bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The impact of an invasive ambrosia beetle on the riparian habitats of the Tijuana River Valley, California
Authors: Boland John M.
Published: June 2016

The Tijuana River Valley is the first natural habitat in California to be substantially invaded by the Kuroshio Shot Hole Borer (KSHB,Euwallaceasp.), an ambrosia beetle native to Southeast Asia. This paper documents the distribution of the KSHB in the riparian vegetation in the valley and assesses the damage done to the vegetation as of early 2016, approximately six months after the beetle was first observed in the valley. I divided the riparian habitats into 29 survey units so that the vegetation within each unit was relatively homogenous in terms of plant species composition, age and density. From a random point within each unit, I examined approximately 60 individuals of the dominant plant species for evidence of KSHB infestation and evidence of major damage such as limb breakage. In the 22 forested units,I examined the dominant arroyo and black willows (Salix lasiolepisBenth. andS. gooddingiiC.R. Ball), and in the seven scrub units, I examined mule fat (Baccharis salicifolia(Ruiz & Pav.) Pers.). Evidence of KSHB infestation was found in 25 of the 29 units. In the forest units, infestation rates ranged from 0 to 100% and were high (>60%) in 16 of the units. In the scrub units, infestation rates ranged from 0 to 33%. Infestation rates were significantly correlated with the wetness of a unit; wetter units had higher infestation rates. Evidence of major physical damage was found in 24 units, and dense stands of willows were reduced to broken trunks in several areas. Overall, I estimated that more than 280,000 (70%) of the willows in the valley were infested, and more than 140,000 had suffered major limb damage. In addition, I recorded evidence of KSHB infestation in the other common plant species in the valley; of the 23 species examined, 14 showed evidence of beetle attack. The four species with the highest rates of infestation were native trees in the Salicaceae family. The three species considered to be the worst invasive plants in the valley,Ricinus communisL., Tamarix ramosissimaLedeb. andArundo donaxL., had low rates of infestation. Several findings from this study have significance for resource managers: (1) the KSHB attack caused extensive mortality of trees soon after being first discovered so, if managers are to control the spread of the beetle, they will need to develop an effective early detection and rapid response program; (2) infestation rates were highest in units that were wet, so resource managers trying to detect the beetle in other areas should thoroughly search trees near water, particularly nutrient-enriched water; (3) the infestation appears to be a novel form of disturbance, and the affected forests may need special management actions in order to recover; and (4) the infestation has altered the structure of the forest canopy, and this is likely to promote the growth of invasive plant species that were relatively inconspicuous in the forests prior to the beetle attack but will now need more attention.
Diversity ofFusariumspecies isolated from UK forage maize and the population structure ofF. graminearumfrom maize and wheat
Authors: Basler Ryan
Published: June 2016

Pre-harvest contamination of forage maize by mycotoxin producingFusariumspecies was investigated in the UK in 2011 and 2012. A total of 15Fusariumspecies were identified from a collection of 1,761Fusariumisolates recovered from maize stalks and kernels. This study characterized the diversity ofFusariumspecies present in forage maize in the UK. The predominant species detected wereF. graminearum(32.9%) andF. culmorum(34.1%). Along with those species;F. avenacem, F. cerealis, F. equiseti, F. langsethiae, F. napiforme, F. oxysporum, F. poae, F. proliferatum, F. scripi, F. solani, F. subglutinans, F. tricinctumand,F. verticillioideswere occasionally isolated. The trichothecene genotypes forF. graminearumwere determined to be 84.9% deoxynivalenol (DON) and 15.0% nivalenol (NIV) whileF. culmorumisolates were determined to have 24.9% DON and 75.1% NIV genotypes. A Bayesian model-based clustering method with nine variable number of tandem repeat markers was used to evaluate the population genetic structure of 277F. graminearumisolates from the maize and wheat in the UK. There were three genetic clusters detected which were DON in maize, NIV in maize and DON in wheat. There were high admixture probabilities for 14.1% of the isolates in the populations. In conclusion, increased maize production in the UK and the high admixture rates in a significant portion ofF. graminearumpopulations in maize and wheat will contribute to a new pathogen population which will further complicate breeding strategies for tolerance or resistance to this pathogen in both crops.
Interrater reliability of quantitative ultrasound using force feedback among examiners with varied levels of experience
Authors: Harris-Love Michael O. , Ismail Catheeja , Monfaredi Reza , Hernandez Haniel J. , Pennington Donte , Woletz Paula , McIntosh Valerie , Adams Bernadette , Blackman Marc R.
Published: June 2016

Background.Quantitative ultrasound measures are influenced by multiple external factors including examiner scanning force. Force feedback may foster the acquisition of reliable morphometry measures under a variety of scanning conditions. The purpose of this study was to determine the reliability of force-feedback image acquisition and morphometry over a range of examiner-generated forces using a muscle tissue-mimicking ultrasound phantom.

Methods.Sixty material thickness measures were acquired from a muscle tissue mimicking phantom using B-mode ultrasound scanning by six examiners with varied experience levels (i.e., experienced, intermediate, and novice). Estimates of interrater reliability and measurement error with force feedback scanning were determined for the examiners. In addition, criterion-based reliability was determined using material deformation values across a range of examiner scanning forces (1–10 Newtons) via automated and manually acquired image capture methods using force feedback.

Results.All examiners demonstrated acceptable interrater reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient, ICC = .98,p< .001) for material thickness measures obtained using force feedback. Individual examiners exhibited acceptable reliability with the criterion-based reference measures (ICC > .90,p< .001), independent of their level of experience. The measurement error among all examiners was 1.5%–2.9% across all applied stress conditions.

Conclusion.Manual image capture with force feedback may aid the reliability of morphometry measures across a range of examiner scanning forces, and allow for consistent performance among examiners with differing levels of experience.
First records ofCanis dirusandSmilodon fatalisfrom the late Pleistocene Tule Springs local fauna, upper Las Vegas Wash, Nevada
Authors: Scott Eric , Springer Kathleen B.
Published: June 2016

Late Pleistocene groundwater discharge deposits (paleowetlands) in the upper Las Vegas Wash north of Las Vegas, Nevada, have yielded an abundant and diverse vertebrate fossil assemblage, the Tule Springs local fauna (TSLF). The TSLF is the largest open-site vertebrate fossil assemblage dating to the Rancholabrean North American Land Mammal Age in the southern Great Basin and Mojave Desert. Over 600 discrete body fossil localities have been recorded from the wash, including an area that now encompasses Tule Springs Fossil Beds National Monument (TUSK). Paleowetland sediments exposed in TUSK named the Las Vegas Formation span the last 250 ka, with fossiliferous sediments spanning ∼100–13 ka. The recovered fauna is dominated by remains ofCamelopsandMammuthus, and also includes relatively common remains of extinctEquusandBisonas well as abundant vertebrate microfaunal fossils. Large carnivorans are rare, with onlyPuma concolorandPanthera atroxdocumented previously. Postcranial remains assigned to the speciesCanis dirus(dire wolf) andSmilodon fatalis(sabre-toothed cat) represent the first confirmed records of these species from the TSLF, as well as the first documentation ofCanis dirusin Nevada and the only known occurrence ofSmilodonin southern Nevada. The size of the recovered canid fossil precludes assignment to other Pleistocene species ofCanis. The morphology of the felid elements differentiates them from other large predators such asPanthera,Homotherium, andXenosmilus, and the size of the fossils prevents assignment to other species ofSmilodon. The confirmed presence ofS. fatalisin the TSLF is of particular interest, indicating that this species inhabited open habitats. In turn, this suggests that the presumed preference ofS. fatalisfor closed-habitat environments hunting requires further elucidation.
Applications of detrital geochronology and thermochronology from glacial deposits to the Paleozoic and Mesozoic thermal history of the Ross Embayment, Antarctica
Authors: Welke Bethany , Licht Kathy , Hennessy Andrea , Hemming Sidney , Pierce Davis Elizabeth , Kassab Christine
Published: June 2016

Till from moraines at the heads of six major outlet glaciers in the Transantarctic Mountains (TAM) and from till beneath three West Antarctic ice streams have a ubiquitous zircon U‐Pb age population spanning the time of the Ross/Pan‐African Orogenies (610–475 Ma). Geochronology and thermochronology of detrital minerals in these Antarctic glacial tills reveal two different thermal histories for the central and southern TAM. Double‐dating of the zircons reveals a geographically widespread (U‐Th)/He (ZHe) population of 180–130 Ma in most of the till samples. Sandstone outcrops at Shackleton Glacier, and three Beacon Supergroup sandstone clasts from three moraines, have ZHe ages that fall entirely within this range. The similar population and proximity of many of the till samples to Beacon outcrops lead us to suggest that this extensive ZHe population in the tills is derived from Beacon Supergroup rocks and reflects the thermal response of the Beacon Basin to the breakup of Gondwana. A second population of older (>200 Ma) ZHe ages in tills at the head of Byrd, Nimrod, and Reedy Glaciers. For the tills at the head of the Nimrod and Byrd Glaciers, integrating the double‐dated zircon results with 40Ar/39Ar of hornblende, muscovite and biotite, and U‐Pb and (U‐Th‐Sm)/He double‐dates on apatite yields a typical pattern of early rapid orogenic cooling (∼4–10°C/Myr) 590–475 Ma after the emplacement of the Granite Harbour Intrusives. Low temperature thermochronometers at these sites yield variable but quite old ages (ZHe 480–70 Ma and AHe 200–70 Ma) that require a long history at low temperature.
Bayesian nitrate source apportionment to individual groundwater wells in the Central Valley by use of elemental and isotopic tracers
Authors: Ransom Katherine M. , Grote Mark N. , Deinhart Amanda , Eppich Gary , Kendall Carol , Sanborn Matthew E. , Souders A. Kate , Wimpenny Joshua , Yin Qing‐zhu , Young Megan , Harter Thomas
Published: June 2016

Groundwater quality is a concern in alluvial aquifers that underlie agricultural areas, such as in the San Joaquin Valley of California. Shallow domestic wells (less than 150 m deep) in agricultural areas are often contaminated by nitrate. Agricultural and rural nitrate sources include dairy manure, synthetic fertilizers, and septic waste. Knowledge of the relative proportion that each of these sources contributes to nitrate concentration in individual wells can aid future regulatory and land management decisions. We show that nitrogen and oxygen isotopes of nitrate, boron isotopes, and iodine concentrations are a useful, novel combination of groundwater tracers to differentiate between manure, fertilizers, septic waste, and natural sources of nitrate. Furthermore, in this work, we develop a new Bayesian mixing model in which these isotopic and elemental tracers were used to estimate the probability distribution of the fractional contributions of manure, fertilizers, septic waste, and natural sources to the nitrate concentration found in an individual well. The approach was applied to 56 nitrate‐impacted private domestic wells located in the San Joaquin Valley. Model analysis found that some domestic wells were clearly dominated by the manure source and suggests evidence for majority contributions from either the septic or fertilizer source for other wells. But, predictions of fractional contributions for septic and fertilizer sources were often of similar magnitude, perhaps because modeled uncertainty about the fraction of each was large. For validation of the Bayesian model, fractional estimates were compared to surrounding land use and estimated source contributions were broadly consistent with nearby land use types.
Responses of phytoplankton community to the input of different aerosols in the East China Sea
Authors: Meng X. , Chen Y. , Wang B. , Ma Q. W. , Wang F. J.
Published: June 2016

Atmospheric deposition can affect marine phytoplankton by supplying macronutrients and trace elements. We conducted mesocosm experiments by adding aerosols with different composition (dominated by mineral dust, biomass burning and high Cu, and secondary aerosol, respectively) to the surface seawater of the East China Sea. Chlorophyll a concentrations were found to be the highest and lowest after adding aerosols containing the highest Fe and dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN), respectively. The relative abundance of Haptophyceae increased significantly after adding mineral dust, whereas diatom, Dinophyceae and Cryptophyceae reached the maximum accompanied with the highest DIN. Our results suggest that Fe may be more important than DIN in promoting primary productivity in the sampled seawater. The input of mineral dust and anthropogenic aerosols may result in distinct changes of phytoplankton community structure.
Flare X‐ray photochemistry of the E region ionosphere of Mars
Authors: Haider S. A. , Batista I. S. , Abdu M.A. , Santos A. M. , Shah Siddhi Y. , Thirupathaiah P.
Published: June 2016

Based on electron density profiles obtained from the Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) we report X‐ray flare responses in the E region ionosphere of Mars during six events that occurred on 28 March and 6 April 2001, 17 and 18 March and 21 April 2003, and 19 February 2005. We have developed a time‐dependent Analytical Yield Spectrum model to calculate a time series of photoionization rate, photoelectron impact ionization rate, photoelectron flux, ion density, electron density, and ionospheric electron content (IEC) of the E region for each flare day. The estimated production rate, flux, and densities increase by 1–2 orders of magnitude due to effect of these flares in the E region ionosphere of Mars. The estimated IEC are compared with the measured IEC. It is found that the normalized IEC of the simulated E layer increased by a factor of 5–10 at the flare time compared to a factor of 2 enhancements in the normalized IEC of the corresponding MGS profiles.
Instability of canopy flows
Authors: Zampogna Giuseppe A. , Pluvinage Franck , Kourta Azeddine , Bottaro Alessandro
Published: June 2016

Honami and monami waves are caused by large‐scale coherent vortex structures which form in shear layers generated by canopies. In order to reach new insights on the onset of such waves, the instability of these shear layers is studied. Two different approaches are used. In the first approach, the presence of the canopy is modeled via a drag coefficient, taken to vary along the canopy as by experimental indications. The second approach considers the canopy as a porous medium and different governing equations for the fluid flow are deduced. In this second case, the anisotropy of the canopy, composed by rigid cylindrical elements, is accounted for via an apparent permeability tensor. The results obtained with the latter approach approximate better experimental correlations for the synchronous oscillations of the canopy.
Miracles, Byzantine
Authors: Rizos Efthymios
Published: June 2016

The belief in miracles, as extraordinary supernatural incidents, was central in Byzantine culture. Miracles were believed to occur in a variety of contexts, including the healing of diseases and disabilities, exorcism of demons, protection from perils, etc. They were closely associated with the cult of saints, and feature centrally in hagiography, liturgy, and art.
Heresy
Authors: Lyman Rebecca
Published: June 2016

In ancient Christianity heresy meant any belief incongruent with orthodoxy, usually characterized as deliberate and demonic perversions of saving and eternal theological truth.
Hairesis
in the larger Greek society as well as in Josephus and the New Testament had indicated only a chosen sect or philosophy, but this neutral term was increasingly used by Christian controversialists to inscribe intolerable differences, regulate community and ideological boundaries, and construct a unifying history of authoritative writings and interpretations. The polemical descriptions and labels eventually created an ideological map of theological error essential to the vocabulary and cognitive shape of orthodoxy. With the adoption of orthodox Christianity as the sole religion of the later Roman Empire in the fourth century, these classifications became part of the legal system with a range of punishments.
Ptolemy Keraunos
Authors: Holton John Russell
Published: June 2016

Ptolemy Keraunos (ca. 319/18–279
bce
), passed over in the Egyptian succession by his father Ptolemy I Soter, independently became king of Macedon and Thrace for a brief period between 281 and 279
bce
. Despite the shortness of his reign, he was closely connected with the major Hellenistic kingdoms and played an important role on the international political stage in the early Hellenistic period.
Sabeans
Authors: Schiettecatte Jérémie
Published: June 2016

The Sabeans were the constituent tribe of the kingdom of Saba’ who settled in central Yemen (eighth century
bce
to the third century
ce
). This kingdom, famous for the queen of Sheba (Saba), established itself as one of the great powers of pre‐Islamic Arabia.
Ferguson, William Scott (1875–1954)
Authors: Kopff E. Christian
Published: June 2016

William Scott Ferguson (1895–1954) used an observation made as a graduate student to develop a sounder chronology of the Athenian democracy, a more satisfactory picture of Hellenistic Athens, and a positive vision of the Hellenistic period. He directed the dissertations of important ancient historians and reformed Harvard's tenure system to maintain its academic position after World War II.
Nestor of Pylos
Authors: Kelder Jorrit M.
Published: June 2016

Nestor, son of Neleus and penultimate king of Pylos, is an important hero of Greek mythology that features in various tales, including the voyage of the Argo, the battle of the Lapiths and Centaurs, the Calydonian hunt, and the Trojan War. Mythical Nestor is associated with the Mycenaean palace of Pylos, the remains of which have been located at the site of Ano Eglianos in Messenia.
Sindos
Authors: Saripanidi Vivi
Published: June 2016

The site to the northwest of Thessalonike, which is identified with ancient Sindos, was inhabited from the Early Bronze Age to the Byzantine period. The richest archaeological layers found at the settlement date from the Late Geometric period, during which Sindos may have functioned as a Euboean trading post. Although later habitation layers are poorly preserved, mortuary evidence suggests that a new phase of prosperity began in the second quarter of the sixth century
bce
, when the site was annexed into the Macedonian kingdom.
Legati
(senatorial ambassadors)
Authors: Gatzke Andrea F.
Published: June 2016

Legati
were Roman officials who served various diplomatic, administrative, and military functions during the Roman Republic, particularly with relation to foreign affairs.
Legati
were generally selected
ad hoc
by either the Senate or the consuls for a specific mission. As unelected officials, legates were not technically magistrates, but they do seem to have held positions of influence. They could serve on commissions of various size, numbering mostly from two to ten men.
Plebs (Middle and Late Republic)
Authors: Yakobson Alexander
Published: June 2016

Having gained important political rights in the Early Republican “Struggle of the Orders,” the Roman plebs exercised them through its voting power in the popular assemblies, and through the office of the tribune of the plebs. The Middle Republic was a period of relative stability, with the common people generally content to accept the Senate's leadership. The Late Republic was a period of social and political upheaval, increasingly violent, when the plebs repeatedly supported “popular” politicians who challenged the Senate, ending in civil war and in the collapse of the Republic.
Leo
IV
, emperor
Authors: Rizos Efthymios
Published: June 2016

Leo IV reigned as Byzantine emperor from 775 to 780. He belonged to the Isaurian dynasty and was known as a moderate iconoclast. During his reign, Byzantium confronted the Arabs in Anatolia and Syria, and had a serious conflict with the papacy in Italy.
Prostitution, Ancient Near East
Authors: Assante Julia A.
Published: June 2016

Prostitution involves sex for pay. Payment was likely by barter, as coinage did not appear until late in the ancient Near East. Despite the innumerable barter‐payment cuneiform records known, none so far concern sexual services. Also absent are laws regulating prostitution. These absences indicate that prostitution was not perceived as a profession. Furthermore, cuneiform languages lack words for “prostitute” or “prostitution.” Hence, prostitution is all but invisible to modern scholars.
Thibilis (Sellaoua Announa)
Authors: Ikherbane Mohand‐Akli
Published: June 2016

The site of ancient Thibilis (Sellaoua Announa, Guelma department, Algeria) is located 25 km from the city of Guelma. Excavations at the site in the nineteenth and early twentieth century exposed the forum, capitolium, temples, market, housing, and churches. The city rose to the status of municipium under the Severans and was the seat of a bishop. Numerous inscriptions were found at the site, including dedications to Roman divinities and local gods.
Paper‐Based Surfaces with Extreme Wettabilities for Novel, Open‐Channel Microfluidic Devices
Authors: Li Chao , Boban Mathew , Snyder Sarah A. , Kobaku Sai P. R. , Kwon Gibum , Mehta Geeta , Tuteja Anish
Published: June 2016

In this work, a facile methodology is discussed, involving fluoro‐silanization followed by oxygen plasma etching, for the fabrication of surfaces with extreme wettabilities, i.e., surfaces that display all four possible combinations of wettabilities with water and different oils: hydrophobic–oleophilic, hydrophilic–oleophobic, omniphobic, and omniphilic. Open‐channel, paper‐based microfluidic devices fabricated using these surfaces with extreme wettabilities allow for the localization, manipulation, and transport of virtually all high‐ and low‐surface tension liquids. This in turn expands the utility of paper‐based microfluidic devices to a range of applications never before considered. These include, as demonstrated here, continuous oil–water separation, liquid–liquid extraction, open‐channel microfluidic emulsification, microparticle fabrication, and precise measurement of mixtures' composition. Finally, the biocompatibility of the developed microfluidic devices and their utility for cell patterning are demonstrated.
Pulsed‐Electromagnetic‐Field‐Assisted Reduced Graphene Oxide Substrates for Multidifferentiation of Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells
Authors: Lim Ki‐Taek , Seonwoo Hoon , Choi Kyung Soon , Jin Hexiu , Jang Kyung‐Je , Kim Jangho , Kim Jin‐Woo , Kim Soo Young , Choung Pill‐Hoon , Chung Jong Hoon
Published: June 2016

Electromagnetic fields (EMFs) can modulate cell proliferation, DNA replication, wound healing, cytokine expression, and the differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). Graphene, a 2D crystal of sp2‐hybridized carbon atoms, has entered the spotlight in cell and tissue engineering research. However, a combination of graphene and EMFs has never been applied in tissue engineering. This study combines reduced graphene oxide (RGO) and pulsed EMFs (PEMFs) on the osteogenesis and neurogenesis of MSCs. First, the chemical properties of RGO are measured. After evaluation, the RGO is adsorbed onto glass, and its morphological and electrical properties are investigated. Next, an in vitro study is conducted using human alveolar bone marrow stem cells (hABMSCs). Their cell viability, cell adhesion, and extracellular matrix (ECM) formation are increased by RGO and PEMFs. The combination of RGO and PEMFs enhances osteogenic differentiation. Together, RGO and PEMFs enhance the neurogenic and adipogenic differentiation of hABMSCs. Moreover, in a DNA microarray analysis, the combination of RGO and PEMFs synergically increases ECM formation, membrane proteins, and metabolism. The combination of RGO and PEMFs is expected to be an efficient platform for stem cell and tissue engineering.
Metal‐Catalyzed Annulations through Activation and Cleavage of C−H Bonds
Authors: Gulías Moisés , Mascareñas José Luis
Published: June 2016

The exponential increase in the number of catalytic transformations that involve a metal‐promoted activation of hitherto considered inert C−H bonds is promoting a fundamental change in the field of synthetic chemistry. Although most reactions involving C−H activations consist of simple functionalizations or additions, recent years have witnessed an upsurge in related transformations that can be formally considered as cycloaddition processes. These transformations are particularly appealing from a synthetic perspective because they allow the conversion of readily available substrates into highly valuable cyclic products in a rapid and sustainable manner. In many cases, these annulations involve the formation of metallacyclic intermediates that resemble those proposed for standard metal‐catalyzed cycloadditions of unsaturated precursors.
Microstructural, wetting, and dielectric properties of plasma polymerized polypyrrole thin films
Authors: Koduru Hari Krishna , Marino Lucia , Vallivedu Janardhanam , Choi Chel‐Jong , Scaramuzza Nicola
Published: June 2016

Polypyrrole (PPy) thin films were synthesized by plasma polymerization technique and investigated the influence of discharge power on microstructural, optical, surface wettability, and dielectric properties of grown films. As deposited PPy films were characterized by X‐ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Atomic force microscopy, UV‐VIS spectroscopy and dielectric spectroscopy. The broad XRD peak present at 2θ = 23.5° revealed the amorphous nature of grown PPy films. The FTIR spectra displayed characteristic peaks in the wavenumbers regions 3300–3400 cm−1 and 1635–1700 cm−1 and respective peaks intensities decreased slightly as a function of discharge powers. Significant modifications in surface morphology of the films were observed as a function of discharge powers and PPy films synthesized at higher discharge power of 50 W demonstrated characteristic surface morphology composed of characteristic vertical cone shaped clusters provided with rms roughness of 3.42 nm. The UV‐VIS absorption spectra evidenced that the optical density values varied as a function of discharge power. The evaluated band gap energies decreased with an increase of discharge power and found to be 2.53 eV for PPy films prepared at higher discharge power of 50 W. The surface wettability studies evidenced that as prepared PPy films were found to be hydrophilic in nature. The dielectric measurements were carried out for “ITO/polymer/ITO” structures in the frequency range 10 mHz to 100 kHz. As evidenced from dielectric spectroscopic measurements, PPy films synthesized at 50 W were demonstrated conductivity value of 6.0 × 10−12 S/m. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2016, 133, 43982.
Clinical and Genetic Features of Patients With TNFRSF1A Variants in Japan: Findings of a Nationwide Survey
Authors: Ueda Naoyasu , Ida Hiroaki , Washio Masakazu , Miyahara Hisaaki , Tokunaga Shoji , Tanaka Fumiko , Takahashi Hiroki , Kusuhara Koichi , Ohmura Koichiro , Nakayama Manabu , Ohara Osamu , Nishikomori Ryuta , Minota Seiji , Takei Shuji , Fujii Takao , Ishigatsubo Yoshiaki , Tsukamoto Hiroshi , Tahira Tomoko , Horiuchi Takahiko
Published: June 2016

Objective

To elucidate the clinical and genetic features of patients with TNFRSF1A variants in Japan using data obtained from a nationwide survey conducted by the Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare of Japan study group for tumor necrosis factor receptor–associated periodic syndrome (TRAPS).

Methods

Inquiries were sent to 2,900 departments of internal medicine and pediatrics in all hospitals with more than 200 beds in Japan, asking whether they had patients in whom TRAPS was suspected. Genetic tests for TNFRSF1A, MEFV, and MVK were performed on 169 patients. Cell surface expression of TNFRSF1A variants was assessed using 293T cells.

Results

Ten patients from 10 independent families were found to have TNFRSF1A variants. We collected clinical and genetic information on 41 additional patients with TNFRSF1A variants and symptoms of inflammation from 23 independent families; 17 of these patients had not been described in the literature. The common clinical features of Japanese patients were fever of >38°C (100% of patients), arthralgia (59%), and rash (55%). The prevalence of abdominal pain (36%), myalgia (43%), and amyloidosis (0%) was significantly lower in Japanese patients than in Caucasian patients. The most common variant was T61I (appearing in 49% of patients), and it was identified in 7 of 363 healthy controls. Defects in cysteine residues and the T50M variant were associated with decreased cell surface expression, while other variants, including T61I, were not.

Conclusion

Patients with TNFRSF1A variants are very rare in Japan, as in other countries, but there are a number of clinical and genetic differences between Japanese and Caucasian patients. The pathogenic significance of the T61I variant remains unclear.
A note on efficient performance evaluation of the Cumulative Sum chart and the Sequential Probability Ratio Test
Authors: Polunchenko Aleksey S.
Published: June 2016

We establish a simple connection between certain in‐control characteristics of the Cumulative Sum (CUSUM) Run Length and their out‐of‐control counterparts. The connection is in the form of paired integral (renewal) equations. The derivation exploits Wald's likelihood ratio identity and the well‐known fact that the CUSUM chart is equivalent to repetitive application of Wald's Sequential Probability Ratio Test (SPRT). The characteristics considered include the entire Run Length distribution and all of the corresponding moments, starting from the zero‐state average run length. A particular practical benefit of our result is that it enables the in‐control and out‐of‐control characteristics of the CUSUM Run Length to be computed concurrently. Moreover, owing to the equivalence of the CUSUM chart to a sequence of SPRTs, the Average Sample Number and Operating Characteristic functions of an SPRT under the null and under the alternative can all be computed simultaneously as well. This would double up the efficiency of any numerical method that one may choose to devise to carry out the actual computations. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Development and evaluation of an electromagnetic hypersensitivity questionnaire for Japanese people
Authors: Hojo Sachiko , Tokiya Mikiko , Mizuki Masami , Miyata Mikio , Kanatani Kumiko T. , Takagi Airi , Tsurikisawa Naomi , Kame Setsuko , Katoh Takahiko , Tsujiuchi Takuya , Kumano Hiroaki
Published: June 2016

The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the validity and reliability of a Japanese version of an electromagnetic hypersensitivity (EHS) questionnaire, originally developed by Eltiti et al. in the United Kingdom. Using this Japanese EHS questionnaire, surveys were conducted on 1306 controls and 127 self‐selected EHS subjects in Japan. Principal component analysis of controls revealed eight principal symptom groups, namely, nervous, skin‐related, head‐related, auditory and vestibular, musculoskeletal, allergy‐related, sensory, and heart/chest‐related. The reliability of the Japanese EHS questionnaire was confirmed by high to moderate intraclass correlation coefficients in a test–retest analysis, and high Cronbach's α coefficients (0.853–0.953) from each subscale. A comparison of scores of each subscale between self‐selected EHS subjects and age‐ and sex‐matched controls using bivariate logistic regression analysis, Mann–Whitney U‐ and χ2 tests, verified the validity of the questionnaire. This study demonstrated that the Japanese EHS questionnaire is reliable and valid, and can be used for surveillance of EHS individuals in Japan. Furthermore, based on multiple logistic regression and receiver operating characteristic analyses, we propose specific preliminary criteria for screening EHS individuals in Japan. Bioelectromagnetics. 37:353–372, 2016. © 2016 The Authors. Bioelectromagnetics Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
C−H Activation of Methane to Syngas on MnxCe1−x−yZryO2: A Molecular Beam Study
Authors: Dubey Anjani , Kolekar Sadhu K. , Gopinath Chinnakonda S.
Published: June 2016

Mn‐doped ceria zirconia thin films (MnxCe1−x−yZryO2, MCZ) were employed as flat model catalyst surfaces for CH4 activation. MCZ films exhibit characteristics of single crystal and powder materials, such as smooth surfaces and porosity. From molecular‐beam studies, it has been identified that the oxygen storage capacity increases with Mn content. Mutually exclusive observation of H2O or a mixture of products (CO2+CO+H2) occurs, when the reactants was allowed to react directly on MCZ, underscoring their formation or prevention (and consumption), respectively. The results suggest that there is competition and cooperation among different elementary reactions under complementary conditions. From a significant partial oxidation of CH4 through C−H activation, it is found that formation of syngas begins at 700 K and the reaction rate increases with increasing temperature. Kinetic evidences indicate that the reaction proceeds through a combustion–reformation pathway.
“Super Hydrocarbon Reformer Trap” for the Complete Oxidation of Toluene Using Iron‐Exchanged β‐Zeolite with a Low Silicon/Aluminum Ratio
Authors: Kobatake Yasuhiro , Momma Kiyofumi , Elangovan Shanmugam P. , Itabashi Keiji , Okubo Tatsuya , Ogura Masaru
Published: June 2016

This study examines the effects of the Si/Al ratio and metal cation exchange of a zeolite on the ability to adsorb and reform unburned hydrocarbons (HCs) in emissions from gasoline vehicles. Iron ion‐exchanged β‐zeolites with a low Si/Al ratio not only trap but also oxidize HCs efficiently, which spurred on the development of a “super HC reformer trap”. Toluene temperature‐programmed desorption experiments in an O2‐containing stream revealed that >90 % of the adsorbed toluene was converted into CO2, and other oxygenates were not observed. This material could be reused and it retained its performance. The strong adsorption of toluene on the zeolites was derived from two synergistic effects: (1) electrostatic interactions between the π orbital of the aromatic ring and the p orbital of the metal cation and (2) interactions between the positively polarized methyl group of toluene and a basic oxygen atom in the zeolite framework. This new material will pave the way for low‐emission, Pt‐free vehicles.
Nature of Conduction Band Tailing in Hydrogenated Titanium Dioxide for Photocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution
Authors: Xue Jiawei , Zhu Xiaodi , Zhang Yi , Wang Wendong , Xie Wei , Zhou Jilong , Bao Jun , Luo Ying , Gao Xiang , Wang Yong , Jang Ling‐yun , Sun Song , Gao Chen
Published: June 2016

The front cover artwork for Issue 12/2016 is provided by researchers from the University of Science & Technology of China. The image shows that hydrogenated TiO2 with an appropriate hydrogenation time exhibits much higher photocatalytic H2 evolution activity than that with an excessive hydrogenation degree. See the Communication itself at http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/cctc.201600237.
Effectively Improving Capacitive Performance of Three‐Dimensional Iron(III) Oxide Nanotube Arrays by Rationally Filling Mesopores with Polypyrrole
Authors: Wang Zhikui , Pan Qinmin
Published: June 2016

Fe2O3 is a promising electrode material for electrochemical capacitors, but challenges remain in enhancing its capacitive performance. Herein, we effectively improved the capacitive properties of 3D Fe2O3 nanotube arrays by partly filling their mesopores with polypyrrole (PPy) through vapor‐phase polymerization. Although the filled PPy was only 9.7 wt %, the resulting hybrid Fe2O3/PPy arrays tripled the specific capacitance to 367 F g−1 at 1.0 A g−1, doubled their high rate capability (106 F g−1 at 10 A g−1), and exhibited good cycling stability at high current density. The capacitive performances of the hybrid arrays are among the best for Fe2O3‐based electrodes. It is believed that the partly filled mesopores not only increase the electronic conductivity and electroactivity of each hybrid nanotube but also avoid blocking the ion‐diffusion path. All the features allow the arrays to exhibit synergetic pseudocapacitive properties and to maintain stable and fast electrochemical kinetics. Our findings provide an efficient strategy to boost the electrochemical performances of transition‐metal oxide nanomaterials by rationally filling their mesopores with a small amount of a conductive polymer.
Reaktionen auf der Spur
Authors: Boeser Cornelia
Published: June 2016

Eine neue Methode aus dem Bereich der Massenspektrometrie, Desorptions‐Elektrospray‐Ionisation gekoppelt mit Massenspektrometrie (DESI‐MS), wurde angewendet, um kurzlebige Zwischenprodukte und Abbaumechanismen von Katalysatoren in chemischen Reaktionen zu identifizieren. Die Methode bietet den Vorteil, dass die ersten Millisekunden einer Reaktion analysiert werden können. Ein Zeitfenster, das mit bisherigen analytischen Methoden nicht einsehbar ist. Anhand zweier Beispiele wird dargestellt, wie Wissen, das durch DESI‐MS über den Ablauf einer Reaktion generiert wird, die Grundlage zur Optimierung der jeweiligen Reaktion schafft.
Cholinergic innervation of the basal ganglia in humans and other anthropoid primates
Authors: Stephenson Alexa R. , Edler Melissa K. , Erwin Joseph M. , Jacobs Bob , Hopkins William D. , Hof Patrick R. , Sherwood Chet C. , Raghanti Mary Ann
Published: June 2016

Cholinergic innervation of the basal ganglia is important in learning and memory. Striatal cholinergic neurons integrate cognitive and motivational states with behavior. Given these roles, it is not surprising that deficits in cortical cholinergic innervation have been correlated with loss of cognitive function in Alzheimer's disease and schizophrenia. Such evidence suggests the potential significance of subcortical cholinergic innervation in the evolution of the human brain. To compare humans with other closely related primates, the present study quantified axons and interneurons immunoreactive for choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) in regions of the executive and motor loops of the basal ganglia of humans, great apes, and monkeys. We also compared ChAT‐immunoreactive (ir) interneuron morphological types among species within striatal regions. The results indicate that humans and great apes differ from monkeys in having a preponderance of multipolar ChAT‐ir interneurons in the caudate nucleus and putamen, whereas monkeys have a more heterogeneous representation of multipolar, bipolar, and unipolar interneurons. Cholinergic innervation, as measured by axon and interneuron densities, did not differ across species in the medial caudate nucleus. Differences were detected in the dorsal caudate nucleus, putamen, and globus pallidus but the observed variation did not associate with the phylogenetic structure of the species in the sample. However, combining the present results with previously published data for dopamine revealed a unique pattern of innervation for humans, with higher amounts of dopamine compared with acetylcholine in the striatum. Taken together, these findings indicate a potential evolutionary shift in basal ganglia neurotransmission in humans that may favor increased synaptic plasticity. J. Comp. Neurol. 525:319–332, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Theoretical and Experimental Study on Boron β‐Diketonate Complexes with Intense Two‐Photon‐Induced Fluorescence in Solution and in the Solid State
Authors: Lanoë Pierre‐Henri , Mettra Bastien , Liao Yuan Yuan , Calin Nathalie , D'Aléo Anthony , Namikawa Tomotaka , Kamada Kenji , Fagès Fréderic , Monnereau Cyrille , Andraud Chantal
Published: June 2016

The front cover artwork is provided by the Chemistry for Optics group at the Laboratory of Chemistry, ENS Lyon, University of Lyon, France (Homepage: http://www.ens‐lyon.fr/CHIMIE). The image shows how complexation of a simple chromophore with boron results in a spectacular improvement of its linear and nonlinear optical properties both in solution and in the solid state. Read the full text of the article at 10.1002/cphc.201600178.
Imaging transporters: Transforming diagnostic and therapeutic development
Authors: Mann A , Han H , Eyal S
Published: June 2016

Molecular imaging allows noninvasive assessment of drug distribution across pharmacological barriers. Thus, it plays an increasingly important role in efforts to understand the interactions of molecules with membrane transporters during drug development and in clinical pharmacology. We describe established and emerging imaging modalities utilized for studying transporter expression and function. We further present examples of how molecular imaging could provide insights into the contribution of transporters to drug disposition and effects.
The immunoglobulin‐like superfamily member IGSF3 is a developmentally regulated protein that controls neuronal morphogenesis
Authors: Usardi Alessia , Iyer Keerthana , Sigoillot Séverine M. , Dusonchet Antoine , Selimi Fekrije
Published: June 2016

The establishment of a functional brain depends on the fine regulation and coordination of many processes, including neurogenesis, differentiation, dendritogenesis, axonogenesis, and synaptogenesis. Proteins of the immunoglobulin‐like superfamily (IGSF) are major regulators during this sequence of events. Different members of this class of proteins play nonoverlapping functions at specific developmental time‐points, as shown in particular by studies of the cerebellum. We have identified a member of the little studied EWI subfamily of IGSF, the protein IGSF3, as a membrane protein expressed in a neuron specific‐ and time‐dependent manner during brain development. In the cerebellum, it is transiently found in membranes of differentiating granule cells, and is particularly concentrated at axon terminals. There it co‐localizes with other IGSF proteins with well‐known functions in cerebellar development: TAG‐1 and L1. Functional analysis shows that IGSF3 controls the differentiation of granule cells, more precisely axonal growth and branching. Biochemical experiments demonstrate that, in the developing brain, IGSF3 is in a complex with the tetraspanin TSPAN7, a membrane protein mutated in several forms of X‐linked intellectual disabilities. In cerebellar granule cells, TSPAN7 promotes axonal branching and the size of TSPAN7 clusters is increased by downregulation of IGSF3. Thus IGSF3 is a novel regulator of neuronal morphogenesis that might function through interactions with multiple partners including the tetraspanin TSPAN7. This developmentally regulated protein might thus be at the center of a new signaling pathway controlling brain development. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Develop Neurobiol 77: 75–92, 2017
Morphological changes in hippocampal cytoarchitecture as a function of spatial treatment in birds
Authors: Roth Timothy C. , Stocker Kurtis , Mauck Robert
Published: June 2016

Maintaining cognitive processes comes with neurological costs. Thus, enhanced cognition and its underlying neural mechanisms should change in response to environmental pressures. Indeed, recent evidence suggests that variation in spatially based cognitive abilities is reflected in the morphology of the hippocampus (Hp), the region of the brain involved in spatial memory. Moreover, recent work on this region establishes a dynamic link between brain plasticity and cognitive experiences both across populations and within individuals. However, the mechanisms involved in neurological changes as a result of differential space use and the reversibility of such effects are unknown. Using a house sparrow (Passer domesticus) model, we experimentally manipulated the space available to birds, testing the hypothesis that reductions in dendritic branching is associated with reduced Hp volume and that such reductions in volume are reversible. We found that reduced spatial availability associated with captivity had a profound and significant reduction in sparrow hippocampal volumes, which was highly correlated with the total length of dendrites in the region. This result suggests that changes to the dendritic structure of neurons may, in part, explain volumetric reductions in region size associated with captivity. In addition, small changes in available space even within captivity produced significant changes in the spine structure on Hp dendrites. These reductions were reversible following increased spatial opportunities. Overall, these results are consistent with the hypothesis that reductions to the Hp in captivity, often assumed to reflect a deleterious process, may be adaptive and a consequence of the trade‐off between cognitive and energetic demands. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Develop Neurobiol 77: 93–101, 2017
European Society of Cardiology Heart Failure Long‐Term Registry (ESC‐HF‐LT): 1‐year follow‐up outcomes and differences across regions
Authors: Crespo‐Leiro Maria G. , Anker Stefan D. , Maggioni Aldo P. , Coats Andrew J. , Filippatos Gerasimos , Ruschitzka Frank , Ferrari Roberto , Piepoli Massimo Francesco , Delgado Jimenez Juan F. , Metra Marco , Fonseca Candida , Hradec Jaromir , Amir Offer , Logeart Damien , Dahlström Ulf , Merkely Bela , Drozdz Jaroslaw , Goncalvesova Eva , Hassanein Mahmoud , Chioncel Ovidiu , Lainscak Mitja , Seferovic Petar M. , Tousoulis Dimitris , Kavoliuniene Ausra , Fruhwald Friedrich , Fazlibegovic Emir , Temizhan Ahmet , Gatzov Plamen , Erglis Andrejs , Laroche Cécile , Mebazaa Alexandre ,   on behalf of the Heart Failure Association (HFA) of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC)
Published: June 2016

Aims

The European Society of Cardiology Heart Failure Long‐Term Registry (ESC‐HF‐LT‐R) was set up with the aim of describing the clinical epidemiology and the 1‐year outcomes of patients with heart failure (HF) with the added intention of comparing differences between participating countries.

Methods and results

The ESC‐HF‐LT‐R is a prospective, observational registry contributed to by 211 cardiology centres in 21 European and/or Mediterranean countries, all being member countries of the ESC. Between May 2011 and April 2013 it collected data on 12 440 patients, 40.5% of them hospitalized with acute HF (AHF) and 59.5% outpatients with chronic HF (CHF). The all‐cause 1‐year mortality rate was 23.6% for AHF and 6.4% for CHF. The combined endpoint of mortality or HF hospitalization within 1 year had a rate of 36% for AHF and 14.5% for CHF. All‐cause mortality rates in the different regions ranged from 21.6% to 36.5% in patients with AHF, and from 6.9% to 15.6% in those with CHF. These differences in mortality between regions are thought reflect differences in the characteristics and/or management of these patients.

Conclusion

The ESC‐HF‐LT‐R shows that 1‐year all‐cause mortality of patients with AHF is still high while the mortality of CHF is lower. This registry provides the opportunity to evaluate the management and outcomes of patients with HF and identify areas for improvement.