bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Socio-Economic Factors Influencing the Choice of Cooking Energy Sources in Sokoto Metropolis
Authors: Shamaki S. B. , Bucham L. N.
Published: March 2019

The study was designed to assess different sources of energy and to establish relationship between socio-economic factors that influence the choice of energy types within Sokoto metropolis. The study area was divided into three locations based on the income level as low, medium and high income classes. Forty respondents were randomly selected from each location thereby having a total of 120 respondents for the study. Variables of interest included choice of energy, types of energy sources, factors that influence such use and preferences for the different types of energy. Semi structured questionnaire was used for data collection. Descriptive statistics (frequencies and percentages) and chi square test of association were used for data analysis. The findings showed that households use different energy sources daily and some factors were found to influence the choice of energy used in homes (electricity 0.5%, cooking gas 42.5%, fuelwood/charcoal 33.5%, and kerosene 19.2%). Such factors include area of residence (chi-square value 14.53 and p- value 0.024), educational level (chi-square value 49.246 and p-value 0.000) and income (chi-square value 14.950 and p-value 0.021). Based on the findings of this study, it was concluded that households in Sokoto state metropolis tend to climb the energy ladder from low energy types to modern energy types and it was recommended that households be sensitized on the negative effects of the traditional energy sources on the environment.
A meta‐analysis of the relationship between moral disengagement and bullying roles in youth
Authors: Killer Brittany , Bussey Kay , Hawes David J , Hunt Caroline
Published: March 2019

Over the last several years, researchers have become increasingly interested in the influence of moral factors on bullying behaviors. This is the first meta‐analytic review to exclusively examine the relationship between moral disengagement (MD) and the key bullying roles of bully, victim, defender, and bystander. Forty‐seven independent samples examining a total of 43,809 children/adolescents (aged 7–19) were included in this meta‐analysis. Results indicated a positive relationship between MD and bullying (r = 0.31; 95% CI [0.27, 0.34]), MD and victimization (r = 0.08; 95% CI [0.05, 0.12]), and a negative relationship between MD and defending (r = −0.11; 95% CI [−0.17, −0.04]). No significant relationship was found for MD and bystanding behavior. Moderators of bullying type (traditional vs. cyberbullying), reporting type (self vs. peer report), age, and gender were included in the analyses. The results are discussed in the context of relevant literature with particular emphasis on the importance of distinguishing between guilty and unconcerned bystanders, and the significant overlap between bullying and victimization in the cyber context.
Relating brain connectivity with persistent symptoms in pediatric concussion
Authors: Iyer Kartik K. , Barlow Karen M. , Brooks Brian , Ofoghi Zahra , Zalesky Andrew , Cocchi Luca
Published: March 2019

Persistent post‐concussion symptoms (PCS) in children following a mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) are a growing public health concern. There is a pressing need to understand the neural underpinning of PCS. Here, we examined whole‐brain functional connectivity from resting‐state fMRI with behavioral assessments in a cohort of 110 children with mTBI. Children with mTBI and controls had similar levels of connectivity. PCS symptoms and behaviors including poor cognition and sleep were associated with connectivity within functional brain networks. The identification of a single “positive‐negative” dimension linking connectivity with behaviors enables better prognosis and stratification toward personalized therapeutic interventions.
Medical cannabis: Where are health care providers getting their information?
Authors: Knopf Alison
Published: March 2019

You're a health care provider, and your patient is interested in cannabis — perhaps for pain, for anxiety, for depression or even for trying to quit drinking or using drugs. You think it could help him or her. Or, rather, it might — you really have no idea, because you didn't learn about it in medical school (except that it's illegal and addictive), but you know it's now legal in your state and you want to know how to respond to your patient's request.
Philadelphia‐based harm‐reduction advocate joins CleanSlate
Authors: Knopf Alison
Published: March 2019

Brooke Feldman is well‐known to the Philadelphia world of drug users as a peer counselor active in harm‐reduction work. But starting this week, she will be Center Manager for two sites owned by CleanSlate Centers, a treatment program focused on opioid and alcohol addiction. Feldman has a master's in social work and is able to bridge the “street” world and that of the established treatment center—but acknowledges that there was a leap of faith involved in joining the treatment field.
Migration and Phenotype Control of Human Dermal Fibroblasts by Electrospun Fibrous Substrates
Authors: Chen Huizhi , Lui Yuan Siang , Tan Zhen Wei , Lee Justin Yin Hao , Tan Nguan Soon , Tan Lay Poh
Published: March 2019

Electrospun fibrous matrices, mimicking extracellular matrix (ECM) hierarchical structures, are potential scaffolds for wound healing. To design functional scaffolds, it is important to explore the interactions between scaffold topographic features and cellular responses, especially directional migration and phenotypic changes, which are critical functional aspects during wound healing. Here, accelerated and persistent migration of human dermal fibroblasts (HDFs) is observed on fibers with aligned orientation. Furthermore, aligned fibers can induce fibroblast‐to‐myofibroblast differentiation of HDFs. During wound healing, the presence of myofibroblasts advances wound repair by rendering contractile force and ECM deposition within the early and middle courses, but its continuous persistence in the later event may not be desired due to the contribution in pathological scarring. To tune the balance, it is noted in this work that the introduction of matricellular protein angiopoietin‐like 4 (ANGPTL4) is capable of reversing the phenotypic alteration induced by aligned fibers, in a time‐dependent manner. These results indicate fibrous matrices with oriented configuration are functional in mediating directional cell migration and phenotypic change. The discoveries further suggest that tissue‐engineered fibrous grafts with precise alignment modulation and ANGPTL4 releasing properties may thus be promising to promote wound repair with minimizing scar formation.
tert‐Butoxide‐Mediated Synthesis of 3,4′‐Biquinolines from 2‐Aminochalcones
Authors: Jeon Jiye , Lee So Young , Cheon Cheol‐Hong
Published: March 2019

A novel protocol to synthesize 3,4’‐biquinolines from 2‐aminochalcones in the presence of a stoichiometric amount of sodium tert‐butoxide as the nucleophilic promotor was developed. Conjugate addition of tert‐butoxide to 2‐aminochalcones provided the corresponding enolates, which underwent Michael addition to another molecule of 2‐aminochalcone to afford a dimeric species of 2‐aminochalcones. Subsequent cyclization between the amino and carbonyl groups followed by aromatization provides 3,4’‐biquinoline products. Various 2‐aminochalcones were submitted to this protocol and the desired 3,4’‐biquinoline products were obtained in good to high yields in a short reaction time.

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Disgust sensitivity in relation to menstrual cycle phase in women with and without an infection
Authors: Milkowska Karolina , Galbarczyk Andrzej , Jasienska Grazyna
Published: March 2019

Objectives

The compensatory prophylaxis hypothesis (CPH) proposes that evolved psychological mechanisms enhance the avoidance of potential contaminants during periods of reproductive immunomodulation in order to decrease a chance of infection. However, the results of previous studies are inconclusive. Our aim was to investigate the differences in disgust sensitivity during phases of menstrual cycle in regularly cycling young healthy women and among women who reported having an infection.

Methods

The disgust sensitivity was measured using Two Domains of the Three Domain Disgust Scale (TDDS), Padua Inventory (PI), and photographs during the internet‐based survey. Women (N = 527) were divided by phases of menstrual cycle using two different methods on the basis of reported cycle length and the number of days since the onset of their most recent menstrual bleeding.

Results

The women who had an infection and who were in luteal phase had higher scores in Pathogen Disgust Domain than women in follicular phase. However, they did not differ in other assessments of disgust sensitivity.

Conclusions

The results provide weak support for the CPH hypothesis. We found differences in disgust sensitivity in women who declared having an infection—participants in the luteal phase scored higher in the Pathogen Domain Scale of TDDS than women in the follicular phase. We suggest that future studies should measure levels of sex steroids and immunological markers of infection.
Clinical relevance of heterozygosis for aceruloplasminemia
Authors: Borges Marina Dorigatti , de Albuquerque Dulcineia Martins , Lanaro Carolina , Costa Fernando Ferreira , Fertrin Kleber Yotsumoto
Published: March 2019

Aceruloplasminemia is a rare form of brain iron overload of autosomal recessive inheritance that results from mutations in the CP gene, encoding the iron oxidase ceruloplasmin. Homozygous aceruloplasminemia causes progressive neurodegenerative disease, anemia, and diabetes, and is usually diagnosed late in life upon investigation of anemia, high ferritin, or movement disorders, but its heterozygous state is less characterized and believed to be silent. Here we report two heterozygotes for new mutations causing aceruloplasminemia from whom peripheral blood samples were collected for complete blood counts, iron studies, and genotyping by automated sequencing. We then performed a systematic review of preview reports of heterozygotes with data on genotype and clinical findings. Heterozygosity for aceruloplasminemia invariably causes reduced ceruloplasmin levels, and similarly to previews reports in the literature, our cases did not present with anemia. Mild hyperferritinemia was found only in two reports. Nevertheless, 5 out of 11 variants have been associated with significant neurological symptoms despite the presence of one wild‐type alelle. This review contributes to better genetic counseling of heterozygotes for CP gene variants and supports that measuring ceruloplasmin levels may be useful when investigating patients with movement disorders or rare cases of unexplained high ferritin.
Oxidative Annulation of Acetanilides with Alkynes Catalyzed by Cyclopentadienyl Rhodium(III) Complexes with Pendant Amides
Authors: Yoshimura Ryo , Shibata Yu , Yoshizaki Soichi , Terasawa Jyunichi , Yamada Takayuki , Tanaka Ken
Published: March 2019

It has been established that a cationic cyclopentadienyl (Cp) rhodium(III) complex with a pendant N‐phenylcarbamoyl moiety (CpA1RhIII) showed high catalytic activity towards the oxidative [3+2] annulation of acetanilides with internal alkynes to produce substituted indoles. Catalytic activity of the CpA1RhIII complex in the reactions of symmetric internal alkynes (diphenylacetylene and 6‐dodecyne) was higher than that of the Cp*‐rhodium(III) complex and comparable to that of a Cp‐rhodium(III) complex with two ethoxycarbonyl groups (CpERhIII). On the other hand, the CpA1RhIII complex showed significantly higher catalytic activity than the CpERhIII complex in the reactions of unsymmetric internal alkynes (1‐phenyl‐1‐propyne and 1‐phenyl‐1‐hexyne). Additionally, the catalytic activity of the CpA1RhIII complex in the oxidative tandem [2+2+2] annulation‐lactamization of acetanilides with two unsymmetric electron‐deficient internal alkynes (ethtyl 2‐butynoate) was also comparable to that of the CpERhIII complex.
Reversible Nature of Coke Formation on Mo/ZSM‐5 Methane Dehydroaromatization Catalysts
Authors: Kosinov Nikolay , Uslamin Evgeny A. , Meng Lingqian , Parastaev Alexander , Liu Yujie , Hensen Emiel J. M.
Published: March 2019

Non‐oxidative dehydroaromatization of methane over Mo/ZSM‐5 zeolite catalysts is a promising reaction for the direct conversion of abundant natural gas into liquid aromatics. Rapid coking deactivation hinders the practical implementation of this technology. Herein, we show that catalyst productivity can be improved by nearly an order of magnitude by raising the reaction pressure to 15 bar. The beneficial effect of pressure was found for different Mo/ZSM‐5 catalysts and a wide range of reaction temperatures and space velocities. High‐pressure operando X‐ray absorption spectroscopy demonstrated that the structure of the active Mo‐phase was not affected by operation at elevated pressure. Isotope labeling experiments, supported by mass‐spectrometry and 13C nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, indicated the reversible nature of coke formation. The improved performance can be attributed to faster coke hydrogenation at increased pressure, overall resulting in a lower coke selectivity and better utilization of the zeolite micropore space.
Isolierung eines diylidstabilisierten Stannylens und Germylens: Erhöhte Donorstärke durch coplanare Anordnung freier Elektronenpaare
Authors: Mohapatra Chandrajeet , Scharf Lennart T. , Scherpf Thorsten , Mallick Bert , Feichtner Kai‐Stephan , Schwarz Christopher , Gessner Viktoria H.
Published: March 2019

Die Darstellung des ersten stabilen, diylidsubstituierten Stannylens und Germylens Y2E (mit E=Ge, Sn und Y=[PPh3‐C‐SO2Tol]−) wird berichtet. Die Synthese gelingt in einem Schritt durch die einfache Umsetzung des metallierten Ylids YNa mit der entsprechenden Vorstufe ECl2. Y2Ge und Y2Sn weisen eine ungewöhnliche Struktur sowohl im Festkörper als auch in Lösung auf, bei der die drei freien Elektronenpaare der zentralen C‐E‐C‐Einheit coplanar zueinander angeordnet sind. DFT‐Studien zeigen, dass aufgrund der starken anionenstabilisierenden Eigenschaften der Sulfonylgruppen im Ylidrückgrat und deren Koordination an das Metall diese Bindungssituation gegenüber der typischen π‐Donation des Liganden in das freie p‐Orbital des Metalls bevorzugt wird. Die Ausrichtung der drei freien Elektronenpaare führt zu einer deutlichen Erhöhung der HOMO‐Energie und damit der Donorstärke der Tetrylene. Hierdurch werden Y2Ge und Y2Sn zu stärkeren Donoren als ihre diamin‐ oder diarylsubstituierten Analoga und vergleichbar mit cyclischen Alkyl(amino)carbenen. Erste Reaktivitätsstudien bestätigen die hohe Reaktivität von Y2Ge und Y2Sn, welche zum Beispiel intramolekulare C‐H‐Aktivierungen mittels Metall‐Ligand‐Kooperation eingehen.
Validating the Biphilic Hypothesis of Nontrigonal Phosphorus(III) Compounds
Authors: Lee Kyounghoon , Blake Anastasia V. , Tanushi Akira , McCarthy Sean M. , Kim Daniel , Loria Sydney M. , Donahue Courtney M. , Spielvogel Kyle D. , Keith Jason M. , Daly Scott R. , Radosevich Alexander T.
Published: March 2019

Constraining σ3‐P compounds in nontrigonal, entatic geometries has proven to be an effective strategy for promoting biphilic oxidative addition reactions more typical of transition metals. Although qualitative descriptions of the impact of structure and symmetry on σ3‐P complexes have been proposed, electronic structure variations responsible for biphilic reactivity have yet to be elucidated experimentally. Reported here are P K‐edge XANES data and complementary TDDFT calculations for a series of structurally modified P(N)3 complexes that both validate and quantify electronic structure variations proposed to give rise to biphilic reactions at phosphorus. These data are presented alongside experimentally referenced electronic structure calculations that reveal nontrigonal structures predicted to further enhance biphilic reactivity in σ3‐P ligands and catalysts.
Excitation Wavelength Dependent Fluorescence of an ESIPT Triazole Derivative for Amine Sensing and Anti‐Counterfeiting Applications
Authors: Zhang Yujian , Yang Heyi , Ma Huili , Bian Gaofeng , Zang Qiguang , Sun Jingwei , Zhang Cheng , An Zhongfu , Wong Wai‐Yeung
Published: March 2019

Excitation wavelength dependent (Ex‐De) emission materials have potential applications in anti‐counterfeiting labels and bioimaging. Nevertheless, few purely organic chromophores are used in these areas. In this study, multiple excited states were incorporated into a molecule that was excited state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) active, with the goal of manipulating the relaxation pathways of the excited states. The triazole derivative exhibits Ex‐De photoluminescence (PL), and the maximum PL wavelength is located at 526 nm and 593 nm under a series of excitation wavelengths. Spectral identification indicates that the excimer and ESIPT processes are responsible for the green (526 nm) and orange (593 nm) fluorescence, respectively. Importantly, the quick response code and test strip prepared with this triazole derivative can be used for anti‐counterfeiting and food spoilage detection applications, respectively. This research opens the door for developing novel Ex‐De materials for anti‐counterfeiting purposes.
Radiation synthesis of polysilane‐modified graphene oxide for improving thermal conductivity and mechanical properties of silicone rubber
Authors: Dai Pei , Jiao Yang , Ma Huiling , Zeng Xinmiao , Lu Yongjun , Wang Liancai , Bao Mao , Zhai Maolin
Published: March 2019

Functionalized graphene oxide (named GO‐Si) was synthesized with graphene oxide and triethoxyvinylsilane (TEVS) using tetrahydrofuran solution by γ‐ray irradiation. TEVS was successfully covered onto GO sheets, and the polysilane content on GO‐Si was increased upon increasing the absorbed dose. The structures of GO‐Si were verified by atomic force microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The resultant GO‐Si was dispersed into α,ω‐dihydroxypolydimethylsiloxane to prepare room temperature vulcanized silicone rubber composites (named SR/GO‐Si) by solution casting. The dispersion of GO‐Si was more uniform than that of GO. Compared to that of pure SR, the thermal conductivity of SR/GO‐Si‐1.95 composites was increased 1.5‐fold, and its tensile strength and elongation at break increased 78.6 and 71.4%, respectively. It was expected that SR/GO‐Si would have potential application as the thermal interface material. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2019, 136, 47776.
Early detection of heterogeneous disaster events using social media
Authors: Pekar Viktor , Binner Jane , Najafi Hossein , Hale Chris , Schmidt Vincent
Published: March 2019

This article addresses the problem of detecting crisis‐related messages on social media, in order to improve the situational awareness of emergency services. Previous work focused on developing machine‐learning classifiers restricted to specific disasters, such as storms or wildfires. We investigate for the first time methods to detect such messages where the type of the crisis is not known in advance, that is, the data are highly heterogeneous. Data heterogeneity causes significant difficulties for learning algorithms to generalize and accurately label incoming data. Our main contributions are as follows. First, we evaluate the extent of this problem in the context of disaster management, finding that the performance of traditional learners drops by up to 40% when trained and tested on heterogeneous data vis‐á‐vis homogeneous data. Then, in order to overcome data heterogeneity, we propose a new ensemble learning method, and found this to perform on a par with the Gradient Boosting and AdaBoost ensemble learners. The methods are studied on a benchmark data set comprising 26 disaster events and four classification problems: detection of relevant messages, informative messages, eyewitness reports, and topical classification of messages. Finally, in a case study, we evaluate the proposed methods on a real‐world data set to assess its practical value.
Quantitative study of the capillaries within the white matter of the Tg2576 mouse model of Alzheimer's disease
Authors: Zhang Yi , Chao Feng‐lei , Zhang Lei , Jiang Lin , Zhou Chun‐ni , Chen Lin‐mu , Lu Wei , Jiang Rong , Tang Yong
Published: March 2019

Introduction

To quantitatively investigate the capillaries within the white matter of Tg2576 Alzheimer's disease (AD) transgenic mice during the early stage.

Methods

In the current study, 10‐month‐old male Tg2576 AD mice were used as the early‐stage AD group and age‐matched nontransgenic littermate mice were used as the wild‐type group. Then, the Morris water maze was used to examine the spatial learning and memory abilities of the mice in both groups, and unbiased stereological methods were used to accurately quantify the volume of white matter and the parameters of the capillaries within the white matter, such as the total length, total volume, and total surface area of capillaries.

Results

The Morris water maze performance of the Tg2576 group was worse than that of the wild‐type group, while the white matter volume did not significantly differ between the wild‐type group and the Tg2576 group. The total length, total volume, and total surface area of the capillaries within the white matter of the Tg2576 group were significantly decreased compared to those of the wild‐type group.

Conclusions

The current study provide structural basis for understanding the pathological changes of the early stage of AD and cognitive decline in AD might be associated with changes in the white matter capillaries. Capillaries within the white matter might, thus, serve as a valid target for the prevention and treatment of early‐stage AD.
The dark figure of sexual recidivism
Authors: Scurich Nicholas , John Richard S.
Published: March 2019

Empirical studies of sexual offender recidivism have proliferated in recent decades. Virtually all of the studies define recidivism as a new legal charge or conviction for a sexual crime, and these studies tend to find recidivism rates of the order of 5–15% after 5 years and 10–25% after 10+ years. It is uncontroversial that such a definition of recidivism underestimates the true rate of sexual recidivism because most sexual crime is not reported to legal authorities, a principle known as the “dark figure of crime.” To estimate the magnitude of the dark figure of sexual recidivism, this paper uses a probabilistic simulation approach in conjunction with the following: (i) victim self‐report survey data about the rate of reporting sexual crime to legal authorities; (ii) offender self‐report data about the number of victims per offender; and (iii) different assumptions about the chances of being convicted of a new sexual offense given that it is reported. Under any configuration of assumptions, the dark figure is substantial, and as a consequence the disparity between recidivism defined as a new legal charge or conviction for a sex crime and recidivism defined as actually committing a new sexual crime is large. These findings call into question the utility of recidivism studies that rely exclusively on official crime statistics to define sexual recidivism, and highlight the need for additional, long‐term studies that use a variety of different measures to assess whether or not sexual recidivism has occurred.
Esthetic Management of Peripheral Giant Cell Granuloma Affecting a Dental Implant in the Esthetic Zone
Authors: Mordini Lorenzo
Published: March 2019

Introduction

A size increase of the gingiva can be a manifestation of gingival disease. While gingival lesions can affect periodontal tissue, only few reports described the association between peripheral giant‐cell granuloma (PGCG) with dental implants and their clinical management. Their clinical relevance is of a great interest since some lesions may lead to extensive bone resorption, esthetic alterations, or even tooth/implant loss. To the author's best knowledge, no specific guidelines for the treatment of PGCG affecting dental implant in the esthetic zone have been reported. The aim of this paper was to report an extensive PGCG associated with a dental implant in the esthetic area and its surgical management.

Case Presentation

A 39‐year‐old suffered from concussive trauma on her anterior maxillary dentition leading to an expanded, purplish soft tissue lesion surrounding the implant provisional crown on right central maxillary incisor. After complete lesion excision, the implant neck was carefully and gently debrided. Histological analysis confirmed the diagnosis of PGCG. The patient was then evaluated weekly for the first 3 weeks then monthly. No episodes of recurrence were identified. After 16 weeks of undisturbed healing, a soft tissue augmentation via tunnel technique was elected as the first treatment option to improve esthetics. Final implant restoration was delivered. Follow up at 22 months from biopsy excluded any recurrence of PGCG with stability of peri‐implant soft tissues.

Conclusion

Excisional biopsy, careful removal of irritating factors, monitoring, and connective tissue grafting can esthetically improve a malpositioned implant and showed no recurrence over a period of 22 months.
Long‐Term Outcome (10 Years) of Multiple Recession‐Type Defects Treated With Acellular Dermal Matrix Graft and Coronally Advanced Flap: A Case Report
Authors: Schinini Guillermo , Romanelli Hugo , Chambrone Leandro
Published: March 2019

Introduction

There is limited evidence related to the long‐term treatment outcomes of acellular dermal matrix graft (ADMG) plus coronally advanced flap (CAF) for the treatment of multiple recession defects. The aim of this case report is to assess the short‐ and long‐term clinical outcomes of Miller Class I multiple gingival recession‐type defects in the maxilla treated with ADMG plus CAF.

Case Presentation

A 36‐year‐old female patient smoking < five cigarettes per day presented multiple adjacent Miller Class I gingival recession in the left maxilla and was referred for treatment with chief complaints of dental hypersensitivity and esthetics. Root coverage was achieved by ADMG + CAF and the patient underwent a 10‐year follow‐up.

Conclusions

Within the limits of this case report, mean root coverage obtained at 6 months could not be maintained in the long term. A significant relapse was detected after 10 years, from 80% complete root coverage (CRC) at 6 months to 40% at 10 years. Monitoring, compliance, and reinstructions in oral hygiene techniques seem mandatory for minimizing relapse of gingival recessions after root coverage procedures.
Luminescent Rhenium(I)–Polypyridine Complexes Appended with a Perylene Diimide or Benzoperylene Monoimide Moiety: Photophysics, Intracellular Sensing, and Photocytotoxic Activity
Authors: Yip Alex Man‐Hei , Shum Justin , Liu Hua‐Wei , Zhou Huipeng , Jia Meiqi , Niu Niu , Li Yongxin , Yu Cong , Lo Kenneth Kam‐Wing
Published: March 2019

This communication reports novel luminescent rhenium(I)–polypyridine complexes appended with a perylene diimide (PDI) or benzoperylene monoimide (BPMI) moiety through a non‐conjugated linker. The photophysical and photochemical properties originating from the interactions of the metal polypyridine and perylene units were exploited to afford new cellular reagents with thiol‐sensing capability and excellent photocytotoxic activity.
Optimization of Aqueous Stability versus π‐Conjugation in Tetracationic Bis(triarylborane) Chromophores: Applications in Live‐Cell Fluorescence Imaging
Authors: Griesbeck Stefanie , Ferger Matthias , Czernetzi Corinna , Wang Chenguang , Bertermann Rüdiger , Friedrich Alexandra , Haehnel Martin , Sieh Daniel , Taki Masayasu , Yamaguchi Shigehiro , Marder Todd B.
Published: March 2019

The stability of tetracationic triarylboranes in dilute aqueous solution was investigated by tuning the steric demand of the linker in a (para‐(N,N,N‐trimethylammonio)xylyl)2B–(linker)–B(para‐(N,N,N‐trimethylammonio)xylyl)2 structure. With increasing steric bulk of the linker, namely 1,4‐phenylene, 2,2′′′‐(3,3′′′‐dimethyl)‐5,2′:5′,2′′:5′′,5′′′‐quaterthiophene, 9,10‐anthracenylene, and 4,4′′′‐(5′‐(3,5‐dimethylphenyl))(5′′‐(3′′′,5′′′‐dimethylphenyl))‐2′,2′′‐bithiophene, the stability of the compounds increased. The anthracene‐based chromophore, compound 3M is water‐stable for at least 48 h, is nontoxic to cells and exhibits an exceedingly high fluorescence quantum yield of 0.86 in water making it an ideal candidate for confocal live‐cell imaging of lysosomes.
Rhodium‐Catalyzed Alkylation of C−H Bonds in Aromatic Amides with Non‐activated 1‐Alkenes: The Possible Generation of Carbene Intermediates from Alkenes
Authors: Yamaguchi Takuma , Natsui Satoko , Shibata Kaname , Yamazaki Ken , Rej Supriya , Ano Yusuke , Chatani Naoto
Published: March 2019

The alkylation of C−H bonds (hydroarylation) in aromatic amides with non‐activated 1‐alkenes using a rhodium catalyst and assisted by an 8‐aminoquinoline directing group is reported. The addition of a carboxylic acid is crucial for the success of this reaction. The results of deuterium‐labeling experiments indicate that one of deuterium atoms in the alkene is missing, suggesting that the reaction does not proceed through the commonly accepted mechanism for C−H alkylation reactions. Instead the reaction is proposed to proceed through a carbene mechanism. The carbene mechanism is also supported by preliminary DFT calculations.
Empirical likelihood confidence intervals under imputation for missing survey data from stratified simple random sampling
Authors: Cai Song , Qin Yongsong , Rao J. N. K. , Winiszewska Malgorzata
Published: March 2019

Missing observations due to non‐response are commonly encountered in data collected from sample surveys. The focus of this article is on item non‐response which is often handled by filling in (or imputing) missing values using the observed responses (donors). Random imputation (single or fractional) is used within homogeneous imputation classes that are formed on the basis of categorical auxiliary variables observed on all the sampled units. A uniform response rate within classes is assumed, but that rate is allowed to vary across classes. We construct confidence intervals (CIs) for a population parameter that is defined as the solution to a smooth estimating equation with data collected using stratified simple random sampling. The imputation classes are assumed to be formed across strata. Fractional imputation with a fixed number of random draws is used to obtain an imputed estimating function. An empirical likelihood inference method under the fractional imputation is proposed and its asymptotic properties are derived. Two asymptotically correct bootstrap methods are developed for constructing the desired CIs. In a simulation study, the proposed bootstrap methods are shown to outperform traditional bootstrap methods and some non‐bootstrap competitors under various simulation settings. The Canadian Journal of Statistics 47: 281–301; 2019 © 2019 Statistical Society of Canada
Speaking genomics to parents offered germline testing for cancer predisposition: Use of a 2‐visit consent model
Authors: Johnson Liza‐Marie , Sykes April D. , Lu Zhaohua , Valdez Jessica M. , Gattuso Jami , Gerhardt Elsie , Hamilton Kayla V. , Harrison Lynn W. , Hines‐Dowell Stacy J. , Jurbergs Niki , McGee Rose B. , Nuccio Regina , Ouma Annastasia A. , Pritchard Michele , Quinn Emily A. , Baker Justin N. , Mandrell Belinda N. , Nichols Kim E.
Published: March 2019

Background

Patients with cancer are increasingly offered genomic sequencing, including germline testing for cancer predisposition or other disorders. Such testing is unfamiliar to patients and families, and clear communication is needed to introduce genomic concepts and convey risk and benefit information.

Methods

Parents of children with cancer were offered the opportunity to have their children’s tumor and germline examined with clinical genomic sequencing. Families were introduced to the study with a 2‐visit informed consent model. Baseline genetic knowledge and self‐reported literacy/numeracy were collected before a study introduction visit, during which basic concepts related to genomic sequencing were discussed. Information was reinforced during a second visit, during which informed consent was obtained and a posttest was administered.

Results

As reflected by the percentage of correct answers on the pretest and posttest assessments, this model increased genetic knowledge by 11.1% (from 77.8% to 88.9%; P < .0001) in 121 parents participating in both the study introduction and consent visits. The percentage of parents correctly identifying the meaning of somatic and germline mutations increased significantly (from 18% to 59% [somatic] and from 31% to 64% [germline]; P < .0001). Nevertheless, these concepts remained unfamiliar to one‐third of the parents. No relation was identified between the change in the overall percentage of correct answers and self‐reported literacy, numeracy, or demographics.

Conclusions

The use of a 2‐visit communication model improved knowledge of concepts relevant to genomic sequencing, particularly differences between somatic and germline testing; however, these areas remained confusing to many participants, and reinforcement may be necessary to achieve complete understanding.
Design Rules for Metal‐Organic Framework Stability in High‐Pressure Hydrogen Environments
Authors: Wang Timothy C. , White James L. , Bie Binglin , Deng Hexiang , Edgington Jane , Sugar Joshua D. , Stavila Vitalie , Allendorf Mark D.
Published: March 2019

Stability of metal‐organic frameworks (MOFs) under hydrogen is of particular importance for a diverse range of applications, including catalysis, gas separations, and hydrogen storage. Hydrogen in gaseous form is known to be a strong reducing agent and can potentially react with the secondary building units of a MOF and decompose the porous framework structure. Moreover, rapid pressure swings expected in vehicular hydrogen storage could create significant mechanical stresses within MOF crystals that cause partial or complete pore collapse. In this work, we examined the stability of a structurally representative suite of MOFs by testing them under both static (70 MPa) and dynamic hydrogen exposure (0.5 to 10 MPa, 1000 pressure cycles) at room temperature. We aim to provide stability information for development of near room‐temperature hydrogen storage media based on MOFs and suggest framework design rules to avoid materials unstable for hydrogen storage under relevant technical conditions.
Availability of food resources and habitat structure shape the individual‐resource network of a Neotropical marsupial
Authors: de Camargo Nícholas F. , de Oliveira Hernani F. M. , Ribeiro Juliana F. , de Camargo Amabílio J. A. , Vieira Emerson M.
Published: March 2019

Spatial and temporal variation in networks has been reported in different studies. However, the many effects of habitat structure and food resource availability variation on network structures have remained poorly investigated, especially in individual‐based networks. This approach can shed light on individual specialization of resource use and how habitat variations shape trophic interactions.

To test hypotheses related to habitat variability on trophic interactions, we investigated seasonal and spatial variation in network structure of four populations of the marsupial Gracilinanus agilis in the highly seasonal tropical savannas of the Brazilian Cerrado.

We evaluated such variation with network nestedness and modularity considering both cool‐dry and warm‐wet seasons, and related such variations with food resource availability and habitat structure (considered in the present study as environmental variation) in four sites of savanna woodland forest.

Network analyses showed that modularity (but not nestedness) was consistently lower during the cool‐dry season in all G. agilis populations. Our results indicated that nestedness is related to habitat structure, showing that this metric increases in sites with thick and spaced trees. On the other hand, modularity was positively related to diversity of arthropods and abundance of fruits.

We propose that the relationship between nestedness and habitat structure is an outcome of individual variation in the vertical space and food resource use by G. agilis in sites with thick and spaced trees. Moreover, individual specialization in resource‐rich and population‐dense periods possibly increased the network modularity of G. agilis. Therefore, our study reveals that environment variability considering spatial and temporal components is important for shaping network structure of populations.
Generalized spatial mark–resight models with incomplete identification: An application to red fox density estimates
Authors: Jimenez Jose , Chandler Richard , Tobajas Jorge , Descalzo Esther , Mateo Rafael , Ferreras Pablo
Published: March 2019

The estimation of abundance of wildlife populations is an essential part of ecological research and monitoring. Spatially explicit capture–recapture (SCR) models are widely used for abundance and density estimation, frequently through individual identification of target species using camera‐trap sampling.

Generalized spatial mark–resight (Gen‐SMR) is a recently developed SCR extension that allows for abundance estimation when only a subset of the population is recognizable by artificial or natural marks. However, in many cases, it is not possible to read the marks in camera‐trap pictures, even though individuals can be recognized as marked. We present a new extension of Gen‐SMR that allows for this type of incomplete identification.

We used simulation to assess how the number of marked individuals and the individual identification rate influenced bias and precision. We demonstrate the model's performance in estimating red fox (Vulpes vulpes) density with two empirical datasets characterized by contrasting densities and rates of identification of marked individuals. According to the simulations, accuracy increases with the number of marked individuals (m), but is less sensitive to changes in individual identification rate (δ). In our case studies of red fox density estimation, we obtained a posterior mean of 1.60 (standard deviation SD: 0.32) and 0.28 (SD: 0.06) individuals/km2, in high and low density, with an identification rate of 0.21 and 0.91, respectively.

This extension of Gen‐SMR is broadly applicable as it addresses the common problem of incomplete identification of marked individuals during resighting surveys.
Organocatalytic Asymmetric Mannich Reaction of Dihydro‐3‐carboalkoxy‐2‐quinolones with Preformed N‐Boc Imines
Authors: Mukhopadhyay Soumendranath , Pan Subhas Chandra
Published: March 2019

An organocatalytic enantioselective Mannich reaction involving dihydro‐3‐carboalkoxy‐2‐quinolone and preformed N‐Boc imines has been developed leading to the formation of biologically important 3,3‐disubstituted‐dihydro‐2‐quinolones. Cinchona alkaloid derived thiourea catalysts were found to be effective for this reaction. The desired products were obtained in good yields with good to high enantioselectivities and moderate diastereoselectivities.
Studies on the Affinity‐based Biosensors for Electrochemical Detection of HER2 Cancer Biomarker
Authors: Jarczewska Marta , Trojan Anita , Gągała Małgorzata , Malinowska Elżbieta
Published: March 2019

As cancer diseases are the second main cause of death it is necessary to elaborate fast and efficient early diagnosis methods for their detection. One of the possibilities is the analysis of protein biomarkers, which abnormal concentration in physiological fluids might be an indication of cancer disease progression. Herein, we present the studies on the development of affinity‐based biosensors for electrochemical detection of HER2 protein, which is a common biomarker of breast cancer. The main objective was to verify the possibility of fabrication of HER2‐specific hybrid aptamer‐polyclonal antibody and antibody‐based sandwich sensing layer on gold electrode surface. The effectiveness of each electrode modification step was confirmed using voltammetric and impedimetric techniques in the presence of ferri/ferrocyanide redox couple. It was observed that hybrid construct was unlikely to be formed on the gold electrode due to a higher affinity of secondary polyclonal antibody towards target protein, which resulted in the separation of HER2‐antibody complex from the electrode surface. On the contrary, an antibody‐based sandwich receptor layer allowed for protein discrimination in the range from 1 to 100 ng mL−1 by the application of TMB/H2O2 system and chronoamperometry detection technique. Though, the occurrence of interactions between interfering proteins and antibody‐based layer was noted, it led to at least two times smaller current responses than for HER2 protein.
Sensitivity of a Large and Representative Sample of Antarctic Marine Invertebrates to Metals
Authors: Kefford Ben J. , King Catherine K. , Wasley Jane , Riddle Martin J. , Nugegoda Dayanthi
Published: March 2019

There are limited data on the sensitivity to contaminants of marine organisms in polar regions. Consequently, assessments of the risk of contaminants to marine biota in polar environments typically include extrapolations from temperate and/or tropical species. This is problematic because the taxonomic composition of organisms differs between polar and temperate/tropical waters, and both the toxicity of chemicals and the physiology of organisms are very different at the stable low temperatures experienced in polar marine systems. Collecting high-quality sensitivity data for a wide range of marine polar organisms using traditional toxicity assessment approaches is a time-consuming and difficult process, especially in remote and hostile environments. We applied a rapid toxicity testing approach, which allowed a much larger number of species to be tested than would be possible with traditional toxicity test methods, albeit with lower replications and fewer exposure concentrations. With this rapid approach, sensitivity estimates are less precise, but more numerous. This is important when constructing species sensitivity distributions (SSDs), which aim to represent the sensitivity of communities. We determined the approximate sensitivity (4- and 10-d median lethal concentration [LC50] values) of a large and representative sample of Antarctic marine invertebrates to copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), and cadmium (Cd). Up to 88 LC50 values (from 88 different taxa) were used in the construction of SSDs. The hazardous concentrations for 1% of taxa (HC1) based on 10-d LC50 values were 37, 346, and 792 μg/L for Cu, Zn, and Cd, respectively. Our results provide a basis for estimating the risk of exposure to metals for a large representative sample of marine polar invertebrates. Environ Toxicol Chem 2019;38:1560–1568. © 2019 SETAC
A Pulsed-Dose Study Evaluating Chronic Toxicity of Chlorothalonil to Fish: A Case Study for Environmental Risk Assessment
Authors: Hamer Mick , Maynard Samuel K. , Schneider Suzanne
Published: March 2019

Chlorothalonil is a fungicide which is highly toxic to aquatic organisms. However, in natural aquatic environments, it is very rapidly degraded, with a half-life typically in hours, reducing exposure of aquatic organisms and the potential for effects. In standard regulatory studies looking at the chronic toxicity of chlorothalonil to fathead minnow, the most sensitive endpoint was fecundity. A standard fish full–life cycle study, where chlorothalonil concentrations were maintained constant throughout, resulted in a no-observed-effect concentration (NOEC) of 1.4 µg/L. Comparing peak modeled exposure concentrations to this NOEC can result in the chronic risk to fish being considered unacceptable. The present study investigated the effect on fecundity in fathead minnow using a fish short-term reproduction assay. Five different exposure profiles were employed with time-varying concentrations based on realistic worst-case modeled environmental exposure profiles, multiplied by an assessment factor of 10, which resulted in maximum measured concentrations up to 15.5 µg/L. There were no effects on fecundity from any of the exposure profiles tested. Therefore, based on these more realistic exposure profiles, the chronic risk to fish could be considered acceptable if these exposures were deemed to be representative of the worst case. Environ Toxicol Chem 2019;38:1549–1559. © 2019 The Authors. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of SETAC.
Sniff‐Phish: A novel framework for resource intensive computation in cloud to detect email scam
Authors: M. Satheesh Kumar , Srinivasagan K.G. , Ben‐Othman Jalel
Published: March 2019

Today, the growing significance of digitization across the globe has made the cybersecurity as inevitable. There are many threats in existence to induce harm and to make illegal activities in a device or a network. Email scam or phishing is a technique that most of the hackers use as baits to infiltrate into a system. After a systematic analysis of the infiltration process, a Chrome extension application named Sniff‐Phish is developed, where the resource intensive computational tasks are performed in cloud with which we could be able to detect various categories of real‐time email scams or phishing attacks like zero‐day and spear phishing. This extension application is based upon analyzing some basic criterion of the malicious URL and duly presenting the legitimacy level of the link in the form of a report. The accuracy obtains for Sniff‐Phish is 98% and covers a wide range of phishing websites, resulting in the less false positive rate of 1.2%. Considering the zero‐day and spear phishing detection rate of Sniff‐Phish, the overall experimental results prove that the proposed system outperforms the conventional phishing detection methods.
Gesturing tool use and tool transport actions modulates inferior parietal functional connectivity with the dorsal and ventral object processing pathways
Authors: Garcea Frank E. , Buxbaum Laurel J.
Published: March 2019

Interacting with manipulable objects (tools) requires the integration of diverse computations supported by anatomically remote regions. Previous functional neuroimaging research has demonstrated the left supramarginal (SMG) exhibits functional connectivity to both ventral and dorsal pathways, supporting the integration of ventrally‐mediated tool properties and conceptual knowledge with dorsally‐computed volumetric and structural representations of tools. This architecture affords us the opportunity to test whether interactions between the left SMG, ventral visual pathway, and dorsal visual pathway are differentially modulated when participants plan and generate tool‐directed gestures emphasizing functional manipulation (tool use gesturing) or structure‐based grasping (tool transport gesturing). We found that functional connectivity between the left SMG, ventral temporal cortex (bilateral fusiform gyri), and dorsal visual pathway (left superior parietal lobule/posterior intraparietal sulcus) was maximal for tool transport planning and gesturing, whereas functional connectivity between the left SMG, left ventral anterior temporal lobe, and left frontal operculum was maximal for tool use planning and gesturing. These results demonstrate that functional connectivity to the left SMG is differentially modulated by tool use and tool transport gesturing, suggesting that distinct tool features computed by the two object processing pathways are integrated in the parietal lobe in the service of tool‐directed action.