bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An efficient calculation method for pharmacokinetic parameters in brain permeability study using dynamic contrast‐enhanced MRI
Authors: Wang Chunhao , Yin Fang‐Fang , Chang Zheng
Published: March 2015

Purpose

To develop an efficient method for calculating pharmacokinetic (PK) parameters in brain DCE‐MRI permeability studies.

Methods

A linear least‐squares fitting algorithm based on a derivative expression of the two‐compartment PK model was proposed to analytically solve for the PK parameters. Noise in the expression was minimized through low‐pass filtering. Simulation studies were conducted in which the proposed method was compared with two existing methods in terms of accuracy and efficiency. Five in vivo brain studies were demonstrated for potential clinical application.

Results

In the simulation studies using chosen parameter values, the calculated percent difference of Ktrans by the proposed method was <5.0% with a temporal resolution (Δt) < 5 s, and the accuracies of all parameter results were better or comparable to existing methods. When analyzed within certain parameter intensity ranges, the proposed method was more accurate than the existing methods and improved the efficiency by a factor of up to 458 for a Δt = 1 s and up to 38 for a Δt = 5 s. In the in vivo study, the calculated parameters using the proposed method were comparable to those using the existing methods with improved efficiencies.

Conclusions

An efficient method was developed for the accurate and efficient calculation of parameters in brain DCE‐MRI permeability studies. Magn Reson Med 75:739–749, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
A facile preparation method for synthesis of silica sulfuric acid/poly(o‐methoxyaniline) core–shell nanocomposite
Authors: Modarresi‐Alam Ali Reza , Zafari Sakineh , Miandashti Ali Rafiei
Published: March 2015

A new nanocomposite of poly(o‐methoxyaniline) (POMA) is introduced by overlayer formation of POMA on silica. The key appealing feature of the synthesis is the role of silica sulfuric acid (SSA) both as solid acid dopant and template in overlayer self‐assembly of POMA on silica surface. Hereon siloxide group (Si―O−) of silica surface is replaced with dopant anion of SSA (≡Si―O―SO3−), which leads to formation of a overlayer of POMA on the silica surface. The composite particles are spherical in the nanoscale range of 50 nm without application of any external template (no‐template synthesis). Nanocomposite was fully characterized by various instrumentation methods: Fourier transform infrared (FT‐IR), ultraviolet–visible (UV–vis), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), diffrential thermal analysis (DTA), elemental analysis (CHNS), energy dispersive X‐ray (EDX), X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and X‐ray difraction (XRD). Based on XPS and CHNS results, it is demonstrated that the doping level of POMA is as high as 50% and for the first time the ratio of 4:2:2 is obtained for ―NH― (amine): ―HN.+― (polarons): HN+― (bipolarons), respectively. In fact, bipolarons may also coexist with polarons with a 1:1 ratio of them. Moreover, the synthesis benefits from the perspective of green chemistry which is preparation under solid‐state (solvent‐free) condition. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Social Mechanisms in Local Transformations: Towards a Conclusion
Authors: Faist Thomas
Published: March 2015

The contributions assembled here can be grouped under three main issues and the respective questions associated with them. They offer, first, answers to questions concerning the context, the dynamics, and the consequences of transnational linkages on the local level respectively. First, what is the context created by the large‐scale transformations for local‐level development and inequalities? Here, trends captured by terms such as neo‐liberalism come to mind. Second, how do transnational practices work with respect to the local level? This question implies an inquiry into the roles played by migrants and other agents for creating, sustaining, and changing ties across national states' borders. Third, what are the consequences of transformation for the transnational maze of ties across localities for actors' identities and for social inequalities between groups? This question is of particular interest because the diversification of social life mentioned in the preceding texts becomes so visible at the local level. The following conclusions address each of these three questions and identify the main social mechanisms underlying the concomitant social processes. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Robotic vs laparoscopic radical hysterectomy for cervical cancer: a meta‐analysis
Authors: Zhou Jing , Xiong Bing Hong , Ma Li , Cheng Yong , Huang Wei , Zhao Lin
Published: March 2015

Background

To evaluate whether the safety and efficacy of robotic radical hysterectomy (RRH) in patients with cervical cancer (CC) are equivalent to those of laparoscopic radical hysterectomy (LRH).

Methods

The Pubmed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Ovid and Web of Science databases were searched. Studies documenting a comparison of RRH with LRH for CC were selected. Operative and recovery outcomes, common morbidity, and oncological parameters were evaluated.

Results

Compared with LRH, RRH was associated with less blood loss and shorter hospital stay. There were no significant differences in operative time, complications, mortality, transfusion, conversions, number of retrieved lymph nodes, recurrence or disease‐free survival between the two groups.

Conclusion

RRH for CC is safe and feasible and may be an alternative treatment for CC. More multicentre randomized controlled trials investigating the long‐term oncological outcomes are required to determine the advantages of RRH over LRH in CC. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Dead‐time elimination SVPWM of six‐leg inverter
Authors: Song Chunwei , Zhao Rongxiang , Zeng Zheng , Zhu Minglei
Published: March 2015

We present a six‐leg voltage source inverter (VSI) with a single DC link to feed a three‐phase inductive load. The space vector pulse width modulation (SVPWM) of the six‐leg inverter is studied in detail. The novel switching strategy in one sampling period for H bridge is proposed to avoid the 180° phase shift of the PWM signals for upper and lower side switches. Based on the novel switching strategy, a dead‐time elimination SVPWM is proposed, which can be easily implemented on a digital signal processor. Experimental results are presented to demonstrate the validity and features of the proposed novel SVPWM. © 2015 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Solvates of Manganese Trichloride Revisited – Synthesis, Isolation, and Crystal Structure of MnCl3(THF)3
Authors: Nachtigall Olaf , Pataki Astrid , Molski Matthias , Lentz Dieter , Spandl Johann
Published: March 2015

The syntheses and crystal structures of [MnCl3(H2O)(THF)2]·2THF (I), [MnCl4(THF)2][H(THF)2] (II), and [MnCl3(THF)3] (III) are reported. This study shows that former assumptions about the preparation of anhydrous MnCl3 and its etherates, published in the 1960s and earlier, have to be questioned. Instead of the conventional manganese sources, MnF3 was successfully utilized as starting material in THF to give water‐free MnCl3 etherates. These findings are vital for further reactions where reactive but anhydrous MnCl3 derivatives are needed.
Random Model Discrepancy: Interpretations and Technicalities (A Rejoinder)
Authors: Wu Hao , Browne Michael W.
Published: March 2015

In this rejoinder we discuss the following aspects of our approach to model discrepancy: the interpretations of the two populations and adventitious error, the choice of inverse Wishart distribution, the perceived danger of justifying a model with bad fit, the relationship among our new approach, Chen’s (J R Stat Soc Ser B, 41:235–248, 1979) approach and the existing RMSEA-based approach, and the Pitman drift assumption.
The issue of ‘informed consent’ in medical student introductions
Authors: Ravindran Rahul Prashanth , Lester David George , Nawab Khizr Ather , Vivekanantham Sayinthen
Published: March 2015

None
Who can do without patients?
Authors: Ten Cate Olle , Peters Max
Published: March 2015

None
The Unusual Photometric Variability of the PMS Star GM Cep
Authors: Semkov E. H. , Ibryamov S. I. , Peneva S. P. , Milanov T. R. , Stoyanov K. A. , Stateva I. K. , Kjurkchieva D. P. , Dimitrov D. P. , Radeva V. S.
Published: March 2015

Results from UBVRI photometric observations of the pre-main sequence star GM Cep obtained in the period 2011 April–2014 August are reported in the paper. Presented data are a continuation of our photometric monitoring of the star started in 2008. GM Cep is located in the field of the young open cluster Trumpler 37 and over the past years it has been an object of intense photometric and spectral studies. The star shows a strong photometric variability interpreted as a possible outburst from EXor type in previous studies. Our photometric data for a period of over six years show a large amplitude variability (ΔV ~ 2.3 mag) and several deep minimums in brightness are observed. The analysis of the collected multicolour photometric data show the typical of UX Ori variables a colour reversal during the minimums in brightness. The observed decreases in brightness have a different shape, and evidences of periodicity are not detected. At the same time, high amplitude rapid variations in brightness typical for the classical T Tauri stars also present on the light curve of GM Cep. The spectrum of GM Cep shows the typical of classical T Tauri stars wide Hα emission line and absorption lines of some metals. We calculate the outer radius of the Hα emitting region as 10.4 ± 0.5 R⊙ and the accretion rate as 1.8 × 10− 7 M⊙ yr− 1.
Finding revelation in anthropology: Alexander Winchell, William Robertson Smith and the heretical imperative
Authors: LIVINGSTONE DAVID N.
Published: March 2015

Anthropological inquiry has often been considered an agent of intellectual secularization. Not least is this so in the sphere of religion, where anthropological accounts have often been taken to represent the triumph of naturalism. This metanarrative, however, fails to recognize that naturalistic explanations could sometimes be espousedforreligious purposes and in defence of confessional creeds. This essay examines two late nineteenth-century figures – Alexander Winchell in the United States and William Robertson Smith in Britain – who found in anthropological analysis resources to bolster rather than undermine faith. In both cases these individuals found themselves on the receiving end of ecclesiastical censure and were dismissed from their positions at church-governed institutions. But their motivation was to vindicate divine revelation, in Winchell's case from the physical anthropology of human origins and in Smith's from the cultural anthropology of Semitic ritual.
Dietary Njavara rice bran oil reduces experimentally induced hypercholesterolaemia by regulating genes involved in lipid metabolism
Authors: Chithra Pushpan K. , Sindhu G. , Shalini V. , Parvathy Rathnam , Jayalekshmy Ananthasankaran , Helen Antony
Published: March 2015

The present study was carried out to evaluate the anti-atherogenic effect of Njavara rice bran oil (NjRBO) on atherosclerosis by modulating enzymes and genes involved in lipid metabolism in rats fed a high-cholesterol diet (HCD). Adult male rats (Sprague–Dawley strain, weighing 100–120 g) were divided into three groups of nine animals each. Group I served as the control, group II were fed a HCD and group III were fed a HCD and NjRBO (100 mg/kg body weight). The study duration was 60 d. Serum and tissue lipid profile, atherogenic index, enzymes of lipid metabolism, plasma C-reactive protein levels, serum paraoxonase and arylesterase activities, thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances, gene and protein expression of paraoxonase 1 (PON1), PPARα, ATP-binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1), apoB and apoA1 in the liver were quantified. Total cholesterol, TAG, phospholipid, NEFA, LDL-cholesterol concentrations in the serum and liver, lipogenic enzyme activities, hepatic 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA reductase activity and atherogenic index were significantly increased in HCD-fed rats, but they decreased after treatment with NjRBO. HDL-cholesterol level and lecithin cholesterol acyl transferase activity were increased in the NjRBO-treated group, but decreased in the HCD-fed group. The expression levels of ABCA1, apoA1, PON1 and PPARα were found to be significantly increased in NjRBO-treated group compared with the HCD-fed group; however, the expression level of apoB was found to be higher in HCD-fed group and lower in the NjRBO-treated group. These data suggest that NjRBO possesses an anti-atherogenic property by modulating lipid metabolism and up-regulating genes involved in reverse cholesterol transport and antioxidative defence mechanism through the induction of the gene expressionPON1.
IPA Life Membership
Authors: Keating Patricia A.
Published: March 2015

The International Phonetic Association's by-laws recognize as Life Members those members who have paid membership dues for over 30 years. The awarding of Life Membership is intended to honour the impressive records of service of long-time IPA members, and to acknowledge their contribution in a symbolic and in a practical way.
2014 IPA membership by country
Authors: Keating Patricia A.
Published: March 2015

The following is a list of the countries of the current membership of the Association, based on the Association's records in November 2014. The numbers in parentheses indicate the total number of members per country (Life, Full, and Student combined). There are a total of 370 members from 49 countries. Individual members’ names are no longer published.
Certificate exams 2015
Authors: Keating Patricia A.
Published: March 2015

The IPA certificate exam will be offered in connection with ICPhS in Glasgow, on Sunday 9 August 2015. It will also be offered in London (at UCL) twice, on Wednesday 20 May 2015 and Tuesday 1 September 2015. (All offerings are subject to confirmation, requiring a sufficient number of entrants.)
In Memoriam: Sandro V. Kodzasov (1938–2014)
Authors: Arkhipov Alexandre
Published: March 2015

Sandro Vasilyevich Kodzasov, Professor at M. V. Lomonosov Moscow State University, died on 25 October 2014 in Karlsruhe, Germany, after a serious illness, at the age of 76.
Expression quantitative trait loci (eQTLs) in microRNA genes are enriched for schizophrenia and bipolar disorder association signals
Authors: Williamson V. S. , Mamdani M. , McMichael G. O. , Kim A. H. , Lee D. , Bacanu S. , Vladimirov V. I.
Published: March 2015

Background

Schizophrenia (SZ) and bipolar disorder (BD) have substantial negative impact on the quality of human life. Both, microRNA (miRNA) expression profiling in SZ and BD postmortem brains [and genome-wide association studies (GWAS)] have implicated miRNAs in disease etiology. Here, we aim to determine whether significant GWAS signals observed in the Psychiatric Genetic Consortium (PGC) are enriched for miRNAs.

Method

A two-stage approach was used to determine whether association signals from PGC affect miRNAs: (i) statistical assessment of enrichment using a Simes test and sum of squares test (SST) and (ii) biological evidence that quantitative trait loci (eQTL) mapping to known miRNA genes affect their expression in an independent sample of 78 postmortem brains from the Stanley Medical Research Institute.

Results

A total of 2567 independent single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) (R2 > 0.8) were mapped locally, within 1 Mb, to all known miRNAs (miRBase v. 21). We show robust enrichment for SZ- and BD-related SNPs with miRNAs using Simes (SZ: p ≤ 0.0023, BD: p ≤ 0.038), which remained significant after adjusting for background inflation in SZ (empirical p = 0.018) and approached significance in BD (empirical p = 0.07). At a false discovery rate of 10%, we identified a total of 32 eQTLs to influence miRNA expression; 11 of these overlapped with BD.

Conclusions

Our approach of integrating PGC findings with eQTL results can be used to generate specific hypotheses regarding the role of miRNAs in SZ and BD.
REVEALING AND ACKNOWLEDGING VALUE JUDGMENTS IN HEALTH TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT
Authors: Hofmann Bjørn , Cleemput Irina , Bond Kenneth , Krones Tanja , Droste Sigrid , Sacchini Dario , Oortwijn Wija
Published: March 2015

Background:Although value issues are increasingly addressed in health technology assessment (HTA) reports, HTA is still seen as a scientific endeavor and sometimes contrasted with value judgments, which are considered arbitrary and unscientific. This article aims at illustrating how numerous value judgments are at play in the HTA process, and why it is important to acknowledge and address value judgments.

Methods:A panel of experts involved in HTA, including ethicists, scrutinized the HTA process with regard to implicit value judgments. It was analyzed whether these value judgments undermine the accountability of HTA results. The final results were obtained after several rounds of deliberation.

Results:Value judgments are identified before the assessment when identifying and selecting health technologies to assess, and as part of assessment. They are at play in the processes of deciding on how to select, frame, present, summarize or synthesize information in systematic reviews. Also, in economic analysis, value judgments are ubiquitous. Addressing the ethical, legal, and social issues of a given health technology involves moral, legal, and social value judgments by definition. So do the appraisal and the decision-making process.

Conclusions:HTA by and large is a process of value judgments. However, the preponderance of value judgments does not render HTA biased or flawed. On the contrary they are basic elements of the HTA process. Acknowledging and explicitly addressing value judgments may improve the accountability of HTA.
EARLY DIALOGUE WITH HEALTH TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT BODIES: A EUROPEAN PERSPECTIVE
Authors: Cuche Matthieu , Beckerman Rachel , Chowdhury Cyrus A. , van Weelden Marije A.
Published: March 2015

Introduction: Evidence requirements may differ across HTA bodies, and so pharmaceutical companies must plan to synergize their evidence generation strategy, across global regulatory and HTA bodies. Until recently, companies had no official platform to discuss the clinical development of a drug with HTA bodies; however, this is changing.

Objectives: To achieve broad usage in the EU, products must achieve both regulatory and reimbursement approval, the latter of which is based on HTA appraisal in many markets. The objective of this study is to present and evaluate the different options available for early HTA consultation (during drug development/Phase III) in the major European markets from the industry perspective.

Methods: An exploratory (nonsystematic) literature review was performed to identify the European markets offering early HTA consultations, and each process was analyzed using a set of predefined metrics that are relevant to industry (the ability to consult with the regulatory body in parallel, consultation fees, length of consultation meeting, language of consultation meeting, maximum number of pharmaceutical company employees attending, procedural timelines, nature of data for which consultative advice can be sought, the output of the process, and the ability to involve external experts).

Results: Four different types of early HTA consultation processes were identified across the major European HTA markets. The nature of these processes varied in terms of the types and number of questions that can be addressed, the length of the meeting, the reporting output, and the ability to involve external experts.

Conclusions: The availability of various options for early HTA consultation may help to avoid a mismatch between the evidence generated by means of a product's clinical development program, and the evidence expected by HTA bodies and payers, which can facilitate the pricing and reimbursement process upon a product's market authorization.
BELGIAN GUIDELINES FOR ECONOMIC EVALUATIONS: SECOND EDITION
Authors: Thiry Nancy , Neyt Mattias , Van De Sande Stefaan , Cleemput Irina
Published: March 2015

Objectives:The aim of this study was to present the updated methodological guidelines for economic evaluations of healthcare interventions (drugs, medical devices, and other interventions) in Belgium.

Methods:The update of the guidelines was performed by three Belgian health economists following feedback from users of the former guidelines and personal experience. The updated guidelines were discussed with a multidisciplinary team consisting of other health economists, assessors of reimbursement request files, representatives of Belgian databases and representatives of the drugs and medical devices industry. The final document was validated by three external validators that were not involved in the previous discussions.

Results:The guidelines give methodological guidance for the following components of an economic evaluation: literature review, perspective of the evaluation, definition of the target population, choice of the comparator, analytic technique and study design, calculation of costs, valuation of outcomes, definition of the time horizon, modeling, handling uncertainty and discounting. We present a reference case that can be considered as the minimal requirement for Belgian economic evaluations of health interventions.

Conclusions:These guidelines will improve the methodological quality, transparency and uniformity of the economic evaluations performed in Belgium. The guidelines will also provide support to the researchers and assessors performing or evaluating economic evaluations.
ADAPTIVE ESTIMATION OF FUNCTIONALS IN NONPARAMETRIC INSTRUMENTAL REGRESSION
Authors: Breunig Christoph , Johannes Jan
Published: March 2015

We consider the problem of estimating the valueℓ(ϕ) of a linear functional, where the structural functionϕmodels a nonparametric relationship in presence of instrumental variables. We propose a plug-in estimator which is based on a dimension reduction technique and additional thresholding. It is shown that this estimator is consistent and can attain the minimax optimal rate of convergence under additional regularity conditions. This, however, requires an optimal choice of the dimension parametermdepending on certain characteristics of the structural functionϕand the joint distribution of the regressor and the instrument, which are unknown in practice. We propose a fully data driven choice ofmwhich combines model selection and Lepski’s method. We show that the adaptive estimator attains the optimal rate of convergence up to a logarithmic factor. The theory in this paper is illustrated by considering classical smoothness assumptions and we discuss examples such as pointwise estimation or estimation of averages of the structural functionϕ.
Evaluation of coaxial cable performance under thermal gradients
Authors: Colangeli Sergio , Cleriti Riccardo , Ciccognani Walter , Limiti Ernesto
Published: March 2015

This paper presents a very flexible tool for numerically evaluating the small-signal and noise parameters of a transmission line subject to an arbitrary thermal gradient. Contrary to previous methods, the proposed approach allows straightforwardly taking into account possible variations of electrical parameters along the propagation direction, such as may be expected when temperature ranges between very different values. The main application of the proposed method is cable modeling in noise-figure measurement setups under cryogenic operation: in such circumstances, indeed, the coaxial cables (or waveguide) at the interface between the outside and the inside of the cryogenic chamber are subject to remarkable temperature excursions. As a consequence, significant de-embedding errors may arise if the cables are not correctly modeled, given the very low values of noise figure which are commonly exhibited by cryo-cooled active devices.
Rasch Modeling and Confirmatory Factor Analysis of the Systemizing Quotient-Revised (SQ-R) Scale
Authors: Allison Carrie , Baron-Cohen Simon , Stone Mark H , Muncer Steven J
Published: March 2015

This study assessed the dimensionality of the Systemizing Quotient-Revised (SQ-R), a measure of how strong a person's interest is in systems, using two statistical approaches: Rasch modeling and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA). Participants included N = 675 with an autism spectrum condition (ASC), N = 1369 family members of people with ASC, and N = 2014 typical controls. Data were applied to the Rasch model (Rating Scale) using WINSTEPS. The data fit the Rasch model quite well lending support to the idea that systemizing could be seen as unidimensional. Reliability estimates were .99 for items and .92 for persons. A CFA parceling approach confirmed that a unidimensional model fit the data. There was, however, differential functioning by sex in some of these items. An abbreviated 44-item version of the scale, consisting of items without differential item functioning by sex was developed. This shorter scale also was tested from a Rasch perspective and confirmed through CFA. All measures showed differences on total scale scores between those participants with and without ASC (d = 0.71, p < .005), and between sexes (d = 0.53, p < .005). We conclude that the SQ-R is an appropriate measure of systemizing which can be measured along a single dimension.
Salivary α-Amylase Reactivity to Laboratory Social Stress With and Without Acute Sleep Restriction
Authors: O’Leary Éanna D. , Howard Siobhán , Hughes Brian M. , James Jack E.
Published: March 2015

A growing literature suggests that salivary α-amylase (sAA) may serve as a minimally invasive marker of psychophysiological stress-induced activity of the sympathetic-adrenal-medullary system (SAM). Previous inconsistencies in the experimental literature relating sAA response to short sleep duration may be as a result of poor reliability of self-reported sleep time, suggesting that further examination of sAA response following verified sleep loss is required. With regard to the potential usefulness of sAA as a biomarker of psychosocial stress in the laboratory, previous research has also relied primarily on traditional psychosocial stress protocols, including physically present evaluative observers. The present study aimed to examine sAA response following a period of verified acute sleep restriction compared to a rested condition, in addition to examining the sensitivity of sAA response to a laboratory stress protocol that exposed participants to negative social evaluation presented by video relay. One hundred and eight healthy young adults (age 17–22 years; M = 18.39 years, SD = 0.87) completed a laboratory social stress task and provided saliva samples pre- and post-stressor presentation, after a night of partial sleep restriction or a full night’s rest. Marked increases in sAA activity to the video-relayed stressor were observed in both rested and sleep restricted groups. Further, sleep restricted participants exhibited significantly increased basal levels of sAA activity. The data corroborate previous limited data indicating a general upregulation of sAA activity following poor sleep and support previous findings concerning the efficacy of an experimental paradigm that presents laboratory social stress by means of video recording.
Does Rare Error Count in Impulsivity?
Authors: Takács Ádám , Kóbor Andrea , Honbolygó Ferenc , Csépe Valéria
Published: March 2015

High impulsive individuals have problems with self-monitoring and learning from their mistakes. The aim of this study was to investigate whether error processing is impaired in high trait impulsivity, and how it is modulated by the task difficulty. Adults were classified as high (n = 10) and low (n = 10) impulsive participants based on the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale, and they participated in a modified flanker task. The flanker trials had three levels of task difficulty manipulated by visual degradation of the stimuli. We measured RTs and ERP components (Ne, Pe) related to erroneous responses. Low impulsive participants responded significantly faster than high impulsive participants. The two groups did not differ in accuracy. The Ne amplitude was smaller in high than in low impulsivity in case of medium and high difficulty levels, but not at low difficulty level. However, the groups did not differ either in the amplitude or in the latency of Pe. We suggest that trait impulsivity is characterized by impaired error detection.
Decision-Making Under Uncertainty and Demand for Health Insurance
Authors: Ottaviani Cristina , Vandone Daniela
Published: March 2015

This study empirically estimated the role played by attitudes toward risk in insurance decision-making. Four hundred forty-five participants underwent the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT) coupled with skin conductance recording and demographic/socio-economic questionnaires. The multiple regression model showed a higher probability of holding health insurance for people who are more risk seeking (bad performance at the IGT) but are adaptively able to feel the risk (normal anticipatory skin conductance responses to disadvantageous decks). The role played by traditional socio-economic explanatory variables (age and work status) was confirmed. Results are discussed in light of the need for interdisciplinary research.
Strain-induced metal–semiconductor transition observed in atomic carbon chains
Authors: La Torre A. , Botello-Mendez A. , Baaziz W. , Charlier J. -C. , Banhart F.
Published: March 2015

Carbyne, the sp1-hybridized phase of carbon, is still a missing link in the family of carbon allotropes. While the bulk phases of carbyne remain elusive, the elementary constituents, that is, linear chains of carbon atoms, have already been observed using the electron microscope. Isolated atomic chains are highly interesting one-dimensional conductors that have stimulated considerable theoretical work. Experimental information, however, is still very limited. Here we show electrical measurements and first-principles transport calculations on monoatomic carbon chains. When the 1D system is under strain, the chains are semiconducting corresponding to the polyyne structure with alternating bond lengths. Conversely, when the chain is unstrained, the ohmic behaviour of metallic cumulene with uniform bond lengths is observed. This confirms the recent prediction of a metal–insulator transition that is induced by strain. The key role of the contacting leads explains the rectifying behaviour measured in monoatomic carbon chains in a nonsymmetric contact configuration.
Conservation of writhe helicity under anti-parallel reconnection
Authors: Laing Christian E. , Ricca Renzo L. , Sumners De Witt L.
Published: March 2015

Reconnection is a fundamental event in many areas of science, from the interaction of vortices in classical and quantum fluids and magnetic flux tubes in magnetohydrodynamics and plasma physics, to the recombination in polymer physics and DNA biology. By using fundamental results in topological fluid mechanics, the helicity of a flux tube can be calculated in terms of writhe and twist contributions. Here we show that the writhe is conserved under anti-parallel reconnection. Hence, for a pair of interacting flux tubes of equal flux, if the twist of the reconnected tube is the sum of the original twists of the interacting tubes, then helicity is conserved during reconnection. Thus, any deviation from helicity conservation is entirely due to the intrinsic twist inserted or deleted locally at the reconnection site. This result has important implications for helicity and energy considerations in various physical contexts.
Identification of proteins responsible for adriamycin resistance in breast cancer cells using proteomics analysis
Authors: Wang Zhipeng , Liang Shuang , Lian Xin , Liu Lei , Zhao Shu , Xuan Qijia , Guo Li , Liu Hang , Yang Yuguang , Dong Tieying , Liu Yanchen , Liu Zhaoliang , Zhang Qingyuan
Published: March 2015

Chemoresistance is a poor prognostic factor in breast cancer and is a major obstacle to the successful treatment of patients receiving chemotherapy. However, the precise mechanism of resistance remains unclear. In this study, a pair of breast cancer cell lines, MCF-7 and its adriamycin-resistant counterpart MCF-7/ADR was used to examine resistance-dependent cellular responses and to identify potential therapeutic targets. We applied nanoflow liquid chromatography (nLC) and tandem mass tags (TmT) quantitative mass spectrometry to distinguish the differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) between the two cell lines. Bioinformatics analyses were used to identify functionally active proteins and networks. 80 DEPs were identified with either up- or down-regulation. Basing on the human protein-protein interactions (PPI), we have retrieved the associated functional interaction networks for the DEPs and analyzed the biological functions. Six different signaling pathways and most of the DEPs strongly linked to chemoresistance, invasion, metastasis development, proliferation and apoptosis. The identified proteins in biological networks served to resistant drug and to select critical candidates for validation analyses by western blot. The glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD), gamma-glutamyl cyclotransferase (GGCT), isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 (NADP+,soluble)(IDH1), isocitrate dehydrogenase 2 (NADP+,mitochondrial) (IDH2) and glutathione S-transferase pi 1(GSTP1), five of the critical components of GSH pathway, contribute to chemoresistance.
Lactobacillus rhamnosus lowers zebrafish lipid content by changing gut microbiota and host transcription of genes involved in lipid metabolism
Authors: Falcinelli Silvia , Picchietti Simona , Rodiles Ana , Cossignani Lina , Merrifield Daniel L. , Taddei Anna Rita , Maradonna Francesca , Olivotto Ike , Gioacchini Giorgia , Carnevali Oliana
Published: March 2015

The microbiome plays an important role in lipid metabolism but how the introduction of probiotic communities affects host lipid metabolism is poorly understood. Using a multidisciplinary approach we addressed this knowledge gap using the zebrafish model by coupling high-throughput sequencing with biochemical, molecular and morphological analysis to evaluate the changes in the intestine. Analysis of bacterial 16S libraries revealed thatLactobacillus rhamnosuswas able to modulate the gut microbiome of zebrafish larvae, elevating the abundance of Firmicutes sequences and reducing the abundance of Actinobacteria. The gut microbiome changes modulated host lipid processing by inducing transcriptional down-regulation of genes involved in cholesterol and triglycerides metabolism (fit2, agpat4, dgat2, mgll,hnf4α, scapandcck) concomitantly decreasing total body cholesterol and triglyceride content and increasing fatty acid levels.L. rhamnosustreatment also increased microvilli and enterocyte lengths and decreased lipid droplet size in the intestinal epithelium. These changes resulted in elevated zebrafish larval growth. This integrated system investigation demonstrates probiotic modulation of the gut microbiome, highlights a novel gene network involved in lipid metabolism, provides an insight into how the microbiome regulates molecules involved in lipid metabolism and reveals a new potential role forL. rhamnosusin the treatment of lipid disorders.
Phylogenomic analysis uncovers the evolutionary history of nutrition and infection mode in rice blast fungus and other Magnaporthales
Authors: Luo Jing , Qiu Huan , Cai Guohong , Wagner Nicole E. , Bhattacharya Debashish , Zhang Ning
Published: March 2015

The order Magnaporthales (Ascomycota, Fungi) includes devastating pathogens of cereals, such as the rice blast fungus Pyricularia (Magnaporthe) oryzae, which is a model in host-pathogen interaction studies. Magnaporthales also includes saprotrophic species associated with grass roots and submerged wood. Despite its scientific and economic importance, the phylogenetic position of Magnaporthales within Sordariomycetes and the interrelationships of its constituent taxa, remain controversial. In this study, we generated novel transcriptome data from 21 taxa that represent key Magnaporthales lineages of different infection and nutrition modes and phenotypes. Phylogenomic analysis of >200 conserved genes allowed the reconstruction of a robust Sordariomycetes tree of life that placed the monophyletic group of Magnaporthales sister to Ophiostomatales. Among Magnaporthales, three major clades were recognized: 1) an early diverging clade A comprised of saprotrophs associated with submerged woods; 2) clade B that includes the rice blast fungus and other pathogens that cause blast diseases of monocot plants. These species infect the above-ground tissues of host plants using the penetration structure, appressorium; and 3) clade C comprised primarily of root-associated species that penetrate the root tissue with hyphopodia. The well-supported phylogenies provide a robust framework for elucidating evolution of pathogenesis, nutrition modes and phenotypic characters in Magnaporthales.
Association of Body Mass Index with Chromosome Damage Levels and Lung Cancer Risk among Males
Authors: Li Xiaoliang , Bai Yansen , Wang Suhan , Nyamathira Samuel Mwangi , Zhang Xiao , Zhang Wangzhen , Wang Tian , Deng Qifei , He Meian , Zhang Xiaomin , Wu Tangchun , Guo Huan
Published: March 2015

Epidemiological studies have shown an etiological link between body mass index (BMI) and cancer risk, but evidence supporting these observations is limited. This study aimed to investigate potential associations of BMI with chromosome damage levels and lung cancer risk. First, we recruited 1333 male workers from a coke-oven plant to examine their chromosome damage levels; and then, a cohort study of 12 052 males was used to investigate the association of BMI with lung cancer incidence. We further carried out a meta-analysis for BMI and male lung cancer risk based on cohort studies. We found that men workers with excess body weight (BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2) had lower levels of MN frequencies than men with normal-weight (BMI: 18.5–24.9). Our cohort study indicated that, the relative risk (RR) for men with BMI ≥ 25 to develop lung cancer was 35% lower than RR for normal-weight men. Further meta-analysis showed that, compared to normal-weight men, men with BMI ≥ 25 had decreased risk of lung cancer among both the East-Asians and others populations. These results indicate that men with excess body weight had significant decreased chromosome damage levels and lower risk of lung cancer than those with normal-weight. However, further biological researches were needed to validate these associations.
Metastability in lipid based particles exhibits temporally deterministic and controllable behavior
Authors: Jacoby Guy , Cohen Keren , Barkan Kobi , Talmon Yeshayahu , Peer Dan , Beck Roy
Published: March 2015

The metastable-to-stable phase-transition is commonly observed in many fields of science, as an uncontrolled independent process, highly sensitive to microscopic fluctuations. In particular, self-assembled lipid suspensions exhibit phase-transitions, where the underlying driving mechanisms and dynamics are not well understood. Here we describe a study of the phase-transition dynamics of lipid-based particles, consisting of mixtures of dilauroylphosphatidylethanolamine (DLPE) and dilauroylphosphatidylglycerol (DLPG), exhibiting a metastable liquid crystalline-to-stable crystalline phase transition upon cooling from 60°C to 37°C. Surprisingly, unlike classically described metastable-to-stable phase transitions, the manner in which recrystallization is delayed by tens of hours is robust, predetermined and controllable. Our results show that the delay time can be manipulated by changing lipid stoichiometry, changing solvent salinity, adding an ionophore, or performing consecutive phase-transitions. Moreover, the delay time distribution indicates a deterministic nature. We suggest that the non-stochastic physical mechanism responsible for the delayed recrystallization involves several rate-affecting processes, resulting in a controllable, non-independent metastability. A qualitative model is proposed to describe the structural reorganization during the phase transition.
The importance of sensory integration processes for action cascading
Authors: Gohil Krutika , Stock Ann-Kathrin , Beste Christian
Published: March 2015

Dual tasking or action cascading is essential in everyday life and often investigated using tasks presenting stimuli in different sensory modalities. Findings obtained with multimodal tasks are often broadly generalized, but until today, it has remained unclear whether multimodal integration affects performance in action cascading or the underlying neurophysiology. To bridge this gap, we asked healthy young adults to complete a stop-change paradigm which presented different stimuli in either one or two modalities while recording behavioral and neurophysiological data. Bimodal stimulus presentation prolonged response times and affected bottom-up and top-down guided attentional processes as reflected by the P1 and N1, respectively. However, the most important effect was the modulation of response selection processes reflected by the P3 suggesting that a potentially different way of forming task goals operates during action cascading in bimodal vs. unimodal tasks. When two modalities are involved, separate task goals need to be formed while a conjoint task goal may be generated when all stimuli are presented in the same modality. On a systems level, these processes seem to be related to the modulation of activity in fronto-polar regions (BA10) as well as Broca's area (BA44).
Spatial training preserves associative memory capacity with augmentation of dendrite ramification and spine generation in Tg2576 mice
Authors: Jiang Xia , Chai Gao-Shang , Wang Zhi-Hao , Hu Yu , Li Xiao-Guang , Ma Zhi-Wei , Wang Qun , Wang Jian-Zhi , Liu Gong-Ping
Published: March 2015

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common neurodegenerative disorder and there is currently no efficient cure for this devastating disease. Cognitive stimulation can delay memory loss during aging and in patients with mild cognitive impairment. In 3 × Tg-AD mice, training decreased the neuropathologies with transient amelioration of memory decline. However, the neurobiological mechanisms underlying the learning-improved memory capacity are poorly understood. Here, we found in Tg2576 mice spatial training in Morris water maze (MWM) remarkably improved the subsequent associative memory acquisition detected by contextual fear conditioning. We also found that spatial training enhanced long term potentiation, dendrite ramification and spine generation in hippocampal dentate gyrus (DG) and CA1 neurons at 24 h after the training. In the molecular level, the MWM training remarkably activated calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) with elevation of glutamate AMPA receptor GluA1 subunit (GluA1), postsynaptic density protein 93 (PSD93) and postsynaptic density protein 95 (PSD95) in the hippocampus. Finally, the training also significantly ameliorated AD-like tau and amyloid pathologies. We conclude that spatial training in MWM preserves associative memory capacity in Tg2576 mice and the mechanisms involve augmentation of dendrite ramification and spine generation in hippocampus.
Novel Role of Mitochondrial Manganese Superoxide Dismutase in STAT3 Dependent Pluripotency of Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells
Authors: Sheshadri Preethi , Ashwini Ashwathnarayan , Jahnavi Sowmya , Bhonde Ramesh , Prasanna Jyothi , Kumar Anujith
Published: March 2015

Leukemia Inhibitory Factor (LIF)/Signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) signaling pathway maintains the stemness and pluripotency of mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs). Detailed knowledge on key intermediates in this pathway as well as any parallel pathways is largely missing. We initiated our study by investigating the effect of small molecule Curcumin on various signalling pathways essential for self-renewal. Curcumin sustained the LIF independent self-renewal of mESCs and induced pluripotent stem cells (miPSCs) in a STAT3 activity dependent manner. Gene expression analysis showed LIF/STAT3 and redox signaling components to be majorly modulated. Amongst ROS genes, expression of Manganese Superoxide Dismutase (MnSOD) specifically relied on STAT3 signaling as evidenced by STAT3 inhibition and reporter assay. The silencing of MnSOD, but not Cu-ZnSOD expression, resulted in the loss of mESC pluripotency in presence of LIF and the overexpression of MnSOD is sufficient for maintaining the expression of pluripotent genes in the absence of STAT3 signaling. Finally, we demonstrate MnSOD to stabilize the turnover of pluripotent proteins at the post-translational level by modulating proteasomal activity. In conclusion, our findings unravel a novel role of STAT3 mediated MnSOD in the self-renewal of mESCs.
Efficient co-delivery of a Pt(iv) prodrug and a p53 activator to enhance the anticancer activity of cisplatin
Authors: Ma Rong , Wang Yiping , Yan Li , Ma Lili , Wang Zhigang , Chan Hoi Ching , Chiu Sung-Kay , Chen Xianfeng , Zhu Guangyu
Published: March 2015

Co-delivery of a Pt(iv) prodrug and a p53 activator using layered double hydroxide (LDH) nanoparticles results in a significantly improved cell-killing effect.
Synthesis and characterization of a quaternary nanocomposite based on TiO2/CdS/rGO/Pt and its application in the photoreduction of CO2 to methane under visible light
Authors: Benedetti J. E. , Bernardo D. R. , Morais A. , Bettini Jefferson , Nogueira A. F.
Published: March 2015

”Together we are stronger”: For the first time, TiO2/CdS/rGO/Pt nanocomposite was used as a catalyst for the photocatalytic reduction of CO2 to CH4.
An electrospun micro/nanofibrous mesh based nontoxic sensor for optical detection of high humidity
Authors: Wang Tianyu , Fu Hongxia , Duan Xinrui , Li Zhengping
Published: March 2015

Optical transition of a polyethylene oxide electrospun micro/nanofibrous mesh from opaque to transparent for low toxicity and irreversible humidity monitoring.
Determination of very low amounts of free copper and nickel ions in beverages and water samples using cloud point extraction assisted by silver nanoparticles
Authors: López-García Ignacio , Vicente-Martínez Yesica , Hernández-Córdoba Manuel
Published: March 2015

Silver nanoparticles act as carriers in the transfer of copper and nickel ions to the surfactant-rich phase obtained in a CPE process.
pH-Sensitive gold nanoclusters: preparation and analytical applications for urea, urease, and urease inhibitor detection
Authors: Deng Hao-Hua , Wu Gang-Wei , Zou Zhi-Qiang , Peng Hua-Ping , Liu Ai-Lin , Lin Xin-Hua , Xia Xing-Hua , Chen Wei
Published: March 2015

The urease-catalyzed hydrolysis of urea releases ammonia and carbon dioxide as products. The pH value increases as the urea degradation occurs, as a result, quenching the fluorescence of NAC-AuNCs.
Designing ligand-enhanced optical absorption of thiolated gold nanoclusters
Authors: Sementa L. , Barcaro G. , Dass A. , Stener M. , Fortunelli A.
Published: March 2015

By appropriately selecting the ligands, optical excitations of nanocrystal molecules can be amplified and delocalized over the whole compound.
The reactivity of stoichiometric tungsten oxide clusters towards carbon monoxide: the effects of cluster sizes and charge states
Authors: Lin Shu-Juan , Cheng Jing , Zhang Chang-Fu , Wang Bin , Zhang Yong-Fan , Huang Xin
Published: March 2015

DFT calculations were carried out to study the reaction mechanism for tungsten oxide clusters with CO.
Effect of the Y : B ratio on phase purity and development of thermally stable nano-sized Eu+3-doped YBO3 red phosphor using sodium borohydride
Authors: Srivastava Shubham , Behera Shantanu K. , Nayak Bibhuti B.
Published: March 2015

A borohydride derived thermally stable nano-sized Eu3+-doped YBO3 red phosphor is described.
User-friendly 3D bioassays with cell-containing hydrogel modules: narrowing the gap between microfluidic bioassays and clinical end-users' needs
Authors: Lee Do-Hyun , Bae Chae Yun , Kwon Seyong , Park Je-Kyun
Published: March 2015

This frontier article reviews recent progress in the development and application of user-friendly 3D bioassay techniques combined with cell-containing hydrogel modules.