected against fasting‐induced hepatic steatosis (a model of enhanced exogenous FA delivery) yet developed steatosis upon induction of hepatic de novo lipogenesis with fructose feeding. Mttp‐LKO mice, on either the liver FA binding protein null or Apobec‐1 null background (i.e., apolipoprotein B100 only) exhibited only subtle increases in endoplasmic reticulum stress, suggesting that an altered unfolded protein response is unlikely to account for the attenuated phenotype in double knockout mice. Acute, antisense‐mediated liver FA binding protein knockdown in Mttp‐LKO mice also reduced FA uptake, increased oxidation versus incorporation of 18:2 species with complete reversal of hepatic steatosis, increased hepatic injury, and worsened fibrosis. Conclusion: Perturbing exogenous hepatic FA use modulates both hepatic steatosis and fibrosis in the setting of hepatic Mttp deletion, adding new insight into the pathophysiological mechanisms and consequences of defective very low‐density lipoprotein secretion. (Hepatology 2017;65:836‐852).
Cooperation of MLL/AF10(OM‐LZ) with PTPN11 activating mutation induced monocytic leukemia with a shorter latency in a mouse bone marrow transplantation model
Authors: Fu Jen‐Fen , Liang Sung‐Tzu , Huang Ying‐Jung , Liang Kung‐Hao , Yen Tzung‐Hai , Liang Der‐Cherng , Shih Lee‐Yung
Published: November 2016

PTPN11 mutation, a RAS signaling pathway mutation, is associated with MLL translocations in acute leukemia. A girl with MLL/AF10 AML was found to carry PTPN11G503A. To study the impact of PTPN11G503A cooperating with MLL/AF10 on leukemogenesis, we established a retroviral transduction/transplantation mouse model. Compared to the MLL/AF10(OM‐LZ) leukemia cells harboring PTPN11wt, the cells harboring PTPN11G503A were hypersensitive to GM‐CSF and IL3, and more resistant to death upon treatment with daunorubicin but sensitive to cytarabine. The cells harboring PTPN11G503A autonomously differentiated into macrophages (1.8%) in the medium containing IL3. Further studies showed that the cells had an elevated (∼2.9‐fold) Csf1 transcription level and secreted more (∼4.5‐fold) M‐CSF to the medium which can stimulate monocyte/macrophage differentiation of BM cells. Mice transplanted with the cells harboring PTPN11G503A had a higher concentration of M‐CSF in plasma. When mixed with the MLL/AF10(OM‐LZ) leukemia cells harboring PTPN11wt, the cells harboring PTPN11G503A had an increased competitive engraftment and clonal expansion in the BM and spleen of recipient mice, although no competitive growth advantage was observed in the in vitro co‐culturing assays. The mice transplanted with the MLL/AF10(OM‐LZ) cells harboring PTPN11wt developed myelomonocytic leukemia, while those transplanted with the cells harboring PTPN11G503A‐induced monocytic leukemia in a shorter latency. Our results demonstrated that addition of PTPN11G503A to MLL/AF10 affected cell proliferation, chemo‐resistance, differentiation, in vivo BM recruitment/clonal expansion and accelerated disease progression.
Periodontal disease and risk of non‐Hodgkin lymphoma in the Health Professionals Follow‐Up Study
Authors: Bertrand Kimberly A. , Shingala Janki , Evens Andrew , Birmann Brenda M. , Giovannucci Edward , Michaud Dominique S.
Published: November 2016

Periodontal disease is a chronic inflammatory condition that has been associated with chronic diseases, including cancer. In an earlier prospective cohort analysis within the Health Professionals Follow‐Up Study (HPFS), we observed a 31% higher risk of non‐Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) among participants with severe periodontal disease at baseline. Here, we extend the study with an additional 8 years of follow‐up, and conduct analyses with updated periodontal disease status and NHL subtypes. The HPFS is an ongoing prospective cohort study of 51,529 men in the USA Between baseline in 1986 and 2012, 875 cases of NHL were diagnosed, including 290 chronic lymphocytic leukemia/small lymphocytic lymphomas (CLL/SLL), 85 diffuse large B‐cell lymphomas and 91 follicular lymphomas. We performed multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression to evaluate associations of interest. History of periodontal disease at baseline was positively associated with risk of NHL overall (hazard ratio (HR) = 1.26, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.06–1.49) and CLL/SLL (HR = 1.41, 95% CI: 1.04–1.90). With updated periodontal status, HRs were 1.30 (95% CI: 1.11–1.51) for NHL overall and 1.41 (95% CI: 1.08–1.84) for CLL/SLL. In contrast, after adjusting for periodontal disease, tooth loss was inversely associated with NHL, suggesting that other causes or consequences of tooth loss may have different implications for NHL etiology. Our findings suggest that periodontal disease is a risk factor for NHL. Whether periodontal disease is a direct or indirect cause of NHL, or is a marker of underlying systemic inflammation and/or immune dysregulation, warrants further investigation.
Molecular Simulations of Amyloid Structures, Toxicity, and Inhibition
Authors: Zhang Mingzhen , Ren Baiping , Chen Hong , Sun Yan , Ma Jie , Jiang Binbo , Zheng Jie
Published: November 2016

The misfolding and aggregation of proteins and peptides into amyloid fibrils are believed to be responsible for the dysfunction and death of neuron cells in many neurodegenerative diseases. Resolving the atomic structures of amyloid peptides at different aggregation stages by molecular simulations has opened new ways to probe the molecular mechanisms of amyloid aggregation, toxicity, and inhibition, as well as to validate computational data with available experimental ones. In this review article, we summarize some recent and important findings on: 1) a number of atomic structures of amyloid oligomers with typical β‐sheet‐rich conformations, related to amyloid aggregation; 2) different amyloid peptide‐induced membrane‐disruption mechanisms, related to amyloid toxicity; and 3) rational design of different amyloid inhibitors capable of preventing amyloid aggregation and toxicity, related to amyloid inhibition. All these findings will provide some mechanistic implications for molecular mechanisms of amyloid aggregation, toxicity, and inhibition, which are fundamentally and practically important for the treatment of amyloid diseases.