bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Synthesis and Characterization of para‐Substituted N,N′‐Dihydroxybenzamidines and Their Derivatives as Model Compounds for a Class of Prodrugs
Authors: Schwarz Laura , Girreser Ulrich , Clement Bernd
Published: January 2014

A synthetic strategy for previously unknown para‐substituted N,N′‐dihydroxybenzamidines and their O‐monosubstituted and O,O′‐disubstituted methyl, benzyl, and tetrahydropyranyl derivatives is described. The procedure starts with the corresponding hydroxamic acid chlorides, which after dehydrohalogenation give nitrile oxides. These intermediates in turn react with O‐substituted hydroxylamines to afford the desired N,N′‐dihydroxybenzamidines after workup. This new class of potential prodrugs was characterized by 15N NMR spectroscopy. The chemical shifts show significant correlations with Hammett σ values, especially for the oxime‐type nitrogen with r2 > 0.99. The Hammett σ parameter reliably correlates with electron density in molecules. The presented results thus allow predictions relating to π‐electron density and basicity in this functional group, and these are important parameters for the discussion of substrate enzyme interactions.
Wrestling with stress: Roles of protein SUMOylation and deSUMOylation in cell stress response
Authors: Guo Chun , Henley Jeremy M.
Published: January 2014

How cell fate is determined following extreme stress is a core question in cell biology. This is particularly important in the brain where neuronal death following ischemic stroke is a major cause of disability. Over the last few years it has emerged that the SUMOylation status of an increasing number of substrate proteins plays a crucial role in cellular responses to environmental and metabolic stress. SUMOylation is a post‐translational modification in which the 97‐residue protein, SUMO (Small Ubiquitin‐related MOdifier) is covalently attached to specific lysine residues in a target protein. Despite being covalent, it is a highly transient modification because of the actions of deSUMOylation enzymes, so SUMO conjugation acts as a rapidly reversible switch that can promote or inhibit protein interactions with the substrate protein. Overall, it appears that increased SUMOylation represents a cellular protective response. Here we discuss recent progress toward understanding the mechanisms, pathways, and roles of SUMOylation during and after severe metabolic stress. © 2014 IUBMB Life, 66(2):71–77, 2014
Common Health‐Related Concerns of Men: Implications for Counselors
Authors: Neukrug Edward , Britton Bruce S. , Crews R. Clinton
Published: January 2014

The authors discuss the attitudes, knowledge, and skills needed for counselors to work effectively with men who are facing common health‐related concerns, specifically erectile dysfunction, sexually transmitted diseases, benign hypertrophy of the prostate and prostatitis, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, prostate cancer, testicular cancer, lung cancer, and accidental trauma and injuries. The authors present suggestions for ways of attracting men with health‐related concerns to counseling and methods of ensuring low attrition rates from counseling.
Affirming the Strengths in Men: A Positive Masculinity Approach to Assisting Male Clients
Authors: Englar‐Carlson Matt , Kiselica Mark S.
Published: January 2014

Scholarship on men and masculinity has greatly informed the mental health field about the experiences of men. Despite this growth in information, there is limited exploration of understanding the healthy and adaptive experiences of men. The authors examine the emerging area of positive masculinity with a focus on applying a strength‐based approach to counseling men.
Perceiving Religious Men Through Counselor Eyes: Risks and Tips
Authors: Robertson John M.
Published: January 2014

The author offers practical suggestions on counseling religiously affiliated men. Much can be learned by considering a man's attitudes toward religious questions; his views may be reductionist, exclusivist, nominalist, pluralist, or holistic. A counselor's religiosity also affects counseling. Specific tips are provided on developing gender‐sensitive and religion‐respectful counseling relationships: gathering clinical information from religious memories, preparing for “test questions,” responding to subtle religious comments, identifying reliable resources on religious groups, and more.
Mentoring African American Men During Their Postsecondary and Graduate School Experiences: Implications for the Counseling Profession
Authors: Butler S. Kent , Evans Marcheta P. , Brooks Michael , Williams Cyrus R. , Bailey Deryl F.
Published: January 2014

African American men seek mental health services at significantly lower levels than do their White counterparts. The authors explore the role of mentoring for young African American men and discuss impediments to their success at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Additionally, examples are presented of evidence‐based interventions and recommendations for effectively working with African American men.
Deepening Empathy in Men Using a Musical Chronology and the Emerging Life Song
Authors: Duffey Thelma , Haberstroh Shane
Published: January 2014

The authors illustrate the use of music as a tool for counseling men. They describe a creative intervention—a Musical Chronology and the Emerging Life Song—and illustrate it through a case vignette. The intervention method blends music with narrative therapy, cognitive therapy, and relational cultural theory. This intervention may help men who are challenged in their empathic capacity revisit developmental milestones, gain compassion for themselves and others, and connect with their emotions and beliefs via music.
Loss of Cbl–PI3K Interaction Enhances Osteoclast Survival due to p21‐Ras Mediated PI3K Activation Independent of Cbl‐b
Authors: Adapala Naga Suresh , Barbe Mary F. , Tsygankov Alexander Y. , Lorenzo Joseph A. , Sanjay Archana
Published: January 2014

Cbl family proteins, Cbl and Cbl‐b, are E3 ubiquitin ligases and adaptor proteins, which play important roles in bone‐resorbing osteoclasts. Loss of Cbl in mice decreases osteoclast migration, resulting in delayed bone development where as absence of Cbl‐b decreases bone volume due to hyper‐resorptive osteoclasts. A major structural difference between Cbl and Cbl‐b is tyrosine 737 (in YEAM motif) only on Cbl, which upon phosphorylation interacts with the p85 subunit of phosphatidylinositol‐3 Kinase (PI3K). In contrast to Cbl−/− and Cbl‐b−/−, mice lacking Cbl–PI3K interaction due to a Y737F (tyrosine to phenylalanine, YF) mutation showed enhanced osteoclast survival, but defective bone resorption. To investigate whether Cbl–PI3K interaction contributes to distinct roles of Cbl and Cbl‐b in osteoclasts, mice bearing CblY737F mutation in the Cbl‐b−/− background (YF/YF;Cbl‐b−/−) were generated. The differentiation and survival were augmented similarly in YF/YF and YF/YF;Cbl‐b−/− osteoclasts, associated with enhanced PI3K signaling suggesting an exclusive role of Cbl–PI3K interaction, independent of Cbl‐b. In addition to PI3K, the small GTPase Ras also regulates osteoclast survival. In the absence of Cbl–PI3K interaction, increased Ras GTPase activity and Ras–PI3K binding were observed and inhibition of Ras activation attenuated PI3K mediated osteoclast survival. In contrast to differentiation and survival, increased osteoclast activity observed in Cbl‐b−/− mice persisted even after introduction of the resorption‐defective YF mutation in YF/YF;Cbl‐b−/− mice. Hence, Cbl and Cbl‐b play mutually exclusive roles in osteoclasts. Whereas Cbl–PI3K interaction regulates differentiation and survival, bone resorption is predominantly regulated by Cbl‐b in osteoclasts. J. Cell. Biochem. 115: 1277–1289, 2014. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Structural Diversity in the Self‐assembly of Cd(II) Complexes Containing 2,6‐Dimethyl‐3,5‐dicyano‐4‐(4‐pyridyl)‐1,4‐dihydropyridine
Authors: Yeh Chun‐Wei , Huang Fu‐Chang , Jong Ay , Tsou Chi‐Hui , Suen Maw‐Cherng
Published: January 2014

The syntheses, structures and properties of the complexes [CdBr2(L)2·4H2O]n [L = 2,6‐dimethyl‐3,5‐dicyano‐4‐(4‐pyridyl)‐1,4‐dihydropyridine], 1 and [Cd(SCN)2(L)2(H2O)]n, 2, are reported. In polymeric complexes 1 — 2, the L ligands bridge the metal centers through the pyrimidyl and cyano nitrogen atoms forming 1‐D double‐stranded chain and zigzag chain, respectively. The L ligands in complex 1 act as κ1, κ1‐bidentate bridging ligand, whereas the L ligands in complex 2 act as κ1‐monodentae and κ1, κ1‐bidentate bridging ligand. The molecules of these complexes are interlinked through various weak interactions that form the packed structure. All the complexes exhibit emissions which may be tentatively assigned as intraligand (IL) π→π* transitions.
Oncological benefit of preoperative endoscopic biliary drainage in patients with hilar cholangiocarcinoma
Authors: Hirano Satoshi , Tanaka Eiichi , Tsuchikawa Takahiro , Matsumoto Joe , Kawakami Hiroshi , Nakamura Toru , Kurashima Yo , Ebihara Yuma , Shichinohe Toshiaki
Published: January 2014

Due to advances in endoscopic equipment and techniques, preoperative endoscopic biliary drainage (EBD) has been developed to serve as an alternative to percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage (PTBD). This study sought to clarify the benefit of EBD in comparison to PTBD in patients who underwent radical resections of hilar cholangiocarcinoma. One hundred and forty‐one patients underwent radical surgery for hilar cholangiocarcinoma between 2000 and 2008 were retrospectively divided into two groups based on the type of preoperative biliary drainage, PTBD (n = 67) or EBD (n = 74). We investigated if the different biliary drainage methods affected postoperative survival and mode of recurrence after median observation period of 82 months. The survival rate for patients who underwent EBD was significantly higher than those who had PTBD (P = 0.004). Multivariate analysis revealed that PTBD was one of the independent factors predictive of poor survival (hazard ratio: 2.075, P = 0.003). Patients with PTBD more frequently developed peritoneal seeding in comparison to those who underwent EBD (P = 0.0003). PTBD was the only independent factor predictive of peritoneal seeding. In conclusion, EBD might confer an improved prognosis over PTBD due to prevention of peritoneal seeding, and is recommended as the initial procedure for preoperative biliary drainage in patients with hilar cholangiocarcinoma.
Associations between tumor vascularization assessed by in vivo DCE‐MRI and the presence of disseminated tumor cells in bone marrow in breast cancer patients at the time of diagnosis
Authors: Nilsen Line B. , Fangberget Anne , Geier Oliver M. , Engebraaten Olav , Borgen Elin , Olsen Dag Rune , Seierstad Therese
Published: January 2014

Purpose

To explore possible associations between in vivo pharmacokinetic dynamic contrast‐enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE‐MRI) parameters and the presence of disseminated tumor cells (DTCs) in bone marrow in breast cancer patients at the time of diagnosis.

Materials and Methods

Thirty‐seven women with breast cancer (stage T2–4N0–1M0) were included. Patients were classified as DTC+ if one or more DTCs were detected by immunocytochemistry. DCE‐MRI was acquired with a radial 3D T1‐weighted spoiled gradient echo sequence with k‐space weighted image contrast. Ktrans, kep, and ve were calculated using the extended Tofts model and a population‐derived arterial input function. The nonparametric Mann–Whitney U‐test was used to compare the histogram distributions of the pharmacokinetic parameters for the DTC+ and the DTC− patients.

Results

DTCs were detected in 7 of the 37 patients (19%). In DTC+ patients, the distribution of tumor Ktrans and kep were significantly (P < 0.01) more shifted towards lower values than in DTC− patients.

Conclusion

An association between vascular dependent pharmacokinetic DCE‐MRI parameters and the presence of DTCs were found. Compared to DTC− patients, DTC+ patients had poorer perfusion and permeability, indicative of hypoxia. Thus, pharmacokinetic parameters might be surrogate biomarkers of metastatic potential and future relapse.J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2014;40:1382–1391. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Cisterna chyli in autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease
Authors: Thimmappa Nanda Deepa , Blumenfeld Jon D. , Cerilles Michelle Ann C. , Dunning Allison , Donahue Stephanie L. , Bobb Warren O. , Zhang Hong Lei , Prince Martin R.
Published: January 2014

Purpose

After observing prominent cisterna chyli in several patients with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD), we investigated the potential association of cistern chyli enlargement with ADPKD.

Materials and Methods

Retrospective, cross‐sectional analysis of abdominal and pelvic MRI at 1.5 Tesla (T) in 70 ADPKD patients (male 44.3%, 20–83 years, median = 53 years) were compared with 70 age and gender matched control subjects without ADPKD, cirrhosis, or cholestasis. Cisterna chyli diameter was measured on axial single shot fast spin echo (SSFSE) images at the level of T12–L2 and evaluated by multivariable regression models with covariates including estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), total kidney volume (TKV), renal cyst fraction (cyst volume/kidney volume), and liver volume.

Results

Subjects with ADPKD had larger median cisterna chyli diameter compared with those without ADPKD (6.1 mm versus 3.4 mm, P < 0.0001). The prevalence of cisterna chyli enlargement more than the median (3.4 mm), was greater in ADPKD than in controls (99% versus 51%, P < 0.0001). On univariate analysis, cisterna chyli diameter was inversely correlated with eGFR (r = −0.41; P < 0.0001) and directly correlated with TKV (r = 0.57; P < 0.0001), total renal cyst fraction (r = 0.61; P < 0.001), and liver volume (r = 0.17; P = 0.040). Multivariable linear regression modeling found a significant association of cisterna chyli diameter with ADPKD diagnosis (B = 2.14; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.05–4.23; P = 0.04). Logistic regression analysis confirmed the association of ADPKD with an enlarged cisterna chyli diameter (odds ratio = 68.4; 95%CI: 8.9–524, P < 0.0001).

Conclusion

Enlarged cisterna chyli is highly prevalent in ADPKD patients but not in age and gender‐matched controls. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2015;41:142–148. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Photolysis and photocatalysis of ibuprofen in aqueous medium: characterization of by‐products via liquid chromatography coupled to high‐resolution mass spectrometry and assessment of their toxicities against Artemia Salina
Authors: da Silva Júlio César Cardoso , Teodoro Janaina Aparecida Reis , Afonso Robson José de Cássia Franco , Aquino Sérgio Francisco , Augusti Rodinei
Published: January 2014

The degradation of the pharmaceutical compound ibuprofen (IBP) in aqueous solution induced by direct photolysis (UV‐A and UV‐C radiation) and photocatalysis (TiO2/UV‐A and TiO2/UV‐C systems) was evaluated. Initially, we observed that whereas photocatalysis (both systems) and direct photolysis with UV‐C radiation were able to cause an almost complete removal of IBP, the mineralization rates achieved for all the photodegradation processes were much smaller (the highest value being obtained for the TiO2/UV‐C system: 37.7%), even after an exposure time as long as 120 min. Chemical structures for the by‐products formed under these oxidative conditions (11 of them were detected) were proposed based on the data from liquid chromatography coupled to high‐resolution mass spectrometry (LC‐HRMS) analyses. Taking into account these results, an unprecedented route for the photodegradation of IBP could thus be proposed. Moreover, a fortunate result was achieved herein: tests against Artemia salina showed that the degradation products had no higher ecotoxicities than IBP, which possibly indicates that the photocatalytic (TiO2/UV‐A and TiO2/UV‐C systems) and photolytic (UV‐C radiation) processes can be conveniently employed to deplete IBP in aqueous media. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Glucagon‐like peptide‐1 protects synaptic and learning functions from neuroinflammation in rodents
Authors: Iwai Takashi , Sawabe Toshihiro , Tanimitsu Kahori , Suzuki Manabu , Sasaki‐Hamada Sachie , Oka Jun‐Ichiro
Published: January 2014

Glucagon‐like peptide‐1 (GLP‐1) is derived from the processing of proglucagon in intestinal L‐cells and releases insulin from pancreatic β‐cells as an incretin. The GLP‐1 receptor has been proposed as a possible therapeutic target for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease, in which neuroinflammation is critical in the pathogenesis. The present study investigates whether GLP‐1 (7–36) amide, an active fragment of GLP‐1, protected against synaptic impairments induced by inflammation‐related injurious agents (lipopolysaccharide [LPS], interleukin‐1β [IL‐1β], and H2O2). In the Y‐maze test, LPS (10 μg/mouse, i.c.v) significantly decreased the percentage alternation. Pretreatment with GLP‐1 (7–36) amide (0.09–0.9 nmol/mouse, i.c.v.) prevented an impairment in spontaneous alternation performance. Pretreatment with LPS (10 μg/ml, 2 hr) impaired LTP induction but not paired‐pulse facilitation in the CA1 region of rat hippocampal slices. This impairment was prevented by cotreatment with GLP‐1 (7–36) amide (50 nM). IL‐1β (0.57 nM) or H2O2 (50 μM) also impaired LTP induction. This impairment was prevented by GLP‐1 (7–36) amide (50 nM). These results suggest that GLP‐1 (7–36) amide improves the synaptic impairments induced by inflammation‐related injurious agents in the CA1 region of the hippocampus. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Ceruloplasmin gene‐deficient mice with experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis show attenuated early disease evolution
Authors: Gresle Melissa M. , Schulz Katrin , Jonas Anna , Perreau Victoria M. , Cipriani Tania , Baxter Alan G. , Miranda‐Hernandez Socorro , Field Judith , Jokubaitis Vilija G. , Cherny Robert , Volitakis Irene , David Samuel , Kilpatrick Trevor J. , Butzkueven Helmut
Published: January 2014

We conducted a microarray study to identify genes that are differentially regulated in the spinal cords of mice with the inflammatory disease experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) relative to healthy mice. In total 181 genes with at least a two‐fold increase in expression were identified, and most of these genes were associated with immune function. Unexpectedly, ceruloplasmin (Cp), a ferroxidase that converts toxic ferrous iron to its nontoxic ferric form and also promotes the efflux of iron from astrocytes in the CNS, was shown to be highly upregulated (13.2‐fold increase) in EAE spinal cord. Expression of Cp protein is known to be increased in several neurological conditions, but the role of Cp regulation in CNS autoimmune disease is not known. To investigate this, we induced EAE in Cp gene knockout, heterozygous, and wild‐type mice. Cp knockout mice were found to have slower disease evolution than wild‐type mice (EAE days 13–17; P = 0.05). Interestingly, Cp knockout mice also exhibited a significant increase in the number of astrocytes with reactive morphology in early EAE compared with wild‐type mice at the same stage of disease. CNS iron levels were not increased with EAE in these mice. Based on these observations, we propose that an increase in Cp expression could contribute to tissue damage in early EAE. In addition, endogenous CP either directly or indirectly inhibits astrocyte reactivity during early disease, which could also worsen early disease evolution. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Statistical relationship between remote climate indices and West African monsoon variability
Authors: Diatta Samo , Fink Andreas H.
Published: January 2014

This paper revisits the strength and stationarity of linear statistical relationships between indices of monsoon rainfall derived from rain gauge data for three regions in tropical West Africa [West Sahel (WS), Central Sahel (CS), and Guinea Coast (GC)] and various indices describing remote variations in the ocean–atmosphere climate systems from 1921 to 2009. The results reveal that both the Atlantic Multi‐decadal Oscillation (AMO) and the Atlantic Meridional Mode (AMM) show a positive linear correlation to Sahel rainfall. The percent variance explained (PVE) ranges from 10 to 25%. The correlation stems from periods longer than 8 years for AMO, but AMM does show a correlation on interannual time scales for WS that was absent in the 1970s and 1980s. The PVE by El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) indices is, though statistically significant, on the order of 10% and found mainly on the interannual time scale. A strong and stable correlation with PVEs larger than 50% is found between the sea surface temperatures (SSTs) in the Atlantic 3 region (ATL3, 0°–20°W, 3°S–3°N) and the GC rainfall. On the other hand, the correlation between ATL3 and WS rainfall changed from significantly negative to significantly positive after the 1970s. The Eastern Mediterranean SSTs are found to be significantly related to CS rainfall, especially in recent years with PVEs between 36 and 47%. Multi‐linear regression analyses reveal that the relative importance of the Indian Ocean is 42% in the optimal regression model. For the CS, this value is 37% for the Eastern Mediterranean SSTs and 70% in case of the GC using the ATL3 index. However, except for the GC, non‐stationarities in the correlation between the climate state indexes and West African monsoon (WAM) rainfall suggest the need of the application of different regression models depending on the active ‘teleconnection regime’.
The application of quantitative NMR for the facile, rapid and reliable determination of clindamycin phosphate in a conventional tablet formulation
Authors: Liang Xianrui , Du Liping , Su Feng , Parekh Harendra S. , Su Weike
Published: January 2014

Spectroscopic tools such as NMR can be applied to the quantitative analysis of active pharmaceutical ingredients with relative ease and accuracy. Here, we demonstrate the quantification of clindamycin phosphate (CLP) in a conventional tablet formulation, performed using potassium hydrogen phthalate (KHP) as the internal standard and deuterium oxide (D2O) as the NMR solvent. The methyl protons signal of CLP at 0.72 ppm (triplet) relative to the signal of KHP at 7.37–7.40 ppm (multiplet) was used for quantification purposes using 1H NMR. This method was shown to be specific and linear (r = 0.9997) within the CLP concentration range from 7.2 to 23.1 mg per 0.5 ml of D2O. The maximum relative standard deviation (RSD) of accuracy and precision was calculated at 0.39% and 0.64%, respectively. The limits of detection (LOD) and quantification were 0.04 and 0.11 mg/ml, respectively. The method was highly stable with a calculated RSD of 0.03%. The robustness of the method was demonstrated by changing four different parameters, and the difference among each parameter was ≤ 0.78%. The findings of this work were in good agreement with previously reported conventional HPLC‐based approaches, highlighting its applicability in the determination of other active pharmaceutical ingredients in conventional formulations for quality control purposes. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Biomimetic phantom for the validation of diffusion magnetic resonance imaging
Authors: Hubbard Penny L. , Zhou Feng‐Lei , Eichhorn Stephen J. , Parker Geoffrey J.M.
Published: January 2014

Purpose

A range of advanced diffusion MRI (dMRI) techniques are currently in development which characterize the orientation of white matter fibers using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). There is a need for a physical phantom with microstructural features of the brain's white matter to help validate these methods.

Methods

Hollow, co‐electrospun, aligned fibers with a tuneable size distribution have been produced in bulk and with an MR visible solvent infused into the pores. The morphology and size of the phantoms was assessed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and compared with DTI results obtained on both a clinical and preclinical scanner.

Results

By varying inner diameter of the phantom fibers (from SEM: 9.5 μm, 11.9 μm, 13.4 μm) the radial diffusivity and fractional anisotropy, calculated from DTI, vary between 0.38 ± 0.05 × 103 and 0.61 ± 0.06 × 103 cm s−1 and between 0.45 ± 0.05 and 0.33 ± 0.04, respectively.

Conclusion

We envisage that these materials will be used for the validation of novel and established methods within the field of diffusion MRI, as well as for routine quality assurance purposes and for establishing scanner performance in multicenter trials. Magn Reson Med 73:299–305, 2015. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Mapping measures of microscopic diffusion anisotropy in human brain white matter in vivo with double‐wave‐vector diffusion‐weighted imaging
Authors: Lawrenz Marco , Finsterbusch Jürgen
Published: January 2014

Purpose

To demonstrate that rotationally invariant measures of the diffusion anisotropy on a microscopic scale can be mapped in human brain white matter in vivo.

Methods

Echo‐planar imaging experiments (resolution 3.0 × 3.0 × 3.0 mm3) involving two diffusion‐weighting periods (δ = 22 ms, Δ = 25 ms) in the same acquisition, so‐called double‐wave‐vector or double‐pulsed‐field‐gradient diffusion‐weighting experiments, were performed on a 3 T whole‐body magnetic resonance system with a long mixing time (
ms) between the two diffusion weightings.

Results

The disturbing influences of background gradient fields, eddy currents, and the finite mixing time can be minimized using 84 direction combinations based on nine directions and their antipodes. In healthy volunteers, measures of the microscopic diffusion anisotropy (
and MA indexes) could be mapped in white matter across the human brain. The measures were independent (i) of the absolute orientation of the head and of the diffusion directions and (ii) of the predominant fiber orientation. Compared to the fractional anisotropy derived from the conventional diffusion tensor, the double‐wave‐vector indexes exhibit a narrower distribution, which could reflect their independence of the fiber orientation distribution.

Conclusions

Mapping measures of the microscopic diffusion anisotropy in human brain white matter is feasible in vivo and could help to characterize tissue microstructure in the healthy and pathological brain. Magn Reson Med 73:773–783, 2015. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Dynamic behavior of short aramid fiber‐filled elastomer composites
Authors: Hintze Christian , Stoček Radek , Horst Thomas , Jurk René , Wiessner Sven , Heinrich Gert
Published: January 2014

Short fiber reinforcement is a suitable way to improve the tribological properties of elastomers. However, rubbers products are often exposed to highly dynamic mechanical loadings. Hereby it is crucial to study the change in dynamic behavior due to the addition of short fibers. Therefore, these properties were investigated in terms of dynamic mechanical thermal analysis, heat build‐up (HBU), and fatigue crack growth resistance under cyclic loadings for two different rubber compounds. A peroxide cured ethylene–propylene–diene rubber (EPDM) and a sulfur cured natural rubber (NR) compound were chosen and reinforced with two types of short aramid fibers. It was found that the short fibers could contribute to the improvement in the crack growth resistance, HBU, and the dynamic mechanical behavior of the composites depending on the testing conditions. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 54:2958–2964, 2014. © 2014 Society of Plastics Engineers
N‐terminal β‐strand swapping in a consensus‐derived alternative scaffold driven by stabilizing hydrophobic interactions
Authors: Luo Jinquan , Teplyakov Alexey , Obmolova Galina , Malia Thomas J. , Chan Winnie , Jacobs Steven A. , O'Neil Karyn T. , Gilliland Gary L.
Published: January 2014

The crystal structure of an N‐terminal β‐strand‐swapped consensus‐derived tenascin FN3 alternative scaffold has been determined. A comparison with the unswapped structure reveals that the side chain of residue F88 orients differently and packs more tightly with the hydrophobic core of the domain. Dimer formation also results in the burial of a hydrophobic patch on the surface of the domain. Thus, it appears that tighter packing of F88 in the hydrophobic core and burial of surface hydrophobicity provide the driving forces for the N‐terminal β‐strand swapping, leading to the formation of a stable compact dimer. Proteins 2014; 82:1527–1533. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Trapping acrylamide by a Michael addition: A computational study of the reaction between acrylamide and niacin
Authors: Papamokos George , Dreyer Jens , Navarini Luciano , Carloni Paolo
Published: January 2014

Neurotoxic and carcinogenic acrylamide (ACR) is present in many food products. This finding spurred numerous studies for ACR scavengers. Niacin is putatively one of them because it reacts via Michael addition with ACR to form 1‐propanamide‐3‐carboxy pyridinium. Here, we study the mechanism and energetics of this reaction in aqueous solution by density functional theory. The CAM‐B3LYP and M06‐2X functionals with the 6‐31+G(d,p) basis set and implicit solvent were used. Single point calculations at the MP2 level with the same basis set were performed on optimized structures obtained at the M06‐2X level. Solvent effects comprehended both polarizable continuum model and solvation model density solvation models. The calculated NMR chemical shifts of 1‐propanamide‐3‐carboxy pyridinium are in agreement with experimental results. The theoretical study favors thermodynamically the formation of the adduct while the calculated activation energies turn out not to be too dissimilar from the ones measured for the alkylation reaction between ACR and 4(p‐nitrobenzyl)pyridine. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Alleviation of power fluctuation in a microgrid by electrolyzer based on optimal fuzzy gain scheduling PID control
Authors: Chaiyatham Theerawut , Ngamroo Issarachai
Published: January 2014

This paper presents an application of the electrolyzer (EZ) to alleviate the power fluctuation in a microgrid with hybrid power generations from wind, photovoltaic array, fuel cell, and diesel engine. In this microgrid, the intermittent power generations from wind and photovoltaic arrays cause severe power fluctuation. With the fast response of EZ, the power absorbed by EZ can be controlled to compensate for the power fluctuation, in addition to the hydrogen production for fuel cell. The structure of the active and reactive power controllers of EZ is the fuzzy gain scheduling of a proportional‐integral‐derivative (FGS‐PID) controller. Without trial and error, the scale factors, membership functions, and control rules of the FGS‐PID controller are automatically optimized by bee colony optimization. A simulation study confirms that the proposed EZ with optimal FGS‐PID controller is much superior to the optimal PID controller in terms of damping effect, robustness against disturbances, and hydrogen production. © 2014 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Low‐latency retransmission control in a wireless communication system for plant instrumentation and control
Authors: Murata Shinji , Arita Setsuo , Shimoyama Kazuya , Houda Isao , Masuko Hideaki
Published: January 2014

When wireless communication technology is applied to plant instrumentation and control systems, it is important to ensure real‐time transmission and high reliability of the wireless communication system. However, the wireless communication system is prone to more frequent occurrence of transmission errors than a wired communication system, so that generally retransmission is implemented generically. To reduce retransmission latency, we propose a method of low‐latency retransmission control, which is a data block transmission method with multi‐redundant media access control layer (MAC) headers, to implement a wireless communication system for plant instrumentation and control. We carried out system tests using prototypes with the proposed methods, that is, data block transmission with multi‐redundant MAC headers. © 2014 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
A modified modal analysis method for damped multi‐degree‐of‐freedom‐systems in structural mechanics
Authors: Stanoev Evgueni
Published: January 2014

A general method for the modal decomposition of the equations of motion of damped multi‐degree‐of‐freedom‐systems is presented. The first variant of the presented method in earlier publications of the author, including the complex right eigenvectors, is briefly reviewed first. The second presented variant is also based on the corresponding eigenvalue problem of the damped structure including the complex left and right eigenvectors. After initial partitioning of the equations of motion a real modal transformation matrix is built by a combination of two complex transformations. For the general case of damped structures with non‐modal symmetric damping matrix a modal analysis can be performed in real arithmetic. Two numerical examples with 3 and 10 DOF's demonstrate the accuracy and the advantages of the presented modal solution method.
Trajectories of Posttraumatic Stress Among Urban Residents
Authors: Lowe Sarah R. , Galea Sandro , Uddin Monica , Koenen Karestan C.
Published: January 2014

Urban residents experience a wide range of traumatic events and are at increased risk of assaultive violence. Although previous research has examined trajectories of posttraumatic stress (PTS) through latent class growth analysis (LCGA) among persons exposed to the same index events (e.g., a natural disaster), PTS trajectories have not been documented among urban residents. The aims of this study were to conduct LGCA with a sample of trauma survivors from Detroit, Michigan (N = 981), and to explore predictors of trajectory membership. Participants completed three annual telephone surveys, each of which included the posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) Checklist‐Civilian Version. Four PTS trajectories were detected. Although the majority evidenced a trajectory of consistently few symptoms (Low: 72.5 %), 4.6 % were in a trajectory of chronic severe PTSD (High), and the remainder were in trajectories of consistently elevated, but generally subclinical, levels of PTS (Decreasing: 12.3 %; Increasing: 10.6 %). Socioeconomic disadvantage (e.g., lower income), more extensive trauma history (e.g., childhood abuse), and fewer social resources (e.g., lower social support) were associated with membership in higher PTS trajectories, relative to the Low trajectory. The results suggest that efforts to reduce PTS in urban areas need to attend to socioeconomic vulnerabilities in addition to trauma history and risk for ongoing trauma exposure.
Fats from Chemically Interesterified High‐Oleic Sunflower Oil and Fully Hydrogenated Palm Oil
Authors: Masuchi Monise Helen , Gandra Kelly Moreira , Marangoni André Luis , de Sá Perenha Cristiane , Chiu Ming Chih , Grimaldi Renato , Gonçalves Lireny Aparecida Guaraldo
Published: January 2014

Chemical interesterification of different lipid materials has considerable potential for the production of a wide variety of special fats with improved functional and nutritional properties. The present study aimed to evaluate the chemical interesterification of blends of high‐oleic sunflower oil (HOSO) and fully hydrogenated palm oil (FHPO) in the ratios (% w/w) of 80:20, 70:30, 60:40 and 50:50. The blends were characterized in triacylglycerol composition, melting point, solid fat content and crystallization behavior, and some applications in food products were suggested. The interesterification altered the solid fat content, melting point and crystallization isotherm of the samples, after the levels of trisaturated triacylglycerols decreased and disaturated–monounsaturated and monosaturated–diunsaturated triacylglycerol contents increased, due to the randomization of fatty acids. The modification in the triacylglycerol composition promoted greater miscibility between the HOSO and FHPO fractions, creating new application possibilities for the food industry.
Assessing sequence and relationship of regional maturation in corpus callosum and internal capsule in preterm and term newborns by diffusion‐tensor imaging
Authors: Miao XiaoLin , Qi Min , Cui ShuDong , Guan YaFei , Jia ZhenYu , Hong XunNing , Jiang YanNi
Published: January 2014

Background

Diffusion‐tensor imaging (DTI) can be used to investigate water diffusion in living tissue.

Objective

To investigate sequence and relationship of regional maturation in corpus callosum (CC) and internal capsule (IC) in preterm and term.

Methods

DTI was performed on 11 preterm infants at less than 37 weeks of corrected gestational age (group I), 21 preterm infants at equivalent‐term (group II), 11 term infants during neonatal period (group III). Apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) and fractional anisotropy (FA) were measured in: anterior limb of IC (ALIC), posterior limb of IC (PLIC), genu and splenium of CC.

Results

FA in splenium was more than that in other regions except genu of group I. Differences of FA between genu and PLIC were significant only in group III. ADC in genu was more than that in other regions but in splenium of groups I and II. Differences of ADC between splenium and ALIC were insignificant except group II. Higher FA and lower ADC in PLIC were gotten compared with those in ALIC. Correlations of FA and of ADC existed in CC and IC.

Conclusion

Maturation sequence was splenium followed by genu, then by PLIC and last by ALIC in term at neonatal period. Genu's maturation in preterm at equivalent‐term was hindered. Regional maturation's correlations existed in CC and IC.
“The Americans Are Coming!?” Postcommunist Reconfigurations of the US in California Dreamin’ (Endless)
Authors: LUCA IOANA
Published: January 2014

My article focuses on the film California Dreamin’ (Endless) in order to examine the way the movie problematizes and brings in dialogue contemporary overlapping and contradictory Romanian ideologies in relation to the US. By taking the movie as a lens for the Romanian context, my paper analyzes how the US is signified and decoded in the aftermath of communism in Romania. I discuss how the movie envisions a continuous questioning and interrogation of the precommunist past and the postcommunist present upon which images, perceptions, fictions, and appropriations of “America” are predicated in the post-1989 Romanian context. My argument is that by mapping the overlapping terrain of the foreign and the domestic past and present, the film critically reconfigures the space between the US and one of its main supporters in the “New Europe.” It explores axes of local, national, and international interests, pointing to the contradictory, ambiguous sociocultural representations that accrue to “America” as it is caught up in itineraries and mis/translations across a “Second World” site. I contend that the dialogic examination Romania–US that the movie successfully achieves can become an ideal model for approaching the US in the Eastern European space.
US Feminists and Central America in the “Age of Reagan”: The Overlapping Contexts of Activism, Intellectual Culture and Documentary Filmmaking
Authors: WITHAM NICK
Published: January 2014

This paper examines the attitudes of feminist activists, intellectuals and filmmakers to US intervention in Central America during the 1980s. It traces the development of mutual intellectual and political sustenance between feminism and anti-interventionism, arguing that as feminist thinking bred new ways of approaching US involvement in Central America, so anti-interventionist struggles bred new ways of thinking about women's activism. In making this point, the paper complicates narratives of the “age of Reagan” that overlook the persistence of left-wing politics during the 1980s. Instead, it argues that a specific form of international feminism enabled a community of activists to contribute to a vibrant culture of dissent that criticized conservative approaches to women's rights and, at the same time, vigorously contested the interventionist foreign policy of the Reagan administration.
Family factors predicting vocabulary in Turkish as a heritage language
Authors: WILLARD JESSICA A. , AGACHE ALEXANDRU , JÄKEL JULIA , GLÜCK CHRISTIAN W. , LEYENDECKER BIRGIT
Published: January 2014

Most immigrant parents face the challenge of passing on their heritage language to their children. Family predictors of Turkish heritage language vocabulary are examined for 119 preschoolers and 121 fourth graders in Germany. Path analyses link children's Turkish vocabulary to the family background (parents’ education and generational status), the home literacy environment (HLE), and mothers’ language use. The main findings are (a) the HLE predicts children's Turkish vocabulary, (b) mothers’ use of Turkish with their children predicts children's Turkish vocabulary, and (c) family background is mainly connected to Turkish vocabulary by way of mothers’ use of Turkish. The HLE and being exposed to Turkish are both important for children's heritage vocabulary. Thus, parents can use everyday resources to actively promote their children's Turkish language skills.
Taxonomic and phytogeographical problems in Astragalus of the Old World and South-West Asia
Authors: Podlech D.
Published: January 2014

Synopsis

Astragalus, excluding Astracantha (formerly Astragalus subgenus Tragacantha), has a world total of c. 2500 species, of which c. 500 are in the New World; it is one of the largest genera of flowering plants. The estimated number of species in the Flora Iranica area is c. 900–1000. Because of the huge size of the genus, no one person is familiar with all its groups; although 150 sections have been described, many are poorly delimited, often not typified and many untenable. In the Old World the genus is almost entirely restricted to the northern hemisphere. Sections with primitive characters mostly contain mesophytic species widespread in mountains and relatively humid regions; in the more advanced sections the species are adapted to dry or arid conditions.

Only a few sections are strictly endemic to the Flora Iranica area (e.g. sects. Microphysa, Acanthophace, Leucocercis). In 2 of the better known large sections (Astragalus and Caprini) there are 2 main centres of diversity: the Armenian knot and the Zagros mountains; Afghanistan and the adjacent Pamir-Alai region. Their patterns of distribution and migration are probably repeated in several other sections in the genus.
Geographical spread of influenza incidence in Spain during the 2009 A(H1N1) pandemic wave and the two succeeding influenza seasons
Authors: GOMEZ-BARROSO D. , MARTINEZ-BENEITO M. A. , FLORES V. , AMORÓS R. , DELGADO C. , BOTELLA P. , ZURRIAGA O. , LARRAURI A.
Published: January 2014

The aim of this study was to monitor the spatio-temporal spread of influenza incidence in Spain during the 2009 pandemic and the following two influenza seasons 2010–2011 and 2011–2012 using a Bayesian Poisson mixed regression model; and implement this model of geographical analysis in the Spanish Influenza Surveillance System to obtain maps of influenza incidence for every week. In the pandemic wave the maps showed influenza activity spreading from west to east. The 2010–2011 influenza epidemic wave plotted a north-west/south-east pattern of spread. During the 2011–2012 season the spread of influenza was geographically heterogeneous. The most important source of variability in the model is the temporal term. The model of spatio-temporal spread of influenza incidence is a supplementary tool of influenza surveillance in Spain.
High prevalence ofNeisseria gonorrhoeaein a remote, undertreated population of Namibian pastoralists
Authors: HAZEL A. , PONNALURI-WEARS S. , DAVIS G. S. , LOW B. S. , FOXMAN B.
Published: January 2014

The highly remote pastoralist communities in Kaokoland, Namibia, have long been presumed to have high gonorrhoea prevalence. To estimate gonorrhoea prevalence and correlates of infection, we conducted a cross-sectional study of 446 adults across 28 rural villages. Gonorrhoea status was determined from urethral and vaginal swabs via qPCR assay. All participants answered a closed-ended interview about demographics, sexual behaviour and symptom history. Sixteen per cent of participants had high-level infections (⩾ID50dose) and 48% had low-level infections (<ID50dose). Women had higher prevalence than men of both high- and low-level infections. High-level infections were regionally and seasonally clustered, occurring in young adults in the Ehama region during the winter. Low-level infections were distributed homogenously across demographic characteristics, season, and region. All low-level infections and most high-level infections (men 78%, women 95%) were asymptomatic and left untreated. The epidemic-like nature of high-level gonorrhoea cases suggests that intervention efforts can be focused on seasons of high social activity.
Longitudinal Study of Sustained Attention in Outpatients with Bipolar Disorder
Authors: Harmell Alexandrea L. , Mausbach Brent T. , Moore Raeanne C. , Depp Colin A. , Jeste Dilip V. , Palmer Barton W.
Published: January 2014

Individuals with bipolar disorder (BD) may exhibit attentional deficits, however, the extent of impairment and long-term fluctuations in performance in attention are relatively unknown. We investigated the relationship between sustained attention and affective symptoms over time among BD patients. We also examined whether global differences in attentional capacity differed among BDversusnormal comparison (NC) subjects. Participants included 106 outpatients with BD and 66 NC subjects who were administered symptom rating scales and a measure of sustained attention (Continuous Performance Test- Identical Pairs). Measures were repeated 6, 12, and 26 weeks post-baseline. Compared to NC subjects, participants with BD showed impairment in sustained attention across time. Within patient increases in manic symptoms were associated with increased false alarms; both manic and depressive symptoms were associated with worse discrimination. Neither manic nor depressive symptoms were related to hit rates. Our results indicate that the ability to inhibit a response to near miss stimuli (i.e., those that are close to but not identical to the target) is globally impaired among BD patients relative to NC subjects, as well as state-dependent, covarying with affective symptoms. Psychosocial interventions requiring high levels of attentional capacity may need to be adapted according to patients’ current symptomatology. (JINS, 2014,20, 1–8)