bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Mesoscale activity in the Comoros Basin from satellite altimetry and a high‐resolution ocean circulation model
Authors: Collins C. , Hermes J. C. , Reason C. J. C.
Published: July 2014

Recently it has been shown that anticyclonic eddies are generated in the Comoros Basin contesting the long‐held notion of a single large anticyclonic cell, the Comoros Gyre. Limited knowledge exists about the mesoscale activity within the basin, a potential key source of variability for the Mozambique Channel and subsequently the Agulhas Current. In this paper an automated eddy tracking scheme, applied to satellite altimetry data and a high‐resolution model simulation, is used to determine the characteristics of the anticyclonic eddies generated in the Comoros Basin. The generation and characteristics of cyclonic eddies are also investigated. The eddy tracking scheme revealed that anticyclonic eddies are primarily generated west of the tip of Madagascar due to barotropic instabilities whereas cyclonic eddies are mainly generated along the northwest coast of Madagascar as a result of baroclinic instabilities. Anticyclonic eddies, with a mean lifespan of about 3 months, reside in the basin for half their lifespan before propagating into the Mozambique Channel. On the other hand, the majority of cyclonic eddies, with a similar mean lifespan, dissipate within the basin. Initially, the anticyclones, with translation speeds of 6–8 km d−1 and mean radii of 80–100 km, follow the trajectory of the North East Madagascar Current and turn south upon reaching the African coast. The cyclonic eddies tend to be smaller (∼60 km) and have slower translation speeds (2.5–3.5 km d−1) than their anticyclonic counterparts.
Sample entropy‐based adaptive wavelet de‐noising approach for meteorologic and hydrologic time series
Authors: Wang Dong , Singh Vijay P. , Shang Xiaosan , Ding Hao , Wu Jichun , Wang Lachun , Zou Xinqing , Chen Yuanfang , Chen Xi , Wang Shicheng , Wang Zhenlong
Published: July 2014

De‐noising meteorologic and hydrologic time series is important to improve the accuracy and reliability of extraction, analysis, simulation, and forecasting. A hybrid approach, combining sample entropy and wavelet de‐noising method, is developed to separate noise from original series and is named as AWDA‐SE (adaptive wavelet de‐noising approach using sample entropy). The AWDA‐SE approach adaptively determines the threshold for wavelet analysis. Two kinds of meteorologic and hydrologic data sets, synthetic data set and 3 representative field measured data sets (one is the annual rainfall data of Jinan station and the other two are annual streamflow series from two typical stations in China, Yingluoxia station on the Heihe River, which is little affected by human activities, and Lijin station on the Yellow River, which is greatly affected by human activities), are used to illustrate the approach. The AWDA‐SE approach is compared with three conventional de‐noising methods, including fixed‐form threshold algorithm, Stein unbiased risk estimation algorithm, and minimax algorithm. Results show that the AWDA‐SE approach separates effectively the signal and noise of the data sets and is found to be better than the conventional methods. Measures of assessment standards show that the developed approach can be employed to investigate noisy and short time series and can also be applied to other areas.
Plasma profiling reveals three proteins associated to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
Authors: Häggmark Anna , Mikus Maria , Mohsenchian Atefeh , Hong Mun‐Gwan , Forsström Björn , Gajewska Beata , Barańczyk‐Kuźma Anna , Uhlén Mathias , Schwenk Jochen M. , Kuźma‐Kozakiewicz Magdalena , Nilsson Peter
Published: July 2014

Objective

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is the most common adult motor neuron disease leading to muscular paralysis and death within 3–5 years from onset. Currently, there are no reliable and sensitive markers able to substantially shorten the diagnosis delay. The objective of the study was to analyze a large number of proteins in plasma from patients with various clinical phenotypes of ALS in search for novel proteins or protein profiles that could serve as potential indicators of disease.

Methods

Affinity proteomics in the form of antibody suspension bead arrays were applied to profile plasma samples from 367 ALS patients and 101 controls. The plasma protein content was directly labeled and protein profiles obtained using 352 antibodies from the Human Protein Atlas targeting 278 proteins. A focused bead array was then built to further profile eight selected protein targets in all available samples.

Results

Disease‐associated significant differences were observed and replicated for profiles from antibodies targeting the proteins: neurofilament medium polypeptide (NEFM), solute carrier family 25 (SLC25A20), and regulator of G‐protein signaling 18 (RGS18).

Interpretation

Upon further validation in several independent cohorts with inclusion of a broad range of other neurological disorders as controls, the alterations of these three protein profiles in plasma could potentially provide new molecular markers of disease that contribute to the quest of understanding ALS pathology.
Photo‐Induced Functionalization of Spherical and Planar Surfaces via Caged Thioaldehyde End‐Functional Polymers
Authors: Kaupp Michael , Quick Alexander S. , Rodriguez‐Emmenegger Cesar , Welle Alexander , Trouillet Vanessa , Pop‐Georgievski Ognen , Wegener Martin , Barner‐Kowollik Christopher
Published: July 2014

The synthesis and application of a novel reversible addition‐fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) agent carrying a photocaged thioaldehyde moiety is described (λmax = 355 nm). RAFT polymerization of styrene, dimethylacrylamide and a glycomonomer is evidenced (3600 g mol−1 ≤ Mn ≤ 15 000 g mol−1; 1.07 ≤ Đ ≤ 1.20) with excellent end‐group fidelity. The photogenerated thioaldehyde on the chain ends can undergo hetero Diels–Alder reactions with dienes as well as reactions with nucleophiles. The terminal photoreactive polymers are photografted to porous diene‐reactive polymeric microspheres. The grafted particles are in‐depth characterized via scanning electron microscopy, elemental analysis, X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and high resolution FT‐IR microscopy, leading to a qualitative as well as quantitative image of the core–shell objects. Grafting densities up to 0.10 molecules nm−2 are reached. The versatility of the thioaldehyde ligation is evidenced by spatially resolved grafting of polystyrene onto nucleophilic groups present in poly (dopamine) (PDA)‐coated glass slides and silicon wafers via two‐photon direct laser writing (DLW) imaged by ToF‐SIMS. The combination of thioaldehyde ligation, RAFT polymerization, and DLW allows for the spatially resolved grafting of a vast range of polymers onto various substrates in any desired pattern with sub‐micrometer resolution.
Hybrid Proton and Electron Transport in Peptide Fibrils
Authors: Amit Moran , Appel Sagi , Cohen Rotem , Cheng Ge , Hamley Ian W. , Ashkenasy Nurit
Published: July 2014

Protons and electrons are being exploited in different natural charge transfer processes. Both types of charge carriers could be, therefore, responsible for charge transport in biomimetic self‐assembled peptide nanostructures. The relative contribution of each type of charge carrier is studied in the present work for fibrils self‐assembled from amyloid‐β derived peptide molecules, in which two non‐natural thiophene‐based amino acids are included. It is shown that under low humidity conditions both electrons and protons contribute to the conduction, with current ratio of 1:2 respectively, while at higher relative humidity proton transport dominates the conductance. This hybrid conduction behavior leads to a bimodal exponential dependence of the conductance on the relative humidity. Furthermore, in both cases the conductance is shown to be affected by the peptide folding state under the entire relative humidity range. This unique hybrid conductivity behavior makes self‐assembled peptide nanostructures powerful building blocks for the construction of electric devices that could use either or both types of charge carriers for their function.
Reconstruction of transcription factor profiles from fluorescent protein reporter systems via dynamic optimization and Tikhonov regularization
Authors: Dai Wei , Hahn Juergen , Kang Jia
Published: July 2014

This work presents a generally applicable technique for reconstructing transcription factor (TF) profiles from fluorescence microscopy images of green fluorescent protein reporter systems. The approach integrates dynamic optimization and a Tikhonov regularization to avoid over‐fitting caused by the highly ill‐conditioned structure of this inverse problem. The advantage that the presented approach has over existing methods is that no assumptions are made about the TF profile, the linearity, or lack thereof, of the dynamic model used, and the sampling time of the measurements. Moreover, the method allows to use discretization times for the model different from the measurement sampling times and can also deal with state constraints. The technique has been applied to both simulated and experimental data where the profile of the TFs NF‐κB and STAT3 are reconstructed. In both of the case studies, the presented approach exhibits excellent performance while fewer assumptions are needed than for existing techniques. © 2014 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 60: 3754–3761, 2014
The ontogeny of nasal floor shape variation in extant humans
Authors: Nicholas Christina L. , Franciscus Robert G.
Published: July 2014

Variation in nasal floor topography has generated both neontological and paleontological interest. Three categories of nasal floor shape (Franciscus: J Hum Evol 44 (2003) 699–727) have been used when analyzing this trait in extant humans and fossil Homo: flat, sloped, and depressed (or “bi‐level”). Variation in the frequency of these configurations within and among extant and fossil humans has been well‐documented (Franciscus: J Hum Evol 44 (2003) 699–727; Wu et al.: Anthropol Sci 120 (2012) 217–226). However, variation in this trait in Homo has been observed primarily in adults, with comparatively small subadult sample sizes and/or large age gradients that may not sufficiently track key ontogenetic changes. In this study, we investigate the ontogeny of nasal floor shape in a relatively large cross‐sectional age sample of extant humans (n = 382) ranging from 4.0 months fetal to 21 years post‐natal. Results indicate that no fetal or young infant individuals possess a depressed nasal floor, and that a depressed nasal floor, when present (ca. 21% of the sample), does not occur until 3.0 years postnatal. A canonical variates analysis of maxillary shape revealed that individuals with depressed nasal floors were also characterized by relatively taller anterior alveolar regions. This suggests that palate remodeling at about 3.0–3.5 years after birth, under the influence of tooth development, strongly influences nasal floor variation, and that various aspects of dental development, including larger crown/root size, may contribute to the development of a depressed nasal floor. These results in extant humans may help explain the high frequency of this trait found in Neandertal and other archaic Homo maxillae. Am J Phys Anthropol 155:369–378, 2014. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Self‐Supported Cu3P Nanowire Arrays as an Integrated High‐Performance Three‐Dimensional Cathode for Generating Hydrogen from Water
Authors: Tian Jingqi , Liu Qian , Cheng Ningyan , Asiri Abdullah M. , Sun Xuping
Published: July 2014

Searching for inexpensive hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) electrocatalysts with high activity has attracted considerable research interest in the past years. Reported herein is the topotactic fabrication of self‐supported Cu3P nanowire arrays on commercial porous copper foam (Cu3P NW/CF) from its Cu(OH)2 NW/CF precursor by a low‐temperature phosphidation reaction. Remarkably, as an integrated three‐dimensional hydrogen‐evolving cathode operating in acidic electrolytes, Cu3P NW/CF maintains its activity for at least 25 hours and exhibits an onset overpotential of 62 mV, a Tafel slope of 67 mV dec−1, and a Faradaic efficiency close to 100 %. Catalytic current density can approach 10 mA cm−2 at an overpotential of 143 mV.
Ein maßgeschneidertes chimäres Thiamindiphosphat‐abhängiges Enzym zur direkten asymmetrischen Synthese von (S)‐Benzoinen
Authors: Westphal Robert , Vogel Constantin , Schmitz Carlo , Pleiss Jürgen , Müller Michael , Pohl Martina , Rother Dörte
Published: July 2014

Thiamindiphosphat‐abhängige Enzyme sind bekannt für die Katalyse der asymmetrischen Synthese von chiralen α‐Hydroxyketonen ausgehend von einfachen prochiralen Substraten. Dabei wird das Produktspektrum von den sterischen und chemischen Eigenschaften des aktiven Zentrums des Enzyms festgelegt. Enzyme, die die Carboligation von aromatischen Aldehyden zu (S)‐Benzoinen katalysieren, waren bisher nicht identifiziert worden. Diese Lücke konnten wir durch die Konstruktion eines chimären Enzyms schließen, das die Synthese von verschiedenen (S)‐Benzoinen mit exzellenten Enantiomerenüberschüssen (>99 %) und guten Umsätzen katalysiert.
Concerted Asynchronous Hula‐Twist Photoisomerization in the S65T/H148D Mutant of Green Fluorescent Protein
Authors: Zhang Qiangqiang , Chen Xuebo , Cui Ganglong , Fang Wei‐Hai , Thiel Walter
Published: July 2014

Fluorescence emission of wild‐type green fluorescent protein (GFP) is lost in the S65T mutant, but partly recovered in the S65T/H148D double mutant. These experimental findings are rationalized by a combined quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics (QM/MM) study at the QM(CASPT2//CASSCF)/AMBER level. A barrierless excited‐state proton transfer, which is exclusively driven by the Asp148 residue introduced in the double mutant, is responsible for the ultrafast formation of the anionic fluorescent state, which can be deactivated through a concerted asynchronous hula‐twist photoisomerization. This causes the lower fluorescence quantum yield in S65T/H148D compared to wild‐type GFP. Hydrogen out‐of‐plane motion plays an important role in the deactivation of the S65T/H148D fluorescent state.
Expedient Synthesis of Fused Azepine Derivatives Using a Sequential Rhodium(II)‐Catalyzed Cyclopropanation/1‐Aza‐Cope Rearrangement of Dienyltriazoles
Authors: Schultz Erica E. , Lindsay Vincent N. G. , Sarpong Richmond
Published: July 2014

A general method for the formation of fused dihydroazepine derivatives from 1‐sulfonyl‐1,2,3‐triazoles bearing a tethered diene is reported. The process involves an intramolecular cyclopropanation of an α‐imino rhodium(II) carbenoid, leading to a transient 1‐imino‐2‐vinylcyclopropane intermediate which rapidly undergoes a 1‐aza‐Cope rearrangement to generate fused dihydroazepine derivatives in moderate to excellent yields. The reaction proceeds with similar efficiency on gram scale. The use of catalyst‐free conditions leads to the formation of a novel [4.4.0] bicyclic heterocycle.
Luminescent Cyclometalated Platinum(II) Complex Forms Emissive Intercalating Adducts with Double‐Stranded DNA and RNA: Differential Emissions and Anticancer Activities
Authors: Zou Taotao , Liu Jia , Lum Ching Tung , Ma Chensheng , Chan Ruth Chau‐Ting , Lok Chun‐Nam , Kwok Wai‐Ming , Che Chi‐Ming
Published: July 2014

Luminescent metallo‐intercalators are potent biosensors of nucleic acid structure and anticancer agents targeting DNAs. There are few examples of luminescent metallo‐intercalators which can simultaneously act as emission probes of nucleic acid structure and display promising anticancer activities. Herein, we describe a luminescent platinum(II) complex, [Pt(C^N^N)(C≡NtBu)]ClO4 (1 a, HC^N^N= 6‐phenyl‐2,2′‐bipyridyl), that intercalates between the nucleobases of nucleic acids, accompanied by an increase in emission intensity and/or a significant change in the maximum emission wavelength. The changes in emission properties measured with double‐stranded RNA (dsRNA) are different from those with dsDNA used in the binding reactions. Complex 1 a exhibited potent anticancer activity towards cancer cells in vitro and inhibited tumor growth in a mouse model. The stabilization of the topoisomerase I–DNA complex with resulting DNA damage by 1 a is suggested to contribute to its anticancer activity.
gem‐Difluorocarbadisaccharides: Restoring the exo‐Anomeric Effect
Authors: Xu Bixue , Unione Luca , Sardinha Joao , Wu Shaoping , Ethève‐Quelquejeu Mélanie , Pilar Rauter Amelia , Blériot Yves , Zhang Yongmin , Martín‐Santamaría Sonsoles , Díaz Dolores , Jiménez‐Barbero Jesus , Sollogoub Matthieu
Published: July 2014

Molecular mimicry is an essential part of the development of drugs and molecular probes. In the chemical glycobiology field, although many glycomimetics have been developed in the past years, it has been considered that many failures in their use are related to the lack of the anomeric effects in these analogues. Additionally, the origin of the anomeric effects is still the subject of virulent scientific debates. Herein, by combining chemical synthesis, NMR methods, and theoretical calculations, we show that it is possible to restore the anomeric effect for an acetal when replacing one of the oxygen atoms by a CF2 group. This result provides key findings in chemical sciences. On the one hand, it strongly suggests the key relevance of the stereoelectronic component of the anomeric effect. On the other hand, the CF2 analogue adopts the natural glycoside conformation, which might provide new avenues for sugar‐based drug design.
Iodonium Metathesis Reactions
Authors: Kasahara Takahito , Jang Young Jin , Racicot Léanne , Panagopoulos Dimitrios , Liang Steven H. , Ciufolini Marco A.
Published: July 2014

A metathesis reaction occurs when a diaryliodonium triflate is heated with an aryl iodide, resulting in the formation of a new diaryliodonium triflate.
Reversible Supramolecular Assembly at Specific DNA Sites: Nickel‐Promoted Bivalent DNA Binding with Designed Peptide and Bipyridyl–Bis(benzamidine) Components
Authors: Sánchez Mateo I. , Mosquera Jesús , Vázquez M. Eugenio , Mascareñas José L.
Published: July 2014

At specific DNA sites, nickel(II) salts promote the assembly of designed components, namely a bis(histidine)‐modified peptide that is derived from a bZIP transcription factor and a bis(benzamidine) unit that is equipped with a bipyridine. This programmed supramolecular system with emergent properties reproduces some key characteristics of naturally occurring DNA‐binding proteins, such as bivalence, selectivity, responsiveness to external agents, and reversibility.
Self‐assembly of poly(3‐hexyl thiophene)‐b‐poly(ethylene oxide) into cylindrical micelles in binary solvent mixtures
Authors: Li Jingyi , Li Xian , Ni Debin , Wang Jianying , Tu Guoli , Zhu Jintao
Published: July 2014

Asymmetric block copolymer based on regioregular poly(3‐hexyl thiophene) (P3HT) and poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) was synthesized through Heck reactions. The addition of PEO block has no influence in the effective conjugation length of P3HT block and apparently provides colloidal stability for the formation of stable nanostructures. Introduction of poor solvent to good solvent containing P3HT‐b‐PEO will induce the crystallization‐driven assembly of the P3HT into cylindrical micelles with a P3HT core, owing to π–π stacking of the conjugated backbone of P3HT. The absorption spectra of the cylindrical micelles reveal a red shift as compared to the polymer in good solvent, indicating the extension of conjugation length with an improved π–π stacking of the polymer chains within the cylindrical micelles. Our results indicated that cylindrical micelles with varied diameter and length can be obtained when solvent properties were varied using several different binary solvent mixtures. More interestingly, we demonstrate that ultrasonic processing can fragment the cylindrical micelles only when the ratio of poor solvent increases. This provides a facile and effective way to fabricate cylindrical micelles for applications in the area of polymer solar cell as well as organic optoelectronics device. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2014, 131, 41186.
PHYSIOLOGICAL EFECTS OF PAICHONGDING APPLIED TO RICE ON THE Nilaparvata lugens (STÅ L), THE BROWN PLANTHOPPER
Authors: Qin Xiaowa , Zhang Runjie , Zhang Jie , Shi Yanwei
Published: July 2014

Nilaparvata lugens (Stål) is a major rice pest in Asia. Paichongding is a novel neonicotinoid insecticide developed in 2008. The effects of this insecticide on the activity of detoxification enzymes of N. lugens and on rice resistance to the pest were examined in the laboratory. The results showed that paichongding could significantly decrease the acetylcholinesterase and GSHs transferase activities of N. lugens. The variation tendency of mixed function oxidase (MFO) activity was similar with that of the esterase. After 12 h treatment, there was no significance between the treatment and control. However, the activities of MFO and esterase increased after 24 and 48 h treatment, which suggested that MFO and esterase may play an important role in the detoxification of paichongding for N. lugens. Our results also demonstrated that treated with paichongding, damage levels of rice plants were significantly lower than those of control plants except 15 days after treatment. Compared with the control, injury indices decreased 70.22, 49.12, 34.44, and 23.23% at 3 , 6 , 9, and 12 days after paichongding treatment, respectively. The laboratory results suggested that paichongding may be effective for the control of brown planthopper.
Vanillin Analog – Vanillyl Mandelic Acid, a Novel Specific Inhibitor of Snake Venom 5′‐Nucleotidase
Authors: Arun Raghaven , Arafat Abdul Salam Syed Yasir , D'Souza Cletus J. M. , Sivaramakrishnan Venkatabalasubramanian , Dhananjaya Bhadrapura Lakkappa
Published: July 2014

Snake venom 5′‐nucleotidase (5′NUC) plays a very important role in envenomation strategies; however, apart from its modulation of hemostatic functions, its other pharmacological effects are not yet well characterized. Several studies have used specific inhibitors of enzyme toxins as a biochemical or pharmacological tool to characterize or establish its mechanism of action. We report here for the first time vanillin mandelic acid (VMA), an analog of vanillin, to potentially, selectively, and specifically inhibit venom 5′NUC activity among other enzymes present in venoms. VMA is much more potent in inhibiting 5′NUC activity than vanillyl acid (VA). The experimental results obtained are in good agreement with the in silico molecular docking interaction data. Both VA and VMA are competitive inhibitors as evident by the inhibition‐relieving effect upon increasing the substrate concentration. VMA also dose‐dependently inhibited the anticoagulant effect in Naja naja venom. In this study, we report novel non‐nucleoside specific inhibitors of snake venom 5′NUC and experimentally demonstrate their involvement in the anticoagulant activity of N. naja venom. Hence, we hypothesize that VMA can be used as a molecular tool to evaluate the role of 5′NUC in snake envenomation and to develop prototypes and lead compounds with potential therapeutic applications against snake bites.
Iron(III) Catecholates for Cellular Imaging and Photocytotoxicity in Red Light
Authors: Basu Uttara , Pant Ila , Khan Imran , Hussain Akhtar , Kondaiah Paturu , Chakravarty Akhil R.
Published: July 2014

Iron(III) complexes [Fe(L)(L′)(NO3)]—in which L is phenyl‐N,N‐bis[(pyridin‐2‐yl)methyl]methanamine (1), (anthracen‐9‐yl)‐N,N‐bis[(pyridin‐2‐yl)methyl]methanamine (2), (pyreny‐1‐yl)‐N,N‐bis[(pyridin‐2‐yl)methyl]methanamine (3–5), and L′ is catecholate (1–3), 4‐tert‐butyl catecholate (4), and 4‐(2‐aminoethyl)‐benzene‐1,2‐diolate (5)—were synthesized and their photocytotoxic properties examined. The five electron‐paramagnetic complexes displayed a FeIII/FeII redox couple near −0.4 V versus a saturated calomel electrode (SCE) in DMF/0.1 m tetrabutylammonium perchlorate (TBAP). They showed unprecedented photocytotoxicity in red light (600–720 nm) to give IC50≈15 μM in various cell lines by means of apoptosis to generate reactive oxygen species. They were ingested in the nucleus of HeLa and HaCaT cells in 4 h, thereby interacting favorably with calf thymus (ct)‐DNA and photocleaving pUC19 DNA in red light of 785 nm to form hydroxyl radicals.
Experimental test and life estimation of the OLED at normal working stress based on the luminance degradation model
Authors: Zhang J. P. , Wang C. , Chen X. , Cheng G. L. , Qiu Y. J. , Shen M.‐H. H.
Published: July 2014

In order to accurately acquire the life time information for the organic light emitting diode (OLED), an experiment based on the normal stress life test was carried out to gain the data for the luminance degradation tests. The luminance degradation model of OLED was established based on the Weibull function and the least square method. Combined with luminance degradation data, Weibull parameters were estimated, the qualitative and the quantitative relationship between the initial luminance and the OLED life was obtained, and the life estimation of the product was achieved. Numerical results show that the test scheme is feasible, the luminance degradation model proves to be reliable for the OLED life estimation, and the fitting accuracy is very high by comparison with the test data fluctuation. Moreover, the real life time of the OLED is measured, which can verify the validity of the assumptions used in accelerated life test methods and provide manufacturers and customers with significant guidelines. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Production, HPLC analysis, and in situ apoptotic activities of swainsonine toward lepidopteran, Sf‐21 cell line
Authors: Singh Digar , Kaur Gurvinder
Published: July 2014

Swainsonine, a secondary metabolite from Metarhizium anisopliae has been extensively studied in the complementary areas of therapeutics and toxicology. This work aims to develop a simple UV‐HPLC method of analyses for swainsonine in Metarhizium fermentation broth and to explore its in situ entomotoxic activities. The partially purified broth was quantitatively analyzed using middle UV (205 nm)‐reverse phase HPLC method with different mobile phases and gradient programmes. Swainsonine was eluted as single peak at (te) 6.0–6.9 min with average concentration of 4.04 ± 0.52 μg/mL using optimal mobile phase (0.1% trifluoroacetic acid in water and acetonitrile). The mass spectrometry analysis further indicated the characteristic MS1 species for swainsonine, [M+H]+ 174.30 in corresponding HPLC peaks. The antiproliferative effects of swainsonine on lepidopteran, Sf‐21 cells were determined through 3‐(4, 5‐dimethylthia‐zol‐2‐yl)−2, 5‐diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (IC50 standard = 3.90 μM and IC50 purified = 5.27 μM) and trypan blue dye exclusion (IC50 standard = 6.91 μM and IC50 purified = 8.67 μM) assays. The fluorescence activated cell sorting evaluation of Sf‐21 cells showed nearly 35% and 42% of population in various apoptotic stages at 36 h, when treated with standard and purified swainsonine, respectively. The morphodimensional field emission scanning electron and atomic force microscopic analyses further confirmed the characteristic apoptotic features like membrane blebbings, ruptures and volume shrinkage in the lepidopteran cells after 24–36 h of post‐treatment incubation. The study describes the potential entomotoxic activities of swainsonine and its role in the virulence of Metarhizium spp. © 2014 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 30:1196–1205, 2014
Hemoglobin regulates the migration of glioma cells along poly(ε‐caprolactone)‐aligned nanofibers
Authors: Roth Alexander D. , Elmer Jacob , Harris David R. , Huntley Joseph , Palmer Andre F. , Nelson Tyler , Johnson Jed K. , Xue Ruipeng , Lannutti John J. , Viapiano Mariano S.
Published: July 2014

Aligned fibers have been shown to facilitate cell migration in the direction of fiber alignment while oxygen (O2)‐carrying solutions improve the metabolism of cells in hypoxic culture. Therefore, U251 aggregate migration on poly(ε‐caprolactone) (PCL)‐aligned fibers was studied in cell culture media supplemented with the O2 storage and transport protein hemoglobin (Hb) obtained from bovine, earthworm and human sources at concentrations ranging from 0 to 5 g/L within a cell culture incubator exposed to O2 tensions ranging from 1 to 19% O2. Individual cell migration was quantified using a wound healing assay. In addition, U251 cell aggregates were developed and aggregate dispersion/cell migration quantified on PCL‐aligned fibers. The results of this work show that the presence of bovine or earthworm Hb improved individual cell viability at 1% O2, while human Hb adversely affected cell viability at increasing Hb concentrations and decreasing O2 levels. The control data suggests that decreasing the O2 tension in the incubator from 5 to 1% O2 decreased aggregate dispersion on the PCL‐aligned fibers. However, the addition of bovine Hb at 5% O2 significantly improved aggregate dispersion. At 19% O2, Hb did not impact aggregate dispersion. Also at 1% O2, aggregate dispersion appeared to increase in the presence of earthworm Hb, but only at the latter time points. Taken together, these results show that Hb‐based O2 carriers can be utilized to improve O2 availability and the migration of glioma spheroids on nanofibers. © 2014 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 30:1214–1220, 2014
The neuroanatomy of prematurity: Normal brain development and the impact of preterm birth
Authors: Ortinau Cynthia , Neil Jeffrey
Published: July 2014

Brain development is a complex process of micro‐ and macrostructural events that include neuronal and glial proliferation and migration, myelination, and organizational development of cortical layers and circuitry. Recent progress in understanding these processes has provided insight into the pathophysiology of brain injury and alterations of cerebral development in preterm infants. A key factor of abnormalities in the preterm infant is the maturational stage of the brain at the time of birth. This review summarizes current data on normal brain development, patterns of brain injury in the preterm infant, and the associated axonal/neuronal disturbances that occur in the setting of this injury, often termed encephalopathy of prematurity. Clin. Anat. 28:168–183, 2015. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Bioactive 9,11‐Secosteroids from Gorgonian Subergorgia suberosa Collected from the South China Sea
Authors: Liu Min , Shao Chang‐Lun , Chen Min , Qi Jun , Wang Yu , Fang Yu‐Chun , Wang Chang‐Yun
Published: July 2014

Five new 9,11‐secosteroids 1, 2, and 4–6, and seven known analogs, 3 and 7–12, with the same steroid skeleton, (5αH)‐3β,6α,11‐trihydroxy‐9,11‐secocholest‐7‐en‐9‐one, were isolated from the South China Sea gorgonian Subergorgia suberosa. Among them, 2/3 and 4/5 are C(24)‐epimeric mixtures, and 6/7 is an (E)/(Z) mixture of (C(24)C(28)). Their structures and relative configurations were elucidated by using comprehensive spectroscopic methods including NOESY spectra. The absolute configuration of the steroidal nucleus was established by the modified Mosher method applied to 10 and on the basis of a common biogenesis for all of these compounds. All isolated compounds, 1–12, and five synthetic acetylated derivatives, 12a–12e, were evaluated for their cytotoxicities in vitro. Compounds 4/5, 11, 12, and 12b–12d showed cytotoxic activities against K562 cell line with the IC50 values ranging from 1.09 to 8.12 μM.
Effect of N‐acetylarginine, a metabolite accumulated in hyperargininemia, on parameters of oxidative stress in rats: protective role of vitamins and L‐NAME
Authors: Sasso Simone , Dalmedico Leticia , Delwing‐Dal Magro Débora , Wyse Angela T. S. , Delwing‐de Lima Daniela
Published: July 2014

In the present investigation, we initially evaluated the in vitro effect of N‐acetylarginine on thiobarbituric acid‐reactive substances (TBA‐RS), total sulfhydryl content and on the activities of antioxidant enzymes such as catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH‐Px) in the blood, kidney and liver of rats. Results showed that N‐acetylarginine, at a concentration of 5.0 μM, decreased the activity of CAT in erythrocytes, enhanced TBA‐RS in the renal cortex, decreased CAT and SOD activities in the renal medulla and decreased CAT and increased SOD and GSH‐Px activities in the liver of 60‐day‐old rats. Furthermore, we tested the influence of the antioxidants, trolox and ascorbic acid, as well as of the Nω‐nitro‐L‐arginine methyl ester (L‐NAME) on the effects elicited by N‐acetylarginine on the parameters tested. Antioxidants and L‐NAME prevented most of the alterations caused by N‐acetylarginine on the oxidative stress parameters evaluated. Data indicate that oxidative stress induction is probably mediated by the generation of NO and/or ONOO− and other free radicals because L‐NAME and antioxidants prevented the effects caused by N‐acetylarginine in the blood, renal tissues and liver of rats. Our findings lend support to a potential therapeutic strategy for this condition, which may include the use of appropriate antioxidants for ameliorating the damage caused by N‐acetylarginine. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Evolutionary implications of localization of the signaling scaffold protein Parafusin to both cilia and the nucleus
Authors: Satir Birgit Hegner , Wyroba Elzbieta , Liu Li , Lethan Mette , Satir Peter , Christensen Søren Tvorup
Published: July 2014

Parafusin (PFUS), a 63 kDa protein first discovered in the eukaryote Paramecium and known for its role in apicomplexan exocytosis, provides a model for the common origin of cellular systems employing scaffold proteins for targeting and signaling. PFUS is closely related to eubacterial rather than archeal phosphoglucomutases (PGM) – as we proved by comparison of their 88 sequences – but has no PGM activity. Immunofluorescence microscopy analysis with a PFUS‐specific peptide antibody showed presence of this protein around the base region of primary cilia in a variety of mammalian cell types, including mouse embryonic (MEFs) and human foreskin fibroblasts (hFFs), human carcinoma stem cells (NT‐2 cells), and human retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells. Further, PFUS localized to the nucleus of fibroblasts, and prominently to nucleoli of MEFs. Localization studies were confirmed by Western blot analysis, showing that the PFUS antibody specifically recognizes a single protein of ca. 63 kDa in both cytoplasmic and nuclear fractions. Finally, immunofluorescence microscopy analysis showed that PFUS localized to nuclei and cilia in Paramecium. These results support the suggestion that PFUS plays a role in signaling between nucleus and cilia, and that the cilium and the nucleus both evolved around the time of eukaryotic emergence. We hypothesize that near the beginnings of eukaryotic cell evolution, scaffold proteins such as PFUS arose as peripheral membrane protein identifiers for cytoplasmic membrane trafficking and were employed similarly during the subsequent evolution of exocytic, nuclear transport, and ciliogenic mechanisms.
Tribbles homolog 3 expression in spermatogonial stem cells of rat testes
Authors: Zhang Yan , Luo Fenhua , Wu Sachula , Yu Boyang , Liu Taodi , Wu Yingji
Published: July 2014

Tribbles are a family of signal‐regulating proteins shown to coordinate the action and the suppression of different pathways. Tribbles homolog 3 (Trib3), the best‐studied member of the mammalian tribble family, has a key function in determining cell fate when responding to environmental challenges. Trib3 effects are also modulated by its direct interaction with other signaling molecules. We found that Trib3 is highly expressed in the early development of rat testis, at just the time when the gonocytes resume proliferation to give rise to A spermatogonia. Immunofluorescence staining of cross‐sections of rat testis and cultured spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) also confirmed that Trib3 is expressed in rat SSCs.
Electrokinetic Remediation Technique: An Integrated Approach to Finding New Strategies for Restoration of Saline Soil and to Control Seawater Intrusion
Authors: Hamdan Shadi H. , Molelekwa Gomotsegang Fred , Van der Bruggen Bart
Published: July 2014

Many applications of electrokinetic remediation have focused on the removal of heavy metals. However, the application of electrokinetic technology in salt removal from contaminated soils and groundwater has not been extensively explored. Given the current global challenge and the impact of soil and groundwater salinity, it is tempting to suggest that the research community should apply this technology to generate in‐depth knowledge for determining the feasibility and efficiency of electrokinetic remediation in salt removal, particularly in addressing seawater intrusion in coastal aquifers, which is creating growing challenges in the freshwater supply, mainly in coastal and arid regions, in view of growing populations, economic and industrial growth, and climate change. This Review shows that there is a need to begin formulating a knowledge base about categories of materials, efficiencies, and limitations. Furthermore, the viability of this technology in the real field suggests a need to gain more insight into electrokinetic applications in this area. The versatility of electrokinetic remediation in different settings is demonstrated in this Review, as is its capability to address diverse remediation challenges. The available literature is critically assessed; novel and improved electrokinetic remediation and the important trends in this field are outlined. The Review aims to summarize the evolution and current status of electrokinetic remediation research with a view of starting a debate around the possibility of applying it as a pretreatment mechanism to control seawater intrusion.
Dense Array of Nanoparticles as a Large‐Area Nanoelectrode for Sensors: An Oxymoron Mesomaterial?
Authors: Lee Seung‐Woo , Lee Eun‐Hee , Saraf Ravi F.
Published: July 2014

Compared to redox reactions at large electrodes, those at nanoscale electrodes are controlled by kinetics rather than diffusion, thus resulting in responses that are orders of magnitude faster at higher sensitivity. To avoid interference by diffusion‐flux domains of adjacent particles, for monolayers of nanoparticles as individual electrodes, the area coverage should be below approximately 10 %, which is well below the percolation threshold of 45 %. Conducting monolayer arrays consisting of a network of one‐dimensional necklaces of 10 nm Au particles with 54 to 26 % area coverage are shown to behave like ultramicroelectrodes and nanoelectrode ensembles (NEEs). The reconciliation of the two opposing requirements of high and low coverage for percolation and NEE behavior, respectively, is attributed to the necklace‐network topology.
Efficient Synthesis of Eight‐Membered Nitrogen Heterocycles from O‐Propargylic Oximes by Rhodium‐Catalyzed Cascade Reactions
Authors: Nakamura Itaru , Sato Yoshinori , Takeda Keisuke , Terada Masahiro
Published: July 2014

Azocine derivatives were successfully synthesized from O‐propargylic oximes by means of a Rh‐catalyzed 2,3‐rearrangement/heterocyclization cascade reaction. Moreover, the chirality of the substrate was maintained throughout the cascade process to afford the corresponding optically active azocines.
Trends and variations in the use of adjuvant therapy for patients with head and neck cancer
Authors: Chen Michelle M. , Roman Sanziana A. , Yarbrough Wendell G. , Burtness Barbara A. , Sosa Julie A. , Judson Benjamin L.
Published: July 2014

BACKGROUND

The National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines recommend that patients with surgically resected head and neck cancers that have adverse pathologic features should receive adjuvant therapy in the form of radiotherapy (RT) or chemoradiation (CRT). To the authors' knowledge, the current study is the first analysis of temporal trends and use patterns of adjuvant therapy for these patients.

METHODS

Patients with head and neck cancer and adverse pathologic features were identified in the National Cancer Data Base (1998‐2011). Data were analyzed using chi‐square, Student t, and log‐rank tests; multivariate logistic regression; and Cox multivariate regression.

RESULTS

A total of 73,088 patients were identified: 41.5% had received adjuvant RT, 33.5% had received adjuvant CRT, and 25.0% did not receive any adjuvant therapy. From 1998 to 2011, the increase in the use of adjuvant CRT was greatest for patients with oral cavity (6‐fold) and laryngeal (5‐fold) cancers. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that Medicare/Medicaid insurance (odds ratio [OR], 1.05; 95% confidence interval [95% CI], 1.01‐1.11), distance ≥34 miles from the cancer center (OR, 1.66; 95% CI, 1.59‐1.74), and academic (OR, 1.26; 95% CI, 1.20‐1.31) and high‐volume (OR, 1.10; 95% CI, 1.05‐1.15) centers were independently associated with patients not receiving adjuvant therapy. Receipt of adjuvant therapy was found to be independently associated with improved overall survival (hazard ratio, 0.84; 95% CI, 0.81‐0.86).

CONCLUSIONS

Approximately 25% of patients are not receiving National Comprehensive Cancer Network guideline‐directed adjuvant therapy. Patient‐level and hospital‐level factors are associated with variations in the receipt of adjuvant therapy. Further evaluation of these differences in practice patterns is needed to standardize practice and potentially improve the quality of care. Cancer 2014;120:3353–3360. © 2014 American Cancer Society.
Effects of ketoconazole or rifampin on the pharmacokinetics of tivozanib hydrochloride, a vascular endothelial growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor
Authors: Cotreau Monette M. , Siebers Nicholas M. , Miller James , Strahs Andrew L. , Slichenmyer William
Published: July 2014

The vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) pathway is associated with the promotion of endothelial cell proliferation, migration, and survival necessary for angiogenesis. VEGF and its three receptor isoforms are often overexpressed in many human solid tumors. Tivozanib is a potent, selective inhibitor of VEGF receptors 1, 2, and 3, with a long half‐life. The purpose of these studies was to evaluate the effect of ketoconazole, a potent inhibitor of CYP3A4, and rifampin, a potent inducer of CYP3A4, on the pharmacokinetics of tivozanib. Two phase I, open‐label, 2‐period, single‐sequence studies evaluated the effect of steady‐state ketoconazole (NCT01363778) or rifampin (NCT01363804) on the pharmacokinetic profile, safety, and tolerability of a single oral 1.5‐mg dose of tivozanib. Tivozanib was well tolerated in both studies. Steady‐state ketoconazole did not cause a clinically significant change in the pharmacokinetics of a single dose of tivozanib; therefore, dosing of tivozanib with a CYP3A4 pathway inhibitor should not cause a clinically significant change in serum tivozanib levels. However, coadministration of tivozanib with rifampin caused a significant decrease in the area under the curve from 0 to infinity and half‐life and an increase in clearance of tivozanib, which suggest increased clearance via the enhanced CYP3A4‐mediated metabolism of tivozanib.
Relative bioavailability and the effect of meal type and timing on the pharmacokinetics of migalastat in healthy volunteers
Authors: Johnson Franklin K. , Mudd Paul N. , Janmohamed Salim G.
Published: July 2014

Migalastat HCl is an investigational, pharmacological chaperone for mutant α‐galactosidase A, which is responsible for Fabry disease, an X‐linked, lysosomal storage disorder. Two Phase I studies evaluated relative bioavailability, effect of meal type and timing on pharmacokinetics, safety, and tolerability of migalastat HCl in healthy volunteers. Study 1 (N = 15, 19–55 years): single 100‐mg doses of migalastat HCl capsule and solution formulations were bioequivalent. The ratios of LSM (90% CIs) for Cmax were 97.1% (86.8–109) and AUC0‐inf 97.9% (88.8–108) under fasted conditions. Single 100‐mg doses of migalastat HCl capsules administered with a high‐fat meal decreased Cmax by 40% and AUC0‐inf by 37%. A high‐fat meal delayed tmax by approximately 1 hour. Study 2 (N = 20, 18–65 years): A high‐fat or light meal up to 1 hour before or after administration of single 150 mg doses of migalastat HCl capsules decreased Cmax and AUC0‐inf up to 40%, but had no apparent effect on tmax (range of medians with food: 1.5–3 hours, median fasted: 3 hours). A 50‐g glucose drink co‐administered with migalastat HCL did not result in clinically significant changes in migalastat absorption. No serious safety or tolerability issues were identified.
Real‐time multiview human pose tracking using graphics processing unit‐accelerated particle swarm optimization
Authors: Rymut Boguslaw , Kwolek Bogdan
Published: July 2014

This paper describes how to achieve real‐time tracking of 3D human motion using multiview images and graphics processing unit (GPU)‐accelerated particle swarm optimization. The tracking involves configuring the 3D human model in the pose described by each particle and then rasterizing it in each 2D plane. The Compute Unified Device Architecture threads rasterize the columns of the triangles and perform the summing of the fitness values of pixels belonging to the processed columns. Such a parallel particle swarm optimization (PSO) exhibits the level of parallelism that allows us to effectively utilize the GPU resources. Image acquisition and image processing are multithreaded and run on CPU in parallel with PSO‐based searching for the best pose. Owing to such task decomposition, the tracking of the full human body can be performed at rates of 12 frames per second. For a PSO consisting of 1000 particles and executing 10 iterations, the GPU achieves an average speedup of 12 over the CPU. Using marker‐less motion capture system consisting of four calibrated and synchronized cameras, the efficiency comparisons were conducted on four CPU cores and four GTX GPUs on two cards. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Capturing the sensitivity of optical network quality metrics to its network interface parameters
Authors: Ortín‐Obón Marta , Ramini Luca , Viñals Víctor , Bertozzi Davide
Published: July 2014

Optical networks‐on‐chip (ONoCs) are gaining momentum as a way to improve energy consumption and bandwidth scalability in the next generation multicore and many‐core systems. Although many valuable research works have investigated their properties, the vast majority of them lack an accurate exploration of the network interface architecture required to support optical communications on the silicon chip. The complexity of this architecture is especially critical for a specific kind of ONoCs: the wavelength‐routed ones. These are capable of delivering contention‐free all‐to‐all connectivity without the need for path reservation, unlike space‐routed ONoCs. From a logical viewpoint, they can be considered as full nonblocking crossbars; thus, the control complexity is implemented at the network interfaces. To our knowledge, this paper proposes the first complete network interface architecture for wavelength‐routed optical NoCs, by coping with the intricacy of networking issues such as flow control, buffering strategy, deadlock avoidance, serialization, and above all, their codesign in a complete architecture. The evaluation methodology spans from area and energy analysis via actual synthesis runs in 40‐nm technology to RTL‐equivalent (register‐transfer level) SystemC modelling of the network architecture and aims at verifying whether the projected benefits of ONoCs versus their electrical counterparts are still preserved when the complexity of their network interface is considered in the analysis. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.