bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Relación de la calidad y la duración del sueño en población colombiana con hipertensión arterial
Authors: Marín Ludwing Ricardo , Vera Lina María , Vesga Boris Eduardo , Marín Mabelyn Solany
Published: July 2024

Introducción. Las alteraciones en la calidad y la duración del sueño son factores de riesgo para el desarrollo de hipertensión arterial sistémica en los países orientales. Sin embargo, hay pocos estudios de los países de Latinoamérica para investigar esta asociación. Objetivo. Analizar la asociación entre la calidad y la duración del sueño, y la incidencia de hipertensión arterial sistémica en población colombiana.Materiales y métodos. Se llevó a cabo un estudio observacional, longitudinal, prospectivo y analítico, anidado en la cohorte de base poblacional INEFAC, desarrollado con participantes mayores de 18 años de Bucaramanga (Colombia). El sueño se evaluó mediante el índice de calidad del sueño de Pittsburgh y, su duración, mediante preguntas estandarizadas. Se realizó un análisis multivariado con modelos de regresión logística ajustados por las posibles variables de confusión.Resultados. Se incluyeron 1.306 participantes no hipertensos con edad media de 40 ± 12 años. El 92,8 % de la población presentaba algún problema del sueño, el 45,15 % dormía 6 horas o menos y el 28,6 % dormía 8 horas o más. El análisis multivariado mostró un mayor riesgo de hipertensión en los participantes con diabetes (OR = 5,27) (IC95 %: 2,27-12,26), obesidad (OR = 2,81) (IC95 %: 1,11-7,13), tabaquismo activo (OR = 2,02) (IC95 %: 1,01-4,04) y mayor estrato socioeconómico (OR = 4,94) (IC95 %: 1,59-15,38 para estrato 4), pero no se encontró un mayor riesgo en los participantes con mala calidad o poca duración del sueño. Conclusiones. No se demostró asociación alguna entre la duración o la calidad del sueño y la incidencia de hipertensión arterial sistémica en población colombiana. Se requieren más estudios en esta población para llegar a conclusiones definitivas.
Knowledge domains and emerging trends in non-invasive brain stimulation: A bibliometric analysis via CiteSpace
Authors: Ruiz-López Inmaculada , Victoria-Montesinos Desirée , Martínez-Fuentes Juan
Published: July 2024

Introduction. In recent decades, new non-invasive brain stimulation techniques and protocols have been developed, such as transcranial magnetic stimulation and transcranial direct current stimulation.Objective. To identify and visualize the intellectual structure of non-invasive brain stimulation through document co-citation analysis.Materials and methods. We analyzed 30,854 Web of Science-indexed manuscripts and their 1,615,692 references regarding non-invasive brain stimulation, all published from 1988 to 2022. We drew a document co-citation network map using CiteSpace software.Results. The most productive journal was Clinical Neurophysiology. The most published institution was the University College London, and the country with the most reports was the USA. The most productive author was Alvaro Pascual-Leone and the most cited author in the non-invasive brain stimulation field was J. C. Rothwell. In addition, the most cited study was that of Rossi et al. (2009). The safe application of non-invasive brain stimulation techniques and their effects on motor or executive functions is an emerging trend in this research area.Conclusions. The current investigation displayed a quantitative scientometric approach and delved into the advancement of non-invasive brain stimulation research by examining the references published in this domain. These findings can be valuable for professionals to picture the patterns of recognition and emerging directions in the field.
Uso de romiplostim en trombocitopenia inmunitaria: experiencia en Cuenca (Ecuador)
Authors: Chiang-Wong Héctor , González-Saldaña Patricio
Published: July 2024

Introducción. El consenso internacional y la guía del 2019 de la American Society of Hematology, establecieron a los análogos de la trombopoyetina como medicamentos de segunda línea para tratar la trombocitopenia inmunitaria primaria. En Ecuador, se comercializan dos trombomiméticos: romiplostim y eltrombopag.Objetivos. Describir el uso de romiplostim en pacientes con trombocitopenia inmunitaria, en un hospital de tercer nivel en Cuenca (Ecuador).Materiales y métodos. Se adelantó un estudio descriptivo y retrospectivo en pacientes con trombocitopenia inmunitaria y tratamiento con romiplostim. Se evaluaron las siguientes variables: edad, sexo, tratamientos previos a romiplostim, dosis, frecuencia, complicaciones, cambio de análogo de trombopoyetina y discontinuación de la terapia.Resultados. Veintiún pacientes con trombocitopenia inmunitaria fueron tratados con romiplostim, con una mediana de 49 años. Todos recibieron corticoides como tratamiento de primera línea. Tres precisaron de intervalos más prolongados que el semanal, con dosis semanales menores de las recomendadas (< 1 μg/kg). Por falta de eficacia, en seis pacientes se reemplazó la terapia con eltrombopag por romiplostim. Tres pacientes padecieron complicaciones trombóticas: dos, trombosis venosa portal, y uno, tromboembolia pulmonar. En cinco, se discontinuó el tratamiento con romiplostim, sin necesidad de reanudarlo.Conclusiones. Romiplostim constituye un tratamiento de segunda línea para la trombocitopenia inmunitaria primaria. A pesar del reducido tamaño de la muestra, se observó que la administración temprana del medicamento puede minimizar toxicidades y riesgos infecciosos.
Aspectos genéticos e imagenológicos de la enfermedad quística renal en pediatría: serie de casos
Authors: Pacheco-Orozco Rafael Adrián , Forero-Delgadillo Jessica María , Ochoa Vanessa , Toro Juan Sebastián , Pachajoa Harry , Restrepo Jaime Manuel
Published: July 2024

Las enfermedades quísticas renales son condiciones frecuentes cuya etiología puede ser muy heterogénea, por lo que se requiere un adecuado abordaje para su diagnóstico y manejo. El objetivo de este trabajo fue ilustrar parte del espectro de la enfermedad renal quística por medio de casos clínicos manejados en la Fundación Valle del Lili. Se describen 11 casos clínicos que incluyen enfermedades como displasia multiquística renal, enfermedad poliquística renal autosómica dominante y autosómica recesiva, entre otras.Las enfermedades quísticas renales varían en su presentación clínica, historia natural, hallazgos imagenológicos, bases genéticas y fisiopatológicas, por consiguiente, el enfoque diagnóstico y el manejo integral se debe realizar de forma individualizada y con un abordaje multidisciplinario.
A Mathematical Model for Rotavirus Infection Incorporating Time Delay on the Effectiveness of Vaccination with Treatment
Authors: Christine Wakwabubi N. , Apima Samuel B. , Kwach Bonface
Published: July 2024

Rotavirus is the most common cause of severe diarrheal disease in young children globally attributing approximately 527,000 deaths of children under five each year. A Rotavirus vaccine was developed in 1998, however, it takes time for vaccine induced immunity to take place. The aim of the study was develop and analyze a mathematical model on rotavirus infection which incorporated a time delay on effectiveness of vaccination with treatment. The developed model was shown to be positively invariant and bounded.Conditions for stability of the equilibrium points is obtained and it is also shown that a bigger time delay would make the population not to be predictable. The findings of this study is useful to the government, ministry of Health stakeholders and policy developers and further provides baseline information for studies of this nature.
Prevalence and Antibiotic Resistance of Ureaplasma urealyticum in Sperm Cultures: A Retrospective Analysis", Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire
Authors: Thérèse Kouassi-Agbessi Brah , Agathe Koné-Dotia , Anderson Djatchi Richmond , Asher Cablan Mian , Georges Gbagbo Tchapé Aubin , Sandrine Zaba Flore , Joseph Lathro Serge , Yessé Zinzendorf Nanga , Timothée Ouassa
Published: July 2024

Aims: Mycoplasmas are bacteria of the urogenital tract often associated with various infections and infertility. In terms of treatment, acquired resistance to antibiotics has been reported. The aim of this study was to investigate changes in the prevalence and antibiotic resistance of Ureaplasma urealyticum strains isolated during sperm culture, in order to help update therapeutic protocols for the treatment of U. urealyticum-associated infections
Place and Duration of Study: These were men received at the INHP from January 2018 to December 2021 for sperm culture
Methodology: This is a retrospective study in which the culture results of 907 semen samples received in the laboratory between 2018 and 2021 were analysed. Identification, indicative counts and antibiotic susceptibility testing of U. urealyticum were performed using the Biosynex Mycoplasma kit.
Results: 283 strains of U. urealyticum were isolated between 2018 and 2021, with an average prevalence of 31.2%. In 2018, only minocycline, josamycin and roxithromycin were active on all the strains tested, while fluoroquinolones and clindamycin showed high levels of resistance, with rates of 75.9% and 86.1% respectively. From 2019 onwards, resistance spread to all antibiotics, with increasing levels of resistance, with the exception of minocycline, which remained active on all strains. The highest resistance rates were observed in 2021 and were 74.6% and 96.6% for pristinamycin and clindamycin respectively.
Conclusion: Despite the high level of resistance, minocycline and josamycin have shown relatively stable antibacterial activity and could be proposed as the molecules of choice for the treatment of U. urealyticum infections. Closer monitoring of the development of antibiotic resistance in these bacteria is therefore necessary.
Acoustic estimates of methane gas flux from the seabed in a 6000 km2 region in the Northern Gulf of Mexico
Authors: Weber Thomas C. , Mayer Larry , Jerram Kevin , Beaudoin Jonathan , Rzhanov Yuri , Lovalvo Dave
Published: April 2014

Seeps of free methane gas escaping the seabed can be found throughout the ocean basins. To understand the role of methane gas seeps in the global carbon cycle—including both gas added to the atmosphere and that which is dissolved and potentially oxidized in the ocean volume—it is important to quantify the amount of methane escaping the seabed. Few large‐scale mapping projects of natural methane seeps have been undertaken, however, and even among these, quantitative estimates of flux are rare. Here we use acoustic mapping techniques to survey 357 natural methane seeps in a large region (6000 km2) of the northern Gulf of Mexico and outline a general approach for methane seep mapping using a combination of multibeam and split‐beam echo sounders. Using additional measurements collected with a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) together with the acoustic mapping results, we estimate the total gas flux within the 6000 km2 region to be between 0.0013 and 0.16 Tg/yr, or between 0.003 and 0.3% of the current estimates for global seabed methane seepage rates.
Seasonal Quality Premiums for Wheat: A Case Study for Northern Germany
Authors: Loy Jens‐Peter , Holm Thore , Steinhagen Carsten , Glauben Thomas
Published: April 2014

Seasonal variations of the price premium for bread and feed wheat indicate opportunities to profitably adjust the grain marketing strategy of farmers that harvest (and store) both wheat types. In this article, we estimate the seasonal pattern of wheat price premiums on the German market using a vector error correction approach, which accounts for multivariate autoregressive conditional heteroscedasticity of the error terms. Our results indicate a significant downward trend for the premium during the marketing season, with the trend's magnitude depending on the average quality of harvested wheat. If farmers separately store both bread and feed wheat, they should tend to sell bread wheat before they sell feed wheat, particularly in years of low average wheat qualities. Further, the volatility of the price premium significantly decreases over the season, indicating higher risks at the beginning and lower risks towards the end. The volatility of the premium may present opportunities that require a reevaluation of the recommended temporal sequence of selling bread and feed wheat.
On‐Line Reaction Monitoring and Mechanistic Studies by Mass Spectrometry: Negishi Cross‐Coupling, Hydrogenolysis, and Reductive Amination
Authors: Yan Xin , Sokol Ewa , Li Xin , Li Guangtao , Xu Shiqing , Cooks R. Graham
Published: April 2014

Reaction monitoring using inductive ESI mass spectrometry allows chemical reactions to be tracked in real time, including air‐ and moisture‐sensitive as well as heterogeneous reactions. Highly concentrated solutions can also be monitored for long periods without emitter clogging. Sheath gas assists in nebulization and a sample splitter reduces the delay time and minimizes contamination of the instrument. Short‐lived intermediates (ca. 5 s) were observed in Pd/C‐catalyzed hydrogenolysis, and several intermediates were seen in Negishi cross‐coupling reactions.
A Biomimetic Catalytic Aerobic Functionalization of Phenols
Authors: Esguerra Kenneth Virgel N. , Fall Yacoub , Lumb Jean‐Philip
Published: April 2014

The importance of aromatic CO, CN, and CS bonds necessitates increasingly efficient strategies for their formation. Herein, we report a biomimetic approach that converts phenolic CH bonds into CO, CN, and CS bonds at the sole expense of reducing dioxygen (O2) to water (H2O). Our method hinges on a regio‐ and chemoselective copper‐catalyzed aerobic oxygenation to provideortho‐quinones.ortho‐Quinones are versatile intermediates, whose direct catalytic aerobic synthesis from phenols enables a mild and efficient means of synthesizing polyfunctional aromatic rings.
Low‐Spin Pseudotetrahedral Iron(I) Sites in Fe2(μ‐S) Complexes
Authors: Anderson John S. , Peters Jonas C.
Published: April 2014

FeI centers in iron–sulfide complexes have little precedent in synthetic chemistry despite a growing interest in the possible role of unusually low valent iron in metalloenzymes that feature iron–sulfur clusters. A series of three diiron [(L3Fe)2(μ‐S)] complexes that were isolated and characterized in the low‐valent oxidation states FeIISFeII, FeIISFeI, and FeISFeI is described. This family of iron sulfides constitutes a unique redox series comprising three nearly isostructural but electronically distinct Fe2(μ‐S) species. Combined structural, magnetic, and spectroscopic studies provided strong evidence that the pseudotetrahedral iron centers undergo a transition to low‐spin S=1/2 states upon reduction from FeII to FeI. The possibility of accessing low‐spin, pseudotetrahedral FeI sites compatible with S2− as a ligand was previously unknown.
Robust 3D Motion Tracking for Vision‐Based Control in Robotic Heart Surgery
Authors: Yang Bo , Liu Chao
Published: April 2014

Recently, model‐based visual tracking techniques using endoscopic images have been proposed for estimating beating heart motion and thus actively compensating motion in robot‐assisted minimally invasive surgery. However, most existing methods suffer the problems of computation burden with increasing size of target region and number of parameters, and also limited capability to handle partial occlusions. In this paper, an overlapped thin‐plate spline approach is proposed. By dividing the target region into overlapped sub‐regions, overall computational burden is greatly reduced and robustness against environment disturbances is improved. With the proposed tracking scheme, 3D coordinates of point of interest on beating heart surfaces can be extracted and used to compensate heart motion by a surgical robot, which presents a step further towards successful robotic beating heart surgery using a model‐based visual tracking technique. The performance of the proposed tracking method is demonstrated through experiments on phantom data and in vivo videos recorded by the da Vinci surgical platform.
Dose‐Dependent Effects and Reversibility of the Injuries Caused by Nandrolone Decanoate in Uterine Tissue and Fertility of Rats
Authors: Belardin Larissa Berloffa , Simão Vinícius Augusto , Leite Gabriel Adan Araújo , Chuffa Luiz Gustavo de Almeida , Camargo Isabel Cristina Cherici
Published: April 2014

This study is the first to investigate the effects of different doses of nandrolone decanoate (ND) upon uterine tissue and fertility, and if the reproductive alterations can be restored after cessation of the treatment. Wistar female rats were treated with ND at doses of 1.87, 3.75, 7.5, and 15 mg/kg body weight, diluted in vehicle (n = 30/group), or received only mineral oil (control group, n = 45). The animals were divided into three periods of study: ND‐treated receiving a daily subcutaneous injection for 15 consecutive days (1), and treatment with ND followed by 30‐day recovery (2), and 60‐day recovery (3). At the end of each period, five females per group were induced to death to histopathological analysis and the others were allowed to fertility evaluation (at 19th gestational day). Animals that received ND followed by 30‐day recovery exhibited persistent diestrous and marked suppression of reproductive capacity. Conversely, after 60‐day recovery, only lowest doses females (1.87 and 3.75 mg/kg) exhibited restoration of normal estrous cyclicity. Uterine weights were increased after ND treatment similarly to that of the controls after 60‐day recovery. The ND‐treated groups showed histopathological changes in the endometrium, myometrium, and perimetrium, and an increase in the thickness of both muscular and serous layers. Notably, the recovery of uterine tissue after ND treatment was dose‐ and period‐dependent. We reported that administration of ND promoted damage in uterine tissue and fertility of rats, and the recovery periods were insufficient to restore all of the side effects caused by ND under a dose‐dependent response
Functionalization of a Ruthenium–Diacetylide Organometallic Complex as a Next‐Generation Push–Pull Chromophore
Authors: De Sousa Samuel , Ducasse Laurent , Kauffmann Brice , Toupance Thierry , Olivier Céline
Published: April 2014

The design and preparation of an asymmetric ruthenium–diacetylide organometallic complex was successfully achieved to provide an original donor–π–[M]–π–acceptor architecture, in which [M] corresponds to the [Ru(dppe)2] (dppe: bisdiphenylphosphinoethane) metal fragment. The charge‐transfer processes occurring upon photoexcitation of the push–pull metal–dialkynyl σ complex were investigated by combining experimental and theoretical data. The novel push–pull complex, appropriately end capped with an anchoring carboxylic acid function, was further adsorbed onto a semiconducting metal oxide porous thin film to serve as a photosensitizer in hybrid solar cells. The resulting photoactive material, when embedded in dye‐sensitized solar cell devices, showed a good spectral response with a broad incident photon‐to‐current conversion efficiency profile and a power conversion efficiency that reached 7.3 %. Thus, this material paves the way to a new generation of organometallic chromophores for photovoltaic applications.
Pyrene‐Based Bisazolium Salts: From Luminescence Properties to Janus‐Type Bis‐N‐Heterocyclic Carbenes
Authors: Gonell Sergio , Poyatos Macarena , Peris Eduardo
Published: April 2014

A series of pyrene‐based bisazolium salts have been obtained starting from 4,5,9,10‐tetrabromo‐2,7‐di‐tert‐butylpyrene. The synthetic procedure to the pyrene‐bisazoliums (PBIs) reveals an unexpected behavior, as a consequence of the presence of the alkyl groups (alkyl=Me, Et, n‐Pr, and n‐Bu) coming from the trisalkoxyformate in the final products, instead of the expected tBu of tAmyl groups from the starting tetra‐aminated pyrenes. All bisazoliums show fluorescence properties, with emissions in the range of 370–420 nm, and quantum yields ranging from 0.29 to 0.41. The PBIs were used as bis‐NHC precursors in the preparation of a series of dirhodium and diiridium complexes, which have been fully characterized. The electrochemical studies on selected dimetallic complexes reveal that the electronic communication between the metals through the polyaromatic linker is negligible.
Chiral Resolution and Pharmacological Characterization of the Enantiomers of the Hsp90 Inhibitor 2‐Amino‐7‐[4‐fluoro‐2‐(3‐pyridyl)phenyl]‐4‐methyl‐7,8‐dihydro‐6H‐quinazolin‐5‐one Oxime
Authors: Amici Raffaella , Bigogno Chiara , Boggio Roberto , Colombo Andrea , Courtney Stephen M. , Dal Zuffo Roberto , Dondio Giulio , Fusar Fulvia , Gagliardi Stefania , Minucci Saverio , Molteni Marco , Montalbetti Christian A. G. N. , Mortoni Annalisa , Varasi Mario , Vultaggio Stefania , Mercurio Ciro
Published: April 2014

Heat‐shock protein 90 (Hsp90) is a molecular chaperone involved in the stabilization of key oncogenic signaling proteins, and therefore, inhibition of Hsp90 represents a new strategy in cancer therapy. 2‐Amino‐7‐[4‐fluoro‐2‐(3‐pyridyl)phenyl]‐4‐methyl‐7,8‐dihydro‐6H‐quinazolin‐5‐one oxime is a racemic Hsp90 inhibitor that targets the N‐terminal adenosine triphosphatase site. We developed a method to resolve the enantiomers and evaluated their inhibitory activity on Hsp90 and the consequent antitumor effects. The (S) stereoisomer emerged as a potent Hsp90 inhibitor in biochemical and cellular assays. In addition, this enantiomer exhibited high oral bioavailability in mice and excellent antitumor activity in two different human cancer xenograft models.
Regio‐ and Stereospecificity in the Oxygenation of Arachidonic Acid Catalyzed by Leu597 Mutants of Rabbit 15‐Lipoxygenase: A QM/MM Study
Authors: Suardíaz Reynier , Masgrau Laura , Lluch José M. , González‐Lafont Àngels
Published: April 2014

We combined quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics calculations with molecular dynamics simulations to study the addition of O2 to the pentadienyl radical of arachidonic acid (AA) catalyzed by the Leu597Val and Leu597Ala mutants of rabbit 15‐lipoxygenase (15‐rLO). In the Leu597Val mutant, the addition of O2 to C15 of AA is the predominant path, although it reduces the C15/C11 product ratio by almost ten times with respect to the wildtype enzyme. The S stereochemistry is kept. Mutation to Ala causes just the opposite effect: regiospecificity favoring addition to C15 is somewhat sharper than that in the wildtype, but the stereochemistry is R. This is because the extra space created by the mutation to Ala is big enough for AA to move so that it can adopt an alternative binding mode, and this opens new feasible paths for the attack of O2. So, we showed that the Leu597Ala mutant of 15r‐LO works as an aspirin‐acetylated cyclooxygenase‐2, which makes 15‐(R)‐ hydroperoxyeicosatetraenoic acid.
Gasoline from Biomass through Refinery‐Friendly Carbohydrate‐Based Bio‐Oil Produced by Ketalization
Authors: Batalha Nuno , da Silva Alessandra V. , de Souza Matheus O. , da Costa Bruna M. C. , Gomes Elisa S. , Silva Thiago C. , Barros Thalita G. , Gonçalves Maria L. A. , Caramão Elina B. , dos Santos Luciana R. M. , Almeida Marlon B. B. , de Souza Rodrigo O. M. A. , Lam Yiu L. , Carvalho Nakédia M. F. , Miranda Leandro S. M. , Pereira Marcelo M.
Published: April 2014

The introduction of biomass‐derived compounds as an alternative feed into the refinery structure that already exists can potentially converge energy uses with ecological sustainability. Herein, we present an approach to produce a bio‐oil based on carbohydrate‐derived isopropylidene ketals obtained by reaction with acetone under acidic conditions directly from second‐generation biomass. The obtained bio‐oil showed a greater chemical inertness and miscibility with gasoil than typical bio‐oil from fast pyrolysis. Catalytic upgrading of the bio‐oil over zeolites (USY and Beta) yielded gasoline with a high octane number. Moreover, the co‐processing of gasoil and bio‐oil improved the gasoline yield and quality compared to pure gasoil and also reduced the amount of oxygenated compounds and coke compared with pure bio‐oil, which demonstrates a synergistic effect.
The development of anticipation in the fetus: A longitudinal account of human fetal mouth movements in reaction to and anticipation of touch
Authors: Reissland N. , Francis B. , Aydin E. , Mason J. , Schaal B.
Published: April 2014

Research suggests that fetuses open or close their mouth in relation to directed movements but it is unclear whether mouth opening anticipates the touch or is a reaction to touch, as there has been no analysis so far of (1) the facial area of touch and (2) the sequential ordering of touch and mouth movements. If there is prenatal development of the anticipation of touch we would expect the frequency of fetal mouth opening immediately preceding the arriving hand at the mouth area to increase with fetal age. Fifteen healthy fetuses, eight girls and seven boys, underwent four additional 4‐D scans at 24, 28, 32, and 36 weeks gestation. Changes in the frequency of touch for different facial regions indicated a significant decline in touch of the upper and side parts of the face and a significant increase in touching lower and perioral regions of the face with increasing gestational age. Results supporting the hypothesis showed a significant increase in the proportion of anticipatory mouth movements before touch increasing by around 8% with each week of gestational age. Additionally there was a decrease in the proportion of reactive mouth movements decreasing by around 3% for each week of gestational age. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Dev Psychobiol 56: 955–963, 2014.
Imidazole and imidazolium porphyrins: gas‐phase chemistry of multicharged ions
Authors: Ramos Catarina I. V. , Pereira Patrícia M. R. , Santana‐Marques M. Graça , De Paula Rodrigo , Simões Mário M. Q. , Neves M. Graça P. M. S. , Cavaleiro José. A. S.
Published: April 2014

Electrospray ionization mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry in the positive ion mode was used to investigate the gas‐phase chemistry of multicharged ions from solutions of porphyrins with 1,3‐dimethylimidazolium‐2‐yl (DMIM) and 1‐methylimidazol‐2‐yl (MIm) meso‐substituents. The studied compounds include two free bases and 12 complexes with transition metals (Cu(II), Zn(II), Mn(III), and Fe(III)). The observed multicharged ions are either preformed or formed during the electrospraying process by reduction or protonation and comprise closed‐shell and hypervalent mono‐radical and bi‐radical ions.

The observed extensive and abundant fragmentation of the DMIM and MIm meso‐substituents is a characteristic feature of these porphyrins. Fragments with the same mass values can be lost from the meso‐substituents either as charged or neutral species and from closed‐shell and hypervalent radical ions.

Reduction processes are observed for both the free bases and the metallated DMIM porphyrins and occur predominantly by formation of hypervalent radicals that fragment, at low energy collisions, by loss of methyl radicals with formation of the corresponding MIm functionalities. These findings confirm that, when using electrospray ionization, reduction is an important characteristic of cationic meso‐substituted tetrapyrrolic macrocycles, always occurring when delocalization of the formed hypervalent radicals is possible.

For the Fe(III) and Mn(III) complexes, reduction of the metal centers is also observed as the predominant fragmentation of the corresponding reduced ions through losses of charged fragments testifies.

The fragmentation of the closed‐shell ions formed by protonation of the MIm porphyrins mirrors the fragmentation of the closed‐shell ions of their DMIM counterparts. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Configuration and validation of a mesoscale atmospheric model for simulating summertime rainfall in Central Alberta
Authors: Hanrahan Janel , Kuo Chun‐Chao , Gan Thian Yew
Published: April 2014

Extreme precipitation events in Central Alberta have overwhelmed hydraulic structures several times in recent years, and it is generally expected that rainfall intensity in this region will continue to increase over the next several decades. Accurate rainfall projections are thus needed to assess future flood risks and to mitigate the possible impacts of these changes. Such data may be obtained through the use of regional climate models (RCMs), and one in particular, the fifth‐generation NCAR/Penn State mesoscale atmospheric model (MM5), is investigated here. MM5 is used to dynamically downscale European Centre for Medium‐Range Weather Forecast (ECMWF) ERA‐Interim reanalysis data to evaluate its ability to accurately simulate rainfall in Central Alberta over two consecutive summers that represent contrasting precipitation regimes. It is determined that in complex terrain, different RCM preprocessing settings can result in vastly different input data which are used for the model simulation. After optimal preprocessing settings are identified, precipitation data from the resulting simulations are compared with data from Edmonton's local rain gauge network and a High Resolution Precipitation Product (HRPP), Climate Prediction Center (CPC) MORPHing technique (CMORPH). Precipitation data generated by MM5 reveal that this RCM can indeed distinguish between wet (2010) and dry (2009) years, but that simulated rainfall totals tend to be too high during May of both precipitation regimes, particularly during the dry year. This bias is partially attributed to the RCM's inaccurate simulation of available moisture in the presence of local terrain effects, and should be taken into consideration when making projections regarding possible changes to future precipitation conditions in Central Alberta and in other regions with similar climatology.
Texturing of polycrystalline photovoltaic materials using vertically aligned carbon nanotube arrays
Authors: Flicker Jack , Ready W. Jud
Published: April 2014

In order to demonstrate that three‐dimensional carbon nanotube‐based photovoltaic devices show an increase in power output over similar planar cells, we have produced cells with texturing through the use of vertically aligned carbon nanotube arrays and cells without this texturing. The output power of these cells at varying incident angles of light was measured. The textured cells show an increase in the normalized power output compared with similar planar cells when the solar flux is at off‐normal angles. The power output versus incident angle curve takes an inverted C‐type curve as predicted by the theory developed previously, with very good agreement between experimental results and theoretical predictions. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
ALPPS Offers a Better Chance of Complete Resection in Patients with Primarily Unresectable Liver Tumors Compared with Conventional‐Staged Hepatectomies: Results of a Multicenter Analysis
Authors: Schadde Erik , Ardiles Victoria , Slankamenac Ksenija , Tschuor Christoph , Sergeant Gregory , Amacker Nadja , Baumgart Janine , Croome Kris , Hernandez‐Alejandro Roberto , Lang Hauke , de Santibaňes Eduardo , Clavien Pierre‐Alain
Published: April 2014

Background

Portal vein occlusion to increase the size of the future liver remnant (FLR) is well established, using portal vein ligation (PVL) or embolization (PVE) followed by resection 4–8 weeks later. Associating liver partition with portal vein ligation for staged hepatectomy (ALPPS) combines PVL and complete parenchymal transection, followed by hepatectomy within 1–2 weeks. ALPPS has been recently introduced but remains controversial. We compare the ability of ALPPS versus PVE or PVL for complete tumor resection.

Methods

A retrospective review of all patients undergoing ALPPS or conventional staged hepatectomies using PVL or PVE at four high‐volume HPB centres between 2003 and 2012 was performed. Patients with primary liver tumors and liver metastases were included. Primary endpoint was complete tumor resection. Secondary endpoints include 90‐day mortality, complications, FLR increase, time to resection, and tumor recurrence.

Results

Forty‐eight patients with ALPPS were compared with 83 patients with conventional‐staged hepatectomies. Eighty‐three percent (40/48 patients) of ALPPS patients achieved complete resection compared with 66 % (55/83 patients) in PVE/PVL (odds ratio 3.34, p = 0.027). Ninety‐day mortality in ALPPS and PVE/PVL was 15 and 6 %, respectively (p = 0.2). Extrapolated growth rate was 11 times higher in ALPPS (34.8 cc/day; interquartile range (IQR) 26–49) compared with PVE/PVL (3 cc/day; IQR2‐6; p = 0.001). Tumor recurrence at 1 year was 54 versus 52 % for ALPPS and PVE/PVL, respectively (p = 0.7).

Conclusions

This study provides evidence that ALPPS offers a better chance of complete resection in patients with primarily unresectable liver tumors at the cost of a high mortality. The technique is promising but should currently not be used outside of studies and registries.
Predictors of Bone Mineral Density Improvement in Patients Undergoing Parathyroidectomy for Primary Hyperparathyroidism
Authors: Sharma Jyotirmay , Itum Dina S. , Moss Lewis , Chun‐Li Christine , Weber Collin
Published: April 2014

Introduction

Primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) results in increased bone turnover, resulting in bone mineral density (BMD) reduction and a predisposition towards fractures. Parathyroidectomy (PTX) is the only definitive cure.

Objective

The primary goals of this study were to investigate the impact of PTX on BMD in patients with PHPT and to identify factors associated with post‐operative BMD improvement using a multivariate model.

Methods

Between 1999 and 2010, a total of 757 patients underwent PTX for treatment of PHPT; 123 patients had both a pre‐ and a post‐operative dual‐energy X‐ray absorptiometry (DEXA) scan. A prospective database was queried to obtain information about patient demographics, medications, comorbidities, and pre‐ and post‐operative laboratory values. A Cox regression model was used to stratify patients and to identify factors that independently predict BMD response following PTX in this patient population.

Results

Overall, mean percent change in BMD was +12.31 % at the spine, +8.9 % at the femoral neck (FN), and +8.5 % at the hip, with a mean follow‐up of 2.3 ± 1.5 years. A total of 101 (82.1 %) patients had BMD improvement at their worst pre‐operative site. In patients who improved, 69.9 % (n = 86) had >5 % increase. Factors associated with BMD improvement at the worst pre‐operative site were as follows: male gender (hazard ratio [HR] 2.29; 95 % confidence interval [CI] 1.54–4.21); pre‐operative BMD with T‐score less than −2.0 (HR 1.89; 95 % CI 1.11–2.39); age <55 years (HR 1.74; 95 % CI 1.14–2.25); BMD DEXA scan at >2.5 years post‐operatively (HR 1.71; 95 % CI 1.09–2.17); history of previous fracture (HR 1.24; 95 % CI 1.05–1.92); and private insurance (HR 1.18; 95 % CI 1.06–2.1). The use of bisphosphonates, estrogens, vitamin D supplementation, or tobacco; obesity; history of previous PTX, serum calcium or parathyroid hormone levels were not independently associated with post‐operative BMD improvement.

Conclusion

Osteoporosis is one of the established National Institutes of Health criteria for PTX in asymptomatic patients with PHPT, but BMD improvement is not consistently seen during the post‐operative period. Gender, age, more severe pre‐operative bone disease, and insurance status were all predictors for greater BMD improvement following PTX. Further studies with a rigorous post‐operative BMD regimen are needed in order to validate these results.
Miami Thrives: Weaving a Poverty Reduction Coalition
Authors: Evans Scotney D. , Rosen Adam D. , Kesten Stacey M. , Moore Wendy
Published: April 2014

In an environment where community based organizations are asked to do increasingly more to alleviate the effects of complex social problems, networks and coalitions are becoming the answer for increasing scale, efficiency, coordination, and most importantly, social impact. This paper highlights the formation of a poverty reduction coalition in south Florida. Our case study approach chronicles a developing coalition in Miami‐Dade County and the role of one organization acting as lead to the initiative. Drawing on interviews with lead organization staff, participant observation field notes, network mapping and analysis of documents and artifacts from the initiative, we analyze the local organizational context and illuminate important processes associated with supporting a developing coalition. Findings offer a picture of the interorganizational relationships in the community using social network analysis and identify the organizational capacity factors that contribute to and inhibit the formation of a cohesive and effective coalition in this context. This study also highlights the utility of an action research approach to organizational learning about coalition‐building in such a way that informs decision making.
Management of paediatric tibial fractures using two types of circular external fixator: Taylor spatial frame and Ilizarov circular fixator
Authors: Tafazal Suhayl , Madan Sanjeev S. , Ali Farhan , Padman Manoj , Swift Simone , Jones Stanley , Fernandes James A.
Published: April 2014

Background

The use of circular fixators for the treatment of tibial fractures is well established in the literature. The aim of this study was to compare the Ilizarov circular fixator (ICF) with the Taylor spatial frame (TSF) in terms of treatment results in consecutive patients with tibial fractures that required operative management.

Method

A retrospective analysis of patient records and radiographs was performed to obtain patient data, information on injury sustained, the operative technique used, time duration in frame, healing time and complications of treatment. The minimum follow-up was 24 months.

Results

Ten patients were treated with ICF between 2000 and 2005, while 15 patients have been treated with TSF since 2005. Two of the 10 treated with ICF and 5 of the 15 treated with TSF were open fractures. All patients went on to achieve complete union. Mean duration in the frame was 12.7 weeks for ICF and 14.8 weeks for the TSF group. Two patients in the TSF group had delayed union and required additional procedures including adjustment of fixator and bone grafting. There was one malunion in the TSF group that required osteotomy and reapplication of frame. There were seven and nine pin-site infections in the ICF and TSF groups, respectively, all of which responded to antibiotics. There were no refractures in either group.

Conclusion

In an appropriate patient, both types of circular fixator are equally effective but have different characteristics, with TSF allowing for postoperative deformity correction. Of concern are the two cases of delayed union in the TSF group, all in patients with high-energy injuries. We feel another larger study is required to provide further clarity in this matter.

Level of evidence

Level II—comparative study.
A generalization of Marstrand's theorem for projections of cartesian products
Authors: López Jorge Erick , Moreira Carlos Gustavo
Published: April 2014

We prove the following variant of Marstrand's theorem about projections of cartesian products of sets:

Let

K_{1},\ldots,K_{n}

be Borel subsets of

\mathbb{R}^{m_{1}},\ldots,\mathbb{R}^{m_{n}}

respectively, and

\pi :\mathbb{R}^{m_{1}} \times \cdots \times \mathbb{R}^{m_{n}}\rightarrow \mathbb{R}^{k}

be a surjective linear map. We set

\mathfrak{m}: = \mathrm{\min }⁡\Bigg\{\sum \limits_{i \in I}\mathrm{\dim }_{H}⁡(K_{i}) + \mathrm{\dim }⁡\pi \Bigg(\bigoplus \limits_{i \in I^{c}}\mathbb{R}^{m_{i}}\Bigg),\:I \subset \{1,\ldots,n\},\:I \neq \emptyset \Bigg\}.

Consider the space

\Lambda _{m} = \{(t,O),\:t \in \mathbb{R},\:O \in \mathrm{SO}(m)\}

with the natural measure and set

\Lambda = \Lambda _{m_{1}} \times\cdots\times \Lambda _{m_{n}}

. For every

\lambda = (t_{1},O_{1},\ldots,t_{n},O_{n}) \in \Lambda

and every

x = (x^{1},…,x^{n}) \in \mathbb{R}^{m_{1}} \times \cdots \times \mathbb{R}^{m_{n}}

we define

\pi _{\lambda }(x) = \pi (t_{1}O_{1}x^{1},\ldots,t_{n}O_{n}x^{n})

. Then we have

Theorem.

(i)

If

\mathfrak{m} > k

, then

\pi _{\lambda }(K_{1} \times \cdots \times K_{n})

has positive k-dimensional Lebesgue measure for almost every

\lambda \in \Lambda

.

(ii)

If

\mathfrak{m}⩽k

and

\mathrm{\dim }_{H}⁡(K_{1} \times\cdots \times K_{n}) = \mathrm{\dim }_{H}⁡(K_{1}) + \cdots + \mathrm{\dim }_{H}⁡(K_{n})

, then

\mathrm{\dim }_{H}⁡(\pi _{\lambda }(K_{1} \times … \times K_{n})) = \mathfrak{m}

for almost every

\lambda \in \Lambda

.
Beyond genetics. Influence of dietary factors and gut microbiota on type 1 diabetes
Authors: Nielsen Dennis S. , Krych Łukasz , Buschard Karsten , Hansen Camilla H.F. , Hansen Axel K.
Published: April 2014

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is an autoimmune disease ultimately leading to destruction of insulin secreting β‐cells in the pancreas. Genetic susceptibility plays an important role in T1D etiology, but even mono‐zygotic twins only have a concordance rate of around 50%, underlining that other factors than purely genetic are involved in disease development. Here we review the influence of dietary and environmental factors on T1D development in humans as well as animal models. Even though data are still inconclusive, there are strong indications that gut microbiota dysbiosis plays an important role in T1D development and evidence from animal models suggests that gut microbiota manipulation might prove valuable in future prevention of T1D in genetically susceptible individuals.
The X‐ray crystal structure of Shewanella oneidensis OmcA reveals new insight at the microbe–mineral interface
Authors: Edwards Marcus J. , Baiden Nanakow A. , Johs Alexander , Tomanicek Stephen J. , Liang Liyuan , Shi Liang , Fredrickson Jim K. , Zachara John M. , Gates Andrew J. , Butt Julea N. , Richardson David J. , Clarke Thomas A.
Published: April 2014

The X‐ray crystal structure of Shewanella oneidensis OmcA, an extracellular decaheme cytochrome involved in mineral reduction, was solved to a resolution of 2.7 Å. The four OmcA molecules in the asymmetric unit are arranged so the minimum distance between heme 5 on adjacent OmcA monomers is 9 Å, indicative of a transient OmcA dimer capable of intermolecular electron transfer. A previously identified hematite binding motif was identified near heme 10, forming a hydroxylated surface that would bring a heme 10 electron egress site to ∼10 Å of a mineral surface.
The cytoplasmic side of p53's oncosuppressive activities
Authors: Comel Anna , Sorrentino Giovanni , Capaci Valeria , Del Sal Giannino
Published: April 2014

The tumor suppressor p53 is a transcription factor that in response to a plethora of stress stimuli activates a complex and context‐dependent cellular response ultimately protecting genome integrity. In the last two decades, the discovery of cytoplasmic p53 localization has driven an intense research on its extra‐nuclear functions. The ability to induce apoptosis acting directly at mitochondria and the related mechanisms of p53 localization and translocation in the cytoplasm and mitochondria have been dissected. However, recent works indicate the involvement of cytoplasmic p53 also in biological processes such as autophagy, metabolism, oxidative stress and drug response. This review will focus on the mechanisms of cytoplasmic p53 activation and the pathophysiological role of p53's transcription‐independent functions, highlighting possible therapeutic implications.
EF‐hand motifs of diacylglycerol kinase α interact intra‐molecularly with its C1 domains
Authors: Yamamoto Tatsuya , Sakai Hiromichi , Sakane Fumio
Published: April 2014

Diacylglycerol kinase (DGK) α, which is activated by Ca2+, contains a recoverin homology (RVH) domain, tandem repeats of two Ca2+‐binding EF‐hand motifs, two cysteine‐rich C1 domains and the catalytic domain. We previously found that a DGKα mutant lacking the RVH domain and EF‐hands was constitutively active and that the N‐terminal region of DGKα, consisting of the RVH domain and EF‐hand motifs, interacted intra‐molecularly with the C‐terminal region containing the C1 and catalytic domains. In this study, we narrowed down the interaction regions of DGKα. At the C‐terminal region, the C1 domains are responsible for the intra‐molecular interaction. At the N‐terminal region, the EF‐hand motifs mainly contribute to the interaction. Moreover, using highly purified EF‐hand motifs and C1 domains, we demonstrate that they directly bind to each other. The co‐precipitation of these two domains was clearly attenuated by the addition of Ca2+. These results indicate that the Ca2+‐induced dissociation of the intra‐molecular interaction between the EF‐hand motifs and the C1 domains of DGKα is the key event that regulates the activity of the enzyme.
Genome-Wide Mapping of Cellular Protein–RNA Interactions Enabled by Chemical Crosslinking
Authors: Li Xiaoyu , Song Jinghui , Yi Chengqi
Published: April 2014

RNA–protein interactions influence many biological processes. Identifying the binding sites of RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) remains one of the most fundamental and important challenges to the studies of such interactions. Capturing RNA and RBPs via chemical crosslinking allows stringent purification procedures that significantly remove the non-specific RNA and protein interactions. Two major types of chemical crosslinking strategies have been developed to date, i.e., UV-enabled crosslinking and enzymatic mechanism-based covalent capture. In this review, we compare such strategies and their current applications, with an emphasis on the technologies themselves rather than the biology that has been revealed. We hope such methods could benefit broader audience and also urge for the development of new methods to study RNA−RBP interactions.
Sexually dimorphic effects of prenatal exposure to propionic acid and lipopolysaccharide on social behavior in neonatal, adolescent, and adult rats: Implications for autism spectrum disorders
Authors: Foley Kelly A. , MacFabe Derrick F. , Vaz Alisha , Ossenkopp Klaus‐Peter , Kavaliers Martin
Published: April 2014

Emerging evidence suggests that the gut microbiome plays an important role in immune functioning, behavioral regulation and neurodevelopment. Altered microbiome composition, including altered short chain fatty acids, and/or immune system dysfunction, may contribute to neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism spectrum disorders (ASD), with some children with ASD exhibiting both abnormal gut bacterial metabolite composition and immune system dysfunction. This study describes the effects of prenatal propionic acid (PPA), a short chain fatty acid and metabolic product of many antibiotic resistant enteric bacteria, and of prenatal lipopolysaccharide (LPS), a bacterial mimetic and microbiome component, on social behavior in male and female neonatal, adolescent and adult rats. Pregnant Long–Evans rats were injected once a day with either a low level of PPA (500 mg/kg SC) on gestation days G12–16, LPS (50 μg/kg SC) on G12, or vehicle control on G12 or G12–16. Sex‐ and age‐specific, subtle effects on behavior were observed. Both male and female PPA treated pups were impaired in a test of their nest seeking response, suggesting impairment in olfactory‐mediated neonatal social recognition. As well, adolescent males, born to PPA treated dams, approached a novel object more than control animals and showed increased levels of locomotor activity compared to prenatal PPA females. Prenatal LPS produced subtle impairments in social behavior in adult male and female rats. These findings raise the possibility that brief prenatal exposure to elevated levels of microbiome products, such as PPA or LPS, can subtly influence neonatal, adolescent and adult social behavior.