bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
TCR Signaling Events Are Required for Maintaining CD4 Regulatory T Cell Numbers and Suppressive Capacities in the Periphery
Authors: Delpoux Arnaud , Yakonowsky Philippe , Durand Aurélie , Charvet Céline , Valente Michael , Pommier Arnaud , Bonilla Nelly , Martin Bruno , Auffray Cédric , Lucas Bruno
Published: November 2014

CD4 regulatory T cells (Tregs) can be subdivided into two subsets according to Ly-6C expression in the periphery. Phenotypic analysis, imaging, and adoptive-transfer experiments of peripheral Ly-6C− and Ly-6C+ Tregs reveal that the nonexpression of Ly-6C by ∼70% of peripheral Tregs depends on TCR signaling events. Interestingly, Ly-6C− Tregs express higher surface amounts of key immunosuppressive molecules than do Ly-6C+ Tregs and produce constitutively anti-inflammatory cytokines. In line with their phenotype, Ly-6C+ Tregs exhibit poor suppressive capacities in vitro and in vivo. Finally, although Ly-6C− Tregs maintain their numbers with age, Ly-6C+ Tregs gradually disappear. Altogether, our data strongly suggest that both the survival and suppressive functions of peripheral CD4 Tregs rely on their ability to receive strong TCR signals.
Notch3 Activation Is Sufficient but Not Required for Inducing Human T-Lineage Specification
Authors: Waegemans Els , Van de Walle Inge , De Medts Jelle , De Smedt Magda , Kerre Tessa , Vandekerckhove Bart , Leclercq Georges , Wang Tao , Plum Jean , Taghon Tom
Published: November 2014

Although the role for the individual Notch receptors in early hematopoiesis have been thoroughly investigated in mouse, studies in human have been mostly limited to the use of pan-Notch inhibitors. However, such studies in human are important to predict potential side effects of specific Notch receptor blocking reagents because these are currently being considered as therapeutic tools to treat various Notch-dependent diseases. In this study, we studied the individual roles of Notch1 and Notch3 in early human hematopoietic lineage decisions, particularly during T-lineage specification. Although this process in mice is solely dependent on Notch1 activation, we recently reported Notch3 expression in human uncommitted thymocytes, raising the possibility that Notch3 mediates human T-lineage specification. Although expression of a constitutive activated form of Notch3 (ICN3) results in the induction of T-lineage specification in human CD34+ hematopoietic progenitor cells, similar to ICN1 overexpression, loss-of-function studies using blocking Abs reveal that only Notch1, but not Notch3, is critical in this process. Blocking of Notch1 activation in OP9-DLL4 cocultures resulted in a complete block in T-lineage specification and induced monocytic and plasmacytoid dendritic cell differentiation instead. In fetal thymus organ cultures, impeded Notch1 activation resulted in B and dendritic cell development. In contrast, Notch3 blocking Abs only marginally affected T-lineage specification and hematopoietic differentiation with a slight increase in monocyte development. No induction of B or dendritic cell development was observed. Thus, our results unambiguously reveal a nonredundant role for Notch1 in human T-lineage specification, despite the expression of other Notch receptors.
NK Cells with KIR2DS2 Immunogenotype Have a Functional Activation Advantage To Efficiently Kill Glioblastoma and Prolong Animal Survival
Authors: Gras Navarro Andrea , Kmiecik Justyna , Leiss Lina , Zelkowski Mateusz , Engelsen Agnete , Bruserud Øystein , Zimmer Jacques , Enger Per Øyvind , Chekenya Martha
Published: November 2014

Glioblastomas (GBMs) are lethal brain cancers that are resistant to current therapies. We investigated the cytotoxicity of human allogeneic NK cells against patient-derived GBM in vitro and in vivo, as well as mechanisms mediating their efficacy. We demonstrate that KIR2DS2 immunogenotype NK cells were more potent killers, notwithstanding the absence of inhibitory killer Ig–like receptor (KIR)-HLA ligand mismatch. FACS-sorted and enriched KIR2DS2+ NK cell subpopulations retained significantly high levels of CD69 and CD16 when in contact with GBM cells at a 1:1 ratio and highly expressed CD107a and secreted more soluble CD137 and granzyme A. In contrast, KIR2DS2− immunogenotype donor NK cells were less cytotoxic against GBM and K562, and, similar to FACS-sorted or gated KIR2DS2− NK cells, significantly diminished CD16, CD107a, granzyme A, and CD69 when in contact with GBM cells. Furthermore, NK cell–mediated GBM killing in vitro depended upon the expression of ligands for the activating receptor NKG2D and was partially abrogated by Ab blockade. Treatment of GBM xenografts in NOD/SCID mice with NK cells from a KIR2DS2+ donor lacking inhibitory KIR-HLA ligand mismatch significantly prolonged the median survival to 163 d compared with vehicle controls (log-rank test, p = 0.0001), in contrast to 117.5 d (log-rank test, p = 0.0005) for NK cells with several inhibitory KIR-HLA ligand mismatches but lacking KIR2DS2 genotype. Significantly more CD56+CD16+ NK cells from a KIR2DS2+ donor survived in nontumor-bearing brains 3 wk after infusion compared with KIR2DS2− NK cells, independent of their proliferative capacity. In conclusion, KIR2DS2 identifies potent alloreactive NK cells against GBM that are mediated by commensurate, but dominant, activating signals.
The Thymic Microenvironment Differentially Regulates Development and Trafficking of Invariant NKT Cell Sublineages
Authors: Drennan Michael B. , Govindarajan Srinath , De Wilde Katelijne , Schlenner Susan M. , Ware Carl , Nedospasov Sergei , Rodewald Hans-Reimer , Elewaut Dirk
Published: November 2014

The regulatory role of the thymic microenvironment during trafficking and differentiation of the invariant NKT (iNKT) cell lineage remains poorly understood. In this study, we show that fractalkine receptor expression marks emigrating subpopulations of the NKT1, NKT2, and NKT17 sublineages in the thymus and peripheral organs of naive mice. Moreover, NKT1 sublineage cells can be subdivided into two subsets, namely NKT1a and NKT1b, which exhibit distinct developmental and tissue-specific distribution profiles. More specifically, development and trafficking of the NKT1a subset are selectively dependent upon lymphotoxin (LT)α1β2-LTβ receptor–dependent differentiation of thymic stroma, whereas the NKT1b, NKT2, and NKT17 sublineages are not. Furthermore, we identify a potential cellular source for LTα1β2 during thymic organogenesis, marked by expression of IL-7Rα, which promotes differentiation of the NKT1a subset in a noncell-autonomous manner. Collectively, we propose a mechanism by which thymic differentiation and retention of the NKT1 sublineage are developmentally coupled to LTα1β2-LTβ receptor–dependent thymic organogenesis.
Mixing-layer height retrieval with ceilometer and Doppler lidar: from case studies to long-term assessment
Authors: Schween J. H. , Hirsikko A. , Löhnert U. , Crewell S.
Published: November 2014

Abstract. Aerosol signatures observed by ceilometers are frequently used to derive mixing-layer height (MLH) which is an essential variable for air quality modelling. However, Doppler wind lidar measurements of vertical velocity can provide a more direct estimation of MLH via simple thresholding. A case study reveals difficulties in the aerosol-based MLH retrieval during transition times when the mixing layer builds up in the morning and when turbulence decays in the afternoon. The difficulties can be explained by the fact that the aerosol distribution is related to the history of the mixing process and aerosol characteristics are modified by humidification. The results of the case study are generalized by evaluating one year of joint measurements by a Vaisala CT25K and a HALO Photonics Streamline wind lidar. On average the aerosol-based retrieval gives higher MLH than the wind lidar with an overestimation of MLH by about 300 m (600 m) in the morning (late afternoon). Also, the daily aerosol-based maximum MLH is larger and occurs later during the day and the average morning growth rates are smaller than those derived from the vertical wind. In fair weather conditions classified by less than 4 octa cloud cover the mean diurnal cycle of cloud base height corresponds well to the mixing-layer height showing potential for a simplified MLH estimation.
Improved fault tolerance of Turbo decoding based on optimized index assignments
Authors: Geldmacher J. , Götze J.
Published: November 2014

Abstract. This paper investigates the impact of an error-prone buffer memory on a channel decoder as employed in modern digital communication systems. On one hand this work is motivated by the fact that energy efficient decoder implementations may not only be achieved by optimizations on algorithmic level, but also by chip-level modifications. One of such modifications is so called aggressive voltage scaling of buffer memories, which, while achieving reduced power consumption, also injects errors into the likelihood values used during the decoding process. On the other hand, it has been recognized that the ongoing increase of integration density with smaller structures makes integrated circuits more sensitive to process variations during manufacturing, and to voltage and temperature variations. This may lead to a paradigm shift from 100 %-reliable operation to fault tolerant signal processing. Both reasons are the motivation to discuss the required co-design of algorithms and underlying circuits. For an error-prone receive buffer of a Turbo decoder the influence of quantizer design and index assignment on the error resilience of the decoding algorithm is discussed. It is shown that a suitable design of both enables a compensation of hardware induced bits errors with rates up to 1 % without increasing the computational complexity of the decoder.
Gaseous chemistry and aerosol mechanism developments for version 3.5.1 of the online regional model, WRF-Chem
Authors: Archer-Nicholls S. , Lowe D. , Utembe S. , Allan J. , Zaveri R. A. , Fast J. D. , Hodnebrog Ø. , Denier van der Gon H. , McFiggans G.
Published: November 2014

Abstract. We have made a number of developments to the Weather, Research and Forecasting model coupled with Chemistry (WRF-Chem), with the aim of improving model prediction of trace atmospheric gas-phase chemical and aerosol composition, and of interactions between air quality and weather. A reduced form of the Common Reactive Intermediates gas-phase chemical mechanism (CRIv2-R5) has been added, using the Kinetic Pre-Processor (KPP) interface, to enable more explicit simulation of VOC degradation. N2O5 heterogeneous chemistry has been added to the existing sectional MOSAIC aerosol module, and coupled to both the CRIv2-R5 and existing CBM-Z gas-phase schemes. Modifications have also been made to the sea-spray aerosol emission representation, allowing the inclusion of primary organic material in sea-spray aerosol. We have worked on the European domain, with a particular focus on making the model suitable for the study of nighttime chemistry and oxidation by the nitrate radical in the UK atmosphere. Driven by appropriate emissions, wind fields and chemical boundary conditions, implementation of the different developments are illustrated, using a modified version of WRF-Chem 3.4.1, in order to demonstrate the impact that these changes have in the Northwest European domain. These developments are publicly available in WRF-Chem from version 3.5.1 onwards.
An Investigation of Factors Affecting Usage and Adoption of Internet & Mobile Banking In Pakistan
Authors: Mazhar Fatima , Rizwan Muhammad , Fiaz Umar , Ishrat Sobia , Razzaq Muhammad Salman , Khan Taimur Nawaz
Published: November 2014

Evolution of technology is a swift process, however, its acceptance and adoption in the society is slackened despite its promising results. Internet / mobile banking is a technological way of conducting banking transactions. The purpose of the current study is to find out the affect of various factors effecting successful adoption of internet   / mobile banking using TAM, technological acceptance model in Pakistan, especially rural areas of the country. Results of the current study obtained using regression analysis reveals that the effect of perceived usefulness and security is significant on internet / mobile banking attitude where attitude significantly impact on intentions to use internet / mobile banking. Also due to the cultural effect this modern banking is not compatible with the lifestyle of rural population of Pakistan though the population widely acknowledged its usefulness.
Unpacking Digital Material Mediation
Authors: Wiltse Heather ,   Philosophy Documentation Center
Published: November 2014

Digital technologies mediate engagement with the world by making activities visible. The automaticity and physicality of the ways in which they do this suggest that it could be productive to view them as responsive digital materials. This paper explores the structure and function of responsive materials in order to develop a conceptualization of responsive digital materials. It then begins to unpack the complexities of digital material mediation through both drawing on and extending existing postphenomenological theory.
Understanding How Climate Change Could Affect Tornadoes
Authors: Elsner James , Guishard Mark
Published: November 2014

Current understanding of how tornadoes might change with global warming is limited. Incomplete data sets and the small‐scale nature of tornadic events make it difficult to draw definitive conclusions. A consensus report on the climate of extreme storms found little evidence of trends in tornado frequency in the United States. However new research suggests a potential climate change footprint on tornadoes. Some of this research was presented at the First International Summit on Tornadoes and Climate Change, hosted by Aegean Conferences. The summit took place at the Minoa Palace in Chania, Greece, from 25 to 30 May 2014. Thirty delegates from eight countries—Greece, the United States, Germany, the United Kingdom, China, Japan, Israel, and Taiwan—participated.
Observing auroral storms on Saturn
Authors: Wendel JoAnna
Published: November 2014

Saturn's poles, like the Earth's, experience auroral storms when solar wind—streams of high‐energy plasma—interacts with its magnetosphere. By using instruments aboard spacecraft, scientists have been able to study Saturn's auroras but are still far from understanding them completely.
CyroSat‐2 mission provides better data for Antarctic ice loss
Authors: Wendel JoAnna
Published: November 2014

Scientists depend on satellites orbiting Earth to observe the Antarctic and take measurements on the rate at which ice sheets lose mass as climate warms. Although many of these satellites are spatially limited, the CryoSat‐2 mission was designed to overcome these limitations and has provided 96% coverage of the Antarctic ice sheets.
Accelerated NMR Spectroscopy with Low‐Rank Reconstruction
Authors: Qu Xiaobo , Mayzel Maxim , Cai Jian‐Feng , Chen Zhong , Orekhov Vladislav
Published: November 2014

Accelerated multi‐dimensional NMR spectroscopy is a prerequisite for high‐throughput applications, studying short‐lived molecular systems and monitoring chemical reactions in real time. Non‐uniform sampling is a common approach to reduce the measurement time. Here, a new method for high‐quality spectra reconstruction from non‐uniformly sampled data is introduced, which is based on recent developments in the field of signal processing theory and uses the so far unexploited general property of the NMR signal, its low rank. Using experimental and simulated data, we demonstrate that the low‐rank reconstruction is a viable alternative to the current state‐of‐the‐art technique compressed sensing. In particular, the low‐rank approach is good in preserving of low‐intensity broad peaks, and thus increases the effective sensitivity in the reconstructed spectra.
A facile way to prepare two novel DOPO‐containing liquid benzoxazines and their graphene oxide composites
Authors: Xu Guomei , Shi Tiejun , Wang Quan , Liu Jianhua , Yi Yang
Published: November 2014

The design, preparation, and properties of two DOPO‐containing compounds based on a cardanol‐allylamine‐paraformaldehyde benzoxazine (abbreviated as BZc‐a) were described in this article. By controlling the amount of DOPO, it could react with BZc‐a and generated different products. When DOPO: BZc‐a <1 : 1, DOPO reacted only with allyl group, and generated a containing single DOPO group benzoxazine (P1B); When DOPO: BZc‐a ≧ 1 : 1, DOPO reacted not only with allyl group but also nucleophilic addition reaction, got a N‐substituted derivative P2B, which contain double DOPO groups. The chemical structure of P1B and P2B was characterized by 1H‐NMR and 13C‐NMR. Effect of DOPO on characteristics of BZc‐a was investigated. Fire test demonstrated that P1B and P2B showed better flame retardance than BZc‐a, and prepared two kinds of flame‐retardance resin based on BZc‐a. However, Field emission electron microscope observations showed the surface of P1B and P2B was very fragility, graphene oxide (GO) was chosen as to improve the surface performance. P1B/GO‐3 wt % and P2B/GO‐3 wt % composites were prepared by solution blending, and the thermal stability was studied by thermogravimetric analysis. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015, 132, 41634.
Influence of the coagulation medium on the performance of poly(ether sulfone) flat‐sheet membranes
Authors: Spruck Martin , Stadlmayr Werner , Koch Marc , Mayr Lukas , Penner Simon , Rupprich Marco
Published: November 2014

Poly(ether sulfone) flat‐sheet membranes were fabricated via phase inversion with different nonsolvent mixtures. The effect of the nonsolvent water with the addition of various amounts of ethanol, acetone, or isopropyl alcohol on the membrane morphology (as measured with scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy) and the filtration performance were investigated. For the statistical evaluation of the fabrication process, on average, six membranes were produced. The pure water flux (PWF) and macromolecule retention were determined via filtration experiments. The presence of coagulation additives resulted in modified precipitation kinetics and thermodynamics, yielded different membrane structures, and therefore, influenced the performance. The results show that the addition of ethanol, acetone, and isopropyl alcohol in low concentrations (up to 10%) to water led to an increasing PWF. Higher concentrations led to a decrease in PWF. For high concentrations (>30%), a change in the membrane morphology from fingerlike to spongelike structures was expected, and this was experimentally proven for the case of ethanol. One main finding was the similarity of the influence of the used additives on the membrane performance. This was to be expected from Flory–Huggins theory for additives with high water miscibility; hence, under these circumstances, entropic and not energetic reasoning dominated the phase‐inversion process. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015, 132, 41645.
Synthesis of comb‐type copolymers with various pendants and their effect on the complex rheological behaviors of waxy oils
Authors: Wang Tongshuai , Xu Jun , Wang Minglei , Wei Xiaoming , Shen Muxian , Huang Jing , Zhang Rui , Li Li , Guo Xuhong
Published: November 2014

To improve the flowability of waxy crude oil containing a high concentration of asphaltenes (AS), novel comb‐type copolymers of poly(maleic acid polyethylene glycol ester‐co‐α‐octadecene) (PMAC) and poly(maleic acid aniline amide‐co‐α‐octadecene) (AMAC) with various grafting ratios (Rg) of PEG/aniline to maleic anhydride are synthesized. Model oils containing wax mixtures and AS are prepared to explore the effect of asphaltene concentration and the copolymers on the yield stress. The influence of the copolymers on the wax appearance temperature (WAT) of Liaohe high waxy oil is examined by rheological and microscopic methods. Experimental flow curves of shear stress as a function of shear rate are fitted following the Casson model to interpret the rheological properties of gelled waxy crude oil in the presence of AMACs, PMACs, and MAC. Compared with MAC, PMACs, and AMACs are more efficient in reducing the yield stress of both model oil and crude oil, which indicates a better flowability. It is found that PMAC1.0 and AMAC1.0 with a medium Rg can balance the interaction of copolymers with waxes and AS and reduce the yield stress much more than others. Between them, AMAC1.0 that possesses aromatic pendants is better than PMAC1.0, which only has polar pendants. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015, 132, 41660.
Synthesis of phosphorus‐containing flame‐retardant antistatic copolymers and their applications in polypropylene
Authors: Li Qi , Chen Yiquan , Song Xinpu , Xie Yingpeng , Hou Qiong , Shi Guang
Published: November 2014

By adjusting the molar ratios of antistatic monomer of octyl phenol ethylene oxide acrylate (denoted as AS), rigid monomer of methyl methacrylate (denoted as MMA), and flame‐retardant monomer of 2‐(phosphoryloxymethyl oxyethylene) acrylate (denoted as FR), a series of flame‐retardant antistatic copolymers poly (octyl phenol ethylene oxide acrylate‐co‐methyl methacrylate‐co‐phosphoryloxymethyl oxyethylene acrylate) (donated as AMF) were synthesized through radical polymerization. Among the obtained copolymers, two copolymers, AMF162 (the feed molar ratio of AS, MMA, and FR as 1 : 6 : 2) and AMF1104 (the feed molar ratio of AS, MMA, and FR as 1 : 10 : 4) with different concentrations were added into polypropylene (PP) to prepare PP‐AMF162 and PP‐AMF1104 series of composites. The thermal stability, limiting oxygen index, the antistatic property, and mechanical properties of PP composites were tested and analyzed. PP‐AMF162 series composites have excellent antistatic effect. When the AMF162 content was equal to or <15 wt %, the impact strength of PP‐AMF162 composites was higher than that of pure PP. The results indicated that copolymer AMF162 was a suitable flame‐retardant and antistatic additive for PP. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci.2015,132, 41677.
Decentralized Nonlinear Robust Coordinated Control of UPFC and Generators in Multi‐ Machine Power System Via Pseudo‐Generalized Hamiltonian Theory
Authors: Lei Bangjun , Fei Shumin , Zhai Junyong
Published: November 2014

In this paper, based on a structure preserving power system with a unified power flow controller (UPFC), using pseudo‐generalized Hamiltonian function method and boundary‐function method, a nonlinear robust coordinated control law is constructed for multi‐machine power system oscillation damping. The 4‐machine 2‐area power system is used to demonstrate the performance of the proposed controller. Simulation results indicate that the proposed coordinated control scheme can effectively improve both transient stability and voltage regulation performance of the power system. ©2014 Chinese Automatic Control Society and Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd
Oxidative phosphorylation revisited
Authors: Nath Sunil , Villadsen John
Published: November 2014

The fundamentals of oxidative phosphorylation and photophosphorylation are revisited. New experimental data on the involvement of succinate and malate anions respectively in oxidative phosphorylation and photophosphorylation are presented. These new data offer a novel molecular mechanistic explanation for the energy coupling and ATP synthesis carried out in mitochondria and chloroplast thylakoids. The mechanism does not suffer from the flaws in Mitchell's chemiosmotic theory that have been pointed out in many studies since its first appearance 50 years ago, when it was hailed as a ground‐breaking mechanistic explanation of what is perhaps the most important process in cellular energetics. The new findings fit very well with the predictions of Nath's torsional mechanism of energy transduction and ATP synthesis. It is argued that this mechanism, based on at least 15 years of experimental and theoretical work by Sunil Nath, constitutes a fundamentally different theory of the energy conversion process that eliminates all the inconsistencies in Mitchell's chemiosmotic theory pointed out by other authors. It is concluded that the energy‐transducing complexes in oxidative phosphorylation and photosynthesis are proton‐dicarboxylic acid anion cotransporters and not simply electrogenic proton translocators. These results necessitate revision of previous theories of biological energy transduction, coupling, and ATP synthesis. The novel molecular mechanism is extended to cover ATP synthesis in prokaryotes, in particular to alkaliphilic and haloalkaliphilic bacteria, essentially making it a complete theory addressing mechanistic, kinetic, and thermodynamic details. Finally, based on the new interpretation of oxidative phosphorylation, quantitative values for the P/O ratio, the amount of ATP generated per redox package of the reduced substrates, are calculated and compared with experimental values for fermentation on different substrates. It is our hope that the presentation of oxidative phosphorylation and photophosphorylation from a wholly new perspective will rekindle scientific discussion of a key process in bioenergetics and catalyze new avenues of research in a truly interdisciplinary field. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2015;112: 429–437. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Scalable Room‐Temperature Synthesis of Mesoporous Nanocrystalline ZnMn2O4 with Enhanced Lithium Storage Properties for Lithium‐Ion Batteries
Authors: Yuan Changzhou , Zhang Longhai , Hou Linrui , Zhou Lu , Pang Gang , Lian Lin
Published: November 2014

In this work, we put forward a facile yet efficient room‐temperature synthetic methodology for the smart fabrication of mesoporous nanocrystalline ZnMn2O4 in macro‐quality from the birnessite‐type MnO2 phase. A plausible reduction/ion exchange/re‐crystallization mechanism is tentatively proposed herein for the scalable synthesis of the spinel phase ZnMn2O4. When utilized as a high‐performance anode for advanced Li‐ion battery (LIB) application, the as‐synthesized nanocrystalline ZnMn2O4 delivered an excellent discharge capacity of approximately 1288 mAh g−1 on the first cycle at a current density of 400 mA g−1, and exhibited an outstanding cycling durability, rate capability, and coulombic efficiency, benefiting from its mesoporous and nanoscale structure, which strongly highlighted its great potential in next‐generation LIBs. Furthermore, the strategy developed here is very simple and of great importance for large‐scale industrial production.
Environmental Assessment of Heavy Metal Pollution in Freshwater Sediment, Serbia
Authors: Sakan Sanja M. , Dević Gordana J. , Relić Dubravka J. , Anđelković Ivan B. , Sakan Nenad M. , Đorđević Dragana S.
Published: November 2014

The purpose of this study was to evaluate sediment heavy metals (Cd, Cu, Co, Mn, Cr, Ni, Pb, and Zn) related to pollution in freshwater sediments in Serbia. The heavy metal enrichment determination in studied sediments was conducted by using total metal content with strong acidic digestion (HCl + HNO3 + HF), a calculated enrichment factor (EF), and application of correlation analysis and the box plot method. For identification of appropriate elemental normalisers for enrichment factor calculations, Fe, Al, Ti, and Si were used. The significant variation in heavy metal distribution among samples collected in this large region, encompassing all Serbian watersheds, suggests the selective contamination of sediments by heavy metals. Values for EF indicate nil to moderate enrichment for most studied elements, except for Cd, Cu, and Zn at some sampling points, where the enrichment was, in some cases, even severe. The high content of heavy metals and EFs in Serbia is related to the human activities around the sampling sites. The results indicate that all elements used for normalisation in this paper can also be used to estimate the anthropogenic influence, with an exception of Co, which should be considered as an element for normalisation in future studies.
Chromosomally integrated human herpesvirus 6 in heart failure: prevalence and treatment
Authors: Kühl Uwe , Lassner Dirk , Wallaschek Nina , Gross Ulrich M. , Krueger Gerhard R.F. , Seeberg Bettina , Kaufer Benedikt B. , Escher Felicitas , Poller Wolfgang , Schultheiss Heinz‐Peter
Published: November 2014

Aims

Human herpesvirus 6 (HHV‐6) A and B are two betaherpesviruses that are associated with many conditions including roseola, drug‐induced hypersensitivity syndrome, limbic encephalitis, and myocarditis. HHV‐6 is integrated in the germline [chromosomically integrated HHV‐6 (ciHHV‐6)] in ∼0.8% of the human population. To date, the prevalence, species distribution, and treatment responses of ciHHV‐6 are unknown for cardiac patients.

Methods and results

We determined the prevalence of HHV‐6 and ciHHV‐6 genotypes in 1656 endomyocardial biopsies of patients with persisting unexplained symptoms of heart failure. Infection of cardiac tissue was identified by nested PCR, electron microscopy, and immunohistochemistry. Virus load and mRNA levels were followed in ciHHV‐6 patients treated with ganciclovir. HHV‐6 was detected in 273 of 1656 cardiac tissues (16.5%; HHV‐6B, 98.2%, HHV‐6A, 1.8%) by PCR. Nineteen of the 1656 patients (1.1%) presented with persistently high HHV‐6 copy numbers indicative of ciHHV‐6. Sequencing confirmed ciHHV‐6A in seven patients (36.8%) which was considerably higher than detected in non‐ciHHV‐6 patients. Inheritance was demonstrated in three selected families, confirming ciHHV‐6 chromosomal integration by PCR and fluorescence in situ hybridization. HHV‐6 reactivation and chromosomal integration were confirmed in peripheral blood mononuclear cells and heart tissue. Virus particles were identified in degenerating myocytes and interstitial cells. Antiviral treatment abolished viral mRNA and ameliorated cardiac symptoms.

Conclusion

Virus replication in cardiac tissue of ciHHV‐6 heart failure patients suggests that ciHHV‐6 reactivation causes persistence of unexplained heart failure symptoms. We demonstrated that antiviral treatment, effective in decreasing viral transcripts and clinical complaints of cardiomyopathies, is a new therapeutic option for ciHHV‐6‐associated diseases.
Docosahexaenoic acid modulates oxidative stress‐induced apoptosis via PI3K/Akt m‐TOR/p70S6K pathways in human RPE cells
Authors: Babchia Narjes , DeAraujo Aline , Leclère Laurent , Buteau Bénédicte , Martine Lucy , Grégoire Stéphane , Brétillon Lionel
Published: November 2014

Oxidative stress (OS) plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of age‐related macular degeneration (AMD), especially by targeting the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE). Dietary habits with high consumption of long‐chain omega‐3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, including docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), have been reported to prevent the development and progression of AMD. Nevertheless, it is still unclear how DHA affects AMD, although the conversion of DHA into neuroprotective metabolites has been demonstrated to participate in this effect, at least experimentally. The present study aimed to investigate the involvement of the phosphatidylinositol 3‐kinase (PI3K)/Akt and mammalian target of rapamycin complex (m‐TOR)/p70S6K pathways in human RPE cells in response to OS, and then to assess the effect of DHA in the signaling pathways and protection against RPE cell death. For this purpose, we used ARPE‐19 cells exposed to the prooxidant agent, tert‐butyl hydroperoxide (t‐BHP). We found that exposing cells to t‐BHP inhibited the activation of Akt and p70S6K. However, in cells enriched with DHA and then exposed to t‐BHP, we demonstrated that Akt and p70S6K remained phosphorylated for a longer time after stress. In addition, DHA reduced the percentage of apoptotic cells induced by OS. This study suggests that: (i) PI3K/Akt and m‐TOR/P70S6K pathways are involved in the response of RPE to OS; and that (ii) DHA protected RPE cells from apoptosis triggered by OS by enhancing the phosphorylation of Akt and P70S6K.

Practical applications

Oxidative stress plays a critical role in age‐related macular degeneration. DHA has been reported to prevent the development and evolution of AMD. An understanding of the PI3K/Akt and m‐TOR/P70S6K pathways involved in the response of RPE to OS may contribute to treatments involving the protection of RPE cells from apoptosis through enhancing the phosphorylation of Akt/P70S6K.

Docosahexaenoic acid protected RPE cells from apoptosis triggered by oxidative stress by enhancing the phosphorylation of Akt and P70S6K.
Ionic strength, antioxidants and chelators affect whey protein isolates' antioxidantion in water‐in‐walnut oil emulsions
Authors: Zhu Zhenbao , Yi Jianhua , Dong Wenbin , Lu Jiali , Ding Yong
Published: November 2014

The objective of this research was to evaluate the impact of factors, such as ionic strength, free radical scavengers, and chelators, on lipid oxidation in water‐in‐walnut oil (W/O) emulsions containing whey protein isolates (WPI). The incorporation of WPI in aqueous phase could retard lipid oxidation in W/O emulsions, indicating WPI were antioxidants in the emulsions. Low levels of ionic strength (≤50 mM NaCl) in aqueous phase improved the oxidative stability of W/O emulsions containing WPI, whereas high levels of ionic strength (≥100 mM NaCl) accelerated lipid oxidation in the emulsions. Free radical scavengers (e.g. Trolox and α‐tocopherol) could increase the oxidative stability of W/O emulsions with the incorporation of Trolox in the emulsion inhibiting lipid oxidation more strongly than α‐tocopherol. This indicated that polar antioxidants were more effective at retarding lipid oxidation than non‐polar antioxidants. The addition of WPI and free radical scavengers combined made the emulsions oxidize more slowly than either substance used alone, suggesting there were synergistic effects between them. The use of both EDTA and citric acid could inhibit lipid oxidation in W/O emulsions, indicating that endogenous transition metals were the major prooxidants in W/O emulsions. The combination of WPI and EDTA or CA could further lower the rates of lipid oxidation in W/O emulsions.

Practical applications: Whey protein isolates inhibit lipid oxidation in oil‐in‐water (O/W) emulsions. From the present study, it became clear that WPI could also retard lipid oxidation in water‐in‐oil (W/O) emulsions. However, the antioxidant activity of WPI was affected by factors such as ionic strength, free radical scavengers, and chelators. This research pointed out that the incorporation of whey proteins in W/O emulsions, such as spreads, chocolate, and butter, could increase the oxidative stability of the emulsions. Moreover, the appropriate choice of ionic strength, free radical scavengers, and chelators could promote the antioxidation of WPI in W/O emulsions.

Schematic demonstration of the impact of ionic strength on lipid oxidation in water‐in‐walnut oil emulsions containing 0.2 wt% WPI during storage at 45°C in the dark for up to 20 days. Low levels of ionic strength (≤ 50 mM NaCl) improved the oxidative stability of W/O emulsions containing WPI, whereas high ionic strength (≥100 mM NaCl) accelerated lipid oxidation in the emulsions.
MicroRNA‐29b Inhibits Migration and Proliferation of Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells in Neointimal Formation
Authors: Lee Jiyun , Lim Soyeon , Song Byeong‐Wook , Cha Min‐Ji , Ham Onju , Lee Se‐Yeon , Lee Changyoun , Park Jun‐Hee , Bae Yoonjin , Seo Hyang‐Hee , Seung Minji , Choi Eunhyun , Hwang Ki‐Chul
Published: November 2014

The proliferation and migration of smooth muscle cells (SMCs) are considered to be key steps in the progression of atherosclerosis and restenosis. Certain stimuli, such as, interleukin‐3 (IL‐3) are known to stimulate proliferation and migration in vascular diseases. Meanwhile, microRNAs (miRs) have been revealed as critical modulators of various diseases in which miR‐29b is known to regulate cell growth by targeting Mcl‐1 and MMP2. However, roles of miR‐29b in vascular smooth muscle cells remain almost unknown. We hypothesized that miR‐29b may control the proliferation and migration processes induced by IL‐3 stimulation by inhibiting its own specific targets in SMCs. MiR‐29b significantly suppressed the proliferation and migration of SMCs through the inhibition of the signaling pathway related to Mcl‐1 and MMP2. We also found that miR‐29b expression levels significantly declined in balloon‐injured rat carotid arteries and that the overexpression of miR‐29b by local oligonucleotide delivery can inhibit neointimal formation. Consistent with the critical role of miR‐29b in vitro, we observed down‐regulated expression levels of Mcl‐1 and MMP2 from the neointimal region. These results indicate that miR‐29b suppressed the proliferation and migration of SMCs, possibly through the inhibition of Mcl‐1 and MMP2, and suggest that miR‐29b may serve as a useful therapeutic tool to treat cardiovascular diseases such as, atherosclerosis and restenosis. J. Cell. Biochem. 116: 598–608, 2015. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Catalytic Hydrodechlorination of 1,2,4,5‐Tetrachlorobenzene over Various Supports Loaded Palladium Catalysts
Authors: Fan Yue‐Hui , Zhang Li‐Rong , Zhang Guan‐Lin , Xu Hu , Wang Yu‐Hong , Lu Guan‐Zhong
Published: November 2014

Water pollution by polychlorinated aromatic hydrocarbons has always been a global issue. In this work, we reported a synthesis of supported palladium catalysts Pd/C, Pd/CeO2, Pd/SBA‐15, Pd/ZrO2,Pd/SiO2, and Pd/Al2O3 as well as their catalytic activities on hydrodechlorination (HDC) of 1,2,4,5‐tetrachlorobenzene (TeCB). These Pd catalysts were characterized by Brunauer‐Emmett‐Teller (BET) specific surface area, Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X‐ray diffraction (XRD), energy Dispersive X‐ray Fluorescence (EDXRF), CO‐chemisorption, and H2‐temperature programmed reduction (H2‐TPR) analysis. Pd/C, Pd/CeO2 and Pd/SBA‐15 catalysts showed relatively high catalytic activities. The catalytic activities were associated with dispersion of Pd, metal surface area, and reaction temperature, etc.
Preparation and Photocatalytic Activity of Mesoporous TiO2 Photocatalyst Co‐doped with Fe and H3PW12O40
Authors: Yao Shuhua , Wang Xingxing , Guo Man , Shi Zhongliang
Published: November 2014

The mesoporous titanium dioxide (MTiO2) photocatalysts co‐doped with Fe and H3PW12O40 were synthesized by template method using tetrabutyl titanate (Ti(OC4H9)4), Fe(NO3)k39H2Oand H3PW12O40 as precursors and Pluronic P123 as template. The as‐prepared photocatalyst was characterized by N2 adsorption‐desorption measurements, X‐ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and UV‐vis adsorption spectroscopy, and the photocatalytic activities of the prepared samples under UV and visible light were estimated by measuring the degradation rate of methyl blue (MB) (50 mg/L) in an aqueous solution. The characterizations indicated that the photocatalysts possessed a homogeneous pore diameter of ca. 10 nm with high surface area of ca. 150 m2/g. The results of MB photodecomposition showed that co‐doped mesoporous TiO2 exhibited higher photocatalytic activities than un‐doped, single‐doped mesoporous TiO2 under UV and visible light irradiation. It was shown that the co‐doped MTiO2 could be activated by visible light and could thus be used as an effective catalyst in photo‐oxidation reactions. The synergistic effect of Fe and H3PW12O40 co‐doping played an important role in improving the photocatalytic activity.
Efficient Aerobic Oxidative Synthesis of Benzimidazoles with Fe(III) based PEG1000 Dicationic Imidazolium Ionic Liquid/toluene Temperature‐dependent Biphasic System
Authors: Wang Zhao‐gang , Xia Yong‐gen , Jin Yong , Lu Ming
Published: November 2014

A green protocol for the synthesis of benzimidazoles with Fe(III) based PEG1000 dicationic imidazolium ionic liquid ([PEG1000mim2][FeCl4]2)/toluene temperature‐dependent biphasic system was described. Conformed by IR analysis, FeCl4− is the dominating anion species. It could be seen that aldehydes aryla mines and aromatic aldehydes bearing electron‐deficient group (Cl, Br, NO2) and electron‐rich groups (OH, N(CH3)2) on the aromatic rings gave good yields (78–96 %). Moreover, the Fe(III) based PEG1000 dicationic imidazolium ionic liquid could be recycled and reused without significant loss of catalytic activity after seven runs.
Variable spatiotemporal resolution three‐dimensional dixon sequence for rapid dynamic contrast‐enhanced breast MRI
Authors: Saranathan Manojkumar , Rettmann Dan W. , Hargreaves Brian A. , Lipson Jafi A. , Daniel Bruce L.
Published: November 2014

Purpose

To investigate a new variable spatiotemporal resolution dynamic contrast‐enhanced (DCE) MRI method termed DIfferential Subsampling with Cartesian Ordering (DISCO), for imaging of breast cancer.

Materials and Methods

DISCO combines variable density, pseudorandom k‐space segmentation and two‐point Dixon fat–water separation for high spatiotemporal resolution breast DCE MRI. During the contrast wash‐in phase, view sharing is used to achieve high temporal resolution. Forty patients referred for breast MRI were imaged, 26 using the proposed DISCO sequence and 14 using a conventional low‐spatial‐resolution dynamic sequence (VIBRANT‐FLEX) on a 3 Tesla scanner. DISCO dynamic images from 14 patients were compared with VIBRANT‐FLEX images from 14 other patients. The image quality assessed by radiologist image ranking in a blinded manner, and the temporal characteristics of the two sequences were compared.

Results

A spatial resolution of 1.1 × 1.1 × 1.2 mm3 (160 slices, 28 cm field of view) was achieved with axial bilateral coverage in 120 s. Dynamic images with ∼9 s effective temporal resolution were generated during the 2‐min contrast wash‐in phase. The image quality of DISCO dynamic images ranked significantly higher than low spatial resolution VIBRANT‐FLEX images (19.5 versus 9.5, Mann‐Whitney U‐test P = 0.00914), with no significant differences in the maximum slope of aortic enhancement.

Conclusion

DISCO is a promising variable‐spatiotemporal‐resolution imaging sequence for capturing the dynamics of rapidly enhancing tumors as well as structural features postcontrast. A near 1‐mm isotropic spatial resolution was achieved with postcontrast static phase images in 120 s and dynamic phase images acquired in 9 s per phase. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2014;40:1392–1399. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Interannual variations and trends in surface air temperature in Finland in relation to atmospheric circulation patterns, 1961–2011
Authors: Irannezhad M. , Chen D. , Kløve B.
Published: November 2014

Annual and seasonal variations in surface air temperature (SAT) during the period 1961–2011 were analysed using daily mean temperature data sets from regular grid points (10 × 10 km2) throughout Finland. The Mann–Kendall nonparametric test was used to detect significant historical trends in SAT and Spearman's correlation coefficient (ρ) to test the relationships between SAT patterns and various atmospheric circulation patterns over the northern hemisphere. The results showed that mean annual SAT in Finland increased (p < 0.05) by 0.4 ± 0.2 °C per decade during the study period and that the SAT was significantly (ρ = 0.58, p < 0.05) positively correlated with the Arctic Oscillation (AO) index. However, there were spatial differences within Finland for both the trends and relationships with the atmospheric circulation. Analysis of seasonal mean SAT identified significant (p < 0.05) warming trends for both spring (by 0.4 ± 0.2 °C per decade) and summer (by 0.3 ± 0.2 °C per decade). Winter and spring mean SATs were most strongly (p < 0.05) correlated with the AO index (ρ = 0.72 and 0.42, respectively), while the most significant teleconnection pattern for mean SAT in summer was the East Atlantic (EA) pattern (ρ = 0.43, p < 0.05); and in autumn the EA/West Russia (WR) pattern (ρ = −0.59, p < 0.05). These results provide a detailed spatial picture of climate warming in Finland in recent decades and reveal that interannual variation of the SAT in Finland is closely linked with a number of atmospheric circulation patterns, not just the AO and North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO). Annual and cold‐season SAT are mainly influenced by the AO and NAO, whereas the EA, EA/WR, Scandinavia (SCA) and West Pacific (WP) patterns play an important role for warm‐season SAT.
Estimation of hourly and daily photosynthetically active radiation in Inner Mongolia, China, from 1990 to 2012
Authors: Wang Lunche , Gong Wei , Feng Lan , Lin Aiwen , Hu Bo , Zhou Min
Published: November 2014

Measurements of photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) in Inner Mongolia, China, from 2005 to 2012 were used to investigate its relationship with global solar radiation (G) under various sky conditions. Monthly mean daily PAR generally increased from 13.98 mol m−2 d−1 in December to 40.48 mol m−2 d−1 in June with annual mean value being 29.02 mol m−2 d−1. Monthly daily Fp (ratio of PAR to G) increased from 1.68 mol MJ‐1 in December to 1.88 mol MJ‐1 in August with annual average of 1.80 mol MJ‐1. Clearness index (Kt) was used for characterizing sky conditions and it was discovered that clear skies (49.4%) were the dominated sky conditions. By studying the dependence of PAR on optical air mass, Kt and cosine of solar zenith angle, two different models have been introduced and tested at four other sites in China. The model performances have been analysed and the daily PAR values during 1990–2012 at Inner Mongolia, China, have been reconstructed. It was found that PAR increased at the rate of 0.54 mol m−2 d−1  decade‐1 since 1990 and the most evident increases were observed in summer (1.96 mol m−2 d−1  decade‐1). However, PAR decreased at the rate of ‐0.37 mol m−2 d−1   decade‐1 in spring during 1990–2012.
The application of functional silica nanoparticles to fulfill the rapid and improved enantioselective capillary electrophoresis separation of amino acid derivatives
Authors: Wang Bingxiang , Chai Weibo , Ding Guosheng
Published: November 2014

In this study, diamino moiety functionalized silica nanoparticles with the size of 118 ± 12 nm were successfully synthesized and directly introduced into a chiral capillary electrophoresis system to improve the enantioseparation of 9‐fluorenyl methoxycarbonyl derivatized amino acids using norvancomycin as chiral selector. Under acidic background electrolyte conditions, functional silica nanoparticles can be readily adsorbed onto the inner surface of bare silica capillary column through electrostatic interaction to form a dynamic coating, resulting in a reversed anodic electro‐osmotic flow (i.e. from cathode to anode). As expected, chiral amino acid derivatives (usually negatively charged) can be rapidly separated under co‐electro‐osmotic flow conditions in the current separation system. Furthermore, the column performance and detection sensitivity for the enantioseparation were also obviously improved because the adsorption of chiral selector of norvancomycin to the capillary wall was greatly suppressed. Some important factors influencing the separation, such as the coating thickness, background electrolyte concentration, functional silica nanoparticles concentration, and the organic modifier were also investigated and the optimized separation conditions were obtained.