bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
„Bitte bestäuben!”︁
Authors: Klein Alexandra‐Maria
Published: October 2014

Wildbienen können in intensiv bewirtschafteten Agrarlandschaften nicht überleben. Doch wenn die Zahl der blütenbesuchenden Insekten schwindet, geht nicht nur der Ertrag der Nutzpflanzen zurück. Ökologen zeigen am Beispiel von Mandelplantagen in Kalifornien, dass die Art der Bestäubung sogar die Qualität der Früchte beeinflusst.
Kosmische Kollisionen in der Experimentierkammer
Authors: Kenkmann Thomas , Poelchau Michael , Deutsch Alex , Thoma Klaus
Published: October 2014

Grundlegende Entstehungsprozesse im Sonnensystem neu verstehen: Von den Anfängen unserer Erde bis heute steuern Einschläge von Asteroiden und Kometen die geologische Entwicklung planetarer Körper. Die Hochgeschwindigkeitsprozesse bei solchen Impakt‐Ereignissen werden nun von einer Forschergruppe erstmals im Labor modelliert.
Overliving
Authors: Cohen Andrew B.
Published: October 2014

The patient's apartment is full of books. A whole shelf is devoted to Virginia Woolf. I ask which novel she likes the best and am surprised when she says The Waves, a lyrical book of sensation and consciousness, with hardly a narrative at all. This, I think, is the way to live at ninety‐five.

She tells me she wants to die. She can see how things are likely to go. She will fall one morning, and paramedics will be summoned to pick her up. Caregivers will be invited into her home. The pain in her knees and back will worsen. Disability is coming, it cannot be avoided, she says, and it would be better if her life were now simply to cease.

I struggle to find a name for this state of thinking. A senior geriatrician in my department tells me that she sees elderly patients like mine all the time. What word does she use for these men and women, I ask?
Enhancing Moral Agency: Clinical Ethics Residency for Nurses
Authors: Robinson Ellen M. , Lee Susan M. , Zollfrank Angelika , Jurchak Martha , Frost Debra , Grace Pamela
Published: October 2014

One antidote to moral distress is stronger moral agency—that is, an enhanced ability to act to bring about change. The Clinical Ethics Residency for Nurses, an educational program developed and run in two large northeastern academic medical centers with funding from the Health Resources and Services Administration, intended to strengthen nurses’ moral agency. Drawing on Improving Competencies in Clinical Ethics Consultation: An Education Guide, by the American Society for Bioethics and Humanities, and on the goals of the nursing profession, CERN sought to change attitudes, increase knowledge, and develop skills to act on one's knowledge. One of the key insights the faculty members brought to the design of this program is that knowledge of clinical ethics is not enough to develop moral agency. In addition to lecture‐style classes, CERN employed a variety of methods based in adult learning theory, such as active application of ethics knowledge to patient scenarios in classroom discussion, simulation, and the clinical practicum. Overwhelmingly, the feedback from the participants (sixty‐seven over three years of the program) indicated that CERN achieved transformative learning.
On Cultivating the Courage to Speak Up: The Critical Role of Attendings in the Moral Development of Physicians in Training
Authors: Yerramilli Divya
Published: October 2014

“Shut the door,” the chief resident said to me. While I was green enough at the beginning of my clinical clerkships to believe that most of my medical education would happen at the bedside, at that moment, I was learning another important fact: a large part of my ethical education was going to happen behind the closed doors of a call room. The health care team was polluted by a pervasive atmosphere of frustration, as silent but tangible as a thick layer of fog, that obscured the patient's ability to evaluate the consequences of the choice that lay before her. The attending did not permit, let alone create, an environment that provided room for dissent.

Institutions should encourage the leaders of clinical education to foster an emotionally safer learning environment in which honest moral dialogue may occur without fear of repercussions. If students cannot learn to apply the principles of ethics actively throughout their clerkships, it will be much harder to do so when they practice independently, and ultimately, patient care will suffer. Conversely, when students and trainees are empowered by their teachers, patient care improves.
Lineage‐dependent effects of aryl hydrocarbon receptor agonists contribute to liver tumorigenesis
Authors: Harrill Joshua A. , Parks Bethany B , Wauthier Eliane , Rowlands J. Craig , Reid Lola M. , Thomas Russell S.
Published: October 2014

Rodent cancer bioassays indicate that the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) agonist, 2,3,7,8‐tetracholorodibenzo‐p‐dioxin (TCDD), causes increases in both hepatocytic and cholangiocytic tumors. Effects of AHR activation have been evaluated on rodent hepatic stem cells (rHpSCs) versus their descendants, hepatoblasts (rHBs), two lineage stages of multipotent, hepatic precursors with overlapping but also distinct phenotypic traits. This was made possible by defining the first successful culture conditions for ex vivo maintenance of rHpScs consisting of a substratum of hyaluronans and Kubota's medium (KM), a serum‐free medium designed for endodermal stem/progenitor cells. Supplementation of KM with leukemia inhibitory factor elicited lineage restriction to rHBs. Cultures were treated with various AHR agonists including TCDD, 6‐formylindolo‐[3,2‐b]carbazole (FICZ), and 3‐3'‐diindolylmethane (DIM) and then analyzed with a combination of immunocytochemistry, gene expression, and high‐content image analysis. The AHR agonists increased proliferation of rHpSCs at concentrations producing a persistent AHR activation as indicated by induction of Cyp1a1. By contrast, treatment with TCDD resulted in a rapid loss of viability of rHBs, even though the culture conditions, in the absence of the agonists, were permissive for survival and expansion of rHBs. The effects were not observed with FICZ and at lower concentrations of DIM. Conclusion: Our findings are consistent with a lineage‐dependent mode of action for AHR agonists in rodent liver tumorigenesis through selective expansion of rHpSCs in combination with a toxicity‐induced loss of viability of rHBs. These lineage‐dependent effects correlate with increased frequency of liver tumors. (Hepatology 2015;61:548‐560)
Treatment of PD‐1−/− mice with amodiaquine and anti‐CTLA4 leads to liver injury similar to idiosyncratic liver injury in patients
Authors: Metushi Imir G. , Hayes M. Anthony , Uetrecht Jack
Published: October 2014

The mechanism of idiosyncratic drug‐induced liver injury (IDILI) remains poorly understood, to a large degree because of the lack of a valid animal model. Recently, we reported an animal model in which treatment of female C57BL/6 mice with amodiaquine (AQ) resulted in mild liver injury with a delayed onset and resolution despite continued treatment. Such adaptation is a common outcome in the IDILI caused by drugs that can cause liver failure. We had hypothesized that most IDILI is immune‐mediated and adaptation represents immune tolerance. In this study we found that AQ treatment of Cbl‐b−/− and PD‐1−/− mice, which have impaired immune tolerance, resulted in a slightly greater injury. Cotreatment of C57BL/6 with AQ and anti‐CTLA4 also resulted in a greater increase in ALT than treatment with AQ alone; however, these mice also had an increase in T regulatory (Treg) cells and T helper cells expressing PD‐1 and CTLA4. The increase in these cells implies the induction of immune tolerance, and the alanine aminotransferase (ALT) activity in these mice returned to normal despite continued treatment. Cotreatment of PD‐1−/− mice with anti‐CTLA4 antibody and AQ resulted in the greatest increase in ALT (200‐300 U/L), and necroinflammatory responses characterized by portal infiltration of lymphocytes with interface hepatitis. The lymphocyte infiltration included T and B cells, and the CD8+ T cells produced perforin and granzyme. In addition, the ALT activity in PD‐1−/− mice cotreated with anti‐CTLA4 antibody and AQ did not return to normal, as it had in other mice. Conclusion: We report here the first animal model of IDILI that is similar to the IDILI that occurs in humans, and it was accomplished by inhibiting immune tolerance. (Hepatology 2015;61:1332–1342)
The Impact of Discriminatory Climate Perceptions on the Composition of Intraorganizational Developmental Networks, Psychosocial Support, and Job and Career Attitudes of Employees with an Invisible Stigma
Authors: Trau Raymond N. C.
Published: October 2014

Recent diversity research recognizes that employees’ social identity and perceptions of diversity openness and support shape their career experience and decisions. To build further on this line of work, this study aims to advance an understanding of the impact of discriminatory climate perceptions on the social relationships at work and work‐related attitudes of employees with an invisible stigma. To achieve this purpose and test hypotheses, professional lesbians and gay men were selected as a representative group of the invisible stigmatized population. This study found that perceptions of nondiscriminatory climate toward an individual's invisible stigmatized group is positively related to her/his formation of a similar developmental network, and those who perceived nondiscriminatory climate in their organization are more likely to disclose stigmatized identity and receive higher psychosocial support from their developmental network. Further, psychosocial support was found to be positively related to job and career satisfaction. Theoretical and practical implications on workplace stigmatization, developmental network, and workplace diversity are discussed. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
The 1,25D3‐MARRS receptor/PDIA3/ERp57 and lifespan
Authors: Nemere Ilka , Garbi Natalio , Winger Quinton
Published: October 2014

Using MRI on mice bearing a targeted knockout (KO) of the 1,25D3‐MARRS receptor/PDIA3/ERp57 we found that they had decreased body fat relative to their littermate (LM) controls, a condition associated with increased lifespan. Others have found that lower body fat is correlated with decreased lipid droplets in intestinal cells that may be mediated by a factor secreted by germ cells (possibly estradiol). In a reducing environment estradiol competed for binding to the 1,25D3‐MARRS receptor/PDIA3/ERp57. A consequence of this was that estradiol stimulated calcium uptake in enterocytes isolated from LM mice. In time course studies, lipid droplets increased in response to 1 nM estradiol from 1–5 D of culture, relative to corresponding controls, while at 6 and 7 D this steroid decreased lipid droplets. Enterocytes from LM or KOs incubated with estradiol for 1–4 D showed the hormone increased lipid droplets. Using the 4 D culture period, 1 and 10 nM estradiol significantly increased the number of lipid droplets in cells from LM mice by 40–60%, compared to equivalent conditions in KO mice. In assessing signal transduction pathways, the hormone increased phospho‐Akt levels, but no differences were observed in phospho‐mTORC1, or phospho‐S6K (although cells from chicks did exhibit a hormone‐mediated difference). Finally, the remaining mice (which had stopped reproducing) were allowed to die naturally and lifespan recorded. LM mice lived 687 ± 77 D (without an outlying value) while KO mice lived 740 D ± 80 D. These data suggest the 25D3‐MARRS receptor/PDIA3/ERp57 may contribute to the length of lifespan in mammals. J. Cell. Biochem. 116: 380–385, 2015. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Amyloid Precursor Protein (APP) Affects Global Protein Synthesis in Dividing Human Cells
Authors: Sobol Anna , Galluzzo Paola , Liang Shuang , Rambo Brittany , Skucha Sylvia , Weber Megan J. , Alani Sara , Bocchetta Maurizio
Published: October 2014

Hypoxic non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is dependent on Notch‐1 signaling for survival. Targeting Notch‐1 by means of γ‐secretase inhibitors (GSI) proved effective in killing hypoxic NSCLC. Post‐mortem analysis of GSI‐treated, NSCLC‐burdened mice suggested enhanced phosphorylation of 4E‐BP1 at threonines 37/46 in hypoxic tumor tissues. In vitro dissection of this phenomenon revealed that Amyloid Precursor Protein (APP) inhibition was responsible for a non‐canonical 4E‐BP1 phosphorylation pattern rearrangement—a process, in part, mediated by APP regulation of the pseudophosphatase Styx. Upon APP depletion we observed modifications of eIF‐4F composition indicating increased recruitment of eIF‐4A to the mRNA cap. This phenomenon was supported by the observation that cells with depleted APP were partially resistant to silvestrol, an antibiotic that interferes with eIF‐4A assembly into eIF‐4F complexes. APP downregulation in dividing human cells increased the rate of global protein synthesis, both cap‐ and IRES‐dependent. Such an increase seemed independent of mTOR inhibition. After administration of Torin‐1, APP downregulation and Mechanistic Target of Rapamycin Complex 1 (mTORC‐1) inhibition affected 4E‐BP1 phosphorylation and global protein synthesis in opposite fashions. Additional investigations indicated that APP operates independently of mTORC‐1. Key phenomena described in this study were reversed by overexpression of the APP C‐terminal domain. The presented data suggest that APP may be a novel regulator of protein synthesis in dividing human cells, both cancerous and primary. Furthermore, APP appears to affect translation initiation using mechanisms seemingly dissimilar to mTORC‐1 regulation of cap‐dependent protein synthesis. J. Cell. Physiol. 230: 1064–1074, 2015. © 2014 The Authors. Journal of Cellular Physiology Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Effect of electrolytes/polyelectrolytes on the removal of solids and organics from olive mill wastewater
Authors: Iakovides Iakovos C , Pantziaros Alexis G , Zagklis Dimitris P , Paraskeva Christakis A
Published: October 2014

BACKGROUND

Coagulation/flocculation is a physico‐chemical method for the treatment of olive mill wastewater (OMW). Coagulation/flocculation and precipitation of the agglomerates formed relies on the effective decrease of the electrical charge of the suspended solids which allows particles to approach each other and form large clusters. The present work focuses on the decrease of the electrical charge of the suspended particles by monitoring the changes in the zeta potential of the particles. This approach can also indicate with accuracy the exact concentration of the coagulant or flocculant that must be added in the wastewaters, to achieve the highest removal of the solids and organic load.

RESULTS

In the present paper, experiments of coagulation/flocculation with electrolytes [FeCl3, Ca(OH)2, CaO, CaCl2] and polyelectrolytes (PDADMAC, PAH, PAA, PEI, Floccan 22‐23) are presented, either separately or in combination and screened with respect to their removal efficiency in terms of chemical oxygen demand (COD), total suspended solids (TSS), Total solids (TS) and total phenols (TP) removal and by monitoring the zeta potential. A relevant literature review is presented also regarding the coagulants and flocculants which have been examined for the physico‐chemical treatment of OMW. The compounds used, their concentrations and their removal efficiency in terms of COD, TS, TSS and phenols are listed, where possible.

CONCLUSIONS

The coupling of calcium hydroxide at 20 g L−1, with PDADMAC in a range of 0.75–2.00 g L−1 led to reductions of COD, TSS, TS and phenols up to 56%, 27%, 43% and 76%, respectively. © 2014 Society of Chemical Industry
Nitrate reduction by chelating resin‐supported Fe and Fe/Ni nanoparticles: comparison of reactivity and effect of co‐existing inorganic anion
Authors: Shi Jialu , He Honglei , Long Chao , Li Aimin
Published: October 2014

BACKGROUND

Nitrate is a potential harmful contaminant to humans, and widely detected in ground and surface water. The aim of this study was to accelerate nitrate reduction using chelating resin‐supported Fe/Ni nanoparticles.

RESULTS

The results of X‐ray diffraction indicated that the presence of Ni can prevent the oxidation of nanoscale Fe0 particles by O2. The nitrate removal efficiency (98.3%) and the rate constant (Kobs = 0.0166 mg−1 L min−1) using supported Fe/Ni nanoparticles were increased greatly compared with those using supported Fe nanoparticles (21.3% and 7.93 × 10−4 mg−1 L min−1, respectively). The co‐existing Cl− caused a slight increase in nitrate reduction by the supported Fe nanoparticles, but SO42−, PO43−, HCO3− and humic acid caused obvious inhibition of NO3− removal. Due to Ni catalysis, however, the effects of these co‐existing anions and humic acid on nitrate reduction by supported Fe/Ni nanoparticles could be ignored, except HCO3−. Moreover, the Fe/Ni nanoparticles showed good performance for nitrate reduction in drinking water.

CONCLUSION

The supported Fe/Ni nanoparticles were more reactive than Fe nanoparticles. The co‐existing anions and humic acid showed less effect on nitrate reduction. The supported Fe/Ni nanoparticles have a potential application for nitrate reduction. © 2014 Society of Chemical Industry
Local allograft irradiation as an adjunct for treating severe resistant rejection after liver transplantation in adults
Authors: Ramanathan Rajesh , Sharma Amit , Kaspar Matthew , Behnke Martha , Song Shiyu , Stravitz R. Todd , Cotterell Adrian , Posner Marc , Fisher Robert A.
Published: October 2014

Acute rejection after liver transplantation occurs in one‐third of all recipients and can be managed with conventional rejection therapy in the majority of cases. In rare instances, patients with severe acute rejection may be refractory to or have contraindications for conventional therapies. This case series evaluates the role of local allograft irradiation (LAI) as an adjunct for patients with rejection that is refractory to or contraindicated for conventional therapies. Additionally, the literature on the use of radiation therapy for reversing rejection in solid organ transplantation is reviewed. Five patients underwent 9 LAI treatments: 2 had refractory rejection, and 1 each had a malignancy, a concurrent life‐threatening infection, and serum sickness with antibody therapy. Conventional rejection therapies included steroids, calcineurin inhibitors, and antithymocyte globulin. LAI consisted of 3 cycles of 1.5 Gy directed toward the liver allograft. Two of the 5 patients remained alive with excellent graft function. Six of the 9 treatments were successful in rescuing the liver allograft (reversing the rejection episode). Treatment success was associated with lower pretreatment serum bilirubin levels and higher pretreatment alanine aminotransferase levels. Compared with patients with immunosuppression‐responsive severe acute rejection, those requiring LAI trended toward a later onset of first rejection. In conclusion, local irradiation of liver allografts can be a useful adjunct in patients for whom conventional options have been exhausted or cannot be used. The ability of LAI to reverse allograft dysfunction and promote patient survival appears to be greatest before the onset of severe cholestatic injury. Liver Transpl 21:47‐56, 2015. © 2014 AASLD.
Preparation of Light‐Responsive Polyester Micelles via Ring‐Opening Polymerization of O‐Carboxyanhydride and Azide–Alkyne Click Chemistry
Authors: Li Yefei , Niu Yile , Hu Ding , Song Yawei , He Jingwen , Liu Xiangyu , Xia Xinnian , Lu Yanbing , Xu Weijian
Published: October 2014

Reversibly light‐responsive micelles are constructed from an amphiphilic azobenzene‐containing diblock copolymer AZO‐mPEG‐poly(5)25. The copolymer is synthesized via ring‐opening polymerization of O‐carboxyanhydrides bearing alkyne group, followed by azide–alkyne click chemistry with an azide‐containing azobenzene derivative. AZO‐mPEG‐poly(5)25 can self‐assemble to spherical micelles. Light response of the polymeric micelles is demonstrated by UV–vis spectroscopy and scanning electron micro­scopy (SEM). SEM images show that after UV irradiation, the micelles are partly dissociated, which is ascribed to swelling of the hydrophobic chain because of hydrophobicity change during the trans–cis isomerization of the azobenzene group. After subsequent visible‐light irradiation, the morphology returns back to micelles.

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Reproducing Superhydrophobic Leaves as Coatings by Micromolding Surface‐Initiated Polymerization
Authors: Escobar Carlos A. , Spellings Matthew P. , Cooksey Tyler J. , Jennings G. Kane
Published: October 2014

Micromolding surface‐initiated polymerization enables the fabrication of polymer coatings that reproduce the microscale surface topography of superhydrophobic leaves onto solid supports. Here, the surfaces of superhydrophobic leaves from Trifolium repens and Aristolochia esperanzae are molded and reproduced as the topography of a partially fluorinated polymer coating through the surface‐initiated ring‐opening metathesis polymerization of 5‐(perfluorooctyl)norbornene (NBF8). The polymer coatings have thicknesses exceeding 100 μm, which can be tailored by the amount of monomer added to the mold. These coatings are robustly bound to the substrate, contain compositions not found in nature, and achieve superhydrophobicity that is comparable to the actual leaf.

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An amphipathic polypeptide derived from poly‐γ‐glutamic acid for the stabilization of membrane proteins
Authors: Han Seong‐Gu , Na Jung‐Hyun , Lee Won‐Kyu , Park Dongkook , Oh Jihye , Yoon Sung‐Ho , Lee Cheng‐Kang , Sung Moon‐Hee , Shin Yeon‐Kyun , Yu Yeon Gyu
Published: October 2014

Difficulties in the extraction of membrane proteins from cell membrane and their solubilization in native conformations have hindered their structural and biochemical analysis. To overcome these difficulties, an amphipathic polypeptide was synthesized by the conjugation of octyl and glucosyl groups to the carboxyl groups of poly‐γ‐glutamic acid (PGA). This polymer, called amphipathic PGA (APG), self‐assembles as mono‐disperse oligomers consisted of 4–5 monomers. APG shows significantly low value of critical micelle concentration and stabilization activity toward membrane proteins. Most of the sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)‐solubilized membrane proteins from Escherichia coli remain soluble state in the presence of APG even after the removal of SDS. In addition, APG stabilizes purified 7 transmembrane proteins such as bacteriorhodopsin and human endothelin receptor Type A (ETA) in their active conformations. Furthermore, ETA in complex with APG is readily inserted into liposomes without disrupting the integrity of liposomes. These properties of APG can be applied to overcome the difficulties in the stabilization and reconstitution of membrane proteins.
Discovery and structural characterization of an allosteric inhibitor of bacterial cis‐prenyltransferase
Authors: Danley Dennis E. , Baima Eric T. , Mansour Mahmoud , Fennell Kimberly F. , Chrunyk Boris A. , Mueller John P. , Liu Shenping , Qiu Xiayang
Published: October 2014

Undecaprenyl pyrophosphate synthase (UPPs) is an essential enzyme in a key bacterial cell wall synthesis pathway. It catalyzes the consecutive condensations of isopentenyl pyrophosphate (IPP) groups on to a trans‐farnesyl pyrophosphate (FPP) to produce a C55 isoprenoid, undecaprenyl pyrophosphate (UPP). Here we report the discovery and co‐crystal structures of a drug‐like UPPs inhibitor in complex with Streptococcus pneumoniae UPPs, with and without substrate FPP, at resolutions of 2.2 and 2.1 Å, respectively. The UPPs inhibitor has a low molecular weight (355 Da), but displays potent inhibition of UPP synthesis in vitro (IC50 50 nM) that translates into excellent whole cell antimicrobial activity against pathogenic strains of Streptococcal species (MIC90 0.4 µg mL−1). Interestingly, the inhibitor does not compete with the substrates but rather binds at a site adjacent to the FPP binding site and interacts with the tail of the substrate. Based on the structures, an allosteric inhibition mechanism of UPPs is proposed for this inhibitor. This inhibition mechanism is supported by biochemical and biophysical experiments, and provides a basis for the development of novel antibiotics targeting Streptococcus pneumoniae.
Energy band structures of group IV compound semiconductors for solar cells
Authors: Suwa Ryo , Sueoka Koji , Kamiyama Eiji
Published: October 2014

The impact of isotropic lattice strain and the composition ratios of mono and binary systems of group IV compounds with diamond structures on energy band structures were analyzed with ab initio calculations by covering wider ranges of strain (−30 to 30%) and compositions (0–100%) than those in actual cases. The bandgap of C crystal increased (decreased) under isotropic compressive (tensile) strain while the bandgap of Si (Ge) crystal reached maximum under tensile strain of 5% (0%). The bandgaps of Ge–Sn (Si–Ge and Si–Sn) at 1:1 stoichiometry reached maximum under compressive strain of 5% (0%). These values slightly differed from the values predicted by Vegard's law. The bandgaps of 1:1 compounds Si–C (Ge–C and Sn–C) reached maximum under tensile strain of 5% (0%). The bandgaps remarkably differed from the values predicted by Vegard's law when the compounds contained C atoms.
Generation of Si dangling bond defects at Si/insulator interfaces induced by oxygen scavenging
Authors: Cerbu F. , Nguyen A. P. D. , Kepa J. , Afanas'ev V. V. , Stesmans A.
Published: October 2014

In this work we analyse the influence of the O‐scavenging process on interface traps in (100)Si/SiOx/HfO2(1.8 nm)/TiNx/Si stacks by using electrical measurements and electron spin resonance spectroscopy. The reduction of interfacial SiOx by high‐temperature annealing in O‐free ambient is found to lead to severe interface degradation exposed as generation of additional Si dangling bond defects (paramagnetic Pb0 centres). The density of these centres, well known to be electron traps impairing device operation, increases from ∼1 × 1012 cm−2 – the value typical for thermally oxidized Si – to >3 × 1012 cm−2 upon annealing at 1100 °C. This interface degradation is accompanied by the development of a hysteresis in the MOS capacitance–voltage curves indicating generation of additional oxide traps with areal density in the range of 1012 cm−2. However, the trap generation can be alleviated if the O‐scavenging annealing step is performed in helium ambient, suggesting formation of silicon monoxide molecules at the Si/SiOx interface as the origin of the observed trap generation.
Linear matrix inequalities for analysis and control of linear vector second‐order systems
Authors: Adegas F. D. , Stoustrup J.
Published: October 2014

Many dynamical systems are modeled as vector second‐order differential equations. This paper presents analysis and synthesis conditions in terms of LMI with explicit dependence in the coefficient matrices of vector second‐order systems. These conditions benefit from the separation between the Lyapunov matrix and the system matrices by introducing matrix multipliers, which potentially reduce conservativeness in hard control problems. Multipliers facilitate the usage of parameter‐dependent Lyapunov functions as certificates of stability of uncertain and time‐varying vector second‐order systems. The conditions introduced in this work have the potential to increase the practice of analyzing and controlling systems directly in vector second‐order form. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Formation tracking and attitude synchronization control of underactuated ships along closed orbits
Authors: Chen Yang‐Yang , Tian Yu‐Ping
Published: October 2014

This article considers the problem of directing a family of underactuated ships to formation tracking a set of closed orbits and achieve attitude synchronization. It shows that our previous concentric compression design can be extended to deal with a general kind of non‐convex, closed curves and the coordinated motion of underactuated ships. The condition of nonzero total linear speed of each ship is ensured by a potential function. Under the bidirectional communication topology, asymptotical stabilization is proved with the help of the invariance‐like theorem and the extension of Barbalat's lemma. Theoretical results are proved by the numerical examples. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Kalte Plasmen in der Medizin
Authors: Reuter Stephan , Masur Kai , von Woedtke Thomas , Weltmann Klaus‐Dieter
Published: October 2014

Kalte Nichtgleichgewichtsplasmen bei Atmosphärendruck eignen sich, um empfindliche biologische Systeme zu beeinflussen, zu inaktivieren oder zu stimulieren. Das Plasma generiert reaktive Spezies wie Stickstoff‐ und Sauerstoffteilchen, die auch bei Zellsignalwegen wichtig sind, UV‐Strahlung, elektrische Felder und geladene Teilchen. Mögliche zukünftige Therapieansätze der Plasmamedizin liegen in der Inaktivierung von Krankheitserregern, der Heilung chronischer Wunden, der Unterstützung bei chirurgischen Eingriffen oder perspektivisch auch in der unterstützenden Krebstherapie bei fest lokalisierten Tumoren.
Synthesis, X‐ray Crystallography, and DFT Calculations of A Novel Phosphoramide
Authors: Shariatinia Zahra , Dusek Michal , Eigner Vaclav
Published: October 2014

A new phosphoramide with formula (4‐CH3C6H4S(O)2NH)P(O)(NHCH2C6H5)2(1) was synthesized and characterized by1H,13C,31P NMR, FT‐IR spectroscopy, and elemental analysis. The13C NMR spectrum displays two sets of signals for the phenyl carbon atoms of the two benzylamine groups (eight peaks) as well as two separated signals for the 4‐CH3aliphatic carbon atom possibly due to the presence of a prochiral central phosphorus atom. The structure of compound1was determined by X‐ray crystallography at 121 K. In this structure, the strong intermolecular N–H···O=P and N–H···O=S plus weak intermolecular C–H···O and N–H···C(π of benzyl ring) hydrogen bonds create a three‐dimensional crystalline network. The DFT calculations both in the gas phase and in four solvents illustrate that this molecule is more stable at B3PW91 than B3LYP level. Interestingly, comparable computational results are obtained in acetone and methanol solvents as well as in DMSO and ethanol. The QTAIM analyses support the covalent/shared character of the C–N, S–C, and N–H bonds, the intermediate character of P=O, P–N, and S=O bonds, and the electrostatic nature of S=O···H–N, P=O···H–C, and C–H···C(π) interactions. The computational data are in very good agreement with the experimental ones.
Type I glycogen storage diseases: disorders of the glucose‐6‐phosphatase/glucose‐6‐phosphate transporter complexes
Authors: Chou Janice Y. , Jun Hyun Sik , Mansfield Brian C.
Published: October 2014

Disorders of the glucose‐6‐phosphatase (G6Pase)/glucose‐6‐phosphate transporter (G6PT) complexes consist of three subtypes: glycogen storage disease type Ia (GSD‐Ia), deficient in the liver/kidney/intestine‐restricted G6Pase‐α (or G6PC); GSD‐Ib, deficient in a ubiquitously expressed G6PT (or SLC37A4); and G6Pase‐β deficiency or severe congenital neutropenia syndrome type 4 (SCN4), deficient in the ubiquitously expressed G6Pase‐β (or G6PC3). G6Pase‐α and G6Pase‐β are glucose‐6‐phosphate (G6P) hydrolases with active sites lying inside the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) lumen and as such are dependent upon the G6PT to translocate G6P from the cytoplasm into the lumen. The tissue expression profiles of the G6Pase enzymes dictate the disease's phenotype. A functional G6Pase‐α/G6PT complex maintains interprandial glucose homeostasis, while a functional G6Pase‐β/G6PT complex maintains neutrophil/macrophage energy homeostasis and functionality. G6Pase‐β deficiency is not a glycogen storage disease but biochemically it is a GSD‐I related syndrome (GSD‐Irs). GSD‐Ia and GSD‐Ib patients manifest a common metabolic phenotype of impaired blood glucose homeostasis not shared by GSD‐Irs. GSD‐Ib and GSD‐Irs patients manifest a common myeloid phenotype of neutropenia and neutrophil/macrophage dysfunction not shared by GSD‐Ia. While a disruption of the activity of the G6Pase‐α/G6PT complex readily explains why GSD‐Ia and GSD‐Ib patients exhibit impaired glucose homeostasis, the basis for neutropenia and myeloid dysfunction in GSD‐Ib and GSD‐Irs are only now starting to be understood. Animal models of all three disorders are now available and are being exploited to both delineate the disease more precisely and develop new treatment approaches, including gene therapy.
The Royal Observatory Greenwich
Authors: Maunder E. Walter
Published: October 2014

When this highly illustrated work first appeared in 1900, the day-to-day business of an astronomer was prone to misapprehension; the reality tended to be clouded by the temptation to imagine observatories as preoccupied with making awe-inspiring discoveries and glimpsing distant worlds. Describing himself as a hybrid between an engineer and an accountant, astronomer Edward Walter Maunder (1851–1928) explodes the romantic myths and takes the reader on an entertaining tour of the history and real purposes of the Royal Observatory at Greenwich. Founded with the sole aim of advancing navigation at sea, the observatory originally confined its activities to the accurate compilation of celestial charts. In exploring the observatory's various departments and the lives of its Astronomers Royal, Maunder shows how its remit slowly expanded into heliography, meteorology, spectroscopy and the study of magnetism, which transformed it from a tool of the Navy to a major institution in contemporary astronomy.
Predictors of Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy Tube Placement after Stroke
Authors: Li Jian , Zhang Juan , Li Shujuan , Guo Hongliang , Qin Wei , Hu Wen li
Published: October 2014

Aims:

the goal of this study was to identify important prognostic variables affecting placement of a percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (Peg) tube after acute stroke.

Methods:

We retrospectively reviewed our patient database to identify acute ischemic stroke patients who placed Peg or nasogastric tube (Ngt) tube, but were free of other confounding conditions affecting swallowing. A total of 340 patients were involved in our study. We assessed the influence of age, National Institutes of Health stroke scale (NIHss) score, infarct volume, stroke subtype based on the toAst criteria, swallowing disorders, bilateral lesions in cerebrum and length of stay (los) in a logistic regression analysis.

Results:

In univariate analysis, age (p=0.048), NIHss score (p<0.0001), lesion volume (p<0.0001), los (p<0.0001), stroke location (p=0.045), and swallowing disorders (p<0.0001) were found to be the primary predictors of placing Peg. the presence of lesions in bilateral cerebral was included in the final model based on clinical considerations. After multivariate adjustment, only NIHss score (odds ratio [oR], 4.055; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.398-6.857; p=0.0001), lesion volume (oR, 1.69; 95%CI, 1.09–4.39; p=0.014), swallowing disorders (oR, 1.151; 95% CI, 1.02-1.294; p=0.047), los (oR, 0.955; 95% CI, 0.914-0.998; p=0.0415) and bilateral lesions (oR, 2.8; 95% CI, 1.666-4.705; p=0.0001) remained significant.

Conclusion:

our data shows that NIHss score, lesion volume, swallowing disorders, los and bilateral lesions in cerebrum can predict the requiring of Peg tube insertion in patients after stroke.
Ethnicity and Geographic Distribution of Pediatric Chronic Ataxia in Manitoba
Authors: Salman Michael S. , Masood Shaheen , Azad Meghan , Chodirker Bernard N.
Published: October 2014

Background:

Genetic and environmental factors are important determinants of disease distribution. Several disorders associated with ataxia are known to occur more commonly in certain ethnic groups; for example, the disequilibrium syndrome in the Hutterites. The aim of this study was to determine the ethnic and geographic distribution of pediatric patients with chronic ataxia in Manitoba, Canada.

Methods:

We identified 184 patients less than 17 years-of-age with chronic ataxia during 1991-2008 from multiple sources. Their diagnosis, ethnicity and place of residence were determined following a chart review.

Results:

Most patients resided in Manitoba (N=177) and the majority in Winnipeg, the provincial capital. Thirty five Aboriginal, 29 Mennonite and 11 Hutterite patients resided in Manitoba. The latter two groups were significantly overrepresented in our cohort. Ataxia telangiectasia, mitochondrial disorders, and non-progressive ataxia of unknown etiology associated with pyramidal tracts signs and developmental delay were significantly more common in Mennonite patients. Four of five patients with neuronal migration disorders associated with chronic ataxia were Aboriginal. Few isolated disorders with chronic ataxia occurred in the 11 Hutterite patients including a Joubert syndrome related disorder.

Conclusions:

Three disorders associated with chronic ataxia were more prevalent than expected in Mennonites in Manitoba. Few rare disorders were more prevalent in the Hutterite and Aboriginal population. Further research is needed to determine the risk factors underlying these variations in prevalence within different ethnic groups. The unique risk factor profiles of each ethnic group need to be considered in health promotion endeavors.
Neurologic Injury in Isolated Sulfite Oxidase Deficiency
Authors: Bosley Thomas M. , Alorainy Ibrahim A. , Oystreck Darren T. , Hellani Ali M. , Seidahmed Mohammed Z. , Osman Mohamed El Faki , Sabry Mohamed A. , Rashed Mohamed S. , Al-Yamani Eiman A. , Abu-Amero Khaled K. , Salih Mustafa A.
Published: October 2014

Background:

We review clinical, neuroimaging, and genetic information on six individuals with isolated sulfite oxidase deficiency (ISOD).

Methods:

All patients were examined, and clinical records, biochemistry, neuroimaging, and sulfite oxidase gene (SUOX) sequencing were reviewed.

Results:

Data was available on six individuals from four nuclear families affected by ISOD. Each individual began to seize within the first week of life. neurologic development was arrested at brainstem reflexes, and severe microcephaly developed rapidly. neuroimaging within days of birth revealed hypoplasia of the cerebellum and corpus callosum and damage to the supratentorial brain looking like severe hypoxic-ischemic injury that evolved into cystic hemispheric white matter changes. Affected individuals all had elevated urinary S-sulfocysteine and normal urinary xanthine and hypoxanthine levels diagnostic of ISOD. Genetic studies confirmed SUOX mutations in four patients.

Conclusions:

ISOD impairs systemic sulfite metabolism, and yet this genetic disease affects only the brain with damage that is commonly confused with the clinical and radiologic features of severe hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy.
The Prevalence of Incidental Findings in Multiple Sclerosis Patients
Authors: Trufyn J. , Hill M.D. , Scott J.N. , Modi J. , Ciura V. , Frayne R. , Goyal M. , Lautner D. , Bhayana D. , Davenport W.J. , Mah J.K. , Burton J.M. , Costello F.
Published: October 2014

Background:

Incidental findings arising from imaging research have important implications for patient safety. Magnetic resonance imaging is widespread in multiple sclerosis (MS) studies and care, yet the prevalence rate of incidental findings in MS is poorly defined. The absence of such reports in the MS literature suggests that such findings may be deemed inappropriate for documentation in research publications, or possibly, not fully reported at all.

Objective:

We sought to document incidental findings from a study designed to detect features of chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency (CCSVI) in MS patients and control subjects.

Methods:

Magnetic resonance images were obtained as part of a prospective study conducted between October 2010 and September 2012. Patients with MS (relapsing-remitting, primary progressive, secondary progressive), clinically isolated syndromes, and neuromyelitis optica and age/sex-matched healthy controls were included. All images were reviewed by neuro-radiologists for quality-control purposes.

Results:

Magnetic resonance imaging was successfully obtained in 166 participants (110 patients, 56 controls). Incidental abnormalities (n = 33) were detected in 15% of patients (n = 17) and 27% of controls (n = 15), comprising 19% overall (n = 32).

Conclusions:

The prevalence of incidental findings from the MS population was not significantly different from the control population. However, the overall prevalence was high and warrants a careful management strategy for future imaging studies.
Accuracy of Conventional MRI in ALS
Authors: Gupta Aparna , Nguyen Thanh Binh , Chakraborty Santanu , Bourque Pierre R.
Published: October 2014

Background:

There is currently no definite neuroimaging test to detect amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), which leads to significant delay in diagnosis, particularly if one takes into account the rapidity of disease evolution. Hyperintensity of the corticospinal tracts (CST) on T2 or fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has been well described, but data on sensitivity and specificity in larger series is lacking to help guide its application to clinical care.

Methods:

We analyzed clinical and MRI data from 64 patients with a definite retrospective diagnosis of ALS. In this case-control study, two experienced blinded neuroradiologists systematically assessed defined rostrocaudal segments of the intracranial course of the CST.

Results:

The overall sensitivity and specificity of conventional MRI for the diagnosis of ALS were 48% and 76% respectively. Highest specificities for CST hyperintensity were noted for the subcortical white matter (92%), centrum semiovale (88%) and medullary pyramids (92%). The lowest specificities were found for the cerebral peduncle (36%) and internal capsule (32%). We did not find a correlation with the rate of clinical progression, age of onset or the presence of upper motor neuron signs on examination.

Conclusion:

Conventional MRI was not found to be a reliable diagnostic tool for ALS and it did not help predict clinical characteristics such as speed of evolution or prominence of upper motor neuron signs. Its main role in the setting of ALS should remain to help exclude alternative diagnostic considerations. A multimodal approach relying on newer functional and structural MRI techniques still needs to be developed and validated.
Saccadic Eye Movements in Mild Traumatic Brain Injury: A Pilot Study OPEN ACCESS
Authors: Mullen Sarah J. , Yücel Yeni H. , Cusimano Michael , Schweizer Tom A. , Oentoro Anton , Gupta Neeru
Published: October 2014

Objective:

To investigate whether repeat saccadic reaction time (SRT) measurements using a portable saccadometer is useful to monitor patients with mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI).

Methods:

Seven patients with newly-diagnosed mTBI and five agematched controls were prospectively recruited from an emergency Department. Saccadic eye movements, symptom self-reporting and neuropsychological tests were performed within one week of injury and again at follow-up three weeks post-injury. Control patients underwent saccade recordings at similar intervals.

Results:

Median saccade reaction times were significantly prolonged within one week post-injury in mTBI compared to controls. At follow-up assessment there was no significant between-groups difference. Changes in median SRT between the two assessments were not statistically significant. Four of the seven mTBI patients showed significantly increased SRT at follow-up; three of the mTBI patients and all controls showed no significant change. Among the three mTBI patients with persistent decreased SRT, two experienced loss of consciousness and reported the greatest symptoms, while the third was the only subject with significant decrease in neuropsychological testing scores at both assessments.

Conclusion:

In three of seven mTBI patients, saccadic eye movements remained delayed within three weeks post-injury. These three patients also showed persistent symptoms or no improvement on neuropsychological testing. This pilot study using a portable saccadometer suggests that comparing SRT from three weeks post-injury to that within one week of injury may be useful for early detection of a subpopulation at risk of persistent disability from mTBI. This finding suggests that further investigation in a large study population is warranted.
MPNST after Radiosurgery: A Report and Review of the Literature
Authors: Tu Albert , Ma Roy , Maguire John , Akagami Ryojo
Published: October 2014

Objective:

To report an unusual case of malignant degeneration in a ganglioneuroma of the jugular foramen post stereotactic radiosurgery as well as to systematically review the pertinent literature involving radiosurgery associated malignancies.

Background:

Ganglioneuromas are uncommon lesions of the peripheral nervous system and infrequently reported in the head and neck region. There have been no previously described cases of ganglioneuromas occurring in the jugular foramen. Malignant degeneration of these lesions is rarely described, especially in the context of radiosurgery. Radiosurgery associated malignancies overall are exceptionally rare and only a limited number of cases have been reported.

Results/Conclusions:

We describe a case of a ganglioneuroma occurring in the jugular foramen and mimicking the appearance of a jugular foramen schwannoma. This lesion underwent stereotactic radiosurgery and developed a delayed degeneration into a malignant nerve sheath tumor. The occurrence of ganglioneuroma in this region has not been previously described and presumed malignant degeneration is even rarer. This case highlights a previously understated risk associated with stereotactic radiation treatments. To date, 33 previous cases of stereotactic radiosurgery associated malignancies have been reported. We review the pertinent details of these cases. We caution that as follow up periods and awareness increases, reports such as this may become increasingly common.
Colleague Crowdsourcing: A Method for Fostering National Student Engagement and Large-N Data Collection
Authors: Boydstun Amber E. , Feezell Jessica T. , Glazier Rebecca A. , Jurka Timothy P. , Pietryka Matthew T.
Published: October 2014

Scholars often rely on student samples from their own campuses to study political behavior, but some studies require larger and more diverse samples than any single campus can provide. In our case, we wanted to study the real-time effects of presidential debates on individual-level attitudes, and we sought a large sample with diversity across covariates such as ideology and race. To address this challenge, we recruited college students across the country through a process we call “colleague crowdsourcing.” As an incentive for colleagues to encourage their students to participate, we offered teaching resources and next-day data summaries. Crowdsourcing provided data from a larger and more diverse sample than would be possible using a standard, single-campus subject pool. Furthermore, this approach provided classroom resources for faculty and opportunities for active learning. We present colleague crowdsourcing as a possible model for future research and offer suggestions for application in varying contexts.
Scientific Literacy in Undergraduate Political Science Education: The Current State of Affairs, an Agenda for Action, and Proposed Fundamental Benchmarks
Authors: Hill Kim Quaile , Myers Rebekah
Published: October 2014

Political science is falling behind a broad movement in the United States that seeks to reform the teaching of scientific literacy in undergraduate education. Indeed, political science is far behind that movement because the discipline does not have a collective commitment to science education at the undergraduate level. This article discusses prominent efforts in this reform movement and assesses the state of science education in our discipline. The authors propose an agenda for action on this issue in political science as well as fundamental educational benchmarks for undergraduate political science literacy.