bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Classification of polyethylene cling films by attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and chemometrics
Authors: Telford Christopher J. , Burrows Benjamin A. , Sauzier Georgina , van Bronswijk Wilhelm , Houck Max M. , Maric Mark , Lewis Simon W.
Published: December 2016

Different sources of low-density polyethylene cling film were effectively distinguished using attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy with chemometrics.
Vibrational blue shift of coordinated N2 in [Fe3O(OAc)6(N2)n]+: “non-classical” dinitrogen complexes
Authors: Lang Johannes , Mohrbach Jennifer , Dillinger Sebastian , Hewer Joachim M. , Niedner-Schatteburg Gereon
Published: December 2016

The stretching frequency of N2 molecules increases upon coordination to Fe(iii) oxo acetate complexes indicating “non-classical” Fe–N2 coordination.
Effects of daily blueberry consumption on circulating biomarkers of oxidative stress, inflammation, and antioxidant defense in postmenopausal women with pre- and stage 1-hypertension: a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Johnson Sarah A. , Feresin Rafaela G. , Navaei Negin , Figueroa Arturo , Elam Marcus L. , Akhavan Neda S. , Hooshmand Shirin , Pourafshar Shirin , Payton Mark E. , Arjmandi Bahram H.
Published: December 2016

Blueberries may attenuate accelerated age-related chronic disease development in postmenopausal women.
Targeting Twist expression with small molecules
Authors: Pei Haixiang , Li Yunqi , Liu Mingyao , Chen Yihua
Published: December 2016

Twist, as one of the important embryonic transcription factors, regulates epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) and migration in embryo formation and cancer development.
Unusual reversal of enantioselectivity in the asymmetric autocatalysis of pyrimidyl alkanol triggered by chiral aromatic alkanols and amines
Authors: Matusmoto Arimasa , Fujiwara Satoshi , Hiyoshi Yui , Zawatzky Kerstin , Makarov Alexey A. , Welch Christopher J. , Soai Kenso
Published: December 2016

Temperature dependent inversion of enantioselectivity was observed in the asymmetric autocatalysis reaction when triggered by a wide scope of chiral alcohols and amines.
Magnetic iron nanoparticles for in vivo targeted delivery and as biocompatible contrast agents
Authors: Tiwary C. S. , Mudakavi Rajeev J. , Kishore Sharan , Kashyap Sanjay , Elumalai Rajasegaran , Chakravortty Dipshikha , Raichur Ashok M. , Chattopadhyay K.
Published: December 2016

Iron nanoparticles (NPs) of size less than 20 nm were synthesized using an in-house developed cryomill.
Immobilization of laccase on functionalized multiwalled carbon nanotube membranes and application for dye decolorization
Authors: Othman Abdelmageed M. , González-Domínguez Elena , Sanromán Ángeles , Correa-Duarte Miguel , Moldes Diego
Published: December 2016

Myceliophthora thermophilalaccase was covalently immobilized on functionalized multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNT) arranged over a supporting membrane to obtain a permeable bio-barrier that could be applied in multibatch or continuous processes.
Preparation and characterization of a series of porous anion-exchanger chelating fibers and their adsorption behavior with respect to removal of cadmium(ii)
Authors: Liu Mingqiang , Tao Zhongan , Wang Huicai , Zhao Fei , Sun Qiang
Published: December 2016

The aim of the present study was to investigate a series of porous anion-exchanger chelating fibers (PP-g-AA-Am), prepared using polypropylene (PP) for the removal of Cd(ii) in non-salt systems and in high-salt complex systems.
Potential roles of annexin A7 GTPase in autophagy, senescence and apoptosis
Authors: Liu ShuYan , Wang ZhaoYang , Miao JunYing
Published: December 2016

This review covers the roles of ANXA7 GTPase in orchestrating autophagy, senescence and apoptosis interactive networks in various cell types.
Facile synthesis of the Basolite F300-like nanoscale Fe-BTC framework and its lithium storage properties
Authors: Hu Xiaoshi , Lou Xiaobing , Li Chao , Ning Yanqun , Liao Yuxing , Chen Qun , Mananga Eugène S. , Shen Ming , Hu Bingwen
Published: December 2016

Direct synthesis of a Basolite F300-like nanoscale Fe-BTC framework and its superior electrochemical performance towards lithium storage.
Interfacial behavior of nonionic Tween 20 surfactant at oil–water interfaces in the presence of different types of nanoparticles
Authors: Biswal Nihar Ranjan , Singh Jayant K.
Published: December 2016

In this paper, we have studied the effect of three different types of nanoparticles (NPs) (e.g.SiO2, TiO2, and ZnO) on the interfacial tension (IFT) of different oil–water systems (e.g.oil:n-hexane,n-heptane,n-decane, toluene).
In vitro evaluation of an yttria-stabilized zirconia reinforced nano-hydroxyapatite/polyamide 66 ternary biomaterial: biomechanics, biocompatibility and bioactivity
Authors: Li Yuling , Li Hong , Zhang Jing , Zhao Weikang , Shen Jieliang , Jiang Dianming
Published: December 2016

The characterization of a novel ternary biomaterial composed of nano-hydroxyapatite/polyamide 66/yttria-stabilized tetragonal zirconia.
Remarkably stable CO tolerance of a PtRu electrocatalyst stabilized by a nitrogen doped carbon layer
Authors: Yang Zehui , Yu Xinxin , Zhang Quan
Published: December 2016

Here, we synthesized a PtRu electrocatalyst with remarkably stable CO tolerance, in which the PtRu nanoparticles were stabilized by a nitrogen doped carbon layer derived from the carbonization of poly(vinyl pyrrolidone).
An examination of student outcomes in studio chemistry
Authors: Kiste Alan L. , Scott Gregory E. , Bukenberger Jesse , Markmann Miles , Moore Jennifer
Published: December 2016

Twenty years ago, a major curriculum revision at a large, comprehensive university in the Western United States led to the implementation of an integrated lecture/laboratory (studio) experience for our engineering students taking general chemistry. Based on these twenty years of experience, construction of four purpose-built studio classrooms to house the majority of the remaining general chemistry courses was completed in 2013. A detailed study of the effects of the entire ecology of the studio experience on student success was initiated at that time. Data from content knowledge pre- and post-tests, learning attitudes surveys, and student course evaluations show positive effects on student performance, the development of more expert-like learning attitudes, increased student engagement, and increased student–instructor interactions vs. the previous separate lecture and laboratory instruction for non-engineering students. Our data also show that an associated new peer Learning Assistant program increases student engagement while also having positive impacts on the Learning Assistants themselves.
AIEgen-based theranostic system: targeted imaging of cancer cells and adjuvant amplification of antitumor efficacy of paclitaxel
Authors: Chen Chao , Song Zhegang , Zheng Xiaoyan , He Zikai , Liu Bin , Huang Xuhui , Kong Deling , Ding Dan , Tang Ben Zhong
Published: December 2016

An AIEgen-based theranostic system is developed to amplify the antitumor efficacy of paclitaxel with a synergistic effect of “0 + 1 > 1”.
Pristine carbon nanotube/iron phthalocyanine hybrids with a well-defined nanostructure show excellent efficiency and durability for the oxygen reduction reaction
Authors: Yang J. , Toshimitsu F. , Yang Z. , Fujigaya T. , Nakashima N.
Published: December 2016

Development of non-platinum electrocatalysts with high performance, durability, and scalability for fuel cells and batteries is a strong social demand for a next-generation eco-friendly energy society.
Comparative study on the photovoltaic characteristics of A–D–A and D–A–D molecules based on Zn-porphyrin; a D–A–D molecule with over 8.0% efficiency
Authors: Cuesta Virginia , Vartanian Maida , Cruz Pilar de la , Singhal Rahul , Sharma Ganesh D. , Langa Fernando
Published: December 2016

Devices based on two symmetrical molecules with A–D–A and D–A–D structures and PC71BM show remarkable PCE values of 7.04% and 8.03%.
Tuning of surface protein adsorption by spherical mixed charged silica brushes (MCB) with zwitterionic carboxybetaine component
Authors: Chen Kaimin , Hu Fenglin , Gu Hongchen , Xu Hong
Published: December 2016

Protein adsorption can be modulated by simply adjusting the zwitterionic carboxybetaine component content.
Bi-functional fluorescent polymer dots: a one-step synthesis via controlled hydrothermal treatment and application as probes for the detection of temperature and Fe3+
Authors: Wang Chan , Zhou Jingdan , Ran Guoxia , Li Feng , Zhong Zheng , Song Qijun , Dong Qingchen
Published: December 2016

Polymer dots as a bi-functional probe for detecting temperature and Fe3+are synthesized using polyethylene glycol through a one-step controlled hydrothermal treatment.
The Borg family of Cdc42 effector proteins Cdc42EP1–5
Authors: Farrugia Aaron J. , Calvo Fernando
Published: December 2016

Despite being discovered more than 15 years ago, the Borg (binder of Rho GTPases) family of Cdc42 effector proteins (Cdc42EP1–5) remains largely uncharacterised and relatively little is known about their structure, regulation and role in development and disease. Recent studies are starting to unravel some of the key functional and mechanistic aspects of the Borg proteins, including their role in cytoskeletal remodelling and signalling. In addition, the participation of Borg proteins in important cellular processes such as cell shape, directed migration and differentiation is slowly emerging, directly linking Borgs with important physiological and pathological processes such as angiogenesis, neurotransmission and cancer-associated desmoplasia. Here, we review some of these findings and discuss future prospects.
Molecular basis for specificity of the Met1-linked polyubiquitin signal
Authors: Elliott Paul R.
Published: December 2016

The post-translational modification of proteins provides a rapid and versatile system for regulating all signalling pathways. Protein ubiquitination is one such type of post-translational modification involved in controlling numerous cellular processes. The unique ability of ubiquitin to form polyubiquitin chains creates a highly complex code responsible for different subsequent signalling outcomes. Specialised enzymes (‘writers’) generate the ubiquitin code, whereas other enzymes (‘erasers’) disassemble it. Importantly, the ubiquitin code is deciphered by different ubiquitin-binding proteins (‘readers’) functioning to elicit particular cellular responses. Ten years ago, the methionine1 (Met1)-linked (linear) polyubiquitin code was first identified and the intervening years have witnessed a seismic shift in our understanding of Met1-linked polyubiquitin in cellular processes, particularly inflammatory signalling. This review will discuss the molecular mechanisms of specificity determination within Met1-linked polyubiquitin signalling.
Micrognathia in mouse models of ciliopathies
Authors: Adel Al-lami Hadeel , Barrell William B. , Liu Karen J.
Published: December 2016

Defects in the development of the mandible can lead to micrognathia, or small jaw, which manifests in ciliopathic conditions, such as orofaciodigital syndrome, Meckel–Gruber syndrome, and Bardet–Biedl syndrome. Although micrognathia occurs frequently in human and mouse ciliopathies, it has been difficult to pinpoint the underlying cellular causes. In this mini-review, we shed light on the tissue-specific contributions to ciliary dysfunction in the development of the mandible. First, we outline the steps involved in setting up the jaw primordium and subsequent steps in the outgrowth of the mandibular skeleton. We then determine the critical tissue interactions using mice carrying a conditional mutation in the cilia gene Ofd1. Our studies highlight the usefulness of the Ofd1 mouse model and illustrate long-term possibilities for understanding the cellular and biochemical events underlying micrognathia.
Structural insights into functional amyloid inhibition in Gram −ve bacteria
Authors: Hawthorne William , Rouse Sarah , Sewell Lee , Matthews Stephen J.
Published: December 2016

Amyloids are proteinaceous aggregates known for their role in debilitating degenerative diseases involving protein dysfunction. Many forms of functional amyloid are also produced in nature and often these systems require careful control of their assembly to avoid the potentially toxic effects. The best-characterised functional amyloid system is the bacterial curli system. Three natural inhibitors of bacterial curli amyloid have been identified and recently characterised structurally. Here, we compare common structural features of CsgC, CsgE and CsgH and discuss the potential implications for general inhibition of amyloid.
Bound estimation for coded faster‐than‐Nyquist system
Authors: Zhang Qingshuang , Liu Aijun , Liang Xiaohu
Published: December 2016

Frame error rate bound is a useful tool to predict the performance behaviour of coded faster than Nyquist system (FTN). In this Letter, the Euclidean distance distribution (EDD) of FTN signalling is assumed continuous and obeys the Gaussian distribution for its long memory length. By using the autocorrelation properties of the error sequences, the EDD of FTN is estimated and the simplified bound is further derived which indicates that the performance of coded FTN system is bounded by the performance of employed coding scheme. Simulation results show that the bound is well matched with the simulated performance in high SNR regime.
LD approach to asymptotically optimum sensor fusion
Authors: Duan Dongliang , Scharf Louis L. , Yang Liuqing
Published: December 2016

Sensor fusion maybe used to improve detection performance in applications. The idea is to make decisions locally, and then transmit them to a global fusion centre where the global decision is made. For global decision making, Bayes or Neyman–Pearson reasoning determines the optimal use of the local decision variables. However, the determination of the local decision variables that minimise global error probability is intractable. In this study, the authors design local decisions that maximise the mutual information between a binary decision variable and the underlying binary state. This serves as a benchmark against which globally optimum solutions maybe compared. Then, they use the theory of large deviations (LDs) to determine a local decision rule that minimises asymptotic global error probability. The use of LD produces a one‐dimensional search on a receiver operating characteristic curve to equalise the error exponents for local false alarm and miss probabilities. Many interesting properties of the LD solution are proved. Numerical results illustrate the performance of the asymptotically optimum decision rule for finite collections of sensors.
Effect of low‐resolution ADCs and loop interference on multi‐user full‐duplex massive MIMO amplify‐and‐forward relaying systems
Authors: Jia Xiangdong , Zhou Meng , Xie Mangang , Yang Longxiang , Zhu Hongbo
Published: December 2016

This paper focuses on a multi‐user full‐duplex massive multiple‐input multiple‐output amplify‐and‐forward relaying system with low‐resolution analogue‐to‐digital convertors (ADCs). By modelling the loop‐interference and quantisation noise as additive noise, we perform the analyses of the achievable spectral efficiency (SE) by considering the two canonical processing schemes, maximum ratio combining/maximal ratio transmission (MRC/MRT) and zero‐forcing receive/zero‐forcing transmission (ZFR/ZFT), respectively. Specially, we first obtain the tractable closed‐form expressions of the achievable SE. Then, we present the asymptotic analyses under three different power‐scaling scenarios. Comparison analysis shows that the low‐resolution quantisers impose more performance loss on ZFR/ZFT schemes than MRC/MRT ones. At the same time, it is found that with different power‐scaling schemes, the systems have different capabilities to restrict the effect of loop interference and low‐resolution ADCs. Specially, the impact of both the loop‐interference and quantisers on achievable SE can be restricted effectively only under the power‐scaling scenario where the relay's transmission power is scaled down with the number of transmit antennas and the sources’ transmission power is fixed. For the power‐scaling case where the transmission powers of both relay and sources are scaled down simultaneously with the number of antennas, only the effect of the loop interference can be restricted, but the one of low‐resolution quantisers remains.
Hierarchical method for wind turbine prognosis using SCADA data
Authors: Chen Niya , Yu Rongrong , Chen Yao , Xie Hailian
Published: December 2016

Rapid development of wind energy requires effective wind turbine prognosis methods, which can give alarm before actual failure happens and hence enables condition‐based maintenance. A hierarchical method based on GP (Gaussian Processes) and PCA (Principal Component Analysis) is proposed in this paper for turbine prognosis using SCADA data. The method includes two levels of prognosis: 1) detect which wind turbine behaves abnormally and has potential defect; 2) determine the defective components in the abnormal turbine. On turbine level, the relationship between selected parameters and power generation is trained based on GP. Then the model residual, which is calculated as the difference between the estimated output and the actually measured power, can indicate whether the turbine is defective. On component level, the contribution of each SCADA variable to turbine abnormality can be given based on PCA method, and can be used for indicating the defective components. Field dataset including 24 failed turbines is used to validate the proposed hierarchical method. The validation results show that the proposed method can achieve wind turbine prognosis with 79% detection rate on turbine level and 76% detection rate on component level. Moreover, the method can provide several months ahead alarm before severe failure happens.
Central energy management method for photovoltaic DC micro‐grid system based on power tracking control
Authors: Han Yang , Xie XiaoGao , Deng Hao , Ma WeiZhong
Published: December 2016

To reduce the impact of high penetration of renewable energy on the utility grid and suppress the influence of micro‐grid power fluctuation on power quality, a power tracking control strategy for DC micro‐grid has been studied. Furthermore, a central energy management method (CEMM) based on this control strategy has been designed. The DC micro‐grid, which contains renewable energy and hybrid energy storage unit, is used to build a complete control system model according to the distributed power supply and its control system model. The power tracking control strategy has been analysed and designed based on frequency domain method. With the designed control strategy, the system can realise coordinated operation of the hybrid energy storage unit by absorbing the load power fluctuation within different frequency range. Furthermore, based on the CEMM, the system is controlled to absorb/deliver predefined amount of power from/to the utility grid under grid‐connected mode. In this way, smooth switching between different modes and the stable operation of the micro‐grid are realised. Finally, the function of the system is verified with an emulated DC micro‐grid system.
Label-free discrimination of membrane-translocating peptides on porous silicon microfluidic biosensors
Authors: Li Zhen , Luo Qiaohui , Wu Jianmin
Published: December 2016

A label-free optical sensor was constructed by integrating electrochemically etched porous silicon (pSi) and supported phospholipid bilayers in a microfluidic chip. The translocation of peptides through the phospholipid bilayers could induce a red shift in effective optical thickness of the pSi layer, which could be monitored by reflective interferometric Fourier transform spectroscopy. By measuring the kinetic data of membrane translocating on the phospholipid bilayers/pSi chip, the relationship between the behavior of membrane-translocating peptides (MTPs) and translocating mechanism was established. With these optical data, MTPs with different action modes on the cell membrane can be correctly discriminated. The bio-functionalized microfluidic sensor will provide a reliable and cost-effective platform to study the transmembrane behavior of peptides, which is of great importance in the MTP screening and peptide function study.
Performance and metabolism of dairy calves fed starter feed containing citrus pulp as a replacement for corn
Authors: Oltramari C. E. , Nápoles G. G. O. , De Paula M. R. , Silva J. T. , Gallo M. P. C. , Soares M. C. , Bittar C. M. M.
Published: December 2016

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of replacing corn grain with citrus pulp (CSP) in the starter concentrate on performance and metabolism of dairy calves. Twenty-four individually housed Holstein calves were blocked according to birth date and weight and fed one of the following concentrates: (1) concentrate containing 64% corn and 0% CSP (0CSP); (2) concentrate containing 32% corn and 32% CSP (32CSP); and (3) concentrate containing 0% corn and 64% CSP (64CSP). Animals were fed 4 L of milk replacer daily (20% crude protein, 16% ether extract) divided in two meals (at 0700 hours and 1800 hours). The starter feed and water were provided ad libitum. Starter intake and faecal score were monitored daily. Bodyweight and measurements (withers height, hip width and heart girth) were recorded weekly. Blood samples were collected weekly, and ruminal fluid samples at 4, 6 and 8 weeks of age, 2 h after the morning feeding. After 8 weeks, animals were harvested to evaluate the development of the proximal digestive tract. Concentrate composition had no effect (P > 0.05) on concentrate intake, weight gain, bodyweight, body measurements, and faecal score. However, there was a lower concentration of ruminal butyrate (P < 0.05) in animals receiving 0CSP than in those fed the starter containing CSP. The 0CSP concentrate resulted in a lower (P < 0.05) total weight of the proximal digestive tract, weight of the reticulum–rumen and weight of the omasum than did the other concentrates. The length of the rumen papillae was the greatest (P < 0.05) in 32CSP-fed animals. However, papillae area in animals fed 32CSP concentrate was larger (P < 0.05) than that in 0CSP- and 64CSP-fed animals, with no difference observed between these latter two treatments. However, 0CSP-fed animals showed a higher proportion of abomasum than did the animals fed 32CSP and 64CSP concentrates. The replacement of 50% or 100% of corn by CSP in the starter feed of dairy calves did not affect performance and probably contributed to the better development of the proximal digestive tract.
A survey of dairy cow wintering practices in Canterbury, New Zealand
Authors: Edwards J. P. , Mashlan K. , Dalley D. E. , Pinxterhuis J. B.
Published: December 2016

Low pasture growth rates in the South Island of New Zealand dictate the use of grazed crops and stored supplements over winter to feed dairy cows. However, grazed crops represent a significant risk for nutrient loss. Little is known about the extent of different wintering practices. The aim of the present research was to document the prevailing winter management practices in Canterbury, allowing changes in management to be tracked in the future. A telephone survey of 238 dairy farms in Canterbury (20% of the total 1208 farms) was completed in March 2016. Results indicated a heavy reliance on wintering off the milking platform (93% of the cow.weeks), mostly on support blocks managed by the dairy farmer (68%). Twenty-five per cent of the wintering occurred on a farm not owned or managed by the dairy farmer, commonly on arable farms. Kale (46%) and fodder beet (40%) were the most common winter crops fed to cows. Optimising kale and fodder beet management represents a significant opportunity to improve nutrient management and reduce nutrient loss from grazed crops.
Photosynthetic and anatomical responses of three plant species at two altitudinal levels in the Neotropical savannah
Authors: Kuster Vinícius Coelho , Barbosa de Castro Silvana Aparecida , Vale Fernando Henrique Aguiar
Published: December 2016

The phytophysiognomies of the Neotropical savannah occur at different altitudes, which can determine distinctions in the levels of light and shade that plants are exposed. The focus of the study is analysing the functional traits of the leaves of Byrsonima verbascifolia (L.) Rich., Roupala montana Aubl. and Solanum lycocarpum A. St.-Hil. growing in phytophysiognomies at two distinct altitudes. We evaluated leaf anatomy, the quantum yield of photosystem II, and the photosynthetic pigments in plants occurring at two areas of Campo sujo, which are separated by 700 m of altitude, during the rainy season. The three plant species occurring at higher altitudes had thicker adaxial epidermis. B. verbascifolia and S. lycocarpum occurring at higher altitudes had thicker palisade parenchyma, whereas only B. verbascifolia had thicker spongy parenchyma at the same site. The quantum yield of photosystem II, and photosynthetic pigments had little differences between plants occurring at higher and lower altitudes. The results analysed show high structural modifications and low physiological alterations from altitudinal conditions. Thus, the influence of the abiotic factors appears to modulate the plastic responses of plants across altitude.
Comparison of two monodominant species in New Caledonia: floristic diversity and ecological strategies of Arillastrum gummiferum (Myrtaceae) and Nothofagus aequilateralis (Nothofagaceae) rainforests
Authors: Demenois Julien , Ibanez Thomas , Read Jennifer , Carriconde Fabian
Published: December 2016

Mechanisms leading to monodominance in rainforests are still commonly discussed within the framework of forest succession. Here, we focused on the comparison of two monodominant species, Arillastrum gummiferum (Myrtaceae) and Nothofagus aequilateralis (Nothofagaceae), to try to better understand the underlying ecological mechanisms. Those two species are known to dominate the upper canopy of some rainforests on ultramafic substrates in New Caledonia. We investigated the structure, diversity and composition of Arillastrum-dominated plots and compared them with adjacent Nothofagus-dominated and mixed rainforest plots. We found that the dominance of Arillastrum was more pronounced in terms of basal area, whereas for Nothofagus the dominance was mainly in terms of stem density. Species richness and diversities in the two dominated forests were not lower than those observed in mixed rainforests, suggesting that monodominance would not lead to a limitation of diversity. Finally, our observations were consistent with a transient dominance for the two species. We suggest that resistance of Arillastrum to some wildfire regimes would allow the species to survive and regenerate, whereas Nothofagus may have a supportive strategy towards their seedlings through mycorrhizal networks. Both competitive advantages would contribute to the maintenance of monodominance.
Experimental Evidence for Olfactory Imprinting by Sockeye Salmon at Embryonic and Smolt Stages
Authors: Havey Michelle A. , Dittman Andrew H. , Quinn Thomas P. , Lema Sean C. , May Darran
Published: December 2016

Anadromous salmonids have an extraordinary ability to migrate back to their natal streams to spawn as adults, but the mechanisms underlying this ability are not completely known. Many experiments indicate that salmon imprint on natal odors at the smolt stage prior to seaward migration, but the life history and population genetics of some species, notably Sockeye Salmon Oncorhynchus nerka, suggest that imprinting also occurs during the period between hatching and emergence from the gravel as fry. To test the hypothesis that Sockeye Salmon imprint during this period, we exposed juveniles to a mixture of odorants during either the alevin or smolt stage. The smolt exposure group was further divided into different exposure durations (6 weeks, 1 week, and 1 d) to evaluate the duration of odor exposure needed for imprinting during that stage. Imprinting was assessed by testing fish as mature adults in two‐choice mazes containing unfamiliar water with and without the mixture of odorants. Fish exposed either as alevins or for 6 weeks as smolts both spent significantly more time in the odor‐scented arm than control fish (unexposed to the odors as juveniles). Fish exposed to odors for 1 week or 1 d as smolts showed similar but weaker responses. Concurrent measures of gill Na+/K+‐ATPase activity and plasma thyroxine confirmed that the fish exposed as smolts were undergoing parr–smolt transformation during exposure. We conclude that Sockeye Salmon imprinted as both alevins and smolts and that longer periods of odor exposure yielded greater behavioral responses to odors as adults, though specific times within the parr–smolt transformation period may be more sensitive to imprinting than others.

Received June 21, 2016; accepted September 13, 2016 Published online December 2, 2016
Family or friends: what counts more for drinking behaviour of young adults? / Familia o amigos: ¿qué pesa más en los hábitos de consumo de alcohol de los jóvenes?
Authors: Tartaglia Stefano , Fedi Angela , Miglietta Anna
Published: December 2016

The scientific literature stresses the importance of culture and social environment in determining what people think about alcohol consumption and consequently do. Several pieces of research have proved the influence on young adults’ alcohol use of proximal social contexts of their family and peers. The present study aimed at investigating the influence of family behaviours and norms compared to the peers’ influence in a context where the culture of alcohol is changing between the different generations. Data were collected by means of a self-report questionnaire on a sample of 598 young adults (average age 22.20 years). The variables investigated were socio-demographic characteristics, the alcohol consumption of parents and friends and the parents’ and peers’ approval of alcohol consumption. The results confirmed the role of family and friends in influencing young adults’ consumption of alcohol, stressing a difference between perceived behaviours and norms. The perceived consumption of parents and friends influenced the participants’ consumption. On the contrary, the effects of the approval of drinking were limited. Globally friends had a stronger influence on alcohol consumption in comparison with family.
Effects of exercise training on pulmonary hemodynamics, functional capacity and inflammation in pulmonary hypertension
Authors: Richter Manuel J. , Grimminger Jan , Krüger Britta , Ghofrani Hossein A. , Mooren Frank C. , Gall Henning , Pilat Christian , Krüger Karsten
Published: December 2016

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is characterized by severe exercise limitation mainly attributed to the impairment of right ventricular function resulting from a concomitant elevation of pulmonary vascular resistance and pressure. The unquestioned cornerstone in the management of patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is specific vasoactive medical therapy to improve pulmonary hemodynamics and strengthen right ventricular function. Nevertheless, evidence for a beneficial effect of exercise training (ET) on pulmonary hemodynamics and functional capacity in patients with PH has been growing during the past decade. Beneficial effects of ET on regulating factors, inflammation, and metabolism have also been described. Small case‐control studies and randomized clinical trials in larger populations of patients with PH demonstrated substantial improvements in functional capacity after ET. These findings were accompanied by several studies that suggested an effect of ET on inflammation, although a direct link between this effect and the therapeutic benefit of ET in PH has not yet been demonstrated. On this background, the aim of the present review is to describe current concepts regarding the effects of exercise on the pulmonary circulation and pathophysiological limitations, as well as the clinical and mechanistic effects of exercise in patients with PH.
An ensemble approach to protein fold classification by integration of template-based assignment and support vector machine classifier
Authors: Xia Jiaqi , Peng Zhenling , Qi Dawei , Mu Hongbo , Yang Jianyi
Published: December 2016

Motivation

Protein fold classification is a critical step in protein structure prediction. There are two possible ways to classify protein folds. One is through template-based fold assignment and the other is ab-initio prediction using machine learning algorithms. Combination of both solutions to improve the prediction accuracy was never explored before.

Results

We developed two algorithms, HH-fold and SVM-fold for protein fold classification. HH-fold is a template-based fold assignment algorithm using the HHsearch program. SVM-fold is a support vector machine-based ab-initio classification algorithm, in which a comprehensive set of features are extracted from three complementary sequence profiles. These two algorithms are then combined, resulting to the ensemble approach TA-fold. We performed a comprehensive assessment for the proposed methods by comparing with ab-initio methods and template-based threading methods on six benchmark datasets. An accuracy of 0.799 was achieved by TA-fold on the DD dataset that consists of proteins from 27 folds. This represents improvement of 5.4–11.7% over ab-initio methods. After updating this dataset to include more proteins in the same folds, the accuracy increased to 0.971. In addition, TA-fold achieved >0.9 accuracy on a large dataset consisting of 6451 proteins from 184 folds. Experiments on the LE dataset show that TA-fold consistently outperforms other threading methods at the family, superfamily and fold levels. The success of TA-fold is attributed to the combination of template-based fold assignment and ab-initio classification using features from complementary sequence profiles that contain rich evolution information.

Availability and Implementation

http://yanglab.nankai.edu.cn/TA-fold/

Supplementary information

Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
LRSSL: predict and interpret drug–disease associations based on data integration using sparse subspace learning
Authors: Liang Xujun , Zhang Pengfei , Yan Lu , Fu Ying , Peng Fang , Qu Lingzhi , Shao Meiying , Chen Yongheng , Chen Zhuchu
Published: December 2016

Motivation

Exploring the potential curative effects of drugs is crucial for effective drug development. Previous studies have indicated that integration of multiple types of information could be conducive to discovering novel indications of drugs. However, how to efficiently identify the mechanism behind drug–disease associations while integrating data from different sources remains a challenging problem.

Results

In this research, we present a novel method for indication prediction of both new drugs and approved drugs. This method is based on Laplacian regularized sparse subspace learning (LRSSL), which integrates drug chemical information, drug target domain information and target annotation information. Experimental results show that the proposed method outperforms several recent approaches for predicting drug–disease associations. Some drug therapeutic effects predicted by the method could be validated by database records or literatures. Moreover, with L1-norm constraint, important drug features have been extracted from multiple drug feature profiles. Case studies suggest that the extracted drug features could be beneficial to interpretation of the predicted results.

Availability and Implementation

https://github.com/LiangXujun/LRSSL

Supplementary information

Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
GE-mini: a mobile APP for large-scale gene expression visualization
Authors: Tang Zefang , Li Chenwei , Zhang Karena , Yang Mingyu , Hu Xueda
Published: December 2016

The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Genotype-Tissue Expression (GTEx) projects produced large-scale RNA sequencing data, which provides an opportunity for performing integrated expression analysis for all genes across tens of thousands of tumor and normal tissue specimens. Rapid access to and easy visualization of such valuable data could facilitate research in a wide biological area. Here, we present the GE-mini APP for smart phones, a mobile visualization tool for integrated gene expression data based on both TCGA and GTEx. This gene-centric expression viewer provides a convenient method for displaying expression profiles of all available tumor and tissue types, while allowing drilling down to detailed views for specific tissue types.

Availability and Implementation

Both the iOS and Android APPs are freely available to all non-commercial users in App Store and Google Play. The QR codes of App store and Google play are also provided for scanning and download. The GE-mini web server is also available at http://gemini.cancer-pku.cn/.

Supplementary information

Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Minimally invasive techniques for pain palliation in extraspinal bone metastases: a review of embolization, laser photocoagulation, percutaneous ethanol ablation, and microwave ablation
Authors: Lawrenz Joshua M. , Ilaslan Hakan , Lietman Steven A. , Joyce Michael J. , Winalski Carl S. , Mesko Nathan W.
Published: December 2016

Minimally invasive techniques are an effective primary and/or alternative modality for pain palliation in extraspinal bone metastases, particularly when conventional therapies such as localized radiation therapy leave a subset of patients with refractory pain. Previous issues in this series have reviewed outcome literature demonstrating the efficacy of cryoablation, cementoplasty, and radiofrequency ablation. Historically, selective embolization therapy has more often been described as being utilized in bone metastases within 48 hr prior to planned surgery for hypervascular tumors. Over the last decade, several series have demonstrated its success as a primary treatment modality in not only achieving immediate and sustainable pain relief but also tumor reduction, while maintaining a limited complication profile. Laser photocoagulation produces necrosis in tumor through direct heating. Though more known for its role in the treatment of liver metastases, it has been reported in spine metastases and osteoid osteomas, with no reports in extraspinal bone metastases. Percutaneous ethanol ablation, though rarely used for treatment of bone metastases, is a simple method of ablation whereby ethanol is directly injected into the tumor, inducing necrosis through cell dehydration. Given the unpredictable diffusivity of ethanol, injury to local tissues remains a risk. Microwave ablation causes heat-based tissue ablation through the local administration of microwaves. In addition to pain reduction, recent evidence demonstrates that microwave ablation can achieve substantial and sustained tumor necrosis at 1 yr. For all, reported series are retrospective and small, and future prospective, randomized trials are much needed to compare the efficacy of these treatments.
Minimally Invasive Robotically Assisted Repair of Partial Anomalous Venous Connection
Authors: Pirelli Luigi , Kliger Chad A. , Patel Nirav C. , Bono Marcella , Ruiz Carlos E. , Jelnin Vladimir , Fontana Gregory P.
Published: December 2016

We describe a novel robotically assisted minimally invasive surgical technique for repair of partial anomalous pulmonary vein connection (PAPVC). Partial anomalous pulmonary vein connection is a rare congenital anomaly that consists in drainage of one or more pulmonary veins into the systemic venous system. Traditionally, large thoracotomy incision and sometimes establishment of cardiopulmonary bypass are needed to redirect the abnormal pulmonary vein to the left-sided reservoir. We describe a robotically assisted, minimally invasive, off-pump technique for the treatment of the left PAPVC in a 57-year-old patient with signs of progressive right ventricular dilatation. The Da Vinci robot was used for mediastinal dissection and isolation of the distal aspect of the left superior anomalous pulmonary vein from the brachiocephalic vein. Through a left minithoracotomy, under direct vision, the pulmonary vein was reanastomosed to the left atrial appendage, thus reconstituting a normal venous return pattern. The use of the da Vinci robot is a valid adjunct for correction of the left PAPVC. It helps mediastinal dissection and allows reconnection of the pulmonary vein to the left venous system via a small thoracotomic incision and without the use of cardiopulmonary bypass.
Determinants of Patient Satisfaction in Celiac Disease Care
Authors: Faye Adam S. , Mahadev SriHari , Lebwohl Benjamin , Green Peter H.R.
Published: December 2016

Background and Goals:

There are little data examining patient satisfaction with celiac disease (CD) care. We sought to assess how satisfied patients are with their CD care, and to determine the influencing factors.

Study:

We distributed an online questionnaire to adults receiving programmatic updates from a CD referral center, querying aspects of CD care and using disease-specific validated instruments to measure quality of life and dietary adherence. The univariable and multivariable analyses were performed using satisfaction as a binary outcome comparing grouped “satisfied” and “very satisfied” respondents to “neutral,” “dissatisfied,” and “very dissatisfied” respondents.

Results:

Three hundred eighty-seven (22%) individuals completed the survey, and 229 met the inclusion criteria of biopsy-proven CD. Seventy-nine individuals (34.5%) reported being “very satisfied” with their CD care, 82 (35.8%) “satisfied,” 46 (20.1%) “neutral,” 14 (6.1%) “dissatisfied,” and 8 (3.5%) “very dissatisfied.” On multivariable analysis, reporting that physicians spend ample time managing CD needs (P=0.013), and having CD-antibody levels checked yearly (P=0.003), were positive predictors of patient satisfaction. Factors that were not correlated with patient satisfaction included symptom severity (P=0.268), quality of life (P=0.13), and following with a CD specialist (P=0.139).

Conclusions:

The majority of patients we surveyed were satisfied with their CD care. We found that patients report higher satisfaction when they feel physicians spend time caring for their CD needs and when they receive annual CD-antibody testing. On the basis of our study, these factors are more important than disease severity, seeing a CD specialist, and quality of life in determining patient satisfaction with CD care.
Physician-Patient Communication is Associated With Hepatocellular Carcinoma Screening in Chronic Liver Disease Patients
Authors: Li Deborah J. , Park Yikyung , Vachharajani Neeta , Aung Wint Yan , Garonzik-Wang Jacqueline , Chapman William C.
Published: December 2016

Background:

Patients with chronic liver disease are at high risk for developing liver cancer. Factors associated with screening awareness and doctor-patient communication regarding liver cancer were examined.

Study:

Four hundred sixty-seven patients with chronic liver disease at a tertiary-care clinic participated in a phone survey regarding awareness of cancer screening, doctor-patient communication, and health behaviors. Medical records were retrospectively reviewed for data on liver disease etiology and dates of liver imaging tests.

Results:

Seventy-nine percent of patients reported awareness of liver cancer screening, and 50% reported talking to their doctor about liver cancer. Patients with higher education, abstinence from alcohol, and liver cirrhosis were more likely to be aware of liver cancer screening (P=0.06, 0.005, <0.0001). Whites, patients with higher education, and those with cirrhosis were more likely to talk to their doctor about liver cancer (P=0.006; P=0.09, <0.0001). Awareness of liver cancer screening (79%) was similar to that of colorectal cancer screening (85%), lower than breast cancer screening (91%), and higher than prostate cancer screening (66%). Patients who were aware of liver cancer screening and reported talking to their doctor about liver cancer were significantly more likely to receive consistent liver surveillance (odds ratio, 4.81; 95% confidence interval, 2.62-8.84 and odds ratio, 1.97; 95% confidence interval, 1.19-3.28, respectively).

Conclusions:

Our study demonstrates the importance of effective physician communication with chronic liver disease patients on the risks of developing liver cancer and the importance of regular screening, especially among nonwhites and patients with lower education.
Soft Palate Ulcer: An Unusual Presentation of a Posttransplant Lymphoproliferative Disorder
Authors: Bahmanyar Maryam , Shakibazad Nader , Imanieh Mohammad Hadi , Dehghani Seyed Mohsen
Published: December 2016

Posttransplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD) is a serious complication of solid organ transplantation. It has several clinical manifestations, including infectious mononucleosis-like syndrome, lymphadenopathy, and other organ involvement. Soft palate ulcer is a rare manifestation of PTLD. The aim of this study is to present a 17-year-old girl with liver transplantation due to metastatic liver disease. After transplantation, she presented with a painful whitish ulcerative lesion accompanied by central necrosis in the right soft palate area measuring about 3 cm×3.5 cm. Histopathologic evaluation of the lesion showed monomorphic B-cell-type PTLD. She received 6 courses of CHOP chemotherapy plus rituximab. In the follow-up, the lesion disappeared with scar formation. Therefore, PTLD has different clinical presentations and may involve any part of the body. Therefore, when an unusual oral lesion after solid organ transplantation is observed, PTLD should be considered in addition to other differential diagnoses.
Pioneering a National Advanced Practice Leadership Council to Enhance Care Delivery in a Large 19-State Health System
Authors: Harms Dixie , Ewen Julianne Z. , Metsker Matt , Swanson Jay , Oas Kimberly H.
Published: December 2016

This article describes an innovative approach to enhancing the capacity of advanced practice clinicians (APCs) in a large faith-based health system consisting of multiple markets across the United States. With the challenges in health care today, promotion of advanced practice is vital to increasing quality and access to care while maintaining cost-effectiveness. The development of a national Advanced Practice Leadership Council led by the Vice President of Advanced Practice at Catholic Health Initiatives has been a progressive approach in mitigating the challenges facing APCs in today's health care arena. The success of the Council has led to its inclusion on the health system's national clinical governance structure. The authors discuss development of the Council along with specific information regarding various committee work, including APC state regulations, delineation of privileges, quality measures, and total compensation.
A System Approach to Advanced Practice Clinician Standardization and High Reliability
Authors: Okuno-Jones Susan , Siehoff Alice , Law Jennifer , Juarez Patricia
Published: December 2016

Advanced practice clinicians (APCs) are an integral part of the health care team. Opportunities exist within Advocate Health Care to standardize and optimize APC practice across the system. To enhance the role and talents of APCs, an approach to role definition and optimization of practice and a structured approach to orientation and evaluation are shared. Although in the early stages of development, definition and standardization of accountabilities in a framework to support system changes are transforming the practice of APCs.