bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Comportamento social, frequência respiratória e escore de limpeza de novilhos confinados com diferentes espaços individuais
Authors: Cattelam Jonatas , Brondani Ivan Luiz , Alves Filho Dari Celestino , Pacheco Paulo Santana , Segabinazzi Luciane Rumpel , Pizzuti Luiz Ângelo Damian , Callegaro Álisson Marian , Pacheco Rangel Fernades , Mayer Andrei Retamoso , Cardoso Gilmar Santos , Borchate Deniele , Teixeira Odilene Souza
Published: February 2015

Objetivou-se avaliar o comportamento social, a frequência respiratória e o escore de limpeza de novilhosconfinados em diferentes espaços individuais. Foram utilizados 48 novilhos com idade e pesos médios iniciaisde 20 meses e 243,4 kg, respectivamente. Os animais foram confinados coletivamente de acordo como espaço individual disponível, 2,5; 5,0 ou 10 m2. A dieta continha relação volumoso:concentrado de 39:61(base na matéria seca). O delineamento experimental utilizado foi o de blocos ao acaso. As análises foramefetuadas através do proc MIXED. As médias foram classificadas pelo teste “F” e os parâmetros comefeito significativo comparados pelo “teste t”, com α = 0,05. As interações agressivas através de cabeçadasou ameaças, médias de 15,8 e 5,1 ocorrências diárias, respectivamente, e o número total de disputas, com21,9; 21,5 e 19,7 ocorrências entre animais mantidos em espaços de 2,5; 5,0 e 10 m2, citados na mesmaordem, não foram influenciadas pelo espaço individual disponível. Do mesmo modo, o número de interação não-agonísticas foi similar entre os diferentes espaçamentos avaliados. Novilhos confinados com 5,0 e 10m2 estenderam seus membros 8,8 e 9,7 vezes por dia, respectivamente, superiores aos animais mantidoscom disponibilidade individual de 2,5 m2, que realizaram esse comportamento 4,3 vezes ao dia. O escore delimpeza diferiu entre os espaçamentos – 3,2; 2,4 e 1,1 – para novilhos com espaços individuais de 2,5; 5,0 e10 m2, respectivamente, assim como a frequência respiratória, com 27,1; 24,8 e 22,7 movimentos/ minuto,citados na mesma ordem.
Causal manipulation of functional connectivity in a specific neural pathway during behaviour and at rest
Authors: Johnen Vanessa M , Neubert Franz-Xaver , Buch Ethan R , Verhagen Lennart , O'Reilly Jill X , Mars Rogier B , Rushworth Matthew F S
Published: February 2015

Correlations in brain activity between two areas (functional connectivity) have been shown to relate to their underlying structural connections. We examine the possibility that functional connectivity also reflects short-term changes in synaptic efficacy. We demonstrate that paired transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) near ventral premotor cortex (PMv) and primary motor cortex (M1) with a short 8-ms inter-pulse interval evoking synchronous pre- and post-synaptic activity and which strengthens interregional connectivity between the two areas in a pattern consistent with Hebbian plasticity, leads to increased functional connectivity between PMv and M1 as measured with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Moreover, we show that strengthening connectivity between these nodes has effects on a wider network of areas, such as decreasing coupling in a parallel motor programming stream. A control experiment revealed that identical TMS pulses at identical frequencies caused no change in fMRI-measured functional connectivity when the inter-pulse-interval was too long for Hebbian-like plasticity.
Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter and Opportunity observations of the Burns formation: Crater hopping at Meridiani Planum
Authors: Arvidson R. E. , Bell J. F. , Catalano J. G. , Clark B. C. , Fox V. K. , Gellert R. , Grotzinger J. P. , Guinness E. A. , Herkenhoff K. E. , Knoll A. H. , Lapotre M. G. A. , McLennan S. M. , Ming D. W. , Morris R. V. , Murchie S. L. , Powell K. E. , Smith M. D. , Squyres S. W. , Wolff M. J. , Wray J. J.
Published: February 2015

Compact Reconnaissance Imaging Spectrometer for Mars hyperspectral (1.0–2.65 µm) along‐track oversampled observations covering Victoria, Santa Maria, Endeavour, and Ada craters were processed to 6 m/pixel and used in combination with Opportunity observations to detect and map hydrated Mg and Ca sulfate minerals in the Burns formation. The strongest spectral absorption features were found to be associated with outcrops that are relatively young and fresh (Ada) or preferentially scoured of dust, soil, and coatings by prevailing winds. At Victoria and Santa Maria, the scoured areas are on the southeastern rims and walls, opposite to the sides where wind‐blown sands extend out of the craters. At Endeavour, the deepest absorptions are in Botany Bay, a subdued and buried rim segment that exhibits high thermal inertias, extensive outcrops, and is interpreted to be a region of enhanced wind scour extending up and out of the crater. Ada, Victoria, and Santa Maria outcrops expose the upper portion of the preserved Burns formation and show spectral evidence for the presence of kieserite. In contrast, gypsum is pervasive spectrally in the Botany Bay exposures. Gypsum, a relatively insoluble evaporative mineral, is interpreted to have formed close to the contact with the Noachian crust as rising groundwaters brought brines close to and onto the surface, either as a direct precipitate or during later diagenesis. The presence of kieserite at the top of the section is hypothesized to reflect precipitation from evaporatively concentrated brines or dehydration of polyhydrated sulfates, in both scenarios as the aqueous environment evolved to very arid conditions.
What Triggers an Episode of Acute Low Back Pain? A Case–Crossover Study
Authors: Steffens Daniel , Ferreira Manuela L. , Latimer Jane , Ferreira Paulo H. , Koes Bart W. , Blyth Fiona , Li Qiang , Maher Christopher G.
Published: February 2015

Objective

To investigate a range of transient risk factors for an episode of sudden‐onset, acute low back pain (LBP).

Methods

This case–crossover study recruited 999 subjects with a new episode of acute LBP between October 2011 and November 2012 from 300 primary care clinics in Sydney, Australia. Each participant was asked to report exposure to 12 putative triggers over the 96 hours preceding the onset of back pain. Conditional logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) expressing the magnitude of increased risk with exposure to each trigger.

Results

Exposure to a range of physical and psychosocial triggers significantly increased the risk of a new onset of LBP; ORs ranged from 2.7 (moderate or vigorous physical activity) to 25.0 (distracted during an activity or task). Age moderated the effect of exposure to heavy loads and sexual activity. The ORs for heavy loads for people ages 20, 40, or 60 years were 13.6, 6.0, and 2.7, respectively. The risk of developing back pain was greatest between 7:00 AM and noon.

Conclusion

Transient exposure to a number of modifiable physical and psychosocial triggers substantially increases risk for a new episode of LBP. Triggers previously evaluated in occupational injury studies, but never in LBP, have been shown to significantly increase risk. These results aid our understanding of the causes of LBP and can inform the development of new prevention approaches.
Detektion ligandeninduzierter Konformationsänderungen im Östrogenrezeptor
Authors: Mayer‐Wrangowski Svenja C. , Rauh Daniel
Published: February 2015

Kernrezeptoren spielen bei einer Vielzahl physiologischer Prozesse eine entscheidende Rolle und stellen wichtige Zielstrukturen in der modernen Wirkstoff‐Forschung dar. Die Aktivität von Kernrezeptoren lässt sich durch niedermolekulare Verbindungen wie Hormone und Wirkstoffe regulieren, die entweder als Agonisten oder als Antagonisten an den Rezeptor binden. Die Bindung dieser Liganden führt zu Konformationsänderungen des Rezeptors, die von entscheidender Bedeutung für dessen Aktivität sind. Das Ziel dieser Arbeit war die Entwicklung einer Methode zur Detektion von Konformationsänderungen des Östrogenrezeptors. Dieses FLiN‐Assay‐Verfahren (“Fluorescent Labels in Nuclear Receptors”) basiert auf der Einführung eines Cysteins und anschließender Markierung des Rezeptors mit einem Thiol‐reaktiven Fluorophor. Konformationsänderungen des Rezeptors führen zu Verschiebungen im Emissionsspektrum des Fluorophors. Neben der Differenzierung von Agonisten und Antagonisten ist FLiN für das Hochdurchsatz‐Screening geeignet.
Bayesian semiparametric copula estimation with application to psychiatric genetics
Authors: Rosen Ori , Thompson Wesley K.
Published: February 2015

This paper proposes a semiparametric methodology for modeling multivariate and conditional distributions. We first build a multivariate distribution whose dependence structure is induced by a Gaussian copula and whose marginal distributions are estimated nonparametrically via mixtures of B‐spline densities. The conditional distribution of a given variable is obtained in closed form from this multivariate distribution. We take a Bayesian approach, using Markov chain Monte Carlo methods for inference. We study the frequentist properties of the proposed methodology via simulation and apply the method to estimation of conditional densities of summary statistics, used for computing conditional local false discovery rates, from genetic association studies of schizophrenia and cardiovascular disease risk factors.
Resonance energy transfer, pH‐induced folded states and the molecular interaction of human serum albumin and icariin
Authors: Cheng Xiao‐Xia , Fan Xiao‐Yang , Jiang Feng‐Lei , Liu Yi. , Lei Ke‐Lin
Published: February 2015

Icariin is a flavonol glycoside with a wide range of pharmacological and biological activities. The pharmacological and biological functions of flavonoid compounds mainly originate from their binding to proteins. The mode of interaction of icariin with human serum albumin (HSA) has been characterized by fluorescence spectroscopy and far‐ and near‐UV circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy under different pH conditions. Fluorescence quenching studies showed that the binding affinity of icariin with HSA in the buffer solution at different pH values is: Ka (pH 4.5) > Ka (pH 3.5) > Ka (pH 9.0) > Ka (pH 7.0). Red‐edge excitation shift (REES) studies revealed that pH had an obvious effect on the mobility of the tryptophan microenvironment and the addition of icariin made the REES effect more distinct. The static quenching mechanism and number of binding sites (n ≈ 1) were obtained from fluorescence data at three temperatures (298, 304 and 310 K). Both ∆H0 < 0 and ∆Ѕ0 < 0 suggested that hydrogen bonding and van der Waal's interaction were major driving forces in the binding mechanism, and this was also confirmed by the molecular simulation results. The distance r between the donor (HSA) and the acceptor (icariin) was calculated based on Förster non‐radiation energy transfer theory. We found that pH had little impact on the energy transfer between HSA and icariin. Far‐ and near‐UV CD spectroscopy studies further indicated the influence of pH on the complexation process and the alteration in the protein conformation upon binding. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Rare childhood cancers—an increasing entity requiring the need for global consensus and collaboration
Authors: Kotecha Rishi S. , Kees Ursula R. , Cole Catherine H. , Gottardo Nicholas G.
Published: February 2015

Rare childhood cancers have not benefited to the same extent from the gains that have been made for their frequently occurring counterparts. In recent years, this gap has been recognized and a number of vehicles now exist to improve outcome, including rare tumor groups, disease‐specific registries, and clinics. The multitude of approaches has allowed significant progress, however, this framework is limited by patient number and is not inclusive for every type of rare childhood cancer. These shortcomings can be overcome by a single global unified approach to the study of rare childhood tumors.
Dynamic solvent process (DSP) for enhancing heavy oil recovery
Authors: Jia Xinfeng , Zeng Fanhua , Gu Yongan
Published: February 2015

Solvent‐based heavy oil recovery techniques, such as vapour extraction (VAPEX) and cyclic solvent injection (CSI), have been attracting increasing attention in the past two decades. VAPEX suffers from slow mass transfer and inefficient gravity drainage. CSI is a solvent huff‐and‐puff process and its production period is usually much shorter in comparison with the solvent injection and soaking periods, limiting the average oil production rate over the entire process. This paper proposes a new process, dynamic solvent process (DSP), to exploit the merits of VAPEX (continuous production) and CSI (stronger driving force) and reduce their respective limitations (inefficient gravity drainage and periodic production). DSP is a cyclic process and each cycle consists of two periods: a stable pressure period and a pressure reduction period, through which solvent is cyclically injected and oil is continuously produced. A set of laboratory experiments were performed to validate and analyze the DSP process. During the pressure reduction period of DSP, a foamy oil flow phenomenon was observed when the pressure reached the so‐called pseudo‐bubble point. The foamy oil flow not only enhanced the oil production but also improved mass transfer due to the enlarged oil–solvent contact area. Experimental results showed that the oil production rates of VAPEX and CSI were respectively enhanced by 57–123 % and 17–99 % by DSP with different well configurations.
Effect of pneumatic tube transport on T lymphocyte subsets analysis
Authors: Gossez Morgane , Poitevin‐Later Francoise , Demaret Julie , Jallades Laurent , Venet Fabienne , Malcus Christophe , Monneret Guillaume
Published: February 2015

Background

Pneumatic tube system (PTS) for transportation of blood specimens may present with advantages for hospital organization as it provides faster tube transfer from medical wards to routine labs. These characteristics are expected to result in faster sample processing and decreased turnaround time, therefore benefiting the patient particularly in emergency units. However, PTS could affect sample quality and therefore laboratory results. Within the context of routine lab certification, effects of PTS on routine cellular immunology analyses, especially on determination of T lymphocyte subpopulations, need to be evaluated.

Methods

Paired EDTA blood samples were collected from 30 healthy donors. For each pair, one sample was hand‐delivered by a courier while the other was transported through a PTS of 2.4 km long (1.6 miles) with two 90‐degree turns and one‐U turn generating a speed of 5 m/s with a maximal acceleration of 2 g‐force. The percentages of CD3+ cells, CD4+ and CD8+ T‐cells and their absolute counts were assessed by flow cytometry.

Results

For every parameter, results measured by flow cytometry were not significantly different after transport by PTS or hand‐delivery. Results comparison revealed an excellent linear correlation between both delivery methods (R ranged from 0.969 to 0.982; P < 0.01). Bland‐Altman plots also showed good agreement, indicating that results were not influenced by the transport method.

Conclusions

Our results suggest that, pending validation using clinical samples, PTS does not present with pre‐analytical drawbacks and is thus a reliable system for blood samples transportation when performing T cell subset phenotyping. © 2015 International Clinical Cytometry Society
Total Synthesis of Indolizidine Alkaloids (–)‐167B, (–)‐209I, and (–)‐223A by Using a Common Tricyclic Lactone
Authors: Li Yu‐Jang , Hou Chung‐Chien , Chang Kuei‐Chen
Published: February 2015

Highly stereocontrolled total synthesis of dart frog indolizidine alkaloids (–)‐167B, (–)‐209I, and (–)‐223A was accomplished, with a common tricyclic lactone intermediate as the starting compound, in overall yields of 17 %, 14 %, and 17 %, respectively. The C7–C8 bond of the 167B, without a C8 chiral substituent, was formed through ring closure metathesis followed by hydrogenation. In 209I and 223A, which have a C8 chiral substituent, highly substrate‐controlled asymmetric radical cyclization was used to form the C7–C8 bond, and the correct stereochemistry of the C8 substituents was obtained in both molecules. Ethyl substituent at the C6 position of 223A was obtained with correct stereochemistry through asymmetric alkylation/epimerization sequences of the tricyclic lactone. Cleavage of the excess carbon on the C5 position of all three indolizidines was performed by using a Barton decarboxylation protocol. Reduction of the corresponding indolizidin‐3‐ones by LAH completed the total synthesis of (–)‐167B, (–)‐209I and (–)‐223A.
Negative thermal expansibility change for dissociation of lysozyme variant amyloid protofibril
Authors: Ishiguro Ryo , Matsuo Hiroshi , Kameyama Keiichi , Tachibana Hideki , Fujisawa Tetsuro
Published: February 2015

A disulfide‐deficient variant of hen lysozyme, 0SS, is known to form an amyloid protofibril spontaneously, and to dissociate into monomers at high hydrostatic pressure. We carried out native PAGE at various temperatures (20–35°C) and pressures (0.1–200 MPa), to characterize the dissociation equilibrium of disulfide‐deficient variant of hen lysozyme amyloid protofibril. Based on the density profiles, the partial molar volume and thermal expansibility changes for dissociation, ΔvD and ΔeD, were obtained to be −74 cm3/mol at 25°C and −2.3 cm3 mol−1 K−1, respectively. The dissociation of amyloid fibril destroys the cross β‐structure, and such conformational destruction in native protein fold rarely accompanies negative thermal expansibility change. We discussed the negative thermal expansibility change in terms of hydration and structural packing of the amyloid protofibril.
Principal interval decomposition framework for POD reduced‐order modeling of convective Boussinesq flows
Authors: San O. , Borggaard J.
Published: February 2015

A principal interval decomposition (PID) approach is presented for the reduced‐order modeling of unsteady Boussinesq equations. The PID method optimizes the lengths of the time windows over which proper orthogonal decomposition (POD) is performed and can be highly effective in building reduced‐order models for convective problems. The performance of these POD models with and without using the PID approach is investigated by applying these methods to the unsteady lock‐exchange flow problem. This benchmark problem exhibits a strong shear flow induced by a temperature jump and results in the Kelvin–Helmholtz instability. This problem is considered a challenging benchmark problem for the development of reduced‐order models. The reference solutions are obtained by direct numerical simulations of the vorticity and temperature transport equations using a compact fourth‐order‐accurate scheme. We compare the accuracy of reduced‐order models developed with different numbers of POD basis functions and different numbers of principal intervals. A linear interpolation model is constructed to obtain basis functions when varying physical parameters. The predictive performance of our models is then analyzed over a wide range of Reynolds numbers. It is shown that the PID approach provides a significant improvement in accuracy over the standard Galerkin POD reduced‐order model. This numerical assessment of the PID shows that it may represent a reliable model reduction tool for convection‐dominated, unsteady‐flow problems. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Oxytocin selectively facilitates learning with social feedback and increases activity and functional connectivity in emotional memory and reward processing regions
Authors: Hu Jiehui , Qi Song , Becker Benjamin , Luo Lizhu , Gao Shan , Gong Qiyong , Hurlemann René , Kendrick Keith M.
Published: February 2015

In male Caucasian subjects, learning is facilitated by receipt of social compared with non‐social feedback, and the neuropeptide oxytocin (OXT) facilitates this effect. In this study, we have first shown a cultural difference in that male Chinese subjects actually perform significantly worse in the same reinforcement associated learning task with social (emotional faces) compared with non‐social feedback. Nevertheless, in two independent double‐blind placebo (PLC) controlled between‐subject design experiments we found OXT still selectively facilitated learning with social feedback. Similar to Caucasian subjects this OXT effect was strongest with feedback using female rather than male faces. One experiment performed in conjunction with functional magnetic resonance imaging showed that during the response, but not feedback phase of the task, OXT selectively increased activity in the amygdala, hippocampus, parahippocampal gyrus and putamen during the social feedback condition, and functional connectivity between the amygdala and insula and caudate. Therefore, OXT may be increasing the salience and reward value of anticipated social feedback. In the PLC group, response times and state anxiety scores during social feedback were associated with signal changes in these same regions but not in the OXT group. OXT may therefore have also facilitated learning by reducing anxiety in the social feedback condition. Overall our results provide the first evidence for cultural differences in social facilitation of learning per se, but a similar selective enhancement of learning with social feedback under OXT. This effect of OXT may be associated with enhanced responses and functional connectivity in emotional memory and reward processing regions. Hum Brain Mapp 36:2132–2146, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
ANFIS‐EM approach for PET brain image reconstruction
Authors: Thiyagarajan Arunprasath , Murugan Pallikonda Rajasekaran , Subramanian Kannan
Published: February 2015

In this article, for the reconstruction of the positron emission tomography (PET) images, an iterative MAP algorithm was instigated with its adaptive neurofuzzy inference system based image segmentation techniques which we call adaptive neurofuzzy inference system based expectation maximization algorithm (ANFIS‐EM). This expectation maximization (EM) algorithm provides better image quality when compared with other traditional methodologies. The efficient result can be obtained using ANFIS‐EM algorithm. Unlike any usual EM algorithm, the predicted method that we call ANFIS‐EM minimizes the EM objective function using maximum a posteriori (MAP) method. In proposed method, the ANFIS‐EM algorithm was instigated by neural network based segmentation process in the image reconstruction. By the image quality parameter of PSNR value, the adaptive neurofuzzy based MAP algorithm and de‐noising algorithm compared and the PET input image is reconstructed and simulated in MATLAB/simulink package. Thus ANFIS‐EM algorithm provides 40% better peak signal to noise ratio (PSNR) when compared with MAP algorithm. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Imaging Syst Technol, 25, 1–6, 2015
Performance analysis of neural networks for classification of medical images with wavelets as a feature extractor
Authors: Harikumar R. , Vinoth kumar B.
Published: February 2015

In this article, we analyze the performance of artificial neural network, in classification of medical images using wavelets as feature extractor. This work classifies the mammographic image, MRI images, CT images, and ultrasound images as either normal or abnormal. We have tested the proposed approach using 50 mammogram images (13 normal and 37 abnormal), 24 MRI brain images (9 normal and 15 abnormal), 33 CT images (11 normal and 22 abnormal), and 20 ultrasound images (6 normal and 14 abnormal). Four kind of neural network models such as BPN (Back Propagation Network), Hopfield, RBF (Radial Basis Function), and PNN (Probabilistic neural network) were chosen for study. To improve diagnostic accuracy, the feature extracted using wavelets such as Harr, Daubechies (db2, db4, and db8), Biorthogonal and Coiflet wavelets are given as input to the neural network models. Good classification percentage of 96% was achieved using the RBF when Daubechies (db4) wavelet based feature extraction was used. We observed that the classification rate is almost high under the RBF neural network for all the dataset considered. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Imaging Syst Technol, 25, 33–40, 2015
A novel integrated downstream processing approach to recover sinapic acid, phytic acid and proteins from rapeseed meal
Authors: Thiel Alexander , Muffler Kai , Tippkötter Nils , Suck Kirstin , Sohling Ulrich , Hruschka Steffen M , Ulber Roland
Published: February 2015

BACKGROUND

Currently, several techniques exist for the downstream processing of protein, phytic acid and sinapic acid from rapeseed and rapeseed meal, but no technique has been developed to separate all of the components in one process. In this work, two new downstream processing strategies focusing on recovering sinapic acid, phytic acid and protein from rapeseed meal were established.

RESULTS

The sinapic acid content was enhanced by a factor of 4.5 with one method and 5.1 with the other. The isolation of sinapic acid was accomplished using a zeolite‐based adsorbent with high adsorptive and optimal desorption characteristics. Phytic acid was isolated using the anion‐exchange resin Purolite A200®. In addition, the processes resulted in two separated protein fractions. The ratios of globulin and albumin ratio to the total protein were 59.2% and 40.1%, respectively. The steps were then combined in two different ways: (a) a ‘sequential process’ using the zeolite and A200 in batch processes; and (b) a ‘parallel process’ using only A200 in a chromatographic system to separate all of the compounds.

CONCLUSIONS

It can be concluded that isolation of all three components was possible in both processes. These could enhance the added value of current processes using rapeseed meal as a protein source. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry
Economic Sanctions as ‘Negative Development’: The Case of Cuba
Authors: Gordon Joy
Published: February 2015

Economic sanctions are often viewed as a useful tool to enforce international law. However, they can do significant damage to the economy and development of the targeted country. The US embargo against Cuba has not only blocked its access to US markets but also intervenes in Cuba's trade with third countries, its international financial transactions, and the repair of its infrastructure. The embargo also targets each of the areas in which Cuba is positioned to produce goods and services on a par with highly developed countries, including medicine, biotechnology, and software. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Targeted quantitative phosphoproteomic analysis of erythrocyte membranes during blood bank storage
Authors: Rinalducci Sara , Longo Valentina , Ceci Luigi R. , Zolla Lello
Published: February 2015

One of the hallmarks of blood bank stored red blood cells (RBCs) is the irreversible transition from a discoid to a spherocyte‐like morphology with membrane perturbation and cytoskeleton disorders. Therefore, identification of the storage‐associated modifications in the protein–protein interactions between the cytoskeleton and the lipid bilayer may contribute to enlighten the molecular mechanisms involved in the alterations of mechanical properties of stored RBCs. Here we report the results obtained analyzing RBCs after 0, 21 and 35 days of storage under standard blood banking conditions by label free mass spectrometry (MS)‐based experiments. We could quantitatively measure changes in the phosphorylation level of crucial phosphopeptides belonging to β‐spectrin, ankyrin‐1, α‐adducin, dematin, glycophorin A and glycophorin C proteins. Data have been validated by both western blotting and pseudo‐Multiple Reaction Monitoring (MRM). Although each phosphopeptide showed a distinctive trend, a sharp increase in the phosphorylation level during the storage duration was observed. Phosphopeptide mapping and structural modeling analysis indicated that the phosphorylated residues localize in protein functional domains fundamental for the maintenance of membrane structural integrity. Along with previous morphological evidence acquired by electron microscopy, our results seem to indicate that 21‐day storage may represent a key point for the molecular processes leading to the erythrocyte deformability reduction observed during blood storage. These findings could therefore be helpful in understanding and preventing the morphology‐linked mechanisms responsible for the post‐transfusion survival of preserved RBCs. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Determination of catecholamines and their metabolites in rat urine by ultra‐performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry for the study of identifying potential markers for Alzheimer's disease
Authors: Lv Chunxiao , Li Qing , Liu Xujia , He Bosai , Sui Zhenyu , Xu Huarong , Yin Yidi , Liu Ran , Bi Kaishun
Published: February 2015

In order to investigate the potential links between catecholamines (CAs) and Alzheimer's disease (AD), rapid and sensitive ultra‐performance liquid chromatography (UPLC)–tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) methods in different ionization modes for the quantification of 14 CAs and their metabolites in rat urine without derivatization or complex sample pre‐treatments were developed. After addition of the internal standard, isoproterenol, the urine samples were extracted by protein precipitation and separated on an Inertsil ODS‐EP column (Shimadzu, Japan) at a flow of 1.0 ml min−1. Tandem mass spectrometric detection was performed on a 4000Q UPLC–MS/MS in the multiple reaction monitoring mode with turbo ion spray source. Tyrosine, dopamine, noradrenaline, epinephrine, 3‐methoxytyramine, normetanephrine and metanephrine were determined in positive mode, while 3,4‐dihyroxy‐l‐phenylalanine (DOPA), 3,4‐dihydroxyphenylacetic acid, DL‐3,4‐dihydroxymandelic acid, DL‐3,4‐dihydroxyphenyl glycol, homovanillic acid, DL‐4‐hydroxy‐3‐methoxymandelic acid and 4‐hydroxy‐3‐methoxy‐phenylglycol were determined in negative mode. The methods were examined and were found to be precise and accurate within the linearity range of the assays. The intra‐day and inter‐day precision and accuracy of the analytes were well within acceptance criteria (±15%). The mean extraction recoveries of analytes and internal standard were all more than 60%. The validated methods have been successfully applied to compare CAs profiles in normal and AD rats. The results indicated the urine levels of DL‐3,4‐dihydroxyphenyl glycol and 4‐hydroxy‐3‐methoxy‐phenylglycol in AD rats were significantly higher than those in the normal group, and the other CAs have an opposite performance. These may attribute to the difference of some enzyme activity between rats with AD and normal. Furthermore, this may be helpful in clinical diagnostics and monitor the efficacy of AD treatment. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Bromine isotopic signature facilitates de novo sequencing of peptides in free‐radical‐initiated peptide sequencing (FRIPS) mass spectrometry
Authors: Nam Jungjoo , Kwon Hyuksu , Jang Inae , Jeon Aeran , Moon Jingyu , Lee Sun Young , Kang Dukjin , Han Sang Yun , Moon Bongjin , Oh Han Bin
Published: February 2015

We recently showed that free‐radical‐initiated peptide sequencing mass spectrometry (FRIPS MS) assisted by the remarkable thermochemical stability of (2,2,6,6‐tetramethyl‐piperidin‐1‐yl)oxyl (TEMPO) is another attractive radical‐driven peptide fragmentation MS tool. Facile homolytic cleavage of the bond between the benzylic carbon and the oxygen of the TEMPO moiety in o‐TEMPO–Bz–C(O)–peptide and the high reactivity of the benzylic radical species generated in •Bz–C(O)–peptide are key elements leading to extensive radical‐driven peptide backbone fragmentation. In the present study, we demonstrate that the incorporation of bromine into the benzene ring, i.e. o‐TEMPO–Bz(Br)–C(O)–peptide, allows unambiguous distinction of the N‐terminal peptide fragments from the C‐terminal fragments through the unique bromine doublet isotopic signature. Furthermore, bromine substitution does not alter the overall radical‐driven peptide backbone dissociation pathways of o‐TEMPO–Bz–C(O)–peptide. From a practical perspective, the presence of the bromine isotopic signature in the N‐terminal peptide fragments in TEMPO‐assisted FRIPS MS represents a useful and cost‐effective opportunity for de novo peptide sequencing. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Group Creativity Training for Children: Lessons Learned from Two Award‐Winning Teams
Authors: Shin Namin , Jang Yeon‐Ju
Published: February 2015

The development of group creativity can be challenging for both young students and their teachers. This study examined the processes and learning outcomes of group creativity training from the perspectives of elementary school students and teachers while identifying critical factors that contributed to the success of the training. Data were collected from two Korean elementary school teams that won the gold (1st) and a special medal at the 2011 Destination Imagination global competition. Both individual and group interviews were carried out with 13 students and two teachers to investigate their perspectives of group creativity training. The analysis of the interview data revealed three major factors and subthemes: group dynamics (conflict and play), individual characteristics of the students (personality and motivation), and teachers’ roles (training strategies, training style, and commitment). In addition, a semi‐longitudinal survey conducted a year after the interviews examined nine skill or competency domains (self‐management, creativity, leadership, interpersonal relationship, patience, cooperation, information processing, communication, and presentation) to evaluate effects of the group creativity training on student learning. Synthesizing the analyses, we addressed the following three topics that arose from the discussions: the Safe Nest Effect, teachers’ training style, and multiple learning experiences derived from group creativity training.
A bioreactor system for in vitro tendon differentiation and tendon tissue engineering
Authors: Youngstrom Daniel W. , Rajpar Ibtesam , Kaplan David L. , Barrett Jennifer G.
Published: February 2015

There is significant clinical demand for functional tendon grafts in human and veterinary medicine. Tissue engineering techniques combining cells, scaffolds, and environmental stimuli may circumvent the shortcomings of traditional transplantation processes. In this study, the influence of cyclic mechanical stimulation on graft maturation and cellular phenotype was assessed in an equine model. Decellularized tendon scaffolds from four equine sources were seeded with syngeneic bone marrow‐derived mesenchymal stem cells and subjected to 0%, 3%, or 5% strain at 0.33 Hz for up to 1 h daily for 11 days. Cells cultured at 3% strain integrated deep into their scaffolds, altered extracellular matrix composition, adopted tendon‐like gene expression profiles, and increased construct elastic modulus and ultimate tensile strength to native levels. This bioreactor protocol is therefore suitable for cultivating replacement tendon material or as an in vitro model for studying differentiation of stem cells toward tendon. © 2015 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 33:911–918, 2015.
Motor unit control strategies of endurance‐ versus resistance‐trained individuals
Authors: Herda Trent J. , Siedlik Jacob A. , Trevino Michael A. , Cooper Michael A. , Weir Joseph P.
Published: February 2015

Introduction: We examined motor unit (MU) control properties of resistance‐trained (RT) and endurance‐trained (ET) individuals. Methods: Five RT (age 25 ± 4 years) and 5 ET (age 19 ± 1 years) subjects participated. Surface electromyography (EMG) data were recorded from the vastus lateralis during isometric trapezoid muscle actions at 40% and 70% of maximal voluntary contraction. Decomposition and wavelet transform techniques were applied to the EMG signals to extract the firing events of single MUs and EMG intensity across the frequency spectrum. Results: There were significant differences between RT and ET for the mean MU firing rate and derecruitment threshold versus recruitment threshold relationships and EMG intensity at various wavelet bands during the linearly increasing, steady force, and linearly decreasing segments of the trapezoid contraction. Conclusions: MU behavior is altered as a function of training status and is likely the result of differences in the physical properties of the MU. Muscle Nerve 52: 832–843, 2015
Testing a Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial of Therapeutic versus Placebo Shoulder Strapping as an Adjuvant Intervention Early after Stroke
Authors: Appel Caroline , Perry Lin , Jones Fiona
Published: February 2015

This study tested a protocol for a randomized controlled trial of therapeutic versus placebo shoulder strapping as an adjuvant intervention early after stroke. Despite widespread use, there is little evidence of the efficacy or acceptability of shoulder strapping to improve arm function in patients with shoulder paresis following stroke. This study tested a protocol designed to trial shoulder strapping as an adjuvant therapy in patients with shoulder paresis after stroke and tested its acceptability for patients and clinical staff. A multiple‐method design comprised one quantitative randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled study and two qualitative exploratory investigations entailing patient interviews and staff surveys. Seventeen sub‐acute stroke patients with shoulder paresis were recruited in London stroke service settings between November 2007 and December 2009. Outcomes from a 4‐week therapeutic strapping protocol were compared with those of placebo strapping as an adjunct to conventional rehabilitation. Minimal adverse events and greater improvement in arm function (Action Research Arm Test) were seen with therapeutic compared with placebo strapping (effect size 0.34). Patients and staff found the strapping acceptable with minimal adverse effects. This study provided data for sample size calculation and demonstrated a workable research protocol to investigate the efficacy of shoulder strapping as an adjuvant intervention to routine rehabilitation for stroke patients. Small‐scale findings continue to flag the importance of investigating this topic. The protocol is recommended for a definitive trial of shoulder strapping as an adjuvant intervention. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Hypo‐Activity Screening in School Setting; Examining Reliability and Validity of the Teacher Estimation of Activity Form (Teaf)
Authors: Rosenblum Sara , Engel‐Yeger Batya
Published: February 2015

It is well established that physical activity during childhood contributes to children's physical and psychological health. The aim of this study was to test the reliability and validity of the Hebrew version of the Teacher Estimation of Activity Form (TEAF) questionnaire as a screening tool among school‐aged children in Israel.

Six physical education teachers completed TEAF questionnaires of 123 children aged 5–12 years, 68 children (55%) with Typical Development (TD) and 55 children (45%) diagnosed with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD).

The Hebrew version of the TEAF indicates a very high level of internal consistency (α = .97). There were no significant gender differences. Significant differences were found between children with and without DCD attesting to the test's construct validity. Concurrent validity was established by finding a significant high correlation (r = .76, p < .01) between the TEAF and the Movement‐ABC mean scores within the DCD group.

The TEAF demonstrated acceptable reliability and validity estimates. It appears to be a promising standardized practical tool in both research and practice for describing information about school‐aged children's involvement in physical activity.

Further research is indicated with larger samples to establish cut‐off scores determining what point identifies hypo activity in striated age groups. Furthermore, the majority of the participants in this study were boys, and further research is needed to include more girls for a better understanding of the phenomena of hypo activity. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Exploring the origin and limitations of kidney regeneration
Authors: Endo Tomomi , Nakamura Jin , Sato Yuki , Asada Misako , Yamada Ryo , Takase Masayuki , Takaori Koji , Oguchi Akiko , Iguchi Taku , Higashi Atsuko Y , Ohbayashi Tetsuya , Nakamura Tomoyuki , Muso Eri , Kimura Takeshi , Yanagita Motoko
Published: February 2015

Epidemiological findings indicate that acute kidney injury (AKI) increases the risk for chronic kidney disease (CKD), although the molecular mechanism remains unclear. Genetic fate mapping demonstrated that nephrons, functional units in the kidney, are repaired by surviving nephrons after AKI. However, the cell population that repairs damaged nephrons and their repair capacity limitations remain controversial. To answer these questions, we generated a new transgenic mouse strain in which mature proximal tubules, the segment predominantly damaged during AKI, could be genetically labelled at desired time points. Using this strain, massive proliferation of mature proximal tubules is observed during repair, with no dilution of the genetic label after the repair process, demonstrating that proximal tubules are repaired mainly by their own proliferation. Furthermore, acute tubular injury caused significant shortening of proximal tubules associated with interstitial fibrosis, suggesting that proximal tubules have a limited capacity to repair. Understanding the mechanism of this limitation might clarify the mechanism of the AKI‐to‐CKD continuum. Copyright © 2015 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Toward the definition of a peptidome signature and protease profile in chronic periodontitis
Authors: Trindade Fábio , Amado Francisco , Oliveira‐Silva Rui P. , Daniel‐da‐Silva Ana L. , Ferreira Rita , Klein Julie , Faria‐Almeida Ricardo , Gomes Pedro S. , Vitorino Rui
Published: February 2015

Purpose

Chronic periodontitis (CP) is a complex immuno‐inflammatory disease that results from preestablished gingivitis. We investigated potential differences in salivary peptidome in health and CP.

Experimental design

Saliva was collected from nine CP patients and ten healthy subjects, from which five CP and five healthy were enriched following endoProteoFASP approach, separated and identified by nanoHPLC‐MALDI‐TOF/TOF. Protease prediction was carried out in silico with Proteasix. Parallel gelatin and collagen (I) zymographies were performed to study proteolytic activity in CP.

Results

An association of CP with increased gelatinolytic and collagenolytic activity was observed, which is mainly attributed to metalloproteases, remarkably MMP9. Protease prediction revealed distinct protease profiles in CP and in health. Peptidomic data corroborated the inflammatory status, and demonstrated that intact histatin 1 may play an important role in the defense response against oral pathogens. The application of the endoProteoFASP approach to study the salivary peptidome of CP subjects resulted in the identification of eight surrogate peptide markers, which may be used in multiplex to identify CP. These peptides belong to acidic PRP and to P‐B peptide. Particularly, P‐B peptide fragments exhibited domains with potential predicted antimicrobial activity, corroborating an antimicrobial function.

Conclusions and clinical relevance

The comparison between the salivary peptidome obtained by control and CP samples showed a specific association of eight peptides to CP, with remarkable predicted antimicrobial activity, which should be further validated in studies with large number of subjects.
Effect of chlorination on the TlBr band edges for improved room temperature radiation detectors
Authors: Varley J. B. , Conway A. M. , Voss L. F. , Swanberg E. , Graff R. T. , Nikolic R. J. , Payne S. A. , Lordi V. , Nelson A. J.
Published: February 2015

Thallium bromide (TlBr) crystals subjected to hydrochloric acid (HCl) chemical treatments have been shown to advantageously affect device performance and longevity in TlBr‐based room temperature radiation detectors, yet the exact mechanisms of the improvements remain poorly understood. Here, we investigate the influence of several HCl chemical treatments on device‐grade TlBr and describe the changes in the composition and electronic structure of the surface. Composition analysis and depth profiles obtained from secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) identify the extent to which each HCl etch condition affects the detector surface region and forms of a graded TlBr/TlBrCl  surface heterojunction. Using a combination of X‐ray photoemission spectroscopy (XPS) and hybrid density functional calculations, we are able to determine the valence band offsets, band gaps, and conduction band offsets as a function of Cl content over the entire composition range of . This study establishes a strong correlation between device process conditions, surface chemistry, and electronic structure with the goal of further optimizing the long‐term stability and radiation response of TlBr‐based detectors.
Characterization and simulation of optical absorption in Si nanocrystals
Authors: Jia Xuguang , Wu Lingfeng , Lin Ziyun , Zhang Tian , Yang Terry Chien‐Jen , Xia Hongze , Puthen‐Veettil Binesh , Conibeer Gavin , Perez‐Wurfl Ivan
Published: February 2015

The application of silicon quantum dot (Si QD) based material is regarded as a promising approach for the realization of high efficiency solar cells. When silicon nanocrystals are made very small (within the vicinity of the exciton Bohr radius of bulk Si), they behave as quantum dots due to the three‐dimensional quantum confinement, which could cause the material's effective optical band gap to increase. The optical band gap can be deduced from the absorption coefficient. In this paper, we analyze optical absorption and emission processes in Si QD and attempt to simulate the band‐edge absorption features based on the photoluminescence spectrum. We also investigate the application of ellipsometry in the study of optical properties of Si QD thin films. Based on WVASE32 modeling tool, a homogeneous mixture model is developed to extract the absorption coefficient of this material. From these results, we extract the effective optical band gap and analyze optical properties of Si QDs materials. (© 2015 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Ga+ implantation in a PZT film during focused ion beam micro‐machining
Authors: Wollschläger Nicole , Österle Werner , Häusler Ines , Stewart Mark
Published: February 2015

The objective of the present work was to study the impact of Focused Ion Beam (FIB) machining parameters on the thickness of the damaged layer within a thin film PZT. Therefore, different Ga+‐ ion doses and ion energies were applied to a standard PZT film (80/20 lead zirconium titanate) under two beam incidence angles (90° and 1°). The thicknesses of the corresponding Ga+‐implanted layers were then determined by cross‐sectional TEM in combination with energy dispersive spectroscopic (EDS) line‐scans and correlated with polarisation hysteresis loops. The results show a decrease of Ga+‐implanted layer thickness with decreasing inclination angle, whereas ion energy and ion dose could be correlated with gallium concentration in the implanted layers.. Under the most unfavorable conditions the depth of the affected zone was 26 nm, it was only 2 nm for the most favorable conditions. (© 2015 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)