bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Obesity and associated lifestyles modify the effect of glucose metabolism‐related genetic variants on impaired glucose homeostasis among postmenopausal women
Authors: Jung Su Yon , Sobel Eric M. , Papp Jeanette C. , Crandall Carolyn J. , Fu Alan N. , Zhang Zuo‐Feng
Published: July 2016

Purpose

Impaired glucose metabolism‐related genetic variants likely interact with obesity‐modifiable factors in response to glucose intolerance, yet their interconnected pathways have not been fully characterized.

Methods

With data from 1,027 postmenopausal participants of the Genomics and Randomized Trials Network study and 15 single‐nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with glucose homeostasis, we assessed whether obesity, physical activity, and high dietary fat intake interact with the SNP–glucose variations. We used regression analysis plus stratification and graphic approaches.

Results

Across carriers of the 15 SNPs, fasting levels of glucose, insulin, and homeostatic model assessment‐insulin resistance (HOMA‐IR) were higher in obese, inactive, and high fat‐diet women than in their respective counterparts. Carriers within subgroups differently demonstrated the direction and/or magnitude of the variants’ effect on glucose‐relevant traits. Variants in GCKR, GCK, DGKB/TMEM195 (P for interactions = 0.02, 0.02, and 0.01), especially, showed interactions with obesity: obese, inactive, and high fat‐diet women had greater increases in fasting glucose, insulin, and HOMA‐IR levels. Obese carriers at TCF7L2 variant had greater increases in fasting glucose levels than nonobese carriers (P for interaction = 0.04), whereas active women had greater decreases in insulin and HOMA‐IR levels than inactive women (P for interaction = 0.02 in both levels).

Conclusions

Our data support the important role of obesity in modifying glucose homeostasis in response to glucose metabolism–relevant variants. These findings may inform research on the role of glucose homeostasis in the etiology of chronic disease and the development of intervention strategies to reduce risk in postmenopausal women.
Anti-Osteoporosis Medication Prescriptions and Incidence of Subsequent Fracture Among Primary Hip Fracture Patients in England and Wales: An Interrupted Time-Series Analysis
Authors: Hawley Samuel , Leal Jose , Delmestri Antonella , Prieto-Alhambra Daniel , Arden Nigel K , Cooper Cyrus , Javaid M Kassim , Judge Andrew ,   for the REFReSH Study Group
Published: July 2016

In January 2005, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) in England and Wales provided new guidance on the use of antiosteoporosis therapies for the secondary prevention of osteoporotic fractures. This was shortly followed in the same year by market authorization of a generic form of alendronic acid within the UK. We here set out to estimate the actual practice impact of these events among hip fracture patients in terms of antiosteoporosis medication prescribing and subsequent fracture incidence using primary care data (Clinical Practice Research Datalink) from 1999 to 2013. Changes in level and trend of prescribing and subsequent fracture following publication of NICE guidance and availability of generic alendronic acid were estimated using an interrupted time series analysis. Both events were considered in combination within a 1-year “intervention period.” We identified 10,873 primary hip fracture patients between April 1999 and Sept 2012. Taking into account prior trend, the intervention period was associated with an immediate absolute increase of 14.9% (95% CI, 10.9 to 18.9) for incident antiosteoporosis prescriptions and a significant and clinically important reduction in subsequent major and subsequent hip fracture: –0.19% (95% CI, –0.28 to –0.09) and –0.17% (95% CI, –0.26 to –0.09) per 6 months, respectively. This equated to an approximate 14% (major) and 22% (hip) reduction at 3 years postintervention relative to expected values based solely on preintervention level and trend. We conclude that among hip fracture patients, publication of NICE guidance and availability of generic alendronic acid was temporally associated with increased prescribing and a significant decline in subsequent fractures. © 2016 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.
The application of cholesky decomposition in valence bond calculation
Authors: Gong Xiping , Chen Zhenhua , Wu Wei
Published: July 2016

The Cholesky decomposition (CD) technique, used to approximate the two‐electron repulsion integrals (ERIs), is applied to the valence bond self‐consistent field (VBSCF) method. Test calculations on ethylene, C2nH2n+2, and C2nH4n−2 molecules (n = 1–7) show that the performance of the VBSCF method is much improved using the CD technique, and thus, the integral transformation from basis functions to VB orbitals is no longer the bottleneck in VBSCF calculations. The errors of the CD‐based ERIs and of the total energy are controlled by the CD threshold, for which a value of 10−6 ensures to control the total energy error within 10−6 Hartree. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
On (4, 2)‐Choosable Graphs
Authors: Meng Jixian , Puleo Gregory J. , Zhu Xuding
Published: July 2016

A graph G is called ‐choosable if for any list assignment L that assigns to each vertex v a set of a permissible colors, there is a b‐tuple L‐coloring of G. An (a, 1)‐choosable graph is also called a‐choosable. In the pioneering article on list coloring of graphs by Erdős et al. , 2‐choosable graphs are characterized. Confirming a special case of a conjecture in , Tuza and Voigt  proved that 2‐choosable graphs are ‐choosable for any positive integer m. On the other hand, Voigt proved that if m is an odd integer, then these are the only ‐choosable graphs; however, when m is even, there are ‐choosable graphs that are not 2‐choosable. A graph is called 3‐choosable‐critical if it is not 2‐choosable, but all its proper subgraphs are 2‐choosable. Voigt conjectured that for every positive integer m, all bipartite 3‐choosable‐critical graphs are ‐choosable. In this article, we determine which 3‐choosable‐critical graphs are (4, 2)‐choosable, refuting Voigt's conjecture in the process. Nevertheless, a weaker version of the conjecture is true: we prove that there is an even integer k such that for any positive integer m, every bipartite 3‐choosable‐critical graph is ‐choosable. Moving beyond 3‐choosable‐critical graphs, we present an infinite family of non‐3‐choosable‐critical graphs that have been shown by computer analysis to be (4, 2)‐choosable. This shows that the family of all (4, 2)‐choosable graphs has rich structure.
Epidemiology of pediatric hospitalizations at general hospitals and freestanding children's hospitals in the United States
Authors: Leyenaar JoAnna K. , Ralston Shawn L. , Shieh Meng‐Shiou , Pekow Penelope S. , Mangione‐Smith Rita , Lindenauer Peter K.
Published: July 2016

BACKGROUND

Children may be hospitalized at general hospitals or freestanding children's hospitals. Knowledge about how inpatient care differs at these hospitals is important to inform national research and quality efforts.

OBJECTIVE

To describe the volume and characteristics of pediatric hospitalizations at acute care general and freestanding children's hospitals in the United States.

DESIGN, PATIENTS, AND SETTING

Cross‐sectional study of hospitalizations in the United States among children <18 years, excluding in‐hospital births, using the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project's 2012 Kids' Inpatient Database.

MEASUREMENT

We examined differences between hospitalizations at general and freestanding children's hospitals, applying weights to generate national estimates. Reasons for hospitalization were categorized using a pediatric grouper, and differences in hospital volumes were assessed for common diagnoses.

RESULTS

A total of 1,407,822 (standard deviation 50,456) hospitalizations occurred at general hospitals, representing 71.7% of pediatric hospitalizations. Hospitalizations at general hospitals accounted for 63.6% of hospital days and 50.0% of pediatric inpatient healthcare costs. Median volumes of pediatric hospitalizations, per hospital, were significantly lower at general hospitals than freestanding children's hospitals for common medical and surgical diagnoses. Although the most common reasons for hospitalization were similar, the most costly conditions differed.

CONCLUSIONS

In 2012, more than 70% of pediatric hospitalizations occurred at general hospitals in the United States. Differences in patterns of care at general hospitals and freestanding children's hospitals may inform clinical programs, research, and quality improvement efforts. Journal of Hospital Medicine 2016;11:743–749. © 2016 Society of Hospital Medicine
Defective phosphoinositide metabolism in autism
Authors: Gross Christina
Published: July 2016

Phosphoinositides are essential components of lipid membranes and crucial regulators of many cellular functions, including signal transduction, vesicle trafficking, membrane receptor localization and activity, and determination of membrane identity. These functions depend on the dynamic and highly regulated metabolism of phosphoinositides and require finely balanced activity of specific phosphoinositide kinases and phosphatases. There is increasing evidence from genetic and functional studies that these enzymes are often dysregulated or mutated in autism spectrum disorders; in particular, phosphoinositide 3‐kinases and their regulatory subunits appear to be affected frequently. Examples of autism spectrum disorders with defective phosphoinositide metabolism are fragile X syndrome and autism disorders associated with mutations in the phosphoinositide 3‐phosphatase tensin homolog deleted on chromosome 10 (PTEN), but recent genetic analyses also suggest that select nonsyndromic, idiopathic forms of autism may have altered activity of phosphoinositide kinases and phosphatases. Isoform‐specific inhibitors for some of the phosphoinositide kinases have already been developed for cancer research and treatment, and a few are being evaluated for use in humans. Altogether, this offers exciting opportunities to explore altered phosphoinositide metabolism as a therapeutic target in individuals with certain forms of autism. This review summarizes genetic and functional studies identifying defects in phosphoinositide metabolism in autism and related disorders, describes published preclinical work targeting phosphoinositide 3‐kinases in neurological diseases, and discusses the opportunities and challenges ahead to translate these findings from animal models and human cells into clinical application in humans. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Raman, FT‐IR and XRD investigation of natural opals
Authors: Sodo A. , Casanova Municchia A. , Barucca S. , Bellatreccia F. , Della Ventura G. , Butini F. , Ricci M. A.
Published: July 2016

Opals are naturally occurring hydrous silica materials (SiO2*nH2O), characterized by different degrees of crystallinity and crystal structure. Because of their optical properties, opals have been largely used in jewelry and as decorative elements in artworks. For this reason, a complete characterization and a provenance study of this kind of materials is mandatory in order both to avoid frauds and to reconstruct ancient and modern trade routes of gems. In this work, we present a combined spectroscopic (Raman, FTIR) and X‐ray powder diffraction (XRD) investigation of nine opals from the main deposits around the world (Australia, Madagascar, Slovakia, Mexico, Honduras and Ethiopia). Four of these samples are the rare and precious fire opals, characterized by an intense red–orange color. Ethiopia, Honduras and Mexico opals showed spectra and diffraction patterns typical of Opal‐CT, generally associated to volcanic genesis, while Australia, Madagascar and Slovakia opals are Opal‐A type, associated to sedimentary origin. Unexpectedly the fire opal from Brazil behaves as a CT one. The presence of CO2 was detected only in the latter group, and exceptionally in the Honduras sample; FTIR‐FPA imaging showed carbon dioxide to be homogeneously distributed inside the gems. Opals‐CT are CO2‐free and give much more complex FT‐IR spectra in the NIR region where H2O combination modes occur. The obtained results are discussed in terms of relevance of the above experimental techniques for geosourcing opals, and contribute to increase the database of the chemical–physical properties of opals. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Large size citrate‐reduced gold colloids appear as optimal SERS substrates for cationic peptides
Authors: López‐Tobar Eduardo , Hernández Belén , Chenal Alexandre , Coïc Yves‐Marie , Gómez Santos Johanna , Mejía‐Ospino Enrique , Garcia‐Ramos José Vicente , Ghomi Mahmoud , Sanchez‐Cortes Santiago
Published: July 2016

Surface‐enhanced Raman spectra of two cyclic cationic peptides with therapeutic interest, somatostatin‐14 and its synthetic analog octreotide, were simultaneously analyzed as a function of concentration and colloidal size. It appeared that the large size (~95 nm) citrate‐reduced gold nanoparticles are the most adequate substrates for providing an optimal Raman signal enhancement within the 10−6–10−7 m peptide concentration range. It could also be evidenced that these large size particles can give rise to such a remarkable result within the first month following their elaboration. In fact, the recorded Raman spectra after this period mainly originate from the molecular species in the coverage of gold particles and not from the adsorbed peptides. To bring clarification to the temporal evolution of gold colloids, a systematic analysis was performed during 3 months on different particle sizes in the 15–150 nm range. The data obtained by a combined use of different techniques (Ultraviolet‐visible absorption, z‐potential, transmission electron microscopy, and Raman scattering) are consistent with a permanent evolution of the colloidal coverage, assignable to the gradual transformation of citrate anions and their substitution by oxidized products. It can be concluded that only small and medium size nanoparticles (≤ 40 nm) are able to regenerate their initial features after the first month, while large size colloids are subjected to a continuous degradation of their plasmonic and electrostatic properties. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Quality comparison of elephant apple juices after high‐pressure processing and thermal treatment
Authors: Nayak Prakash Kumar , Rayaguru Kalpana , Radha Krishnan Kesavan
Published: July 2016

BACKGROUND

In the present work, the effect of high pressure processing (HPP) on the quality parameters (pH, °Brix, total acidity, viscosity, colour, antioxidant activity, total phenols, total flavonoids, microbial flora, and sensory analysis) of elephant apple (Dillenia indica) juice was investigated. The juice samples were analysed periodically (0, 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 and 60 days) during 60 days of storage period and results were compared with thermally processed as well as with untreated (fresh juice) samples.

RESULTS

Slight variations had been observed in the quality parameters like pH, °Brix and total acidity. Other parameters like colour values, antioxidant activity, total phenols and total flavonoids were varied significantly (P < 0.05) in between the treated (HPP and thermal) and untreated juice samples. The microbial counts of the HPP treated samples were lower than the other samples. Sensory results also showed similar results to those of the other analyses that the treated samples were better for consumption rather than the untreated samples. The shelf‐life of the HPP processed elephant apple juice was established as 60 days at 4 °C.

CONCLUSION

This study showed that application of HPP effectively maintained quality attributes and extended shelf life of the elephant apple juice. It may be suggested that application of HPP could be considered for commercial application during storage and marketing. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry
Green tea extract as an anti‐browning agent for cloudy apple juice
Authors: Klimczak Inga , Gliszczyńska‐Świgło Anna
Published: July 2016

BACKGROUND

Enzymatic browning of fruits and vegetables and their products is an important factor worsening their quality. The influence of five green tea extracts at the concentrations of 1 g L−1, 2 g L−1 and 3 g L−1 on polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activity in fresh cloudy apple juice was investigated. Moreover, PPO inhibition by tea extract and colour stability of juice during short‐time refrigerated storage was studied. The changes of juice colour during storage was expressed as the total colour differences (ΔE*), browning index (BI), yellowness index (YI), and the absorbance at 420 nm (A420).

RESULTS

All extracts inhibited PPO activity in fresh apple juice in concentration‐dependent manner. PPO activity in pure apple juice decreased by 7% after 48 h, whereas PPO activity in samples with 1 g L−1, 2 g L−1 and 3 g L−1 tea extract decreased by 53%, 74%, and 96%, respectively. Browning of apple juice during storage decreased with increased concentration of green tea extract. After 48 h, extract at 1 g L−1, 2 g L−1 and 3 g L−1 inhibited browning of juice expressed as BI by 48%, 60%, and 86%, respectively, comparing to pure apple juice.

CONCLUSION

Green tea extract may be an effective anti‐browning agent for short‐time stored cloudy apple juices. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry
The impending financial healthcare burden and ethical dilemma of systemic therapy in metastatic cancer
Authors: Riaz Muhammad Kashif , Bal Susan , Wise‐Draper Trisha
Published: July 2016

Metastatic cancer remains a devastating disease that threatens to disrupt entire family structures creating economic and psychosocial stress. Fortunately, great strides have resulted in improved therapies over the years but at a huge social‐economic cost. The economic burden has risen greatly and carries with it new ethical concerns when deciding treatment. Here, we discuss the financial and ethical challenges that oncologists and their patients face in the era of novel treatment strategies. J. Surg. Oncol. 2016;114:323–328. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Polyimide‐coated magnetic nanoparticles as a sorbent in the solid‐phase extraction of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in seawater samples
Authors: Mehdinia Ali , Haddad Hosein , Mozaffari Shahla
Published: July 2016

Magnetic polyimide poly(4,4′‐oxydiphenylene‐pyromellitimide) nanoparticles were successfully synthesized and developed for the solid‐phase extraction of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in seawater samples. The aromatic rings of polyimide coating provided a good adsorption capacity (28.3–42.5 mg/g) for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons because of the π–π stacking interaction. The developed method was used as a simple, fast, and efficient extraction and preconcentration technique for the trace analysis of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. The high chemical, physical and thermal stability, excellent reusability, and good magnetic properties are the merits of the sorbent. High preconcentration factors (41–63) were obtained. The sorbent was also characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X‐ray spectrometry, transmission electron microscopy, and vibrating sample magnetometry. After optimizing several appropriate extraction parameters, the results indicated that the extraction recoveries of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons were in the range of 61.6–94.7%, with relative standard deviations between 2.9 and 5.4%, the calibration graph was linear in the concentration range of 1–100 μg/L (r> 0.9991) with limit of detection in the range of 0.15–0.19 μg/L (n= 3). Seawater samples were analyzed as real samples and good recoveries (68.5–99.5%) were obtained at different spiked values.
Simple field‐based automated dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction of trace level phthalate esters in natural waters with gas chromatography and mass spectrometric analysis
Authors: Leng Geng , Chen Wenjin , Wang Yong
Published: July 2016

A small, simple, and field‐based automated dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction method followed by gas chromatography mass spectrometric analysis was developed for trace level phthalate esters analysis in natural waters. With a single syringe pump that is coupled with a multiposition valve, the whole extraction procedure including cleaning, sampling, mixing of extractant and disperser solvents, extraction, phase separation, and analytes collection was carried out in a totally automated way with a sample throughput of 21 h−1. Key factors, such as type and ratio of the extractant and disperser solvent, aspiration flow rate, extraction time, and matrix effect, were thoroughly investigated. Under the optimum conditions, linearity was found in the range from 0.03 to 60 μg/L. Limits of detection ranged from 0.0015 to 0.003 μg/L. Enrichment factors were in a range of 106–141. Reproducibility and recoveries were assessed by testing a series of three natural water samples that were spiked with different concentration levels. Finally, the proposed method was successfully applied in analysis of real surface waters. The developed system is inexpensive, light (2.6 kg), simple to use, applicable in the field, with high sample throughput, and sensitive enough for trace level phthalate esters analysis in natural waters.
Determination of arsenic species in Solanum Lyratum Thunb using capillary electrophoresis with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry
Authors: Shuai Pei‐Yu , Yang Xiao‐Jun , Qiu Zong‐Qing , Wu Xiao‐Hui , Zhu Xi , Pokhrel Ganga Raj , Fu Yu‐Ying , Ye Hui‐Min , Lin Wen‐Xiong , Yang Gui‐Di
Published: July 2016

A simple and highly efficient interface to couple capillary electrophoresis with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry by a microflow polyfluoroalkoxy nebulizer and a quadruple ion deflector was developed in this study. By using this interface, six arsenic species, including arsenite, arsenate, monomethylarsonic acid, dimethylarsinic acid, arsenobetaine, and arsenocholine, were baseline‐separated and determined in a single run within 11 min under the optimized separation conditions. The instrumental detection limit was in the range of 0.02–0.06 ng/mL for the six arsenic compounds. Repeatability expressed as the relative standard deviation (n = 5) of both migration time and peak area were better than 2.5 and 4.3% for six arsenic compounds. The proposed method, combined with a closed‐vessel microwave‐assisted extraction procedure, was successfully applied for the determination of arsenic species in the Solanum Lyratum Thunb samples from Anhui province in China with the relative standard deviations (n = 5) ≤4%, method detection limits of 0.2–0.6 ng As/g and a recovery of 98–104%. The experimental results showed that arsenobetaine was the main speciation of arsenic in the Solanum Lyratum Thunb samples from different provinces in China, with a concentration of 0.42–1.30 μg/g.
Ion chromatography with the indirect ultraviolet detection of alkali metal ions and ammonium using imidazolium ionic liquid as ultraviolet absorption reagent and eluent
Authors: Liu Yong‐qiang , Yu Hong
Published: July 2016

Indirect ultraviolet detection was conducted in ultraviolet‐absorption‐agent‐added mobile phase to complete the detection of the absence of ultraviolet absorption functional group in analytes. Compared with precolumn derivatization or postcolumn derivatization, this method can be widely used, has the advantages of simple operation and good linear relationship. Chromatographic separation of Li+, Na+, K+, and NH4+ was performed on a carboxylic acid base cation exchange column using imidazolium ionic liquid/acid/organic solvent as the mobile phase, in which imidazolium ionic liquids acted as ultraviolet absorption reagent and eluting agent. The retention behaviors of four kinds of cations are discussed, and the mechanism of separation and detection are described. The main factors influencing the separation and detection were the background ultraviolet absorption reagent and the concentration of hydrogen ion in the ion chromatography‐indirect ultraviolet detection. The successful separation and detection of Li+, Na+, K+, and NH4+ within 13 min was achieved using the selected chromatographic conditions, and the detection limits (S/N = 3) were 0.02, 0.11, 0.30, and 0.06 mg/L, respectively. A new separation and analysis method of alkali metal ions and ammonium by ion chromatography with indirect ultraviolet detection method was developed, and the application range of ionic liquid was expanded.
Three‐dimensional posture changes of the vocal fold from paired intrinsic laryngeal muscles
Authors: Vahabzadeh‐Hagh Andrew M. , Zhang Zhaoyan , Chhetri Dinesh K.
Published: July 2016

Objectives/Hypothesis

Although the geometry of the vocal fold medial surface affects voice quality and is critical in the treatment of glottic insufficiency, the prephonatory shape of the vocal fold medial surface is not well understood. In this study, we activated intrinsic laryngeal muscles individually and in combinations, and recorded the temporal sequence and precise three‐dimensional configurational changes of the vocal fold medial surface.

Study Design

In vivo canine hemilarynx model.

Methods

A hemilaryngectomy was performed in an in vivo canine model and ink was used to mark the medial surface of the in situ vocal fold in a grid‐like fashion. The thyroarytenoid (TA), lateral cricoarytenoid (LCA), cricothyroid (CT), and posterior cricoarytenoid (PCA) muscles were stimulated individually and in combinations. A right‐angle prism whose hypotenuse formed the glottal midline provided two distinct views of the medial surface for a high‐speed digital camera. Image‐processing package DaVis (LaVision Inc., Goettingen, Germany) allowed time series cross‐correlation analysis for three‐dimensional deformation calculations of the vocal fold medial surface.

Results

Combined TA and LCA activation yields an evenly adducted rectangular glottal surface. Addition of thyroarytenoid to cricoarytenoid adducts the vocal fold from inferior to superior in a graded fashion allowing formation of a divergent glottis. Posterior cricoarytenoid has a bimodal relationship with thyroarytenoid favoring abduction. Cricothyroid and lateral cricoarytenoid yield unique glottal postures necessary but likely not conducive for efficient phonation.

Conclusions

Understanding the three‐dimensional geometry of the vocal fold medial surface will help us better understand the cause‐effect relationship between laryngeal physiology and phonation.

Level of Evidence

NA Laryngoscope, 127:656–664, 2017
Low‐grade myofibroblastic sarcoma: A population‐based study
Authors: Chan Jason Y. K. , Gooi Zhen , Wong Eddy W. Y. , Ng Siu K. , Tong Michael C. F. , Vlantis Alexander C.
Published: July 2016

Objectives/Hypothesis

Low‐grade myofibroblastic sarcoma (LGMS) is a rare entity that is described as having a predilection for occurring in the head and neck region. Here we analyze its demographics, clinic‐pathologic, and survival characteristics.

Study Design

Retrospective database analysis.

Methods

A cohort from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program database of cases with LGMS between 2001 and 2012.

Results

There were 49 cases with a 5‐year overall survival of 71.6% and disease‐ specific survival of 76.3%. The majority of cases were in patients <60 years old, female, and white ethnicity. The most common sites were the extremities in 40.8% of cases followed by the head and neck region with 26.5% of cases. Multivariate analysis showed that only older age was significantly associated with worse survival (P < .05).

Conclusions

LGMS is uncommon in the United States and occurs most commonly in the extremities followed by the head and neck region, despite an existing characterization of a predilection for the head and neck region. Treatment most commonly involves surgery, but the optimal surgical extent and/or radiotherapy needs to be further investigated.

Level of Evidence

2c Laryngoscope, 127:116–121, 2017
Successes and Failures in Rangeland Restoration: An Icelandic Case Study
Authors: Petursdottir Thorunn , Aradottir Asa L. , Baker Susan , Halldorsson Gudmundur , Sonneveld Ben
Published: July 2016

Rangeland restoration is a multilayered process aimed at improving land condition, often parallel to utilization. To ensure the long‐term progress that restoration programmes are expected to deliver, they must be designed, implemented and maintained in partnership with local stakeholders. Each programme should have clear goals, followed up by measurable ecological and/or socio‐economic objectives, to facilitate their evaluation in the long run. In this research, we examine if a large‐scale rangeland restoration programme in Iceland had contributed to the expected attitudinal and behavioural changes among the participating sheep farmers, as described in the initial objectives of the programme. A survey, based on a questionnaire on sheep farmers' attitude and behaviour related to rangeland restoration and land management practices, was used to gauge the perception of participating farmers, in comparison with non‐participating farmers. Our results show that participating farmers are more aware of the potential of rangeland restoration and are more motivated to engage in further collaboration, when compared with non‐participating farmers. Nevertheless, our results indicate that, despite extensive areas of degraded land already successfully treated within the restoration programme, the programme has not facilitated other anticipated attitudinal and behavioural changes among its participants as expected. Furthermore, it seems that the direct incentives provided by the programme are pushing participating farmers towards favouring agronomic instead of ecological approaches in their restoration activities, when compared with the non‐participating farmers. Our results also point to several organizational errors embedded in the programme management that might be halting its further progress. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Effects of Soil Development Time and Litter Quality on Soil Carbon Sequestration: Assessing Soil Carbon Saturation with a Field Transplant Experiment along a Post‐mining Chronosequence
Authors: Frouz Jan
Published: July 2016

In previous studies, the rate of soil carbon (C) sequestration decreased with increasing age of post‐mining soils. It was also shown to depend on plant biomass and earthworm bioturbation. Here, a soil transplant experiment was used to determine whether this decrease is caused by soil C saturation or other factors (such as bioturbation and litter input). Soils collected on 15‐, 25‐ and 50‐year‐old successional sites, dominated by willow (Salix caprea L.) and birch (Betula pendula Roth), and on a 50‐year‐old site reclaimed by the planting of alder (Alnus glutinosa L.) were placed in plastic boxes that were accessible to soil macrofauna. The boxes were buried in the 50‐year‐old reclaimed site and supplemented with either alder litter or successional (willow and birch) litter. Soil C content and soil C fractions (hot water C, particulate organic C, particulate organic C bound in aggregates and C bound to mineral soil) were studied. After 1 year, the C content increased by 2–5%, but there was no effect of soil source or litter type. For all C fractions, the relationships between change in C content and initial C content were described by bell‐shaped curves. Easily available C fractions were saturated earlier than more recalcitrant fractions. Despite these saturation tendencies in individual soil organic matter pools, the soil was evidently far from saturation after 50 years of soil development. The decrease in C sequestration with soil age previously observed for this soil was probably caused by a decrease in litter input rather than by C saturation. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Mechano‐Morphological Characterization of Polyethylene‐Glycol Based Polyurethane Microgel
Authors: Arzumand Ayesha , Srinivas Shruti , Yuan Yuan , Zhou Chi , Sarkar Debanjan
Published: July 2016

Segmental polyurethanes (PU) with hydrophilic segments form colloidal dispersions which are ultimately arrested into gel‐like structure in aqueous continuous phase owing to the differential interactions between polymer and solvent. These structural states of amphiphilic PUs evolve hierarchically, but the structure‐function correlation between PU colloidal dispersion and gels is not clear. Here, this correlation is defined from the mechanomorphology of hydrophilic polyethylene glycol based PU which forms dispersions and finally transforms into gel‐structure. Morphological and rheological analyses show that PU with comparable hydrophilic and hydrophobic content forms attractive colloids with self‐similar fractal microstructures whereas PU with increased hydrophilic character forms space‐filling colloids without any defined organization. Furthermore, colloidal dispersions are densified under shear or gravity to form gel where gel mechanics is defined by colloidal particle organization and the morphology is dependent on gelation mode. This stepwise organization of PU colloidal particles into microgel can independently control microgel mechanics and morphology.

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Eigenvalues of the k‐th power of a graph
Authors: Das Kinkar Ch. , Guo Ji‐Ming
Published: July 2016

The k‐th power of a graph G, denoted by , is a graph with the same set of vertices as G such that two vertices are adjacent in if and only if their distance in G is at most k. In this paper, we give the bounds on the spectral radius of and . The Nordhaus–Gaddum‐type inequality for the spectral radius of the graph is also presented. Moreover, we obtain an upper bound on the energy of the second power of graphs.
On the geometry of complex ‐spaces
Authors: Yıldırım Handan
Published: July 2016

It is known that applying an ‐homothetic deformation to a complex contact manifold whose vertical space is annihilated by the curvature yields a condition which is invariant under ‐homothetic deformations. A complex contact manifold satisfying this condition is said to be a complex ‐space.

In this paper, we deal with the questions of Bochner, conformal and conharmonic flatness of complex ‐spaces when , and prove that such kind of spaces cannot be Bochner flat, conformally flat or conharmonically flat.
Highly Conductive PEDOT:PSS Films with 1,3‐Dimethyl‐2‐Imidazolidinone as Transparent Electrodes for Organic Light‐Emitting Diodes
Authors: Kim Jin Hee , Joo Chul Woong , Lee Jonghee , Seo Yoon Kyung , Han Joo Won , Oh Ji Yoon , Kim Jong Su , Yu Seunggun , Lee Jae Hyun , Lee Jeong‐Ik , Yun Changhun , Choi Bum Ho , Kim Yong Hyun
Published: July 2016

Highly conductive poly(3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) films as transparent electrodes for organic light‐emitting diodes (OLEDs) are doped with a new solvent 1,3‐dimethyl‐2‐imidazolidinone (DMI) and are optimized using solvent post‐treatment. The DMI doped PEDOT:PSS films show significantly enhanced conductivities up to 812.1 S cm−1. The sheet resistance of the PEDOT:PSS films doped with DMI is further reduced by various solvent post‐treatment. The effect of solvent post‐treatment on DMI doped PEDOT:PSS films is investigated and is shown to reduce insulating PSS in the conductive films. The solvent posttreated PEDOT:PSS films are successfully employed as transparent electrodes in white OLEDs. It is shown that the efficiency of OLEDs with the optimized DMI doped PEDOT:PSS films is higher than that of reference OLEDs doped with a conventional solvent (ethylene glycol). The results present that the optimized PEDOT:PSS films with the new solvent of DMI can be a promising transparent electrode for low‐cost, efficient ITO‐free white OLEDs.

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CD24 is a genetic modifier for risk and progression of prostate cancer
Authors: Zhang Yifan , Li Bingjin , Zhang Xingyi , Sonpavde Guru P. , Jiao Kenneth , Zhang Andrea , Zhang Guangxin , Sun Mei , Chu Chengjing , Li Feng , Wang Lizhong , Cui Ranji , Liu Runhua
Published: July 2016

CD24 plays an oncogenic role in the onset and progression of various human cancers, including prostate cancer. In the present study, we identified two linkage disequilibrium blocks with four recombination hotspot motifs in human CD24 locus. To elucidate whether genetic variants of CD24 are associated with susceptibility to prostate cancer and its disease status, we conducted a case‐control association study with two P170 C/T and P‐534 A/C polymorphisms of CD24 in 590 patients with prostate cancer and 590 healthy controls. A significant increased risk of prostate cancer was found in men with the P170T/T genotype over the P170C/C genotype (odd ratio = 1.74, 95% confidence interval = 1.16–2.63, P = 0.008), and in men with the P‐534C/C genotype over the P‐534A/A genotype (odd ratio = 1.47, 95% CI = 1.18–2.26, P = 0.003). Cochran–Armitage trend analysis showed that the P170T allele was significantly correlated with an increased risk of prostate cancer progression (P = 0.029, trend between genotypes and stages) and this observation was also validated in an independent sample cohort. Next, we found that tumors with P170T or P‐534C alleles had more twofold increased protein expressions of CD24 as compared to those with P170C or P‐534A alleles, respectively. Likewise, tumors with a combination of P170T/T and P‐534C/C genotypes were associated with a high mRNA level of CD24. Our data suggest a significant association of CD24 genetic variants with prostate cancer onset and progression, which provides new insight into molecular genetics of prostate cancer; however, these findings need to be validated in multiple independent cohorts. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
A multi‐regional epidemic model for controlling the spread of Ebola: awareness, treatment, and travel‐blocking optimal control approaches
Authors: Zakary Omar , Rachik Mostafa , Elmouki Ilias
Published: July 2016

Ebola virus disease (EVD) can rapidly cause death to animals and people, for less than 1month. In addition, EVD can emerge in one region and spread to its neighbors in unprecedented durations. Such cases were reported in Guinea, Sierra Leone, and Liberia. Thus, by blocking free travelers, traders, and transporters, EVD has had also impacts on economies of those countries. In order to find effective strategies that aim to increase public knowledge about EVD and access to possible treatment while restricting movements of people coming from regions at high risk of infection, we analyze three different optimal control approaches associated with awareness campaigns, treatment, and travel‐blocking operations that health policy‐makers could follow in the war on EVD. Our study is based on the application of Pontryagin's maximum principle, in a multi‐regional epidemic model we devise here for controlling the spread of EVD. The model is in the form of multi‐differential systems that describe dynamics of susceptible, infected, and removed populations belonging to p different geographical domains with three control functions incorporated. The forward–backward sweep method with integrated progressive‐regressive Runge–Kutta fourth‐order schemes is followed for resolving the multi‐points boundary value problems obtained. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Pterostilbene‐induced changes in gut microbiota composition in relation to obesity
Authors: Etxeberria Usune , Hijona Elizabeth , Aguirre Leixuri , Milagro Fermin I. , Bujanda Luis , Rimando Agnes M. , Martínez José Alfredo , Portillo María P.
Published: July 2016

Scope

Nutritional interventions based on the use of natural bioactive compounds might offer new possibilities for reshaping obesity‐associated bacterial dysregulation or dysbiosis and improving health. We evaluated whether pterostilbene supplementation could induce changes in gut microbiota composition and whether these modifications were associated with improvements in metabolic variables.

Methods and results

Zucker (fa/fa) rats were given a standard diet supplemented (n = 10) or not (n = 9) with pterostilbene (15 mg/kg body weight/day) by oral gavage for 6 weeks. Faucal samples at the beginning and at the end of the intervention period were analyzed by Illumina Mi‐Seq sequencing approach. Pterostilbene exerted protective antiobesity effects, improved metabolic function (insulin sensitivity), and induced structural changes in gut microbiota composition. A decrease in the levels of Firmicutes and an increase in Verrucomicrobia phyla were detected in the pterostilbene‐treated group. Bacterial species belonging to genera Akkermansia and Odoribacter were also increased. A strong inverse correlation between Akkermansia muciniphila and body weight was evidenced. Odoribacter splanchnicus showed a negative correlation with adiposity.

Conclusion

Pterostilbene modifies intestinal bacteria composition toward a healthier microbial profile and suggests that the antiobesity effects induced in Zucker rats could be associated with an enrichment of the mucin‐degrading bacterial members, namely Akkermansia and Odoribacter genus.
A note on efficient sequences with respect to total flow time and number of tardy jobs
Authors: Güngör Murat
Published: July 2016

For the single‐machine scheduling problem with the objective of simultaneously minimizing total flow time and number of tardy jobs, a lower bound on the number of efficient sequences is known. However, the proof thereof, which makes use of a modified version of Smith's algorithm, is unduly lengthy and sophisticated. Adopting a totally new point of view, we present in this short article a much simpler proof based on the naive idea of pairwise interchange. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Naval Research Logistics 63: 346–348, 2016
miR‐34a−/− mice are susceptible to diet‐induced obesity
Authors: Lavery Christopher A. , Kurowska‐Stolarska Mariola , Holmes William M. , Donnelly Iona , Caslake Muriel , Collier Andrew , Baker Andrew H. , Miller Ashley M.
Published: July 2016

Objective

MicroRNA (miR)−34a regulates inflammatory pathways, and increased transcripts have been observed in serum and subcutaneous adipose of subjects who have obesity and type 2 diabetes. Therefore, the role of miR‐34a in adipose tissue inflammation and lipid metabolism in murine diet‐induced obesity was investigated.

Methods

Wild‐type (WT) and miR‐34a−/− mice were fed chow or high‐fat diet (HFD) for 24 weeks. WT and miR‐34a−/− bone marrow‐derived macrophages were cultured in vitro with macrophage colony‐stimulating factor (M‐CSF). Brown and white preadipocytes were cultured from the stromal vascular fraction (SVF) of intrascapular brown and epididymal white adipose tissue (eWAT), with rosiglitazone.

Results

HFD‐fed miR‐34a−/− mice were significantly heavier with a greater increase in eWAT weight than WT. miR‐34a−/− eWAT had a smaller adipocyte area, which significantly increased with HFD. miR‐34a−/− eWAT showed basal increases in Cd36, Hmgcr, Lxrα, Pgc1α, and Fasn. miR‐34a−/− intrascapular brown adipose tissue had basal reductions in c/ebpα and c/ebpβ, with in vitro miR‐34a−/− white adipocytes showing increased lipid content. An F4/80high macrophage population was present in HFD miR‐34a−/− eWAT, with increased IL‐10 transcripts and serum IL‐5 protein. Finally, miR‐34a−/− bone marrow‐derived macrophages showed an ablated CXCL1 response to tumor necrosis factor‐α.

Conclusions

These findings suggest a multifactorial role of miR‐34a in controlling susceptibility to obesity, by regulating inflammatory and metabolic pathways.
Nematicity in LaFeAsO1−xFx
Authors: Hess C. , Grafe H. , Kondrat A. , Lang G. , Hammerath F. , Wang L. , Klingeler R. , Behr G. , Büchner B.
Published: July 2016

Orbital ordering has recently emerged as another important state in iron‐based superconductors, and its role for superconductivity as well as its connection to magnetic order and orthorhombic lattice distortion are heavily debated. In order to search for signatures of this so‐called nematic phase in oxypnictides, we revisit the normal state properties of the pnictide superconductor LaFeAsO1−x Fx with a focus on resistivity, Nernst effect, thermal expansion, and As nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) data. The transport properties at the underdoped level exhibit pronounced anomalies at about the same temperature where undoped LaFeAsO develops long‐range nematic ordering, i.e., at about 160 K. Furthermore, the As‐NMR spin‐lattice relaxation rate reveals a progressive slowing down of spin fluctuations. Yet, long‐range magnetic order and also a detectable orthorhombic lattice distortion are absent. Thus, we conclude from the data that short‐range orbital‐nematic ordering or a slowly fluctuating form of it sets in near 160 K. Remarkably, all anomalies in the transport and also the indications of slow spin fluctuations disappear close to optimal doping which suggests that in LaFeAsO1−x Fx the nematic phase actually competes with superconductivity.

Schematic electronic phase diagram of LaFeAsO1−x Fx.
Gas‐phase complexes formed between amidoxime ligands and vanadium or iron investigated using electrospray ionization mass spectrometry
Authors: Mustapha Adetayo M. , Pasilis Sofie P.
Published: July 2016

Rationale

Amidoxime‐functionalized sorbents can be used to extract uranium from seawater. Iron(III) and vanadium(V) may compete with uranium for adsorption sites. We use 2,6‐dihydroxyiminopiperidine (DHIP) and N1,N5‐dihydroxypentanediimidamide (DHPD) to model amidoxime functional groups and characterize the vanadium(V) and iron(III) complexes with these ligands. We also examine the effect of iron(III) and vanadium(V) on uranyl(VI) complexation by DHIP and DHPD.

Methods

The experiments were carried out in positive ion mode using a quadrupole ion trap mass spectrometer equipped with an electrospray ionization source. The effect on the mass spectra of changes in ligand, metal:ligand mole ratio, and pH was examined.

Results

Iron(III) formed a 1:2 metal:ligand complex with DHIP at all metal:ligand mole ratios and pH values investigated; it formed both 1:2 and 1:3 metal:ligand complexes with DHPD. Vanadium(V) formed 1:1 and 1:2 metal:ligand complexes with DHIP. A 1:2 metal:ligand complex was formed with DHPD at all vanadium(V):DHPD mole ratios investigated. Changes in solution pH did not affect the ions observed. The relative binding affinities of the metal ions towards DHIP followed the order iron(III) > vanadium(V) > uranyl(VI).

Conclusions

This study presents a first look at the gas‐phase vanadium(V)– and iron(III)–DHIP and –DHPD complexes using electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. These metals form stronger complexes with amidoxime ligands than uranyl(VI), and will affect uranyl(VI) adsorption to amidoxime‐based sorbents. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Ionic Liquid Assisted Hydrothermal Syntheses of TiO2/CuO Nano‐Composites for Enhanced Photocatalytic Hydrogen Production from Water
Authors: Ravishankar Thammadihalli N. , Vaz Mauricio de O. , Khan S. , Ramakrishnappa T. , Teixeira Sergio R. , Balakrishna Geetha. R. , Nagaraju G. , Dupont J.
Published: July 2016

Hetero‐junction TiO2/CuO nano‐composite (NC) photocatalysts for hydrogen production from water were synthesized. A comparison of the photocatalytic activity obtained from the photocatalysts synthesized by conventional hydrothermal method (HM) and by ionic liquid assisted hydrothermal method (ILAHM) is provided. The composite nature and other physico‐chemical properties were investigated via thorough characterizations. Effect of thermal treatment conditions such as temperature and time on crystalline structure, surface area, quantum yield, band gap and hydrogen production activity of TiO2/CuO NCs has been studied comprehensively. The concentration of CuO in TiO2 matrix has been fine‐tuned to improve the hydrogen production. The synergy between the CuO and TiO2 has an optimum for concentration of 25 wt % of CuO in NCs synthesized by ILAHM, whereas it is 50 wt% of CuO in NCs synthesized by HM. Compared to the NCs prepared by conventional HM; the samples prepared by ILAHM have presented enhanced photocatalytic hydrogen production showing ILAHM as a potential synthesis route. The optimized NC prepared by ILAHM has produced promising hydrogen evolution of 8670 µ mol/g under the illumination from Xenon/Mercury lamp in water/ethanol system. The enhanced hydrogen evolution attributed to its porous like surface morphology, higher surface area and quantum yield.