bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Variation in social relationships relates to song preferences andEGR1 expression in a female songbird
Authors: Schubloom Hannah E. , Woolley Sarah C.
Published: December 2015

Social experiences can profoundly shape social behavior and the underlying neural circuits. Across species, the formation of enduring social relationships is associated with both neural and behavioral changes. However, it remains unclear how longer‐term relationships between individuals influence brain and behavior. Here, we investigated how variation in social relationships relates to variation in female preferences for and neural responses to song in a pair‐bonding songbird. We assessed variation in the interactions between individuals in male‐female zebra finch pairs and found that female preferences for their mate's song were correlated with the degree of affiliation and amount of socially modulated singing, but not with the frequency of aggressive interactions. Moreover, variation in measures of pair quality and preference correlated with variation in the song‐induced expression of EGR1, an immediate early gene related to neural activity and plasticity, in brain regions important for auditory processing and social behavior. For example, females with weaker preferences for their mate's song had greater EGR1 expression in the nucleus Taeniae, the avian homologue of the mammalian medial amygdala, in response to playback of their mate's courtship song. Our data indicate that the quality of social interactions within pairs relates to variation in song preferences and neural responses to ethologically relevant stimuli and lend insight into neural circuits sensitive to social information. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Develop Neurobiol 76: 1029–1040, 2016
The eating disorder examination‐questionnaire 8: A brief measure of eating disorder psychopathology (EDE‐Q8)
Authors: Kliem Sören , Mößle Thomas , Zenger Markus , Strauß Bernhard , Brähler Elmar , Hilbert Anja
Published: December 2015

Objective

The aim of this study was to develop, evaluate, and standardize a short form of the well‐established Eating Disorder Examination‐Questionnaire (EDE‐Q). The newly developed EDE‐Q8 was required to reflect the originally postulated structure of the EDE‐Q.

Method

Data were drawn from two nationwide representative population surveys in Germany: a survey conducted to develop the EDE‐Q8 in 2009 (N = 2,520); and a survey conducted in 2013 (N = 2,508) for the evaluation and calculation of EDE‐Q8 percentiles.

Results

The EDE‐Q8 had excellent item characteristics, very good reliability and a very good model fit for the postulated second‐order factorial structure. Furthermore, a strong correlation between the EDE‐Q8 and a 13 item short form of the Eating Attitudes Test was observed.

Discussion

The EDE‐Q8 appears to be particularly suitable in epidemiological research, when an economical assessment of global eating disorder psychopathology is required. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. (Int J Eat Disord 2016; 49:613–616).
Exposure to activity‐based anorexia impairs contextual learning in weight‐restored rats without affecting spatial learning, taste, anxiety, or dietary‐fat preference
Authors: Boersma Gretha J. , Treesukosol Yada , Cordner Zachary A. , Kastelein Anneke , Choi Pique , Moran Timothy H. , Tamashiro Kellie L.
Published: December 2015

Relapse rates are high amongst cases of anorexia nervosa (AN) suggesting that some alterations induced by AN may remain after weight restoration.

Objective

To study the consequences of AN without confounds of environmental variability, a rodent model of activity‐based anorexia (ABA) can be employed. We hypothesized that exposure to ABA during adolescence may have long‐term consequences in taste function, cognition, and anxiety‐like behavior after weight restoration.

Methods

To test this hypothesis, we exposed adolescent female rats to ABA (1.5 h food access, combined with voluntary running wheel access) and compared their behavior to that of control rats after weight restoration was achieved. The rats were tested for learning/memory, anxiety, food preference, and taste in a set of behavioral tests performed during the light period.

Results

Our data show that ABA exposure leads to reduced performance during the novel object recognition task, a test for contextual learning, without altering performance in the novel place recognition task or the Barnes maze, both tasks that test spatial learning. Furthermore, we do not observe alterations in unconditioned lick responses to sucrose nor quinine (described by humans as “sweet” and “bitter,” respectively). Nor Do we find alterations in anxiety‐like behavior during an elevated plus maze or an open field test. Finally, preference for a diet high in fat is not altered.

Discussion

Overall, our data suggest that ABA exposure during adolescence impairs contextual learning in adulthood without altering spatial leaning, taste, anxiety, or fat preference. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. (Int J Eat Disord 2016; 49:167–179).
Genetic and environmental components to self‐induced vomiting
Authors: Peterson Claire M. , Baker Jessica H. , Thornton Laura M. , Trace Sara E. , Mazzeo Suzanne E. , Neale Michael C. , Munn‐Chernoff Melissa A. , Lichtenstein Paul , Pedersen Nancy L. , Bulik Cynthia M.
Published: December 2015

Objective

We examined the association between the genetic and environmental factors contributing to the liability to having ever engaged in self‐induced vomiting (SIV initiation) and the genetic and environmental factors contributing to regular SIV behaviors (weekly or daily) for weight control.

Method

SIV was assessed in 3,942 women from monozygotic twin pairs and 2,790 women from same‐sex dizygotic twin pairs, aged 20–47, from the Swedish Twin study of Adults: Genes and Environment. A causal‐contingent‐common pathway model assessed the extent to which genetic and environmental factors that influence initiation of SIV also influence regular SIV behaviors.

Results

In the best‐fit model, genetic and individual‐specific environmental factors influenced liability to SIV initiation. The genetic factors influencing regular SIV behaviors were the same as the genetic factors influencing SIV initiation. Additional individual‐specific environmental factors that were unrelated to SIV initiation influenced regular SIV behaviors.

Discussion

Our findings provide evidence that the underlying liabilities for SIV initiation and regular SIV lie on the same continuum given the degree of overlap in risk between SIV initiation and regular SIV behaviors. Further, the lack of specific genetic factors and the importance of individual‐specific environmental factors for regular SIV behaviors highlight the significance of environmental factors in the etiology of eating disorder symptomatology and the non‐deterministic nature of genetic factors. Finally, our results suggest that when it comes to preventing individuals from developing regular SIV behavior, intervening at an environmental level is warranted. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. (Int J Eat Disord 2016; 49:421–427)
Discovering hidden biodiversity: the use of complementary monitoring of fish diet based on DNA barcoding in freshwater ecosystems
Authors: Jo Hyunbin , Ventura Marc , Vidal Nicolas , Gim Jeong‐Soo , Buchaca Teresa , Barmuta Leon A. , Jeppesen Erik , Joo Gea‐Jae
Published: December 2015

Ecological monitoring contributes to the understanding of complex ecosystem functions. The diets of fish reflect the surrounding environment and habitats and may, therefore, act as useful integrating indicators of environmental status. It is, however, often difficult to visually identify items in gut contents to species level due to digestion of soft‐bodied prey beyond visual recognition, but new tools rendering this possible are now becoming available. We used a molecular approach to determine the species identities of consumed diet items of an introduced generalist feeder, brown trout (Salmo trutta), in 10 Tasmanian lakes and compared the results with those obtained from visual quantification of stomach contents. We obtained 44 unique taxa (OTUs) belonging to five phyla, including seven classes, using the barcode of life approach from cytochrome oxidase I (COI). Compared with visual quantification, DNA analysis showed greater accuracy, yielding a 1.4‐fold higher number of OTUs. Rarefaction curve analysis showed saturation of visually inspected taxa, while the curves from the DNA barcode did not saturate. The OTUs with the highest proportions of haplotypes were the families of terrestrial insects Formicidae, Chrysomelidae, and Torbidae and the freshwater Chironomidae. Haplotype occurrence per lake was negatively correlated with lake depth and transparency. Nearly all haplotypes were only found in one fish gut from a single lake. Our results indicate that DNA barcoding of fish diets is a useful and complementary method for discovering hidden biodiversity.
Seed viability and germination success of Acacia tortilis along land‐use and aridity gradients in the Eastern Sahara
Authors: Andersen Gidske Leknæs , Krzywinski Knut , Gjessing Håkon K. , Pierce Richard Holton
Published: December 2015

Our study focuses on the keystone species Acacia tortilis and is the first to investigate the effect of domestic ungulates and aridity on seed viability and germination over an extensive part of the Eastern Sahara. Bruchids infest its seeds and reduce their viability and germination, but ingestion by ruminant herbivores diminishes infestation levels and enhances/promotes seed viability and germination. The degree of these effects seems to be correlated with animal body mass. Significantly reduced numbers of wild ruminant ungulates have increased the potential importance of domestic animals and pastoral nomadism for the functionality of arid North African and Middle Eastern ecosystems. We sampled seeds (16,543) from A. tortilis in eight areas in three regions with different aridity and land use. We tested the effect of geography and sampling context on seed infestation using random effects logistic regressions. We did a randomized and balanced germination experiment including 1193 seeds, treated with different manure. Germination time and rates across geography, sampling context, and infestation status were analyzed using time‐to‐event analyses, Kaplan–Meier curves and proportional hazards Cox regressions. Bruchid infestation is very high (80%), and the effects of context are significant. Neither partial infestation nor adding manure had a positive effect on germination. There is a strong indication that intact, uningested seeds from acacia populations in the extremely arid Western Desert germinate more slowly and have a higher fraction of hard seeds than in the Eastern Desert and the Red Sea Hills. For ingested seeds in the pastoralist areas we find that intact seeds from goat dung germinate significantly better than those from camel dung. This is contrary to the expected body‐mass effect. There is no effect of site or variation in tribal management.
Inbreeding depression of sperm traits in the zebra finch Taeniopygia guttata
Authors: Opatová Pavlína , Ihle Malika , Albrechtová Jana , Tomášek Oldřich , Kempenaers Bart , Forstmeier Wolfgang , Albrecht Tomáš
Published: December 2015

Inbreeding depression, or the reduction in fitness due to mating between close relatives, is a key issue in biology today. Inbreeding negatively affects many fitness‐related traits, including survival and reproductive success. Despite this, very few studies have quantified the effects of inbreeding on vertebrate gamete traits under controlled breeding conditions using a full‐sib mating approach. Here, we provide comprehensive evidence for the negative effect of inbreeding on sperm traits in a bird, the zebra finch Taeniopygia guttata. We compared sperm characteristics of both inbred (pedigree F = 0.25) and outbred (pedigree F = 0) individuals from two captive populations, one domesticated and one recently wild‐derived, raised under standardized conditions. As normal spermatozoa morphology did not differ consistently between inbred and outbred individuals, our study confirms the hypothesis that sperm morphology is not particularly susceptible to inbreeding depression. Inbreeding did, however, lead to significantly lower sperm motility and a substantially higher percentage of abnormal spermatozoa in ejaculate. These results were consistent across both study populations, confirming the generality and reliability of our findings.
On the selection of thresholds for predicting species occurrence with presence‐only data
Authors: Liu Canran , Newell Graeme , White Matt
Published: December 2015

Presence‐only data present challenges for selecting thresholds to transform species distribution modeling results into binary outputs. In this article, we compare two recently published threshold selection methods (maxSSS and maxFpb) and examine the effectiveness of the threshold‐based prevalence estimation approach. Six virtual species with varying prevalence were simulated within a real landscape in southeastern Australia. Presence‐only models were built with DOMAIN, generalized linear model, Maxent, and Random Forest. Thresholds were selected with two methods maxSSS and maxFpb with four presence‐only datasets with different ratios of the number of known presences to the number of random points (KP–RPratio). Sensitivity, specificity, true skill statistic, and F measure were used to evaluate the performance of the results. Species prevalence was estimated as the ratio of the number of predicted presences to the total number of points in the evaluation dataset. Thresholds selected with maxFpb varied as the KP–RPratio of the threshold selection datasets changed. Datasets with the KP–RPratio around 1 generally produced better results than scores distant from 1. Results produced by We conclude that maxFpb had specificity too low for very common species using Random Forest and Maxent models. In contrast, maxSSS produced consistent results whichever dataset was used. The estimation of prevalence was almost always biased, and the bias was very large for DOMAIN and Random Forest predictions. We conclude that maxFpb is affected by the KP–RPratio of the threshold selection datasets, but maxSSS is almost unaffected by this ratio. Unbiased estimations of prevalence are difficult to be determined using the threshold‐based approach.
Three‐dimensional flow structure and patterns of bed shear stress in an evolving compound meander bend
Authors: Engel Frank L. , Rhoads Bruce L.
Published: December 2015

Compound meander bends with multiple lobes of maximum curvature are common in actively evolving lowland rivers. Interaction among spatial patterns of mean flow, turbulence, bed morphology, bank failures and channel migration in compound bends is poorly understood. In this paper, acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCP) measurements of the three‐dimensional (3D) flow velocities in a compound bend are examined to evaluate the influence of channel curvature and hydrologic variability on the structure of flow within the bend. Flow structure at various flow stages is related to changes in bed morphology over the study timeframe. Increases in local curvature within the upstream lobe of the bend reduce outer bank velocities at morphologically significant flows, creating a region that protects the bank from high momentum flow and high bed shear stresses. The dimensionless radius of curvature in the upstream lobe is one‐third less than that of the downstream lobe, with average bank erosion rates less than half of the erosion rates for the downstream lobe. Higher bank erosion rates within the downstream lobe correspond to the shift in a core of high velocity and bed shear stresses toward the outer bank as flow moves through the two lobes. These erosion patterns provide a mechanism for continued migration of the downstream lobe in the near future. Bed material size distributions within the bend correspond to spatial patterns of bed shear stress magnitudes, indicating that bed material sorting within the bend is governed by bed shear stress. Results suggest that patterns of flow, sediment entrainment, and planform evolution in compound meander bends are more complex than in simple meander bends. Moreover, interactions among local influences on the flow, such as woody debris, local topographic steering, and locally high curvature, tend to cause compound bends to evolve toward increasing planform complexity over time rather than stable configurations. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Effect of aggregate and water to cement ratio on concrete properties at elevated temperature
Authors: Al‐Jabri Khalifa S. , Waris Muhammad Bilal , Al‐Saidy Abdullah H.
Published: December 2015

Properties of concrete during and after fire exposure are of significant importance for serviceability and rehabilitation of buildings. This article presents an experimental investigation on the effects of elevated temperature on physical and mechanical properties of concrete made using two types of locally available coarse aggregates (crushed and wadi aggregates) and water‐to‐cement (w/c) ratios of 0.50 and 0.70. Temperature range from 200 °C to 1000 °C was used with intervals of 200 °C. Test results indicate that the weight of concrete reduced with increase in temperature. This reduction was quite sharp beyond 800 °C. Minor spalling was observed in concrete with Wadi aggregates at temperatures beyond 800 °C. The results also reveal that relative strength of concrete decreased as exposure temperature increased. The effect of high temperatures on the strength of concrete was more pronounced in concrete with Wadi aggregates. w/c ratio had insignificant effect on weight loss after exposure to elevated temperatures, but it increased the rate of strength degradation irrespective of aggregate type used. Comparison of results with Eurocode (EC‐2) and American Concrete Institute (ACI) standards indicate that the concrete with both aggregate types can satisfy the limits of siliceous aggregates set by ACI, but concrete made with Wadi aggregates with w/c ratio of 0.50 failed to satisfy limits of EC‐2. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Effect of β‐catenin silencing in overcoming radioresistance of head and neck cancer cells by antagonizing the effects of AMPK on Ku70/Ku80
Authors: Chang Hyo Won , Nam Hae Yun , Kim Hyo Jung , Moon So Young , Kim Mi Ra , Lee Myungjin , Kim Gui Chul , Kim Seong Who , Kim Sang Yoon
Published: December 2015

Background

We attempted to elucidate the mechanism of cell death after radiation by studying how β‐catenin silencing controls the radiation sensitivity of radioresistant head and neck cancer cells.

Methods

The most radioresistant cancer cell line (AMC‐HN‐9) was selected for study. Targeted silencing of β‐catenin was used on siRNAs. Sensitivity to radiation was examined using clonogenic and methylthiazol tetrazolium (MTT) assays.

Results

A combination of irradiation plus β‐catenin silencing led to a significant reduction in the inherent radioresistance of AMC‐HN‐9 cells. Although expression of Ku70/80 was upregulated in AMC‐HN‐9 cells after irradiation, Ku70/80 was dramatically decreased in a combination of irradiation and β‐catenin silencing. Interestingly, irradiation‐induced Ku70/80 was completely prevented by β‐catenin silencing‐induced LKB1/AMP‐activated protein kinase (LKB1/AMPK) signal.

Conclusion

The LKB1/AMPK pathway might relay the signal between the Wnt/β‐catenin pathway and the Ku70/Ku80 DNA repair machinery, and play a decisive role in fine‐tuning the responses of cancer cells to irradiation. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck 38: E1909–E1917, 2016
The relationship between communicative participation and postlaryngectomy speech outcomes
Authors: Eadie Tanya L. , Otero Devon , Cox Steven , Johnson Jordan , Baylor Carolyn R. , Yorkston Kathryn M. , Doyle Philip C.
Published: December 2015

Background

The purpose of this study was to examine relationships between communicative participation and postlaryngectomy speech outcomes, including listener‐rated speech intelligibility and acceptability, and patient‐rated speech acceptability and voice handicap.

Methods

Thirty‐six laryngectomized individuals completed the Communicative Participation Item Bank (CPIB) short form and the Voice Handicap Index‐10 (VHI‐10). They provided recordings from the Sentence Intelligibility Test (SIT) and a reading passage, and rated their own speech acceptability. Forty‐eight inexperienced listeners transcribed the SIT sentences to derive intelligibility scores. Eighteen additional listeners judged the speech acceptability using the rating scales.

Results

Listeners judged tracheoesophageal speakers as significantly more intelligible and acceptable than electrolaryngeal speakers (p < .05). Speech acceptability was significantly more acceptable to speakers than listeners (p < .05). Weak, nonsignificant relationships were found between communicative participation and listener‐rated outcomes. Stronger, significant relationships were found between communicative participation and self‐rated speech acceptability and voice handicap (p < .05).

Conclusion

Patient‐reported communication outcomes are complementary to listener‐rated outcomes. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck 38: E1955–E1961, 2016
Transoral robotic medial hypopharyngectomy: Surgical technique
Authors: Sims John R. , Robinson Nathaniel L. , Moore Eric J. , Janus Jeffrey R.
Published: December 2015

Background

Transoral robotic surgery (TORS) has been shown to be both feasible and oncologically sound for use in early T classification hypopharyngeal cancers. The purpose of this study was to present our surgical technique for performing a transoral robotic hypopharyngectomy.

Methods

A 48‐year‐old man with a T2, N2a, M0 squamous cell carcinoma of the hypopharynx underwent a transoral robotic hypopharyngectomy and a left select neck dissection of levels II to IV.

Results

The hypopharyngeal tumor was removed en bloc after circumferential cuts were made until the tumor was finally amputated from the apex of the piriform sinus. Negative margins were achieved. A left select neck dissection was performed. The patient was tolerating an oral diet and his tracheostomy tube was decannulated before discharge.

Conclusion

TORS offers improved manual dexterity and tumor manipulation over conventional transoral approaches to hypopharyngeal cancers. It is both a feasible and effective method for certain early‐stage hypopharyngeal cancers. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck 38: E2127–E2129, 2016
A Comparative Exploration of Enhancing Thermal Characteristics of Natural Gas Flame by Synchronous Combustion Technique
Authors: Pourhoseini S. H.
Published: December 2015

This article is a comparative study of how the injection of micro kerosene droplets and pulverized anthracite coal particles affects soot particle nucleation inside natural gas flame and, subsequently, radiation. To this end, the yellow chemiluminescence of soot particles and IR photography were used to locate radiative soot particles and discover their qualitative distribution. The IR filter was tested with a Thermo Nicolet Avatar 370 FTIR Spectrometer for its spectral transmittance to be specified. Also, the spectral absorbance of soot particles, which are formed in flame, was measured by BOMEM FTIR. Furthermore, the variations of flame temperature, transient heat transfer, and thermal efficiency were investigated. The results indicate that, for equal heating values, kerosene droplets are more effective than coal particles in improving the radiation and thermal characteristics of natural gas flame. Also, kerosene droplets cause a higher rise in the temperature in flame downstream and make the axial flame temperature more uniform than coal particles do. In quantitative terms, when kerosene droplets were injected, the radiative heat transfer and thermal efficiency of flame were 93% and 35% higher than the corresponding values for the coal particles injection mode.
Long‐term retention of pristine multi‐walled carbon nanotubes in rat lungs after intratracheal instillation
Authors: Shinohara Naohide , Nakazato Tetsuya , Ohkawa Kumiko , Tamura Moritaka , Kobayashi Norihiro , Morimoto Yasuo , Oyabu Takako , Myojo Toshihiko , Shimada Manabu , Yamamoto Kazuhiro , Tao Hiroaki , Ema Makoto , Naya Masato , Nakanishi Junko
Published: December 2015

As a result of the growing potential industrial and medical applications of multi‐walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), people working in or residing near facilities that manufacture them may be exposed to airborne MWCNTs in the future. Because of concerns regarding their toxicity, quantitative data on the long‐term clearance of pristine MWCNTs from the lungs are required. We administered pristine MWCNTs well dispersed in 0.5 mg ml−1 Triton‐X solution to rats at doses of 0.20 or 0.55 mg via intratracheal instillation and investigated clearance over a 12‐month observation period. The pristine MWCNTs pulmonary burden was determined 1, 3, 7, 28, 91, 175 and 364 days after instillation using a method involving combustive oxidation and infrared analysis, combined with acid digestion and heat pretreatment. As 0.15‐ and 0.38‐mg MWCNTs were detected 1 day after administration of 0.20 and 0.55 mg MWCNTs, respectively, approximately 30% of administrated MWCNTs may have been cleared by bronchial ciliary motion within 24 h of administration. After that, the pulmonary MWCNT burden did not decrease significantly over time for up to 364 days after instillation, suggesting that MWCNTs were not readily cleared from the lung. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) showed that alveolar macrophages internalized the MWCNTs and retained in the lung for at least 364 days after instillation. MWCNTs were not detected in the liver or brain within the 364‐day study period (<0.04 mg per liver, < 0.006 mg per brain). Copyright © 2015 The Authors Journal of Applied Toxicology Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Motor Competence in Early Childhood Is Positively Associated With Bone Strength in Late Adolescence
Authors: Ireland Alex , Sayers Adrian , Deere Kevin C , Emond Alan , Tobias Jon H
Published: December 2015

The onset of walking in early childhood results in exposure of the lower limb to substantial forces from weight bearing activity that ultimately contribute to adult bone strength. Relationships between gross motor score (GMS), at 18 months and bone outcomes measured at age 17 years were examined in 2327 participants in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC). Higher GMS indicated greater motor competence in weight-bearing activities. Total hip bone mineral density (BMD) and hip cross-sectional moment of inertia (CSMI) were assessed from dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Bone measures including cortical bone mineral content (BMC), periosteal circumference (PC), cortical thickness (CT), cortical bone area (CBA), cortical BMD (BMDC) and cross-sectional moment of inertia (CSMI) were assessed by peripheral quantitative computed tomography (pQCT) at 50% distal-proximal length. Before adjustment, GMS was associated with hip BMD, CSMI, and tibia BMC, PC, CT, CBA and CSMI (all p < 0.001) but not BMDC (p > 0.25). Strongest associations (standardized regression coefficients with 95% CI) were between GMS and hip BMD (0.086; 95% CI, 0.067 to 0.105) and tibia BMC (0.105; 95% CI, 0.089 to 0.121). With the exception of hip BMD, larger regression coefficients were observed in males (gender interactions all p < 0.05). Adjustment for lean mass resulted in substantial attenuation of regression coefficients, suggesting associations between impaired motor competence and subsequent bone development are partly mediated by alterations in body composition. In conclusion, impaired motor competence in childhood is associated with lower adolescent bone strength, and may represent a risk factor for subsequent osteoporosis. © 2015 The Authors. Journal of Bone and Mineral Research published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of American Society for Bone and Mineral Research (ASBMR).
Growth differentiation factor‐15 is associated with muscle mass in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and promotes muscle wasting in vivo
Authors: Patel Mehul S. , Lee Jen , Baz Manuel , Wells Claire E. , Bloch Susannah , Lewis Amy , Donaldson Anna V. , Garfield Benjamin E. , Hopkinson Nicholas S. , Natanek Amanda , Man William D‐C , Wells Dominic J. , Baker Emma H. , Polkey Michael I. , Kemp Paul R.
Published: December 2015

Background

Loss of muscle mass is a co‐morbidity common to a range of chronic diseases including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Several systemic features of COPD including increased inflammatory signalling, oxidative stress, and hypoxia are known to increase the expression of growth differentiation factor‐15 (GDF‐15), a protein associated with muscle wasting in other diseases. We therefore hypothesized that GDF‐15 may contribute to muscle wasting in COPD.

Methods

We determined the expression of GDF‐15 in the serum and muscle of patients with COPD and analysed the association of GDF‐15 expression with muscle mass and exercise performance. To determine whether GDF‐15 had a direct effect on muscle, we also determined the effect of increased GDF‐15 expression on the tibialis anterior of mice by electroporation.

Results

Growth differentiation factor‐15 was increased in the circulation and muscle of COPD patients compared with controls. Circulating GDF‐15 was inversely correlated with rectus femoris cross‐sectional area (P < 0.001) and exercise capacity (P < 0.001) in two separate cohorts of patients but was not associated with body mass index. GDF‐15 levels were associated with 8‐oxo‐dG in the circulation of patients consistent with a role for oxidative stress in the production of this protein. Local over‐expression of GDF‐15 in mice caused wasting of the tibialis anterior muscle that expressed it but not in the contralateral muscle suggesting a direct effect of GDF‐15 on muscle mass (P < 0.001).

Conclusions

Together, the data suggest that GDF‐15 contributes to the loss of muscle mass in COPD.
Efficient One‐Pot Synthesis of Quinazoline and Benzopyrano[2,3‐d]pyrimidine Derivatives Catalyzed by N‐Bromosulfonamides
Authors: Ghorbani‐Vaghei Ramin , Shirzadi‐Ahodashti Mina , Eslami Fattemeh , Malaekehpoor Seyedeh Mina , Salimi Zahra , Toghraei‐Semiromi Zahra , Noori Samira
Published: December 2015

N,N,N',N'‐tetrabromobenzene‐1,3‐disulfonamide and poly(N,N’‐dibromo‐N‐ethyl‐benzene‐1,3‐disulfonamide) were used as efficient catalysts for one‐pot synthesis of new quinazoline derivatives from various aldehydes, 2‐amino‐benzophenone, and ammonium acetate in good to excellent yields and new benzopyrano[2,3‐d]pyrimidine derivatives from salicylic aldehydes, various cyclic amines, and malononitrile in good to high yields.
Synthesis and Biological Evaluation of Novel 2‐Aryl Benzimidazoles as Chemotherapeutic Agents
Authors: Morais Goreti Ribeiro , Palma Elisa , Marques Fernanda , Gano Lurdes , Oliveira Maria Cristina , Abrunhosa Antero , Miranda Hugo Vicente , Outeiro Tiago F. , Santos Isabel , Paulo Antonio
Published: December 2015

Here, we describe the synthesis and preliminary biological evaluation of novel N‐unsubstituted and N‐methylated 2‐aryl benzimidazole derivatives that contain fluorinated or hydroxylated alkyl substituents in the 4‐N‐aryl position and different substitution patterns (H vs Br vs I) in the benzimidazole ring. For the selected compounds and for comparison purposes, the congener benzothiazoles were also tested. The cytotoxic effect of 11 benzazole derivatives was evaluated in a panel of human cancer cell lines, such as breast (MCF7), melanoma (A375), cervix (HeLa), and glioblastoma (U87). In general, the compounds exerted a moderate cytotoxic activity against all cells tested. In particular, for the A375 and HeLa cells, the N‐unsubstituted benzimidazoles 2 and 3 displayed a better cytotoxic profile than the respective N‐methylated benzimidazole congeners (5 and 7). The biodistribution of compound 2, which has shown the highest cytotoxic activity active in the U87 glioblastoma cells (IC50 = 45.2 ± 13.0), was evaluated in CD1 mice using its 18F‐labeled counterpart ([18F]2). These studies showed that compound 2 can cross the blood brain barrier with a reasonable brain uptake (1.24 and 2.81%I.A./g at 5 and 60 min p.i., respectively), which is a crucial issue for systemic chemotherapy of glioblastoma. Altogether, the in vitro antitumoral activity of benzimidazole 2 against the U87 cells and the ability of its 18F‐congener to cross the blood brain barrier provide a strong rationale to consider the reported fluoroalkylated 2‐aryl benzimidazoles as lead candidates for the generation of chemotherapeutic agents, in particular, against highly aggressive brain tumors such as glioblastoma.
Condensation of Indoline with Some 1,2‐ and 1,3‐Diketones
Authors: Kilic Haydar , Aydin Omer , Bayindir Sinan , Saracoglu Nurullah
Published: December 2015

Bismuth nitrate catalyzed condensation reactions of indoline with 1,2‐ and 1,3‐diketones were investigated and were reported to proceed via different reaction pathways with the involvement of one or two of the carbonyl groups. While the reaction of indoline with cyclohexane‐1,3‐dione (4) gave solely condensation product, the reaction between the acetylacetone (5) and indoline provided N‐acetyl indoline as single products on retro‐aldol process. In contrast to 1,3‐diketones, the reaction with benzil (17) was performed under difficult conditions and proceeded to give secondary products.
Synthesis and Bioactivities of Novel 1‐(3‐Chloropyridin‐2‐yl)‐N‐Substituted‐5‐(Trifluoromethyl)‐Pyrazole Carboxamide Derivatives
Authors: Wu Zhibing , Wu Shixi , Ye Yiqiang , Zhou Xiang , Wang Peiyi , Xue Wei , Hu Deyu
Published: December 2015

A series of novel 1‐(3‐chloropyridin‐2‐yl)‐N‐substituted‐5‐(trifluoromethyl)‐pyrazole carboxamide derivatives TC1, TC2, TC3, TC4, TC5, TC6, TC7, TC8, TC9, TC10, TC11 were synthesized and characterized by IR, 1H NMR, 13C NMR, MS, and elemental analysis. All the target compounds were tested in vitro for their antibacterial activities and antifungal activities. The preliminary bioassays indicated that compound TC6 exhibited excellent activity against Xanthomonas oryzae (94.9% and 84.9%) at different concentrations (200 µg/mL and 100 µg/mL), which was higher than that of Bismerthiazol (94.6% and 64.0%), respectively. At the same time, most of the compounds exhibited moderate antifungal activities against four kinds of phytopathogenic fungi
Health information exchange systems and length of stay in readmissions to a different hospital
Authors: Flaks‐Manov Natalie , Shadmi Efrat , Hoshen Moshe , Balicer Ran D.
Published: December 2015

BACKGROUND

Readmission to a different hospital than the original discharge hospital may result in breakdowns in continuity of care. In different‐hospital readmissions (DHRs), continuity can be maintained when hospitals are connected through health information exchange (HIE) systems.

OBJECTIVE

To examine whether length of readmission stay (LORS) differs between same‐hospital readmissions and DHRs, and whether in DHRs the LORS differs by the availability of HIE.

DESIGN

A retrospective cohort study of all internal medicine 30‐day readmissions in 27 Israeli hospitals between January 1, 2010 and December 31, 2010.

SETTING

Clalit Health Services—Israel's largest integrated healthcare provider and payer.

POPULATION

Adult Clalit members (aged 18 and older) with at least 1 readmission during the study period.

METHODS

A multivariate marginal Cox model tested the likelihood for discharge during each readmission day in same‐hospital readmissions (SHRs), DHRs with HIE, and DHRs without HIE.

RESULTS

Of the 27,057 readmissions, 3130 (11.6%) were DHRs and 792 where DHRs with HIE in both the index and readmitting hospital. Partial continuity (DHRs with HIE) was associated with decreased likelihood of discharge on any given day compared with full continuity (SHRs) (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.85, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.79–0.91). Similar results were obtained for no continuity (DHRs without HIE) versus full continuity (HR = 0.90, 95% CI: 0.86–0.94). The difference between DHRs with and without HIE was not significant.

CONCLUSIONS

The prolonged LORS in DHRs versus SHRs was not mitigated by the existence of HIE systems. Future research is needed to further elucidate the effects of actual use of HIE on length of DHRs. Journal of Hospital Medicine 2016;11:401–406. © 2015 Society of Hospital Medicine
Gallium‐68‐labelled NOTA‐oligonucleotides: an optimized method for their preparation
Authors: Gijs Marlies , Dammicco Sylvestre , Warnier Corentin , Aerts An , Impens Nathalie R.E.N , D'Huyvetter Matthias , Léonard Marc , Baatout Sarah , Luxen André
Published: December 2015

One of the most essential aspects to the success of radiopharmaceuticals is an easy and reliable radiolabelling protocol to obtain pure and stable products. In this study, we optimized the bioconjugation and gallium‐68 (68Ga) radiolabelling conditions for a single‐stranded 40‐mer DNA oligonucleotide, in order to obtain highly pure and stable radiolabelled oligonucleotides. Quantitative bioconjugation was obtained for a disulfide‐functionalized oligonucleotide conjugated to the macrocylic bifunctional chelator MMA‐NOTA (maleimido‐mono‐amide (1,4,7‐triazanonane‐1,4,7‐triyl)triacetic acid). Next, this NOTA‐oligonucleotide bioconjugate was radiolabelled at room temperature with purified and pre‐concentrated 68Ga with quantitative levels of radioactive incorporation and high radiochemical and chemical purity. In addition, high chelate stability was observed in physiological‐like conditions (37 °C, PBS and serum), in the presence of a transchelator (EDTA) and transferrin. A specific activity of 51.1 MBq/nmol was reached using a 1470‐fold molar excess bioconjugate over 68Ga. This study presents a fast, straightforward and reliable protocol for the preparation of 68Ga‐radiolabelled DNA oligonucleotides under mild reaction conditions and without the use of organic solvents. The methodology herein developed will be applied to the preparation of oligonucleotidic sequences (aptamers) targeting the human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) for cancer imaging.
Functional evolution of jumping in frogs: Interspecific differences in take‐off and landing
Authors: Reilly Stephen M. , Montuelle Stephane J. , Schmidt André , Krause Cornelia , Naylor Emily , Essner Richard L.
Published: December 2015

Ancestral frogs underwent anatomical shifts including elongation of the hindlimbs and pelvis and reduction of the tail and vertebral column that heralded the transition to jumping as a primary mode of locomotion. Jumping has been hypothesized to have evolved in a step‐wise fashion with basal frogs taking‐off with synchronous hindlimb extension and crash‐landing on their bodies, and then their limbs move forward. Subsequently, frogs began to recycle the forelimbs forward earlier in the jump to control landing. Frogs with forelimb landing radiated into many forms, locomotor modes, habitats, and niches with controlled landing thought to improve escape behavior. While the biology of take‐off behavior has seen considerable study, interspecific comparisons of take‐off and landing behavior are limited. In order to understand the evolution of jumping and controlled landing in frogs, data are needed on the movements of the limbs and body across an array of taxa. Here, we present the first description and comparison of kinematics of the hindlimbs, forelimbs and body during take‐off and landing in relation to ground reaction forces in four frog species spanning the frog phylogeny. The goal of this study is to understand what interspecific differences reveal about the evolution of take‐off and controlled landing in frogs. We provide the first comparative description of the entire process of jumping in frogs. Statistical comparisons identify both homologous behaviors and significant differences among species that are used to map patterns of trait evolution and generate hypotheses regarding the functional evolution of take‐off and landing in frogs. J. Morphol. 277:379–393, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Homobrassinolide induced conformational changes in hexokinase: a possible mechanism for its antidiabetic potential
Authors: Pandurangan Muthuraman , Enkhtaivan Gansukh , Kim Doo Hwan
Published: December 2015

Hormonal regulation of cell growth and development, tissue morphology, metabolism and physiological function in animals and man is a well‐established knowledge domain in modern biological science. The present study was carried out to investigate the structural stability of hexokinase when exposed to diabetic levels of glucose and its binding efficiency. The fluorescence study indicated that 28‐homobrassinolide was able to protect or restore the native structure of hexokinase. Proteins are synthesized and fold into the native form to become active. The inability of a protein molecule to remain in its native form is called as protein misfolding and this is because of several factors. Protein aggregation and misfolding are known to play a critical role in several human diseases including diabetes. Homobrassinolide interaction with hexokinase was studied by UV–Vis spectrophotometer and fluorescence spectrophotometer. Results were suggested that the denatured hexokinase was renatured upon binding with homobrassinolide. In silico, docking study was performed to recognize the binding activity of homobrassinolide against a subunit of the glucokinase, and homobrassinolide was able to bind to the drug binding pocket of glucokinase. The glide energy is −7.1 kcal/mol, suggesting the high binding affinity of homobrassinolide to glucokinase. Overall, these studies predict that the phytohormone 28‐homobrassinolide would function as an anti‐diabetic when present in human and animal diet by augmenting the hexokinase enzyme activity in the animal cell. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Oligoethylenimine‐grafted chitosan as enhanced T1 contrast agent for in vivo targeted tumor MRI
Authors: Tong Xiaoyan , Liu Min , Zhang Kunchi , Cao Yi , Dong Jingjin , Jiang Bin , Lu Bo , Zheng Hua , Zhang Hailu , Pei Renjun
Published: December 2015

Purpose

To synthesize and characterize an effective macromolecular magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agent based on oligoethylenimine‐grafted chitosan with targeting capability.

Materials and Methods

In this study we synthesized and characterized oligoethylenimine‐grafted chitosan copolymers, followed by conjugating with Gd‐DTPA and folic acid. The toxicity was evaluated by WST assay, and in vitro MRI studies were performed in comparison with Gd‐DTPA. Finally, the contrast enhancement of the new macromolecular MRI contrast agent was then evaluated in the mice bearing KB xenografts.

Results

Compared to Gd‐DTPA (4.3 mM−1 s−1), this macromolecular contrast agent (mCA) exhibited much higher T1 relaxivity (14.4 mM−1 s−1), up to 3.3 times higher. Meanwhile, the WST assay illustrated that the viability of KB cells remained at 90% even when the Gd concentration was 1 mM. During the in vivo study, the image contrast produced by FA‐mCA was higher than one produced by mCA, up to 2.5 times higher.

Conclusion

Our results showed this macromolecular contrast agent has potential for developing sensitive and biocompatible MRI probe with targeting capability. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2016;44:23–29.
Numerical study on regional climate change due to the rapid urbanization of greater Ho Chi Minh City's metropolitan area over the past 20 years
Authors: Doan Quang‐Van , Kusaka Hiroyuki
Published: December 2015

This study examines climatic impact of urbanization on the variability of the urban heat island (UHI) effect over Greater Ho Chi Minh City metropolitan area (GHCM), since the late 1980s, using the dynamical downscaling with very high‐resolution regional climate model coupled to an urban canopy model (RCM/UCM). This is the first application of RCM/UCM to a city in developing countries in Southeast Asia in assessing the impacts of the past land‐use and anthropogenic heat release during the selected three periods (ca. 1989, 1999, and 2009). The main findings are as follows: First, agreement between simulated results (for case of ca. 2009 urban) and observation demonstrates that the RCM/UCM is able to reproduce the urban climate of GHCM. Second, the evolution of spatial distribution of UHI is closely associated with urban expansion. The increase in the surface air temperature was about 0.3 °C in the pre‐existing urbanized area and about 0.6 °C in newly urbanized area in the last 20 years. Main factor of these changes is conversion of agriculture or grassland into urban structure, which results in increase in sensible heating and decrease in latent heating. In addition, in the central GHCM, the urbanization impact was estimated at 0.31 °C, while the temperature increase was observed at 0.64 °C in the last 20 years. This suggests that the urbanization may contribute about half to the increase of surface air temperature in the central GHCM.
High prevalence of cam deformity in dysplastic hips: A three‐dimensional CT study
Authors: Kohno Yusuke , Nakashima Yasuharu , Hatano Takashi , Akiyama Mio , Fujii Masanori , Hara Daisuke , Kanazawa Masayuki , Haraguchi Akihisa , Iwamoto Yukihide
Published: December 2015

Cam deformity could lead to suboptimal articulation by causing secondary femoroacetabular impingement after periacetabular osteotomy; however, the inherent femoral head‐neck morphology in dysplastic hips and the effect of an additional osteoarthritic deformity have not been well described. We compared femoral head‐neck morphology using three‐dimensional imaging of normal and dysplastic hips in pre/early (Tönnis grade 0 and 1) and advanced stage osteoarthritis (Tönnis grade 2). Using computed tomography, we measured the circumferential α‐angle and head‐neck offset ratio in 68 dysplastic hips and 24 normal hips. Locations of the head‐neck junction were represented by the clock position. In the pre/early group, the α‐angle was significantly larger at the anterosuperior and inferior aspects (1, 2, and 5–7 o'clock) and head‐neck offset ratio was smaller at the anterosuperior aspect (2 o'clock) than in the control group. The α‐angle was significantly larger at the anterior aspects (1–4 o'clock) in the advanced group than in the pre/early group. The maximum α‐angle was most commonly found at 2 o'clock (60%, 41/68 hips) in dysplastic hips. The prevalence of cam deformity (maximum α‐angle >55°) was 4.2% (1/24 hips) in the control group, 22% (11/50 hips) in the pre/early group, and 50% (9/18 hips) in the advanced group. Cam deformity, inherent in the pre/early group, was found with relatively high frequency. The higher prevalence in the advanced group reflected degeneration‐modified changes. When performing periacetabular osteotomy, preoperative radiographic assessments should include the femoral head‐neck junction to prevent secondary femoroacetabular impingement, especially in patients with advanced stage osteoarthritis. © 2015 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 34:1613–1619, 2016.
The potential of food protein‐derived anti‐inflammatory peptides against various chronic inflammatory diseases
Authors: Majumder Kaustav , Mine Yoshinori , Wu Jianping
Published: December 2015

Inflammation is considered as one of the major causes for the initiation of various chronic diseases such as asthma, cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity, inflammatory bowel disease, osteoporosis and neurological diseases like Parkinson's disease. Increasing scientific evidence has delineated that inflammatory markers such as TNF‐α, IL‐1, IL‐6, IL‐8 and CRP and different transcription factors such as NF‐κB and STAT are the major key factors that regulate these inflammatory diseases. Food protein‐derived bioactive peptides have been shown to exhibit anti‐inflammatory activity by inhibiting or reducing the expression of these inflammatory biomarkers and/or by modulating the activity of these transcription factors. This review aims to discuss various molecular targets and underlying mechanisms of food protein‐derived anti‐inflammatory peptides and to explore their potential against various chronic inflammatory diseases. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry