bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Colitis‐induced colorectal cancer and intestinal epithelial estrogen receptor beta impact gut microbiota diversity
Authors: Ibrahim Ahmed , Hugerth Luisa W. , Hases Linnea , Saxena Ashish , Seifert Maike , Thomas Quentin , Gustafsson Jan‐Åke , Engstrand Lars , Williams Cecilia
Published: December 2018

Chronic inflammation of the colon (colitis) is a risk factor for colorectal cancer (CRC). Hormone‐replacement therapy reduces CRC incidences, and the estrogen receptor beta (ERβ/ESR2) has been implicated in this protection. Gut microbiota is altered in both colitis and CRC and may influence the severity of both. Here we test the hypothesis that intestinal ERβ impacts the gut microbiota. Mice with and without intestine‐specific deletion of ERβ (ERβKOVil) were generated using the Cre‐LoxP system. Colitis and CRC were induced with a single intraperitoneal injection of azoxymethane (AOM) followed by administration of three cycles of dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) in drinking water. The microbiota population were characterized by high‐throughput 16S rRNA gene sequencing of DNA extracted from fecal samples (N = 39). Differences in the microbiota due to AOM/DSS and absence of ERβ were identified through bioinformatic analyses of the 16S‐Seq data, and the distribution of bacterial species was corroborated using qPCR. We demonstrate that colitis‐induced CRC reduced the gut microbiota diversity and that loss of ERβ enhanced this process. Further, the Bacteroidetes genus Prevotellaceae_UCG_001 was overrepresented in AOM/DSS mice compared to untreated controls (3.5‐fold, p = 0.004), and this was enhanced in females and in ERβKOVil mice. Overall, AOM/DSS enriched for microbiota impacting immune system diseases and metabolic functions, and lack of ERβ in combination with AOM/DSS enriched for microbiota impacting carbohydrate metabolism and cell motility, while reducing those impacting the endocrine system. Our data support that intestinal ERβ contributes to a more favorable microbiome that could attenuate CRC development.
Genetic variations in human papillomavirus and cervical cancer outcomes
Authors: Rader Janet S. , Tsaih Shirng‐Wern , Fullin Daniel , Murray Miriam W. , Iden Marissa , Zimmermann Michael T. , Flister Michael J.
Published: December 2018

Cervical cancer is driven by persistent infection of human papillomavirus (HPV), which is influenced by HPV type and intratypic variants, yet the impact of HPV type and intratypic variants on patient outcomes is far less understood. Here, we examined the association of cervical cancer stage and survival with HPV type, clade, lineage, and intratypic variants within the HPV E6 locus. Of 1,028 HPV‐positive cases recruited through the CerGE study, 301 were in‐situ and 727 were invasive cervical cancer (ICC), with an average post‐diagnosis follow‐up of 4.8 years. HPV sequencing was performed using tumor‐isolated DNA to assign HPV type, HPV 16 lineage, clade, and intratypic variants within the HPV 16 E6 locus, of which nonsynonomous variants were functionally annotated by molecular modeling. HPV 18‐related types were more prevalent in ICC compared to in‐situ disease and associated with significantly worse recurrence‐free survival (RFS) compared to HPV 16‐related types. The HPV 16 Asian American lineage D3 and Asian lineage A4 associated more frequently with ICC than with in situ disease and women with an intratypic HPV 16 lineage B exhibited a trend toward worse RFS than those with A, C, or D lineages. Participants with intratypic E6 variants predicted to stabilize the E6–E6AP–p53 complex had worse RFS. Variants within the highly immunogenic HPV 16 E6 region (E14–I34) were enriched in ICC compared to in‐situ lesions but were not associated with survival. Collectively, our results suggest that cervical cancer outcome is associated with HPV variants that affect virus‐host interactions.
Dietary cadmium and risk of breast cancer subtypes defined by hormone receptor status: A prospective cohort study
Authors: Grioni Sara , Agnoli Claudia , Krogh Vittorio , Pala Valeria , Rinaldi Sabina , Vinceti Marco , Contiero Paolo , Vescovi Luciano , Malavolti Marcella , Sieri Sabina
Published: December 2018

Diet is the primary source of cadmium—a proven Group 1 human carcinogen—for non‐smokers. Observational studies investigating the effect of cadmium from food sources on breast cancer risk have produced inconsistent results. We examined the association between dietary cadmium and risk of breast cancer defined by estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR) and HER2 status, in 8924 women recruited to a prospective study between 1987 and 1992. Dietary cadmium intake was estimated using a semi‐quantitative food frequency questionnaire at baseline. During a median of 22 years of follow‐up, 451 incident cases of breast cancer were identified through the Varese Cancer Registry. Multivariable‐adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for breast cancer and receptor‐defined breast cancer subtypes were estimated for quintiles of dietary cadmium intake, adjusting for confounding factors. Mean dietary cadmium intake was 7.8 (standard deviation 1.4) μg/day. Women with highest quintile of cadmium intake had a greater risk of breast cancer (HR 1.54; 95% CI, 1.06–2.22; p trend = 0.028) than those with lowest quintile of intake. Women premenopausal at recruitment had HR = 1.73 (95% CI, 1.10–2.71, highest vs. lowest quintile); postmenopausal women had HR = 1.32 (95% CI, 1.05–1.66 for each standard deviation increase in cadmium). Cadmium‐related risk of breast cancer did not vary with ER, PR or HER2 status (p‐heterogeneity not significant). These findings support the hypothesis that dietary cadmium is a risk factor for breast cancer.
RET, a targetable driver of pancreatic adenocarcinoma
Authors: Amit Moran , Na'ara Shorook , Fridman Eran , Vladovski Euvgeni , Wasserman Tanya , Milman Neta , Gil Ziv
Published: December 2018

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA) remains a deadly disease, affecting about 40,000 individuals in the United States annually. We aimed to characterize the role of RET as a co‐driver of pancreas tumorigenesis. To assess the role of RET as a co‐driver of PDA, we generated a novel triple mutant transgenic mouse based on the cre‐activated p53R172H gene and a constitutively active RET
M919T mutant (PRC). Survival analysis was performed using Kaplan–Meier analysis. Study of human PDA specimens and Pdx‐1‐Cre/KrasG12D /p53R172H (KPC) mice revealed that RET is upregulated during pancreas tumorigenesis, from inception through precursor lesions, to invasive cancer. We demonstrated that activation of RET is capable of inducing invasive pancreatic carcinomas in the background of the P53 inactivation mutation. Compared to KPC mice, PRC animals had distinct phenotypes, including longer latency to tumor progression, longer survival, and the presence of multiple macrometastases. Enhanced activation of the MAPK pathway was observed as early as the PanIN 2 stage. Sequencing of the exonic regions of KRAS in PRC‐derived PDA cells revealed no evidence of KRAS mutations. RET can be an essential co‐driver of pancreatic tumorigenesis in conjugation with KRAS activity. These data suggest that RET may be a potential target in the treatment of PDA.
Anti‐PD‐1/PD‐L1 therapy augments lenvatinib's efficacy by favorably altering the immune microenvironment of murine anaplastic thyroid cancer
Authors: Gunda Viswanath , Gigliotti Benjamin , Ashry Tameem , Ndishabandi Dorothy , McCarthy Michael , Zhou Zhiheng , Amin Salma , Lee Kyu Eun , Stork Tabea , Wirth Lori , Freeman Gordon J. , Alessandrini Alessandro , Parangi Sareh
Published: December 2018

Patients with anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC) have an extremely poor prognosis despite multimodal therapy with surgery and chemoradiation. Lenvatinib, a multi‐targeted tyrosine kinase inhibitor, as well as checkpoint inhibitors targeting the programmed cell death pathway, have proven effective in some patients with advanced thyroid cancer. Combination of these therapies is a potential means to boost effectiveness and minimize treatment resistance in ATC. We utilized our novel immunocompetent murine model of orthotopic ATC to demonstrate that lenvatinib led to significant tumor shrinkage and increased survival, while combination therapy led to dramatic improvements in both. Lenvatinib monotherapy increased tumor‐infiltrating macrophages, CD8+ T‐cells, regulatory T‐cells, and most notably, polymorphonuclear myeloid derived suppressor cells (PMN‐MDSCs). While both combination therapies led to further increases in CD8+ T‐cells, only the lenvatinib and anti‐PD‐1 combination decreased PMN‐MDSCs. PMN‐MDSC expansion was also seen in the blood of mice and one patient receiving lenvatinib therapy for ATC. RNA‐Seq of the ATC cell line used in our mouse model demonstrated that lenvatinib has multifaceted effects on angiogenesis, response to hypoxia, the epithelial‐to‐mesenchymal transition, and on multiple pathways implicated in inflammation and host immunity. Combination of lenvatinib with anti‐Gr‐1 antibody ameliorated lenvatinib's expansion of MDSCs and significantly improved lenvatinib's anti‐tumor effect. These data suggest that MDSCs play a negative role in ATC's response to lenvatinib and support future study of their role as a potential biomarker and treatment target.
New pharmacological effect of fulvestrant to prevent oxaliplatin‐induced neurodegeneration and mechanical allodynia in rats
Authors: Yamamoto Shota , Yamashita Tomohiro , Ito Mayu , Caaveiro Jose M.M. , Egashira Nobuaki , Tozaki‐Saitoh Hidetoshi , Tsuda Makoto
Published: December 2018

Oxaliplatin, which is widely used as chemotherapy for certain solid cancers, frequently causes peripheral neuropathy. Commonly described neuropathic symptoms include aberrant sensations such as mechanical allodynia (hypersensitivity to normally innocuous stimuli). Although oxaliplatin neuropathy is a dose‐limiting toxicity, there are no established preventive strategies available at present. By screening several sets of small‐molecule chemical libraries (more than 3,000 compounds in total) using a newly established in vitro high‐throughput phenotypic assay, we identified fulvestrant, a clinically approved drug for the treatment of breast cancer in postmenopausal women, as having a protective effect on oxaliplatin‐induced neuronal damage. Furthermore, histological and behavioural analyses using a rat model of oxaliplatin neuropathy demonstrated the in vivo efficacy of fulvestrant to prevent oxaliplatin‐induced axonal degeneration of the sciatic nerve and mechanical allodynia. Furthermore, fulvestrant did not interfere with oxaliplatin‐induced cytotoxicity against cancer cells. Thus, our findings reveal a previously unrecognised pharmacological effect of fulvestrant to prevent oxaliplatin‐induced painful peripheral neuropathy without impairing its cytotoxicity against cancer cells and may represent a novel prophylactic option for patients receiving oxaliplatin chemotherapy.
RPA(D) and HRPA(D): Two new models for calculations of NMR indirect nuclear spin–spin coupling constants
Authors: Schnack‐Petersen Anna Kristina , Haase Pi A. B. , Faber Rasmus , Provasi Patricio F. , Sauer Stephan P. A.
Published: December 2018

In this article, the RPA(D) and HRPA(D) models for the calculation of linear response functions are presented. The performance of the new RPA(D) and HRPA(D) models is compared to the performance of the established RPA, HRPA, and SOPPA models in calculations of indirect nuclear spin–spin coupling constants using the CCSD model as a reference. The doubles correction offers a significant improvement on both the RPA and HRPA models; however, the improvement is more dramatic in the case of the RPA model. For all coupling types investigated in this study, the results obtained using the HRPA(D) model are comparable in accuracy to those given by the SOPPA model, while requiring between 30% and 90% of the calculation time needed for SOPPA. The RPA(D) model, while of slightly lower accuracy compared to the CCSD model than HRPA(D), offered calculation times of only approximately 25% of those required for SOPPA for all the investigated molecules. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Rational design of near‐infrared absorbing organic dyes: Controlling the HOMO–LUMO gap using quantitative molecular orbital theory
Authors: Narsaria Ayush K. , Poater Jordi , Fonseca Guerra Célia , Ehlers Andreas W. , Lammertsma Koop , Bickelhaupt F. Matthias
Published: December 2018

Principles are presented for the design of functional near‐infrared (NIR) organic dye molecules composed of simple donor (D), spacer (π), and acceptor (A) building blocks in a D‐π‐A fashion. Quantitative Kohn–Sham molecular orbital analysis enables accurate fine‐tuning of the electronic properties of the π‐conjugated aromatic cores by effecting their size, including silaaromatics, adding donor and acceptor substituents, and manipulating the D‐π‐A torsional angle. The trends in HOMO–LUMO gaps of the model dyes correlate with the excitation energies computed with time‐dependent density functional theory at CAMY‐B3LYP. Design principles could be developed from these analyses, which led to a proof‐of‐concept linear D‐π‐A with a strong excited‐state intramolecular charge transfer and a NIR absorption at 879 nm. © 2018 The Authors. Journal of Computational Chemistry published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Synergistic interactions between NOD receptors and TLRs: Mechanisms and clinical implications
Authors: Pashenkov Mikhail V , Murugina Nina E , Budikhina Anna S , Pinegin Boris V
Published: December 2018

Interactions between pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) shape innate immune responses to particular classes of pathogens. Here, we review interactions between TLRs and nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain 1 and 2 (NOD1 and NOD2) receptors, two major groups of PRRs involved in innate recognition of bacteria. Most of experimental data both in vitro and in vivo suggest that NODs and TLRs synergize with each other at inducing the production of cytokines and antimicrobial peptides. Molecular mechanisms of this synergy remain poorly understood, although several scenarios can be proposed: (i) direct interactions of signaling pathways downstream of NODs and TLRs; (ii) mutual transcriptional regulation of unique components of NOD-dependent and TLR-dependent signaling pathways; and (iii) interactions at the post-transcriptional level. Potential practical implications of NOD-TLR synergy are dual. In sepsis, where synergistic effects probably contribute to excessive proinflammatory cytokine production, blockade of NOD1, and/or NOD2 in addition to TLR4 blockade may be required to achieve therapeutic benefit. On the other hand, synergistic combinations of relatively small doses of NOD and TLR agonists administered before infection could be used to boost innate resistance against bacterial pathogens.
Pattern recognition receptor polymorphisms in early periodontitis
Authors: Leite Fábio R. M. , Enevold Christian , Bendtzen Klaus , Baelum Vibeke , López Rodrigo
Published: December 2018

Background

Even though bacteria trigger inflammation, most of the tissue destruction in periodontitis is due to the host inflammatory response. In addition to immunological events that drive development of early periodontitis, numerous environmental factors like genetics and smoking play a role. We investigated whether the carriage of selected single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) of toll‐like receptors (TLR), NOD‐like receptors (NLR) and RIG‐I‐like receptors (RLR) was associated with the diagnosis of early periodontitis in a case‐control study.

Methods

Adolescents with positive (n = 87) and negative (n = 73) diagnosis for periodontitis had blood samples taken. All participants were genotyped for 42 SNP in the genes encoding TLR1‐10, NOD1‐2, DDX58, and IFIH1 using multiplex assays. Associations between SNP and periodontitis diagnosis were tested.

Results

TLR1‐rs5743611 showed protective effect for periodontitis (CC versus GG and GC, P = 0.01, odds ratio [OR] 0.10, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.01‒0.78). Carriage of the TLR4‐rs7873784 was associated with higher odds for periodontitis (GG versus CC and GC, P = 0.05, OR 2.30, 95% CI 1.00‒5.63; GG versus GC, P = 0.05, OR 2.46, 95% CI 1.01‒5.99). In male participants, reduced susceptibility to periodontitis was observed in carriers of TLR7‐rs3853839 (CC versus GG and CG, P = 0.02, OR 0.30, 95% CI 0.11‒0.85) and TLR8‐rs3764879 (CC versus GG and CG, P = 0.02, OR 0.31, 95% CI 0.12‒0.82). Associations were maintained after adjustments for sex, smoking habits, and mother´s education.

Conclusion

This study demonstrated an association between TLR1‐rs5743611, TLR4‐rs7873784, TLR7‐rs3853839, and TLR8‐rs3764879 and susceptibility to periodontitis in adolescents.
Profiling Chinese wine tourists by wine tourism constraints: A comparison of Chinese Australians and long‐haul Chinese tourists in Australia
Authors: Gu Qiushi , Huang Songshan (Sam)
Published: December 2018

This study aimed to profile Chinese wine tourists based on their perceived wine tourism constraints and develop a better understanding of the Chinese wine tourist market by comparing Chinese Australians with long‐haul Chinese tourists in Australia. A series of items measuring wine tourism constraints and negotiations were subjected to factor and cluster analyses. Four wine tourism constraint factors and three negotiation factors were identified. Based on the constraint factors, four segments, “group constrained by personal inhibitors,” “group constrained by facilities and attractions,” “less constrained group,” and “highly constrained group,” were identified. Analysis of variance and Chi‐square test results indicated that the four groups of Chinese migrants in Australia mainly varied by age, whereas long‐haul Chinese tourists differed more significantly in education and income. Chinese Australians were more likely to be less constrained and to be involved in wine tourism activities than long‐haul Chinese tourists. The former were also more likely to be self‐driving and repeat wine tourists. Comparatively, the latter group members engaged more in negotiation strategies.
Eutrophication drives divergent water clarity responses to decadal variation in lake level
Authors: Lisi Peter J. , Hein Catherine L.
Published: December 2018

Abstract

Water clarity is an important attribute of lakes, but climatic effects on clarity remain obscure, because lake physical and chemical conditions generate complex responses. Here, we examine how hydrologic variation influences water clarity (Secchi depth) over 30 yr across 24 lakes in northwest Wisconsin (U.S.A.) along a gradient in lake phosphorus (P) concentration and lake attributes (e.g., depth, area, land use, and trophic status). We took a multivariate time‐series approach to explore shared temporal patterns in Secchi depth among lakes and to evaluate the relative strength of hydrological time‐series (lake level, Palmer Drought Severity Index [PDSI], and antecedent precipitation) as a component of water clarity change. Decadal fluctuations in lake level best explain annual shifts in water clarity, but not precipitation or PDSI. The sign and magnitude of the response varies among lakes by trophic status. Oligotrophic lakes become clearer when lake levels decline, and more turbid when lake levels rise, presumably due to increased watershed loading of dissolved organic matter and nutrients. Dilution and stronger stratification during wet years may drive the opposite response observed in eutrophic lakes, which become clearer in wet years and more turbid during drought. Overall, the water clarity response to lake level increased with P concentration and was more positive in shallow polymictic vs. dimictic lakes. Although further study is required, we suggest that trophic status and lake mixis mediate water clarity's response to lake level fluctuations. We propose that eutrophication not only changes mean lake clarity but also the natural relationship of water clarity to hydrology.
Averaging principle for multiscale stochastic reaction‐diffusion‐advection equations
Authors: Gao Peng
Published: December 2018

Stochastic averaging principle is a powerful tool for studying qualitative analysis of multiscale stochastic dynamical systems. In this paper, we will establish an averaging principle for stochastic reaction‐diffusion‐advection equations with slow and fast time scales. Under suitable conditions, we show that the slow component strongly converges to the solution of the corresponding averaged equation.
Effects of Gut Bacteria Depletion and High‐Na+ and Low‐K+ Intake on Circulating Levels of Biogenic Amines
Authors: Blaženović Ivana , Oh Young Taek , Li Fan , Ji Jian , Nguyen Ahn‐Khoi , Wancewicz Benjamin , Bender Jeffrey M , Fiehn Oliver , Youn Jang H.
Published: December 2018

Scope

High‐sodium and low‐potassium (HNaLK) content in Western diets increases the risk of hypertension and cardiovascular disease (CVD). It is investigated if the dietary minerals interact with gut bacteria to modulate circulating levels of biogenic amines, which are implicated in various pathologies, including hypertension and CVD.

Methods and results

Using a metabolomic approach to target biogenic amines, the effects of gut bacteria depletion and HNaLK intake on circulating levels of biogenic amines in rats are examined. Forty‐five metabolites whose plasma levels are significantly altered by gut bacteria depletion (p < 0.05) are found, indicating their regulation by gut bacteria. Many of them are not previously linked to gut bacteria; therefore, these data provide novel insights into physiological or pathological roles of gut bacteria. A number of plasma metabolites that are altered both by gut bacteria and HNaLK intake are also found, suggesting possible interactions of the diet and gut bacteria in the modulation of these metabolites. The diet effects are observed with significant changes in the gut bacterial taxa Porphyromonadaceae and Prevotellaceae (p < 0.05).

Conclusion

The dietary minerals may regulate abundances of certain gut bacteria to alter circulating levels of biogenic amines, which may be linked to host physiology or pathology.
Rectangular dielectric resonator antenna with polarization reconfigurable characteristic
Authors: Liu Beijia , Qiu Jinghui , Wang Changhui , Wang Nannan , Li Guoqiang
Published: December 2018

A rectangular dielectric resonator antenna (DRA) with multiple polarization modes is proposed in this study. The antenna is fed by adjustable feed network composed by Wilkinson power divider and tunable phase shift elements. On this reconfigurable design, it can operate in left‐handed circular polarization, right‐handed circular polarization, and linear polarization (LP) modes. The 3‐dB axial ratio bandwidth of 30.2% for CP modes and impedance bandwidth of 33.3% for CP states are obtained. The maximum gains are 5.7 dBic and 6.34 dBi for CP and LP states. A prototype is built on the FR4 substrate with ideal switches and tested to validate the design. Simulated and measured results showed good agreement on the polarization reconfigurable performances of interest. The proposed DRA can be applied to modern wireless system with polarization diversity requirements.
A numerical assessment of the human body effect in the transmission of wireless microphones
Authors: Cabot Eugenia , Stevanovic Ivica , Kuster Niels , Capstick Myles H.
Published: December 2018

Many mobile devices, including wireless microphones, are operated in the near proximity of the human body that modifies radiation conditions and absorbs some of the power of the device and, therefore, introduces an additional loss (body loss) to the radio communication link. In this article, we characterize the body loss in wireless microphones over a wide frequency range spanning from the very high frequencies (235 MHz) to the super‐high frequencies (6 GHz) using 3D numerical electromagnetic simulations of 3 realistic human anatomical models and for 2 microphone types (hand‐held and body‐worn).
Optical fiber vibration sensing system using delay line method
Authors: Wang Yu , Ding Kai , Xu Yuelin , Song Xiaoda , Zhang Jianguo , Liu Xin , Bai Qing , Wang Dong , Zhang Mingjiang , Jin Baoquan
Published: December 2018

A delay line method for a distributed optical fiber vibration sensing system is reported. The sensing system is a combination of non‐balanced Sagnac/Mach‐Zehnder structure and an adjustable optical fiber delay line. The vibration location principle is the expansion of conventional null‐frequencies theory, which needs to adjust the length of delay line, in order to determine a zero point in the amplitude variation curve of detected light intensity for one characteristic frequency appearing in the vibration signal spectrum. Moreover, the location simulation using delay line method for narrowband vibration signals is affected. Finally, the experiment verifies that the location errors of vibration events are within ±70 m. The main advantage of proposed method is that it can locate not only the broadband vibration but also the narrowband vibration.
Reduced Eating Pace (RePace) Behavioral Intervention for Children Prone to or with Obesity: Does the Turtle Win the Race?
Authors: Faith Myles S. , Diewald Lisa K. , Crabbe Samantha , Burgess Brenda , Berkowitz Robert I.
Published: December 2018

Objective

Rapid eating is a risk factor for childhood obesity but has not been a focus of intervention with young children. The short‐term effects of a novel family‐based treatment, “Reduced Eating Pace” (RePace), were tested on child eating speed and secondary outcomes.

Methods

Twenty‐eight rapid eating children were randomized to RePace (n  = 14) or Delayed Usual Care Control (DUC) (n  = 14). RePace taught families a slower eating pace using psychoeducational and behavioral techniques, including silent vibrating devices that prompted 30‐second “turtle bites.” Outcomes included child “slowness in eating” assessed by parent‐report questionnaire and observed eating in the laboratory (i.e., mouthfuls/minute and kilocalories/minute). Child BMI and other eating variables were secondary outcomes.

Results

Children in RePace compared with DUC showed increased “slowness in eating” (P  <  0.001), increased food enjoyment (P  = 0.04), and less BMI gain (P  = 0.02) after 8 weeks. There was no treatment effect for observed eating speed, although typicality of the laboratory test meal was an effect modifier in exploratory analyses. Specifically, RePace versus DUC showed attenuated increases in mouthfuls per minute over time among youth for whom the laboratory food amount was more typical of amounts served at home.

Conclusions

Slower eating may be a novel target for family‐based obesity prevention targeting high‐risk children.
Transdisciplinary public leadership theory: Between the extremes of “traditional public administration” and “new public management”
Authors: Yeboah‐Assiamah Emmanuel , Asamoah Kwame , Adams Samuel
Published: December 2018

The 21st century public organization is faced with complex problems, informed stakeholders, and information flows, which necessitate a corresponding open system view of leadership. The traditional notions of public administration and new public management had been structured by strict bureaucratic rules and managerial flexibility, respectively. This paper begins by theorizing two hypothetical constructs (helicopter and deadbeat leadership), which engage in extreme micromanagement/surveillance and negligence/indifference, respectively. Those form basis for designing an optimal (transdisciplinary) leadership, which forges synergistic link between leaders, subordinates, and external actors in codesigning objectives and strategies to address societal problems. Strategies to promote transdisciplinary leadership are discussed.
Long‐term analysis of children with metastatic neuroblastoma treated in the ENSG5 randomised clinical trial
Authors: Moreno Lucas , Vaidya Sucheta J. , Schrey Dominik , Pinkerton C. Ross , Lewis Ian J. , Kearns Pamela R. , Machin David , Pearson Andrew D. J. ,   European Neuroblastoma Study Group and the Children's Cancer and Leukaemia Group (CCLG) (formerly UKCCSG)
Published: December 2018

Background

The European Neuroblastoma Study Group 5 (ENSG5) trial showed that time‐intensive “rapid” induction chemotherapy (COJEC) was superior to “standard” 3‐weekly chemotherapy for children with high‐risk metastatic neuroblastoma. Long‐term outcomes of the ENSG5 trial were analysed.

Procedure

Patients with metastatic neuroblastoma aged ≥12 months were randomly assigned to “standard” or “rapid” induction, receiving the same chemotherapy drugs and doses. Event‐free survival (EFS) and overall survival (OS) were analysed and prognostic factors evaluated. Amongst patients surviving >5 years, a population of children with persistent metastatic disease after the end of treatment was identified and described.

Results

Ten‐year EFS was 18.2% (95% confidence interval: 12.2–25.2) for the “standard” arm and 26.8% (19.5–34.7) for the “rapid” arm (hazard ratio [HR] 0.85, P = 0.28). Ten‐year OS for the “standard” arm was 19.7% (13.4–26.8) and 28.3% (20.8‐36.2) for the “rapid arm” (HR 0.83, P = 0.19). There was a trend for worse EFS and OS for patients having MYCN amplification (HR 1.37 and 1.40, respectively) and those with partial and mixed response to induction (HR 1.69 and 1.75 for EFS and 1.66 and 2.00 for OS, respectively). Among 69 patients who survived >5 years, six had persistent metastatic disease after the end of treatment.

Conclusion

The benefit of the “rapid” induction regimen seems to be maintained in the long term, although the small number of survivors could justify the lack of statistical significance. MYCN amplification and poor metastatic response to induction could be associated with worse outcomes. A small group of patients with persistent metastatic disease that survived long term has been described.
Hyperelastic behavior and dynamic mechanical relaxation in carbon black‐polymer composites
Authors: Elhaouzi Fatiha , Nourdine Ali , Brosseau C. , Mdarhri Ahmed , El Aboudi Ilham , Zaghrioui Mustapha
Published: December 2018

Tensile and thermo‐mechanical properties of nano‐composites fabricated by mechanically mixing semi‐crystalline ethylene‐co‐butyl acrylate (EBA) and carbon black (CB) nanoparticles are investigated. Stress–strain curves performed on samples over a broad range of CB content evidence the hyperelastic behavior of the EBA matrix. Neo‐Hookean and Mooney‐Rivlin models are used to fit the observed linear and nonlinear mechanical behaviors, respectively. The thermo‐mechanical curves highlight two relaxation phenomena depending on the CB content. Correspondingly, the EBA/CB interface properties are analyzed by correlating the volume fraction of the constrained polymer to the relaxation behavior of the viscoelastic linear regime. POLYM. COMPOS., 40:3005–3011, 2019. © 2018 Society of Plastics Engineers
Mechanically robust and thermally stable abrasive tools from phenolic resins reinforced with diazonium‐modified zeolites
Authors: Sandomierski Mariusz , Strzemiecka Beata , Koczorowski Wojciech , Barczewski Mateusz , Kasperkowiak Małgorzata , Pokora Monika , Borek Bartłomiej , Chehimi Mohamed M. , Voelkel Adam
Published: December 2018

The contact area between the filler and the polymer is a critical region that influences to a great extent the filler–matrix adhesion and therefore the mechanical properties of the composite. Controlling the type of interactions at this interface has a significant effect on the properties of the composite materials. In this context, we prepared composites by covalent reaction of diazonium‐functionalized zeolite with phenol‐formaldehyde resin. Introducing the hydroxymethyl groups onto the surface of the filler via diazonium chemistry allows for covalent bonds between the resin and the modified filler. Such a modification resulted in higher flexural strength of the composites, better ability to dissipate mechanical energy during load and also better damping properties (which are strongly linked to the final product durability) compared with the composites bearing pristine zeolite filler. Moreover, application of modified filler accelerates the crosslinking of novolac resin used as a binder in abrasive tools. One key feature of the work was brought by thermogravimetric analysis–mass spectrometry results which indicate no release of toxic urotropine degradation products for composites containing modified fillers. This work demonstrates conclusively that diazonium‐functionalized zeolite filler particles improve remarkably the thermal and mechanical properties of novolac‐based composites. Such robust composites have high potential in the production of novel abrasive tools. POLYM. COMPOS., 40:3209–3219, 2019. © 2018 Society of Plastics Engineers
Automation Revolution
Authors: Giordano Geoff
Published: December 2018

In our first issue of Plastics Engineering magazine this year, we gave you a roundup of some key trends in machinery—a particularly hot topic in an NPE year. Unsurprisingly, automation made significant strides, and some key companies had planned to announce further developments later in 2018
The Art of the Shutdown
Authors: Romeo Jim
Published: December 2018

When a Michigan‐based heavy manufacturing firm realized its production floors needed repairs and resurfacing, they chose to perform the corrective maintenance—an often dreaded, obtrusive, and disruptive process—during one of the few time windows that makes the most sense: the holiday shutdown.
Fundamental investigation on interaction between hexafluoroisopropylalcohol‐containing styrene and photochemical acid generator for rationale design of photoresist system
Authors: Doi Takashi , Shimokawa Tsutomu , Sudo Atsushi , Endo Takeshi
Published: December 2018

This article presents the effect of some ionic photochemical acid generators (PAGs) to inhibit the dissolution of hexafluoroisopropylalcohol (HFA)‐containing polystyrene to an aqueous alkaline developer, which is a highly important effect in photoresist application to enhance resolution of patterning. The dissolution inhibiting factors and mechanisms were investigated by evaluating the solubility and the 1H‐NMR analysis of OH proton in HFA moiety. The dissolution inhibition effect was enhanced when the structures of PAGs fulfill some requirements: (a) their anions should have higher basicity and smaller van der Waals volume; (b) their cations should be stabilized by conjugation with electron‐rich aromatics. In the dissolution inhibition, the HFA moiety interacts with the anionic part of PAGs liberated from the electrostatic interaction with the counter cation. These interactions were predicted and quantified by DFT calculations using Gaussian 09, leading to the rational designs of PAGs with higher dissolution inhibiting effect in photoresist systems. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2019, 57, 531–538
Saving plants, saving ourselves
Authors: Raven Peter H.
Published: December 2018

Societal Impact Statement

Humans, as a species, are very new on Earth, but we have had a profound effect on the Planet. The global ecosystem is necessary for every aspect of our lives; yet, we are not safeguarding it nor protecting the biodiversity of the other organisms we share the planet with. As a species, we depend on plants and agriculture for our very existence and they need to receive greater attention and focus. Plant scientists can work together to achieve a robust and sustainable future for all.

The future of the Earth and its inhabitants has never been more uncertain, but there is still time for us to prevent further catastrophe. Plant scientists have a crucial role to play in the preservation of plant biodiversity and crop genetic diversity, both vital goals that will have a major impact on the success or failure of humanity’s attempts to prevent ecological disaster. At the 2017 International Botanical Congress in Shenzhen, China, a series of suggestions for the many important ways in which plant scientists could contribute to a sustainable future were proposed, and were accepted by the Delegates of the meeting. These included: conducting research in the context of the changing world, promoting plant science and international collaboration, building platforms for big data, generating a full inventory of plant species, protecting indigenous knowledge, and engaging the power of the public. Here, I describe this Shenzhen Declaration, the threats it aims to mitigate, and the key roles that plant scientists must play for the future benefit of mankind.
People and plants: The unbreakable bond
Authors: Knapp Sandra
Published: December 2018

Societal Impact Statement

Plants are crucial for human survival, providing nutrition, warmth, clothing, and shelter, as well as the air that we breathe. Plants also enhance our environment by making it more beautiful and thereby enriching our lives and increasing our wellbeing. We need to study plants more and better understand their biodiversity so that we can conserve and safeguard their future to create an ecological civilization. Plant scientists must work together with other members of human societies to ensure the survival of these crucial organisms upon which we are reliant.

We are losing biodiversity at an unprecedented rate, which will have unknown but potentially devastating consequences for the Earth's planetary systems. Before we can conserve biodiversity, however, we must understand it, both as a concept and by performing an assessment of the diversity of life on our planet. Here, I highlight and explore the relationships between people and plants. Plants perform a diverse array of ecosystem processes, which provide us with a huge number of ecosystem services. We have domesticated a relatively tiny number of plant species to better optimize some of the products they provide us, including food, fiber, and fuel, but our relationships even with these few species are complex. Using the Solanaceae as an example, I explore the cultural, societal, economic, and nutritional aspects of our relationships with crop plants, as well as our use and knowledge of the genetic diversity stored in their wild relatives. Conserving plant biodiversity is vital for ourselves and for the rest of the biosphere, but plant scientists cannot achieve this alone. Highlighting the importance of biodiversity is key to attract public support and collaboration, enabling us to better map diversity and understand the impacts of our local behaviors on a global scale.
Beautiful genes, beautiful plants
Authors: Yang Huanming , Wang Xiaoling , Tian Juan
Published: December 2018

Societal Impact Statement

We all have reason to acknowledge plants，as humans, together with all other animals, breathe the oxygen produced by plants every second of the day, and we need the diversity of plants to maintain a balanced ecological environment. Plants also help us to understand the secrets of life and contribute to our understanding of ourselves. The Earth BioGenome Project (EBP), announced in February 2017, has the ambitious mission to sequence “all life on Earth,” of which plants are of course a major part.

Research into plants has led to many vital contributions to science in general. International collaborations are now the lifeblood of scientific research, particularly in the field of genomics. From humble, underfunded beginnings as the only developing nation in the Human Genome Project (HGP), China has emerged as a powerhouse of genomics research with major involvement in a whole host of genome‐sequencing projects worldwide. Today, the cutting‐edge international research projects are focused on genome writing and editing, allowing us to engineer organisms to produce bioproducts or to display a new suite of phenotypic characteristics. It is possible to bioengineer anything if all the constituent parts of the metabolic/signaling pathways and the regulation network are understood. Decoding the secrets of life is vital for enhancing our appreciation of plants, our understanding of how we can benefit from them, and our ability to protect them. Once again, plant science is driving our understanding of the world in general, which may enable us to protect both plant biodiversity and to create a beautiful and brilliant future for humankind.
Proteomics of Uterosacral Ligament Connective Tissue from Women with and without Pelvic Organ Prolapse
Authors: Li Xiang‐Juan , Pan Hai‐Tao , Chen Juan‐Juan , Fu Yi‐Bin , Fang Min , He Guo‐Hua , Zhang Tao , Ding Hai‐Gang , Yu Bin , Cheng Yi , Tan Ya‐Jing , Zhao Fa‐Lin , Morse Abraham N. , Huang He‐Feng
Published: December 2018

Purpose

Damage to the uterosacral ligaments is an important contributor to uterine and vaginal prolapse. The aim of this study is to identify differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) in the uterosacral ligaments of women with and without pelvic organ prolapse (POP) and analyze their relationships to cellular mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of POP.

Experimental design

Uterosacral ligament connective tissue from four patients with POP and four control women undergo iTRAQ analysis followed by ingenuity pathway analysis (IPA) of DEPs. DEPs are validated using Western blot analysis.

Results

A total of 1789 unique protein sequences are identified in the uterosacral ligament connective tissues. The expression levels of 88 proteins are significantly different between prolapse and control groups (≥1.2‐fold, p < 0.05). IPA demonstrates the association of 14 DEPs with “Connective Tissue Function.” Among them, fibromodulin, collagen alpha‐1 (XIV) chain, calponin‐1, tenascin, and galectin‐1 appear most likely to play a role in the etiology of POP.

Conclusions and clinical relevance

At least six proteins not previously associated with the pathogenesis of POP with biologic functions that suggest a plausible relationship to the disorder are identified. These results may be helpful for furthering the understanding of the pathophysiological mechanisms of POP.
Front Cover: Cover Image, Volume 75, Issue 1
Authors: Ge Xuezhen , He Shanyong , Zhu Chenyi , Wang Tao , Xu Zhichun , Zong Shixiang
Published: December 2018

The front cover image is based on the Research Article Projecting the current and future potential global distribution of Hyphantria cunea (Lepidoptera: Arctiidae) using CLIMEX by Xuezhen Ge et al., DOI: 10.1002/ps.5083. Photo Credit: Lili Ren

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The spatial dynamics of race in the transition to university: Diverse cities and White campuses in U.K. higher education
Authors: Gamsu Sol , Donnelly Michael , Harris Richard
Published: December 2018

Using exceptionally detailed administrative data on all 412,000 students attending university in the United Kingdom in 2014–2015 combined with spatial census data from 2011, we explore for the first time how the ethnic composition of where students grow up is linked to where they attend university. We calculate a “diversity score” for every U.K. university, which is then compared with the ethnic diversity of the surrounding area, allowing us to explore the institutional geography of ethnicity in U.K. universities. These scores provide the basis for a multilevel analysis of factors influencing whether students move towards more or less ethnically diverse universities than where they have grown up. White students are more likely than their ethnic‐minority peers to move towards a university that is more diverse than their home neighbourhood. We thus explore how students' mobility decisions for university are influenced by the uneven geography of race in U.K. cities and universities.
Noise‐induced vortex‐splitting stratospheric sudden warmings
Authors: Esler J. Gavin , Mester Márton
Published: December 2018

Observed oscillations of the Antarctic stratospheric polar vortex often resemble those in Kida's model of an elliptical vortex in a linear background flow. Here, Kida's model is used to investigate the dynamics of “vortex‐splitting” stratospheric sudden warmings (SSWs), such as the Antarctic event of 2002. SSWs are identified with a bifurcation in the periodic orbits of the model. The influence of “tropospheric macroturbulence” on the vortex is modelled by allowing the linear background forcing flow to be driven by a random process, with a finite decorrelation time (an Ornstein–Uhlenbeck process). It is shown that this stochasticity generates a random walk across the state‐space of periodic orbits, which will eventually lead to a bifurcation point after which an SSW will occur. In certain asymptotic limits, the expected time before an SSW occurs can be found by solving a “first passage time” problem for a stochastic differential equation, allowing the dependence of the expected time to an SSW on the model parameters to be elucidated. Results are verified using both Kida's model and single‐layer quasi‐geostrophic simulations. The results point towards a “noise‐memory” paradigm of the winter stratosphere, according to which the forcing history determines whether the vortex is quiescent, whether it undergoes large amplitude nonlinear oscillations or, in extreme cases, whether the vortex will eventually split.
Comparison between the analysis of the asymptotic wavepacket and the associated flux for the calculation of kinetic‐energy‐releases function
Authors: Han Yong‐Chang
Published: December 2018

The kinetic‐energy‐releases (KER) distribution function of the fragment is an important observable in the molecular dynamics. In theory, there are several different methods to calculate the KER distribution function or spectrum, which could be generally divided into two classes: One is based on the analysis of the asymptotic wavepacket (“projection method”) and the other is on the analysis of the associated flux (“flux method”). By taking the above‐threshold dissociation of the HeH+ (v = 8) molecule as an example, we compared these two classes of methods. Based on evenly separated Fourier grid representation, the KER distribution calculated via the projection method FProj(Ek) is the same as the one calculated via the flux method FFlux(Ek). The relationship between FProj(Ek) and the distribution of the projection of the asymptotic wavepacket onto the energy eigenstates of the quasicontinuum, PProj(Ek), and the relationship between FFlux(Ek) and the distribution of the dissociation probability PFlux(Ek) from the cumulation of the associated flux, are determined.
Electron‐pair entropic and complexity measures in atomic systems
Authors: López‐Rosa Sheila , Martín Adrián L. , Antolín Juan , Angulo Juan Carlos
Published: December 2018

The two‐electron atomic densities are analyzed in both position and momentum spaces in terms of different information‐theoretic measures, such as disequilibrium, Shannon entropy, shape complexity, and its corresponding information plane. This study is conveyed throughout the Periodic Table and the obtained results are discussed in terms of varied atomic properties such as (1) atomic charge, (2) shell filling patterns, and (3) electronic correlation. A detailed discussion on how these properties modify in a particular manner the electron density structure when considering a one‐electron or a two‐electron density description is conducted.