bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Thy‐Box for Sonographic Assessment of the Fetal Thymus
Authors: Muñoz-Chápuli Mar , Gámez Francisco , Bravo Coral , Ortiz Luis , Pérez Ricardo , De León-Luis Juan A.
Published: April 2015

Objectives

To assess the feasibility and reproducibility of fetal thy‐box visualization and to set normative data for the fetal thymus using this technique.

Methods

We performed a cross‐sectional observational study in pregnant women in their second trimester of pregnancy who attended the fetal medicine unit of the Hospital Gregorio Marañón from March 2011 to March 2013. Using thy‐box sonography, which sets boundaries within the thymus, we assessed the feasibility of the thy‐box and analyzed the factors related to its visualization. Measurements of the thy‐box anteroposterior and transverse diameters were performed in healthy fetuses. Interobserver agreement was studied for both items. We set normative data for the thy‐box diameters in singleton and twin pregnancies.

Results

A total of 337 patients from 15 to 37 weeks were recruited after exclusion criteria. Thy‐box feasibility was 74.2% (250 of 337). Nonfeasible cases were related to the fetal anterior spine and advanced gestational age. Assessment of the thy‐box anteroposterior and transverse diameters was achievable in 250 fetuses. Interobserver agreement was good for feasibility and measurements (κ = 0.80). Linear growth of the thy‐box in both diameters was observed in relation to gestational age during the second half of pregnancy. Thy‐box diameters did not show significant differences according to the type of gestation, fetal sex, or chorionicity.

Conclusions

Thy‐box diameters are achievable and reproducible by sonography in normal singleton and twin pregnancies during the second trimester; however, although feasible, the thy‐box transverse diameter measurement is not reliable beyond 28 weeks. Further studies are needed to evaluate thy‐box diameters in pathologic cases, especially conotruncal anomalies.
Intraoperative Sonography During Carotid Endarterectomy
Authors: Weinstein Stefanie , Mabray Marc C. , Aslam Riz , Hope Tom , Yee Judy , Owens Christopher
Published: April 2015

Carotid endarterectomy is a commonly performed procedure for prevention of stroke related to carotid stenosis. Intraoperative sonography is used to identify potentially correctable technical defects during carotid endarterectomy. The main risk of endarterectomy is perioperative stroke, and great effort has been put into trying to reduce this risk through various surgical techniques and evaluation of the surgical bed. Postoperative carotid thrombosis, or thombo‐embolization from the arterectomy site, remains a common cause of perioperative stroke and is often related to technical defects in the arterial reconstruction procedure. Re‐exploration and repair of any imperfections have the potential to improve outcomes. Intraoperative imaging can identify potentially occult lesions, provide the option for correction, and thus reduce chance of stroke. Familiarity with the spectrum of intraoperative sonographic findings helps correctly identify residual intimal dissection flaps, plaque, thrombi, and stenosis, which may require immediate surgical revision. Our objective is to illustrate the spectrum of intraoperative findings and their importance.
Contrast‐Enhanced Sonographically Guided Thermal Ablation for Treatment of Solid‐Organ Hemorrhage
Authors: Zhou Luyao , Kuang Ming , Xu Zuofeng , Xie Xiaoyan , Lu Mingde
Published: April 2015

The purpose of this series was to preliminarily evaluate the use of contrast‐enhanced sonographically guided percutaneous thermal ablation in the evaluation and treatment of solid‐organ bleeding by retrospectively analyzing 6 cases observed in clinical practice. Six patients who underwent contrast‐enhanced sonographically guided thermal ablation for treatment of solid‐organ bleeding (5 in liver and 1 in spleen) from December 2005 to August 2012 were included in this series. Clinical information, contrast‐enhanced sonograms before and after ablation, and the ablation method were retrospectively collected and analyzed. In 5 of the 6 patients, the location of the bleeding lesion was clearly seen. Hemostasis was successfully achieved in 4 of these 5 patients: 1 by radiofrequency ablation and 3 by microwave ablation. Ablation failed to achieve hemostasis in 1 patient who had postbiopsy splenic arterial bleeding because the bleeding vessel was a thick branch of the splenic artery. In the sixth remaining patient, who had bleeding after liver biopsy, hemostasis failed because contrast‐enhanced sonography did not precisely locate the bleeding lesion; hence, the ablation zone did not cover the whole lesion. Contrast‐enhanced sonographically guided ablation can be an alternative choice for treating solid‐organ bleeding because of its effectiveness and minimal invasiveness. However, it should be carefully investigated for those in whom the bleeding lesion cannot be located by contrast‐enhanced sonography and in those who have bleeding in a large vessel.
A comparison of plot‐based satellite and Earth system model estimates of tropical forest net primary production
Authors: Cleveland Cory C. , Taylor Philip , Chadwick K. Dana , Dahlin Kyla , Doughty Christopher E. , Malhi Yadvinder , Smith W. Kolby , Sullivan Benjamin W. , Wieder William R. , Townsend Alan R.
Published: April 2015

Net primary production (NPP) by plants represents the largest annual flux of carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere to the terrestrial biosphere, playing a critical role in the global carbon (C) cycle and the Earth's climate. Rates of NPP in tropical forests are thought to be among the highest on Earth, but debates about the magnitude, patterns, and controls of NPP in the tropics highlight uncertainty in our understanding of how tropical forests may respond to environmental change. Here, we compared tropical NPP estimates generated using three common approaches: (1) field‐based methods scaled from plot‐level measurements of plant biomass, (2) radiation‐based methods that model NPP from satellite‐derived radiation absorption by plants, (3) and biogeochemical model‐based methods. For undisturbed tropical forests as a whole, the three methods produced similar NPP estimates (i.e., ~ 10 Pg C yr−1). However, the three different approaches produced vastly different patterns of NPP both in space and through time, suggesting that our understanding of tropical NPP is poor and that our ability to predict the response of NPP in the tropics to environmental change is limited. To address this shortcoming, we suggest the development of an expanded, high‐density, permanent network of sites where NPP is continuously evaluated using multiple approaches. Well‐designed NPP megatransects that include a high‐density plot network would significantly increase the accuracy and certainty in the observed rates and patterns of tropical NPP and improve the reliability of Earth system models used to predict NPP–carbon cycle–climate interactions into the future.
Source and sink carbon dynamics and carbon allocation in the Amazon basin
Authors: Doughty Christopher E. , Metcalfe D. B. , Girardin C. A. J. , Amezquita F. F. , Durand L. , Huaraca Huasco W. , Silva‐Espejo J. E. , Araujo‐Murakami A. , da Costa M. C. , da Costa A. C. L. , Rocha W. , Meir P. , Galbraith D. , Malhi Y.
Published: April 2015

Changes to the carbon cycle in tropical forests could affect global climate, but predicting such changes has been previously limited by lack of field‐based data. Here we show seasonal cycles of the complete carbon cycle for 14, 1 ha intensive carbon cycling plots which we separate into three regions: humid lowland, highlands, and dry lowlands. Our data highlight three trends: (1) there is differing seasonality of total net primary productivity (NPP) with the highlands and dry lowlands peaking in the dry season and the humid lowland sites peaking in the wet season, (2) seasonal reductions in wood NPP are not driven by reductions in total NPP but by carbon during the dry season being preferentially allocated toward either roots or canopy NPP, and (3) there is a temporal decoupling between total photosynthesis and total carbon usage (plant carbon expenditure). This decoupling indicates the presence of nonstructural carbohydrates which may allow growth and carbon to be allocated when it is most ecologically beneficial rather than when it is most environmentally available.
Water circulation and global mantle dynamics: Insight from numerical modeling
Authors: Nakagawa Takashi , Nakakuki Tomoeki , Iwamori Hikaru
Published: April 2015

We investigate water circulation and its dynamical effects on global‐scale mantle dynamics in numerical thermochemical mantle convection simulations. Both dehydration‐hydration processes and dehydration melting are included. We also assume the rheological properties of hydrous minerals and density reduction caused by hydrous minerals. Heat transfer due to mantle convection seems to be enhanced more effectively than water cycling in the mantle convection system when reasonable water dependence of viscosity is assumed, due to effective slab dehydration at shallow depths. Water still affects significantly the global dynamics by weakening the near‐surface oceanic crust and lithosphere, enhancing the activity of surface plate motion compared to dry mantle case. As a result, including hydrous minerals, the more viscous mantle is expected with several orders of magnitude compared to the dry mantle. The average water content in the whole mantle is regulated by the dehydration‐hydration process. The large‐scale thermochemical anomalies, as is observed in the deep mantle, is found when a large density contrast between basaltic material and ambient mantle is assumed (4–5%), comparable to mineral physics measurements. Through this study, the effects of hydrous minerals in mantle dynamics are very important for interpreting the observational constraints on mantle convection.
Coupled simulations of Greenland Ice Sheet and climate change up to A.D. 2300
Authors: Vizcaino Miren , Mikolajewicz Uwe , Ziemen Florian , Rodehacke Christian B. , Greve Ralf , van den Broeke Michiel R.
Published: April 2015

Recent observations indicate a high sensitivity of the Greenland Ice Sheet (GrIS) to climate change. We examine the coupling between the GrIS surface mass balance, elevation, and dynamical flow with one of the few coupled GrIS and atmosphere‐ocean general circulation models. Bidirectional coupling from the early Holocene reveals a growing present‐day GrIS in the absence of anthropogenic forcing. We identify atmospheric sources of biases in the simulated present‐day GrIS and assess the GrIS sensitivity to future greenhouse gas forcing through three Representative Concentration Pathways and their extensions and to climate variability. The elevation‐surface mass balance feedback contributes to future GrIS mass loss with 8–11% (by 2100), depending on the forcing scenario, and 24–31% (by 2300). Climate variability causes a 2.5 times spread in the magnitude of the simulated present‐day GrIS mass trends in a three‐member ensemble. Our results represent a first step toward more advanced higher resolution coupled modeling of GrIS and climate evolution.
Anisotropy and crystalline fabric of Whillans Ice Stream (West Antarctica) inferred from multicomponent seismic data
Authors: Picotti Stefano , Vuan Alessandro , Carcione José M. , Horgan Huw J. , Anandakrishnan Sridhar
Published: April 2015

Crystal orientation fabric (COF) describes the intrinsic anisotropic nature of ice and is an important parameter for modeling glacier flow. We present the results of three‐component active‐source seismic observations from the Whillans Ice Stream (WIS), a fast‐flowing ice stream in West Antarctica. Surface‐wave dispersion analysis, ray tracing, and traveltime inversion of compressional (P) and shear (S) waves reveal the presence of transversely isotropic ice with a vertical axis of symmetry (VTI) beneath approximately 65 m of isotropic firn. The ice stream is characterized by weak anisotropy, involving an average ice thickness of approximately 780 m. The analysis indicates that about 95% of the ice mass is anisotropic, and the crystalline c axes span within an average broad cone angle of 73 ± 10° with respect to the vertical axis. Moreover, the mean temperature T (below the firn) estimated from seismic data is −15 ± 5°C. These data do not show evidence of englacial seismic reflectivity, which indicates the lack of abrupt changes in the COF. The presence of azimuthal anisotropy due to transversely compressive flow or fractures aligned along a preferential direction is also excluded. We suggest that the observed VTI ice structure is typical of large ice streams in regions where basal sliding and bed deformation dominate over internal glacial deformation.
Diurnal cycling of sea surface temperature, salinity, and current in the CESM coupled climate model
Authors: Large W. G. , Caron J. M.
Published: April 2015

A simple scheme is developed to represent Sea Surface Diurnal Cycling (SSDC) in Coupled General Circulation Models (CGCM). It follows Zeng and Beljaars [2005], but in addition to a night‐time deep well‐mixed ocean boundary layer and a deep day‐time stable layer, a shallow sub‐grid‐scale stable diurnal boundary layer is allowed to develop during the day, followed by a deepening convective layer. These four regimes have empirical property profiles and their governing parameters are determined by comparison of idealized experiments with published in situ and satellite observations. Mixing across the base of the shallow stable layer is governed by a gradient Richardson number, so prognostic equations are solved for salinity and current, as well as temperature. A conclusion is that the timing of peak warming depends on diurnal shear. The SSDC is implemented in the Community Earth System Model (CESM) for multiple purposes: the maximum diurnal amplitude of warming is found to exceed 5°C and to be more than 2°C over most of the ocean; the global distribution of average day‐time minus night‐time SST is used to validate the SSDC against a satellite SST product; and the mean seasonal surface heat flux and precipitation from an uncoupled CESM atmosphere are used to show the climate impacts that might be expected in a CGCM. Two major conclusions are that these impacts are not negligible and that much of the observed signals of diurnal cycling are captured by SSDC without the computational expense of resolving the relevant ocean processes.
Recent topographic evolution and erosion of the deglaciated Washington Cascades inferred from a stochastic landscape evolution model
Authors: Moon Seulgi , Shelef Eitan , Hilley George E.
Published: April 2015

In this study, we model postglacial surface processes and examine the evolution of the topography and denudation rates within the deglaciated Washington Cascades to understand the controls on and time scales of landscape response to changes in the surface process regime after deglaciation. The postglacial adjustment of this landscape is modeled using a geomorphic‐transport‐law‐based numerical model that includes processes of river incision, hillslope diffusion, and stochastic landslides. The surface lowering due to landslides is parameterized using a physically based slope stability model coupled to a stochastic model of the generation of landslides. The model parameters of river incision and stochastic landslides are calibrated based on the rates and distribution of thousand‐year‐time scale denudation rates measured from cosmogenic 10Be isotopes. The probability distributions of those model parameters calculated based on a Bayesian inversion scheme show comparable ranges from previous studies in similar rock types and climatic conditions. The magnitude of landslide denudation rates is determined by failure density (similar to landslide frequency), whereas precipitation and slopes affect the spatial variation in landslide denudation rates. Simulation results show that postglacial denudation rates decay over time and take longer than 100 kyr to reach time‐invariant rates. Over time, the landslides in the model consume the steep slopes characteristic of deglaciated landscapes. This response time scale is on the order of or longer than glacial/interglacial cycles, suggesting that frequent climatic perturbations during the Quaternary may produce a significant and prolonged impact on denudation and topography.
Automatic scaling of HF swept‐frequency backscatter ionograms
Authors: Song Huan , Hu Yaogai , Jiang Chunhua , Zhou Chen , Zhao Zhengyu
Published: April 2015

This paper describes a method for automatically scaling HF swept‐frequency backscatter ionograms, which can be applied to a low‐power oblique backscatter sounding system. Based on the information of vertical echo in the ionogram, propagation mode is recognized from the amplitude differences betweenElayer andFlayer echoes. Points on the leading edge are extracted by using minimum group path delay theory. The spurious points are removed by using residual analysis. A multiple linear polynomial was adopted to fit the extracted leading edge points. Smooth fitting curves can then be obtained. Automatic scaling results from 362 ionograms show that the proposed method can efficiently recognize propagation modes and extract leading edge curves by taking full advantages of echo characteristics and echo amplitudes in the ionograms. This novel method can be applied into real‐time backscatter ionogram scaling, which facilitates the extensive usage of oblique backscatter soundings.
Delta channel networks: 1. A graph‐theoretic approach for studying connectivity and steady state transport on deltaic surfaces
Authors: Tejedor Alejandro , Longjas Anthony , Zaliapin Ilya , Foufoula‐Georgiou Efi
Published: April 2015

River deltas are intricate landscapes with complex channel networks that self‐organize to deliver water, sediment, and nutrients from the apex to the delta top and eventually to the coastal zone. The natural balance of material and energy fluxes, which maintains a stable hydrologic, geomorphologic, and ecological state of a river delta, is often disrupted by external perturbations causing topological and dynamical changes in the delta structure and function. A formal quantitative framework for studying delta channel network connectivity and transport dynamics and their response to change is lacking. Here we present such a framework based on spectral graph theory and demonstrate its value in computing delta's steady state fluxes and identifying upstream (contributing) and downstream (nourishment) areas and fluxes from any point in the network. We use this framework to construct vulnerability maps that quantify the relative change of sediment and water delivery to the shoreline outlets in response to possible perturbations in hundreds of upstream links. The framework is applied to the Wax Lake delta in the Louisiana coast of the U.S. and the Niger delta in West Africa. In a companion paper, we present a comprehensive suite of metrics that quantify topologic and dynamic complexity of delta channel networks and, via application to seven deltas in diverse environments, demonstrate their potential to reveal delta morphodynamics and relate to notions of vulnerability and robustness.
Provenance of plumes in global convection models
Authors: Hassan Rakib , Flament Nicolas , Gurnis Michael , Bower Dan J. , Müller Dietmar
Published: April 2015

In global convection models constrained by plume motions and subduction history over the last 230 Myr, plumes emerge preferentially from the edges of thermochemical structures that resemble present‐day large low shear velocity provinces (LLSVPs) beneath Africa and the Pacific Ocean. It has been argued that large igneous provinces (LIPs) erupting since 200 Ma may originate from plumes that emerged from the edges of the LLSVPs and numerical models have been devised to validate this hypothesis. Although qualitative assessments that are broadly in agreement with this hypothesis have been derived from numerical models, a quantitative assessment has been lacking. We present a novel plume detection scheme and derive Monte Carlo‐based statistical correlations of model plume eruption sites and reconstructed LIP eruption sites. We show that models with a chemically anomalous lower mantle are highly correlated to reconstructed LIP eruption sites, whereas the confidence level obtained for a model with purely thermal plumes falls just short of 95%. A network of embayments separated by steep ridges form in the deep lower mantle in models with a chemically anomalous lower mantle. Plumes become anchored to the peaks of the chemical ridges and the network of ridges acts as a floating anchor, adjusting to slab push forces through time. The network of ridges imposes a characteristic separation between conduits that can extend into the interior of the thermochemical structures. This may explain the observed clustering of reconstructed LIP eruption sites that mostly but not exclusively occur around the present‐day LLSVPs.
On the temporal evolution of long‐wavelength mantle structure of the Earth since the early Paleozoic
Authors: Zhong Shijie , Rudolph Maxwell L.
Published: April 2015

The seismic structure of the Earth's lower mantle is characterized by a dominantly degree‐2 pattern with the African and Pacific large low shear velocity provinces (i.e., LLSVP) that are separated by circum‐Pacific seismically fast anomalies. It is important to understand the origin of such a degree‐2 mantle structure and its temporal evolution. In this study, we investigated the effects of plate motion history and mantle viscosity on the temporal evolution of the lower mantle structure since the early Paleozoic by formulating 3‐D spherical shell models of thermochemical convection. For convection models with realistic mantle viscosity and no initial structure, it takes about ∼50 Myr to develop dominantly degree‐2 lower mantle structure using the published plate motion models for the last either 120 Ma or 250 Ma. However, it takes longer time to develop the mantle structure for more viscous mantle. While the circum‐Pangea subduction in plate motion history models promotes the formation of degree‐2 mantle structure, the published pre‐Pangea plate motions before 330 Ma produce relatively cold lower mantle in the African hemisphere and significant degree‐1 structure in the early Pangea (∼300 Ma) or later times, even if the lower mantle has an initially degree‐2 structure and a viscosity as high as 1023 Pas. This suggests that the African LLSVP may not be stationary since the early Paleozoic. With the published plate motion models and lower mantle viscosity of 1022 Pas, our mantle convection models suggest that the present‐day degree‐2 mantle structure may have largely been formed by ∼200 Ma.
What drives seasonal change in oligotrophic area in the subtropical North Atlantic?
Authors: Dave Apurva C. , Barton Andrew D. , Lozier M. Susan , McKinley Galen A.
Published: April 2015

The oligotrophic regions of the subtropical gyres cover a significant portion of the global ocean, and exhibit considerable but poorly understood intraseasonal, interannual, and longer‐term variations in spatial extent. Here using historical observations of surface ocean nitrate, wind, and currents, we have investigated how horizontal and vertical supplies of nitrate control seasonal changes in the size and shape of oligotrophic regions of the subtropical North Atlantic. In general, the oligotrophic region of the subtropical North Atlantic is associated with the region of weak vertical supply of nitrate. Though the total vertical supply of nitrate here is generally greater than the total horizontal supply, we find that seasonal expansion and contraction of the oligotrophic region is consistent with changes in horizontal supply of nitrate. In this dynamic periphery of the subtropical gyre, the seasonal variations in chlorophyll are linked to variations in horizontal nitrate supply that facilitate changes in intracellular pigment concentrations, and to a lesser extent, phytoplankton biomass. Our results suggest that horizontal transports of nutrient are crucial in setting seasonal cycles of chlorophyll in large expanses of the subtropical North Atlantic, and may play a key and underappreciated role in regulating interannual variations in these globally important marine ecosystems.
Influence of preonset land atmospheric conditions on the Indian summer monsoon rainfall variability
Authors: Rai Archana , Saha Subodh K. , Pokhrel Samir , Sujith K. , Halder Subhadeep
Published: April 2015

A possible link between preonset land atmospheric conditions and the Indian summer monsoon rainfall (ISMR) is explored. It is shown that, the preonset positive (negative) rainfall anomaly over northwest India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Iran is associated with decrease (increase) in ISMR, primarily in the months of June and July, which in turn affects the seasonal mean. ISMR in the months of June and July is also strongly linked with the preonset 2 m air temperature over the same regions. The preonset rainfall/2 m air temperature variability is linked with stationary Rossby wave response, which is clearly evident in the wave activity flux diagnostics. As the predictability of Indian summer monsoon relies mainly on the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO), the found link may further enhance our ability to predict the monsoon, particularly during a non‐ENSO year.
On the probabilistic structure of water age
Authors: Porporato Amilcare , Calabrese Salvatore
Published: April 2015

The age distribution of water in hydrologic systems has received renewed interest recently, especially in relation to watershed response to rainfall inputs. The purpose of this contribution is first to draw attention to existing theories of age distributions in population dynamics, fluid mechanics and stochastic groundwater, and in particular to the McKendrick‐von Foerster equation and its generalizations and solutions. A second and more important goal is to clarify that, when hydrologic fluxes are modeled by means of time‐varying stochastic processes, the age distributions must themselves be treated as random functions. Once their probabilistic structure is obtained, it can be used to characterize the variability of age distributions in real systems and thus help quantify the inherent uncertainty in the field determination of water age. We illustrate these concepts with reference to a stochastic storage model, which has been used as a minimalist model of soil moisture and streamflow dynamics.
Thienothiophene‐2,5‐Dione‐Based Donor–Acceptor Polymers: Improved Synthesis and Influence of the Donor Units on Ambipolar Charge Transport Properties
Authors: Kawabata Kohsuke , Osaka Itaru , Nakano Masahiro , Takemura Noriko , Koganezawa Tomoyuki , Takimiya Kazuo
Published: April 2015

A series of donor–acceptor polymers incorporating the thieno[3,2‐b]thiophene‐2,5‐dione (TTD) acceptor unit and different donor units are synthesized. The synthesis of a TTD‐based key monomer, 3,6‐bis(5‐bromo‐4‐alkylthiophen‐2‐yl)thieno[3,2‐b]thiophene‐2,5‐dione, is successfully improved to afford higher total yield with less reaction steps (42%/4 steps) than those previously reported (14%/7 steps). The polymers exhibit low‐lying lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) energy levels of around −3.8 eV and highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) energy levels ranging from −5.49 to −5.14 eV. Organic field‐effect transistors based on the polymers exhibit ambipolar characteristics with high hole and electron mobilities in the order of 10−1 cm2 V−1 s−1 in air. These high mobilities can be attributed to the formation of highly crystalline lamellar structure with preferential edge‐on orientation of the polymer thin films. Interestingly, the ratio of the electron to hole mobilities decreases with the extension of the donor units. This can be explained by the distribution of HOMOs and LUMOs along the backbones. Additionally, complementary inverters using the polymers with well‐balanced ambipolar characteristics exhibit sharp switching characteristics with high gain of ≈140 at the supply voltage of 40 V.
Biologic monitoring and surveillance results for the department of veterans affairs' depleted uranium cohort: Lessons learned from sustained exposure over two decades
Authors: McDiarmid Melissa A. , Gaitens Joanna M. , Hines Stella , Condon Marian , Roth Tracy , Oliver Marc , Gucer Patricia , Brown Lawrence , Centeno Jose A. , Streeten Elizabeth , Squibb Katherine S.
Published: April 2015

Background

A small group of Gulf War I veterans wounded in depleted uranium (DU) friendly fire incidents have been monitored in a clinical surveillance program at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Baltimore since 1994.

Methods

An in‐patient clinical surveillance protocol was performed on 35 members of the cohort, including exposure monitoring for total and isotopic uranium concentrations in urine and a comprehensive assessment of health outcomes.

Results

Although urine U concentrations continue to be elevated in this group, illustrating on‐going in situ mobilization of U from embedded fragments, no consistent U‐related health effects have been observed.

Conclusions

Now more than 20 years since first exposure to DU, an aging cohort of military veterans continues to show no U‐related health effects in known target organs of U toxicity. As tissue concentrations continue to accrue with exposure duration, critical tissue‐specific U concentration thresholds may be reached, thus recommending on‐going surveillance of this veteran cohort. Am. J. Ind. Med. 58:583–594, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Expression of heme oxygenase‐1 in eosinophilic and non‐eosinophilic chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps: modulation by cytokines
Authors: Yu Zhijian , Wang Yu , Zhang Jia , Li Lei , Wu Xingmei , Ma Renqiang , Han Miaomiao , Xu Geng , Wen Weiping , Li Huabin
Published: April 2015

Background

Oxidative stress is characteristic of chronic airway inflammatory diseases such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP). Heme oxygenase (HO)‐1 has been proposed to be a cytoprotective enzyme against oxidative stress in CRSwNP. However, the expression and regulation of HO‐1 in eosinophilic CRSwNP (ECRS) and non‐eosinophilic CRSwNP (non‐ECRS) subsets has not been well documented.

Methods

Nasal polyps and uncinate process tissues were enrolled from 40 CRSwNP patients (ECRS, 17; non‐ECRS, 23) and 20 control subjects, respectively. The messenger RNA (mRNA) and protein expression of HO‐1 was examined using qRT‐PCR, immunohistochemistry, and Western blot staining. Moreover, the stimulatory effects of several cytokines (interferon γ [IFN‐γ], interleukin [IL]‐5, and IL‐13, etc.) on HO‐1 mRNA expression in cultured nasal explants were evaluated.

Results

The mRNA and protein expression of HO‐1 was significantly increased in polyp tissues compared with healthy controls (p < 0.05), and the non‐ECRS subset showed significantly increased HO‐1 expression compared with the ECRS subset (p < 0.05). Moreover, in cultured nasal explant, HO‐1 mRNA was significantly upregulated in the presence of IFN‐γ, IL‐27, IL‐5, IL‐13, and IL‐17A, but was significantly inhibited by transforming growth factor β1 (TGF‐β1) (p < 0.05).

Conclusion

Our findings indicate that HO‐1 was differentially expressed and regulated in ECRS and non‐ECRS patients.
Synthesis and flammability testing of epoxy functionalized phosphorous‐based flame retardants
Authors: Benin Vladimir , Cui Xuemei , Morgan Alexander B. , Seiwert Karl
Published: April 2015

Several potential new phosphorus‐containing flame retardant molecules were evaluated for heat release reduction potential by incorporation of the molecules into a polyurethane, generated from methylene diphenyl diisocyanate and 1,3‐propane diol. The heat release reduction potential of these substances was evaluated using the pyrolysis combustion flow calorimeter (PCFC). The polyurethanes were prepared in the presence of the potential flame retardants via solvent mixing and copolymerization methods to qualitatively evaluate their potential reactivity into the polyurethane prior to heat release testing. The functionality of the flame retardants was epoxide based that would potentially react with the diol during polyurethane synthesis. Flammability testing via PCFC showed that the heat release reduction potential of each of the flame retardants was structure dependent, with phosphates tending to show more effectiveness than phosphonates in this study, and alkyl functionalized phosphorus groups (phosphate or phosphonate) being more effective at heat release reduction than cyclic functionalized groups. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015, 132, 42296.
A Role for Gut Microbiota and the Metabolite‐Sensing Receptor GPR43 in a Murine Model of Gout
Authors: Vieira Angélica T. , Macia Laurence , Galvão Izabela , Martins Flaviano S. , Canesso Maria Cecília C. , Amaral Flávio A. , Garcia Cristiana C. , Maslowski Kendle M. , De Leon Ellen , Shim Doris , Nicoli Jacques R. , Harper Jacquie L. , Teixeira Mauro M. , Mackay Charles R.
Published: April 2015

Objective

Host–microbial interactions are central in health and disease. Monosodium urate monohydrate (MSU) crystals cause gout by activating the NLRP3 inflammasome, leading to interleukin‐1β (IL‐1β) production and neutrophil recruitment. This study was undertaken to investigate the relevance of gut microbiota, acetate, and the metabolite‐sensing receptor GPR43 in regulating inflammation in a murine model of gout.

Methods

Gout was induced by the injection of MSU crystals into the knee joints of mice. Macrophages from the various animals were stimulated to determine inflammasome activation and production of reactive oxygen species (ROS).

Results

Injection of MSU crystals caused joint inflammation, as seen by neutrophil influx, hypernociception, and production of IL‐1β and CXCL1. These parameters were greatly decreased in germ‐free mice, mice treated with antibiotics, and GPR‐43–deficient mice. Recolonization or administration of acetate to germ‐free mice restored inflammation in response to injection of MSU crystals. In vitro, macrophages produced ROS and assembled the inflammasome when stimulated with MSU. Macrophages from germ‐free animals produced little ROS, and there was little inflammasome assembly. Similar results were observed in macrophages from GPR‐43–deficient mice. Treatment of germ‐free mice with acetate restored in vitro responsiveness of macrophages to MSU crystals.

Conclusion

In the absence of microbiota, there is decreased production of short‐chain fatty acids that are necessary for adequate inflammasome assembly and IL‐1β production in a manner that is at least partially dependent on GPR43. These results clearly show that the commensal microbiota shapes the host's ability to respond to an inflammasome‐dependent acute inflammatory stimulus outside the gut.
Adaptation to high throughput batch chromatography enhances multivariate screening
Authors: Barker Gregory A. , Calzada Joseph , Herzer Sibylle , Rieble Siegfried
Published: April 2015

High throughput process development offers unique approaches to explore complex process design spaces with relatively low material consumption. Batch chromatography is one technique that can be used to screen chromatographic conditions in a 96‐well plate. Typical batch chromatography workflows examine variations in buffer conditions or comparison of multiple resins in a given process, as opposed to the assessment of protein loading conditions in combination with other factors. A modification to the batch chromatography paradigm is described here where experimental planning, programming, and a staggered loading approach increase the multivariate space that can be explored with a liquid handling system. The iterative batch chromatography (IBC) approach is described, which treats every well in a 96‐well plate as an individual experiment, wherein protein loading conditions can be varied alongside other factors such as wash and elution buffer conditions. As all of these factors are explored in the same experiment, the interactions between them are characterized and the number of follow‐up confirmatory experiments is reduced. This in turn improves statistical power and throughput. Two examples of the IBC method are shown and the impact of the load conditions are assessed in combination with the other factors explored.
Sortase A‐mediated synthesis of ligand‐grafted cyclized peptides for modulating a model protein‐protein interaction
Authors: Zhang Jing , Yamaguchi Satoshi , Nagamune Teruyuki
Published: April 2015

Specific ligand‐grafted cyclic peptides are promising drug candidates that can modulate protein‐protein interactions (PPIs) with increased proteolytic stability. In this study, we aimed to demonstrate that Sortase A (SrtA)‐mediated peptide transpeptidation can be applied to produce bioactive sequence‐grafted, stable, cyclic peptides. A naturally occurring cyclic peptide, sunflower trypsin inhibitor 1 (SFTI‐1), was selected as the scaffold, and a tetrapeptide motif, Glu‐Ser‐Asp‐Val (ESDV), was grafted into the scaffold as a model ligand. The linear precursor of the grafted peptide with SrtA‐recognition motifs at the N‐ and C‐termini was cyclized in good yield simply by co‐incubation with SrtA. The ESDV‐grafted cyclic SFTI‐1 obtained was confirmed to have high stability against proteolysis by human serum and bound to the target PDZ2 domain of postsynaptic density‐95 protein. An optimized sequence‐grafted cyclic SFTI‐1 could competitively suppress the interaction of PDZ2 with its natural ligand, the C‐terminal peptide of the NR2B subunit of the N‐methyl‐D‐aspartate receptor. These results show that a strategy combining peptide grafting into the SFTI‐1 scaffold with SrtA‐catalyzed cyclization can be a simple and effective method for producing stable peptide drugs.
Activity‐Fed Translation (AFT) Assay: A New High‐Throughput Screening Strategy for Enzymes in Droplets
Authors: Woronoff Gabrielle , Ryckelynck Michaël , Wessel Julia , Schicke Olivier , Griffiths Andrew D. , Soumillion Patrice
Published: April 2015

There is an increasing demand for the development of sensitive enzymatic assays compatible with droplet‐based microfluidics. Here we describe an original strategy, activity‐fed translation (AFT), based on the coupling of enzymatic activity to in vitro translation of a fluorescent protein. We show that methionine release upon the hydrolysis of phenylacetylmethionine by penicillin acylase enabled in vitro expression of green fluorescent protein. An autocatalytic setup where both proteins are expressed makes the assay highly sensitive, as fluorescence was detected in droplets containing single PAC genes. Adding a PCR step in the droplets prior to the assay increased the sensitivity further. The strategy is potentially applicable for any activity that can be coupled to the production of an amino acid, and as the microdroplet volume is small the use of costly reagents such as in vitro expression mixtures is not limiting for high‐throughput screening projects.
Simultaneous transcatheter implantation of systemic and pulmonary venous baffle stents after mustard operation for d‐transposition of the great arteries
Authors: Parekh Dhaval R. , Cabrera Marcelo S. , Ing Frank F.
Published: April 2015

We report a case of simultaneous transcatheter systemic and pulmonary venous baffle obstruction stenting in a post operative Mustard patient with d‐transposition of the great arteries. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Bivalirudin versus heparin in patients with acute myocardial infarction: A meta‐analysis of randomized trials
Authors: Ferrante Giuseppe , Valgimigli Marco , Pagnotta Paolo , Presbitero Patrizia
Published: April 2015

Background

The aim of this study was to assess the impact of bivalirudin, as compared to unfractionated heparin, on clinical outcomes in patients with ST‐segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI).

Methods

A meta‐analysis of randomized trials comparing bivalirudin versus heparin in patients with STEMI undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention was performed. Three randomised trials enrolling 7,612 patients were included. Analysis was by intention to treat.

Results

At 30 days, bivalirudin, as compared to heparin, was associated with a similar risk of all‐cause mortality (3.03% vs. 3.38%, odds ratio (OR) 0.90, 95% confidence intervals (CI) [0.63 to 1.29], P = 0.57). Bivalirudin significantly increased the risk of definite (2.39% vs. 1.06%, OR 2.49, 95% CI [1.30 to 4.76], P = 0.006); definite or probable (2.55% vs. 1.35%, OR 2.26, 95% CI [1.07 to 4.79], P = 0.03), and acute stent thrombosis (1.69% vs. 0.39%, OR 4.34, 95% CI [2.30 to 8.16], P < 0.001); leading to nonsignificantly higher reinfarction rates (2.0% vs. 1.31%, OR 1.72, 95% CI [0.89 to 3.35], P = 0.11), and to a significantly increased risk of ischemia driven revascularization (2.50% vs. 1.52%, OR 1.80, 95% CI [1.02 to 3.18], P = 0.04) at 30 days. No firm evidence for a reduction in major bleeding associated with bivalirudin use was found (3.93% vs. 6.39%, OR 0.63, 95% CI [0.39 to 1.04], P = 0.07).

Conclusions

In patients with STEMI, bivalirudin, as compared to heparin, increases the risk of stent thrombosis and ischemia driven repeat revascularization at 30 days. There is no strong evidence that bivalirudin significantly reduces major bleeding at 30 days. Bivalirudin does not have an effect on all‐cause mortality at 30 days. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Retrieval of a detached transseptal sheath tip from a right pulmonary artery branch following catheter ablation
Authors: Schricker Amir A. , Feld Gregory K. , Tsimikas Sotirios
Published: April 2015

Transseptal introducer sheaths are being used with increasing frequency for left‐sided arrhythmia ablations and structural heart disease interventions. Sheath tip detachment and embolization is an uncommon but known complication, and several sheaths have been recalled due to such complications. We report a unique case of a fractured transseptal sheath tip that embolized to a branch of the right pulmonary artery in a patient who had undergone ablation of a left‐sided atypical atrial flutter. During final removal of one of the two long 8.5‐French SL1 transseptal sheaths used routinely as part of the ablation, the radiopaque tip of the sheath fractured and first embolized to the right atrium and subsequently to a secondary right pulmonary artery branch. Using techniques derived from percutaneous interventional approaches, including a multipurpose catheter, coronary guidewire, and monorail angioplasty balloon, the sheath tip was successfully wired through its inner lumen, trapped from the inside with the balloon, and removed from the body via a large femoral vein sheath, without complications. The approach detailed in this case may guide future cases and circumvent urgent surgical intervention. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Axial Dispersion and Heat Transfer in a Milli/Microstructured Coiled Flow Inverter for Narrow Residence Time Distribution at Laminar Flow
Authors: Kurt Safa Kutup , Gelhausen Marius Gerrit , Kockmann Norbert
Published: April 2015

Helically coiled tubes offer improved residence and thermal time distributions due to the formation of Dean vortices via centrifugal forces. Design and fabrication of several milli/microstructured helically coiled tube reactors are described for processes requiring a narrow residence time distribution (RTD) and efficient heat transfer at laminar flow regime. The performance of microstructured reactor capillaries, which provide a high specific surface area, is combined with a type of helically coiled tube, namely, a coiled flow inverter allowing for the narrowest RTD in laminar flow regimes. Axial dispersion is characterized by obtaining the RTD curves from different reactor setups. Overall heat transfer coefficients of a new reactor setup are measured in order to determine the heat transfer efficiency.
Practice strategies that enable you to lead change
Authors: Hope Joan
Published: April 2015

Change is a constant at many colleges and universities. But what does it take to lead change? Kate Smith, dean of academic foundations at Monroe Community College; and Kristen M. Fragnoli, provost and vice president of academic and student affairs at Finger Lakes Community College, shared strategies for building consensus for your vision and goals at a session at the American Conference of Academic Deans annual meeting.
Lead by example to help administrators, faculty, students find balance
Authors: Hope Joan
Published: April 2015

Growing up on a ranch in Montana, Noelle E. Cockett learned some fundamental lessons that guide her as provost at Utah State University. She learned that you work until the job is done. If there's a problem, you figure it out. And she did any work her two brothers did. She was never allowed to say, “I can't do that because I'm a girl.”
Adolescent vulnerability to cardiovascular consequences of chronic social stress: Immediate and long‐term effects of social isolation during adolescence
Authors: Cruz Fábio C. , Duarte Josiane O. , Leão Rodrigo M. , Hummel Luiz F.V. , Planeta Cleopatra S. , Crestani Carlos C.
Published: April 2015

It has been demonstrated that disruption of social bonds and perceived isolation (loneliness) are associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Adolescence is proposed as a period of vulnerability to stress. Nevertheless, the impact of chronic social stress during this ontogenic period in cardiovascular function is poorly understood. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to compare the impact in cardiovascular function of social isolation for 3 weeks in adolescent and adult male rats. Also, the long‐term effects of social isolation during adolescence were investigated longitudinally. Social isolation reduced body weight in adolescent, but not in adult animals. Disruption of social bonds during adolescence increased arterial pressure without affecting heart rate and pulse pressure (PP). Nevertheless, social isolation in adulthood reduced systolic arterial pressure and increased diastolic arterial pressure, which in turn decreased PP without affecting mean arterial pressure. Cardiovascular changes in adolescents, but not adults, were followed by facilitation of both baroreflex sensitivity and vascular reactivity to the vasodilator agent acetylcholine. Vascular responsiveness to either the vasodilator agent sodium nitroprusside or the vasoconstrictor agent phenylephrine was not affected by social isolation. Except for the changes in body weight and baroreflex sensitivity, all alterations evoked by social isolation during adolescence were reversed in adulthood after moving animals from isolated to collective housing. These findings suggest a vulnerability of adolescents to the effects of chronic social isolation in cardiovascular function. However, results indicate minimal cardiovascular consequences in adulthood of disruption of social bonds during adolescence. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Develop Neurobiol 76: 34–46, 2016