bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Electrodeposition‐Assisted Synthesis of Ni2P Nanosheets on 3D Graphene/Ni Foam Electrode and Its Performance for Electrocatalytic Hydrogen Production
Authors: Cai Zhi‐xiong , Song Xin‐hong , Wang Yi‐ru , Chen Xi
Published: August 2015

A highly active hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) catalyst was synthesized by loading nickel phosphide (Ni2P) nanosheets self‐supported on three‐dimensional (3D) graphene/nickel foam (G/NF) by using electrodeposition. The G/NF was firstly prepared through the fast electrodeposition of graphene on NF. Ni2P nanosheets were then fabricated by low‐temperature phosphidation of the corresponding precursor of Ni(OH)2 on the G/NF, which was also synthesized through an efficient electrodeposition process. Compared with Ni2P nanosheets on NF without graphene (Ni2P/NF), NF, as well as commercial Pt/C, the Ni2P–G/NF catalyst exhibits high activity in the electrocatalytic HER, revealing a low onset overpotential of 50 mV and a small Tafel slope of 51 mV dec−1. The catalyst maintained its catalytic activity for at least 60 000 s in acidic media. The excellent HER performance of Ni2P–G/NF was attributed to the excellent performance of Ni2P, the large 3D framework, and the introduction of graphene.
Synthesis and Biological Evaluation of Several Dephosphonated Analogues of CMP‐Neu5Ac as Inhibitors of GM3‐Synthase
Authors: Rota Paola , Cirillo Federica , Piccoli Marco , Gregorio Antonio , Tettamanti Guido , Allevi Pietro , Anastasia Luigi
Published: August 2015

Previous studies demonstrated that reducing the GM3 content in myoblasts increased the cell resistance to hypoxic stress, suggesting that a pharmacological inhibition of the GM3 synthesis could be instrumental for the development of new treatments for ischemic diseases. Herein, the synthesis of several dephosphonated CMP‐Neu5Ac congeners and their anti‐GM3‐synthase activity is reported. Biological activity testes revealed that some inhibitors almost completely blocked the GM3‐synthase activity in vitro and reduced the GM3 content in living embryonic kidney 293A cells, eventually activating the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) signaling cascade.
Pediatric tuberculous meningitis: Model‐based approach to determining optimal doses of the anti‐tuberculosis drugs rifampin and levofloxacin for children
Authors: Savic RM , Ruslami R , Hibma JE , Hesseling A , Ramachandran G , Ganiem AR , Swaminathan S , McIlleron H , Gupta A , Thakur K , van Crevel R , Aarnoutse R , Dooley KE
Published: August 2015

Pediatric tuberculous meningitis (TBM) is a highly morbid, often fatal disease. Standard treatment includes isoniazid, rifampin, pyrazinamide, and ethambutol. Current rifampin dosing achieves low cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) concentrations, and CSF penetration of ethambutol is poor. In adult trials, higher‐dose rifampin and/or a fluoroquinolone reduced mortality and disability. To estimate optimal dosing of rifampin and levofloxacin for children, we compiled plasma and CSF pharmacokinetic (PK) and outcomes data from adult TBM trials plus plasma PK data from children. A population PK/pharmacodynamic (PD) model using adult data defined rifampin target exposures (plasma area under the curve (AUC)0–24 = 92 mg*h/L). Levofloxacin targets and rifampin pediatric drug disposition information were literature‐derived. To attain target rifampin exposures, children require daily doses of at least 30 mg/kg orally or 15 mg/kg intravenously (i.v.). From our pediatric population PK model, oral levofloxacin doses needed to attain exposure targets were 19–33 mg/kg. Our results provide data‐driven guidance to maximize pediatric TBM treatment while we await definitive trial results.
Structural‐based tunneling: preserving mutual anonymity for circular P2P networks
Authors: Naghizadeh A. , Berenjian S. , Meamari E. , Atani R. Ebrahimi
Published: August 2015

Many methods are suggested to preserve anonymity of users for peer‐to‐peer (P2P) networks. Most of these methods, by relying on established anonymous solutions on client/server applications, are presented for unstructured P2P networks. However, structured overlays, by using distributed hash tables for their routing, do not resemble traditional paradigms. Therefore, current anonymous methods cannot be implemented for them easily. In this paper, we introduce structural‐based tunneling (SBT) to provide mutual anonymity for circular P2P structures. In this method, we get help from inherited features of network infrastructure to establish a standard way for making tunnels. SBT introduces a flexible design that is able to manage different parts of the tunnels on current infrastructures. For this purpose, we incorporate SBT with Chord to show how such design can be managed for real‐world applications. The results of applied method with simulations show that by managing critical features of SBT, a trade‐off can be made between stronger security and performance of the network. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Candidate gene–environment interactions and their relationships with timing of breeding in a wild bird population
Authors: Bourret Audrey , Garant Dany
Published: August 2015

Monitoring and predicting evolutionary changes underlying current environmental modifications are complex challenges. Recent approaches to achieve these objectives include assessing the genetic variation and effects of candidate genes on traits indicating adaptive potential. In birds, for example, short tandem repeat polymorphism at four candidate genes (CLOCK, NPAS2, ADCYAP1, and CREB1) has been linked to variation in phenological traits such as laying date and timing of migration. However, our understanding of their importance as evolutionary predictors is still limited, mainly because the extent of genotype–environment interactions (GxE) related to these genes has yet to be assessed. Here, we studied a population of Tree swallow (Tachycineta bicolor) over 4 years in southern Québec (Canada) to assess the relationships between those four candidate genes and two phenological traits related to reproduction (laying date and incubation duration) and also determine the importance of GxE in this system. Our results showed that NPAS2 female genotypes were nonrandomly distributed across the study system and formed a longitudinal cline with longer genotypes located to the east. We observed relationships between length polymorphism at all candidate genes and laying date and/or incubation duration, and most of these relationships were affected by environmental variables (breeding density, latitude, or temperature). In particular, the positive relationships detected between laying date and both CLOCK and NPAS2 female genotypes were variable depending on breeding density. Our results suggest that all four candidate genes potentially affect timing of breeding in birds and that GxE are more prevalent and important than previously reported in this context.
Redox property and kinetics of copper oxygen carrier under different oxygen concentrations
Authors: Wang Kun , Yu Qingbo , Wu Tianwei , Qin Qin
Published: August 2015

Chemical looping with oxygen uncoupling and chemical looping air separation technologies all depend on the redox property of oxygen carrier. The present work investigated the redox properties of Cu/Zr oxygen carrier under different oxygen concentrations by TG technique. The durability and stability of oxygen carrier is also investigated under 1065°C reduction and 800°C oxidation temperatures. For reduction, the starting and ending temperatures and the peaks of DTG curves shift to high values with oxygen concentration increasing. The effect of oxygen concentration on oxidation is little and the regeneration of Cu/Zr oxygen carrier can be achieved in thin oxygen environment. For reduction and oxidation, times for complete conversion decrease with heating rates increasing. Kinetic models were proposed based on the nucleation and nuclei growth model. The reduction mechanism function is:
and the oxidation mechanism function is:
. For reduction, the values of E and A all increase as oxygen concentrations increase and heating rates decrease. For oxidation, the values of E and A are almost the same. The Cu/Zr oxygen carrier has high stability and it is a good candidate for chemical looping technologies at high temperatures. © 2015 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Environ Prog, 35: 531–539, 2016
Uplift of deck or footings in bridges with distributed mass subjected to transverse earthquake
Authors: Fardis Michael N.
Published: August 2015

The eigenvalue problem is analytically formulated in symmetric bridges with distributed mass and moment of inertia under transverse earthquake. The piers are elastically supported on the ground. The deck is monolithically connected to one or two piers for all degrees of freedom and restrained or transversely free at the abutments. The characteristic equation, symmetric normal modes, modal participation factors, and participating mass ratios are given analytically. The problem is expressed in terms of few dimensionless parameters: (i) the radius of gyration of the deck mass divided by the pier height; (ii) the ratio of the rotational stiffness of a footing to that of the pier at the base; (iii) the ratio of flexural stiffness of the outer spans to those of the pier; (iv) the ratio of torsional stiffness of side spans to the rotational stiffness of the pier top; (v) for two piers, the side‐to‐central‐span ratio. Modal response spectrum analysis gives the moment at the base of the footings and the torque in the deck at its supports on the abutments as ratios to the values at incipient uplifting from the ground or the bearings. The peak ground acceleration of the motion at the onset of either one of these two types of nonlinearity is depicted as a function of the dimensionless parameters and the fundamental period of an elastic deck supported only at the abutments, or of a rigid deck on piers fixed against rotation at top and bottom. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Synergistic induction of apoptosis by a polo‐like kinase 1 inhibitor and microtubule‐interfering drugs in Ewing sarcoma cells
Authors: Weiß Lilly Magdalena , Hugle Manuela , Romero Sarah , Fulda Simone
Published: August 2015

Since polo‐like kinase 1 (PLK1) is highly expressed in Ewing sarcoma (ES), we evaluated the therapeutic potential of the PLK1 inhibitor BI 6727. Here, we identify a synergistic induction of apoptosis by BI 6727 and several microtubule‐interfering drugs in ES cells, including vincristine (VCR), vinblastine (VBL), vinorelbine (VNR) and eribulin. Synergistic drug interaction is confirmed by calculation of combination index (CI). Also, BI 6727 and VCR act in concert to reduce long‐term clonogenic survival. Mechanistically, BI 6727/VCR co‐treatment cooperates to trigger mitotic arrest, phosphorylation of BCL‐2 and BCL‐XL and downregulation of MCL‐1. This inactivation of anti‐apoptotic BCL‐2 family proteins in turn promotes activation of BAX and BAK, activation of caspase‐9 and ‐3 and caspase‐dependent apoptosis. Overexpression of BCL‐2 or simultaneous knockdown of BAX and BAK significantly rescue BI 6727/VCR‐induced apoptosis, indicating that engagement of the mitochondrial pathway is critical for BI 6727/VCR‐mediated apoptosis. The clinical relevance of PLK1 inhibitor‐based combination therapies is underscored by the fact that BI 6727 is currently evaluated in phase I clinical trials in childhood cancer. In conclusion, PLK1 inhibitors such as BI 6727 may provide a new strategy to chemosensitize ES.
Population plasma and urine pharmacokinetics of ivabradine and its active metabolite S18982 in healthy Korean volunteers
Authors: Choi Hee Youn , Bae Kyun‐Seop , Cho Sang‐Heon , Ghim Jong‐Lyul , Choe Sangmin , Jung Jin Ah , Lim Hyeong‐Seok
Published: August 2015

Ivabradine, a selective inhibitor of the pacemaker current (If), is used for heart failure and coronary heart disease and is mainly metabolized to S18982. The purpose of this study was to explore the pharmacokinetics (PK) of ivabradine and S18982 in healthy Korean volunteers. Subjects in a phase I study were randomized to receive 2.5, 5, or 10 mg of ivabradine administered every 12 hours for 4.5 days, and serial plasma and urine concentrations of ivabradine and S18982 were measured. The plasma PK of ivabradine was best described by a 2‐compartment model with mixed 0‐ and first‐order absorption, linked to a 2‐compartment model for S18982. The introduction of interoccasional variabilities and period as covariate into absorption‐related parameters improved the model fit. Urine data have been applied to estimate renal and nonrenal clearance, enabling a more detailed description of the elimination process. We developed a population PK model describing the plasma and urine PK of ivabradine and S18982 in healthy Korean adult males. This model might be useful for predicting the plasma and urine PK of ivabradine, potentially helping to identify the optimal dosing regimens in various clinical situations.
Competence Enhancement and Anticipated Emotion as Motivational Drivers of Brand Attachment
Authors: Proksch Michael , Orth Ulrich R. , Cornwell T. Bettina
Published: August 2015

Focusing on the motivational processes underlying consumer attachments to brands, this research examines how competence enhancement and anticipated emotion (anxiety and joy) contribute to attachment. Personal attachment style (attachment anxiety) and type of motivation (intrinsic vs. extrinsic) are included as individual differences. Employing two field studies across different contexts indicates that competence enhancement leads to stronger attachments with anticipated anxiety (avoidance) and joy (approach) mediating this relationship. Analyses of moderated mediation further show that the effect mediated through anticipated emotion is stronger under conditions of high extrinsic and low intrinsic motivation, and when individual attachment anxiety is low. Implications for brand attachment research and management are discussed.
Correlates of weight stigma in adults with overweight and obesity: A systematic literature review
Authors: Papadopoulos Stephanie , Brennan Leah
Published: August 2015

Objective

While evidence regarding associations between weight stigma and biopsychosocial outcomes is accumulating, outcomes are considered in isolation. Thus, little is known about their complex relationships. This article extends existing work by systematically reviewing the biopsychosocial consequences of stigma in adults with overweight/obesity.

Methods

Articles were identified through Medline, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane databases. Independent extraction of articles was conducted using predefined data fields, including data on biopsychosocial correlates in each study.

Results

Twenty‐three studies published from 2001 and addressing correlates of stigma in adults with overweight/obesity (body mass index ≥25 kg m−2; 18‐65 years) were identified. Numerous biopsychosocial correlates of weight stigma were studied, particularly in treatment‐seeking individuals. Available research shows that weight stigma is consistently associated with medication non‐adherence, mental health, anxiety, perceived stress, antisocial behavior, substance use, coping strategies, and social support. Biopsychosocial correlates were not considered in combination in research. Psychological correlates were well documented in comparison to biological and social correlates for each weight stigma type. There were some indications that associations are stronger once stigma is internalized.

Conclusions

While there is evidence for biopsychosocial correlates of weight stigma, these are not considered in combination in research; thus their inter‐relationships are unknown. Conclusions from the review are limited by this and the small number of studies, types of designs, and variables considered.
T‐duality, Quotients and Currents for Non‐Geometric Closed Strings
Authors: Bakas Ioannis , Lüst Dieter
Published: August 2015

We use the canonical description of T‐duality as well as the formulation of T‐duality in terms of chiral currents to investigate the geometric and non‐geometric faces of closed string backgrounds originating from principal torus bundles with constant H‐flux. Employing conformal field theory techniques, the non‐commutative and non‐associative structures among generalized coordinates in the so called Q‐flux and R‐flux backgrounds emerge by gauging the Abelian symmetries of an enlarged Roček‐Verlinde sigma‐model and projecting the associated chiral currents of the enlarged theory to the T‐dual coset models carrying non‐geometric fluxes.
Positional information in axolotl and mouse limb extracellular matrix is mediated via heparan sulfate and fibroblast growth factor during limb regeneration in the axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum)
Authors: Phan Anne Q. , Lee Jangwoo , Oei Michelle , Flath Craig , Hwe Caitlyn , Mariano Rachele , Vu Tiffany , Shu Cynthia , Dinh Andrew , Simkin Jennifer , Muneoka Ken , Bryant Susan V. , Gardiner David M.
Published: August 2015

Urodele amphibians are unique among adult vertebrates in their ability to regenerate complex body structures after traumatic injury. In salamander regeneration, the cells maintain a memory of their original position and use this positional information to recreate the missing pattern. We used an in vivo gain‐of‐function assay to determine whether components of the extracellular matrix (ECM) have positional information required to induce formation of new limb pattern during regeneration. We discovered that salamander limb ECM has a position‐specific ability to either inhibit regeneration or induce de novo limb structure, and that this difference is dependent on heparan sulfates that are associated with differential expression of heparan sulfate sulfotransferases. We also discovered that an artificial ECM containing only heparan sulfate was sufficient to induce de novo limb pattern in salamander limb regeneration. Finally, ECM from mouse limbs is capable of inducing limb pattern in axolotl blastemas in a position‐specific, developmental‐stage‐specific, and heparan sulfate‐dependent manner. This study demonstrates a mechanism for positional information in regeneration and establishes a crucial functional link between salamander regeneration and mammals.
Privacy‐preserving authorization method for mashups
Authors: Yan Danfeng , Tian Yuan , Yang Fangchun
Published: August 2015

Mashups, which use multiple sources to create a new service, emerged as an evolution of Web 2.0. However, scalable access control for mashups is difficult. To enable a mashup to gather data from legacy applications and services, users must obey as the mashup host orders. These orders are created without any standard or limits about the privacy protection. This authorization approach violated the principle of least privilege and leaves users vulnerable to misuse of their private information by malicious mashups. To overcome the limitations, we introduce the privacy‐preserving authorization method for mashups, which encapsulates the data of backend services with different private sensitivity degrees before the authorization process executes. We also give the data–user relationship model to make standard for backend services when defining private sensitivity degrees of users' data. In this progress, standard encapsulation file and authorization file are created successively. In the end, the authorization steps, which could be set stored for regular use of the mashups, are created based on the authorization mechanism and authorization file. The proposed method mainly focuses on the users and backend services, which are the real data owners. Through this method, users have the ability to observe and control the data involved in the mashup, and the backend services can take the responsibility of their users' private information protecting. In the end of the paper, the application example and a series of experimental study are given to demonstrate the feasibility and efficiency of this method. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Molecular dynamics simulation on the interaction between polymer inhibitors and anhydrite surface
Authors: Zeng Jian‐Ping , Dai Yong , Shi Wen‐Yan , Shao Jing‐Ling , Sun Guo‐Xiang
Published: August 2015

Investigation on the microscopic interaction between polymer inhibitors and calcium sulfate will be helpful for understanding its scale inhibition mechanism and can provide a theoretical guidance to developing new scale inhibitors. In this work, molecular dynamics simulations with COMPASS force field have been performed to simulate the interaction between hydrolyzed polymaleic anhydride (HPMA), polyaspartic acid (PASP), polyepoxysuccinic acid (PESA), polyacrylic acid (PAA) and the (001) and (020) surfaces of anhydrite (AD) crystal with and without water. The results show that the sequence of binding energies between four polymer inhibitors and AD (001) and (020) with water is PESA > PASP > HPMA > PAA. The binding energy of the same polymer inhibitor on AD (001) is smaller than that on AD (020). Water molecules weaken the deformations of HPMA and PAA but aggravate those of PASP and PESA. Natural bond orbital (NBO) charges of the repeat units of polymer inhibitors were calculated by B3LYP/6‐31G* method. The Coulomb interaction is formed between the O atoms of polymer inhibitors and the Ca atoms of AD crystal. The system of polymer–AD is mainly contributed from the non‐bonding interaction. Polymer inhibitors do not interact directly with AD crystal, but indirectly through the interactions between inhibitor–H2O and H2O–AD, i.e. water molecules participate in scale inhibition of polymer inhibitors to AD crystal. Water molecules cannot be ignored when the interaction models are constructed, i.e. solvent effect cannot be ignored. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Magnetohydrodynamic unsteady separated stagnation‐point flow of a viscous fluid over a moving plate
Authors: Dholey S.
Published: August 2015

An analysis has been made for the unsteady separated stagnation‐point (USSP) flow of an incompressible viscous and electrically conducting fluid over a moving surface in the presence of a transverse magnetic field. The unsteadiness in the flow field is caused by the velocity and the magnetic field, both varying continuously with time t. The effects of Hartmann number M and unsteadiness parameter β on the flow characteristics are explored numerically. Following the method of similarity transformation, we show that there exists a definite range of for a given M, in which the solution to the governing nonlinear ordinary differential equation divulges two different kinds of solutions: one is the attached flow solution (AFS) and the other is the reverse flow solution (RFS). We also show that below a certain negative value of β dependent on M, only the RFS occurs and is continued up to a certain critical value of β. Beyond this critical value no solution exists. Here, emphasis is given on the point as how long would be the existence of RFS flow for a given value of M. An interesting finding emerges from this analysis is that, after a certain value of M dependent on , only the AFS exists and the solution becomes unique. Indeed, the magnetic field itself delays the boundary layer separation and finally stabilizes the flow since the reverse flow can be prevented by applying the suitable amount of magnetic field. Further, for a given positive value of β and for any value of M, the governing differential equation yields only the attached flow solution.
Parents’ Experience with Pediatric Microarray: Transferrable Lessons in the Era of Genomic Counseling
Authors: Hayeems R. Z. , Babul‐Hirji R. , Hoang N. , Weksberg R. , Shuman C.
Published: August 2015

Advances in genome‐based microarray and sequencing technologies hold tremendous promise for understanding, better‐managing and/or preventing disease and disease‐related risk. Chromosome microarray technology (array based comparative genomic hybridization [aCGH]) is widely utilized in pediatric care to inform diagnostic etiology and medical management. Less clear is how parents experience and perceive the value of this technology. This study explored parents’ experiences with aCGH in the pediatric setting, focusing on how they make meaning of various types of test results. We conducted in‐person or telephone‐based semi‐structured interviews with parents of 21 children who underwent aCGH testing in 2010. Transcripts were coded and analyzed thematically according to the principles of interpretive description. We learned that parents expect genomic tests to be of personal use; their experiences with aCGH results characterize this use as intrinsic in the test's ability to provide a much sought‐after answer for their child's condition, and instrumental in its ability to guide care, access to services, and family planning. In addition, parents experience uncertainty regardless of whether aCGH results are of pathogenic, uncertain, or benign significance; this triggers frustration, fear, and hope. Findings reported herein better characterize the notion of personal utility and highlight the pervasive nature of uncertainty in the context of genomic testing. Empiric research that links pre‐test counseling content and psychosocial outcomes is warranted to optimize patient care.
Who are we? The Demographic and Professional Identity of Social Studies Teacher Educators
Authors: Busey Christopher L. , Waters Stewart
Published: August 2015

Growth in racial and ethnic diversity among public school P-12 students stands in stark contrast to the teaching population who tend to be monolingual, White females. Secondary social studies teachers defy demographic teacher trends, as they tend to be male, albeit White males who still are not representative of the students they teach. What is missing from the discourse of student–teacher imbalance however is discussion surrounding diversity among social studies teacher educators. The purpose of this study was to examine racial, ethnic, and gender demographics for social studies teacher educators using a framework of critical teacher demography. Findings revealed that social studies teacher educators tend to reflect the population of social studies teachers with many being White males. Furthermore, social studies teacher educators tend to focus their research on concepts such as democratic citizenship with little focus dedicated to critical multicultural issues. The paucity of diversity in demographics and research is critical for social studies teacher educators to consider if we are to reflect multiculturalism in 21st century schools.
Queering the Social Studies: Lessons to be Learned from Canadian Secondary School Gay-Straight Alliances
Authors: Lapointe Alicia A.
Published: August 2015

This study examines what Social Studies teachers can learn from Gay-Straight Alliances (GSA) in terms of the content that club members examine and the queer pedagogical approaches they employ. Findings reveal how educators can borrow students’ queer teaching and learning practices, and integrate their insights within Social Studies classrooms to disrupt (hetero/cis)normativity. Data derived from semi-structured interviews with five Canadian high school GSA members were analyzed using the queer theoretical and pedagogical insights of Britzman (1995. Educational Theory, 45(2), 151–165 ; 1998 . Lost subjects, contested objects: towards a psychoanalytic inquiry of learning. New York, NY: State University of New York Press), Sedgwick (1990/2008. Epistemology of the closet. Berkeley and Los Angeles, CA: University of California Press.) , and Shlasko (2005 Equity & Excellence in Education, 38(2), 123–134) . Three prominent themes emerged: (1) GSAs’ queer educative role compensated for a void in LGBTQ curricular content. Although LGBTQ-inclusive content was evident within some Social Studies, English, and French classes participants called for their teachers to integrate more content that disrupts homophobia and transphobia; (2) the personal characteristics of GSA members provide insight into how Social Studies educators can mirror students’ drive to learn about and challenge preconceived and (hetero/cis)normative assumptions/beliefs; and (3) GSA's queer educational approaches differed from the (hetero/cis)normative teaching and learning practices of their educators. GSA members engaged in student-led dialogue, and spearheaded queer initiatives and events to contest anti-LGBTQ attitudes at their schools. It is argued that when educators follow the lead of GSA members they may enhance their approach to and engagement with LGBTQ topics, and expand the queer pedagogical potential of the Social Studies.
Dietary intake of calcium and magnesium and the metabolic syndrome in the National Health and Nutrition Examination (NHANES) 2001–2010 data
Authors: Moore-Schiltz Laura , Albert Jeffrey M. , Singer Mendel E. , Swain James , Nock Nora L.
Published: August 2015

Higher dietary intakes of Mg and Ca, individually, have been associated with a decreased risk for the metabolic syndrome (MetSyn). Experimental studies suggest that a higher intra-cellular ratio of Ca:Mg, which may be induced by a diet high in Ca and low in Mg, may lead to hypertension and insulin resistance. However, no previous epidemiological studies have examined the effects of the combined intake of Mg and Ca on MetSyn. Thus, we evaluated the association between dietary intakes of Ca and Mg (using 24-h recalls), independently and in combination, and MetSyn in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Study 2001–2010 data, which included 9148 adults (4549 men and 4599 women), with complete information on relevant nutrient, demographic, anthropometric and biomarker variables. We found an inverse association between the highest (>355 mg/d)v. the lowest (<197 mg/d) quartile of Mg and MetSyn (OR 0·70; 95 % CI 0·57, 0·86). Women who met the RDA for both Mg (310–320 mg/d) and Ca (1000–1200 mg/d) had the greatest reduced odds of MetSyn (OR 0·59; 95 % CI 0·45, 0·76). In men, meeting the RDA for Mg (400–420 mg/d) and Ca (1000–1200 mg/d), individually or in combination, was not associated with MetSyn; however, men with intakes in the highest quartile for Mg (≥386 mg/d) and Ca (≥1224 mg/d) had a lower odds of MetSyn (OR 0·74; 95 % CI 0·59, 0·93). Our results suggest that women who meet the RDA for Mg and Ca have a reduced odds of MetSyn but men may require Ca levels higher than the RDA to be protected against MetSyn.
An analysis of dorsal edge markings in short-beaked common dolphins (Delphinus delphis) from the Bay of Gibraltar and the Moray Firth
Authors: Bamford Connor Christian George , Robinson Kevin Peter
Published: August 2015

In the present study, short-beaked common dolphins (Delphinus delphisL.) from the Bay of Gibraltar (GIB) and the Moray Firth (MF) were examined to document the relative frequency, distribution and shape of dorsal edge markings (DEMs) in the species and investigate potential causes for their occurrence. A dorsal fin layout system was used to map the relative positions and shapes of presenting DEMs along the anterior/posterior and upper/lower fin margin from 617 animals. A total of 1989 DEMs were extracted from the combined datasets, with individuals exhibiting between one and 11 nicks (median = 3). DEMs (in the form of tears, nicks, notches and indents) were primarily observed along the posterior trailing edges of fins, with the highest concentration being recorded in the upper region of the posterior fin (80.3%). Approximately 80% of all DEMs were round or rectangular in shape. Square (notched) and indented nick shapes were further recorded, but in significantly lower numbers. In contrast to all other nick shapes however, indented DEMs predominantly occurred along the anterior fin margin. Both natural and anthropogenic sources were implicated as causes of DEMs in the dataset. Interactions with fisheries were apparent in both GIB and MF animals and evidently present a threat to both populations. Indeed, the occurrence, prevalence and type of presenting DEM and/or fin injuries (e.g. missing fins or disfigurements) in the species may provide a useful measure of the type and intensity of fisheries interactions affecting different populations.
Effects of excavating-sponge removal on coral growth
Authors: Halperin Ariel A. , Chaves-Fonnegra Andia , Gilliam David S.
Published: August 2015

Some excavating sponges are strong competitors for space on coral reefs, able to kill live coral tissue and to overgrow entire coral colonies. Stony corals with excavating sponges can die or become dislodged. To date no restoration efforts to eliminate excavating sponges from live corals have been considered. In this study we examined the effect and remedial potential of removal of the excavating sponge, Cliona delitrix, by monitoring tissue loss of the stony coral Montastrea cavernosa. Thirty-three corals colonized by the sponge were used: 11 as controls, and 22 as treatments in which sponges were removed using hammer and chisel. After sponge removal, resultant cavities in the coral skeletons were filled with common cement or epoxy. Standardized photos of each coral were taken immediately after sponge removal, and at 6 and 12 months afterwards. Results were similar between fill materials and showed a reduction in coral tissue loss in colonies where the sponge was removed. This study demonstrates that eliminating the bioeroding sponge enables potential recovery in affected stony corals after a year. However, 36% of experimental corals showed renewed presence of C. delitrix on the colony surface within a year after removal, demonstrating the extraordinary ability of this sponge to colonize corals. Although the technique used in this study is applicable to enhance modern coral restoration practices by slowing tissue loss, this method is costly, elaborate, and not suitable at a reef-wide scale. Further restoration alternatives and long-term measures to prevent over-colonization of corals by excavating sponges are encouraged.
Food and nutrition security: challenges of post-harvest handling in Kenya
Authors: Kimiywe J.
Published: August 2015

Presently, close to 1 billion people suffer from hunger and food insecurity. Statistics in Kenya indicates that over 10 million people suffer from chronic food insecurity and poor nutrition, 2–4 million people require emergency food assistance at any given time with nearly 30 % of Kenya's children being undernourished, 35 % stunted while micro-nutrient deficiency is wide spread. Key among the challenges contributing to inadequate foods include lack of certified seeds, seasonal production (rain-fed), high post-harvest losses and wastages, poor transportation, low value additions which reduce their market competitiveness. The present paper examines some of the underlying causes for high food wastage experience in Kenya and the associated challenges in addressing these problems. The paper also provides an overview of some of the basic solutions that have been recommended by various stakeholders. However, in spite of the recent efforts made to mitigate food wastage, there is still an urgent need to address these gaps through participatory, innovative community based interventions that will create resilience to climate change and enhance livelihoods of smallholder farmers in diverse ecosystems.
The activated sludge ecosystem contains a core community of abundant organisms
Authors: Saunders Aaron M , Albertsen Mads , Vollertsen Jes , Nielsen Per H
Published: August 2015

Understanding the microbial ecology of a system requires that the observed population dynamics can be linked to their metabolic functions. However, functional characterization is laborious and the choice of organisms should be prioritized to those that are frequently abundant (core) or transiently abundant, which are therefore putatively make the greatest contribution to carbon turnover in the system. We analyzed the microbial communities in 13 Danish wastewater treatment plants with nutrient removal in consecutive years and a single plant periodically over 6 years, using Illumina sequencing of 16S ribosomal RNA amplicons of the V4 region. The plants contained a core community of 63 abundant genus-level operational taxonomic units (OTUs) that made up 68% of the total reads. A core community consisting of abundant OTUs was also observed within the incoming wastewater to three plants. The net growth rate for individual OTUs was quantified using mass balance, and it was found that 10% of the total reads in the activated sludge were from slow or non-growing OTUs, and that their measured abundance was primarily because of immigration with the wastewater. Transiently abundant organisms were also identified. Among them the genus Nitrotoga (class Betaproteobacteria) was the most abundant putative nitrite oxidizer in a number of activated sludge plants, which challenges previous assumptions that Nitrospira (phylum Nitrospirae) are the primary nitrite-oxidizers in activated sludge systems with nutrient removal.
Latitudinal variation in virus-induced mortality of phytoplankton across the North Atlantic Ocean
Authors: Mojica Kristina D A , Huisman Jef , Wilhelm Steven W , Brussaard Corina P D
Published: August 2015

Viral lysis of phytoplankton constrains marine primary production, food web dynamics and biogeochemical cycles in the ocean. Yet, little is known about the biogeographical distribution of viral lysis rates across the global ocean. To address this, we investigated phytoplankton group-specific viral lysis rates along a latitudinal gradient within the North Atlantic Ocean. The data show large-scale distribution patterns of different virus groups across the North Atlantic that are associated with the biogeographical distributions of their potential microbial hosts. Average virus-mediated lysis rates of the picocyanobacteria Prochlorococcus and Synechococcus were lower than those of the picoeukaryotic and nanoeukaryotic phytoplankton (that is, 0.14 per day compared with 0.19 and 0.23 per day, respectively). Total phytoplankton mortality (virus plus grazer-mediated) was comparable to the gross growth rate, demonstrating high turnover rates of phytoplankton populations. Virus-induced mortality was an important loss process at low and mid latitudes, whereas phytoplankton mortality was dominated by microzooplankton grazing at higher latitudes (>56°N). This shift from a viral-lysis-dominated to a grazing-dominated phytoplankton community was associated with a decrease in temperature and salinity, and the decrease in viral lysis rates was also associated with increased vertical mixing at higher latitudes. Ocean-climate models predict that surface warming will lead to an expansion of the stratified and oligotrophic regions of the world’s oceans. Our findings suggest that these future shifts in the regional climate of the ocean surface layer are likely to increase the contribution of viral lysis to phytoplankton mortality in the higher-latitude waters of the North Atlantic, which may potentially reduce transfer of matter and energy up the food chain and thus affect the capacity of the northern North Atlantic to act as a long-term sink for CO2.
Marine bacterial community structure resilience to changes in protist predation under phytoplankton bloom conditions
Authors: Baltar Federico , Palovaara Joakim , Unrein Fernando , Catala Philippe , Horňák Karel , Šimek Karel , Vaqué Dolors , Massana Ramon , Gasol Josep M , Pinhassi Jarone
Published: August 2015

To test whether protist grazing selectively affects the composition of aquatic bacterial communities, we combined high-throughput sequencing to determine bacterial community composition with analyses of grazing rates, protist and bacterial abundances and bacterial cell sizes and physiological states in a mesocosm experiment in which nutrients were added to stimulate a phytoplankton bloom. A large variability was observed in the abundances of bacteria (from 0.7 to 2.4 × 106 cells per ml), heterotrophic nanoflagellates (from 0.063 to 2.7 × 104 cells per ml) and ciliates (from 100 to 3000 cells per l) during the experiment (∼3-, 45- and 30-fold, respectively), as well as in bulk grazing rates (from 1 to 13 × 106 bacteria per ml per day) and bacterial production (from 3 to 379 μg per C l per day) (1 and 2 orders of magnitude, respectively). However, these strong changes in predation pressure did not induce comparable responses in bacterial community composition, indicating that bacterial community structure was resilient to changes in protist predation pressure. Overall, our results indicate that peaks in protist predation (at least those associated with phytoplankton blooms) do not necessarily trigger substantial changes in the composition of coastal marine bacterioplankton communities.
Activin-A signaling promotes epithelial–mesenchymal transition, invasion, and metastatic growth of breast cancer
Authors: Bashir Mohsin , Damineni Surekha , Mukherjee Geetashree , Kondaiah Paturu
Published: August 2015

Background:

Activins belong to the transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) superfamily of cytokines. Although the role of TGF-β in cancer progression has been highly advocated, the role of activin signaling in cancer is not well known. However, overexpression of activin-A has been observed in several cancers.

Aims:

The gene expression profile indicated higher expression of Activin-A in breast tumors. Hence the aim of this study was to evaluate the status and role of Activin signaling pathway in these tumors.

Methods:

Microarray analysis was performed to reveal gene expression changes in breast tumors. The results were validated by quantitative PCR and immunohistochemical analysis in two independent sets of normal and tumor samples. Further, correlation of activin expression with survival and distant metastasis was performed to evaluate its possible role in tumor progression. We used recombinant activin-A, inhibitors, overexpression, and knockdown strategies both in vitro and in vivo, to understand the mechanism underlying the protumorigenic role of this signaling pathway.

Results:

We report that activin-A signaling is hyperactivated in breast cancers as indicated by higher activin-A, phosphoSMAD2, and phosphoSMAD3 levels in advanced breast cancers. Bone morphogenetic proteins and molecules involved in this signaling pathway were downregulated, suggesting its suppression in breast cancers. Activin-A expression correlates inversely with survival and metastasis in advanced breast cancers. Further, activin-A promotes anchorage-independent growth, epithelial–mesenchymal transition, invasion, angiogenesis, and stemness of breast cancer cells. We show that activin-A-induced phenotype is mediated by SMAD signaling pathway. In addition, activin-A expression affects the tumor-forming ability and metastatic colonization of cancer cells in nude mice.

Conclusions:

These results suggest that activin-A has a critical role in breast cancer progression and, hence, targeting this pathway can be a valuable strategy in treating breast cancer patients.
A novel small molecule inhibitor of Candida albicans biofilm formation, filamentation and virulence with low potential for the development of resistance
Authors: Pierce Christopher G , Chaturvedi Ashok K , Lazzell Anna L , Powell Alexander T , Saville Stephen P , McHardy Stanton F , Lopez-Ribot Jose L
Published: August 2015

Background/Objectives:

Candida albicans is the principal causative agent of candidiasis, the most common fungal infection in humans. Candidiasis represents the third-to-fourth most frequent nosocomial infection worldwide, as this normal commensal of humans causes opportunistic infections in an expanding population of immune- and medically compromised patients. These infections are frequently associated with biofilm formation, which complicates treatment and contributes to unacceptably high mortality rates.

Methods:

To address the pressing need for new antifungals, we have performed a high-content screen of 20,000 small molecules in a chemical library (NOVACore) to identify compounds that inhibit C. albicans biofilm formation, and conducted a series of follow-up studies to examine the in vitro and in vivo activity of the identified compounds.

Results:

The screen identified a novel series of diazaspiro-decane structural analogs that were largely represented among the bioactive compounds. Characterization of the leading compound from this series indicated that it inhibits processes associated with C. albicans virulence, most notably biofilm formation and filamentation, without having an effect on overall growth or eliciting resistance. This compound demonstrated in vivo activity in clinically relevant murine models of both invasive and oral candidiasis and as such represents a promising lead for antifungal drug development. Furthermore, these results provide proof of concept for the implementation of antivirulence approaches against C. albicans and other fungal infections that would be less likely to foster the emergence of resistance.
Zipf’s law holds for phrases, not words
Authors: Ryland Williams Jake , Lessard Paul R. , Desu Suma , Clark Eric M. , Bagrow James P. , Danforth Christopher M. , Sheridan Dodds Peter
Published: August 2015

With Zipf’s law being originally and most famously observed for word frequency, it is surprisingly limited in its applicability to human language, holding over no more than three to four orders of magnitude before hitting a clear break in scaling. Here, building on the simple observation that phrases of one or more words comprise the most coherent units of meaning in language, we show empirically that Zipf’s law for phrases extends over as many as nine orders of rank magnitude. In doing so, we develop a principled and scalable statistical mechanical method of random text partitioning, which opens up a rich frontier of rigorous text analysis via a rank ordering of mixed length phrases.
Allogeneic mesenchymal stem cells inhibited T follicular helper cell generation in rheumatoid arthritis
Authors: Liu Rui , Li Xia , Zhang Zhuoya , Zhou Min , Sun Yue , Su Dinglei , Feng Xuebing , Gao Xiang , Shi Songtao , Chen Wanjun , Sun Lingyun
Published: August 2015

T follicular helper (Tfh) cells provide help for antigen-specific B cells. We have previously shown that Tfh cell frequency was increased and associated with auto-antibodies in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), suggesting a possible involvement of Tfh cells in its pathogenesis. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) represent a promising alternative cell therapy for RA by modulating T and B cell activation and proliferation. However, it remains unknown whether MSCs have immunoregulation on Tfh cells. In this paper, we have demonstrated that allogeneic MSCs could suppress Tfh cell differentiation in RA patients partly via the production of indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO). IFNγ generated from Tfh cell differentiation system induced IDO expression on MSCs. MSCs transplantation (MSCT) into collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) mice prevented arthritis progression by inhibiting both the number and function of Tfh cells in vivo. These findings reveal a novel suppressive function of MSCs in Tfh cells, which has implication in understanding the underlying mechanisms of the immunotherapeutic effects of MSCs on RA patients.