bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Surface resistance calibration for a hydrological model using evapotranspiration retrieved from remote sensing data in Nahe catchment forest area
Authors: Bie W. , Casper M. C. , Reiter P. , Vohland M.
Published: May 2015

Abstract. In this paper, a method combining graphical and statistical techniques is proposed for surface resistance calibration in a distributed hydrological model, WaSiM-ETH, by comparing daily evapotranspiration simulated by model WaSiM-ETH with corresponding daily evapotranspiration retrieved from remote sensing images. The study area locates in Nahe catchment (Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, 4065 km2) forest regions. The remote sensing based observations are available for a very limited number of days but representative for most soil moisture conditions. By setting canopy resistance (rc) at 150 s/m, soil surface resistance (rse) at 250 s/m or at 300 s/m for deciduous forest and setting rc at 300 s/m, rse at 600 s/m or at 650 s/m for pine forest, the model exhibits its best overall performance in space and time. It is also found that with sufficient soil moisture, the model exhibits its best performance in space scale.
Evaluation of radar-based precipitation estimates for flash flood forecasting in the Three Gorges Region
Authors: Li Z. , Yang D. , Hong Y. , Qi Y. , Cao Q.
Published: May 2015

Abstract. Spatial rainfall pattern plays a critical role in determining hydrological responses in mountainous areas, especially for natural disasters such as flash floods. In this study, to improve the skills of flood forecasting in the mountainous Three Gorges Region (TGR) of the Yangtze River, we developed a first version of a high-resolution (1 km) radar-based quantitative precipitation estimation (QPE) consideration of many critical procedures, such as beam blockage analysis, ground-clutter filter, rain type identification and adaptive Z–R relations. A physically-based distributed hydrological model (GBHM) was established and further applied to evaluate the performance of radar-based QPE for regional flood forecasting, relative to the gauge-driven simulations. With two sets of input data (gauge and radar) collected during summer 2010, the applicability of the current radar-based QPE to rainstorm monitoring and flash flood forecasting in the TGR is quantitatively analysed and discussed.
Market segmentation, activities and environmental behaviour in rural tourism
Authors: Fernández-Hernández Carlos , León Carmelo J. , Araña Jorge E. , Díaz-Pére Flora
Published: May 2015

Rural tourism has developed in recent decades with an increase in the activities available to tourists. In this article, the authors apply a cluster analysis for the segmentation of rural tourism in La Palma, Canary Islands. They consider the level of environmental attitudes of tourists as a variable explaining market segmentation. The results show that there is a large heterogeneity of market segments and that the traditional activity of agro-tourism represents a small share of the total market. The segments with a greater economic impact and producing greater tourist satisfaction are those in which tourists also exhibit higher levels of environmental behaviour. Thus, rural tourist destinations can improve their economic performance by focusing on those segments attracting tourists with higher environmental concern and by adopting policies that enhance the environmental profile of the segments.
Antioxidant and Anticancer Activities of Raspberry Extracts
Authors: You-Qiu Xue  , Ke-Jun Cheng  , Jian-Ge Qiu  , Xiao-Long Mei  , Wen-Ji Zhang  , Qi-Wei Jiang  , Wu-Ming Qin  , Yang Yang  , Di-Wei Zheng  , Yao Chen  , Meng-Ning Wei  , Dong-Mei Huo  , Xing Wei  , Zhi Shi
Published: May 2015

The raspberry (Rubus idaeus) is an economical important berry crop that contains phytochemicals such as polyphenols and flavonoids with potential health benefits. This study addresses the antioxidant and anticancer effects of raspberry and its root extracts. Raspberry and raspberry root were extracted with ethanol, and separated into petroleum ether, chloroform, ethyl acetate, n-butyl alcohol and water fraction. Most extracts showed the powerful activities to scavenge DPPH radical, eliminate hydroxyl free radical ion, and inhibit the growth of human cancer cells, suggesting their promising application on health care.
Laparoscopic Adrenal Surgery for Giant Ganglioneuroma
Authors: Bruno Costa do Prado  , Marcelo Cabral Lamy de Miranda  , Marcio Maia Lamy de Miranda  , Anibal Wood Branco
Published: May 2015

We present herein a case of a 24-year-old woman with incidentally diagnosed right adrenal ganglioneuroma with 14cm in size that was removed completely by the laparoscopic approach. The patient was asymptomatic and the tumor was first diagnosed on abdominal ultrasonography. A subsequent computed tomography (CT) of the abdomen confirmed a 12x 11x9cm complex expansive mass of right adrenal, with well-defined outlines. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed a solid lesion measuring 11 x 9 x 11cm arising from the right adrenal. Laparoscopic complete excision of the mass was accomplished through a transabdominal lateral approach. The surgical specimen weighed 665 g and 14 x 10 x 7 cm in size. There was no complication in postoperative period, and the patient was released from the hospital two days after the operation. The patient resumed her normal activities in one week. Histology was consistent with an adrenal ganglioneuroma. A control CT was made one year after the surgery with no evidence of lesion suggestive of relapse. Adrenal ganglioneuromas are rare lesions with a benign behavior in which surgery is the only possible form of treatment. In centers of advanced laparoscopy this method of access can be used, even for larger lesions.
Diriger une école en milieu défavorisé : observation des pratiques de travail de directions d’école primaire de la région de Montréal
Authors: Archambault Jean , Garon Roseline , Harnois Li
Published: May 2015

Dans un effort pour mieux comprendre le travail de directions d’école primaire en milieu défavorisé de Montréal, cette recherche décrit le travail réel de directions. Douze directions se sont autoobservées pendant dix jours et ont été observées pendant trois jours. Les données portent sur les types de tâches (administratives, éducatives, d’ordre social, de développement professionnel) qu’elles ont accomplies. Les résultats révèlent que les directions passent deux fois plus de temps à des tâches administratives qu’à des tâches éducatives. Ces résultats se distinguent toutefois de l’impression des directions au sujet de leur tâche. Certaines croient faire un travail administratif, d’autres, un travail éducatif. Nous discutons ces résultats et soulevons des questions qui incitent à poursuivre la recherche sur le travail de ces directions.
Seeking Time Within Time: Exploring the temporal constraints of women teachers’ experiences as graduate students and novice researchers
Authors: Mitton Kukner Jennifer
Published: May 2015

The primary focus of this qualitative study is an inquiry into three female teachers’ experiences as novice researchers. Over the course of an academic year I maintained a focus upon participants’ research experiences and their use of time as they conducted research studies. Delving into the temporal constraints that informed participants’ research experiences provided insights into competing demands shaping their understanding of research. In light of current performance accountability measures monitoring the ways teachers are using their professional time, this study provides new ways to consider the multiple challenges and gendered inequities female teachers are navigating in their efforts to professionally develop and learn.
Visualization and functional dissection of coaxial paired SpoIIIE channels across the sporulation septum
Authors: Shin Jae Yen , Lopez-Garrido Javier , Lee Sang-Hyuk , Diaz-Celis Cesar , Fleming Tinya , Bustamante Carlos , Pogliano Kit
Published: May 2015

SpoIIIE is a membrane-anchored DNA translocase that localizes to the septal midpoint to mediate chromosome translocation and membrane fission during Bacillus subtilis sporulation. Here we use cell-specific protein degradation and quantitative photoactivated localization microscopy in strains with a thick sporulation septum to investigate the architecture and function of the SpoIIIE DNA translocation complex in vivo. We were able to visualize SpoIIIE complexes with approximately equal numbers of molecules in the mother cell and the forespore. Cell-specific protein degradation showed that only the mother cell complex is required to translocate DNA into the forespore, whereas degradation in either cell reverses membrane fission. Our data suggest that SpoIIIE assembles a coaxially paired channel for each chromosome arm comprised of one hexamer in each cell to maintain membrane fission during DNA translocation. We show that SpoIIIE can operate, in principle, as a bi-directional motor that exports DNA.
Tarantula toxins use common surfaces for interacting with Kv and ASIC ion channels
Authors: Gupta Kanchan , Zamanian Maryam , Bae Chanhyung , Milescu Mirela , Krepkiy Dmitriy , Tilley Drew C , Sack Jon T , Yarov-Yarovoy Vladimir , Kim Jae Il , Swartz Kenton J
Published: May 2015

Tarantula toxins that bind to voltage-sensing domains of voltage-activated ion channels are thought to partition into the membrane and bind to the channel within the bilayer. While no structures of a voltage-sensor toxin bound to a channel have been solved, a structural homolog, psalmotoxin (PcTx1), was recently crystalized in complex with the extracellular domain of an acid sensing ion channel (ASIC). In the present study we use spectroscopic, biophysical and computational approaches to compare membrane interaction properties and channel binding surfaces of PcTx1 with the voltage-sensor toxin guangxitoxin (GxTx-1E). Our results show that both types of tarantula toxins interact with membranes, but that voltage-sensor toxins partition deeper into the bilayer. In addition, our results suggest that tarantula toxins have evolved a similar concave surface for clamping onto α-helices that is effective in aqueous or lipidic physical environments.
The Golden Characters of the Letter Fallen from Heaven: A Study Case from the First World War
Authors: Jiga Iliescu Laura
Published: May 2015

The research here approaches the topic of the devotional values of the act of writing/reading aloud a formalised text. Especially when speaking about the southeast European rural milieu up to the second half of the 19th century, the presence of scribes and of readers was relatively rare, although not completely absent. We are dealing with people for whom writing/copying a text and/or listening to a reader was not a habit or a daily practice, but a special event more or less attached to a ritual or the ritualised context of performance. The paper discusses the particular case of a certain version of the Apocrypha, ‘the Legend of Sunday’, also known as the ‘Epistle Fallen From Heaven’, a version today stored in the archive of the Institute of Ethnography and Folklore in Bucharest. It was copied and carried by a soldier in the First World War, to protect himself from being injured or killed. In the first part of the study I analyse the flexibility of this verbal structure, which allows interesting insertions by the scribe in order to increase both the efficacy of the text and the receivers’ (!) belief in its miraculous power. In this regard, the story within a story that I am speaking about worked as a vehicle to help the spread of a distinctive group of legends and magic practices. My aim is to grasp the dynamics of the believers’ expectations in the effectiveness of writing/reading/holding a special text.
From Written to Oral Tradition. The Survival and Transformation of the St. Sisinnios Prayer in Oral Greek Charms
Authors: Passalis Haralampos
Published: May 2015

The Sisinnios prayer or Gylou story, part prayer part exorcism, is an ambiguous narrative enjoying an intercultural as well as a diachronic distribution. The text, which refers to the harmful influence and restraint – through the sacred intervention of Saints or an Angel – of a female demon bearing different names (Lilith, Gyllo, Werzelya, Veshtitsa/Aveshtitsa etc., depending on the particular ethnic culture from which it has emerged) has received substantial attention from researchers on an international scale. In the Greek tradition, in which this female demon is known as Gyllo, Gyloy, Yello or Yalou, there have been recordings of more than thirty versions of the text, spanning a time period from the fifteenth up to the early twentieth centuries. These recordings are located geographically in various different parts of Greece, and have been used within the framework of a folk religious context as a means of protection for newborn babies and their mothers. What is the effect of this particular story on the oral tradition of charms, i.e. on those charms which are orally transmitted and performed? What forms has it assumed, and which particular elements of the written tradition have been transmitted, incorporated, transformed, modified or omitted from charms in the process? The present study aims, on the one hand, to contribute further to the exploration of the well-known myth, and, on the other, to offer additional insight into the interaction between the written and oral tradition of charms in light of the fact that the Gylou story is particularly susceptible to those interpretational studies which focus on the crucial processes of incorporation and transformation of the written tradition in the field of oral charms.
Development and maintenance of fluid overpressures in crustal fault zones by elastic compaction and implications for earthquake swarms
Authors: Leclère Henri , Cappa Frédéric , Faulkner Daniel , Fabbri Olivier , Armitage Peter , Blake Oshaine
Published: May 2015

The ability of crustal faults to compact and to pressurize pore fluids is examined by combining geological observations, petrophysical measurements (permeability, P and S wave velocities, and porosity), and fully coupled hydromechanical modeling. A strike‐slip fault located in the Argentera‐Mercantour crystalline massif (southwestern French‐Italian Alps) was analyzed in the field. This mature fault belongs to a large active fault system characterized by a recurrent seismic swarm activity (Mw < 4) between 2 and 12 km depth. The studied exposure corresponds to a 50 m thick anastomosing fault composed of three types of rock: host‐rock gneiss, damage‐zone phyllonite, and core zone gouge. Laboratory measurements made at effective pressures ranging from 10 to 190 MPa show that the studied fault differs from the classical model and has a high‐porosity, high‐permeability, and low‐rigidity core zone surrounded by a low‐porosity, low‐permeability, and high‐rigidity damage zone with respect to the host rock. The hydraulic and elastic properties are controlled by different microstructures such as foliation, microcracks, and pores developed during the exhumation history of the massif and the reactivation of inherited low‐friction mylonitic foliation. Hydromechanical modeling is then used to investigate the spatio‐temporal evolution of the fluid overpressures across the fault zone elements in response to elastic compaction. Models demonstrate that fluid pressure can be developed and maintained temporally in the studied fault zone. This study concludes on the key role played by the hydromechanical properties of faults during compaction and provides an explanation for seismic swarm triggering and maintenance.
Improving a global model from the boundary layer: Total turbulent energy and the neutral limit Prandtl number
Authors: Pithan Felix , Angevine Wayne , Mauritsen Thorsten
Published: May 2015

Model intercomparisons have identified important deficits in the representation of the stable boundary layer by turbulence parametrizations used in current weather and climate models. However, detrimental impacts of more realistic schemes on the large‐scale flow have hindered progress in this area. Here we implement a total turbulent energy scheme into the climate model ECHAM6. The total turbulent energy scheme considers the effects of Earth's rotation and static stability on the turbulence length scale. In contrast to the previously used turbulence scheme, the TTE scheme also implicitly represents entrainment flux in a dry convective boundary layer. Reducing the previously exaggerated surface drag in stable boundary layers indeed causes an increase in southern hemispheric zonal winds and large‐scale pressure gradients beyond observed values. These biases can be largely removed by increasing the parametrized orographic drag. Reducing the neutral limit turbulent Prandtl number warms and moistens low‐latitude boundary layers and acts to reduce longstanding radiation biases in the stratocumulus regions, the Southern Ocean and the equatorial cold tongue that are common to many climate models.
Seeing the landscape for the trees: Metrics to guide riparian shade management in river catchments
Authors: Johnson Matthew F. , Wilby Robert L.
Published: May 2015

Rising water temperature (Tw) due to anthropogenic climate change may have serious consequences for river ecosystems. Conservation and/or expansion of riparian shade could counter warming and buy time for ecosystems to adapt. However, sensitivity of river reaches to direct solar radiation is highly heterogeneous in space and time, so benefits of shading are also expected to be site specific. We use a network of high‐resolution temperature measurements from two upland rivers in the UK, in conjunction with topographic shade modeling, to assess the relative significance of landscape and riparian shade to the thermal behavior of river reaches. Trees occupy 7% of the study catchments (comparable with the UK national average) yet shade covers 52% of the area and is concentrated along river corridors. Riparian shade is most beneficial for managing Tw at distances 5–20 km downstream from the source of the rivers where discharge is modest, flow is dominated by near‐surface hydrological pathways, there is a wide floodplain with little landscape shade, and where cumulative solar exposure times are sufficient to affect Tw. For the rivers studied, we find that approximately 0.5 km of complete shade is necessary to off‐set Tw by 1°C during July (the month with peak Tw) at a headwater site; whereas 1.1 km of shade is required 25 km downstream. Further research is needed to assess the integrated effect of future changes in air temperature, sunshine duration, direct solar radiation, and downward diffuse radiation on Tw to help tree planting schemes achieve intended outcomes.
The dynamic effects of sea level rise on low‐gradient coastal landscapes: A review
Authors: Passeri Davina L. , Hagen Scott C. , Medeiros Stephen C. , Bilskie Matthew V. , Alizad Karim , Wang Dingbao
Published: May 2015

Coastal responses to sea level rise (SLR) include inundation of wetlands, increased shoreline erosion, and increased flooding during storm events. Hydrodynamic parameters such as tidal ranges, tidal prisms, tidal asymmetries, increased flooding depths and inundation extents during storm events respond nonadditively to SLR. Coastal morphology continually adapts toward equilibrium as sea levels rise, inducing changes in the landscape. Marshes may struggle to keep pace with SLR and rely on sediment accumulation and the availability of suitable uplands for migration. Whether hydrodynamic, morphologic, or ecologic, the impacts of SLR are interrelated. To plan for changes under future sea levels, coastal managers need information and data regarding the potential effects of SLR to make informed decisions for managing human and natural communities. This review examines previous studies that have accounted for the dynamic, nonlinear responses of hydrodynamics, coastal morphology, and marsh ecology to SLR by implementing more complex approaches rather than the simplistic “bathtub” approach. These studies provide an improved understanding of the dynamic effects of SLR on coastal environments and contribute to an overall paradigm shift in how coastal scientists and engineers approach modeling the effects of SLR, transitioning away from implementing the “bathtub” approach. However, it is recommended that future studies implement a synergetic approach that integrates the dynamic interactions between physical and ecological environments to better predict the impacts of SLR on coastal systems.
Distinct patterns of microbial metabolism associated to riverine dissolved organic carbon of different source and quality
Authors: Berggren Martin , del Giorgio Paul A.
Published: May 2015

Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in rivers contains a wide range of molecules that can be assimilated by microbes. However, there is today no integrated understanding of how the source and composition of this DOC regulate the extent to which the DOC can support microbial growth and respiration. We analyzed patterns in microbial metabolism of DOC from different streams and rivers in Québec, by combining short‐term bacterial production and respiration measurements with long‐term DOC loss and analyses of bacterial use of different single substrates. We show that distinct metabolic patterns indeed exist across catchments, reflecting the varying nature and sources of the DOC. For example, DOC from forest headwaters systematically supported the highest bacterial growth efficiency (BGE) that was recorded, while in contrast DOC in peat bog drainage was used with significantly lower BGE. The carbon consumption in clear mountain rivers, possibly represented by autochthonous algal DOC, supported the highest bacterial respiration rates and the highest long‐term DOC losses. By using principle component analysis, we demonstrate how the major axes of variation in all of the measured metabolic responses are tightly connected to spectrofluorometrical DOC composition indicators and to isotopic indicators of DOC source. If causality is assumed, our results imply that changes in DOC supply from different sources, for example, caused by land use or climate change, should result in dramatic changes in the patterns of aquatic microbial metabolism and thus in altered aquatic ecosystem functioning, with likely consequences for food‐web structures and greenhouse gas balances.
A randomized controlled trial of exercise in spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy
Authors: Shrader Joseph A. , Kats Ilona , Kokkinis Angela , Zampieri Cris , Levy Ellen , Joe Galen O. , Woolstenhulme Joshua G. , Drinkard Bart E. , Smith Michaele R. , Ching Willie , Ghosh Laboni , Fox Derrick , Auh Sungyoung , Schindler Alice B. , Fischbeck Kenneth H. , Grunseich Christopher
Published: May 2015

Objective

To determine the safety and efficacy of a home‐based functional exercise program in spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy (SBMA).

Methods

Subjects were randomly assigned to participate in 12 weeks of either functional exercises (intervention) or a stretching program (control) at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, MD. A total of 54 subjects enrolled, and 50 completed the study with 24 in the functional exercise group and 26 in the stretching control group. The primary outcome measure was the Adult Myopathy Assessment Tool (AMAT) total score, and secondary measures included total activity by accelerometry, muscle strength, balance, timed up and go, sit‐to‐stand test, health‐related quality of life, creatine kinase, and insulin‐like growth factor‐1.

Results

Functional exercise was well tolerated but did not lead to significant group differences in the primary outcome measure or any of the secondary measures. The functional exercise did not produce significantly more adverse events than stretching, and was not perceived to be difficult. To determine whether a subset of the subjects may have benefited, we divided them into high and low functioning based on baseline AMAT scores and performed a post hoc subgroup analysis. Low‐functioning individuals receiving the intervention increased AMAT functional subscale scores compared to the control group.

Interpretation

Although these trial results indicate that functional exercise had no significant effect on total AMAT scores or on mobility, strength, balance, and quality of life, post hoc findings indicate that low‐functioning men with SBMA may respond better to functional exercises, and this warrants further investigation with appropriate exercise intensity.
Sea‐Urchin‐Inspired 3D Crumpled Graphene Balls Using Simultaneous Etching and Reduction Process for High‐Density Capacitive Energy Storage
Authors: Lee Jang Yeol , Lee Kwang‐Hoon , Kim Young Jin , Ha Jeong Sook , Lee Sang‐Soo , Son Jeong Gon
Published: May 2015

A crumpled configuration of graphene is desirable for preventing irreversible stacking between individual nanosheets, which can be a major hurdle toward its widespread application. Herein a sea‐urchin‐shaped template approach is introduced for fabricating highly crumpled graphene balls in bulk quantities with a simple process. Simultaneous chemical etching and reduction process of graphene oxide (GO)‐encapsulated iron oxide particles results in dissolution of the core template with spiky morphology and conversion of the outer GO layers into reduced GO layers with increased hydrophobicity which remain in contact with the spiky surface of the template. After completely etching, the outer graphene layers are fully compressed into the crumpled form along with decrease in total volume by etching. The crumpled balls exhibit significantly larger surface area and good water‐dispersion stability than those of stacked reduced GO or other crumple approaches, even though they also show comparable electrical conductivity. Furthermore, they are easily assembled into 3D macroporous networks without any binders through typical processes such as solvent casting or compression molding. The graphene networks with less pore volume still have the crumpled morphology without sacrificing the properties regardless of the assembly processes, producing a promising active electrode material with high gravimetric and volumetric energy density for capacitive energy storage.
Effect of Spacer Length of Siloxane‐Terminated Side Chains on Charge Transport in Isoindigo‐Based Polymer Semiconductor Thin Films
Authors: Mei Jianguo , Wu Hung‐Chin , Diao Ying , Appleton Anthony , Wang Hong , Zhou Yan , Lee Wen‐Ya , Kurosawa Tadanori , Chen Wen‐Chang , Bao Zhenan
Published: May 2015

A series of isoindigo‐based conjugated polymers (PII2F‐CmSi, m = 3–11) with alkyl siloxane‐terminated side chains are prepared, in which the branching point is systematically “moved away” from the conjugated backbone by one carbon atom. To investigate the structure–property relationship, the polymer thin film is subsequently tested in top‐contact field‐effect transistors, and further characterized by both grazing incidence X‐ray diffraction and atomic force microscopy. Hole mobilities over 1 cm2 V−1 s−1 is exhibited for all soluble PII2F‐CmSi (m = 5–11) polymers, which is 10 times higher than the reference polymer with same polymer backbone. PII2F‐C9Si shows the highest mobility of 4.8 cm2 V−1 s−1, even though PII2F‐C11Si exhibits the smallest π–π stacking distance at 3.379 Å. In specific, when the branching point is at, or beyond, the third carbon atoms, the contribution to charge transport arising from π–π stacking distance shortening becomes less significant. Other factors, such as thin‐film microstructure, crystallinity, domain size, become more important in affecting the resulting device's charge transport.
Highly Stretchable, Global, and Distributed Local Strain Sensing Line Using GaInSn Electrodes for Wearable Electronics
Authors: Matsuzaki Ryosuke , Tabayashi Kosuke
Published: May 2015

For identifying human or finger movement, it is necessary to sense subtle movements at multiple points, including the local strain and global deformation simultaneously; however, this has not yet been realized. Therefore, a highly stretchable, global, and distributed local strain sensing electrode made of GaInSn and polydimethylsiloxane is developed for wearable devices. To investigate the electrical properties of multiple sections of the GaInSn electrode when stretching, tensile, cyclic, and three‐point‐bending tests are performed. The results demonstrate that the electrode can withstand a strain up to 50% and has little hysteresis without any delay. Moreover, the distributed local strain and global strain can be simultaneously measured using just a single electrode line. Finally, a prototype of a data glove as an application of the strain sensing line is manufactured, and it is demonstrated that the folding state of fingers could be identified. The proposed technology may allow the creation of a lightweight master hand manipulator or 3D data entry device.
Depression and anxiety in chronic rhinosinusitis
Authors: Tomoum Mohamed O. , Klattcromwell Cristine , DelSignore Anthony , Ebert Charles , Senior Brent A.
Published: May 2015

Background

Both depression and anxiety have been suspected to impact quality of life adversely in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS). The objective of this work was to assess for the presence of anxiety and/or depression in the setting of CRS and to assess their impact on disease‐related quality of life by analyzing the correlation between the Rhinosinusitis Disability Index (RSDI) and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression score (HADS), as well as the Lund‐Kennedy nasal endoscopic scores.

Methods

A total of 124 patients with CRS were prospectively evaluated in the outpatient setting using the RSDI and HADS questionnaires as well as the Lund‐Kennedy nasal endoscopy scoring system.

Results

The total RSDI and its subscale scores had moderate to very strong correlation with the HADS total score and each of its subscale scores in comparison to their poor correlation with Lund‐Kennedy endoscopic score. CRS patients with depression or anxiety scores 8 to 10 (possible case of clinically significant depression or anxiety) and 11 to 21 (probable case) reported worse total RSDI and subscale scores when compared with those with normal scores (0 to 7). There was no significant difference in the Lund‐Kennedy endoscopic scores between the different groups of anxiety and depression scores.

Conclusion

Depression and anxiety are prevalent in CRS. The total RSDI and its different subscale scores exhibit moderate to very strong correlation with depression/anxiety scores as determined by HADS, whereas poor correlation was seen with the Lund‐Kennedy endoscopic score.
Sniffin’ Sticks and olfactory system imaging in patients with Kallmann syndrome
Authors: Ottaviano Giancarlo , Cantone Elena , D'Errico Arianna , Salvalaggio Alessandro , Citton Valentina , Scarpa Bruno , Favaro Angela , Sinisi Antonio Agostino , Liuzzi Raffaele , Bonanni Guglielmo , Di Salle Francesco , Elefante Andrea , Manara Renzo , Staffieri Alberto , Martini Alessandro , Brunetti Arturo
Published: May 2015

Background

The relationship between olfactory function, rhinencephalon and forebrain changes in Kallmann syndrome (KS) have not been adequately investigated. We evaluated a large cohort of male KS patients using Sniffin’ Sticks and MRI in order to study olfactory bulb (OB) volume, olfactory sulcus (OS) depth, cortical thickness close to the OS, and olfactory phenotype.

Methods

Olfaction was assessed administering Sniffin’ Sticks®, in 38 KS patients and 17 controls (by means of Screening 12 test®). All subjects underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to study OB volume, sulcus depth, and cortical thickness.

Results

Compared to controls, KS patients showed smaller OB volume (p<0.0001), reduced sulcus depth (p<0.0001), and thicker cortex in the region close to the OS (p<0.0001). Anosmic KS patients had smaller OB than controls and hyposmic KS patients; there was no difference between hyposmic KS patients and controls. OB volume correlated with Sniffin’ Sticks score (r = 0.64; p < 0.001), OS depth (p<0.0001) and, inversely, with cortical thickness changes (p<0.0001). Sniffin’ Sticks showed an inverse correlation with cortical thickness (r = −0.5; p<0.0001) and a trend toward a statistically significant correlation with OS depth.

Conclusion

The present study provides further evidence of the strict relationship between olfaction and OB volume. The strong correlation between OB volume and the overlying cortical changes highlights the key role of rhinencephalon in forebrain embryogenesis.
Catenane: fünfzig Jahre molekulare Verschlingungen
Authors: Gil‐Ramírez Guzmán , Leigh David A. , Stephens Alexander J.
Published: May 2015

Ein halbes Jahrhundert nach der ersten gerichteten Synthese eines [2]Catenans durch Schill und Lüttringhaus existiert heutzutage eine Vielzahl an Strategien zur Synthese von Hopf‐Verschlingungen (einfach verzahnten Ringen), der einfachsten Klasse der Catenane. Die Präzision und Effektivität, mit der geeignete Template und/oder nichtkovalente Wechselwirkungen Bausteine anordnen können, ermöglichten die Synthese komplizierter – und häufig schöner – verzahnter Systeme höherer Ordnung, darunter Salomonische Verschlingungen, Borromäische Ringe und ein Davidstern‐Catenan. In diesem Aufsatz werden die zahlreichen Strategien, die im 21. Jahrhundert zur Synthese von Catenanen zur Verfügung stehen, vorgestellt und potenzielle Anwendungen untersucht. Des Weiteren werden die Herausforderungen bei der Synthese noch komplizierterer Topologien aufgezeigt.
Zu den stabilisierenden Effekten in Carbengoldkomplexen
Authors: Nunes dos Santos Comprido Laura , Klein Johannes E. M. N. , Knizia Gerald , Kästner Johannes , Hashmi A. Stephen K.
Published: May 2015

Die Bindungsverhältnisse und stabilisierenden Effekte in Carbengoldkomplexen werden mittels Dichtefunktionaltheorie (DFT) und intrinsischen Bindungsorbitalen (IBO) untersucht. Die π‐stabilisierenden Einflüsse organischer Substituenten auf das goldkoordinierte Carben‐Kohlenstoffatom werden für eine Reihe von kürzlich isolierten und charakterisierten Komplexen berechnet, ebenso wie für Zwischenstufen prototypischer 1,6‐Enin‐Cyclisierungen. Die Ergebnisse zeigen die Wichtigkeit dieser Effekte für Goldkomplexe, insbesondere aufgrund des niedrigen π‐Rückbindungsbeitrags des Goldatoms.
Far‐Red and Near‐IR AIE‐Active Fluorescent Organic Nanoprobes with Enhanced Tumor‐Targeting Efficacy: Shape‐Specific Effects
Authors: Shao Andong , Xie Yongshu , Zhu Shaojia , Guo Zhiqian , Zhu Shiqin , Guo Jin , Shi Ping , James Tony D. , Tian He , Zhu Wei‐Hong
Published: May 2015

The rational design of high‐performance fluorescent materials for cancer targeting in vivo is still challenging. A unique molecular design strategy is presented that involves tailoring aggregation‐induced emission (AIE)‐active organic molecules to realize preferable far‐red and NIR fluorescence, well‐controlled morphology (from rod‐like to spherical), and also tumor‐targeted bioimaging. The shape‐tailored organic quinoline–malononitrile (QM) nanoprobes are biocompatible and highly desirable for cell‐tracking applications. Impressively, the spherical shape of QM‐5 nanoaggregates exhibits excellent tumor‐targeted bioimaging performance after intravenously injection into mice, but not the rod‐like aggregates of QM‐2.
Photoelectrocyclization as an Activation Mechanism for Organelle‐Specific Live‐Cell Imaging Probes
Authors: Tran Mai N. , Chenoweth David M.
Published: May 2015

Photoactivatable fluorophores are useful tools in live‐cell imaging owing to their potential for precise spatial and temporal control. In this report, a new photoactivatable organelle‐specific live‐cell imaging probe based on a 6π electrocyclization/oxidation mechanism is described. It is shown that this new probe is water‐soluble, non‐cytotoxic, cell‐permeable, and useful for mitochondrial imaging. The probe displays large Stokes shifts in both pre‐activated and activated forms, allowing simultaneous use with common dyes and fluorescent proteins. Sequential single‐cell activation experiments in dense cellular environments demonstrate high spatial precision and utility in single‐ or multi‐cell labeling experiments.
Inhibition of Ras Signaling by Blocking Ras–Effector Interactions with Cyclic Peptides
Authors: Upadhyaya Punit , Qian Ziqing , Selner Nicholas G. , Clippinger Sarah R. , Wu Zhengrong , Briesewitz Roger , Pei Dehua
Published: May 2015

Ras genes are frequently activated in human cancers, but the mutant Ras proteins remain largely “undruggable” through the conventional small‐molecule approach owing to the absence of any obvious binding pockets on their surfaces. By screening a combinatorial peptide library, followed by structure–activity relationship (SAR) analysis, we discovered a family of cyclic peptides possessing both Ras‐binding and cell‐penetrating properties. These cell‐permeable cyclic peptides inhibit Ras signaling by binding to Ras‐GTP and blocking its interaction with downstream proteins and they induce apoptosis of cancer cells. Our results demonstrate the feasibility of developing cyclic peptides for the inhibition of intracellular protein–protein interactions and of direct Ras inhibitors as a novel class of anticancer agents.
Catalytic Asymmetric Synthesis of Phosphine Boronates
Authors: Hornillos Valentín , Vila Carlos , Otten Edwin , Feringa Ben L.
Published: May 2015

The first catalytic enantioselective synthesis of ambiphilic phosphine boronate esters is presented. The asymmetric boration of α,β‐unsaturated phosphine oxides catalyzed by a copper bisphosphine complex affords optically active organoboronate esters that bear a vicinal phosphine oxide group in good yields and high enantiomeric excess. The synthetic utility of the products is demonstrated through stereospecific transformations into multifunctional optically active compounds.
Catenanes: Fifty Years of Molecular Links
Authors: Gil‐Ramírez Guzmán , Leigh David A. , Stephens Alexander J.
Published: May 2015

Half a century after Schill and Lüttringhaus carried out the first directed synthesis of a [2]catenane, a plethora of strategies now exist for the construction of molecular Hopf links (singly interlocked rings), the simplest type of catenane. The precision and effectiveness with which suitable templates and/or noncovalent interactions can arrange building blocks has also enabled the synthesis of intricate and often beautiful higher order interlocked systems, including Solomon links, Borromean rings, and a Star of David catenane. This Review outlines the diverse strategies that exist for synthesizing catenanes in the 21st century and examines their emerging applications and the challenges that still exist for the synthesis of more complex topologies.
From Carbanions to Organometallic Compounds: Quantification of Metal Ion Effects on Nucleophilic Reactivities
Authors: Corral‐Bautista Francisco , Klier Lydia , Knochel Paul , Mayr Herbert
Published: May 2015

The influence of the metal on the nucleophilic reactivities of indenyl metal compounds was quantitatively determined by kinetic investigations of their reactions with benzhydrylium ions (Ar2CH+) and structurally related quinone methides. With the correlation equation log k2=sN(N+E), it can be derived that the ionic indenyl alkali compounds are 1018 to 1024 times more reactive (depending on the reference electrophile) than the corresponding indenyltrimethylsilane.
Instantaneous Hydrolysis of Nerve‐Agent Simulants with a Six‐Connected Zirconium‐Based Metal–Organic Framework
Authors: Moon Su‐Young , Liu Yangyang , Hupp Joseph T. , Farha Omar K.
Published: May 2015

A nerve‐agent simulant based on a phosphate ester is hydrolyzed using a MOF‐based catalyst. Suspensions of MOF‐808 (6‐connected), a material featuring 6‐connected zirconium nodes, display the highest hydrolysis rates among all MOFs that have been reported to date. A plug‐flow reactor was also prepared with MOF‐808 (6‐connected) as the active layer. Deployed in a simple filtration scheme, the reactor displayed high hydrolysis efficiency and reusability.
Ultrathin Spinel‐Structured Nanosheets Rich in Oxygen Deficiencies for Enhanced Electrocatalytic Water Oxidation
Authors: Bao Jian , Zhang Xiaodong , Fan Bo , Zhang Jiajia , Zhou Min , Yang Wenlong , Hu Xin , Wang Hui , Pan Bicai , Xie Yi
Published: May 2015

Electrochemical water splitting is a clean technology for H2 fuels, but greatly hindered by the slow kinetics of the oxygen evolution reaction (OER). Herein, a series of spinel‐structured nanosheets with oxygen deficiencies and ultrathin thicknesses were designed to increase the reactivity and the number of active sites of the catalysts, which were then taken as an excellent platform for promoting the water oxidation process. Theoretical investigations showed that the oxygen vacancies confined in the ultrathin nanosheet could lower the adsorption energy of H2O, leading to increased OER efficiency. As expected, the NiCo2O4 ultrathin nanosheets rich in oxygen vacancies exhibited a large current density of 285 mA cm−2 at 0.8 V and a small overpotential of 0.32 V, both of which are superior to the corresponding values of bulk samples or samples with few oxygen deficiencies and even higher than those of most reported non‐precious‐metal catalysts. This work should provide a new pathway for the design of advanced OER catalysts.
Concerted Ring Opening and Cycloaddition of Chiral Epoxy Enolsilanes with Dienes
Authors: Krenske Elizabeth H. , Lam Sarah , Ng Jerome P. L. , Lo Brian , Lam Sze Kui , Chiu Pauline , Houk Kendall N.
Published: May 2015

Silyl‐triflate‐catalyzed (4+3) cycloadditions of epoxy enolsilanes with dienes provide a mild and chemoselective synthetic route to seven‐membered carbocycles. Epoxy enolsilanes containing a terminal enolsilane and a single stereocenter undergo cycloaddition with almost complete conservation of enantiomeric purity, a finding that argues against the involvement of oxyallyl cation intermediates which have been previously proposed for these types of reactions. Reported are theoretical and experimental investigations of the cycloaddition mechanism. The major enantiomers of the cycloadducts are derived from SN2‐like reactions of the silylated epoxide with the diene, in which stereospecific ring opening and formation of the two new CC bonds occur in a single step. Calculations predict, and experiments confirm, that the observed small losses of enantiomeric purity are traced to a triflate‐mediated double SN2 cycloaddition pathway.
Preparation and characterization of methoxy‐poly(ethylene glycol) side chain grafted onto chitosan as a wound dressing film
Authors: Yang Cheng‐Han , Chen Szu‐Hsien , Pan Yun‐Wen , Chuang Ching‐Nan , Chao Wen‐Chi , Young Tai‐Horng , Chiu Wen‐Yen , Wang Chih‐Kuang , Hsieh Kuo‐Huang
Published: May 2015

Chitosan has received extensive attention as a biomedical material; however, the poor solubility of chitosan is the major limiting factor in its utilization. In this study, chitosan‐based biomaterials with improved aqueous solubility were synthesized. Two molecular weights (750 Da and 2000 Da) of methoxypoly(ethylene glycol) (mPEG) were grafted onto chitosan (mPEG‐g‐chitosan) to form a ∼100‐μm‐thick plastic film as a wound dressing. The chemical structures of the mPEG‐g‐chitosan copolymers were confirmed using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and the thermal properties were characterized using thermogravimetry analysis (TGA). Their microstructures were observed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The other properties were analyzed via the swelling ratio, tensile strength, elongation, and water vapor transmission rate (WVTR). Biocompatibility evaluations through biodegradability, cytotoxicity, and antimicrobial effect studies were also performed. The obtained mPEG‐g‐chitosan copolymers were soluble in slightly acidic aqueous solutions (pH∼6.5) at a concentration of 10 wt %. The optimal mPEG‐g‐chitosan hydrogels had swelling ratios greater than 100% and WVTRs greater than 2000 g/m2/day. Their performance against Staphylococcus aureus will be subjected to further improvements with respect to medical applications. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015, 132, 42340.
Informative simultaneous confidence intervals for the fallback procedure
Authors: Schmidt Sylvia , Brannath Werner
Published: May 2015

The fallback procedure is an extension of the hierarchical test procedure relaxing the predefined hierarchical order. It can be applied for example in dose‐finding studies. If interest is in extending the fallback procedure to simultaneous confidence intervals, one finds proposals in the literature, which have, however, the drawback that noninformative rejections may arise. A noninformative rejection means that the confidence interval of a rejected null hypothesis contains all parameters of the alternative and thus gives no useful information about the true value of the effect parameter. We present a modification of the fallback procedure with corresponding simultaneous confidence intervals that is informative in every case where a hypothesis is rejected. The main idea consists of splitting the level between the null hypotheses and a nested family of informative hypotheses constituting the alternative. The splitting weights depend continuously on the parameter. The new method is represented by a simple graph and can be easily implemented by an explicit algorithm. We give an example and compare our approach with an existing extension of the fallback procedure to simultaneous confidence intervals by simulations in the context of a dose‐finding clinical trial. As a result, we see that the problem of noninformative rejections can be completely removed by the informative fallback procedure, while the involved power loss can be controlled by careful planning.
Photoredox Catalysis of Intramolecular Cyclizations with a Reusable Silica‐Bound Ruthenium Complex
Authors: Barbante Gregory J. , Ashton Trent D. , Doeven Egan H. , Pfeffer Frederick M. , Wilson David J. D. , Henderson Luke C. , Francis Paul S.
Published: May 2015

Photoredox catalysis with the use of a stable, reusable silica‐bound chromophore was applied to the intramolecular cyclization of a series of 2‐benzylidenehydrazinecarbothioamides to give 5‐phenyl‐1,3,4‐thiadiazol‐2‐amines. The catalyst was readily prepared by carbodiimide‐mediated coupling of commercially available amine‐functionalized silica beads to a carboxylic acid functionalized ruthenium complex. The immobilized catalyst was readily removed from the reaction product by filtration and was used eight times without loss of catalytic activity. This simple, safe, and practical method is an attractive alternative to conventional procedures.
Template‐Free Electrodeposition of SnSi Nanowires from an Ionic Liquid
Authors: Elbasiony Amr M. , Olschewski Mark , El Abedin Sherif Zein , Endres Frank
Published: May 2015

We report the template‐free electrodeposition of SnSi nanowires from the ionic liquid 1‐butyl‐1‐methylpyrrolidinium trifluoromethylsulfonate, [Py1,4]TfO, containing SnCl2 and SiCl4. The electrochemical behavior of the employed electrolyte was investigated by using cyclic voltammetry. The obtained nanowire films were characterized by SEM/EDX, XRD, UV spectroscopy, and XPS. The results show that freestanding and hair‐like SnSi nanowires can be obtained through potentiostatic electrodeposition at different potentials after running cyclic voltammetry. The XPS and EDX results reveal the composition of the films and show that SnSi co‐deposits are formed. XRD patterns indicate the formation of amorphous Si and no clear indication of the formation of a SnSi alloy. The band gap of the deposited film was determined from the UV spectrum to be 1.55 eV.