bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Water conservation and hydrological transitions in cities in the United States
Authors: Hornberger George M. , Hess David J. , Gilligan Jonathan
Published: May 2015

Cities across the world have had to diversify and expand their water supply systems in response to demand growth, groundwater depletion and pollution, and instability and inadequacy of regional surface freshwater sources. In the U.S., these problems plague not only the arid Western cities but increasingly also cities in the Eastern portions of the country. Although cities continue to seek out new sources of water via Promethean projects of long‐distance supply systems, desalinization plants, and the recharge of aquifers with surface water, they also pursue water conservation because of its low cost and other benefits. We examine water conservation as a complex sociotechnical system comprising interactions of political, sociodemographic, economic, and hydroclimatological factors. We provide quantitative data on the factors that affect more and less advanced transitions in water conservation regimes, and we show that water stress and other hydrological data can only partially predict the transition. We also provide qualitative case studies to identify institutional and political barriers to more advanced water conservation regimes. This interdisciplinary, mixed methods approach typifies the need for knowledge that informs hydrologists about how their research may or may not be adopted by decision‐makers.
The Hydric Effect in Inorganic Nanomaterials for Nanoelectronics and Energy Applications
Authors: Sun Xu , Guo Yuqiao , Wu Changzheng , Xie Yi
Published: May 2015

Protons, as one of the world's smallest ions, are able to trigger the charge effect without obvious lattice expansion inside inorganic materials, offering a unique and important test‐bed for controlling their diverse functionalities. Arising from the high chemical reactivity of hydrogen (easily losing an electron) with various main group anions (easily accepting a proton), the hydric effect provides a convenient and environmentally benign route to bring about fascinating new physicochemical properties, as well as to create new inorganic structures based on the “old lattice” without dramatically destroying the pristine structure, covering most inorganic materials. Moreover, hydrogen atoms tend to bond with anions or to produce intrinsic defects, both of which are expected to inject extra electrons into lattice framework, promising advances in control of bandgap, spin behavior, and carrier concentration, which determine functionality for wide applications. In this review article, recently developed effective hydric strategies are highlighted, which include the conventional hydric reaction under high temperature or room temperature, proton irradiation or hydrogen plasma treatment, and gate‐electrolyte‐driven adsorption or doping. The diverse physicochemical properties brought by the hydric effect via modulation of the intrinsic electronic structure are also summarized, finding wide applications in nanoelectronics, energy applications, and catalysis.
Modeling heterogeneous bacterial populations exposed to antibiotics: The logistic‐dynamics case
Authors: Bhagunde Pratik R. , Nikolaou Michael , Tam Vincent H.
Published: May 2015

In typical in vitro tests for clinical use or development of antibiotics, samples from a bacterial population are exposed to an antibiotic at various concentrations. The resulting data can then be used to build a mathematical model suitable for dosing regimen design or for further development. For bacterial populations that include resistant subpopulations—an issue that has reached alarming proportions—building such a model is challenging. In prior work, we developed a related modeling framework for such heterogeneous bacterial populations following linear dynamics when exposed to an antibiotic. We extend this framework to the case of logistic dynamics, common among strongly resistant bacterial strains. Explicit formulas are developed that can be easily used in parameter estimation and subsequent dosing regimen design under realistic pharmacokinetic conditions. A case study using experimental data from the effect of an antibiotic on a gram‐negative bacterial population exemplifies the usefulness of the proposed approach. © 2015 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 61: 2385–2393, 2015
Association between age at menarche and autistic traits in Turkish university students
Authors: Hergüner Arzu , Hergüner Sabri
Published: May 2015

Objectives

The androgen theory of autism suggests that masculinizing effect of fetal androgens may play a role in the expression of autism. Recent evidence showed that excessive prenatal androgen exposure might delay age at menarche (AAM). The aim of this study was to investigate the relation between autistic traits and AAM in a sample of nonclinical female university students.

Methods

Autistic traits were measured using the Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ), and AAM was questioned by retrospective self‐reports. The AQ was completed by 436 female university students.

Results

There were significant positive correlations between AAM and AQ total and subscales measuring Social Skills, Communication, and Imagination. Subjects with above average autistic traits reported later AAM than subjects with below average autistic traits.

Conclusion

These findings suggest that there may be a common developmental mechanism between delayed menarche and autistic traits, possibly through elevated levels of prenatal androgens. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 28:44–47, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Thermo‐ and pH‐ responsive copolymers: Poly(n‐Isopropylacrylamide‐co‐IAM) copolymers
Authors: Rwei Syang‐Peng , Way Tun‐Fun , Chang Shu‐Mei , Chiang Whe‐Yi , Lien Yi‐Yin
Published: May 2015

Poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide) (NIPAAm) is well known as a smart material with good thermal sensitivity and favorable biocompatibility. A series of new smart hydrogels, NIPAAm copolymerized with IAM (itaconamic acid; 4‐amino‐2‐methylene‐4‐oxobutanoic acid), were synthesized through radical solution polymerization in this work. Poly(NIPAAm‐co‐IAM) can respond to the changes of temperature as well as pH value. Such a characteristic is due to the fact that IAM contains not only a hydrophilic acrylic acid moiety but also an acrylamide moiety to be thermal and pH sensitive. The experimental results show that the lower critical solution temperature (LCST) of the copolymer increases as the molar fraction of IAM increases. Moreover, based on the current experimental data, 3 wt % of Poly(NIPAAm‐co‐IAM) aqueous solution in this study exhibits a phase transition temperature (37.8°C) close to the human body temperature in the buffer solution of pH 7 possibly to be useful in drug delivery. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015, 132, 42367.
Matrimid‐based carbon tubular membranes: The effect of the polymer composition
Authors: Sazali Norazlianie , Salleh Wan Norharyati Wan , Md Nordin Nik Abdul Hadi , Harun Zawati , Ismail Ahmad Fauzi
Published: May 2015

In this article, we present a development study of new membrane materials and enhancements of productive membranes to improve the current performance of polymeric membranes. Carbon membranes are a promising material for this matter as they offer an improvement in the gas‐separation performance and exhibit a good combination of permeability and selectivity. Carbon membranes produced from the carbonization of polymeric materials have been reported to be effective for gas separation because of their ability to separate gases with almost similar molecular sizes. In this study, a carbon support membrane was prepared with Matrimid 5218 as a polymeric precursor. The polymer solution was coated on the surface of a tubular support with the dip‐coating method. The polymer tubular membrane was then carbonized under a nitrogen atmosphere with different polymer compositions of 5–18 wt %. The carbonization process was performed at 850°C at a heating rate of 2°C/min. Matrimid‐based carbon tubular membranes were fabricated and characterized in terms of their structural morphology, thermal stability, and gas‐permeation properties with scanning electron microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and a pure‐gas‐permeation system, respectively. Pure‐gas‐permeation tests were performed with the pure gases carbon dioxide (CO2) and N2 at room temperature at a pressure of 8 bar. On the basis of the results, the highest CO2/N2 selectivity of 75.73 was obtained for the carbon membrane prepared with a 15 wt % polymer composition. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015, 132, 42394.
Effects of the surface modification of poly(amino acid)/hydroxyapatite/calcium sulfate biocomposites on the adhesion and proliferation of osteoblast‐like cells
Authors: Fan Xiaoxia , Ren Haohao , Liu Pengzheng , Wang Peng , Li Hong , Yan Yonggang , Lv Guoyu
Published: May 2015

In this study, we focused on the surface modification of a novel poly(amino acid) (PAA)/hydroxyapatite/calcium sulfate composite and the effect of its surface modification on cellular responses. The surface modification was performed by sandblasting (sample S2), calcium chloride ethanol saturated solution etching (sample S3), and formic acid etching (sample S4) followed byin vitroculturing of osteoblast‐like cells. The obtained results indicate that a new interface of the composite was formed during the modification, and the modified surface was changed with respect to its surface morphology by physical abrasion. The calcium chloride ethanol saturated solution etchant etched PAA selectively whereas forming rich calcium‐phosphate (Ca–P) apatite on the surface of S3. The formic acid etchant attacked the inorganic component without changing the PAA state. Cell attachment and cell proliferation were improved by the treatments of S2 and S3 in comparison with no treatment and the treatment of S4 © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci.2015,132, 42427.
Effect of processing conditions on crystallization behavior and mechanical properties of poly(lactic acid) staple fibers
Authors: Bruckmoser Katharina , Resch Katharina
Published: May 2015

Within this study, the applicability of Raman spectroscopy to characterize the crystallinity of PLA staple fibers was evaluated. The influence of the fiber alignment on the possibility to detect crystallinity by using Raman spectroscopy was studied. PLA staple fibers were produced by melt spinning by varying both draw temperature and draw ratio. Systematic interrelationships between the processing parameters of PLA staple fibers and the degrees of crystallinity and the cold crystallization enthalpies were established. Raman spectroscopy showed that the carbonyl stretching band of Raman spectra measured in fiber axis and parallelly polarized was not sensitive to detect crystallinity. However, for perpendicularly polarized measurements, a higher sensitivity was observed. With increasing degree of crystallinity, a reduction of the band width of the normalized carbonyl stretching band was found. The morphology affected the mechanical properties significantly. Increased draw ratio resulted in increased tensile strength and decreased elongation at break. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015, 132, 42432.
Anhydrous proton conductor consisting of pectin–inorganic composite material
Authors: Yamada Masanori , Ogino Takahiro
Published: May 2015

An organic–inorganic proton conductive composite material consisting of a biopolymer was prepared by mixing the pectin, tetraethyl titanate, and imidazole. Although the pectin material without the composite dissolved in water, the pectin–inorganic composite material did not show water solubility. In addition, in the composite material, the pectin and imidazole formed an acid–base structure by an electrostatic interaction, and as a result, these composite materials showed a thermal stability at intermediate temperatures (100–200°C). Furthermore, these composite materials indicated the proton conductivity of 5.6 × 10−4 S cm−1 at 180°C under anhydrous conditions. The activation energy of the proton conduction under anhydrous conditions was 0.32–0.22 eV and these values were one order of magnitude higher than that of the typical humidified perfluorinated membrane, such as Nafion®. The organic–inorganic composite material consisting of a biocomponent may have the potential to be utilized as a novel proton conductor under anhydrous conditions. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015, 132, 42433.
Synthesis and characterization of super‐absorbent hydrogels based on hemicellulose
Authors: Zhang Jian , Xiao Huining , Li Na , Ping Qingwei , Zhang Yi
Published: May 2015

A kind of novel hemicellulose‐based hydrogel with excellent water absorbency was synthesized by the graft copolymerization of acrylic acid (AA), acrylic amide (AM) with hemicellulose. The various factors that influenced the water absorbency of the modified hemicellulose were studied, including AA content, hemicellulose content, neutralization degree of AA, and weight ratio (to monomer) of cross‐linker and initiator. The optimal conditions were found as follows: m(AA) : m(AM) : m(hemicellulose) = 15 : 3.5 : 1, the neutralization degree of AA was 75%, and weight ratio (to monomers) of the cross‐linker and the initiator was 0.03% and 1.0%, respectively. The maximum absorbencies toward distilled water and 0.9 wt % NaCl solution were 1128 g/g and 132 g/g, respectively. The characteristics of the hydrogels were also investigated by Fourier Transform InfraRed (FT‐IR), scanning electron microscope (SEM), and atomic force microscope (AFM). The results indicated that the undulant surface and broad network structure offer the hydrogels excellent water absorbency. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015, 132, 42441.
Interactions in blends of dendronized polymeric nanocomposites with some common drugs
Authors: Alvarado Nancy , Fuentes Irma , Alegría Luz , Sandoval Claudia , Kortabería Galder , Eceiza Arantxa , Gargallo Ligia , Leiva Angel , Radić Deodato
Published: May 2015

Poly(diethylaminoethyl methacrylamide) (PEAM), a dendronized polymer, was synthesized according to classical procedures. Monomers and polymers were characterized by spectroscopic measurements. The results obtained were in agreement with the expected chemical structure. The phase behavior of blends of PEAM with diclofenac (DCF), ibuprofen (IBU), and paracetamol (PCM) were studied by different experimental techniques. FT‐IR, UV‐Vis, DSC, and TGA measurements suggested important interactions between the blended components. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) indicated the temperature at which the dendronized polymer released a small molecule. AFM measurements and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were used to better understand the nature of the interactions and to estimate the distance between the components of the blends to explain the interaction involved. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015, 132, 42450.
Modification of structural, thermal, and electrical properties of PVA by addition of silicon carbide nanocrystals
Authors: Saini Isha , Sharma Annu , Rozra Jyoti , Dhiman Rajnish , Aggarwal Sanjeev , Sharma Pawan K.
Published: May 2015

SiC‐PVA nanocomposite films, synthesized using solution‐casting technique were structurally characterized using X‐ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and Raman spectroscopy. Morphological studies of the SiC‐PVA nanocomposite films were carried out using Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Scanning electron microscopy (SEM). TEM analysis confirms that the size of SiC nanocrystals present in PVA matrix are 23 ± 9 nm, which is consistent with size calculated using XRD. SiC‐PVA nanocomposite films were further characterized for their thermal and electrical properties. Thermogravimetric/differential thermal analysis (TG/DTA) indicates that the char yield of nanocomposite films containing 3 wt % SiC nanocrystal is ∼30% more than PVA. This increase in char yield is an indication of the potency of flame retardation of SiC‐PVA nanocomposite films. I‐V analysis reveals that Schottky mechanism is the dominant conduction mechanism which is responsible for the increase in conductivity of PVA with the addition of SiC nanocrystals. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015, 132, 42464.
Tackling Substandard and Falsified Medicines in the Mekong: National Responses and Regional Prospects
Authors: Lamy Marie , Liverani Marco
Published: May 2015

The wide circulation of substandard medicines in Southeast Asia is a serious public health concern. Substandard medicines may contain none, or inadequate quantities of the active ingredient, or may contain harmful ingredients. This poses a considerable threat to human lives and an obstacle to infectious disease control at the national, regional and global level, also due to the associated risk of antimicrobial resistance. As trade liberalisation in the region intensifies, moreover, there are concerns that reduced custom controls and higher mobility of people and goods may increase the illicit trade in falsified medicines. In this context, crucial is the ability of governments to develop adequate regulations and capacities as well as enforcement measures to tackle these issues. Given the transnational nature of the problem, the establishment of effective mechanisms for cross‐country surveillance, information exchange and coordinated action is also necessary. In this article, we provide an overview of national responses, reflecting on strengths and limitations of past interventions. We then examine existing institutional frameworks for regional health cooperation, particularly the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, and their potential to support enhanced capacities and cooperation to address this challenge.
The Potential of Cr3 [Triaqua‐μ3‐Oxo‐Hexa‐μ‐Propionatotrichromium(III) Chloride] to Reduce Birth Defects in the Offspring of Diabetic CD‐1 Mice
Authors: Keith Johnathan D. , Vincent Christina , Goetsch Michael , Lemley Amie , Kraus Riley , Broussard Austin , Kildow Ashley , Faught Josh , Vincent John B. , Rasco Jane F.
Published: May 2015

Diabetes mellitus is a growing concern worldwide and leads to multiple complications during pregnancy. Pharmacologic doses of chromium (Cr) have been linked with improving insulin sensitivity and other positive benefits in the treatment of diabetes in animal models. By using streptozotocin induced hyperglycemia in female CD‐1 mice, reproductive outcomes of diabetic and chromium‐dosed diabetic females were examined. After dosing 10 mg/kg Cr in the form of triaqua‐μ3‐oxo‐hexa‐μ‐propionatotrichromium(III) chloride or Cr3 during gestation days 8–16 (GD8–GD16), all females were sacrificed on gestation day 17 (GD17) and examined for maternal weight gain. The fetuses were examined for gross malformations and for skeletal malformations. The offspring of Cr3‐dosed females tended to have a reduction in the incidence of supernumerary ribs. While hyperglycemia still had negative impacts on the health of dams and their offspring, administration of Cr led to an apparent trend in the reduction in the number of malformations and incidence of supernumerary ribs compared to those of untreated diabetic mothers
In vitro exposure: Linear and non‐linear thermodynamic events in Petri dishes
Authors: Paffi Alessandra , Liberti Micaela , Apollonio Francesca , Sheppard Asher , Balzano Quirino
Published: May 2015

We conducted an electromagnetic‐thermal analysis of Petri dishes filled with different medium volumes under different radio frequency exposure conditions with the aim of identifying linear and non‐linear parameters that might explain contradictory results of many in vitro bioelectromagnetic experiments. We found that power loss density and temperature depend on shape, size, and orientation of the exposed sample with respect to direction of incident energy, showing that the liquid medium acts as a receiving antenna. In addition, we investigated the possibility of convection from thermodynamic principles within the liquid medium. For a 35 mm diameter Petri dish, a 2 or 4 ml medium volume is too small to support vertical convection. Conversely, horizontal convective motion is possible for H‐polarization exposures at 1.8 GHz. Bioelectromagnetics. 36:527–537, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Effects of solvent polarity on the absorption and fluorescence spectra of chlorogenic acid and caffeic acid compounds: determination of the dipole moments
Authors: Belay Abebe , Libnedengel Ermias , Kim Hyung Kook , Hwang Yoon‐Hwae
Published: May 2015

The effects of solvent polarity on absorption and fluorescence spectra of biologically active compounds (chlorogenic acid (CGA) and caffeic acids (CA)) have been investigated. In both spectra pronounced solvatochromic effects were observed with shift of emission peaks larger than the corresponding UV‐vis electronic absorption spectra. From solvatochromic theory the ground and excited‐state dipole moments were determined experimentally and theoretically. The differences between the excited and ground state dipole moment determined by Bakhshiev, Kawski–Chamma–Viallet and Reichardt equations are quite similar. The ground and excited‐state dipole moments were determined by theoretical quantum chemical calculation using density function theory (DFT) method (Gaussian 09) and were also similar to the experimental results. The HOMO‐LUMO energy band gaps for CGA and CFA were calculated and found to be 4.1119 and 1.8732 eV respectively. The results also indicated the CGA molecule is more stable than that of CFA. It was also observed that in both compounds the excited state possesses a higher dipole moment than that of the ground state. This confirms that the excited state of the hydroxycinnamic compounds is more polarized than that of the ground state and therefore is more sensitive to the solvent. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Synthesis and photoluminescence characteristics of (Y,Gd)BO3:RE (RE = Eu3+, Ce3+, Dy3+ and Tb3+) phosphors for blue chip and near‐UV white LEDs
Authors: Rangari V. V. , Singh V. , Dhoble S. J.
Published: May 2015

A series of Eu3+‐, Ce3+‐, Dy3+‐ and Tb3+‐doped (Y,Gd)BO3 phosphors was synthesized by a solid‐state diffusion method. X‐Ray diffraction confirmed their hexagonal structure and the scanning electron microscopy results showed crystalline particles. The excitation spectra revealed that (Y,Gd)BO3 phosphors doped with Eu3+, Ce3+ , Dy3+ and Tb3+ are effectively excited with near UV‐light of 395 nm/blue light, 364, 351 and 314 nm, respectively. Photoluminescence spectra of Eu3+‐, Ce3+‐ and Tb3+/Dy3+‐doped phosphor showed intense emission of reddish orange, blue and white light, respectively. The phosphor Y0.60Gd0.38BO3:Ce0.02 showed CIE 1931 color coordinates of (0.158, 0.031) and better color purity compared with commercially available blue BAM:Eu2+ phosphor. The phosphor (Y,Gd)BO3 doped with Eu3+, Dy3+ and Tb3+ showed CIE 1931 color coordinates of (0.667, 0.332), (0.251, 0.299) and (0.333, 0.391) respectively. Significant photoluminescence characteristics of the prepared phosphors indicate that they might serve as potential candidates for blue chip and near‐UV white light‐emitting diode applications. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Impact of thymine glycol damage on DNA duplex energetics: Correlations with lesion‐induced biochemical and structural consequences
Authors: Minetti Conceição A. S. A. , Remeta David P. , Iden Charles R. , Johnson Francis , Grollman Arthur P. , Breslauer Kenneth J.
Published: May 2015

The magnitude and nature of lesion‐induced energetic perturbations empirically correlate with mutagenicity/cytotoxicity profiles and can be predictive of lesion outcomes during polymerase‐mediated replication in vitro. In this study, we assess the sequence and counterbase‐dependent energetic impact of the Thymine glycol (Tg) lesion on a family of deoxyoligonucleotide duplexes. Tg damage arises from thymine and methyl‐cytosine exposure to oxidizing agents or radiation‐generated free‐radicals. The Tg lesion blocks polymerase‐mediated DNA replication in vitro and the unrepaired site elicits cytotoxic lethal consequences in vivo. Our combined calorimetric and spectroscopic characterization correlates Tg‐induced energetic perturbations with biological and structural properties. Specifically, we incorporate a 5R‐Tg isomer centered within the tridecanucleotide sequence 5′‐GCGTACXCATGCG‐3′ (X = Tg or T) which is hybridized with the corresponding complementary sequence 5′‐CGCATGNGTACGC‐3′ (N = A, G, T, C) to generate families of Tg‐damaged (Tg·N) and lesion‐free (T·N) duplexes. We demonstrate that the magnitude and nature of the Tg destabilizing impact is dependent on counterbase identity (i.e., A ∼ G < T < C). The observation that a Tg lesion is less destabilizing when positioned opposite purines suggests that favorable counterbase stacking interactions may partially compensate lesion‐induced perturbations. Moreover, the destabilizing energies of Tg·N duplexes parallel their respective lesion‐free T·N mismatch counterparts (i.e., G < T < C). Elucidation of Tg‐induced destabilization relative to the corresponding undamaged mismatch energetics allows resolution of lesion‐specific and sequence‐dependent impacts. The Tg‐induced energetic perturbations are consistent with its replication blocking properties and may serve as differential recognition elements for discrimination by the cellular repair machinery. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Biopolymers 103: 491–508, 2015.
Multi‐omic profiling ­of EPO‐producing Chinese hamster ovary cell panel reveals metabolic adaptation to heterologous protein production
Authors: Ley Daniel , Seresht Ali Kazemi , Engmark Mikael , Magdenoska Olivera , Nielsen Kristian Fog , Kildegaard Helene Faustrup , Andersen Mikael Rørdam
Published: May 2015

Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells are the preferred production host for many therapeutic proteins. The production of heterologous proteins in CHO cells imposes a burden on the host cell metabolism and impact cellular physiology on a global scale. In this work, a multi‐omics approach was applied to study the production of erythropoietin (EPO) in a panel of CHO‐K1 cells under growth‐limited and unlimited conditions in batch and chemostat cultures. Physiological characterization of the EPO‐producing cells included global transcriptome analysis, targeted metabolome analysis, including intracellular pools of glycolytic intermediates, NAD(P)H/NAD(P)+, adenine nucleotide phosphates (ANP), and extracellular concentrations of sugars, organic acids, and amino acids. Potential impact of EPO expression on the protein secretory pathway was assessed at multiple stages using quantitative PCR (qPCR), reverse transcription PCR (qRT‐PCR), Western blots (WB), and global gene expression analysis to assess EPO gene copy numbers, EPO gene expression, intracellular EPO retention, and differentially expressed genes functionally related to secretory protein processing, respectively. We found no evidence supporting the existence of production bottlenecks in energy metabolism (i.e., glycolytic metabolites, NAD(P)H/NAD(P)+ and ANPs) in batch culture or in the secretory protein production pathway (i.e., gene dosage, transcription and post‐translational processing of EPO) in chemostat culture at specific productivities up to 5 pg/cell/day. Time‐course analysis of high‐ and low‐producing clones in chemostat culture revealed rapid adaptation of transcription levels of amino acid catabolic genes in favor of EPO production within nine generations. Interestingly, the adaptation was followed by an increase in specific EPO productivity. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2015;112: 2373–2387. © 2015 The Authors. Biotechnology and Bioengineering Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Silks as scaffolds for skin reconstruction
Authors: Reimers Kerstin , Liebsch Christina , Radtke Christine , Kuhbier Jörn W. , Vogt Peter M.
Published: May 2015

In this short review, we describe the use of high molecular weight proteins produced in the glands of several arthropods—commonly called silks—for the purpose to enhance human skin wound healing. To this end an extensive literature search has been performed, the publications have been categorized concerning silk preparation and application and summarized accordingly: Scaffolds to promote wound healing were prepared by processing the silks in different ways including solubilization of the protein fibers followed by casting or electrospinning. The silk scaffolds were additionally modified by coating or blending with the intention of further functionalization. In several approaches, the scaffolds were also vitalized with skin cells or stem cells. In vitro and in vivo models were implied to test for safety and efficiency. We conclude that silk scaffolds are characterized by an advantageous biocompatibility as well as an impressive versatility rendering them ideally suited for application in wounds. Nevertheless, further investigation is needed to exploit the full capacity of silk in different wound models and to achieve clinical transfer in time. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2015;112: 2201–2205. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Evaluating endoglucanase Cel7B‐lignin interaction mechanisms and kinetics using quartz crystal microgravimetry
Authors: Pfeiffer Katherine A. , Sorek Hagit , Roche Christine M. , Strobel Kathryn L. , Blanch Harvey W. , Clark Douglas S.
Published: May 2015

The kinetics and mechanisms of protein interactions with solid surfaces are important to fields as diverse as industrial biocatalysis, biomedical engineering, food science, and cell biology. The nonproductive adsorption of cellulase enzymes to lignin, a plant cell wall polymer, reduces their effectiveness in saccharifying biomass. Cellulase has been shown to interact with lignin, but the heterogeneity of lignin surfaces, challenges in measuring irreversible components of these interactions, and fast adsorption rates make quantifying the reaction kinetics difficult. This work employs quartz crystal microgravimetry with dissipation monitoring (QCM‐D) for real‐time measurement of adsorbed mass on a flat lignin surface. We have developed a method for casting homogeneous lignin films that are chemically similar to lignin found in pretreated biomass, and used QCM‐D to compare three models of reversible‐irreversible binding behavior: a single‐site transition model, a transition model with changing adsorbate footprint, and a two‐site transition model. Of the three models tested, the two‐site transition model provides the only kinetic mechanism able to describe the behavior of Cel7B binding to lignin. While the direct implications of lignin‐cellulase interactions may be limited to biomass deconstruction for renewable energy and green chemistry, the analytical and experimental methods demonstrated in this work are relevant to any system in which the kinetics and reaction mechanism of reversible and irreversible protein adsorption at a solid‐liquid interface are important. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2015;112: 2256–2266. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Investigating the in vitro stereoselective metabolism of m‐nisoldipine enantiomers: characterization of metabolites and cytochrome P450 isoforms involved
Authors: Sun Yupeng , Jia Peipei , Yuan Lin , Liu Yanyan , Zhang Zhiyong , Du Yumin , Zhang Lantong
Published: May 2015

m‐Nisoldipine, as a novel 1,4‐dihydropyridine calcium ion antagonist, was presented as a couple of enantiomers [(−), (+)‐m‐nisoldipine]. In this report, the in vitro metabolism of m‐nisoldipine enantiomers was investigated in rat liver microsomes (RLM) by the combination of two liquid chromatography mass spectrometric techniques for the first time. The metabolites were separated and assayed by ultra‐high performance liquid chromatography coupled to quadrupole time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry and further identified by comparison of their mass and chromatographic behaviors with reference substances. A total of 18 metabolites of (−)‐m‐nisoldipine and 16 metabolites of (+)‐m‐nisoldipine were detected, respectively, which demonstrated that (+)‐m‐nisoldipine is more metabolically stable than (−)‐m‐nisoldipine. In addition, the identified metabolic pathways of m‐nisoldipine enantiomers were involved in dehydrogenation, oxidation and ester hydrolysis. Afterwards, based on high‐performance liquid chromatography coupled to triple quadrupole linear ion trap mass spectrometry, various selective cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzyme inhibitors were employed to evaluate CYP isoforms. The results indicated that the inhibitors of CYP1A1/2, CYP2B1/2, 2D and 2C11 had no obvious inhibitory effects, yet the inhibitor of CYP 3A had a significant inhibitory effect on metabolism of m‐nisoldipine enantiomers. This showed that CYP 3A might primarily metabolize m‐nisoldipine in RLM. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Gun Violence Restraining Orders: Alternative or Adjunct to Mental Health‐Based Restrictions on Firearms?
Authors: Frattaroli Shannon , McGinty Emma E. , Barnhorst Amy , Greenberg Sheldon
Published: May 2015

The gun violence restraining order (GVRO) is a new tool for preventing gun violence. Unlike traditional approaches to prohibiting gun purchase and possession, which rely on a high threshold (adjudication by criminal justice or mental health systems) before intervening, the GVRO allows family members and intimate partners who observe a relative's dangerous behavior and believe it may be a precursor to violence to request a GVRO through the civil justice system. Once issued by the court, a GVRO authorizes law enforcement to remove any guns in the respondent's possession and prohibits the respondent from purchasing new guns. In September 2014, California's governor signed AB1014 into law, making California the first U.S. state to enact a GVRO law. This article describes the GVRO and the rationale behind the concept, considers case examples to assess the potential impact of the GVRO as a strategy for preventing gun violence, and reviews the content of the California law. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Treatment patterns and outcomes in BRAF V600E‐mutant melanoma patients with brain metastases receiving vemurafenib in the real‐world setting
Authors: Gibney Geoffrey T. , Gauthier Geneviève , Ayas Charles , Galebach Philip , Wu Eric Q. , Abhyankar Sarang , Reyes Carolina , Guérin Annie , Yim Yeun Mi
Published: May 2015

Brain metastases are a common and serious complication among patients with metastatic melanoma. The selective BRAF inhibitor vemurafenib has demonstrated clinical efficacy in patients with BRAF V600E‐mutant melanoma brain metastases (MBM). We examined the real‐world application and clinical outcomes of vemurafenib in this patient population. Demographic, treatment patterns, response, and survival data were collected from medical charts. Clinical data on 283 patients with active BRAF V600E‐mutant MBM treated with vemurafenib were provided by 70 US oncologists. Mean age was 57.2 years, 60.8% were male, 67.5% had ECOG performance status of 0–1, and 43.1% used corticosteroids at vemurafenib initiation. Median follow‐up was 5.7 months. Following vemurafenib initiation, 48.1% of patients experienced intracranial response and 45.6% experienced extracranial response. The Kaplan–Meier estimate for overall survival was 59% at 12 months. Multivariate analyses showed associations between intracranial response and both corticosteroid use and vemurafenib as initial therapy after MBM diagnosis. Larger size (5–10 mm vs. <5 mm) and number of brain metastases (≥5 vs. <2) and progressive extracranial disease at treatment initiation were associated with decreased intracranial response and increased risk of disease progression. Multiple extracranial sites (2 vs. <2) and the absence of local treatments were also associated with increased risk of progression. Increased risk of death was associated with ≥2 extracranial disease sites, progressive extracranial disease, and ≥5 brain metastases. Subgroups of MBM patients may derive more benefit with vemurafenib, warranting prospective investigation.
Chirality of Single‐Handed Twisted Titania Tubular Nanoribbons Prepared Through Sol‐gel Transcription
Authors: Wang Sibing , Zhang Chuanyong , Li Yi , Li Baozong , Yang Yonggang
Published: May 2015

Single‐handed twisted titania tubular nanoribbons were prepared through sol‐gel transcription using a pair of enantiomers. Handedness was controlled by that of the template. The obtained samples were characterized using field‐emission electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, diffuse reflectance circular dichroism (DRCD), and X‐ray diffraction. The DRCD spectra indicated that the titania nanotubes exhibit optical activity. Although the tubular structure was destroyed after being calcined at 700 °C for 2.0 h, DRCD signals were still identified. However, the DRCD signals disappeared after being calcined at 1000 °C for 2.0 h. The optical activity of titania was proposed to be due to chiral defects. Previous results showed that straight titania tubes could be used as asymmetric autocatalysts, indicating that titania exhibit chirality at the angstrom level. Herein, it was found that they also exhibit DRCD signals, indicating that there are no obvious relationships between morphology at the nano level and chirality at the angstrom level. The nanotube chirality should originate from the chiral defects on the nanotube inner surface. The Fourier transform infrared spectra indicated that the chirality of the titania was transferred from the gelators through the hydrogen bonding between N‐H and Ti‐OH. Chirality 27:543–550, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Vis‐Near IR Reflectance Spectroscopy for Soil Organic Carbon Content Measurement in the Canadian Prairies
Authors: Hu Wei , Chau Henry Wai , Si Bing Cheng
Published: May 2015

The objective of this study was to measure soil organic carbon (SOC) content for Canadian prairies soils using Vis‐near IR reflectance (VisNIR) spectroscopy. Specifically, the effects of the spectral data pretreatment method and number of latent variables on SOC prediction were determined. In addition, the capability of VisNIR spectroscopy to capture SOC variability was evaluated. For these purposes, 491 soil samples of 0–30 cm from two perpendicular 1600 m long sampling transects (NS and WE transects with 239 and 252 samples, respectively) in the Canadian prairies were scanned by VisNIR spectroscopy. SOC content at one transect was predicted by models calibrated at the other transect. The potential of VisNIR spectroscopy in predicting SOC was verified in this area. Smoothing using cubic smoothing spline outperformed other pretreatment methods. The performance of SOC prediction improved and then worsened with the increase in the number of latent variables in the models. Wavelet transform indicated a similar pattern of high variances in the scale‐location domains between the predicted and measured SOC; the predicted SOC showed a decreased structured variability at the NS transect and increased nugget effect at the WE transect. At both transects, weaker, but with the same levels, spatial dependency and greater correlation length were observed for the predicted SOC compared with the measured SOC. The obtained results can be applicable for SOC measurements with VisNIR spectroscopy.
Effectiveness of fecal immunochemical testing in reducing colorectal cancer mortality from the One Million Taiwanese Screening Program
Authors: Chiu Han‐Mo , Chen Sam Li‐Sheng , Yen Amy Ming‐Fang , Chiu Sherry Yueh‐Hsia , Fann Jean Ching‐Yuan , Lee Yi‐Chia , Pan Shin‐Liang , Wu Ming‐Shiang , Liao Chao‐Sheng , Chen Hsiu‐Hsi , Koong Shin‐Lan , Chiou Shu‐Ti
Published: May 2015

BACKGROUND

The effectiveness of fecal immunochemical testing (FIT) in reducing colorectal cancer (CRC) mortality has not yet been fully assessed in a large, population‐based service screening program.

METHODS

A prospective cohort study of the follow‐up of approximately 5 million Taiwanese from 2004 to 2009 was conducted to compare CRC mortality for an exposed (screened) group and an unexposed (unscreened) group in a population‐based CRC screening service targeting community residents of Taiwan who were 50 to 69 years old. Given clinical capacity, this nationwide screening program was first rolled out in 2004. In all, 1,160,895 eligible subjects who were 50 to 69 years old (ie, 21.4% of the 5,417,699 subjects of the underlying population) participated in the biennial nationwide screening program by 2009.

RESULTS

The actual effectiveness in reducing CRC mortality attributed to the FIT screening was 62% (relative rate for the screened group vs the unscreened group, 0.38; 95% confidence interval, 0.35‐0.42) with a maximum follow‐up of 6 years. The 21.4% coverage of the population receiving FIT led to a significant 10% reduction in CRC mortality (relative rate, 0.90; 95% confidence interval, 0.84‐0.95) after adjustments for a self‐selection bias.

CONCLUSIONS

This large, prospective Taiwanese cohort undergoing population‐based FIT screening for CRC had the statistical power to demonstrate a significant CRC mortality reduction, although the follow‐up time was short. Although such findings are informative for health decision makers, continued follow‐up of this large cohort will be required to estimate the long‐term impact of FIT screening if the covered population is expanded. Cancer 2015;121:3221–3229. © 2015 American Cancer Society.
Experiences in autotuning matrix multiplication for energy minimization on GPUs
Authors: Anzt Hartwig , Haugen Blake , Kurzak Jakub , Luszczek Piotr , Dongarra Jack
Published: May 2015

In this paper, we report extensive results and analysis of autotuning the computationally intensive graphics processing units kernel for dense matrix–matrix multiplication in double precision. In contrast to traditional autotuning and/or optimization for runtime performance only, we also take the energy efficiency into account. For kernels achieving equal performance, we show significant differences in their energy balance. We also identify the memory throughput as the most influential metric that trades off performance and energy efficiency. As a result, the performance optimal case ends up not being the most efficient kernel in overall resource use. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A platform to deploy customized scientific virtual infrastructures on the cloud
Authors: Caballer Miguel , Segrelles Damián , Moltó Germán , Blanquer Ignacio
Published: May 2015

This paper presents a software platform to dynamically deploy complex scientific virtual computing infrastructures, on top of Infrastructure as a Service Clouds. The platform orchestrates different services to provision the virtual computing resources. It dynamically installs the appropriate software to satisfy the requirements of a researcher, both on public and on‐premise Clouds. The platform provides a web interface to enable the users to easily manage the life cycle of virtual infrastructures. It enables users to define infrastructures, share them with other users, deploy and relinquish them, add or remove resources dynamically, create and share application recipes, and so on. The paper also describes three case studies to deploy complex infrastructures, namely, a Hadoop cluster, a single‐node to perform Next Generation Sequencing and a gateway for users to access the European Grid Infrastructure. This platform promotes a better use of on‐premise hardware resources of a research center by allocating the computing resources just‐in‐time to the specific life time of the virtual infrastructures as well as the deployment of the very same infrastructures on a public Cloud. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
QoS and trust‐aware coalition formation game in data‐intensive cloud federations
Authors: Hassan Mohammad Mehedi , Abdullah‐Al‐Wadud Mohammad , Almogren Ahmad , Rahman SK Md. Mizanur , Alelaiwi Abdulhameed , Alamri Atif , Hamid Md. Abdul
Published: May 2015

This paper addresses the problem of efficient federation formation by the cloud providers (CPs) with an aim to fulfill the dynamic resource demands of users for supporting data‐intensive workloads. Existing works only focus on forming federations based on the highest profit gained by each of the CPs in a federation. Therefore, these approaches often suffer from the risk of selecting unreliable CPs in the federation resulting in additional penalty cost and loss of CPs's reputation due to service level agreement violation between the users and the federation. In contrast, we argue that a trust model is necessary to find the most promising cloud collaborators. Accordingly, we propose a novel cloud federation formation mechanism by utilizing a trust‐based cooperative game theory, which enables the CPs to dynamically form a federation based on profit maximization and penalty cost minimization as a result of selecting the trustworthy CPs. Simulation results show that the cloud federation formed by the proposed mechanism is stable, satisfies the fairness property, and yields higher profit for the participating CPs in the long run without incurring penalty cost as compared with the state‐of‐the‐art approaches. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Synthesis, Crystal Structures, and Magnetic and Catalytic Studies on a Linear Trinuclear MnII3 Complex
Authors: Dutta Arpan , Biswas Surajit , Escuer Albert , Dolai Malay , Ghosh Subhadip , Ali Mahammad
Published: May 2015

An almost linear (<Mn‐Mn‐Mn=132.25°) trinuclear manganese(II) complex [Mn3(L)(N3)4]⋅2 H2O (1) of a decacoordinating N8O2 donor ligand, H2L, was synthesized and structurally characterized by means of single‐crystal X‐ray crystallography and mass spectrometry. All the MnII centers are in pseudo‐octahedral geometry and wrapped by a single decacoordinating N8O2 donor ligand. The central manganese atom (Mn2) is connected to two terminal manganese (Mn1 and Mn3) atoms by two bridging phenolate O atoms and two bridging azide N atoms. Compound 1 is the first example of a linear trinuclear model to show pronounced epoxidation of olefins by tert‐butylhydroperoxide (TBHP) with a turnover number (TON) greater than 950. Though epoxidation of olefins by m‐chloroperbenzoic acid (m‐CPBA) was found to be complete within 20 minutes of mixing, the conversion was not more than 40 % and corresponding alcohols were found to be major products, whereas with H2O2 as oxidant there was no visible catalytic epoxidation of olefins. Furthermore, the compound was characterized by temperature‐dependent magnetic susceptibility measurements and a total spin ground state of St=15/2 was found.
Selective Oxidation of 1,6‐Hexanediol to 6‐Hydroxycaproic Acid over Reusable Hydrotalcite‐Supported Au–Pd Bimetallic Catalysts
Authors: Tuteja Jaya , Nishimura Shun , Choudhary Hemant , Ebitani Kohki
Published: May 2015

Selective oxidation of 1,6‐hexanediol into 6‐hydroxycaproic acid was achieved over hydrotalcite‐supported Au–Pd bimetallic nanoparticles as heterogeneous catalyst using aqueous H2O2. N,N‐dimethyldodecylamine N‐oxide (DDAO) was used as an efficient capping agent. Spectroscopic analyses by UV/Vis, TEM, XPS, and X‐ray absorption spectroscopy suggested that interactions between gold and palladium atoms are responsible for the high activity of the reusable Au40Pd60‐DDAO/HT catalyst.