bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The rs387907171 SNP in TYRP1 is not associated with blond hair color on the Island of Bougainville
Authors: Norton Heather L. , Hanna Megan , Werren Elizabeth , Friedlaender Jonathan
Published: October 2015

Objectives

The aims of this study are to characterize the frequency of the derived allele at rs387907171 in populations from the islands of New Britain and Bougainville in Northern Island Melanesia, to confirm its association with lighter hair color, and to refine hypotheses regarding its evolutionary history.

Methods

rs387907171 was genotyped in 93 individuals from New Britain and 101 from Bougainville for whom quantitative assessments of skin and hair pigmentation were available. Combining these with existing data from other Melanesian islands we tested for differences in allele frequencies between islands and for associations with skin and hair pigmentation using ANOVA, including sex, age, and island affiliations as covariates.

Results

The derived allele at rs387907171 was observed in a single copy in the New Britain and Bougainville populations genotyped here. Its frequency differs significantly among islands in the region (χ2 = 206.5, df = 3, P < 0.001). rs387907171 remains significantly, although weakly, associated with lighter hair pigmentation (F = 10.28, R2 = 0.0125, P = 0.0014). This association increases when sex and age (F = 20.68, R2 = 0.074, P < 7.92 × 10−13) are included as covariates.

Conclusions

The rs387907171 SNP exhibits strong allele frequency differences among islands in Northern Island Melanesia. Its absence from Bougainville, as well as the weak association with decreased hair color, indicates that additional alleles contribute to the blondism phenotype. Its geographic distribution suggests that a Lapita‐mediated model for the dispersal of the derived allele at rs387907171 remains a viable evolutionary scenario. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 28:431–435, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Synthetic Molecular Motors: Thermal N Inversion and Directional Photoinduced CN Bond Rotation of Camphorquinone Imines
Authors: Greb Lutz , Eichhöfer Andreas , Lehn Jean‐Marie
Published: October 2015

The thermal and photochemical E/Z isomerization of camphorquinone‐derived imines was studied by a combination of kinetic, structural, and computational methods. The thermal isomerization proceeds by linear N inversion, whereas the photoinduced process occurs through CN bond rotation with preferred directionality as a result of diastereoisomerism. Thereby, these imines are arguably the simplest example of synthetic molecular motors. The generality of the orthogonal trajectories of the thermal and photochemical pathways allows for the postulation that every suitable chiral imine qualifies, in principle, as a molecular motor driven by light or heat.
Bringing research into a first semester organic chemistry laboratory with the multistep synthesis of carbohydrate‐based HIV inhibitor mimics
Authors: Pontrello Jason K.
Published: October 2015

Benefits of incorporating research experiences into laboratory courses have been well documented, yet examples of research projects designed for the first semester introductory organic chemistry lab course are extremely rare. To address this deficiency, a Carbohydrate‐Based human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) Inhibitor project consisting of a synthetic scheme of four reactions was developed for and implemented in the first semester organic lab. Students carried out the synthetic reactions during the last 6 of 10 total labs in the course, generating carbohydrate‐based dimeric target molecules modeled after published dimers with application in HIV therapy. The project was designed to provide a research experience through use of literature procedures for reactions performed, exploration of variation in linker length in the target structure, and synthesis of compounds not previously reported in the scientific literature. Project assessment revealed strong student support, indicating enhanced engagement and interest in the course as a direct result of the use of scientific literature and the applications of the synthesized carbohydrate‐based molecules. Regardless of discussed challenges in designing a research project for the first semester lab course, the finding from data analysis that a project implemented in the first semester lab had significantly greater student impact than a second semester project should provide motivation for development of additional research projects for a first semester organic course. © 2015 by The International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 43:417–427, 2015.
Comparative evaluation of new Cookson‐type reagents for LC/ESI‐MS/MS assay of 25‐hydroxyvitamin D3 in neonatal blood samples
Authors: Ogawa Shoujiro , Kittaka Hiroki , Shinoda Kenta , Ooki Satoshi , Nakata Akiho , Higashi Tatsuya
Published: October 2015

The screening of vitamin D deficiency in neonatal infants, which is based on the blood 25‐hydroxyvitamin D3 [25(OH)D3] quantification, is important for the early detection, diagnosis and health risk assessment of several diseases. In this study, two new Cookson‐type reagents, 4‐(4‐diethylaminophenyl)‐1,2,4‐triazoline‐3,5‐dione (DEAPTAD) and 4‐(6‐quinolyl)‐1,2,4‐triazoline‐3,5‐dione, were designed and synthesized, then compared with the previous reagents, 4‐phenyl‐1,2,4‐triazoline‐3,5‐dione (PTAD) and 4‐(4‐dimethylaminophenyl)‐1,2,4‐triazoline‐3,5‐dione (DAPTAD), in terms of sensitivity and specificity in the assay of 25(OH)D3 in neonatal blood samples by liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization–tandem mass spectrometry. Among the reagents, DEAPTAD was found to be the most promising. The limit of detection (0.38 fmol on the column) of the DEAPTAD‐derivatized 25(OH)D3 was 60 and 2 times lower than those of the intact 25(OH)D3 and the PTAD derivative, respectively. 25(OH)D3 was more clearly detected in the plasma sample as the DEAPTAD derivative than the DAPTAD derivative owing to the lower background noise. DEAPTAD derivatization was also useful for the separation of 25(OH)D3 from a potent interfering metabolite, 3‐epi‐25‐hydroxyvitamin D3. By using DEAPTAD, a trace amount of 25(OH)D3 in dried blood spots was reproducibly determined without interference from coexisting compounds. Thus, DEAPTAD was proved useful in the measurement of 25(OH)D3 in neonatal blood samples. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Mycophenolic acid reverses TGF beta‐induced cell motility, collagen matrix contraction and cell morphology in vitro
Authors: Petrova Darinka Todorova , Brandhorst Gunnar , Koch Christian , Schultze Frank Christian , Eberle Christoph , Walson Philip D. , Oellerich Michael
Published: October 2015

The aim of this study was to elucidate functional and molecular effects of mycophenolic acid (MPA) on non‐lymphatic, kidney epithelial cells treated with transforming growth factor (TGF).

MPA effects were studied using HK2 cells incubated with EGF and TGF. The reversibility of these effects was verified using guanosine and 8‐aminoguanosine. The following assays were applied: cell proliferation, viability, collagen matrix contraction, scratch wound closure, spindle index, FACS with anti‐CD29 and anti‐CD326, promoter demethylation of RAS protein activator like 1 (RASAL1), as well as gene expression of RASAL1, integrin 1ß (ITGB1) (CD29) and epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCam) (CD326).

Cell proliferation was inhibited by increasing concentrations of MPA, whereas neither apoptosis nor cytotoxicity was detected. Stimulation with EGF and/or TGF led to a significant collagen matrix contraction that was successfully inhibited by MPA. In addition, scratch wound closure was inhibited by incubation with TGF alone or with EGF. Under the same conditions, cell morphology (spindle shape) and molecular phenotype (ITGB1HighEpCamLow/ITGB1LowEpCamHigh) were both significantly changed, suggesting an epithelial to mesenchymal transformation.

Cell morphology and motility, as well as molecular phenotype, were reversible after MPA treatment with TGF transformation in both presence/absence of EGF, thereby suggesting a correlation with the previously described antifibrotic effects of MPA.

Dysregulation of TGF signal transduction appears to be related to progression of fibrosis. A TGF‐transformed kidney epithelial cell line derived from human proximal tubules was used to study whether the immunosuppressive drug: MPA possesses any functional or molecular antifibrotic effects. Functional and morphological in vitro changes induced by both the TGF and epithelial‐growth‐factor were reversible by treatment with MPA. An inhibitory effect of MPA on the TGF pathway appears to be responsible for the previously described antifibrotic effects of the MPA in the COL4A3‐deficient mouse model of renal fibrosis. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Involvement of a Hydrophobic Pocket and Helix 11 in Determining the Modes of Action of Prenylated Flavonoids and Isoflavonoids in the Human Estrogen Receptor
Authors: van de Schans Milou G. M. , Ritschel Tina , Bovee Toine F. H. , Sanders Mark G. , de Waard Pieter , Gruppen Harry , Vincken Jean‐Paul
Published: October 2015

Six prenylated (iso)flavonoids were purified from a licorice root extract and subjected to competition experiments with six commercially available (iso)flavonoids. The agonistic and antagonistic activities of these compounds towards both hERα (human estrogen receptor alpha) and hERβ were determined. Differences in the modes of action (agonist or antagonist) were observed for the various compounds tested. In general, each compound had the same mode of action towards both ERs. In silico modeling was performed in order to study the differences in estrogenicity observed between the compounds. It is suggested that prenyl chains fit into a hydrophobic pocket present in the hER, resulting in an increased agonistic activity. In addition, it was shown that an increase in length (≈1.7 Å) of pyran prenylated isoflavonoids resulted in an antagonistic mode of action. This might be caused by collision of the pyran ring with helix 11 in the ligand binding cavity of the hER.
A Microplate Format Assay for Real‐Time Screening for New Aldolases that Accept Aryl‐Substituted Acceptor Substrates
Authors: Ma Huan , Enugala Thilak Reddy , Widersten Mikael
Published: October 2015

Aldolases are potentially important biocatalysts for asymmetric synthesis of polyhydroxylated compounds. Fructose 6‐phosphate aldolase (FSA) is of particular interest by virtue of its unusually relaxed dependency on phosphorylated substrates. FSA has been reported to be a promising catalyst of aldol addition involving aryl‐substituted acceptors such as phenylacetaldehyde that can react with donor ketones such as hydroxyacetone. Improvement of the low intrinsic activity with bulky acceptor substrates of this type is of great interest but has been hampered by the lack of powerful screening protocols applicable in directed evolution strategies. Here we present a new screen allowing for direct spectrophotometric recording of retro‐aldol cleavage. The assay utilizes an aldehyde reductase produced in vitro by directed evolution; it reduces the aldehyde product formed after cleavage of the aldol by FSA. The assay is suitable both for steady‐state enzyme kinetics and for real‐time activity screening in a 96‐well format.
The Stability Challenge on the Pathway to Low and Ultra‐Low Platinum Loading for Oxygen Reduction in Fuel Cells
Authors: Keeley Gareth P. , Cherevko Serhiy , Mayrhofer Karl J. J.
Published: October 2015

We report the influence of catalyst loading on rates of platinum degradation in acidic electrolyte at room temperature. A piezoelectric printer is used to deposit spotted arrays of a commercially available catalyst comprised of Pt nanoparticles on a porous carbon support. The kinetically controlled oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) activity at different loadings is measured using an electrochemical scanning flow cell (SFC), and found to be quite stable over the range of loadings studied. This behaviour, however, contrasts sharply with rates of both transient and quasi‐steady‐state platinum dissolution. These are shown using downstream inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP‐MS) analytics, to increase as loading becomes lower. This dichotomy between activity and stability has direct implications for the development of improved catalyst materials, as well as for the achievement of current targets for reduced loadings of noble metals for fuel cells and other energy storage devices.
The opioid rotation ratio of strong opioids to transdermal fentanyl in cancer patients
Authors: Reddy Akhila , Tayjasanant Supakarn , Haider Ali , Heung Yvonne , Wu Jimin , Liu Diane , Yennurajalingam Sriram , Reddy Suresh , de la Cruz Maxine , Rodriguez Eden Mae , Waletich Jessica , Vidal Marieberta , Arthur Joseph , Holmes Carolyn , Tallie Kimmie , Wong Angelique , Dev Rony , Williams Janet , Bruera Eduardo
Published: October 2015

BACKGROUND

Transdermal fentanyl (TDF) is 1 of the most common opioids prescribed to patients with cancer. However, the accurate opioid rotation ratio (ORR) from other opioids to TDF is unknown, and various currently used methods result in wide variation of the ORR. The objective of this study was to determine the ORR of the oral morphine equivalent daily dose (MEDD) to the TDF dose when correcting for the MEDD of breakthrough opioids (the net MEDD) in cancer outpatients.

METHODS

The records of 6790 consecutive patients were reviewed at the authors' supportive care center from 2010 to 2013 to identify those who underwent rotation from other opioids to TDF. Data regarding Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale scores and MEDDs were collected for patients who returned for a follow‐up visit within 5 weeks. Linear regression analysis was used to estimate the ORR between the TDF dose and the net MEDD (the MEDD before opioid rotation [OR] minus the MEDD of the breakthrough opioid used along with TDF after OR).

RESULTS

In total, 129 patients underwent OR from other opioids to TDF. The mean patient age was 56 years, 59% were men, and 88% had advanced cancer. Uncontrolled pain (80%) was the most frequent reason for OR. In 101 patients who underwent OR and had no worsening of pain at follow‐up, the median ORR from net MEDD to TDF (in mg per day) was 0.01 (range, −0.02 to 0.04), and the correlation coefficient of the TDF dose to the net MEDD was 0.77 (P < .0001). The ORR was not significantly impacted by body mass index or serum albumin. The ORR of 0.01 suggests that an MEDD of 100 mg is equivalent to 1 mg TDF daily or approximately 40 micrograms per hour of TDF (1000 micrograms/24 hours).

CONCLUSIONS

The median ORR from MEDD to TDF in mg per day was 0.01. These results warrant further studies Cancer 2016;122:149–156. © 2015 American Cancer Society.
Hierarchical Assembly of Polydiacetylene Microtube Biosensors Mediated by Divalent Metal Ions
Authors: Jiang Hao , Jelinek Raz
Published: October 2015

Polydiacetylenes (PDAs) constitute a family of conjugated amphiphilic polymers that display unique color and fluorescence properties. Described is the hierarchical assembly of micrometer‐sized tubes that comprise a melamine‐substituted PDA derivative. The nano‐ to microscale transformations of the amphiphilic building blocks were induced by addition of divalent metal ions. The PDA microtubes facilitated the high‐sensitivity fluorescence detection of bacteria.
Small‐Molecule Regulators of MicroRNAs in Biomedicine
Authors: Xia Tingting , Li Jinbo , Cheng Hao , Zhang Chenyu , Zhang Yan
Published: October 2015

Preclinical Research

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) can regulate gene expression at the post‐transcriptional level and have been implicated in the development of various human diseases, including cancer. The regulatory networks of miRNAs play a vital role not only in normal physiology but also in pathology and may represent novel targets for drug discovery. Regulation of miRNAs and the elucidation of miRNA networks will advance miRNA‐targeted research but are challenging due to a shortage of appropriate tools. Using different assay systems, diverse small molecules with unique miRNA regulatory activity have been identified. These bioactive small molecules not only showed regulation on different miRNAs but revealed previously unknown miRNA networks. Treatment of cancer both in vitro and in vivo with small‐molecule regulators of miRNAs has demonstrated their therapeutic potential. In this review, we discuss assay systems for the identification of small‐molecule regulators of miRNAs and reported small molecules, and discuss their applications as probes and candidate drug leads. Drug Dev Res 76 : 375–381, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Asymmetrical nature of the Trollius–Chiastocheta interaction: insights into the evolution of nursery pollination systems
Authors: Suchan Tomasz , Beauverd Mélanie , Trim Naïké , Alvarez Nadir
Published: October 2015

The mutualistic versus antagonistic nature of an interaction is defined by costs and benefits of each partner, which may vary depending on the environment. Contrasting with this dynamic view, several pollination interactions are considered as strictly obligate and mutualistic. Here, we focus on the interaction between Trollius europaeus and Chiastocheta flies, considered as a specialized and obligate nursery pollination system – the flies are thought to be exclusive pollinators of the plant and their larvae develop only in T. europaeus fruits. In this system, features such as the globelike flower shape are claimed to have evolved in a coevolutionary context. We examine the specificity of this pollination system and measure traits related to offspring fitness in isolated T. europaeus populations, in some of which Chiastocheta flies have gone extinct. We hypothesize that if this interaction is specific and obligate, the plant should experience dramatic drop in its relative fitness in the absence of Chiastocheta. Contrasting with this hypothesis, T. europaeus populations without flies demonstrate a similar relative fitness to those with the flies present, contradicting the putative obligatory nature of this pollination system. It also agrees with our observation that many other insects also visit and carry pollen among T. europaeus flowers. We propose that the interaction could have evolved through maximization of by‐product benefits of the Chiastocheta visits, through the male flower function, and selection on floral traits by the most effective pollinator. We argue this mechanism is also central in the evolution of other nursery pollination systems.
Mechanism of CO2 Fixation by IrI–X Bonds (X = OH, OR, N, C)
Authors: Vummaleti Sai Vikrama Chaitanya , Talarico Giovanni , Nolan Steven P. , Cavallo Luigi , Poater Albert
Published: October 2015

Invited for the cover of this issue is the group of Luigi Cavallo at the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) and the group of Albert Poater at the University of Girona. The cover image shows CO2 fixation taking place easily through dimerization of Ir‐based complexes, even though the former CO2 insertion into an Ir–O bond is the rate‐limiting step.
Effects of industrial sorbitan monolaurate on the crystallization and consistency of zero trans‐fat from soybeans
Authors: Ming Chiu Chih , Gonçalves Lireny Ap. G.
Published: October 2015

Soybean‐based zero trans‐fats have been widely used in the production of fat products as an alternative to hydrogenated fats. Recent studies have shown the use of emulsifiers to modify fat crystallization and texture. The main aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of the addition of industrial sorbitan monolaurate (SMLa; from different suppliers) to soybean‐based interesterified fat (SIF). The samples were classified as follows: SIF without the addition of SMLa (control) and SIF with 0.5% SMLa A, 0.5% SMLa B, and 0.5% SMLa C. All samples were evaluated based on the following parameters: solid‐fat content, isothermal crystallization, thermal behavior, and consistency. The results showed that the addition of SMLa influenced the fat crystallization mechanism and texture. In addition, the effects of emulsifiers from different suppliers varied in their intensity. The SMLa B fat was consistent at 15°C. The differences in the results for the analyzed parameters depending on the source may be related to a deviation in the sorbitan ester composition, which may be caused by differences in the chain lengths of the esterified fatty acids and the relative amounts of sorbitan mono‐, di‐, and tri‐esters in the sorbitan molecule.

Practical applications

Additives can have a significant effect on the crystallization of fat. It is shown that the effects of industrial emulsifiers from different suppliers vary.

The figure shows the peak force of hardness of soybean‐based interesterified fat with added 0.5% sorbitan monolaurate from supplier A (SMLa A), 0.5% sorbitan monolaurate from supplier B (SMLa B), and 0.5% sorbitan monolaurate from supplier C (SMLa C) at 15°C. The parameter showed results of different intensities upon utilization of the same emulsifier from different suppliers.
Outcomes after reirradiation for recurrent nasopharyngeal carcinoma: North American experience
Authors: Karam Irene , Huang Shao Hui , McNiven Andrea , Su Jie , Xu Wei , Waldron John , Bayley Andrew J. , Kim John , Cho John , Ringash Jolie , Hope Andrew , Chen Eric , Chan Biu , Goldstein David , O'Sullivan Brian , Giuliani Meredith E.
Published: October 2015

Background

The purpose of this article was to report outcomes of reirradiation for locoregionally recurrent nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC).

Methods

A retrospective review was conducted of all patients with locoregionally recurrent NPC who received reirradiation between 2001 and 2012. Overall survival (OS), local control, regional control, distant control, and Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) grades 3 to 4 late toxicity were examined.

Results

A total of 42 recurrent cases treated with intensity‐modulated radiotherapy (IMRT; 27 patients) or non‐IMRT (stereotactic radiotherapy [RT], 12 patients; 3D conformal RT, 3 patients) were identified. Median time from initial RT to recurrence was 4.6 years. Hyperfractionation with 1.1 to 1.4 Gy/fraction twice daily to a total of 40 to 60 Gy was used in 27 IMRT and 5 non‐IMRT patients. The remaining 10 patients received conventional fractionation 1.8 to 2.0 Gy/fraction to 50 to 60 Gy. Median follow‐up was 3.0 years. The 3‐year OS, local control, regional control, distant control, and late toxicity rates were 49%, 46%, 71%, 79%, and 37%, respectively.

Conclusion

Reirradiation for recurrent NPC, delivered mostly with hyperfractionated IMRT, can result in durable disease control with acceptable late toxicity. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck 38: E1102–E1109, 2016
Neuronal loss as evidenced by automated quantification of neuronal density following moderate and severe traumatic brain injury in rats
Authors: Balança Baptiste , Bapteste Lionel , Lieutaud Thomas , Ressnikoff Denis , Guy Rainui , Bezin Laurent , Marinesco Stéphane
Published: October 2015

Traumatic brain injury causes widespread neurological lesions that can be reproduced in animals with the lateral fluid percussion (LFP) model. The characterization of the pattern of neuronal death generated in this model remains unclear, involving both cortical and subcortical brain regions. Here, 7 days after moderate (3 atmospheres absolute [ATA]) or severe (3.8 ATA) LFP, we estimated neuronal loss by using immunohistochemistry together with a computer‐assisted automated method for quantifying neuronal density in brain sections. Neuronal counts were performed ipsilateral to the impact, in the parietal cortex ventral to the site of percussion, in the temporal cortex, in the dorsal thalamus, and in the hippocampus. These results were compared with the counts observed at similar areas in sham animals. We found that neuronal density was severely decreased in the temporal cortex (−60%), in the dorsal thalamus (−63%), and in area CA3 of the hippocampus (−36%) of injured animals compared with controls but was not significantly modified in the cortices located immediately ventral to the impact. Total cellular density increased in brain structures displaying neuronal death, suggesting the presence of gliosis. The increase in the severity of LFP did not change the pattern of neuronal injury. This automated method simplified the study of neuronal loss following traumatic brain injury and allowed the identification of a pattern of neuronal loss that spreads from the dorsal thalamus to the temporal cortex, with the most severe lesions being in brain structures remote from the site of impact. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Letter: Novel approaches to realize high‐resolution AMOLED display
Authors: Chen Chung‐Chia , Lee Meng‐Ting , Shen Shih‐Ming , Weng Zai‐Xien , Fu Jing‐Jie , Lin Yu‐Hsin
Published: October 2015

Two different approaches to realize high‐resolution active‐matrix organic light‐emitting device (AMOLED) display were delivered. By adopting specific organic light emitting diode (OLED) structure with pre‐pattern electrode and the utilization of color filter, we successfully simplify the fabrication process with fine metal mask (FMM)‐free or one‐FMM solutions. Each approach was demonstrated with a 4.4″ panel with 413 ppi pixel density based on real stripe RGB. Both panels possessed low power consumption, low reflectivity, and superior NTSC performance. Because the utilization of FMM was avoided or reduced, higher production yield, higher throughput, and lower cost could be achieved. Therefore, these two approaches are very promising for mass production of high‐resolution AMOLED display.
Disparities in grant funding for Chronic rhinosinusitis
Authors: Hopkins Claire , Rudmik Luke
Published: October 2015

Objectives/Hypothesis

The objective of this study was to identify the level of grant funding for chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) with the purpose of elucidating if disparities exist compared to other common chronic diseases.

Study Design

Review of four major health research grant agencies from the United States (National Institutes of Health), Canada (Canadian Institute of Health Research), and United Kingdom (National Institute of Health Research and Medical Research Council).

Methods

Research operating grants awarded in the fields of CRS, asthma, diabetes, and dementia were identified using database‐specific search strategies. Searches were limited to the previous 10 years (2004–2014). Comparator chronic diseases were chosen to have similar prevalence rates and low mortality risk. Research efficiency was calculated as the monetary value of grants awarded per paper published.

Results

There is a large disparity in the number of grants awarded for research in CRS (n = 196; $74,774,384), asthma (n = 13,226; $8,358,861,941), diabetes (n = 54,902; $47,282,739,735), and dementia (n = 34,569; $16,709,900,125). In terms of research efficiency, CRS researchers received eight to 12 times less financial support per paper published compared to those in our comparator conditions.

Conclusions

This study has demonstrated that over the last 10 years, CRS is disproportionately underfunded (∼$75 million) compared to other similarly prevalent chronic diseases such as asthma (∼$8.3 billion), diabetes (∼$47.2 billion), and dementia (∼$16.7 billion). We feel this justifies further research into identifying and reducing barriers to obtaining grant support for CRS.

Level of Evidence

NA Laryngoscope, 126:E136–E140, 2016
Graphene reinforced radiation crosslinked polyvinyl alcohol/carboxymethyl cellulose nanocomposites for controlled drug release
Authors: Guin Jhimli P. , Chaudhari C.V. , Dubey K.A. , Bhardwaj Y.K. , Varshney L.
Published: October 2015

This study reports development of graphene reinforced nanocomposites of carboxymethyl cellulose and polyvinyl alcohol for controlled drug release applications. The nanocomposites were synthesized through solution blending coupled with sonication assisted dispersion. The matrices were crosslinked to different extent by imparting different high energy radiation doses. The elastic modulus of the polymer nanocomposites increased by fourfold with the increase in graphene content from 1 to 3 wt% with no further significant change in elastic modulus at higher graphene content. The crystalline content did not change with addition of graphene and was ∼40% for all nanocomposites. Addition of 3 wt% graphene marginally increased the time for 60% drug release (T60). However, T60 increased by ∼100% with an increase in radiation dose from 25 to 150 kGy, suggesting absorbed radiation dose to be a critical factor for graphene based nanocomposites for controlled drug release applications. POLYM. COMPOS., 38:E74–E80, 2017. © 2015 Society of Plastics Engineers
Effectiveness of a psycho‐oncology training program for oncology nurses: a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Kubota Yosuke , Okuyama Toru , Uchida Megumi , Umezawa Shino , Nakaguchi Tomohiro , Sugano Koji , Ito Yoshinori , Katsuki Fujika , Nakano Yumi , Nishiyama Takeshi , Katayama Yoshiko , Akechi Tatsuo
Published: October 2015

Objective

Oncology nurses are expected to play an important role in psychosocial care for cancer patients. The aim of this study was to examine whether a novel training program aimed at enhancing oncology nurses' ability to assess and manage common psychological problems in cancer patients would improve participants' self‐reported confidence, knowledge, and attitudes regarding care of patients with common psychological problems (trial register: UMIN000008559).

Methods

Oncology nurses were assigned randomly to either the intervention group (N = 50) or the waiting list control group (N = 46). The intervention group received a 16‐h program, the content of which focused on four psychological issues: normal reactions, clinically significant distress, suicidal thoughts, and delirium. Each session included a role‐play exercise, group work, and didactic lecture regarding assessment and management of each problem. Primary outcomes were changes in self‐reported confidence, knowledge, and attitudes toward the common psychological problems between pre‐intervention and 3 months post‐intervention. Secondary outcomes were job‐related stress and burnout. Intervention acceptability to participants was also assessed.

Results

In the intervention group, confidence and knowledge but not attitudes were significantly improved relative to the control group. No significant intervention effects were found for job‐ related stress and burnout. A high percentage (98%) of participants considered the program useful in clinical practice.

Conclusions

This psycho‐oncology training program improved oncology nurses' confidence and knowledge regarding care for patients with psychological problems. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The Nuisance Principle in Infinite Settings
Authors: Ebels-Duggan Sean C. ,   Philosophy Documentation Center
Published: October 2015

Neo-Fregeans have been troubled by the Nuisance Principle (NP), an abstraction principle that is consistent but not jointly (second-order) satisfiable with the favored abstraction principle HP. We show that logically this situation persists if one looks at joint (second-order) consistency rather than satisfiability: under a modest assumption about infinite concepts, NP is also inconsistent with HP.
Ebola, Quarantine, and the Scale of Ethics
Authors: Koch Tom
Published: October 2015

Objective

The West African Ebola epidemic has raised fundamental questions about the ethical and practical use of quarantine measures during infectious disease events.

Methods

This article first reviews the idea of containment in response to disease and the means by which containment has been perceived. It then proposes that disaster medicine, whose focus is the individual, and public health in its focus on populations have related but distinct ethical imperatives. The means by which both were deployed in the West African Ebola epidemic are considered.

Results

The argument is made that a narrow focus on the individual patient or community prevented an early recognition of the potential for disease expansion. In this case, a broad public health perspective was overshadowed by localized attention.

Conclusions

In the future, a public health perspective is a necessary and ethical priority and thus the use of isolation and containment in conjunction with the imperative to treat that is the focus of medical ethics. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2016;10:654–661)
Introduction
Authors: Knotter Ad , Mayer David
Published: October 2015

This introduction presents the main topics and analytical concerns of the contributions to this Special Issue about ethnicity and migration in coalfield history in a global perspective. From the nineteenth century the development of industrial and transport technologies required the supply of coal-based energy in every part of the world. Nineteenth- and early twentieth-century globalization, including colonialism, would not have been possible without coal. Coalmining operations were launched in all world regions, and to enable exploitation mine operators had to find, mobilize, and direct workers to the mining sites. This quest for labour triggered a series of migration processes (both from nearby and far away) and resulted in a broad array of labour relations (both free and unfree). This introduction points to the variety of constellations analysed in the different contributions to this Special Issue. These cover cases from Africa (Nigeria, Zimbabwe), Asia (China, Japan), the Americas (USA, Brazil), Turkey, the Soviet Union, and western Europe (France, Germany), and a broad range of topics, from segregation, forced labour, and subcontracting to labour struggles, discrimination, ethnic paternalism, and sport.
Aesthetic Codification of the ‘Unsavoury’ from Nāṭyaśāstra and the Poetics to Postdramatic Theatre
Authors: Dimitrova Zornitsa
Published: October 2015

In examining the notion of entelechy – defined by Aristotle as the ‘final cause’ in drama – Zornitsa Dimitrova shows that depictions of ‘unsavoury’ content are only justified insofar as they are part of larger networks of aesthetic codification. The unsavoury cannot be an end in itself; neither can it function as an aesthetic category in its own right. Rather, it is a means related to pathos, or suffering, in Greek tragedy and bībhatsa, the ‘odious sentiment’ of the Sanskrit drama. Within such networks of codification, the purpose of the unsavoury is to carry forward the drama to an emotionally uplifting end: katharsis in the Poetics and ananda in Nāṭyaśāstra. This purposiveness – already visible in the entelechial nature of the dramatic plot – relates to a concept of mimesis implicitly understood as a term actional and interactionist in character. But only with the emergence of postdramatic theatre and the dissolution of plot does the unsavoury begin to function as an aesthetic category in its own right. Zornitsa Dimitrova is a doctoral graduate of Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster and holds degrees in Indology, Philosophy, and English Literature from the Universities of Sofia and Freiburg. Her research interests include performance and ritual studies, dramatic theory, and mimesis.
Biblical Shakespeare: King Lear as Job on the Hebrew Stage
Authors: Lipshitz Yair
Published: October 2015

Comparisons between King Lear and the biblical Book of Job have become commonplace in scholarship. This paper traces the impact of the Lear–Job connection on the staging and reception of Shakespeare’s play in Hebrew theatre. Due to this connection, King Lear was put within the orbit of a central cultural endeavour for Zionism: the re-appropriation of the Hebrew Bible for the formation of a new national identity. In the mid-twentieth century, the play appealed to directors who searched for Hebrew ‘biblical’ theatre, and a web of intertextual allusions in the press tied Shakespeare’s tragedy to the Book of Job and to rabbinic interpretations of it. However, the equivocal position held by Job within the Zionist imagination undermined the place of King Lear as well. Ultimately, the two were intertwined in the politics of their reception in Hebrew theatre. Yair Lipshitz is a Senior Lecturer at the Department of Theatre Arts in Tel Aviv University. In his research, he explores the various intersections between theatre, performance, and Jewish religious traditions. He is the author of two books in Hebrew: The Holy Tongue, Comedy’s Version (Bar Ilan University Press, 2010) and Embodied Tradition: Theatrical Performances of Jewish Texts (forthcoming).
(Re)constructing Political Theatre: Discursive and Practical Frameworks for Theatre as an Agent for Change
Authors: Hillman Rebecca
Published: October 2015

In 2015 the concept of live performance as having efficacy to instigate political change is contested, yet some politically motivated performance has demonstrably facilitated change, and critical frameworks have been developed that account for performances that hold clear political stances. However, even where arguments exist for the enduring relevance of political performance, certain models of practice tend to be represented as more efficacious and sophisticated than others. In this article, inspired by her recent experiences of making political theatre, Rebecca Hillman asks to what extent prevalent discourses may nurture or repress histories and futures of political theatre. She re-evaluates the contemporary relevance of agitprop theatre made in British contexts in the 1960s and 1970s by comparing academic analyses of the work with less well-documented critiques by the practitioners and audiences. She documents also the fluctuation and transformation, rather than the dissipation, of political activism in the final decades of the twentieth century. Rebecca Hillman is a director and playwright, and is a Lecturer in Drama at the University of Exeter..
Shade-tolerance of seedlings of rain-forest trees: monodominants vs. subordinates and episodic vs. continuous regenerators
Authors: Read Jennifer , McCoy Stéphane , Jaffré Tanguy
Published: October 2015

Several monodominant rain-forest trees in New Caledonia have population size structures suggesting establishment following large-scale disturbance, with eventual replacement by shade-tolerant species predicted in the absence of future disturbance. Links of dominance and population dynamics to leaf-level photosynthesis were investigated in seedlings of 20 tree species from these forests, grown in experimental sun and shade conditions. In particular, we tested whether episodically regenerating (ER) species, including monodominants, have higher assimilation rates at high irradiances and lower tolerance of shade than continuously regenerating species (CR). ER species had higher maximum net assimilation rates (Amax-area) in sun plants (9.6 ± 0.4 μmol m−2s−1) than CR species (6.2 ± 0.3 μmol m−2s−1) and high plasticity, typical of shade-intolerant species, but monodominant species did not differ from other ER species. CR species had leaf-level traits consistent with shade tolerance, including lower dark respiration rates (Rd-area= 0.47 ± 0.03μmol m−2s−1; Rd-mass= 7 ± 1 nmol g−1s−1) than ER species (Rd-area =0.63 ± 0.06 μmol m−2s−1; Rd-mass= 11 ± 2 nmol g−1s−1) in shade plants. Hence leaf-level assimilation traits were largely consistent with regeneration patterns, but do not explain why some shade-intolerant species can achieve monodominance.
Associations of hospital characteristics with nosocomial pneumonia after cardiac surgery can impact on standardized infection rates
Authors: SANAGOU M. , LEDER K. , CHENG A. C. , PILCHER D. , REID C. M. , WOLFE R.
Published: October 2015

To identify hospital-level factors associated with post-cardiac surgical pneumonia for assessing their impact on standardized infection rates (SIRs), we studied 43 691 patients in a cardiac surgery registry (2001–2011) in 16 hospitals. In a logistic regression model for pneumonia following cardiac surgery, associations with hospital characteristics were quantified with adjustment for patient characteristics while allowing for clustering of patients by hospital. Pneumonia rates varied from 0·7% to 12·4% across hospitals. Seventy percent of variability in the pneumonia rate was attributable to differences in hospitals in their long-term rates with the remainder attributable to within-hospital differences in rates over time. After adjusting for patient characteristics, the pneumonia rate was found to be higher in hospitals with more registered nurses (RNs)/100 intensive-care unit (ICU) admissions [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 1·2, P = 0·006] and more RNs/available ICU beds (aOR 1·4, P < 0·001). Other hospital characteristics had no significant association with pneumonia. SIRs calculated on the basis of patient characteristics alone differed substantially from the same rates calculated on the basis of patient characteristics and the hospital characteristic of RNs/100 ICU admissions. Since SIRs using patient case-mix information are important for comparing rates between hospitals, the additional allowance for hospital characteristics can impact significantly on how hospitals compare.
Prothymosin alpha expression and localization during the spermatogenesis ofDanio rerio
Authors: Pariante Paolo , Dotolo Raffaele , Venditti Massimo , Ferrara Diana , Donizetti Aldo , Aniello Francesco , Minucci Sergio
Published: October 2015

Prothymosin α (PTMA) is a highly acidic, intrinsically disordered protein, which is widely expressed and conserved throughout evolution; its uncommon features are reflected by its involvement in a variety of processes, including chromatin remodelling, transcriptional regulation, cell proliferation and death, immunity. PTMA has also been implicated in spermatogenesis: during vertebrate germ cell progression in the testis the protein is expressed in meiotic and post-meiotic stages, and it is associated with the acrosome system of the differentiating spermatids in mammals. Then, it finally localizes on the inner acrosomal membrane of the mature spermatozoa, suggesting its possible role in both the maturation and function of the gametes. In the present work we studied PTMA expression during the spermatogenesis of the adult zebrafish, a species in which two paralogs have been described. Our data show thatptmatranscripts are expressed in the testis, and localize in meiotic and post-meiotic germ cells, namely spermatocytes and spermatids. Consistently, the protein is expressed in spermatocytes, spermatids, and spermatozoa: its initial perinuclear distribution is extended to the chromatin region during cell division and, in haploid phases, to the cytoplasm of the developing and final gametes. The nuclear localization in the acrosome-lacking spermatozoa suggests a role for PTMA in chromatin remodelling during gamete differentiation. These data further provide a compelling starting point for the study of PTMA functions during vertebrate fertilization.
Wittek and Köprülü
Authors: LINDNER RUDI PAUL
Published: October 2015

The friendship and enmity between Paul Wittek and Fuad Koprulu form one of the most interesting episodes in the development of Turcology. This contribution examines the ebb and flow of that relationship as well as some of the other victims who suffered on the sidelines.
Commercial Queens: Mongolian Khatuns and the Silk Road
Authors: MAY TIMOTHY
Published: October 2015

Three women dominated the politics and government of the Mongol Empire in the decade of the 1240s. Töregene and Oghul-Qaimish ruled as regents and are credited with corruption and petty politics throughout their regencies, while Sorqoqtani Beki became a paragon of virtue throughout the world for her adherence to theyasaof Chinggis Khan. Curiously, very little attention has been paid to this period to verify the accuracy of the statements. This study examines the role of all three women, but also attempts to place their actions in context, examine their role in commerce and how that affected their activities and their legacies. It argues that while the overall depiction of Töregene and Oghul-Qaimish may not be inaccurate, it overlooks some crucial elements and motives in their actions which also reveal that Sorqoqtani's actions were not as virtuous as the sources state.
RECURSIVE INATTENTIVENESS WITH HETEROGENEOUS EXPECTATIONS
Authors: Dräger Lena
Published: October 2015

We model agents' endogenous updating of information sets over time under changing macroeconomic conditions. Building on sticky information models, the degree of inattentiveness is endogenized by allowing agents to choose between a costly full-information predictor and a costless sticky-information predictor. This is modeled as a choice between discrete alternatives under rational inattention. Recursive simulation shows that the dynamic equilibrium paths of aggregate variables are highly persistent and match the moments of U.S. data better than a model with fixed sticky information or with sticky prices, especially with regard to higher moments and the degree of persistence. Predictors are chosen in line with the predictions from rational inattention models, as the aggregate degree of attentiveness increases with rising variance of the forecast variable. Moreover, the model can generate hump-shaped impulse responses of inflation to a monetary policy shock if the degree of inattentiveness is sufficiently high.
Contaminated Sediment and Dam Removals: Problem or Opportunity?
Authors: Evans James
Published: October 2015

Restoring rivers to their free-flowing state promises a host of environmental benefits, but contaminated sediments may cloud the picture.
Efficiently Predicting Shallow Landslide Size and Location
Authors: Shultz David
Published: October 2015

New mathematical approach lets researchers analyze potentially unstable slopes in three dimensions without testing every possible landslide shape.
U.S. Launches 13 New Minisatellites
Authors: Showstack Randy
Published: October 2015

Tiny CubeSat satellites made of one or more cube-like modules roughly the size of coffee mugs offer a compact and inexpensive way to conduct research and other activities in space.
Lymphocyte phosphatase‐associated phosphoprotein proteoforms analyzed using monoclonal antibodies
Authors: Filatov Alexander , Kruglova Natalia , Meshkova Tatiana , Mazurov Dmitriy
Published: October 2015

Phosphatase CD45 regulates the activation of lymphocytes by controlling the level of receptor and signal molecule phosphorylation. However, it remains unknown which molecules mediate the phosphatase activity of CD45. A candidate for such a molecule is a small transmembrane adapter protein called lymphocyte phosphatase‐associated phosphoprotein (LPAP). LPAP forms a supramolecular complex that consists of not only CD45 molecule but also CD4 and Lck kinase. The function of LPAP has not been defined clearly. In our study, we determined the pattern of LPAP expression in various cell types and characterized its proteoforms using new monoclonal antibodies generated against the intracellular portion of the protein. We show that LPAP is a pan‐lymphocyte marker, and its expression in cells correlates with the expression of CD45. The majority of T, B and NK cells express high levels of LPAP, whereas monocytes, granulocytes, monocyte‐derived dendritic cells, platelets and red blood cells are negative for LPAP. Using one‐ and two‐dimensional protein gel electrophoresis, we demonstrate that LPAP has at least four sites of phosphorylation. The resting cells express at least six different LPAP phosphoforms representing mono‐, di‐ and tri‐phosphorylated LPAP. T and B cells differ in the distribution of the protein between phosphoforms. The activation of lymphocytes with PMA reduces the diversity of phosphorylated forms. Our experiments on Lck‐deficient Jurkat cells show that Lck kinase is not involved in LPAP phosphorylation. Thus, LPAP is a dynamically phosphorylated protein, the function of which can be understood, when all phosphosites and kinases involved in its phosphorylation will be identified.