bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Considerations in evaluating potential socioeconomic impacts of offshore platform decommissioning in California
Authors: Kruse Sarah A , Bernstein Brock , Scholz Astrid J
Published: April 2015

The 27 oil and gas platforms offshore southern California will eventually reach the end of their useful lifetimes (estimated between 2015 and 2030) and will be decommissioned. Current state and federal laws and regulations allow for alternative uses in lieu of the complete removal required in existing leases. Any decommissioning pathway will create a complex mix of costs, benefits, opportunities, and constraints for multiple user groups. To assist the California Natural Resources Agency in understanding these issues, we evaluated the potential socioeconomic impacts of the 2 most likely options: complete removal and partial removal of the structure to 85 feet below the waterline with the remaining structure left in place as an artificial reef—generally defined as a manmade structure with some properties that mimic a natural reef. We estimated impacts on commercial fishing, commercial shipping, recreational fishing, nonconsumptive boating, and nonconsumptive SCUBA diving. Available data supported quantitative estimates for some impacts, semiquantitative estimates for others, and only qualitative approximations of the direction of impact for still others. Even qualitative estimates of the direction of impacts and of user groups' likely preferred options have been useful to the public and decision makers and provided valuable input to the project's integrative decision model. Uncertainty surrounds even qualitative estimates of the likely direction of impact where interactions between multiple impacts could occur or where user groups include subsets that would experience the same option differently. In addition, we were unable to quantify effects on ecosystem value and on the larger regional ecosystem, because of data gaps on the population sizes and dynamics of key species and the uncertainty surrounding the contribution of platforms to available hard substrate and related natural populations offshore southern California. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2015;X:000–000. © 2015 SETAC

Key Points

Commercial shipping vessels and nonconsumptive boaters as stakeholders will likely be indifferent between partial and complete removal options, due to both scenarios removing all surface obstructions and presenting little risk of vessel collision or damage. Partial removal of platforms will likely be favored by nonconsumptive SCUBA divers and recreational fishermen, since the option will provide new opportunities for both. Complete removal may benefit commercial trawler and longliner fisherman by increasing fishing areas, while partial removal may benefit fisherman using stationary gear, unless the remaining platforms are designated as essential fish habitat. Although complete and partial removal both result in a loss of habitat above 85 ft, partial removal retains existing habitat below 85 ft, whereas complete removal restores the platform site.
Disciplinary Literacy in History
Authors: Wineburg Sam , Reisman Abby
Published: April 2015

In this article, we draw clear distinctions between generic reading comprehension and disciplinary literacy in history. We argue that disciplinary reading restores agency to the reader, changing the typical relationship between text and reader, in which knowledge flows down from one to the other. Sourcing, for example, enjoins readers to engage authors, querying them about their credentials, their interest in the story they are telling, their position vis‐à‐vis the event they narrate. Contextualization prompts the reader to question the social and political circumstances surrounding the text. In a digital age characterized by unfettered access to information, such skills become essential tools for an informed citizenry.
Notch‐1 Promotes Stemness and Epithelial to Mesenchymal Transition in Colorectal Cancer
Authors: Fender Alexander W. , Nutter Jennifer M. , Fitzgerald Timothy L. , Bertrand Fred E. , Sigounas George
Published: April 2015

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third leading cause of cancer death in the United States, resulting in an average of 50,000 deaths per year. Surgery and combination chemotherapy comprise current treatment strategies. However, curative options are limited if surgery and chemotherapy are unsuccessful. Several studies have indicated that CRC aggressiveness and potential for metastatic spread are associated with the acquisition of stem cell like properties. The Notch‐1 receptor and its cognate signaling pathway is well known for controlling cell fate decisions and stem‐cell phenotypes. Alterations in Notch receptors and Notch signaling has been reported for some colon cancers. Herein, we examine a potential role for Notch‐1 signaling in CRC. In CRC patient samples, Notch‐1 expression was increased in colon tumor tissue as compared with normal colon tissue. Retroviral transduction of constitutively active Notch‐1 (ICN1) into the colon tumor cell line HCT‐116 resulted in increased expression of the EMT/stemness associated proteins CD44, Slug, Smad‐3, and induction of Jagged‐1 expression. These changes in ICN1 expressing cells were accompanied by increased migration and increased anchorage independent growth by 2.5‐fold and 23%, respectively. Experiments with the pan‐Notch inhibitor DAPT, and soluble Jagged‐1‐Fc protein provided evidence that Notch‐1 signaling activates CD44, Slug, and Smad‐3 via a cascade of other Notch‐receptors through induction of Jagged‐1 expression. These data indicate a key role for Notch signaling in the phenotype of CRC and suggest that targeting of Notch signaling may be of therapeutic value in colon cancers. J. Cell. Biochem. 116: 2517–2527, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Notch Signaling Promotes Osteoclast Maturation and Resorptive Activity
Authors: Ashley Jason W. , Ahn Jaimo , Hankenson Kurt D.
Published: April 2015

The role of Notch signaling in osteoclast differentiation is controversial with conflicting experimental evidence indicating both stimulatory and inhibitory roles. Differences in experimental protocols and in vivo versus in vitro models may explain the discrepancies between studies. In this study, we investigated cell autonomous roles of Notch signaling in osteoclast differentiation and function by altering Notch signaling during osteoclast differentiation using stimulation with immobilized ligands Jagged1 or Delta‐like1 or by suppression with γ‐secretase inhibitor DAPT or transcriptional inhibitor SAHM1. Stimulation of Notch signaling in committed osteoclast precursors resulted in larger osteoclasts with a greater number of nuclei and resorptive activity whereas suppression resulted in smaller osteoclasts with fewer nuclei and suppressed resorptive activity. Conversely, stimulation of Notch signaling in osteoclast precursors prior to induction of osteoclastogenesis resulted in fewer osteoclasts. Our data support a mechanism of context‐specific Notch signaling effects wherein Notch stimulation inhibits commitment to osteoclast differentiation, but enhances the maturation and function of committed precursors. J. Cell. Biochem. 116: 2598–2609, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Treg(s) in Cancer: Friends or Foe?
Authors: Wolf Dominik , Sopper Sieghart , Pircher Andreas , Gastl Guenther , Wolf Anna Maria
Published: April 2015

Immune escape is a hallmark of cancer. Regulatory T cells (Treg) have been described to maintain peripheral tolerance. The role of Treg in cancer is ambiguous, as they are central inhibitory regulators in solid tumors, whereas during inflammation‐driven tumorigenesis they prevent cancer initiation by restraining inflammation. As a consequence, under conditions with chronic inflammation that may initiate malignant transformation, application rather than depletion of Treg may be helpful. In solid tumors, however, the success story of immune‐activating antibodies targeting checkpoint molecules of T cell activation fuels the hope that Treg inactivation or depletion may additionally boost anti‐tumor immune response. In this review we summarize important aspects on the dual role of Treg in cancer to provide a rationale for future Treg targeting attempts. J. Cell. Physiol. 9999: 2598–2605, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
The Immunomodulatory and Therapeutic Effects of Mesenchymal Stromal Cells for Acute Lung Injury and Sepsis
Authors: Ho Mirabelle S. H. , Mei Shirley H. J. , Stewart Duncan J.
Published: April 2015

It is increasingly recognized that immunomodulation represents an important mechanism underlying the benefits of many stem cell therapies, rather than the classical paradigm of transdifferentiation and cell replacement. In the former paradigm, the beneficial effects of cell therapy result from paracrine mechanism(s) and/or cell–cell interaction as opposed to direct engraftment and repair of diseased tissue and/or dysfunctional organs. Depending on the cell type used, components of the secretome, including microRNA (miRNA) and extracellular vesicles, may be able to either activate or suppress the immune system even without direct immune cell contact. Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs), also referred to as mesenchymal stem cells, are found not only in the bone marrow, but also in a wide variety of organs and tissues. In addition to any direct stem cell activities, MSCs were the first stem cells recognized to modulate immune response, and therefore they will be the focus of this review. Specifically, MSCs appear to be able to effectively attenuate acute and protracted inflammation via interactions with components of both innate and adaptive immune systems. To date, this capacity has been exploited in a large number of preclinical studies and MSC immunomodulatory therapy has been attempted with various degrees of success in a relatively large number of clinical trials. Here, we will explore the various mechanism employed by MSCs to effect immunosuppression as well as review the current status of its use to treat excessive inflammation in the context of acute lung injury (ALI) and sepsis in both preclinical and clinical settings. J. Cell. Physiol. 9999: 2606–2617, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Characterization of brown adipose tissue by water–fat separated magnetic resonance imaging
Authors: Romu Thobias , Elander Louise , Leinhard Olof Dahlqvist , Lidell Martin E , Betz Matthias J , Persson Anders , Enerbäck Sven , Borga Magnus
Published: April 2015

Background

To evaluate the possibility of quantifying brown adipose tissue (BAT) volume and fat concentration with a high resolution, long echo time, dual‐echo Dixon imaging protocol.

Methods

A 0.42 mm isotropic resolution water–fat separated MRI protocol was implemented by using the second opposite‐phase echo and third in‐phase echo. Fat images were calibrated with regard to the intensity of nearby white adipose tissue (WAT) to form relative fat content (RFC) images. To evaluate the ability to measure BAT volume and RFC contrast dynamics, rats were divided into two groups that were kept at 4° or 22°C for 5 days. The rats were then scanned in a 70 cm bore 3.0 Tesla MRI scanner and a human dual energy CT. Interscapular, paraaortal, and perirenal BAT (i/pa/pr‐BAT) depots as well as WAT and muscle were segmented in the MRI and CT images. Biopsies were collected from the identified BAT depots.

Results

The biopsies confirmed that the three depots identified with the RFC images consisted of BAT. There was a significant linear correlation (P < 0.001) between the measured RFC and the Hounsfield units from DECT. Significantly lower iBAT RFC (P = 0.0064) and significantly larger iBAT and prBAT volumes (P = 0.0017) were observed in the cold stimulated rats.

Conclusion

The calibrated Dixon images with RFC scaling can depict BAT and be used to measure differences in volume, and fat concentration, induced by cold stimulation. The high correlation between RFC and HU suggests that the fat concentration is the main RFC image contrast mechanism. J. MAGN. RESON. IMAGING 2015;42:1639–1645.
Evaluating the performance of the focus HerpeSelect® HSV‐2 IgG in veterans with chronic hepatitis C infection
Authors: Burton MaryJane , Van Wagoner Nicholas J. , Sunesara Imran , Penman Alan , Swiatlo Edwin , Hook Edward W.
Published: April 2015

Epidemiologic links between chronic hepatitis C and herpes simplex type‐2 infection have been suggested; however, type‐specific tests for HSV‐2 infection have not been validated in patients with chronic hepatitis C infection. The Focus HerpeSelect® HSV‐2 IgG (Cypress, California) assay and the Biokit HSV‐2 rapid assay (Biokit USA, Lexington, MA) were performed on serum samples obtained from 84 veterans with chronic hepatitis C who demonstrated a previously positive HSV‐2 serologic test in their medical records. Using the Biokit HSV‐2 as the comparator assay, the positive predictive value, and specificity for the HerpeSelect® HSV‐2 assay were 62.1% (95%CI: 49.3–73.8) and 41.9% (95%CI: 27.0–57.9), respectively. Increasing the HerpeSelect®HSV‐2 index value defining a positive test result from >1.1 to ≥2.89 increased the assay's specificity to 97.7% (95%CI: 87.7–99.6) and the positive predictive value to 94.1%(95%CI: 71.2–99.0). J. Med. Virol. 9999: 1–5, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. In veterans with chronic hepatitis C infection, HerpeSelect® HSV‐2 index values between 1.1 and 2.89 should be confirmed with an alternate test for HSV‐2 infection. J. Med. Virol. 87:1377–1381, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Selenium (Se) improves drought tolerance in crop plants – a myth or fact?
Authors: Ahmad Rashid , Waraich Ejaz Ahmad , Nawaz Fahim , Ashraf Muhammad Y , Khalid Muhammad
Published: April 2015

Climate change has emerged as one of the most complex challenges of the 21st century and has become an area of interest in the past few decades. Many countries of the world have become extremely vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. The scarcity of water is a serious concern for food security of these countries and climate change has aggravated the risks of extreme events like drought. Oxidative stress, caused by a variety of active oxygen species formed under drought stress, damages many cellular constituents, such as carbohydrates, lipids, nucleic acids and proteins, which ultimately reduces plant growth, respiration and photosynthesis. Se has become an element of interest to many biologists owing to its physiological and toxicological importance. It plays a beneficial role in plants by enhancing growth, reducing damage caused by oxidative stress, enhancing chlorophyll content under light stress, stimulating senesce to produce antioxidants and improving plant tolerance to drought stress by regulating water status. Researchers have adopted different strategies to evaluate the role of selenium in plants under drought stress. Some of the relevant work available regarding the role of Se in alleviating adverse effect of drought stress is discussed in this paper. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry
Practical method for the rapid screening of xanthine oxidase inhibitors in herbal extracts by high‐performance liquid chromatography based on on‐line precolumn enzymatic reaction
Authors: Zhou Chun‐Hua , Li De‐Qiang , Xiao Yuan‐Yuan , Yang Xiu‐Ling , Zhang Zhi‐Qing
Published: April 2015

A high‐performance liquid chromatography method with on‐line precolumn enzymatic reaction for the screening of xanthine oxidase inhibitors in natural extracts was developed. In this method, the enzymatic reaction occurred at the capillary inlet during a predetermined waiting period, after which the reaction product, uric acid, was separated and detected by liquid chromatography using ultraviolet absorption at 295 nm. Enzyme inhibition can be read out directly from the reduced peak area of uric acid in comparison to a reference chromatogram obtained in the absence of any inhibitor. In the present study, the availability of on‐line precolumn enzymatic reaction with ultraviolet detection was firstly evaluated by determining the inhibitory mechanism and IC50 values of allopurinol, a commercially available positive drug. Then, the newly developed method was applied to screening of ten natural extracts from traditional Chinese medicine and as a result, the extract of Epimedium sagittatum (Sieb. et Zucc.) Maxim was found to be most positive for xanthine oxidase inhibition. The results obtained were compared with those obtained by offline enzyme assay and the effectiveness of the present method was confirmed. A rapid, low‐cost, and fully automated method for xanthine oxidase inhibitor screening was proposed.
Interface‐free two‐dimensional heart‐cutting capillary electrophoresis for the separation and stacking of anionic and neutral analytes
Authors: Kukusamude Chunyapuk , Srijaranai Supalax , Quirino Joselito P.
Published: April 2015

Interface‐free two‐dimensional heart‐cutting capillary electrophoresis for two different classes of analytes (anionic and neutral) in a single capillary is presented. Simultaneous sample stacking and orthogonal separation were demonstrated. The anionic species were first analyzed by capillary zone electrophoresis in the first dimension. Then, the neutral compounds were separated in the second dimension by micellar electrokinetic chromatography using the common anionic surfactant sodium dodecyl sulfate. The first and second dimensions occurred automatically without changing the electrolyte and without polarity switching. Artificial mixtures (five anions and four neutral compounds) were successfully analyzed with sensitivity enhancement factors from 7 to 28. The orthogonal separation was complete within 8 min. Some analytical features and application to a spiked real river water sample were also studied.
Thermal adaptation, phylogeny, and the unimodal size scaling of marine phytoplankton growth
Authors: Sal Sofía , Alonso‐Sáez Laura , Bueno Juan , García Francisca C. , López‐Urrutia Ángel
Published: April 2015

Studies on the size‐scaling of phytoplankton growth rate are usually based on temperature‐corrected growth rates or experiments performed at a fixed temperature, but the effects of differing thermal adaptation of small and large species have not been considered. We use an extensive dataset of phytoplankton growth rate responses to temperature and cell size to show that the unimodal size‐scaling of phytoplankton growth depends strongly on temperature, and is not significant at high temperatures where the most common picophytoplankton species grow at their optimum. Furthermore, we show that the unimodality results from the different growth rate scaling of picophytoplankton, which differs phylogenetically from larger phytoplankton taxa. Using ribosomal RNA sequences we recalculated the size‐scaling allometry with Phylogenetic Generalized Least Squares regression. After phylogenetic correction, the unimodal relationship is not significant at any temperature, suggesting that the observed curvature reflects the evolutionary adaptation of picophytoplankton to the warm conditions usually encountered in oligotrophic environments.
Subthalamic nucleus stimulation improves Parkinsonian gait via brainstem locomotor centers
Authors: Weiss Peter H. , Herzog Jan , Pötter‐Nerger Monika , Falk Daniela , Herzog Hans , Deuschl Günther , Volkmann Jens , Fink Gereon R.
Published: April 2015

Background

Subthalamic deep brain stimulation (STN‐DBS) can ameliorate gait disturbances in Parkinson's disease (PD). Using motor imagery and positron emission tomography (PET), we investigated how STN‐DBS interacts with supraspinal locomotor centers in PD.

Methods

Ten PD patients with bilateral STN‐DBS actually walked or stood still under STN‐DBS ON or OFF conditions. Directly thereafter, subjects imagined walking or standing while changes in regional cerebral blood flow were measured by PET.

Results

Independent of STN‐DBS, imagined walking distance correlated with imagery duration. Compared with STN‐DBS OFF, STN‐DBS ON improved actual gait and increased imagined walking distance. Imagery of gait (vs. stance) induced activity in the supplementary motor area and the right superior parietal lobule for both STN‐DBS conditions. The improvement of imagined gait during STN‐DBS ON led to activity changes in the pedunculopontine nucleus/mesencephalic locomotor region (PPN/MLR).

Conclusions

Data suggest that STN‐DBS improves Parkinsonian gait by modulating PPN/MLR activity. © 2015 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society
Impact of Parkinson's disease risk loci on age at onset
Authors: Lill Christina M. , Hansen Johnni , Olsen Jørgen H. , Binder Harald , Ritz Beate , Bertram Lars
Published: April 2015

Background

The aim of this study was to assess whether recently identified Parkinson's disease (PD) risk genes also influence age at onset in PD.

Methods

We genotyped 23 single‐nucleotide polymorphisms in 1,526 Danish PD patients and performed linear regression analyses with age at onset. The combined impact of PD risk loci on age at onset was assessed by linear regression analyses using a weighted genetic risk score.

Results

The strongest effects were observed with rs12726330 in GBA (beta = –3.63, P = 2.0 × 10−5) and rs34311866 in TMEM175/GAK (beta = –1.19, P = 4.0 × 10−3), corresponding to a 3.6‐y and 1.2‐y decrease of age at onset per risk allele, respectively. The weighted genetic risk score yielded significant association with reduced onset age (P = 3.98 × 10−3), although the variance explained was small (0.6%), and the effect was mostly driven by polymorphisms in GBA and TMEM175/GAK.

Conclusions

Overall, our study indicates that GBA and TMEM175/GAK significantly alter age at onset in PD. © 2015 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society
Novel candidate blood‐based transcriptional biomarkers of machado‐joseph disease
Authors: Raposo Mafalda , Bettencourt Conceição , Maciel Patrícia , Gao Fuying , Ramos Amanda , Kazachkova Nadiya , Vasconcelos João , Kay Teresa , Rodrigues Ana João , Bettencourt Bruno , Bruges‐Armas Jácome , Geschwind Daniel , Coppola Giovanni , Lima Manuela
Published: April 2015

Background

Machado‐Joseph disease (or spinocerebellar ataxia type 3) is a late‐onset polyglutamine neurodegenerative disorder caused by a mutation in the ATXN3 gene, which encodes for the ubiquitously expressed protein ataxin‐3. Previous studies on cell and animal models have suggested that mutated ataxin‐3 is involved in transcriptional dysregulation. Starting with a whole‐transcriptome profiling of peripheral blood samples from patients and controls, we aimed to confirm abnormal expression profiles in Machado‐Joseph disease and to identify promising up‐regulated genes as potential candidate biomarkers of disease status.

Methods

The Illumina Human V4‐HT12 array was used to measure transcriptome‐wide gene expression in peripheral blood samples from 12 patients and 12 controls. Technical validation and validation in an independent set of samples were performed by quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction (PCR).

Results

Based on the results from the microarray, twenty six genes, found to be up‐regulated in patients, were selected for technical validation by quantitative real‐time PCR (validation rate of 81% for the up‐regulation trend). Fourteen of these were further tested in an independent set of 42 patients and 35 controls; 10 genes maintained the up‐regulation trend (FCGR3B, CSR2RA, CLC, TNFSF14, SLA, P2RY13, FPR2, SELPLG, YIPF6, and GPR96); FCGR3B, P2RY13, and SELPLG were significantly up‐regulated in patients when compared with controls.

Conclusions

Our findings support the hypothesis that mutated ataxin‐3 is associated with transcription dysregulation, detectable in peripheral blood cells. Furthermore, this is the first report suggesting a pool of up‐regulated genes in Machado‐Joseph disease that may have the potential to be used for fine phenotyping of this disease. © 2015 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society
Discontinuous Galerkin derivative operators with applications to second‐order elliptic problems and stability
Authors: Feng W. , Lewis T. L. , Wise S. M.
Published: April 2015

A discontinuous Galerkin (DG) finite‐element interior calculus is used as a common framework to describe various DG approximation methods for second‐order elliptic problems. Using the framework, symmetric interior‐penalty methods, local discontinuous Galerkin methods, and dual‐wind discontinuous Galerkin methods will be compared by expressing all of the methods in primal form. The penalty‐free nature of the dual‐wind discontinuous Galerkin method will be both motivated and used to better understand the analytic properties of the various DG methods. Consideration will be given to Neumann boundary conditions with numerical experiments that support the theoretical results. Many norm equivalencies will be derived laying the foundation for applying dual‐winding techniques to other problems. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Medium‐chain dicarboxylic acylcarnitines as markers of n‐3 PUFA‐induced peroxisomal oxidation of fatty acids
Authors: Fiamoncini Jarlei , Lima Thais M. , Hirabara Sandro M. , Ecker Josef , Gorjão Renata , Romanatto Talita , ELolimy Ahmed , Worsch Stefanie , Laumen Helmut , Bader Bernhard , Daniel Hannelore , Curi Rui
Published: April 2015

Scope

Omega‐3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n‐3 PUFA) found in fish oil activate PPAR‐α, stimulate peroxisomal fatty acid (FA) β‐oxidation and prevent impairments on glucose homeostasis.

Methods and results

Glucose metabolism and FA oxidation were studied in C57/Bl6 mice fed with diets containing either 3.6 and 31.5% fish oil or lard. To assess the effects of peroxisomal proliferation on FA oxidation independent of n‐3 PUFA intake, mice were treated with the PPAR‐α agonist WY‐14643. n‐3 PUFA‐fed mice were protected from glucose intolerance and dyslipidemia compared to animals fed a lard‐based high‐fat diet. Most importantly, mice fed on the hyperlipidic diet based on fish oil as well as the WY‐14643 treated mice showed twofold increase of odd, medium‐chain, dicarboxylic acylcarnitines in the liver suggesting that not only β‐oxidation, but also α‐ and ω‐oxidation of FA were increased. Finally, an oxidation assay using liver homogenates and palmitic acid as substrate revealed an over tenfold increased production of similar acylcarnitines, indicating that FA are their precursors.

Conclusion

This study shows at the metabolite level that peroxisome proliferation induced either by fish oil or WY‐14643 is associated with increased α‐ and ω‐oxidation of FA producing specific acylcarnitines that can be utilized as biomarkers of peroxisomal FA oxidation.
High fat challenges with different fatty acids affect distinct atherogenic gene expression pathways in immune cells from lean and obese subjects
Authors: Esser Diederik , van Dijk Susan J. , Oosterink Els , Lopez Sergio , Müller Michael , Afman Lydia A.
Published: April 2015

Scope

Early perturbations in vascular health can be detected by imposing subjects to a high fat (HF) challenge and measure response capacity. Subtle responses can be determined by assessment of whole‐genome transcriptional changes. We aimed to magnify differences in health by comparing gene‐expression changes in peripheral blood mononuclear cells toward a high MUFA or saturated fatty acids (SFA) challenge between subjects with different cardiovascular disease risk profiles and to identify fatty acid specific gene‐expression pathways.

Methods and results

In a cross‐over study, 17 lean and 15 obese men (50–70 years) received two 95 g fat shakes, high in SFAs or MUFAs. Peripheral blood mononuclear cell gene‐expression profiles were assessed fasted and 4‐h postprandially. Comparisons were made between groups and shakes. During fasting, 294 genes were significantly differently expressed between lean and obese. The challenge increased differences to 607 genes after SFA and 2516 genes after MUFA. In both groups, SFA decreased expression of cholesterol biosynthesis and uptake genes and increased cholesterol efflux genes. MUFA increased inflammatory genes and PPAR‐α targets involved in β‐oxidation.

Conclusion

Based upon gene‐expression changes, we conclude that an HF challenge magnifies differences in health, especially after MUFA. Our findings also demonstrate how SFAs and MUFAs exert distinct effects on lipid handling pathways in immune cells.
Effects of smartphone overuse on hand function, pinch strength, and the median nerve
Authors: İNal Esra Erkol , Demİrcİ kadİr , Çetİntürk Azİze , Akgönül Mehmet , Savaş Serpİl
Published: April 2015

Introduction

In this study we investigated the flexor pollicis longus (FPL) tendon and median nerve in smartphone users by ultrasonography to assess the effects of smartphone addiction on the clinical and functional status of the hands. Methods: One hundred two students were divided into 3 groups: non‐users, and high or low smartphone users. Smartphone Addiction Scale (SAS) scores and grip and pinch strengths were recorded. Pain in thumb movement and rest and hand function were evaluated on the visual analog scale (VAS) and the Duruöz Hand Index (DHI), respectively. The cross‐sectional areas (CSAs) of the median nerve and the FPL tendon were calculated bilaterally using ultrasonography. Results: Significantly higher median nerve CSAs were observed in the dominant hands of the high smartphone users than in the non‐dominant hands (P < 0.001). SAS scores correlated with VAS pain for movement and rest, DHI scores, and pinch strength (P < 0.05; r = 0.345, 0.272, 0.245, and 0.281, respectively). Conclusions: Smartphone overuse enlarges the median nerve, causes pain in the thumb, and decreases pinch strength and hand functions. Muscle Nerve, 2015 Muscle Nerve 52: 183–188, 2015
Diurnal and day‐to‐day variation of isometric muscle strength in myasthenia gravis
Authors: Vinge Lotte , Jakobsen Johannes , Pedersen Asger Roer , Andersen Henning
Published: April 2015

Introduction: In patients with myasthenia gravis (MG), muscle strength is expected to decrease gradually during the day due to physical activities. Methods: Isometric muscle strength at the shoulder, knee, and ankle was determined in 10 MG patients (MGFA class II–IV) who were receiving usual medical treatment and in 10 control subjects. To determine diurnal and day‐to‐day variation, muscle strength was measured 4 times during day 1 and once at day 2. Results: Knee extension strength decreased during the day in both patients and controls. Neither diurnal nor day‐to‐day variation of muscle strength was higher in patients compared with controls. Conclusions: Patients with mild to moderate MG did not have increased variation of isometric muscle strength during the day or from day‐to‐day compared with controls. This suggests that isometric muscle performance can be determined with high reproducibility in similar groups of MG patients without regard to time of day. Muscle Nerve 53: 67–72, 2016
Cellulose nanocrystal‐embedded triacetate cellulose composite films
Authors: Hee Kim Dah , Seok Song Young
Published: April 2015

The purpose of this study is to introduce cellulose nanocrystal (CNC) to the triacetyl cellulose (TAC) matrix and to evaluate the physical properties of the prepared nanocomposite films. To disperse CNCs in the TAC matrix, the surfaces of nanofillers were chemically modified. The optical, thermal, and mechanical properties were characterized experimentally. The results revealed that the addition of CNCs resulted in the significant enhancement of mechanical properties and did not aggravate the good optical properties of pure TAC films. In addition, a morphological observation was carried out. POLYM. COMPOS., 37:3228–3233, 2016. © 2015 Society of Plastics Engineers
Evaluation of the antibacterial activity of cellulose nanofibers/polylactic acid composites coated with ethanolic extract of propolis
Authors: Abdulkhani Ali , Hosseinzadeh Jaber , Ashori Alireza , Esmaeeli Hossein
Published: April 2015

This work has focused on developing cellulose nanofibers (CNFs)/polylactic acid (PLA) coated with ethanolic extract of propolis (EEP). First, the chemical composition of EEP was studied in order to determine the major compounds. Composites were then prepared using solvent casting method, with the goal of making green composites. The effectiveness of EEP was evaluated for its antibacterial and antifungal properties, using standard protocol of disc diffusion method (DDM). Chemical analysis of EEP indicated that the propolis samples had high concentrations of the aromatic acids, phenolics, esters, and other derivatives, which are responsible for the antibacterial and antifungal properties of propolis. Experimental results indicated that EEP had a considerable antibacterial activity against most of tested pathogen strains. In general, the surface of modified CNFs/PLA films showed antibacterial activity against Gram‐positive bacteria, even at very low concentrations of EEP. The addition of EEP to the tested films drastically increased the antibacterial effect against Gram‐positive, such as Bacillus anthracis, Staphylococcus aureus, and Salmonella enteric, while there was no effect on Gram‐negative bacteria. Moreover, the results pointed out the inhibitory action of EEP on Candida albicans. POLYM. COMPOS., 38:13–19, 2017. © 2015 Society of Plastics Engineers
Upgrading brewer's spent grain as functional filler in polypropylene matrix
Authors: Revert A. , Reig M. , Seguí V.J. , Boronat T. , Fombuena V. , Balart R.
Published: April 2015

Brewer's spent grain (BSG) is a by‐product of the brewing industry that contributes to a large volume of wastes. The lignocellulosic nature of this waste, together with presence of functional components such as antioxidants, represents an attractive for the composite's industry. In this work, BSG has been used as functional filler for polypropylene matrix to give an additional use to this industrial waste. Addition of BSG filler improves the overall environmental efficiency of the polypropylene matrix thus leading to high environmentally friendly materials. BSG can be loaded in the 10–40 wt% range with easy manufacturing, balanced mechanical properties, and additionally, excellent antioxidant properties are achieved with increasing BSG loading due to natural antioxidants that have not been removed during the brewing process. In particular, the onset of the thermo‐oxidative degradation of polypropylene is improved by 15–20°C for different compositions. Due to the lignocellulosic nature of BSG, water uptake is a clear drawback of PP–BSG composites but formulations containing 10‐30 wt% BSG hold the water uptake at very low values. POLYM. COMPOS., 38:40–47, 2017. © 2015 Society of Plastics Engineers
Proteomic analysis of lipid body from the alkenone‐producing marine haptophyte alga Tisochrysis lutea
Authors: Shi Qing , Araie Hiroya , Bakku Ranjith Kumar , Fukao Yoichiro , Rakwal Randeep , Suzuki Iwane , Shiraiwa Yoshihiro
Published: April 2015

Lipid body (LB) is recognized as the cellular carbon and energy storage organelle in many organisms. LBs have been observed in the marine haptophyte alga Tisochrysis lutea that produces special lipids such as long‐chain (C37‐C40) ketones (alkenones) with 2–4 trans‐type double bonds. In this study, we succeeded in developing a modified method to isolate LB from T. lutea. Purity of isolated LBs was confirmed by the absence of chlorophyll auto‐fluorescence and no contamination of the most abundant cellular protein ribulose‐1,5‐bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase. As alkenones predominated in the LB by GC‐MS analysis, the LB can be more appropriately named as “alkenone body (AB).” Extracted AB‐containing proteins were analyzed by the combination of 1DE (SDS‐PAGE) and MS/MS for confident protein identification and annotated using BLAST tools at National Center for Biotechnology Information. Totally 514 proteins were identified at the maximum. The homology search identified three major proteins, V‐ATPase, a hypothetical protein EMIHUDRAFT_465517 found in other alkenone‐producing haptophytes, and a lipid raft‐associated SPFH domain‐containing protein. Our data suggest that AB of T. lutera is surrounded by a lipid membrane originating from either the ER or the ER‐derived four layer‐envelopes chloroplast and function as the storage site of alkenones and alkenes.
Bioorthogonal mimetics of palmitoyl‐CoA and myristoyl‐CoA and their subsequent isolation by click chemistry and characterization by mass spectrometry reveal novel acylated host‐proteins modified by HIV‐1 infection
Authors: Colquhoun David R. , Lyashkov Alexey E. , Mohien Ceereena Ubaida , Aquino Veronica N. , Bullock Brandon T. , Dinglasan Rhoel R. , Agnew Brian J. , Graham David R. M.
Published: April 2015

Protein acylation plays a critical role in protein localization and function. Acylation is essential for human immunodeficiency virus 1 (HIV‐1) assembly and budding of HIV‐1 from the plasma membrane in lipid raft microdomains and is mediated by myristoylation of the Gag polyprotein and the copackaging of the envelope protein is facilitated by colocalization mediated by palmitoylation. Since the viral accessory protein NEF has been shown to alter the substrate specificity of myristoyl transferases, and alter cargo trafficking lipid rafts, we hypothesized that HIV‐1 infection may alter protein acylation globally. To test this hypothesis, we labeled HIV‐1 infected cells with biomimetics of acyl azides, which are incorporated in a manner analogous to natural acyl‐Co‐A. A terminal azide group allowed us to use a copper catalyzed click chemistry to conjugate the incorporated modifications to a number of substrates to carry out SDS‐PAGE, fluorescence microscopy, and enrichment for LC‐MS/MS. Using LC‐MS/MS, we identified 103 and 174 proteins from the myristic and palmitic azide enrichments, with 27 and 45 proteins respectively that differentiated HIV‐1 infected from uninfected cells. This approach has provided us with important insights into HIV‐1 biology and is widely applicable to many virological systems.
Secretome analysis of human articular chondrocytes unravels catabolic effects of nicotine on the joint
Authors: Lourido Lucía , Calamia Valentina , Fernández‐Puente Patricia , Mateos Jesús , Oreiro Natividad , Blanco Francisco J. , Ruiz‐Romero Cristina
Published: April 2015

Purpose

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative joint pathology characterized by articular cartilage degradation that lacks from efficient therapy. Since previous epidemiological data show a high controversy regarding the role of smoking in OA, we aimed to evaluate the effects of nicotine (the most physiologically active compound of tobacco) on the joint.

Experimental design

Secretome analyses, based on metabolic labeling followed by LC‐MALDI‐TOF/TOF analysis, were carried out using an in vitro model of articular inflammation (primary human articular chondrocytes treated with interleukin‐1β), and also on osteoarthritic cells. ELISA and Western blot assays were performed to verify some of the results.

Results

Nineteen proteins were altered by nicotine in the model of articular inflammation, including several cytokines and proteases. We confirmed the increased secretion by nicotine of matrix metalloproteinase 1 and two proposed markers of OA, fibronectin, and chitinase 3‐like protein 1. Finally, four components of the extracellular matrix of cartilage were decreased by nicotine in OA chondrocytes.

Conclusions and clinical relevance

Our data contribute to a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms that are modulated by nicotine in cartilage cells, suggesting a negative effect of this drug on the joint.
Maintenance of fire sprinkler systems based on the dynamic assessment of its condition
Authors: Sobral José , Ferreira Luis
Published: April 2015

Safety is one of the major concerns of process safety engineers in most industrial facilities all over the world. To this scope, some events play an important role once the effect of their consequences can be assumed as totally undesirable. One of these events refers to the occurrence of a fire. Such event can result in catastrophic consequences for life, equipment, and continuity of activities or even leading to environmental damage. A fire protection equipment with low reliability means that this equipment are often unavailable and thus the risk of a fire increases. Maintenance of fire protection equipment is very important because this kind of systems is mostly in a dormant mode, which gives uncertainty about their operability when demanded in a real situation of fire. This article outlines the importance of tests, inspection, and maintenance operations in the context of a fire sprinkler system and proposes a methodology based on international standards and supported by test/inspection reports to correct the frequency of these actions according to the level of degradation of the components and regarding safety purposes. © 2015 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Process Saf Prog 35: 84–91, 2016
Laser ablation generation of clusters from As‐Te mixtures, As‐Te glass nano‐layers and from Au‐As‐Te nano‐composites. Quadrupole ion trap time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry
Authors: Štěpánová Vlasta , Prokeš Lubomír , Slavíček Pavel , Alberti Milan , Havel Josef
Published: April 2015

Rationale

Arsenic tellurides have found important applications in various fields of science, but only a few gold‐arsenic tellurides have been reported. Laser ablation synthesis (LAS), a suitable method for the generation of new compounds, has been used to generate clusters from As‐Te mixtures, an As‐Te glass and Au‐As‐Te nano‐composites.

Methods

Chalcogenide glass nano‐layers prepared via Physical Vapour Deposition – thermal evaporation were characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy‐dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy (EDX). LAS with laser desorption ionisation quadrupole ion trap time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry (LDI QIT TOFMS) was used for the generation and analysis of new AuxAsmTen clusters. The stoichiometry of the clusters was determined via isotopic envelope modelling.

Results

A simple procedure for the preparation of the Au‐As‐Te nano‐composite was developed. From As‐Te mixtures only five binary AsmTen clusters were generated, while from a glass layer 10 binary AsmTen clusters were identified, because during the deposition of the glass the elements reacted with each other to form a complex three‐dimensional (3D) structure. Using LAS on the Au‐As‐Te nano‐composite leads to the formation of six unary Ten (n = 1–6), 16 binary (AsmTen and AuxTen), and 31 ternary AuxAsmTen clusters.

Conclusions

LAS was demonstrated to be a useful technique for the generation of AuxAsmTen clusters in the gas phase. More AsmTen clusters were generated from the deposited glass layers than from As‐Te mixtures. Most of the ternary AuxAsmTen clusters generated from the nano‐composite are reported here for the first time. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Fundamentality and Time-Travel
Authors: Kleinschmidt Shieva ,   Philosophy Documentation Center
Published: April 2015

The relation of being more fundamental than, as well as the Finean notion of partial grounding, are widely taken to be irreflexive, transitive, and asymmetric. However, certain time-travel cases that have been used to raise worries about the irreflexivity, transitivity, and asymmetry of proper part of can also be used to argue that more fundamental than and partially grounds do not have these formal properties. I present this worry and discuss several responses to it, with the aim of showing that the problem is harder to address when applied to fundamentality and partial grounding than it was when merely applied to proper parthood.
A Note on the Logic of Worldly Ground
Authors: Krämer Stephan , Roski Stefan ,   Philosophy Documentation Center
Published: April 2015

In his 2010 paper ‘Grounding and Truth-Functions’, Fabrice Correia has developed the first and so far only proposal for a logic of ground based on a worldly conception of facts. In this paper, we show that the logic allows the derivation of implausible grounding claims. We then generalize these results and draw some conclusions concerning the structural features of ground and its associated notion of relevance, which has so far not received the attention it deserves.
Using a “sonic net” to deter pest bird species: Excluding European starlings from food sources by disrupting their acoustic communication
Authors: Mahjoub Ghazi , Hinders Mark K. , Swaddle John P.
Published: April 2015

Pest avian wildlife is responsible for substantial economic damage every year in the United States. Previous technologies used to deter starlings have generally failed because birds quickly habituate to startle regimes. In this study, conducted from May to July 2013, we focused on altering the foraging behavior of the European starling (Sturnus vulgaris), a pest bird that is responsible for crop losses and also poses notable risk for bird–aircraft strikes. The goal of our project was to develop an effective system to limit starlings' use of a food patch. Using nonlinear ultrasonic parametric arrays, we broadcast a directional sound that overlapped in frequency with starling vocalizations and was contained in a specific area, creating a “net.” We hypothesized that the “sonic net” would disturb acoustic communication for starlings, causing them to leave and feed elsewhere. Using wild‐caught starlings in a large aviary, we deployed the sonic net over one food patch while leaving another food patch unaltered, and assessed their presence and feeding for three consecutive days. The sonic treatment decreased starlings' presence at the treated food patch, on average by 46%. Additionally, we assessed whether the sonic net disrupted the birds' response to an alarm call. When under the sonic net, starlings did not respond to the alarm call, suggesting that the sonic net disrupted acoustic communication. The sonic net is a promising new method of decreasing foraging activity by pest bird species. © 2015 The Wildlife Society.
X‐Ray micro‐Computed Tomography and micro X‐ray Fluorescence mapping of synthetic emerald by using a laboratory polycapillary optics X‐ray tube layout
Authors: Liedl A. , Polese C. , Hampai D. , Ventura G. Della , Dabagov S. B. , Marcelli A. , Bellatreccia F. , Cavallo A.
Published: April 2015

This paper relates the X‐ray micro‐Computed Tomography and micro X‐ray Fluorescence 2D mapping of a synthetic emerald performed by a conventional X‐ray source matched with polycapillary optics. The investigated crystals were synthesized in 1888 by Hautefeuille and Perrey starting from a stochiometric oxide mixture and using LiMoO4 as a flux; Cr was added to the system to give the green‐color to the resulting crystals. Preliminary scanning electron microscope‐backscattered electron images, coupled with wavelength‐dispersive spectrometry microanalyses, showed a peculiar ‘hourglass’ distribution of Cr across the beryl crystals. In this contribution, we show the capability of a laboratory polycapillary lenses/X‐ray tubes layout to characterize at the micrometric scale; the 3D spatial distribution of Cr in these emerald crystals. Actually, this technique offers many opportunities to characterize natural and technological materials where zoning of particular chemical elements occur at the micron or sub‐micron scale. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.