bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Control of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species production in liquid by nonthermal plasma jet with controlled surrounding gas
Authors: Ito Taiki , Uchida Giichiro , Nakajima Atsushi , Takenaka Kosuke , Setsuhara Yuichi
Published: December 2016

We present the development of a low-frequency nonthermal plasma-jet system, where the surrounding-gas condition of the plasma jet is precisely controlled in open air. By restricting the mixing of the ambient air into the plasma jet, the plasma jet can be selectively changed from a N2 main discharge to an O2 main discharge even in open air. In the plasma-jet system with the controlled surrounding gas, the production of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species is successfully controlled in deionized water: the concentration ratio of NO2
− to H2O2 is tuned from 0 to 0.18, and a high NO2
− concentration ratio is obtained at a N2 gas ratio of 0.80 relative to the total N2/O2 gas mixture in the main discharge gas. We also find that the NO2
− concentration is much higher in the plasma-activated medium than in the plasma-activated deionized water, which is mainly explained by the contribution of amino acids to NO2
− generation in the medium.
Eurasian jays do not copy the choices of conspecifics, but they do show evidence of stimulus enhancement
Authors: Miller Rachael , Logan Corina J. , Lister Katherine , Clayton Nicola S.
Published: December 2016

Corvids (birds in the crow family) are hypothesised to have a general cognitive tool-kit because they show a wide range of transferrable skills across social, physical and temporal tasks, despite differences in socioecology. However, it is unknown whether relatively asocial corvids differ from social corvids in their use of social information in the context of copying the choices of others, because only one such test has been conducted in a relatively asocial corvid. We investigated whether relatively asocial Eurasian jays (Garrulus glandarius) use social information (i.e., information made available by others). Previous studies have indicated that jays attend to social context in their caching and mate provisioning behaviour; however, it is unknown whether jays copy the choices of others. We tested the jays in two different tasks varying in difficulty, where social corvid species have demonstrated social information use in both tasks. Firstly, an object-dropping task was conducted requiring objects to be dropped down a tube to release a food reward from a collapsible platform, which corvids can learn through explicit training. Only one rook and one New Caledonian crow have learned the task using social information from a demonstrator. Secondly, we tested the birds on a simple colour discrimination task, which should be easy to solve, because it has been shown that corvids can make colour discriminations. Using the same colour discrimination task in a previous study, all common ravens and carrion crows copied the demonstrator. After observing a conspecific demonstrator, none of the jays solved the object-dropping task, though all jays were subsequently able to learn to solve the task in a non-social situation through explicit training, and jays chose the demonstrated colour at chance levels. Our results suggest that social and relatively asocial corvids differ in social information use, indicating that relatively asocial species may have secondarily lost this ability due to lack of selection pressure from an asocial environment.
Cranial Polypropylene Implants by Fused Filament Fabrication
Authors: Katschnig Matthias , Arbeiter Florian , Haar Bernd , van Campe Gord , Holzer Clemens
Published: December 2016

This study evaluates the feasibility and suitability of polypropylene (PP) implants produced by Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) for the substitution of damaged cranial bone material from the polymer‐engineering point of view. The establishing of imaging methods, suitable printing material preparations, best printing practice regarding PP, and a first testing approach of the mechanical implant performance are addressed. Results indicate that PP implants are accurately printable and seem to be mechanical usable for cranial bone substitution. Further investigations concerning impact behavior and medical applicability will be conducted.
Ultrafine Graphene Nanomesh with Large On/Off Ratio for High‐Performance Flexible Biosensors
Authors: Yang Yanbing , Yang Xiangdong , Zou Xuming , Wu Shiting , Wan Da , Cao Anyuan , Liao Lei , Yuan Quan , Duan Xiangfeng
Published: December 2016

Graphene is an attractive material for flexible electronics and biosensors, yet its zero bandgap nature has limited the on/off ratio of field‐effect transistors (FETs) and the sensitivity of biosensors based on graphene. Graphene nanomesh (GNM), a continuous 2D graphene nanostructure with a high density of holes punched in the basal plane, has been created to introduce lateral confinement and enable improved on/off ratio. However, the GNMs produced to date typically have a relatively large dimension (constriction neck width >5 nm) and low on/off ratio (≈100) limited by the resolution of the lithography process used. Here, the exploration of a directly grown mesoporous silica template is reported for the preparation of ultrafine GNMs with considerably narrower neck width (<3 nm) and strong quantum confinement to enable flexible FETs with greatly improved on/off ratio (up to 1000). With excellent electronic properties and high surface area for the functionalization of specific receptors, it is further shown that the GNM FETs can be readily used to construct highly sensitive biosensors for selective detection of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2, which is further demonstrated for real‐time detection of breast cancer cells overexpressed with receptor 2 down to single‐cell level. The studies provide a simple and scalable method to GNMs with potential applications for flexible nanoelectronics and biosensors.
Cloaked Caged Compounds: Chemical Probes for Two‐Photon Optoneurobiology
Authors: Richers Matthew T. , Amatrudo Joseph M. , Olson Jeremy P. , Ellis‐Davies Graham C. R.
Published: December 2016

Caged neurotransmitters, in combination with focused light beams, enable precise interrogation of neuronal function, even at the level of single synapses. However, most caged transmitters are, surprisingly, severe antagonists of ionotropic gamma‐aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptors. By conjugation of a large, neutral dendrimer to a caged GABA probe we introduce a “cloaking” technology that effectively reduces such antagonism to very low levels. Such cloaked caged compounds will enable the study of the signaling of the inhibitory neurotransmitter GABA in its natural state using two‐photon uncaging microscopy for the first time.
A Genetically Encoded Allysine for the Synthesis of Proteins with Site‐Specific Lysine Dimethylation
Authors: Wang Zhipeng A. , Zeng Yu , Kurra Yadagiri , Wang Xin , Tharp Jeffery M. , Vatansever Erol C. , Hsu Willie W. , Dai Susie , Fang Xinqiang , Liu Wenshe R.
Published: December 2016

Using the amber suppression approach, Nϵ‐(4‐azidobenzoxycarbonyl)‐δ,ϵ‐dehydrolysine, an allysine precursor is genetically encoded in E. coli. Its genetic incorporation followed by two sequential biocompatible reactions allows convenient synthesis of proteins with site‐specific lysine dimethylation. Using this approach, dimethyl‐histone H3 and p53 proteins have been synthesized and used to probe functions of epigenetic enzymes including histone demethylase LSD1 and histone acetyltransferase Tip60. We confirmed that LSD1 is catalytically active toward H3K4me2 and H3K9me2 but inert toward H3K36me2, and methylation at p53 K372 directly activates Tip60 for its catalyzed acetylation at p53 K120.
Isopropanol Dehydration on Amorphous Silica–Alumina: Synergy of Brønsted and Lewis Acidities at Pseudo‐Bridging Silanols
Authors: Larmier Kim , Chizallet Céline , Maury Sylvie , Cadran Nicolas , Abboud Johnny , Lamic‐Humblot Anne‐Félicie , Marceau Eric , Lauron‐Pernot Hélène
Published: December 2016

The mechanism of isopropanol dehydration on amorphous silica–alumina (ASA) was unraveled by a combination of experimental kinetic measurements and periodic density functional theory (DFT) calculations. We show that pseudo‐bridging silanols (PBS‐Al) are the most likely active sites owing to the synergy between the Brønsted and Lewis acidic properties of these sites, which facilitates the activation of alcohol hydroxy groups as leaving groups. Isopropanol dehydration was used to specifically investigate these PBS‐Al sites, whose density was estimated to be about 10−1 site nm−2 on the silica‐doped alumina surface under investigation, by combining information from experiments and theoretical calculations.
C‐H‐Sulfinylierung von Heteroaromaten beschleunigt durch sichtbares Licht
Authors: Meyer Andreas Uwe , Wimmer Alexander , König Burkhard
Published: December 2016

Heteroaromatische Sulfoxide sind häufig in Naturstoffen, Pharmazeutika, Katalysatoren und Werkstoffen zu finden. Wir beschreiben eine metallfreie, durch sichtbares Licht beschleunigte Synthese von heteroaromatischen Sulfoxiden aus Sulfinamiden und Peroxodisulfat. Die Reaktion verläuft bei Raumtemperatur unter Bestrahlung mit blauem Licht und ermöglicht die C‐H‐Sulfinylierung von elektronenreichen Heteroaromaten wie Pyrrol und Indol. Basierend auf der Substratbreite, der Substitutionsselektivität und Konkurrenzexperimenten mit verschiedenen Nukleophilen schlagen wir als Mechanismus eine elektrophile aromatische Substitution vor.
A Stable Manganese Pincer Catalyst for the Selective Dehydrogenation of Methanol
Authors: Andérez‐Fernández María , Vogt Lydia K. , Fischer Steffen , Zhou Wei , Jiao Haijun , Garbe Marcel , Elangovan Saravanakumar , Junge Kathrin , Junge Henrik , Ludwig Ralf , Beller Matthias
Published: December 2016

For the first time, structurally defined manganese pincer complexes catalyze the dehydrogenation of aqueous methanol to hydrogen and carbon dioxide, which is a transformation of interest with regard to the implementation of a hydrogen and methanol economy. Excellent long‐term stability was demonstrated for the Mn‐PNPiPr catalyst, as a turnover of more than 20 000 was reached. In addition to methanol, other important hydrogen carriers were also successfully dehydrogenated.
Visible‐Light‐Accelerated C−H Sulfinylation of Heteroarenes
Authors: Meyer Andreas Uwe , Wimmer Alexander , König Burkhard
Published: December 2016

Heteroaromatic sulfoxides are a frequent structural motif in natural products, drugs, catalysts, and materials. We report a metal‐free visible‐light‐accelerated synthesis of heteroaromatic sulfoxides from sulfinamides and peroxodisulfate. The reaction proceeds at room temperature with blue‐light irradiation and allows the C−H sulfinylation of electron‐rich heteroarenes, such as pyrroles and indoles. An electrophilic aromatic substitution mechanism is proposed based on the substrate scope, substitution selectivity, and competition experiments with different nucleophiles.
CuI heterogenized on thiosemicarbazide modified‐multi walled carbon nanotubes (thiosemicarbazide‐MWCNTs‐CuI): Novel heterogeneous and reusable nanocatalyst in the C‐N Ullmann coupling reactions
Authors: Veisi Hojat , Metghalchi Yalda , Hekmati Malak , Samadzadeh Shiva
Published: December 2016

Herein we described the synthesis of novel thiosemicarbazide‐MWCNTs‐CuI nanocatalyst by covalent grafting of thiosemicarbazide on carbon nanotubes surface and subsequent coordination with CuI catalyst. The formation of nanocatalyst was analyzed by Raman spectroscopy, energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), wavelength‐dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy (WDX) and ICP analysis. The morphology of the nanocatalyst was characterized using scanning and transmission electron microscopes (SEM and TEM). Additionally, the (thiosemicarbazide‐MWCNTs‐CuI) nanocatalyst was successfully employed in the N‐arylation of indole, amines and imidazoles through intermolecular C(aryl)‐N bond formation from the corresponding aryl halides (Ar–I, Ar–Br, Ar–Cl) with amines through Ullmann‐type coupling reactions. Interestingly, the novel catalyst could be recovered and recycled five times.
para‐Sulfonatocalix[n]arenes Inhibit Amyloid β‐Peptide Fibrillation and Reduce Amyloid Cytotoxicity
Authors: Wang Ziyuan , Tao Shipeng , Dong Xiaoyan , Sun Yan
Published: December 2016

Amyloid β‐peptide (Aβ) fibrillation is a major hallmark of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Inhibition of Aβ fibrillation is thus considered to be an effective strategy for AD prevention and treatment. Here we show that para‐sulfonatocalix[n]arenes (SC[n]A, n=4, 6, 8), a class of amphiphilic calixarene derivatives, can bind to Aβ42 through nonspecific and multipoint hydrophobic interactions. Their binding leads to a pronounced delay in β‐sheet adoption and formation of multiple secondary structures of the peptide, accompanied by changes at the level of the fibrillary architecture. Furthermore, the ζ‐potential value of Aβ42 incubated with SC[6/8]A decreased, which correlated with the reduction of amyloid cytotoxicity. Overall, the SC[n]A effectively inhibits Aβ42 fibrillation and reduces amyloid cytotoxicity, and SC[8]A showed the best performance among the three macrocycles, possibly owing to its having the strongest interactions with Aβ42.
Strategies of readers with autism when responding to inferential questions: An eye‐movement study
Authors: Micai Martina , Joseph Holly , Vulchanova Mila , Saldaña David
Published: December 2016

Previous research suggests that individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have difficulties with inference generation in reading tasks. However, most previous studies have examined how well children understand a text after reading or have measured on‐line reading behavior without response to questions. The aim of this study was to investigate the online strategies of children and adolescents with autism during reading and at the same time responding to a question by monitoring their eye movements. The reading behavior of participants with ASD was compared with that of age‐, language‐, nonverbal intelligence‐, reading‐, and receptive language skills‐matched participants without ASD (control group). The results showed that the ASD group were as accurate as the control group in generating inferences when answering questions about the short texts, and no differences were found between the two groups in the global paragraph reading and responding times. However, the ASD group displayed longer gaze latencies on a target word necessary to produce an inference. They also showed more regressions into the word that supported the inference compared to the control group after reading the question, irrespective of whether an inference was required or not. In conclusion, the ASD group achieved an equivalent level of inferential comprehension, but showed subtle differences in reading comprehension strategies compared to the control group. Autism Res 2017, 10: 888–900. © 2016 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Aurora‐A shines on T cell activation through the regulation of Lck
Authors: Blas‐Rus Noelia , Bustos‐Morán Eugenio , Martín‐Cófreces Noa B. , Sánchez‐Madrid Francisco
Published: December 2016

Different protein kinases control signaling emanating from the T cell receptor (TCR) during antigen‐specific T cell activation. Mitotic kinases, e.g. Aurora‐A, have been widely studied in the context of mitosis due to their role during microtubule (MT) nucleation, becoming critical regulators of cell cycle progression. We have recently described a specific role for Aurora‐A kinase in antigenic T cell activation. Blockade of Aurora‐A in T cells severely disrupts the dynamics of MTs and CD3ζ‐bearing signaling vesicles during T cell activation. Furthermore, Aurora‐A deletion impairs the activation of signaling molecules downstream of the TCR. Targeting Aurora‐A disturbs the activation of Lck, which is one of the first signals that drive T cell activation in an antigen‐dependent manner. This work describes possible models of regulation of Lck by Aurora‐A during T cell activation. We also discuss possible roles for Aurora‐A in other systems similar to the IS, and its putative functions in cell polarization.
Principles and Applications of Force Spectroscopy Using Atomic Force Microscopy
Authors: Kim Youngkyu , Kim Woong , Park Joon Won
Published: December 2016

Single‐molecule force spectroscopy is a powerful technique for addressing single molecules. Unseen structures and dynamics of molecules have been elucidated using force spectroscopy. Atomic force microscope (AFM)‐based force spectroscopy studies have provided picoNewton force resolution, subnanometer spatial resolution, stiffness of substrates, elasticity of polymers, and thermodynamics and kinetics of single‐molecular interactions. In addition, AFM has enabled mapping the distribution of individual molecules in situ, and the quantification of single molecules has been made possible without modification or labeling. In this review, we describe the basic principles, sample preparation, data analysis, and applications of AFM‐based force spectroscopy and its future.
Decoding the Molecular Basis for the Population Mechanism of the Triplet Phototoxic Precursors in UVA Light‐Activated Pyrimidine Anticancer Drugs
Authors: Martínez‐Fernández Lara , Granucci Giovanni , Pollum Marvin , Crespo‐Hernández Carlos E. , Persico Maurizio , Corral Inés
Published: December 2016

The photosensitization of DNA by thionucleosides is a promising photo‐chemotherapeutic treatment option for a variety of malignancies. DNA metabolization of thionated prodrugs can lead to cell death upon exposure to a low dose of UVA light. The exact mechanisms of thionucleoside phototoxicity are still not fully understood. In this work, we have combined femtosecond broadband transient absorption experiments with state‐of‐the‐art molecular simulations to provide mechanistic insights into the ultrafast and efficient population of the triplet state in the UVA‐activated pyrimidine anticancer drug 4‐thiothymine. The triplet state is thought to act as a precursor to DNA lesions and the reactive oxygen species responsible for 4‐thiothymine photocytotoxicity. The electronic‐structure and mechanistic results presented in this contribution reveal key molecular design criteria that can assist in developing alternative chemotherapeutic agents that may overcome some of the primary deficiencies of classical photosensitizers.
Regioselective Synthesis of α‐Fluorinated Cyclopentenones by Organocatalytic Difluorocyclopropanation and Fluorine‐Directed and Fluorine‐Activated Nazarov Cyclization
Authors: Fuchibe Kohei , Takayama Ryo , Yokoyama Takaharu , Ichikawa Junji
Published: December 2016

Silyl dienol ethers, prepared from α,β‐unsaturated ketones, underwent proton sponge‐catalyzed difluorocyclopropanation with trimethylsilyl 2,2‐difluoro‐2‐fluorosulfonylacetate in a regioselective manner, leading to 1,1‐difluoro‐2‐siloxy‐2‐vinylcyclopropanes in good yields. The cyclopropanes thus obtained were in turn subjected to fluoride‐ion‐catalyzed ring opening to afford 1‐fluorovinyl vinyl ketones (i.e., Nazarov precursors). Treatment of the precursors with Me3Si+B(OTf)4− regioselectively promoted the Nazarov cyclization, the rate and regioselectivity of which were drastically enhanced by the fluoro substituent, which thus facilitated efficient synthesis of biologically promising α‐fluorocyclopentenone derivatives.
Enantioselective Fluorescent Imaging of Free Amino Acids in Living Cells
Authors: Zeng Chaoyuan , Zhang Xiaoling , Pu Lin
Published: December 2016

1,1′‐Spirobiindane‐7,7′‐diol (SPINOL)‐based chiral aldehydes (R)‐ and (S)‐3, in combination with Zn2+, are highly enantioselective fluorescent sensors for structurally diverse chiral amino acids. Application of this enantiomeric sensor pair in HeLa cells containing a free amino acid shows that the chirality‐matched sensor–amino acid interaction leads to strong blue emission and chirality mismatch gives only weak fluorescence. This allows a quick determination of the chiral configuration of the free amino acid in the cells. It represents the first enantioselective fluorescent imaging of free amino acids in living cells.
A secure and resilient cross‐domain SIP solution for MANETs using dynamic clustering and joint spatial and temporal redundancy
Authors: Aburumman Ala' , Seo Wei Jye , Esposito Christian , Castiglione Aniello , Islam Rafiqul , Choo Kim‐Kwang Raymond
Published: December 2016

In this paper, we extend our earlier work (where we presented a cross‐domain Session Initiation Protocol solution for mobile ad hoc networks using dynamic clustering) to handle packet losses affecting wireless networks and deal with outbound requests using reputation method. The (extended) solution is designed also to avoid the inherent shortcomings associated with centralized approaches (e.g. single point of failure). Using simulations, we evaluate the extended solution under different conditions. Findings from the evaluations demonstrate the utility of our solution. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The Experiences of Fathers When Their Partners are Admitted with Their Infants to a Psychiatric Mother and Baby Unit
Authors: Reid Holly , Wieck Angelika , Matrunola Andrew , Wittkowski Anja
Published: December 2016

Mothers with severe post‐natal mental illness can be admitted with their infant to a psychiatric mother and baby unit (MBU) in the UK. MBUs provide specialist assessment, management and support. Partners of women admitted to MBUs are integral to their recovery but may show reduced wellbeing themselves, yet their support needs have not been investigated. This study aimed to identify how fathers experience the MBU and how they felt supported. A qualitative design was adopted by using a purposive sample of 17 fathers, recruited from a MBU during their partner's admission. Semi‐structured interviews were used, and responses were analysed using an inductive thematic analysis. Four main themes were developed: (1) ‘double whammy’, (2) understanding the admission and illness, (3) support for fathers, and (4) personal stressors and coping. We identified the emotional struggle that fathers experienced when coping simultaneously with the arrival of a baby and their partner's illness. Furthermore, fathers sought support from many sources, but their knowledge of psychiatric services and mental illness was limited. Fathers felt uncertain about their partners' progression and when their partner would return home with their baby. The provision of an information pack and regular one‐to‐one meetings between fathers and MBU staff are recommended. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Key Practitioner Message

Partners of mothers admitted to a psychiatric mother and baby unit have shown increased vulnerability to mental illness themselves; however, little is known about the support that these fathers need and receive during this time.

Using interviews, this study sought to understand a) how fathers experienced the mental illness of their partner and the unit's services and b) how fathers could be better supported.

Fathers face many emotional and practical challenges during their partner's admission and seek support from numerous sources, including the mother and baby unit.

Fathers require more information from the mother and baby unit with regard to mental illness and the unit's services. Furthermore, the introduction of regular one‐to‐one updates between staff and fathers would provide an opportunity for fathers to understand how their partner is progressing and for staff to informally assess the father's wellbeing and outstanding support needs.
Inverse Vulcanization of Sulfur using Natural Dienes as Sustainable Materials for Lithium–Sulfur Batteries
Authors: Gomez Iñaki , Leonet Olatz , Blazquez J. Alberto , Mecerreyes David
Published: December 2016

Lithium–sulfur batteries are among the most promising next‐generation battery systems due to the high capacity of sulfur as cathodic material. Beyond its interesting intrinsic properties, sulfur possesses a very low conductivity and complex electrochemistry, which involves the high solubility of the lithium sulfides in the electrolyte. These two characteristics are at the core of a series of limitations of its performance as active cathode material, which leads to batteries with low cyclability. Recently, inverse vulcanized sulfur was shown to retain capacity far better than elemental sulfur, leading to batteries with excellent cyclability. Nevertheless, the diene co‐monomers used so far in the inverse vulcanization process are man‐made molecules. Herein, a tentative work on exploring inverse vulcanization using two naturally available monomers, diallyl sulfide and myrcene, is presented. The inverse vulcanization of sulfur was successfully completed, and the resulting polymers were characterized by FTIR, NMR spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, and thermogravimetric analysis. Afterwards these polymers were tested as cathodic materials in lithium–sulfur cells. The sulfur–natural dienes materials exhibited high capacity at different C rates and high lifetime over 200 cycles with very high capacity retention at a moderate C rate of C/5. Altogether, these materials made from inexpensive and abundant chemicals are an excellent option as sustainable materials for electrochemical energy storage.
Orderly Layered Zr‐Benzylphosphonate Nanohybrids for Efficient Acid–Base‐Mediated Bifunctional/Cascade Catalysis
Authors: Li Hu , Fang Zhen , He Jian , Yang Song
Published: December 2016

The development of functional metal–organic materials that are robust and active for bifunctional/cascade catalysis is of great significance. Herein, a series of mesoporous and orderly layered nanohybrids were synthesized for the first time through simple and template‐free assembly of ortho‐, meta‐, or para‐xylylenediphosphonates (o‐, p‐, or m‐PhP) containing zirconium. It was found that m‐PhPZr nanoparticles (20–50 nm) with mesopores centered at 7.9 nm and high Lewis acid–base site ratio (1:0.7) showed excellent performance under mild conditions (as low as 82 °C) in transfer hydrogenation of carbonyl compounds, including bioaldehydes and alcohols, with near quantitative yields and little Zr leaching. Isotopic labeling studies indicated the occurrence of direct hydrogen transfer rather than metal hydride route by bifunctional catalysis. Lewis acidic (Zr) and basic (PO3) centers of the heterogeneous catalyst were further revealed to play a synergistic role in one‐pot cascade transformations, for example, of ethyl levulinate to γ‐valerolactone and glucose to 5‐hydroxymethylfurfural.
A robust ElGamal‐based password‐authentication protocol using smart card for client‐server communication
Authors: Maitra Tanmoy , Obaidat Mohammad S. , Amin Ruhul , Islam SK Hafizul , Chaudhry Shehzad Ashraf , Giri Debasis
Published: December 2016

Smart card‐based client‐server authentication protocol is well popular for secure data exchange over insecure and hostile networks. Recently, Lee et al. put forward an authentication protocol by utilizing ElGamal cryptosystem and proved that it can withstand known security threats. This article evinces that the protocol of Lee et al. is unwilling to protect various important security vulnerabilities such as forgery attack and off‐line password‐guessing attack. To vanquish these loopholes, this article presents a robust authentication protocol for client‐server communication over any insecure networks. The security explanation of our protocol has done through the formal and informal mechanism and its outcome makes sure that the designed protocol is strong enough to resist the known vulnerabilities. In addition, we have simulated our protocol using ProVerif online software and its results certify that our protocol is safe against private information of the client and server. This paper also has made performance estimation of the presented protocol and others, and the outcome favors the presented protocol.
GATA‐3‐specific DNAzyme — A novel approach for stratified asthma therapy
Authors: Garn Holger , Renz Harald
Published: December 2016

It is now well established that type‐2 immune mechanisms drive the inflammation in about 50% of asthma patients. The major cellular and molecular players regulating this important network have been identified. In terms of therapeutic intervention, cytokine and cytokine‐receptor pathways have been given major attention, since these molecules are relatively easily accessible for a blockade through monoclonal antibodies, and a number of positive clinical results support this concept. However, targeting events controlling the type‐2 immunity network upstream of selective cytokine pathways would be equally attractive. Type‐2 immunity is regulated through a delicate interplay of several transcription factors (including GATA‐3, STAT‐6, NFAT, IRF4, c‐maf), with GATA‐3 as master regulator in this regard. Since transcription factors are intracellularly located they cannot be directly targeted by monoclonal antibodies. For intracellular targets, antisense technologies such as antisense DNA and siRNA have been shown to be a promising approach, and have recently made major advances toward clinical application. Here, we summarize the development of a GATA‐3‐specific DNAzyme–a molecule class that combines the superior specificity of antisense molecules with an inherent RNA‐cleaving enzymatic activity–for the treatment of type‐2‐driven asthma from preclinical development toward a proof‐of‐concept clinical study.
Polyunsaturated fatty acid supplements could considerably promote the breeding performance of carp
Authors: Xu Youqing , Li Weifeng , Ding Zhaokun
Published: December 2016

Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) were hypothesized to promote the breeding performance of carp (Cyprinus carpio). The effects of different dietary PUFAs supplements were investigated on the breeding performance of brood female carps. The carps were fed for a period of 90 days using five different diets with three repeats each diet: (i) Control diet (control) contained only basic ingredients; (ii) fish oil diet (FO) contained added fish oil (rich in n‐3 HUFAs); (iii) perilla oil diet (PO) contained added perilla oil (rich in n‐3 PUFAs); (iv) safflower oil diet (SO) contained added safflower oil (rich in n‐6 PUFAs); (v) safflower‐fish oil diet (SO + FO) contained added a mixture of safflower and fish oils (rich in both n‐6 and n‐3 HUFAs). The results showed that nutritional quality of the diet considerably influenced breeding performance in the carp. The number of matured female carps was the highest in SO + FO (fully bred 100 ± 0.00%), the second in FO (fully bred 80.00 ± 1.81%), the third in SO (fully bred 78.00 ± 2.25%), the fourth in PO (fully bred 76.00 ± 3.08%), and the lowest in control (fully bred 60.00 ± 1.23%). The relative fecundity was significantly increased in SO + FO, FO, SO, and PO as compared to control (p < 0.05). The maximum fertilization was 73.40 ± 3.02% in SO + FO, followed by 65.30 ± 4.16, 59.00 ± 7.90, 56.80 ± 2.04, and 56.30 ± 5.18% in FO, SO, PO, and control, respectively. Conclusions were drawn that dietary supplementation of both n‐6 and n‐3 PUFAs is essential to improve gonadal maturation, breeding performance, and spawn recovery in the female carp's brood‐stock; a suitable ratio of supplementing n‐6 and n‐3 PUFAs is necessary in brood‐stock diets.

Practical applications:The breeding performance of brood female fish is very important for aquaculture. Dietary n‐3 and n‐6 PUFAs can improve brood‐stock performance. A sufficient supply of n‐6 and n‐3 PUFAs is vital and available to brood‐stock during embryogenesis and larval development, proliferation, and differentiation of cells. However, n‐6 and n‐3 PUFAs have to be supplied in the diet of fish, either as AA, EPA, and DHA, or as their precursors, such as linoleic acid (LA, 18:2n‐6, precursor of AA) and α‐linolenic acid (LNA, 18:3n‐3, precursor of EPA and DHA) since they cannot be synthesized in vivo by most metazoans. The present work explores to promote the breeding performance of carp using PUFA supplements. The results show that PUFA supplements could considerably promote the breeding performance of carp.

The dietary supplementation of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) could considerably promote the breeding performance of carp (Cyprinus carpio) as shown in Figure.
Rearrangement Reactions Leading to Optically Active α,α‐Disubstituted Primary Allylamines
Authors: Hennum Martin , Odden Hege Hortemo , Gundersen Lise‐Lotte
Published: December 2016

Synthetic routes to α,α‐disubstituted allylamines have been examined. Racemic compounds were conveniently prepared by thermal Overman rearrangements of primary allylic alcohols with trisubstituted double bonds, but rearrangement of these substrates using the only commercially available compound known to catalyze enantioselective Overman rearrangements, the cobalt oxazoline palladacycle (R)‐COP‐Cl, failed. Instead, optically active secondary allylic alcohols with trisubstituted double bonds, obtained by Corey–Bakshi–Shibata reduction of the corresponding methyl ketones, were synthesized and converted into α,α‐disubstituted allylamines through a thermal Overman rearrangement or an allylic‐cyanate‐to‐isocyanate rearrangement. High chirality transfer (90–99 %) was obtained for both reaction sequences, but the yields were greatly improved when the allylic‐cyanate‐to‐isocyanate rearrangement was used.
Transparent bandwidth aggregation for residential access networks
Authors: Duan Yufeng , Giaccone Paolo , Castrogiovanni Pino , Mana Dario , Borean Claudio , Rossi Claudio
Published: December 2016

We propose, implement, and evaluate a bandwidth aggregation service for residential users that allows to improve the upload throughput of the asymmetric digital subscriber line connection by leveraging the unused bandwidth of neighboring users. The residential access gateway adopts the 802.11 radio interface to simultaneously serve the local home users and to share the broadband connectivity with neighboring access gateways. Differently from previous works, our aggregation scheme is transparent both for local users, who are not required to modify their applications or device drivers, and for neighboring users, who do not experience any meaningful performance degradation. To evaluate the achievable performance and tune the parameters driving the traffic balancing, we developed a fluid model that was shown experimentally to be very accurate. Our proposed scheme is amenable to efficient implementation on Linux networking stack. Indeed, we implemented it and tested in some realistic scenarios, showing an efficient exploitation of the whole available bandwidth, also for legacy cloud storage applications.
Effect of drying methods and blending ratios on dough rheological properties, physical and sensory properties of wheat–taro flour composite bread
Authors: Abera Gidmwork , Solomon W.K. , Bultosa Geremew
Published: December 2016

The study was conducted to evaluate the effect of taro drying methods and blending ratios on the physical quality attributes and sensory quality of wheat–taro bread and rheological properties of the blend dough. Farinographic properties like water absorption capacity, dough development time, dough stability time, time to break down, mixing tolerance index, and farinographic quality number were significantly (p < .05) affected by drying methods and blending ratio and their interaction. Increased taro flour (10–20 g) per 100 g of wheat flour resulted in an increased water absorption capacity (57.38%–58.23%) and mixing tolerance index (67.33–70.21 FU). The sensory analysis had revealed that as taro flour blending ratio increased the acceptability of blended breads were reduced. With respect to physical and sensory properties, the control bread had better acceptability than that of 10, 15, and 20 g taro flour‐mixed bread. The study revealed that there is possibility of incorporating taro flour up to 15 g per 100 g of wheat flour with acceptable sensory attributes of the composite bread.
Bioactive phytochemicals in an aqueous extract of the leaves of Talinum triangulare
Authors: Ikewuchi Catherine C. , Ikewuchi Jude C. , Ifeanacho Mercy O.
Published: December 2016

An aqueous leaf extract of Talinum triangulare was screened for the presence of bioactive molecules, using gas chromatography coupled with pulse and flame ionization detectors. It had high carotenoids; moderate benzoic acid derivatives, hydroxycinnamates and flavonoids; and low terpenes, alkaloids, phytosterols, allicins, glycosides, saponins, and lignans contents. Ten known carotenoids (mainly 50.42% carotene and 33.30% lycopene), nine benzoic acid derivatives (mainly 84.63% ferulic acid and 11.92% vanillic acid), and six hydroxycinnamates (55.44% p‐coumaric acid and 44.46% caffeic acid) were detected. Also detected were eight lignans (88.02% retusin) and thirty flavonoids (50.35% quercetin and 39.36% kaempferol). The medicinal properties of the major components of these phytochemical families that were detected in the aqueous extract of the leaves were discussed herein and proposed to be explored for their potential health benefits. The great number of potentially active biomolecules and their multifunctional properties make Talinum triangulare a ready source of health‐promoting substances.
Anchored multiplex PCR for targeted next‐generation sequencing reveals recurrent and novel USP6 fusions and upregulation of USP6 expression in aneurysmal bone cyst
Authors: Guseva Natalya V. , Jaber Omar , Tanas Munir R. , Stence Aaron A. , Sompallae Ramakrishna , Schade Jenna , Fillman Allison N. , Miller Benjamin J. , Bossler Aaron D. , Ma Deqin
Published: December 2016

Primary aneurysmal bone cyst (ABC) is a neoplastic process due to recurrent translocations involving the USP6 gene. By fluorescence in situ hybridization, up to 69% of primary ABCs harbored USP6 translocations; no USP6 translocation was found in secondary ABC or giant cell tumor of bone (GCT). GCT can recur locally, metastasize to the lungs in some cases, and rarely undergo malignant transformation. Differentiating primary ABC from its mimics is important for treatment and prognosis. We evaluated USP6 fusion and expression in 13 cases of primary and 1 case of secondary ABC, and 9 cases of GCT using nucleic acid extracted from formalin‐fixed, paraffin‐embedded tissue and a next generation sequencing (NGS)‐based assay. USP6 fusions including 7 novel fusions and USP6 transcripts were identified in all 13 primary ABCs. Nine cases with strong evidence of fusions showed high levels of USP6 transcripts by reverse transcription‐PCR (RT‐PCR). The remaining four had no detectable USP6 expression by a first‐round of RT‐PCR but the presence of USP6 transcripts was identified by a second‐round, nested PCR. The major fusions were confirmed by RT‐PCR followed by Sanger sequencing. No USP6 fusion or transcript was detected in any of the GCTs or the case of secondary ABC by NGS or by two rounds of PCR. All USP6 translocations resulted in fusion of the entire USP6 coding sequence with promoters of the fusion gene leading to upregulation of USP6 transcription, which is likely the underlying mechanism for ABC oncogenesis. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
A comparison of the neuropsychological profiles of people living in squalor without hoarding to those living in squalor associated with hoarding
Authors: Lee Sook Meng , Lewis Matthew , Leighton Deborah , Harris Ben , Long Brian , Macfarlane Stephen
Published: December 2016

Objective

Squalor affects 1 in 1000 older people and is regarded as a secondary condition to other primary disorders such as dementia, intellectual impairment and alcohol abuse. Squalor frequently is associated with hoarding behaviour. We compared the neuropsychological profile of people living in squalor associated with hoarding to those presenting with squalor only.

Methods

This study is a retrospective case series of hospital inpatient and community healthcare services of 69 people living in squalor (49 from aged care, 16 from aged psychiatry, 3 from acute medical and 1 from a memory clinic). Forty per cent had co‐morbid hoarding behaviours. The main outcomes were neuropsychologists' opinions of domain‐specific cognitive impairment.

Results

The squalor–hoarding group (M age 75.8, SD = 6.9,) was significantly older (p < 0.05) than the squalor‐only group (M age 69.9 years, SD = 13.1), significantly more likely to have vascular or Alzheimer's type neurodegeneration (p < 0.05) and significantly less likely to have alcohol‐related impairment (p < 0.05). Chi‐square analyses revealed significantly greater rates of impairment for the squalor‐only group (p < 0.05) in visuospatial reasoning, abstraction, planning, organisation, problem solving and mental flexibility, compared with the squalor–hoarding group. Logistic regression analysis indicated that impaired mental flexibility was a significant predictor and strongly indicated squalor only (odds ratio = 0.07; 95% confidence interval: 0.01–0.82).

Conclusions

Preliminary evidence suggests that squalor associated with hoarding may have distinct neuropsychological features compared against squalor only. Future work should be conducted using a larger sample and a common neuropsychological battery to better understand the deficits associated with hoarding‐related squalor. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Current psychotropic medication prescribing patterns in late‐life bipolar disorder
Authors: Rej Soham , Herrmann Nathan , Shulman Kenneth , Fischer Hadas D. , Fung Kinwah , Gruneir Andrea
Published: December 2016

Objective

Many patients with bipolar disorder are reaching old age, but whether they are receiving evidence‐based psychotropic treatment remains unclear. Our objective was to describe current psychotropic prescribing patterns in a large Canadian late‐life bipolar sample.

Methods

Population‐based cross‐sectional study of 1443 bipolar disorder patients aged ≥ 66, discharged from a psychiatric hospitalization in Ontario, Canada from 1 April 2006 to 31 March 2012. We described psychotropic medication prescribing within 30 days post‐discharge.

Results

Prescription of ≥2 psychotropic medications was highly prevalent (81.5%). The most common medications were atypical antipsychotics (75.3%), benzodiazepines/zopiclone (42.3%), and antidepressants (38.5%), with less frequent use of valproate (35.4%) and lithium (23.4%). Only 1.4% of patients were on lithium monotherapy, while 4.4% and 15.7% of patients were on antidepressant or atypical antipsychotic monotherapy; 8.9% of all patients were using ≥2 atypical antipsychotics.

Conclusions

In clinical practice, older adults hospitalized with bipolar disorder are often prescribed multiple psychotropic medications upon discharge. In many instances, practices did not reflect bipolar treatment guidelines and may be putting patients at risk for poor physical health and psychiatric outcomes. One such example is the very infrequent use of lithium monotherapy. Future research should examine whether health system‐wide protocolized late‐life bipolar treatment may optimize prescribing to improve effectiveness and safety. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Depression with inflammation: longitudinal analysis of a proposed depressive subtype in community dwelling older adults
Authors: Gallagher Damien , Kiss Alex , Lanctot Krista , Herrmann Nathan
Published: December 2016

Objective

It has been proposed that inflammation may be causally related to depression. If this is the case, it may be possible to distinguish an inflammatory depressive subtype according to illness course, pattern of co‐morbidity and symptom profile.

Methods

Eight hundred and eleven community dwelling older adults with depression (8 item Center for Epidemiologic Studies scale ≥ 4) from the English Longitudinal study of Ageing (ELSA) were followed for a median of 47 months. Participants with depression and inflammation (C Reactive Protein > 3 mg/l) were compared to those with depression alone.

Results

In a longitudinal analysis, depression with associated inflammation was more likely to persist over time. This association was independent of baseline depression severity and medical co‐morbidity (OR 1.47 95% CI 1.03 – 2.10, p = 0.034) but was no longer significant following further adjustment for body mass index (OR 1.37 95% CI 0.94 – 2.01, p = 0.106). Inflammation either partially or completely mediated the association between medical co‐morbidity, body mass index and depression at follow‐up. Depression with inflammation was associated with more amotivation, less sadness, greater medical co‐morbidity and higher body mass index.

Conclusions

Our findings provide some support for an inflammatory contribution to depression. This subgroup has a worse prognosis and may benefit from interventions targeting co‐morbidity, body mass index and associated inflammation. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Degradation and biocompatibility of photoembossed PLGA–acrylate blend for improved cell adhesion
Authors: Hughes‐Brittain Nanayaa F. , Qiu Lin , Wang Wen , Peijs Ton , Bastiaansen Cees W. M.
Published: December 2016

We have shown previously that PMMA–acrylate photopolymers are biocomopatible and can exhibit improved cell adhesion compared to PMMA, due to an increase in negative surface charge caused by UV radiation PLGA has been used widely in soft tissue regeneration due to its high biocompatibility and cell adhesion. This polymer is also biodegradable and can be utilised in the field of vascular regeneration. In this study, PLGA is blended with a triacrylate monomer (TPETA) to create a degradable photopolymer blend. Surface relief structures are formed on this PLGA–TPETA by photoembossing. An optimum height of 950 nm was achieved for a 10 µm pitch with the height of these relief structures being controlled by changing UV intensity, processing temperature and time. Degradation studies of this blend revealed a bulk degradation mechanism with PLGA–TPETA degrading slower compared to pure PLGA. We also evaluated the adhesion of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) on both smooth and textured PLGA–TPETA films. Embossed PLGA–TPETA films showed improved cell adhesion compared to smooth substrates. Furthermore, HUVECs proliferated faster on the embossed surface compared to their smooth counterparts. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 106B: 163–171, 2018.
Analytical gradients for subsystem density functional theory within the slater‐function‐based amsterdam density functional program
Authors: Schlüns Danny , Franchini Mirko , Götz Andreas W. , Neugebauer Johannes , Jacob Christoph R. , Visscher Lucas
Published: December 2016

We present a new implementation of analytical gradients for subsystem density‐functional theory (sDFT) and frozen‐density embedding (FDE) into the Amsterdam Density Functional program (ADF). The underlying theory and necessary expressions for the implementation are derived and discussed in detail for various FDE and sDFT setups. The parallel implementation is numerically verified and geometry optimizations with different functional combinations (LDA/TF and PW91/PW91K) are conducted and compared to reference data. Our results confirm that sDFT‐LDA/TF yields good equilibrium distances for the systems studied here (mean absolute deviation: 0.09 Å) compared to reference wave‐function theory results. However, sDFT‐PW91/PW91k quite consistently yields smaller equilibrium distances (mean absolute deviation: 0.23 Å). The flexibility of our new implementation is demonstrated for an HCN‐trimer test system, for which several different setups are applied. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Congenital glaucoma detected by unilateral megalophthalmos on prenatal sonography
Authors: Gennette Sarah , Carlan Steve J. , Busowski John , Madruga Mario , McWhorter Jeannie
Published: December 2016

A 36‐week male fetus was noted to have isolated right megalophthalmos on prenatal ultrasound and was found to have buphthalmos and congenital glaucoma at birth. Detection of congenital glaucoma at birth may be occasionally possible if abnormal orbit dimensions are noted on late prenatal sonographic examination. Early neonatal intervention may improve the chances to retain vision. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Ultrasound 45:499–501, 2017