bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Increased healthcare use up to 10 years among relapse‐free Hodgkin lymphoma survivors in the era of intensified chemotherapy and limited radiotherapy
Authors: Glimelius Ingrid , Eloranta Sandra , Ekberg Sara , Chang Ellen T. , Neovius Martin , Smedby Karin E.
Published: December 2016

With today's excellent cure rates for Hodgkin lymphoma (HL), the number of long‐term survivors is increasing. This study aims to provide a global assessment of late adverse effects for working‐age HL survivors treated with contemporary protocols (combination chemotherapy and limited radiotherapy). From Swedish nationwide registers we identified 1017 HL survivors diagnosed in 2000–2009, aged 18–60 years (median 32) and surviving at least one year post‐diagnosis, and 4031 age‐, sex‐, and calendar‐year‐matched population comparators. Incidence rate ratios (IRR) and 95% confidence intervals (95%CI) for outpatient visits and inpatient bed‐days after the first year up to 14 years post‐diagnosis (through 2013) were estimated across treatment subgroups, considering relapse‐free time and using negative binomial regression. Scheduled outpatient visits for HL were excluded. The rate of outpatient visits was nearly double (IRR = 1.8, 95%CI: 1.6–2.0) that among comparators and higher rates persisted up to 10 years post‐diagnosis. The rate of inpatient bed‐days among relapse‐free survivors was more than three‐fold (IRR = 3.6, 95%CI: 2.7–4.7) that of comparators and the increase persisted up to four years post‐diagnosis. Patients requiring 6‐8 chemotherapy courses had higher rates of outpatient visits (IRR = 1.4, 95%CI: 1.1–1.7) and bed‐days (IRR = 4.7, 95%CI: 2.9–7.8) than patients treated with 2–4 courses + radiotherapy. Previously seldom reported reasons for the excess healthcare use included chest pain, keratitis, asthma, diabetes mellitus, and depression. Contemporary treatment, chemotherapy in particular, was associated with excess healthcare use among HL survivors during the first decade postdiagnosis. The reasons for healthcare visits reflected a wide range of disorders, indicating the need of broad individualized care in addition to specific screening programs.
Bone marrow cellularity at day 14 is the most important predictive factor for response in patients with AML who require double‐induction chemotherapy: Analysis from a large, single institution experience
Authors: Griffin Patrick T. , Komrokji Rami S. , Sweet Kendra , Al Ali Najla H. , Padron Eric , Kubal Timothy E. , List Alan F. , Lancet Jeffrey E.
Published: December 2016

In patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML), the presence of residual disease at day 14 after primary induction therapy warrants consideration of a second induction cycle. However, data to guide retreatment decisions in such patients are presently limited. Here, we retrospectively reviewed data from 176 patients with AML treated at our institution with a second induction chemotherapy regimen because of day 14 residual disease. Clinical variables and nadir bone marrow features were assessed for correlations with complete remission (CR) and overall survival (OS). In our patient group, 59% achieved CR after a second induction course. Median OS for the entire group was 12.40 months (95% CI, 9.90‐14.90) but 19.07 months (95% CI, 13.13‐25.01) for those who attained a CR. Nadir marrow hypocellularity (P < 0.001) at day 14, absolute blast reduction of >50% (P = 0.030), and de novo disease status (P = 0.018) were significantly correlated with CR achievement after re‐induction. Marrow hypocellularity at day 14 was the most significant predictor of CR on multivariate analysis (P < 0.001). Nadir marrow features did not independently correlate with OS when accounting for CR status. Re‐induction was successful in achieving CR in most patients. Study patients who did not achieve CR were more likely to have nonhypocellular marrows.
Tens of GHz Tantalum pentoxide‐based micro‐ring all‐optical modulator for Si photonics
Authors: Wu Chung‐Lun , Hsieh Cheng‐Hsuan , Lin Gong‐Ru , Chi Wen‐Chun , Chiu Yi‐Jen , Lin Yuan‐Yao , Hung Yung‐Jr , Shih Min‐Hsiung , Chu Ann‐Kuo , Lee Chao‐Kuei
Published: December 2016

A tantalum pentoxide‐based (Ta2O5‐based) micro‐ring all‐optical modulator was fabricated. The refractive index inside the micro‐ring cavity was modified using the Kerr effect by injecting a pumped pulse. The transmittance of the ring resonator was controlled to achieve all‐optical modulation at the wavelength of the injected probe. When 12 GHz pulses with a peak power of 1.2 W were coupled in the ring cavity, the transmission spectrum of the Ta2O5 resonator was red‐shifted by 0.04 nm because of the Kerr effect. The relationship between the modulation depth and gap of the Ta2O5 directional coupler is discussed. An optimized gap of 1100 nm was obtained, and a maximum buildup factor of 11.7 with 84% modulation depth was achieved. The nonlinear refractive index of Ta2O5 at 1.55 μm was estimated as 3.4 × 10−14 cm2/W based on the Kerr effect, which is almost an order of magnitude higher than that of Si3N4. All results indicate that Ta2O5 has potential for use in nonlinear waveguide applications with modulation speeds as high as tens of GHz.

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London penetration depth and thermal fluctuations in the sulphur hydride 203 K superconductor
Authors: Talantsev E. F. , Crump W. P. , Storey J. G. , Tallon J. L.
Published: December 2016

Recently, compressed H2S has been shown to become superconducting at 203 K under a pressure of 155 GPa. One might expect fluctuations to dominate at such temperatures. Using the magnetisation critical current, we determine the ground‐state London penetration depth, λ0=189 nm, and the superconducting energy gap, Δ0=27.8 meV, and find these parameters are similar to those of cuprate superconductors. We also determine the fluctuation temperature scale, K, which shows that, unlike the cuprates, of the hydride is not limited by fluctuations. This is due to its three dimensionality and suggests the search for better superconductors should refocus on three‐dimensional systems where the inevitable thermal fluctuations are less likely to reduce the observed .

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Organisation von Metalloxid‐Nanowürfeln durch Hydroxylierung
Authors: Thomele Daniel , Bourret Gilles R. , Bernardi Johannes , Bockstedte Michel , Diwald Oliver
Published: December 2016

Wasserdampf kann die Form und Anordnung von Nanopartikeln entscheidend beeinflussen. Inwieweit dies für die Steuerung der Struktur und Eigenschaften von Nanomaterialien nutzbar ist, wurde bislang allerdings kaum erforscht. Hier wird über die durch Wasserdampf ausgelöste Selbstorganisation von MgO‐Nanowürfeln in regelmäßig versetzte eindimensionale Anordnungen berichtet. Diese Transformation erfolgt über eine anfängliche geordnete Anlagerung der MgO‐Würfel, hat die Bildung von länglichen Mg(OH)2‐Strukturen zum Zwischenzustand und endet mit der Rückumwandlung in Stapel aus versetzt gestuften MgO‐Nanowürfeln. Mittels Ab‐initio‐Modellierung konnten die durch Hydratisierung und Hydroxylierung bedingten Änderungen der Energie der Würfeloberflächen als Auslöser und Triebkraft für die ungewöhnliche, gestufte Anordnung der Würfel identifiziert werden. Diese Selbstorganisation von Metalloxid‐Nanopartikeln außerhalb einer flüssigen Umgebungsphase bietet einen neuen Ansatz zur Steuerung keramischer Mikrostrukturen und sowie eine Möglichkeit zur Überprüfung oberflächenwissenschaftlicher Konzepte.
Polymere Selectinliganden als komplexe Glykomimetika: von Selectinbindung bis zur Modifizierung der Makrophagenmigration
Authors: Moog Kai E. , Barz Matthias , Bartneck Matthias , Beceren‐Braun Figen , Mohr Nicole , Wu Zhuojun , Braun Lydia , Dernedde Jens , Liehn Elisa A. , Tacke Frank , Lammers Twan , Kunz Horst , Zentel Rudolf
Published: December 2016

Bei neuartigen polymeren Inhibitoren der Zelladhäsion wird das Selectin‐bindende Tetrasaccharid Sialyl‐LewisX (SLeX) multivalent auf einem biokompatiblen Poly(2‐hydroxypropyl)methacrylamid (PHPMA) entweder alleine (P1) oder in Kombination mit O‐sulfatierten Tyramin‐Seitenketten (P2) präsentiert. Zum Vergleich wurden entsprechende polymere Glykomimetika hergestellt, in denen die entscheidenden Fucose‐, Galactose und Sialinsäure‐Seitenketten statistisch verteilt im PHPMA‐Rückgrat (P3 oder P4 (O‐sulfatiertes Tyramin) vorliegen. Alle Polymere haben den gleichen Polymerisationsgrad, da sie vom selben Ausgangspolymer abstammen. Assays für die Bindung an Selectine, aktivierte Endothelzellen und Makrophagen zeigen, dass PHPMA mit SLeX exzellent an E‐, L‐ und P‐Selectine bindet. Das Mimetikum P4 kann allerdings vergleichbare Bindungsaffinitäten bei In‐vitro‐Messungen erzielen und inhibiert überraschenderweise signifikant die Migration von Makrophagen; dies eröffnet neue Perspektiven für die Therapie schwerer Entzündungen.
Object‐based Shell Craters Classification from LiDAR‐derived Sky‐view Factor
Authors: Magnini Luigi , Bettineschi Cinzia , De Guio Armando
Published: December 2016

This paper presents the results of the first attempt to assess, identify and quantify the residual number of shell craters of World War I currently present in the Vezzena/Luserna/Lavarone Plateau, areas of Millegrobbe, Bisele and Cima Campo (Province of Trento, Italy). Historical sources report the existence of several thousand artillery explosions: therefore, a field survey or a classic photo‐interpretation would be labour‐intensive and highly time‐consuming. For this reason, a digital terrain model (DTM) of the test‐site was processed using the Sky‐view Factor algorithm and was analysed with an object‐based approach, which implied: (1) multiresolution segmentation; (2) classification (main features considered size, shape and colour).

The automatically classified shell craters were thus verified during anin situsurvey that determined the accuracy of the method in the order of 84% of the total occurrences. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Event‐Triggered Iterative Learning Control for Multi‐Agent Systems with Quantization
Authors: Zhang Ting , Li Junmin
Published: December 2016

The emergence of networked control systems urges the digital control design to integrate communication constraints efficiently. In order to accommodate this requirement, this paper investigates the joint design of tracking problem for multi‐agent system (MAS) in the presence of resource‐limited communication channel and quantization. An event‐triggered robust learning control with quantization is firstly proposed and employed for MAS in this paper. The new event‐triggered distributed robust learning control system with the introduction of logarithmic quantization guarantees the asymptotic tracking property on the finite interval. Convergence analysis is given based on the Lyapunov direct method. Finally, numerical simulations are given to illustrate the efficacy of the event‐triggered approach compared with time‐triggered controllers.
High levels of iron supplementation prevents neural tube defects in the Fpn1ffe mouse model
Authors: Stokes Bethany A. , Sabatino Julia A. , Zohn Irene E.
Published: December 2016

Background

Periconception maternal nutrition and folate in particular are important factors influencing the incidence of neural tube defects (NTDs). Many but not all NTDs are prevented by folic acid supplementation and there is a pressing need for additional strategies to prevent these birth defects. Other micronutrients such as iron are potential candidates, yet a clear role for iron deficiency in contributing to NTDs is lacking. Our previous studies with the flatiron (ffe) mouse model of Ferroportin1 (Fpn1) deficiency suggest that iron is required for neural tube closure and forebrain development raising the possibility that iron supplementation could prevent NTDs.

Methods

We determined the effect of periconception iron and/or folic acid supplementation on the penetrance of NTDs in the Fpn1ffe mouse model. Concurrently, measurements of folate and iron were made to ensure supplementation had the intended effects.

Results

High levels of iron supplementation significantly reduced the incidence of NTDs in Fpn1ffe mutants. Fpn1 deficiency resulted in reduced folate levels in both pregnant dams and embryos. Yet folic acid supplementation did not prevent NTDs in the Fpn1ffe model. Similarly, forebrain truncations were rescued with iron. Surprisingly, the high levels of iron supplementation used in this study caused folate deficiency in wild‐type dams and embryos.

Conclusion

Our results demonstrate that iron supplementation can prevent NTDs and forebrain truncations in the Fpn1ffe model. Surprisingly, high levels of iron supplementation and iron overload can cause folate deficiency. If iron is essential for neural tube closure, it is possible that iron deficiency might contribute to NTDs. Birth Defects Research 109:81–91, 2017. © 2016 The Authors Birth Defects Research Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Confidence intervals for directly standardized rates using mid‐p gamma intervals
Authors: Fay Michael P. , Kim Sungwook
Published: December 2016

Directly standardized rates continue to be an integral tool for presenting rates for diseases that are highly dependent on age, such as cancer. Statistically, these rates are modeled as a weighted sum of Poisson random variables. This is a difficult statistical problem, because there are k observed Poisson variables and k unknown means. The gamma confidence interval has been shown through simulations to have at least nominal coverage in all simulated scenarios, but it can be overly conservative. Previous modifications to that method have closer to nominal coverage on average, but they do not achieve the nominal coverage bound in all situations. Further, those modifications are not central intervals, and the upper coverage error rate can be substantially more than half the nominal error. Here we apply a mid‐p modification to the gamma confidence interval. Typical mid‐p methods forsake guaranteed coverage to get coverage that is sometimes higher and sometimes lower than the nominal coverage rate, depending on the values of the parameters. The mid‐p gamma interval does not have guaranteed coverage in all situations; however, in the (not rare) situations where the gamma method is overly conservative, the mid‐p gamma interval often has at least nominal coverage. The mid‐p gamma interval is especially appropriate when one wants a central interval, since simulations show that in many situations both the upper and lower coverage error rates are on average less than or equal to half the nominal error rate.
Multi‐objective global optimization (MOGO): Algorithm and case study in gradient elution chromatography
Authors: Freier Lars , von Lieres Eric
Published: December 2016

Biotechnological separation processes are routinely designed and optimized using parallel high‐throughput experiments and/or serial experiments. Well‐characterized processes can further be optimized using mechanistic models. In all these cases – serial/parallel experiments and modeling – iterative strategies are customarily applied for planning novel experiments/simulations based on the previously acquired knowledge. Process optimization is typically complicated by conflicting design targets, such as productivity and yield. We address these issues by introducing a novel algorithm that combines recently developed approaches for utilizing statistical regression models in multi‐objective optimization. The proposed algorithm is demonstrated by simultaneous optimization of elution gradient and pooling strategy for chromatographic separation of a three‐component system with respect to purity, yield, and processing time. Gaussian Process Regression Models (GPM) are used for estimating functional relationships between design variables (gradient, pooling) and performance indicators (purity, yield, time). The Pareto front is iteratively approximated by planning new experiments such as to maximize the Expected Hypervolume Improvement (EHVI) as determined from the GPM by Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) sampling. A comprehensive Monte‐Carlo study with in‐silico data illustrates efficiency, effectiveness and robustness of the presented Multi‐Objective Global Optimization (MOGO) algorithm in determining best compromises between conflicting objectives with comparably very low experimental effort.
DbpA is a region‐specific RNA helicase
Authors: Moore Anthony F. T. , Gentry Riley C. , Koculi Eda
Published: December 2016

DbpA is a DEAD‐box RNA helicase implicated in RNA structural rearrangements in the peptidyl transferase center. DbpA contains an RNA binding domain, responsible for tight binding of DbpA to hairpin 92 of 23S ribosomal RNA, and a RecA‐like catalytic core responsible for double‐helix unwinding. It is not known if DbpA unwinds only the RNA helices that are part of a specific RNA structure, or if DbpA unwinds any RNA helices within the catalytic core's grasp. In other words, it is not known if DbpA is a site‐specific enzyme or region‐specific enzyme. In this study, we used protein and RNA engineering to investigate if DbpA is a region‐specific or a site‐specific enzyme. Our data suggest that DbpA is a region‐specific enzyme. This conclusion has an important implication for the physiological role of DbpA. It suggests that during ribosome assembly, DbpA could bind with its C‐terminal RNA binding domain to hairpin 92, while its catalytic core may unwind any double‐helices in its vicinity. The only requirement for a double‐helix to serve as a DbpA substrate is for the double‐helix to be positioned within the catalytic core's grasp.
Simplified AIP‐II Peptidomimetics Are Potent Inhibitors of Staphylococcus aureus AgrC Quorum Sensing Receptors
Authors: Vasquez Joseph K. , Tal‐Gan Yftah , Cornilescu Gabriel , Tyler Kimberly A. , Blackwell Helen E.
Published: December 2016

The bacterial pathogen Staphylococcus aureus controls many aspects of virulence by using the accessory gene regulator (agr) quorum sensing (QS) system. The agr system is activated by a macrocyclic peptide signal known as an autoinducing peptide (AIP). We sought to develop structurally simplified mimetics of AIPs for use as chemical tools to study QS in S. aureus. Herein, we report new peptidomimetic AgrC receptor inhibitors based on a tail‐truncated AIP‐II peptide that have almost analogous inhibitory activities to the parent peptide. Structural comparison of one of these peptidomimetics to the parent peptide and a highly potent, all‐peptide‐derived, S. aureus agr inhibitor (AIP‐III D4A) revealed a conserved hydrophobic motif and overall amphipathic nature. Our results suggest that the AIP scaffold is amenable to structural mimicry and minimization for the development of synthetic agr inhibitors.
Accelerating the phylogenetic parsimony function on heterogeneous systems
Authors: Santander‐Jiménez Sergio , Ilic Aleksandar , Sousa Leonel , Vega‐Rodríguez Miguel A.
Published: December 2016

The availability of heterogeneous CPU+GPU systems has opened the door to new opportunities for the development of parallel solutions to tackle complex biological problems. The reconstruction of evolutionary histories among species represents a grand computational challenge, which can be addressed by exploiting this kind of hardware designs. In this research, we study the application of heterogeneous computing with OpenCL to accelerate one of the most well‐known objective functions for inferring phylogenies, the phylogenetic parsimony function. For this purpose, we undertake the design of CPU and GPU kernel implementations of this relevant function, proposing a heterogeneous CPU+GPU multidevice approach that distributes multiple parsimony evaluations among processing devices. Experiments on 6 real nucleotide data sets and comparisons with other parallel implementations give account of the benefits of the proposal in this paper, obtaining significant parallel results by combining CPU and GPU capabilities in accordance with the characteristics of the input data.
Efficient and high‐quality sparse graph coloring on GPUs
Authors: Chen Xuhao , Li Pingfan , Fang Jianbin , Tang Tao , Wang Zhiying , Yang Canqun
Published: December 2016

Graph coloring has been broadly used to discover concurrency in parallel computing. To speed up graph coloring for large‐scale datasets, parallel algorithms have been proposed to leverage modern GPUs. Existing GPU implementations either have limited performance or yield unsatisfactory coloring quality (too many colors assigned). We present a work‐efficient parallel graph coloring implementation on GPUs with good coloring quality. Our approach uses the speculative greedy scheme, which inherently yields better quality than the method of finding maximal independent set. To achieve high performance on GPUs, we refine the algorithm to leverage efficient operators and alleviate conflicts. We also incorporate common optimization techniques to further improve performance. Our method is evaluated with both synthetic and real‐world sparse graphs on the NVIDIA GPU. Experimental results show that our proposed implementation achieves averaged 4.1 ×  (up to 8.9 × ) speedup over the serial implementation. It also outperforms the existing GPU implementation from the NVIDIA CUSPARSE library (2.2 ×  average speedup), while yielding much better coloring quality than CUSPARSE.
Consequences of Ca Codoping in YAlO3:Ce Single Crystals
Authors: Moretti Federico , Hovhannesyan Karine , Derdzyan Marina , Bizarri Gregory A. , Bourret Edith D. , Petrosyan Ashot G. , Dujardin Christophe
Published: December 2016

The influence of Ca codoping on the optical absorption, photo‐, radio‐, and thermo‐luminescence properties of YAlO3:Ce (YAP:Ce) crystals has been studied for four different calcium concentrations ranging from 0 to 500 ppm. Ca codoping results in a partial oxidation of Ce3+ into Ce4+, The luminescence time response under pulsed X‐ray excitation of the Ce3+/Ce4+ admixure clearly demonstrates the role of hole migration on both the rise time and the generally observed slow components. From an application point of view, Ca codoping significantly improves the timing performances, but the induced presence of Ce4+ ions is also the cause of a reduction in scintillation efficiency.
A new theory of plant–microbe nutrient competition resolves inconsistencies between observations and model predictions
Authors: Zhu Qing , Riley William J. , Tang Jinyun
Published: December 2016

Terrestrial plants assimilate anthropogenic CO2 through photosynthesis and synthesizing new tissues. However, sustaining these processes requires plants to compete with microbes for soil nutrients, which therefore calls for an appropriate understanding and modeling of nutrient competition mechanisms in Earth System Models (ESMs). Here, we survey existing plant–microbe competition theories and their implementations in ESMs. We found no consensus regarding the representation of nutrient competition and that observational and theoretical support for current implementations are weak. To reconcile this situation, we applied the Equilibrium Chemistry Approximation (ECA) theory to plant–microbe nitrogen competition in a detailed grassland 15N tracer study and found that competition theories in current ESMs fail to capture observed patterns and the ECA prediction simplifies the complex nature of nutrient competition and quantitatively matches the 15N observations. Since plant carbon dynamics are strongly modulated by soil nutrient acquisition, we conclude that (1) predicted nutrient limitation effects on terrestrial carbon accumulation by existing ESMs may be biased and (2) our ECA‐based approach may improve predictions by mechanistically representing plant–microbe nutrient competition.
Repeatability and correlation of physiological traits: Do ectotherms have a “thermal type”?
Authors: Goulet Celine T. , Thompson Michael B. , Chapple David G.
Published: December 2016

Across a range of taxa, individuals within a species differ in suites of correlated traits. These trait complexes, known as syndromes, can have dramatic evolutionary consequences as they do not evolve independently but rather as a unit. Current research focuses primarily on syndromes relating to aspects of behavior and life history. What is less clear is whether physiological traits also form a syndrome. We measured 10 thermal traits in the delicate skink, Lampropholis delicata, to test this idea. Repeatability was calculated and their across‐context correlations evaluated. Our results were in alignment with our predictions in that individual thermal traits varied consistently and were structured into a physiological syndrome, which we are referring to as the thermal behavior syndrome (TBS). Within this syndrome, lizards exhibited a “thermal type” with each being ranked along a cold–hot continuum. Hot types had faster sprint speeds and higher preferred body temperatures, whereas the opposite was true for cold types. We conclude that physiological traits may evolve as a single unit driven by the need to maintain optimal temperatures that enable fitness‐related behaviors to be maximized.
One‐Step Synthesis of Co3O4/Graphene Aerogels and Their All‐Solid‐State Asymmetric Supercapacitor
Authors: Yan Huijun , Bai Jianwei , Liao Mingrui , He Yang , Liu Qi , Liu Jingyuan , Zhang Hongsen , Li Zhanshuang , Wang Jun
Published: December 2016

A facile one‐step hydrothermal strategy has been developed to prepare 3D porous Co3O4/graphene aerogel (Co3O4/GA). Due to the combination of a highly interconnected 3D network of GA and porous Co3O4 nanospheres, the resulting Co3O4/GA electrode exhibits exceptional electrical conductivity and pseudocapacitance, making it an excellent material for energy‐storage devices. The Co3O4/GA composites possess a high specific surface area of 127 m2 g–1 and a broad pore‐size distribution of 1–110 nm. The presence of porous Co3O4 is found to be remarkably effective in enhancing the specific capacitance of the composite aerogel, up to 1512.7 F g–1 at 1 A g–1. Furthermore, the combination of the two aerogel electrodes with a LiOH/PVA‐gel electrolyte endows our all‐solid‐state asymmetric supercapacitor (SASC) of Co3O4/GA//GA with a stable cycling performance in the high‐voltage region of 0–1.6 V (capacitance retention of 81.5 % after 5000 continuous charge/discharge cycles), and superior electrochemical performance, with an energy density of 68.1 W h kg–1 at a power density of 982.9 W kg–1, which is even higher than the maximum energy density of 58.7 W h kg–1 at a power density of 1209.4 W kg–1 of this ASC in a liquid‐state electrolyte. These results indicate that Co3O4/GA could be a potential candidate in the field of supercapacitors.
Iron(II) and Zinc(II) Complexes with Tetradentate Bis(pyrazolyl)methane Ligands as Catalysts for the Ring‐Opening Polymerisation of rac‐Lactide
Authors: Herber Ulrich , Hegner Katharina , Wolters Daniel , Siris Rita , Wrobel Karina , Hoffmann Alexander , Lochenie Charles , Weber Birgit , Kuckling Dirk , Herres‐Pawlis Sonja
Published: December 2016

A new subgroup of bis(pyrazolyl)methane ligands has been developed through the synthesis of the first N,N,N,N‐tetradentate bis(pyrazolyl)methane compounds, namely, bis(pyrazolyl)bipyridinylmethane [HC(Pz)2Bipy, L1] and bis(3,5‐methylpyrazolyl)bipyridinylmethane [HC(3,5‐MePz)2Bipy, L2]. From these ligands, a large variety of new mononuclear FeII and ZnII complexes with counterions ranging from halides to carboxylates and sulfate were synthesised and characterised by X‐ray crystallography. The complexes [Fe{HC(Pz)2Bipy}X2] (X = Cl–, CF3CO2–, CF3SO3–), [Fe{HC(3,5‐MePz)2Bipy}X2] (X = Cl–, CF3CO2–) and [Zn{HC(Pz)2Bipy}X2] (X = Cl–, CF3CO2–) were tested in the melt ring‐opening polymerisation of sublimed and unsublimed technical‐grade rac‐lactide at 150 °C. The complex [Fe{HC(Pz)2Bipy}(CF3CO2)2] showed the most promising results and produced a conversion of 87 % after 30 h with molecular weights of Mw ≈ 30000 g mol–1.
LiCa4Si4N8F and LiSr4Si4N8F: Nitridosilicate Fluorides with a BCT‐Zeolite‐Type Network Structure
Authors: Horky Katrin , Schnick Wolfgang
Published: December 2016

LiCa4Si4N8F and LiSr4Si4N8F were synthesized from Si3N4, LiNH2, CaH2/SrH2, and LiF through a metathesis reaction in a radiofrequency furnace. The crystal structures of both compounds were solved and refined on the basis of single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction data [LiCa4Si4N8F: P21/c (no. 14), a = 10.5108(3), b = 9.0217(3), c = 10.3574(3) Å, β = 117.0152(10)°, R1 = 0.0422, wR2 = 0.0724, Z = 4; LiSr4Si4N8F: P4nc (no. 104), a = 9.3118(4), b = 9.3118(4), c = 5.5216(2) Å, R1 = 0.0160, wR2 = 0.0388, Z = 2]. The silicate substructure of both compounds is built up of vertex‐sharing SiN4 tetrahedra, thereby forming a structure analogous to the BCT zeolite with Ca2+/Sr2+, Li+, and F– ions filling the voids. The crystal structure of LiSr4Si4N8F is homeotypic with that of Li2Sr4Si4N8O as it exhibits the same zeolite‐type [SiN2]2– framework, but incorporates LiF instead of Li2O. In contrast to the respective Sr compound, LiCa4Si4N8F shows a distortion of the BCT‐zeolite‐type network as well as an additional site for F. Both F sites in LiCa4Si4N8F exhibit different coordination spheres to LiSr4Si4N8F. The title compounds are the first reported lithium alkaline‐earth nitridosilicates containing fluorine. The crystal structures were confirmed by lattice‐energy calculations (MAPLE), energy‐dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy (EDX) measurements, and powder X‐ray diffraction. IR spectra confirmed the absence of N–H bonds.
Organocatalyst Efficiency in the α‐Aminoxylation and α‐Hydrazination of Carbonyl Derivatives in Aqueous Media or in a Ball‐Mill
Authors: Veverková Eva , Modrocká Viktória , Šebesta Radovan
Published: December 2016

Pyrrolidine‐derived organocatalysts have been tested in two types of α‐heterofunctionalization reactions in aqueous media or under solvent‐free ball‐milling conditions. The best results in terms of both activity and enantioselectivity were obtained with O‐silylated 4‐hydroxyproline derivatives in the α‐aminoxylation reaction between n‐butyraldehyde and nitrosobenzene (83 % yield in water, 86 % yield by ball milling and ee > 99 %). A very good yield (82 %) and excellent optical purity (ee > 99 %) were also achieved in the α‐hydrazination reaction of 3‐phenylpropanal with dibenzyl azodicarboxylate by the ball‐milling technique.
Evaluating the effects of triclosan on 3 field crops grown in 4 formulations of biosolids
Authors: Shahmohamadloo René S. , Lissemore Linda , Prosser Ryan S. , Sibley Paul K.
Published: December 2016

A growing body of evidence suggests that amending soil with biosolids can be an integral component of sustainable agriculture. Despite strong evidence supporting its beneficial use in agriculture, there are concerns that chemicals, such as pharmaceuticals and personal care products, could present a risk to terrestrial ecosystems and human health. Triclosan is one of the most commonly detected compounds in biosolids. To date, laboratory studies indicate that triclosan likely poses a de minimis risk to field crops; however, these studies were either conducted under unrealistic exposure conditions or only assessed 1 or 2 formulations of biosolids. The purpose of the present study was to characterize the effects of triclosan on field crops in soils amended with 4 different formulations of biosolids (liquid, dewatered, compost, and alkaline-hydrolyzed), containing both background and spiked triclosan concentrations, following best management practices used in the province of Ontario. Three crop species (corn, soybean, and spring wheat) were evaluated using several plant growth endpoints (e.g., root wet mass, shoot length, shoot wet/dry mass) in 70-d to 90-d potted soil tests. The results indicated no adverse impact of triclosan on any crop-biosolids combination. Conversely, amending soil with biosolids either enhanced or had no negative effect, on the growth of plants. Results of the present study suggest little risk of triclosan to crops in agricultural fields amended with biosolids. Environ Toxicol Chem 2017;36:1896–1908. © 2016 SETAC
Estimating quantities and sources of marine debris at a continental scale
Authors: Hardesty Britta Denise , Lawson TJ , van der Velde Tonya , Lansdell Matt , Wilcox Chris
Published: December 2016

Marine debris is recognized as an important global issue that can negatively affect wildlife, habitats, environmental processes, ecosystem services, and human activities including tourism, fishing, and navigation. To improve understanding of the sources and impacts of marine debris, we carried out a national litter survey at 175 sites around Australia using a stratified random sampling approach. Litter from land‐ and sea‐based sources is ubiquitous, and sampling effects related to coastline shape, substrate characteristics, gradient, and backshore type were highly significant. Source effects related to land‐based sources (eg population density and distance to road) were also highly significant. Of the total debris sampled, approximately 75% was plastic; 2% was related to recreational fishing. Litter density significantly increased with proximity to urban areas, suggesting a domestic origin; statistical patterns suggest that illegal rubbish disposal is a major driver. By quantifying debris at a large scales and distinguishing potential litter sources, we can better develop scale‐appropriate solutions to reduce debris inputs to the environment.
Molecular determinism of specific anosmia to 2‐bromo‐4‐methylphenol
Authors: Tempere Sophie , Schaaper Marie‐Hélène , Lytra Georgia , Barbe Jean‐Christophe , Riquier Laurent , Marchand Stephanie , de Revel Gilles , Sicard Gilles
Published: December 2016

Several studies have revealed considerable variations in human chemosensory capacities. Considerable interindividual differences in sensitivity to various odorants and specific hyposmias are well known. Many chemical studies have focused on elucidating structure‐odour relationships on the basis of detection threshold measurements. The basic idea of quantitative structure‐activity relationship studies is that a molecule's structure provides information about its biological activity. In a recent sensory assay of 2‐bromo‐4‐methylphenol, Barbe et al. (2014) highlighted a noticeable bimodal distribution of individual sensitivity with large interindividual differences. The aim of the present study was to investigate the link between the chemical structure of 2‐bromo‐4‐methylphenol and this bimodal distribution. The olfactory phenotypes for a selection of six structurally related halogenated compounds were compared using detection thresholds determination. This study revealed that specific anosmia for 2‐bromo‐4‐methylphenol was apparently linked to the halogenated substitution position. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Dietary flavonoid intake and colorectal cancer risk in the European prospective investigation into cancer and nutrition (EPIC) cohort
Authors: Zamora‐Ros Raul , Barupal Dinesh K. , Rothwell Joseph A. , Jenab Mazda , Fedirko Veronika , Romieu Isabelle , Aleksandrova Krasimira , Overvad Kim , Kyrø Cecilie , Tjønneland Anne , Affret Aurélie , His Mathilde , Boutron‐Ruault Marie‐Christine , Katzke Verena , Kühn Tilman , Boeing Heiner , Trichopoulou Antonia , Naska Androniki , Kritikou Maria , Saieva Calogero , Agnoli Claudia , Santucci de Magistris Maria , Tumino Rosario , Fasanelli Francesca , Weiderpass Elisabete , Skeie Guri , Merino Susana , Jakszyn Paula , Sánchez Maria‐José , Dorronsoro Miren , Navarro Carmen , Ardanaz Eva , Sonestedt Emily , Ericson Ulrika , Maria Nilsson Lena , Bodén Stina , Bueno‐de‐Mesquita H. B(as) , Peeters Petra H. , Perez‐Cornago Aurora , Wareham Nicholas J. , Khaw Kay‐Thee , Freisling Heinz , Cross Amanda J. , Riboli Elio , Scalbert Augustin
Published: December 2016

Flavonoids have been shown to inhibit colon cancer cell proliferation in vitro and protect against colorectal carcinogenesis in animal models. However, epidemiological evidence on the potential role of flavonoid intake in colorectal cancer (CRC) development remains sparse and inconsistent. We evaluated the association between dietary intakes of total flavonoids and their subclasses and risk of development of CRC, within the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) study. A cohort of 477,312 adult men and women were recruited in 10 European countries. At baseline, dietary intakes of total flavonoids and individual subclasses were estimated using centre‐specific validated dietary questionnaires and composition data from the Phenol‐Explorer database. During an average of 11 years of follow‐up, 4,517 new cases of primary CRC were identified, of which 2,869 were colon (proximal = 1,298 and distal = 1,266) and 1,648 rectal tumours. No association was found between total flavonoid intake and the risk of overall CRC (HR for comparison of extreme quintiles 1.05, 95% CI 0.93–1.18; p‐trend = 0.58) or any CRC subtype. No association was also observed with any intake of individual flavonoid subclasses. Similar results were observed for flavonoid intake expressed as glycosides or aglycone equivalents. Intake of total flavonoids and flavonoid subclasses, as estimated from dietary questionnaires, did not show any association with risk of CRC development.
Outdoor air pollution and risk for kidney parenchyma cancer in 14 European cohorts
Authors: Raaschou‐Nielsen Ole , Pedersen Marie , Stafoggia Massimo , Weinmayr Gudrun , Andersen Zorana J. , Galassi Claudia , Sommar Johan , Forsberg Bertil , Olsson David , Oftedal Bente , Krog Norun H. , Aasvang Gunn Marit , Pyko Andrei , Pershagen Göran , Korek Michal , De Faire Ulf , Pedersen Nancy L. , Östenson Claes‐Göran , Fratiglioni Laura , Sørensen Mette , Eriksen Kirsten T. , Tjønneland Anne , Peeters Petra H. , Bueno‐de‐Mesquita H. B(as) , Plusquin Michelle , Key Timothy J. , Jaensch Andrea , Nagel Gabriele , Föger Bernhard , Wang Meng , Tsai Ming‐Yi , Grioni Sara , Marcon Alessandro , Krogh Vittorio , Ricceri Fulvio , Sacerdote Carlotta , Migliore Enrica , Tamayo Ibon , Amiano Pilar , Dorronsoro Miren , Sokhi Ranjeet , Kooter Ingeborg , de Hoogh Kees , Beelen Rob , Eeftens Marloes , Vermeulen Roel , Vineis Paolo , Brunekreef Bert , Hoek Gerard
Published: December 2016

Several studies have indicated weakly increased risk for kidney cancer among occupational groups exposed to gasoline vapors, engine exhaust, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and other air pollutants, although not consistently. It was the aim to investigate possible associations between outdoor air pollution at the residence and the incidence of kidney parenchyma cancer in the general population. We used data from 14 European cohorts from the ESCAPE study. We geocoded and assessed air pollution concentrations at baseline addresses by land‐use regression models for particulate matter (PM10, PM2.5, PMcoarse, PM2.5 absorbance (soot)) and nitrogen oxides (NO2, NOx), and collected data on traffic. We used Cox regression models with adjustment for potential confounders for cohort‐specific analyses and random effects models for meta‐analyses to calculate summary hazard ratios (HRs). The 289,002 cohort members contributed 4,111,908 person‐years at risk. During follow‐up (mean 14.2 years) 697 incident cancers of the kidney parenchyma were diagnosed. The meta‐analyses showed higher HRs in association with higher PM concentration, e.g. HR = 1.57 (95%CI: 0.81–3.01) per 5 μg/m3 PM2.5 and HR = 1.36 (95%CI: 0.84–2.19) per 10−5m−1 PM2.5 absorbance, albeit never statistically significant. The HRs in association with nitrogen oxides and traffic density on the nearest street were slightly above one. Sensitivity analyses among participants who did not change residence during follow‐up showed stronger associations, but none were statistically significant. Our study provides suggestive evidence that exposure to outdoor PM at the residence may be associated with higher risk for kidney parenchyma cancer; the results should be interpreted cautiously as associations may be due to chance.
Identification of human papillomavirus (HPV) 16 DNA integration and the ensuing patterns of methylation in HPV‐associated head and neck squamous cell carcinoma cell lines
Authors: Hatano Takashi , Sano Daisuke , Takahashi Hideaki , Hyakusoku Hiroshi , Isono Yasuhiro , Shimada Shoko , Sawakuma Kae , Takada Kentaro , Oikawa Ritsuko , Watanabe Yoshiyuki , Yamamoto Hiroyuki , Itoh Fumio , Myers Jeffrey N. , Oridate Nobuhiko
Published: December 2016

Recent studies showed that human papillomavirus (HPV) integration contributes to the genomic instability seen in HPV‐associated head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HPV‐HNSCC). However, the epigenetic alterations induced after HPV integration remains unclear. To identify the molecular details of HPV16 DNA integration and the ensuing patterns of methylation in HNSCC, we performed next‐generation sequencing using a target‐enrichment method for the effective identification of HPV16 integration breakpoints as well as the characterization of genomic sequences adjacent to HPV16 integration breakpoints with three HPV16‐related HNSCC cell lines. The DNA methylation levels of the integrated HPV16 genome and that of the adjacent human genome were also analyzed by bisulfite pyrosequencing. We found various integration loci, including novel integration sites. Integration loci were located predominantly in the intergenic region, with a significant enrichment of the microhomologous sequences between the human and HPV16 genomes at the integration breakpoints. Furthermore, various levels of methylation within both the human genome and the integrated HPV genome at the integration breakpoints in each integrant were observed. Allele‐specific methylation analysis suggested that the HPV16 integrants remained hypomethylated when the flanking host genome was hypomethylated. After integration into highly methylated human genome regions, however, the HPV16 DNA became methylated. In conclusion, we found novel integration sites and methylation patterns in HPV‐HNSCC using our unique method. These findings may provide insights into understanding of viral integration mechanism and virus‐associated carcinogenesis of HPV‐HNSCC.
Reorganization of Psychiatric Services in the Sydney Metropolitan Area
Authors: Wills S. E.
Published: December 2016

An outline is given of the historical background of current attempts to modernize State psychiatric services in New South Wales. A four‐phase developmental pattern in the current decentralization of facilities is described, with special reference to some traditional institutional obstacles to progress in the task of attaining an enhanced relatedness of services to community needs. It is concluded that a major deficiency in the current organization of the State‐sponsored services is the lack of systematic evaluation of the effectiveness of programmes established in the past few years.
A New Approach to Social Welfare Problems
Authors: Chamberlain Edna
Published: December 2016

Inadequacies in social welfare systems are reviewed, with particular reference to the hiatus between the ideology which emphasizes stability and that which fosters radical change. Not least of the forces inimical to change have been the bureaucratic organization and professional self‐preoccupation of social welfare agencies and their personnel. Choices among new strategies for social action, using both consensual and conflictual models, now confront social welfare workers in this country.
The Single‐Parent Family in Australia: An Overview
Authors: Schlesinger Benjamin
Published: December 2016

Studies of single‐parent families in Australia are reviewed and statistical trends related to this type of family pattern are discussed. It is quite evident that family sociology has paid little attention to this growing population in Australia. The categories reviewed include single parents, unmarried mothers, widows, deserted wives and the families of prisoners.
Urban Dispersal in Australia
Authors: Ryan R. J.
Published: December 2016

In a recent issue of the Journal, Professor R. E. Lonsdale argued that the relatively successful American experience of decentralization suggests serious difficulties in attempting a comparable programme in Australia. His comparisons, while illuminating many of the problems which must be faced by a realistic regional development policy, are unduly pessimistic in their assessment of the Australian situation. The barriers to urban dispersal in Australia lie less in economic and social conditions than in political attitudes and governmental structures.
Division of Responsibility in Care of the Aged
Authors: Lefroy R. B.
Published: December 2016

Not all elderly people need special care. This review refers to the dependent minority and to the services they need. Brief mention is made of the history of services which began with charitable relief by voluntary action, and the current relationship between government bodies and voluntary agencies is outlined. It is maintained that division of responsibility for the various types of care should be based on assessment of individual needs, decentralization of control, together with evaluation of the resources of the agencies concerned.
Crime in Our Cities: A Comparative Study
Authors: Vinson T. , Marshall C.
Published: December 2016

Crime rates in New South Wales are compared with overseas figures. Comparisons are made between Sydney and eight American and two Canadian cities of similar size. Urban‐rural crime rates are studied by relating Sydney, Newcastle and Wollongong to the rest of the State.

In both rural and urban areas the rates for homicide, sex offences and other offences against the person are relatively low when compared with American rates. The rates for property offences and car theft are similar to those which exist in America and, and in the case of Sydney, exceed the rate of these offences in the two Canadian cities studied.
Projecting Australia's Fertility
Authors: Spencer Geraldine
Published: December 2016

A method has been evolved for projecting Australia's fertility which takes into account changes in family size. Total fertility is expected to fall by about 2 per cent a year. The total number of births is likely to increase to about 285,000 in 1981 and remain at that level to the end of the century.
Issues in the Measurement of ‘Community Need’
Authors: Hamilton‐Smith Elery
Published: December 2016

It is suggested that the concept of ‘need’ is not amenable to direct measurement, but that four dimensions—normative, attitudinal, behavioural and comparative—may be quantified. In practice it is necessary to consider all four dimensions.
Death Education in the Helping Professions
Authors: Leonard V. R.
Published: December 2016

Ours has been described as a death denying society. The removal of death taboos may be expected to help us control and modify pathological fears of our own death and the death of others. More positively, attempts to understand and accept the reality of death may promote richer appreciation of dimensions of living. Professional workers committed to helping others during such crises as dying and bereavement seem to have a special need to resolve their own fears and develop an understanding of the meaning of death as a psychosocial as well as a biological event. Yet little or no provision is made to meet such needs during professional education and training. This paper discusses the importance of death education in the helping professions, explores the content of death education courses, and makes suggestions regarding teaching and resource aids.
Adopted Children Admitted to Residential Psychiatric Care
Authors: Harper Juliet , Williams Sara
Published: December 2016

In an investigation of adopted children admitted to residential, psychiatric care over a five year period it was found that the percentage of adoptees far outnumbered their proportion in the general population. Clinical variables related to adoption were analyzed and early deprivation in the child and family pathology were found to be major factors in many cases. It was suggested that these findings should not discredit adoption as such, but rather that they pointed out areas to which attention could be directed, namely, more careful selection of adoptive parents together with post adoptive counselling and follow‐up for the adoptive families.