bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Network meta‐analysis of individual and aggregate level data
Authors: Jansen Jeroen P.
Published: July 2012

Network meta‐analysis is often performed with aggregate‐level data (AgD). A challenge in using AgD is that the association between a patient‐level covariate and treatment effects at the study level may not reflect the individual‐level effect modification. In this paper, non‐linear network meta‐analysis models for combining individual patient data (IPD) and AgD are presented to reduce bias and uncertainty of direct and indirect treatment effects in the presence of heterogeneity. The first method uses the same model form for IPD and AgD. With the second method, the model for AgD is obtained by integrating an underlying IPD model over the joint within‐study distribution of covariates, in line with the method by Jackson et al. for ecological inferences. With simulated examples, the models are illustrated. Having IPD for a subset of studies improves estimation of treatment effects in the presence of patient‐level heterogeneity. Of the two proposed non‐linear models for combining IPD and AgD, the second seems less affected by bias in situations with large treatment‐by‐patient‐level‐covariate interactions, probably at the cost of greater uncertainty. Additional studies are needed to better understand when one model is favorable over the other. For network meta‐analysis, it is recommended to use IPD when available. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Rapid and sensitive detection of auxins and flavonoids in plant samples by high‐performance liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry
Authors: Liang Yuan , Zhu Xiaocui , Wu Tongbo , Zhao Meiping , Liu Huwei
Published: July 2012

Simultaneous determination of indole‐3‐acetic acid and methyl indole‐3‐acetic acid ester in small amounts of plant tissue is essential for elucidating their mutual transformation mechanism and the in vivo function of methyl indole‐3‐acetic acid ester. Rapid quantification of flavonoids in the same sample is important for clarifying their roles in the transport of auxins and other phytohormones. Herein, we describe a simple method for the simultaneous determination of indole‐3‐acetic acid and its methyl ester in the roots of the Arabidopsis thaliana seedlings and a protocol for the rapid extraction and quantification of quercetin and kaempferol in these seedlings. High‐performance liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionization time‐of‐flight tandem mass spectrometry was used for the detection of all the compounds. Negative data for indole‐3‐acetic acid and positive data for methyl indole‐3‐acetic acid ester were collected in two successive files with a single injection of the extracted sample. Under optimized conditions, the limit of detection for the four compounds was 2 ng/mL for indole‐3‐acetic acid, 0.5 ng/mL for methyl indole‐3‐acetic acid ester, 5 ng/mL for quercetin, and 1 ng/mL for kaempferol, respectively. Because of the high sensitivity of the assay, only 2–10 mg of the plant material was required to obtain quantitative results.
Artificial Niches: Biomimetic Materials for Hematopoietic Stem Cell Culture
Authors: Lee‐Thedieck Cornelia , Spatz Joachim P.
Published: July 2012

Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) are indispensable for the treatment of patients with hematological disorders such as leukemia. However, the amount of available transplantable HSCs is limited. Therefore, new approaches to multiply HSCs in the laboratory are needed. Promising biomimetic technologies for HSC expansion are currently developed. This feature article gives an insight into the significance of this approach and introduces the essential building blocks (cells, matrix, and scaffolds) of biomimetic materials. Some recent strategies are highlighted and the challenges and possible applications of such materials are discussed.
Sleep spindle detection using a novel instantaneous frequency definition
Authors: Zhang Liming , Li Hong , Wei Yantao
Published: July 2012

There have been different approaches to compute the analytic instantaneous frequency with a variety of background reasoning and applicability in practice, as well as restrictions. This paper presents a new non‐analytic instantaneous frequency definition for a large class of so‐called simple waves. Simple wave contains a wide range of signals for which the concept instantaneous frequency has a perfect physical sense. There are a number of automatic sleep spindle detection methods in the literature, however, due to the complexity of the sleep spindle characteristics from different people and absence of generally accepted sleep spindle definition in the literature, researchers are still exploring more practically acceptable and workable methods. A novel instantaneous frequency definition based semi‐automatic sleep spindle detection approach is also proposed in this paper. A set of experiments on publicly available database clearly indicate that the proposed approaches are very promising. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Design and thermoregulation of a new microextrusion dispense head for 3D‐plotting of thermally sensitive thermoplastics
Authors: Ragaert K. , De Baere I. , Moerman M. , Cardon L. , Degrieck J.
Published: July 2012

Three‐dimensional plotting of micro‐extruded filaments is a promising method for the manufacture of porous structures in thermoplastic polymers. However, it has been noted that conventional dispense head systems for this microextrusion are unsuitable for the reliable processing of thermally sensitive polymers like poly(lactic acid) (PLA): the batch polymer remains in the molten state prior to processing and it will degrade under this thermal load, leading to polymer chain reduction. Therefore, a new dispense head system was developed which thermally separates a cold material supply zone from the hot extrusion zone and allows for the processing of PLA‐based polymers without severe degradation. This manuscript discusses the design of the new dispense head and compares its thermoregulation with that of a conventional system by means of finite element modeling and infrared imaging. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 2013. © 2012 Society of Plastics Engineers
Studies on fabrication, characterization, and metal extraction using metal chelating nonwoven nanofiber mats of poly(vinyl alcohol) and sodium alginate blends
Authors: Rathna G.V.N. , Birajdar Mallinath S. , Bhagwani Manish , Paul V.L.
Published: July 2012

Poly(vinyl alcohol) and sodium alginate blends with and without the metal chelate, bis(2,4,4‐trimethylpentyl)phosphinic acid were prepared in various compositions and fabricated to stable nanofibers and films to evaluate their efficacy for metals adsorption and desorption. Surface morphology of the nanofibers was characterized by scanning electron microscopy. The solution properties and variation in content of sodium alginate in the feed mixture have influenced morphology of nanofibers. However, influence of bis(2,4,4‐trimethylpentyl)phosphinic acid was insignificant. The films and nanofibers were characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, thermo gravimetric analysis, and X‐ray diffraction to understand compatibility between polymers, thermal stability, decomposition temperature, and variations in crystallinity. Metal adsorption studies for nanofiber mats comprising bis(2,4,4‐trimethylpentyl)phosphinic acid were demonstrated using copper (II), cobalt(II), and nickel(II) salts. The nanofibers adsorbed more copper (363 mg/g) when compared with films (105 mg/g). Nanofiber mats immobilized with bis(2,4,4‐trimethylpentyl)phosphinic acid adsorbed copper in greater magnitude (497 mg/g) than nanofiber mats without bis(2,4,4‐trimethylpentyl)phosphinic acid (363 mg/g). However, adsorption of cobalt and nickel was very low to be detected. The metal adsorption and desorption studies were also confirmed by energy dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 2013. © 2012 Society of Plastics Engineers
Hybrid amphiphilic block copolymers containing polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane: Synthesis, characterization, and self‐assembly in solutions
Authors: Yang Cangjie , Deng Yuanming , Zeng Birong , Yuan Conghui , Chen Min , Luo Weiang , Liu Jie , Xu Yiting , Dai Lizong
Published: July 2012

In this article, the amphiphilic block copolymers containing polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS), namely PMAPOSS‐b‐PAA and PMAPOSS‐b‐P(AA‐co‐St), were synthesized consecutively by reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer and selective hydrolysis, and characterized by 1H NMR, 13C NMR, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and gel permeation chromatography. In the presence of the nearly gradient styrene distribution along the hydrophilic block with a feed molar ratio of tert‐butyl acrylate (tBA) to St being 10/1, patterned core‐corona nanoparticles (NPs) were formed from the mixture of good/selective solvents (THF/water) by a simple evaporation process at room temperature. With the extending of the co‐block length, the self‐assembled NPs exhibited phase separation behavior of spheres‐dispersed, onion‐like and onion‐cluster hierarchical structures in turn. However, while a change in the feed molar ratio occurred, it resulted in the formation of typical core‐shell micelles (20/1, tBA/St) and disordered particles (5/1, tBA/St), respectively. Furthermore, the self‐assembly behavior of PMAPOSS‐b‐P(AA‐co‐St) in DMF was investigated, which showed that it could perform a mixture morphology of well‐dispersive sphere micelles and large aggregate of micelles. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2012
Synthesis and characterization of thiol–ene functionalized siloxanes and evaluation of their crosslinked network properties
Authors: Cole Megan A. , Bowman Christopher N.
Published: July 2012

Three types of linear thiol‐functionalized siloxane oligomers and three types of ene‐functionalized oligomers were synthesized and subsequently photopolymerized. Within each type of thiol‐functionalized oligomer, the ratio of mercaptan repeat units to nonreactive phenyl repeat units was varied to manipulate both the crosslink density and the degree of secondary interactions through π–π stacking. Similarly, the repeat units of the three ene‐functionalized oligomers are composed of allyl‐functional monomers, benzene‐functional monomers, and octyl‐functional monomers in varying ratios of benzene:octyl but with a constant fraction of allyl moieties. The structural composition of the siloxane oligomers plays a pivotal role in the observed material properties of networks formed through thiol–ene photopolymerization. Networks with a high concentration of thiol functionalities exhibit higher rubbery moduli, ultimate strengths, and Young's moduli than networks with lower thiol concentrations. Moreover, the concentration of functionalities capable of participating in secondary interactions via hydrogen bonding or π–π stacking directly impacts the network glass transition temperature and elasticity. The combination of low crosslink density and high secondary interactions produces networks with the greatest toughness. Finally, the fraction of octyl repeats correlates with the hydrophobic nature of the network. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2012
Highly active and easily accessible catalysts for vinyl polymerization of norbornene obtained by oxidative addition of salicylaldimine ligands to bis(1,5‐cyclooctadiene)nickel(0) and methylaluminoxane
Authors: Raspolli Galletti Anna Maria , Hayatifar Mohammad
Published: July 2012

Highly active, cheap, and easy to synthesize catalytic systems, obtained in situ by the oxidative addition of salicylaldimine ligands to bis(1,5‐cyclooctadiene)nickel(0) and activated by methylaluminoxane (MAO), are now reported for the vinyl polymerization of norbornene. Their activity resulted mainly influenced by the nature of the substituents present both on the phenolate moiety and on the N‐aryl ring as well as the content of free trimethylaluminum (TMA) present in the commercial MAO. In particular, the maximum activity, up to about 78,000 kg polynorbornene/mol Ni × h, was ascertained when 3,5‐dinitro‐N‐(2,6‐diisopropylphenyl)salicylaldimine ligand was adopted in conjunction with Ni(cod)2 and TMA‐depleted MAO. This remarkable performance, to the best of our knowledge, the highest never reported working in toluene instead of chlorinated aromatics, was reached adopting this more sustainable reaction medium. The influence of the main reaction parameters such as reaction time, temperature, monomer/Ni, and Al/Ni molar ratios on the catalytic performances and polymer characteristics was studied as well. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2012
Sublimation Properties of Pentaerythritol Tetranitrate Single Crystals Doped with Its Homologs
Authors: Bhattacharia Sanjoy K. , Maiti Amitesh , Gee Richard H. , Weeks Brandon L.
Published: July 2012

Pentaerythritol tetranitrate (PETN) is a secondary explosive used extensively in military and commercial applications. Coarsening of PETN during long‐term storage changes the physical properties such as surface area and particle morphology which are important factors in initiation and performance. Doping of impurities was proposed to slow the coarsening process since impurities were shown to modify both the kinetic and thermodynamic properties. In this paper, we discuss how doping of PETN with its homologs of dipentaerythritol hexanitrate (diPEHN) and tripentaerytritol octanitrate (triPEON) affect kinetic and thermodynamic parameters. Pure and homolog doped PETN single crystals were prepared by solvent evaporation in acetone at room temperature. Doping concentrations for this study were 1000 ppm, 5000 ppm, and 10000 ppm. Activation energy and vapor pressure of pure and doped PETN single crystals were obtained from thermogravimetric analysis data.
On the diffusion of NV defects in diamond
Authors: Pinto H. , Jones R. , Palmer D. W. , Goss J. P. , Briddon P. R. , Öberg S.
Published: July 2012

Besides their importance for quantum information processing, NV defects are crucial agents for the diffusion and aggregation of nitrogen in diamond. In the absence of transition metals, it is thought that the first stage of nitrogen aggregation, where close neighbour nitrogen pairs are formed, is mediated by NV defects. Here we use density functional theory to explore the barriers to NV diffusion. We conclude that the barrier is around 5 eV when there is a ready source of vacancies and that this barrier is weakly dependent on pressure.
Electrically active defects at AlN/Si interface studied by DLTS and ESR
Authors: Simoen Eddy , Visalli Domenica , Van Hove Marleen , Leys Maarten , Favia Paola , Bender Hugo , Borghs Gustaaf , Nguyen Ahn Puc Duc , Stesmans Andre
Published: July 2012

A combined deep‐level transient spectroscopy (DLTS) and electron spin resonance (ESR) study is performed to identify the electrically active defects at the AlN/Si (111) interface. It is shown that the density of deep‐level states not only depends on the thermal budget of the epitaxial deposition but also on the strain built up during growth and upon cooling to room temperature (RT). At the same time, diffusion of Si into the 200 nm thick AlN layer produces a thin crystalline Si3N4 interfacial layer, identified by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). This gives rise to so‐called dangling bond Pb centres at the Si3N4/Si (111) interface. In addition, a strong evolution of the electrically active defect clusters in the silicon substrate close to the interface has been observed both in DLTS and ESR.
Ab initio analysis of a vacancy and a self‐interstitial near single crystal silicon surfaces: Implications for intrinsic point defect incorporation during crystal growth from a melt
Authors: Kamiyama Eiji , Sueoka Koji , Vanhellemont Jan
Published: July 2012

The microscopic model of the Si (001) crystal surface was investigated by first principles calculations to clarify the behavior of intrinsic point defects near crystal surfaces. A c(4 × 2) structure model was used to describe the crystal surface in contact with vacuum. The calculations show lower formation energy near the surface and the existence of formation energy differences between the surface and the bulk for both types of intrinsic point defects. The tetrahedral (T)‐site and the dumbbell (DB)‐site, in which a Si atom is captured from the surface and forms a self‐interstitial, are found as stable sites near the third atomic layer. The T‐site has a barrier of 0.48 eV, whereas the DB‐site has no barrier for the interstitial to penetrate into the crystal from the vacuum. Si atoms in a melt can migrate and reach at the third layer during crystal growth when bulk diffusion coefficient is used. Therefore, the melt/solid interface is always a source of intrinsic point defects.
Diffuse light‐scattering properties of nanocracked and porous MoO3 films self‐formed by electrodeposition and thermal annealing
Authors: Ko Yeong Hwan , Raju Ganji Seeta Rama , Kim Sunkook , Yu Jae Su
Published: July 2012

We report the diffuse light‐scattering properties of nanocracked and porous molybdenum trioxide (MoO3) films deposited on indium tin oxide (ITO) coated glass as a transparent conductive oxide (TCO), caused by the enhanced light diffraction due to high surface roughness as well as narrow slit‐like structures. By utilizing the electrodeposition and thermal annealing processes, the hydrous and amorphous molybdenum oxide films were changed into crystallized MoO3 films with self‐formed nanocracks and rough surface. From the theoretical analysis of the light behavior passing through the morphology of MoO3 films, a considerable diffuse light scattering was predicted. In order to optimize the light‐scattering property, the structural and optical characteristics of MoO3 films on ITO/glass at different applied voltages were investigated. For a proper applied voltage of 2 V, widely distributed nanocracks and rough surface were observed, leading to the enhanced diffuse transmittance of 54% at λ ∼ 410 nm. Additionally, the fabricated MoO3 films on ITO/glass exhibited a more hydrophilic surface.
Pressure‐dependent properties of a multifunctional material: Lithium platinum boride (LiPt3B)
Authors: Aydin Sezgin , Simsek Mehmet
Published: July 2012

This paper presents our study on pressure‐dependent structural, mechanical, dynamical, electronic, and optical properties of lithium platinum boride (LiPt3B) by using a first‐principles plane‐wave pseudopotential method. In order to determine pressure‐dependent mechanical properties of the material and to check its mechanical stability, single‐crystal elastic constants are calculated in the pressure range of 0–80 GPa. It is shown that LiPt3B is mechanically stable throughout the pressure range. From the calculated electronic structure, LiPt3B has a metallic character. The hardness of the material is calculated as a function of pressure, and it is observed that PtB bonds play an important role in the hardness. The optical properties of LiPt3B are calculated by including the Drude term. There are significant changes in the degree and the character of electronic and optical properties of LiPt3B at high pressure. Our pressure‐dependent results revealed that LiPt3B is a ductile, hard, and also good reflective material, thus, we can say that it is very promising multifunctional material for a wide range of electronic and electro‐optical technologies.
Effect of metal cations [Li+, Na+, K+, Be2+, Mg2+, and Ca2+] on the structure of 2‐(3′‐hydroxy‐2′‐pyridyl)benzoxazole: A theoretical investigation
Authors: Yi Pinggui , Liu Zhengjun , Wang Zhaoxu , Yu Xianyong , Zhou Jiming , Hou Bo , Li Qingzhong
Published: July 2012

Density functional theory calculations were performed at the B3LYP/6‐311++G(d,p) level to systematically explore the geometrical multiplicity and binding strength for the complexes formed by alkaline and alkaline earth metal cations, viz. Li+, Na+, K+, Be2+, Mg2+, and Ca2+ (Mn+, hereinafter), with 2‐(3′‐hydroxy‐2′‐pyridyl)benzoxazole. A total of 60 initial structures were designed and optimized, of which 51 optimized structures were found, which could be divided into two different types: monodentate complexes and bidentate complexes. In the cation‐heteroatom complex, bidentate binding is generally stronger than monodentate binding, and of which the bidentate binding with five‐membered ring structure has the strongest interaction. Energy decomposition revealed that the total binding energies mainly come from electrostatic interaction for alkaline metal ion complexes and orbital interaction energy for alkaline earth metal ion complex. In addition, the electron localization function analysis show that only the BeO and BeN bond are covalent character, and others are ionic character. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
The role of benzoic acid in proline‐catalyzed asymmetric michael addition: A density functional theory study
Authors: Shi Hongwei , Huang Xiangui , Liu Guixia , Yu Kunqian , Xu Congying , Li Weihua , Zeng Bubing , Tang Yun
Published: July 2012

In asymmetric Michael addition between ketones and nitroolefins catalyzed by L‐proline, we observed that it was benzoic acid or its derivatives rather than other proton acid that could accelerate the reaction greatly, and different benzoic acid derivatives brought different yields. To explain the experimental phenomena, a density functional theory study was performed to elucidate the mechanism of proline‐catalyzed asymmetric Michael addition with benzoic acid. The results of the theoretical calculation at the level of B3LYP/6‐311+G(2df,p)//B3LYP/6‐31G(d) demonstrated that benzoic acid played two major roles in the formation of nitroalkane: assisting proton transfer and activating the nitro group. In the stage of enamine formation from imine, the energy profiles of benzoic acid derivatives were also calculated to investigate the reasons why different benzoic acid derivatives caused different yields. The results demonstrated that the pKa value was the major factor for p‐substituted benzoic acid derivatives to improve the yields, whereas for m/o‐substituted benzoic acid derivatives, both pKa value and electronic and steric effects could significantly increase the yields. The calculated results would be very helpful for understanding the reaction mechanism of Michael addition and provide some insights into the selection of efficient additives for similar experiments. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
LIFE HISTORY DOES MATTER IN ASSESSING POTENTIAL ECOLOGICAL IMPACTS OF THERMAL CHANGES ON AQUATIC MACROINVERTEBRATES
Authors: Rivers‐Moore N. A. , Dallas H. F. , Ross‐Gillespie V.
Published: July 2012

Thermal alteration is associated with ecological change in freshwater systems. Global climate change is likely to amplify thermal stresses on aquatic systems. We used cumulative daily heat units to examine potential impacts of temperature changes on selected aquatic organisms using scenario analyses. We selected two species of aquatic macroinvertebrates to test our hypotheses of thermal effects on life history pattern, viz. a univoltine stenothermic ephemeropteran species of conservation importance, and a multivoltine dipteran pest species. A combination of spreadsheet probability and logistic regression models was used to model probabilities of hatching and breeding success, plus population sizes and generation numbers per month, under current and projected 2 °C warmer water temperature scenarios. We propose that cold‐adapted Gondwanaland relic species are likely to become increasingly vulnerable and range limited, whereas multivoltine pest species are likely to become more abundant under scenarios of increased water temperatures. We propose management options that include maintaining river connectivity and dam re‐operation as potential mitigation measures. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Influence of rapid thermal annealing on structure and interfacial characteristic of ZnO thin films
Authors: Meng Xiangqin , Yang Chengtao , Fu Wujun , Xie Quntiao , Chen Qingqing
Published: July 2012

Highly C‐axis oriented ZnO thin film was manufactured by radio‐frequency magnetron sputtering technique on Si (111) substrate. The main objective was to study the influence of rapid thermal annealing (RTA) temperature on the structure and interfacial characteristic of ZnO thin films. X‐ray diffraction results showed that the ZnO thin films annealed at 600 °C by RTA technique had a perfect C‐axis preferred orientation compared to the other ZnO thin films, and the full width at half maximum of ZnO (002) rocking curve measurements indicted that the RTA‐annealed ZnO thin films possessed better crystal structure. Atom force microscopy displayed that the grain size of RTA‐annealed ZnO thin films was fine and uniform compared with the as‐deposited ZnO thin films, although the grains grew in RTA process and the root meant square roughness was smaller than that of as‐deposited films. High‐resolution transmission electron microscopy showed that there was an obvious amorphous layer between ZnO thin films and Si substrate, but the RTA‐annealed ZnO thin films exhibited larger and denser columnar structure and a preferred orientation with highly c axis perpendicular to the amorphous layer. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Classification of samples into two or more ordered populations with application to a cancer trial
Authors: Conde D. , Fernández M.A. , Rueda C. , Salvador B.
Published: July 2012

In many applications, especially in cancer treatment and diagnosis, investigators are interested in classifying patients into various diagnosis groups on the basis of molecular data such as gene expression or proteomic data. Often, some of the diagnosis groups are known to be related to higher or lower values of some of the predictors. The standard methods of classifying patients into various groups do not take into account the underlying order. This could potentially result in high misclasiffication rates, especially when the number of groups is larger than two.

In this article, we develop classification procedures that exploit the underlying order among the mean values of the predictor variables and the diagnostic groups by using ideas from order‐restricted inference. We generalize the existing methodology on discrimination under restrictions and provide empirical evidence to demonstrate that the proposed methodology improves over the existing unrestricted methodology. The proposed methodology is applied to a bladder cancer data set where the researchers are interested in classifying patients into various groups. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The divestiture of acquired subunits: A resource dependence approach
Authors: Xia Jun , Li Sali
Published: July 2012

Resource dependence theory has been widely applied to explain interindustry acquisitions, but little is known about how external and internal dependence conditions affect the divestiture of formerly acquired subunits. We argue that subunit divestiture may be a strategic response to mutual dependence and subunit power following acquisition. Our results, based on a sample of divested subunits by U.S. public firms, show that mutual dependence and increased subunit power both reduce the hazard of subunit divestiture. However, the negative effect of mutual dependence diminishes to the extent that subunit power increases, suggesting that increased subunit power may shift away from the mutual‐dependence logic. We discuss the implications of these findings to advance the theory of interindustry divestiture. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
miR‐615‐5p is restrictedly expressed in cirrhotic and cancerous liver tissues and its overexpression alleviates the tumorigenic effects in hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: El Tayebi H.M. , Hosny K.A. , Esmat G. , Breuhahn K. , Abdelaziz Ahmed Ihab
Published: July 2012

microRNAs aberrant behavior in heptocellular carcinoma (HCC) plays a major role in HCC pathogenesis. miR‐615‐5p expression has never been evaluated in HCC. We showed that miR‐615‐5p was preferentially expressed in HCC, cirrhotic liver tissues and HCC cell lines, but undetected in normal livers. Forced miR‐615‐5p expression in HCC cell lines led to significant decrease in cell growth and migration. In‐silico predication revealed insulin‐like growth factor‐II (IGF‐II) as a potential downstream target for miR‐615‐5p. Forcing the expression of miR‐615‐5p showed downregulation of IGF‐II mRNA, as well as inhibition of the luciferase activity in a luciferase reporter vector harboring the IGF‐II‐3′UTR target sequence. miR‐615‐5p acts as tumor‐suppressor in HCC through targeting IGF‐II.
TRIAD1 inhibits MDM2‐mediated p53 ubiquitination and degradation
Authors: Bae Seunghee , Jung Jin Hyuk , Kim Karam , An In-Sook , Kim Soo-Yeon , Lee Jae Ho , Park In-Chul , Jin Young-Woo , Lee Su-Jae , An Sungkwan
Published: July 2012

p53 physically interacts with
Mdm2
and
Triad1
by anti tag coimmunoprecipitation (View Interaction: 1, 2, 3)
Mdm2
physically interacts with
Triad1
by anti tag coimmunoprecipitation (View interaction)
p53
physically interacts with
Mdm2
by anti tag coimmunoprecipitation (View interaction)
Triad1
binds to
p53
by pull down (View interaction)
Mdm2
physically interacts with
p53
by anti tag coimmunoprecipitation (View interaction)
p53
physically interacts with
Triad1
by anti tag coimmunoprecipitation (View interaction)
Analysis of solvent tolerance in Pseudomonas putida DOT‐T1E based on its genome sequence and a collection of mutants
Authors: Udaondo Zulema , Duque Estrella , Fernández Matilde , Molina Lázaro , de la Torre Jesús , Bernal Patricia , Niqui José-Luis , Pini Cecilia , Roca Amalia , Matilla Miguel A. , Antonia Molina-Henares M. , Silva-Jiménez Hortencia , Navarro-Avilés Gloria , Busch Andreas , Lacal Jesús , Krell Tino , Segura Ana , Ramos Juan-Luis
Published: July 2012

Pseudomonas putida strains are prevalent in a variety of pristine and polluted environments. The genome of the solvent‐tolerant P. putida strain DOT‐T1E which thrives in the presence of high concentrations of monoaromatic hydrocarbons, contains a circular 6.3 Mbp chromosome and a 133 kbp plasmid. Omics information has been used to identify the genes and proteins involved in solvent tolerance in this bacterium. This strain uses a multifactorial response that involves fine‐tuning of lipid fluidity, activation of a general stress‐response system, enhanced energy generation, and induction of specific efflux pumps that extrude solvents to the medium. Local and global transcriptional regulators participate in a complex network of metabolic functions, acting as the decision makers in the response to solvents.
The p38 and Hog1 SAPKs control cell cycle progression in response to environmental stresses
Authors: Duch Alba , de Nadal Eulàlia , Posas Francesc
Published: July 2012

In response to environmental stresses, cells need to activate an adaptive program to maximize cell progression and survival. Stress‐activated protein kinases (SAPK) are key signal transduction kinases required to respond to stress. Prototypical members of SAPKs are the yeast Hog1 and mammalian p38. Upon stress, those enzymes play a critical role in mounting the adaptive responses to stress such as the regulation of metabolism and the control of gene expression. In addition, a major function of SAPKs in response to stress is to modulate cell cycle progression. In this review, we focus on the role of Hog1 and p38 in the control of cell cycle progression in response to environmental stresses.
Post‐genomic insight into thylakoid membrane lateral heterogeneity and redox balance
Authors: Tikkanen Mikko , Suorsa Marjaana , Gollan Peter J. , Aro Eva-Mari
Published: July 2012

Photosynthetic machinery requires balanced distribution of excitation energy from the light‐harvesting complexes to photosystems. The efficiency of light‐harvesting is regulated by thermal dissipation of excess energy, while the distribution of energy between photosystems is dependent on STN7 kinase and phosphorylation of thylakoid proteins. The regulation of excitation energy transfer has been linked to the lateral segregation of photosynthetic complexes along the thylakoid membrane. The study of photosynthetic regulation mechanisms using Arabidopsis mutants, which have been available for the last ten years, has challenged traditional views on regulation of excitation energy distribution. Here, we discuss an urgent need to create a holistic view of the dynamics of the thylakoid membrane using systematic research of the mutants available today.
Optimal Estimation of Parameters
Authors: Rissanen Jorma
Published: July 2012

This book presents a comprehensive and consistent theory of estimation. The framework described leads naturally to a generalized maximum capacity estimator. This approach allows the optimal estimation of real-valued parameters, their number and intervals, as well as providing common ground for explaining the power of these estimators. Beginning with a review of coding and the key properties of information, the author goes on to discuss the techniques of estimation and develops the generalized maximum capacity estimator, based on a new form of Shannon's mutual information and channel capacity. Applications of this powerful technique in hypothesis testing and denoising are described in detail. Offering an original and thought-provoking perspective on estimation theory, Jorma Rissanen's book is of interest to graduate students and researchers in the fields of information theory, probability and statistics, econometrics and finance.
External Intervention and the Politics of State Formation
Authors: Chong Ja Ian
Published: July 2012

This book explores ways foreign intervention and external rivalries can affect the institutionalization of governance in weak states. When sufficiently competitive, foreign rivalries in a weak state can actually foster the political centralization, territoriality and autonomy associated with state sovereignty. This counterintuitive finding comes from studying the collective effects of foreign contestation over a weak state as informed by changes in the expected opportunity cost of intervention for outside actors. When interveners associate high opportunity costs with intervention, they bolster sovereign statehood as a next best alternative to their worst fear - domination of that polity by adversaries. Sovereign statehood develops if foreign actors concurrently and consistently behave this way toward a weak state. This book evaluates that argument against three 'least likely' cases - China, Indonesia and Thailand between the late nineteenth and mid-twentieth centuries.
Introduction to the Senses
Authors: Bossomaier Terry R. J.
Published: July 2012

An understanding of the senses – vision, hearing, touch, chemical and other non-human senses – is important not only for many fields of biology but also in applied areas such as human computer interaction, robotics and computer games. Using information theory as a unifying framework, this is a wide-ranging survey of sensory systems, covering all known senses. The book draws on three unifying principles to examine senses: the Nyquist sampling theorem; Shannon's information theory; and the creation of different streams of information to subserve different tasks. This framework is used to discuss the fascinating role of sensory adaptation in the context of environment and lifestyle. Providing a fundamental grounding in sensory perception, the book then demonstrates how this knowledge can be applied to the design of human-computer interfaces and virtual environments. It is an ideal resource for both graduate and undergraduate students of biology, engineering (robotics) and computer science.
Mozart's Requiem
Authors: Keefe Simon P.
Published: July 2012

Presenting a fresh interpretation of Mozart's Requiem, Simon P. Keefe redresses a longstanding scholarly imbalance whereby narrow consideration of the text of this famously incomplete work has taken precedence over consideration of context in the widest sense. Keefe details the reception of the Requiem legend in general writings, fiction, theatre and film, as well as discussing criticism, scholarship and performance. Evaluation of Mozart's work on the Requiem turns attention to the autograph score, the document in which myths and musical realities collide. Franz Xaver Süssmayr's completion (1791–2) is also re-appraised and the ideological underpinnings of modern completions assessed. Overall, the book affirms that Mozart's Requiem, fascinating for interacting musical, biographical, circumstantial and psychological reasons, cannot be fully appreciated by studying only Mozart's activities. Broad-ranging hermeneutic approaches to the work, moreover, supersede traditionally limited discursive confines.
The Imperial Security State
Authors: Hevia James
Published: July 2012

The Imperial Security State explores an important but under-explored dimension of British imperialism - its information system and the close links between military knowledge and the maintenance of empire. James Hevia's innovative study focuses on route books and military reports produced by the British Indian Army military intelligence between 1880 and 1940. He shows that together these formed a renewable and authoritative archive that was used to train intelligence officers, to inform civilian policy makers and to provide vital information to commanders as they approached the battlefield. The strategic, geographical, political and ethnographical knowledge that was gathered not only framed imperial strategies towards colonized areas to the east but also produced the very object of intervention: Asia itself. Finally, the book addresses the long-term impact of the security regime, revealing how elements of British colonial knowledge have continued to influence contemporary tactics of counterinsurgency in twenty-first-century Iraq and Afghanistan.
Debating Self-Knowledge
Authors: Brueckner Anthony , Ebbs Gary
Published: July 2012

Language users ordinarily suppose that they know what thoughts their own utterances express. We can call this supposed knowledge minimal self-knowledge. But what does it come to? And do we actually have it? Anti-individualism implies that the thoughts which a person's utterances express are partly determined by facts about their social and physical environments. If anti-individualism is true, then there are some apparently coherent sceptical hypotheses that conflict with our supposition that we have minimal self-knowledge. In this book, Anthony Brueckner and Gary Ebbs debate how to characterize this problem and develop opposing views of what it shows. Their discussion is the only sustained, in-depth debate about anti-individualism, scepticism and knowledge of one's own thoughts, and will interest both scholars and graduate students in philosophy of language, philosophy of mind and epistemology.
On the second-order temperature jump coefficient of a dilute gas
Authors: Radtke Gregg A. , Hadjiconstantinou N. G. , Takata S. , Aoki K.
Published: July 2012

We use LVDSMC (low-variance deviational Monte Carlo) simulations to calculate, under linearized conditions, the second-order temperature jump coefficient for a dilute gas whose temperature is governed by the Poisson equation with a constant forcing term, as in the case of homogeneous volumetric heating. Both the hard-sphere gas and the BGK model of the Boltzmann equation, for which slip/jump coefficients are not functions of temperature, are considered. The temperature jump relation and jump coefficient determined here are closely linked to the general jump relations for time-dependent problems that have yet to be systematically treated in the literature; as a result, they are different from those corresponding to the well-known linear and steady case where the temperature is governed by the homogeneous heat conduction (Laplace) equation.
Prevention of soya-induced enteritis in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) by bacteria grown on natural gas is dose dependent and related to epithelial MHC II reactivity and CD8α+ intraepithelial lymphocytes
Authors: Romarheim Odd H. , Hetland Dyveke L. , Skrede Anders , Øverland Margareth , Mydland Liv T. , Landsverk Thor
Published: July 2012

An experiment was carried out to study the preventive effect of bacterial meal (BM) produced from natural gas against plant-induced enteropathy in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar). Salmon were fed a diet based on fish meal (FM) or seven diets with 200 g/kg solvent-extracted soyabean meal (SBM) to induce enteritis in combination with increasing levels of BM from 0 to 300 g/kg. Salmon fed a SBM-containing diet without BM developed typical SBM-induced enteritis. The enteritis gradually disappeared with increasing inclusion of BM. By morphometry, no significant (P>0·05) differences in the size of stretches stained for proliferating cell nuclear antigen were found with 150 g/kg BM compared with the FM diet. Increasing BM inclusion caused a gradual decline in the number of cluster of differentiation 8 α positive (CD8α+) intraepithelial lymphocytes, and fish fed BM at 200 g/kg or higher revealed no significant difference from the FM diet. Histological sections stained with antibody for MHC class II (MHC II) showed that fish with intestinal inflammation had more MHC II-reactive cells in the lamina propria and submucosa, but less in the epithelium and brush border, compared with fish without inflammation. There were no significant (P>0·05) differences in growth among the diets, but the highest levels of BM slightly reduced protein digestibility and increased the weight of the distal intestine. In conclusion, the prevention of SBM-induced enteritis by BM is dose dependent and related to intestinal levels of MHC II- and CD8α-reactive cells.
Spatio-temporal patterns ofCampylobactercolonization in Danish broilers
Authors: CHOWDHURY S. , THEMUDO G. E. , SANDBERG M. , ERSBØLL A. K.
Published: July 2012

Despite a number of risk-factor studies in different countries, the epidemiology ofCampylobactercolonization in broilers, particularly spatial dependencies, is still not well understood. A series of analyses (visualization and exploratory) were therefore conducted in order to obtain a better understanding of the spatial and temporal distribution ofCampylobacterin the Danish broiler population. In this study, we observed a non-random temporal occurrence ofCampylobacter, with high prevalence during summer and low during winter. Significant spatio-temporal clusters were identified in the same areas in the summer months from 2007 to 2009. Range of influence between broiler farms were estimated at distances of 9·6 km and 13·5 km in different years. Identification of areas and time with greater risk indicates variable presence of risk factors with space and time. Implementation of safety measures on farms within high-risk clusters during summer could have an impact in reducing prevalence.
A large intracardiac thrombus in a child with steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome
Authors: Ekici Filiz , Çakar Nilgün
Published: July 2012

Intracardiac thrombus is a rare complication of nephrotic syndrome in children, and only a few cases have been reported. We report the case of a 3.5-year-old child diagnosed with Henoch–Schönlein Purpura and steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome for 2 months. The patient had massive oedema but no cardiovascular instability. Echocardiography displayed a large thrombus within the right atrium and the patient was successfully managed with enoxoparine.
Myocardial infarction in a 17-year-old patient due to neurofibromatosis-associated coronary aneurysm
Authors: Evrengul Harun , Kilic Dogu I. , Zungur Mustafa , Alihanoglu Yusuf I. , Tanriverdi Halil
Published: July 2012

Neurofibromatosis is an autosomal dominant multi-system genetic disorder. Extra-cardiac vascular manifestations of neurofibromatosis have been previously described in many reports. However, coronary arterial involvements have been rarely described. A 17-year-old girl with neurofibromatosis presented to our institute with subacute myocardial infarction. Coronary angiogram revealed an aneurysm with thrombus in the left anterior descending artery.
Molecular basis of β-amyloid oligomer recognition with a conformational antibody fragment
Authors: Morgado Isabel , Wieligmann Karin , Bereza Magdalena , Rönicke Raik , Meinhardt Katrin , Annamalai Karthikeyan , Baumann Monika , Wacker Jessica , Hortschansky Peter , Malešević Miroslav , Parthier Christoph , Mawrin Christian , Schiene-Fischer Cordelia , Reymann Klaus G. , Stubbs Milton T. , Balbach Jochen , Görlach Matthias , Horn Uwe , Fändrich Marcus
Published: July 2012

Oligomers are intermediates of the β-amyloid (Aβ) peptide fibrillogenic pathway and are putative pathogenic culprits in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Here we report the biotechnological generation and biochemical characterization of an oligomer-specific antibody fragment, KW1. KW1 not only discriminates between oligomers and other Aβ conformations, such as fibrils or disaggregated peptide; it also differentiates between different types of Aβ oligomers, such as those formed by Aβ (1–40) and Aβ (1–42) peptide. This high selectivity of binding contrasts sharply with many other conformational antibodies that interact with a large number of structurally analogous but sequentially different antigens. X-ray crystallography, NMR spectroscopy, and peptide array measurements imply that KW1 recognizes oligomers through a hydrophobic and significantly aromatic surface motif that includes Aβ residues 18–20. KW1-positive oligomers occur in human AD brain samples and induce synaptic dysfunctions in living brain tissues. Bivalent KW1 potently neutralizes this effect and interferes with Aβ assembly. By altering a specific step of the fibrillogenic cascade, it prevents the formation of mature Aβ fibrils and induces the accumulation of nonfibrillar aggregates. Our data illuminate significant mechanistic differences in oligomeric and fibril recognition and suggest the considerable potential of KW1 in future studies to detect or inhibit specific types of Aβ conformers.
N-terminal acetylome analyses and functional insights of the N-terminal acetyltransferase NatB
Authors: Van Damme Petra , Lasa Marta , Polevoda Bogdan , Gazquez Cristina , Elosegui-Artola Alberto , Kim Duk Soo , De Juan-Pardo Elena , Demeyer Kimberly , Hole Kristine , Larrea Esther , Timmerman Evy , Prieto Jesus , Arnesen Thomas , Sherman Fred , Gevaert Kris , Aldabe Rafael
Published: July 2012

Protein N-terminal acetylation (Nt-acetylation) is an important mediator of protein function, stability, sorting, and localization. Although the responsible enzymes are thought to be fairly well characterized, the lack of identified in vivo substrates, the occurrence of Nt-acetylation substrates displaying yet uncharacterized N-terminal acetyltransferase (NAT) specificities, and emerging evidence of posttranslational Nt-acetylation, necessitate the use of genetic models and quantitative proteomics. NatB, which targets Met-Glu-, Met-Asp-, and Met-Asn-starting protein N termini, is presumed to Nt-acetylate 15% of all yeast and 18% of all human proteins. We here report on the evolutionary traits of NatB from yeast to human and demonstrate that ectopically expressed hNatB in a yNatB-Δ yeast strain partially complements the
natB
-Δ phenotypes and partially restores the yNatB Nt-acetylome. Overall, combining quantitative N-terminomics with yeast studies and knockdown of hNatB in human cell lines, led to the unambiguous identification of 180 human and 110 yeast NatB substrates. Interestingly, these substrates included Met-Gln- N-termini, which are thus now classified as in vivo NatB substrates. We also demonstrate the requirement of hNatB activity for maintaining the structure and function of actomyosin fibers and for proper cellular migration. In addition, expression of tropomyosin-1 restored the altered focal adhesions and cellular migration defects observed in hNatB-depleted HeLa cells, indicative for the conserved link between NatB, tropomyosin, and actin cable function from yeast to human.