bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Short communication. Effects of adding different protein and carbohydrates sources on chemical composition and in vitro gas production of corn stover silage
Authors: Mejía-Uribe L. A. , Borquez J. L. , Salem A. Z. M. , Dominguez Vara I. A. , Gonzalez-Ronquillo M.
Published: June 2013

The use of protein-rich by-products based in swine manure (SM), poultry waste (PW) or chemicals compounds as urea (U), as well as energy products like molasses (M) and bakery by-product (BB), is a viable method to produce good quality silage. In addition, the use of a bacterial additive can improve the fermentation characteristics of silage. The objective of this study was to determine chemical composition, in vitro gas production (GP) and dry matter disappearance (DMd), using different sources of protein and energy in silage. The silages were made using SM, PW or U as protein sources and M or BB as energy source, with corn stover and with or without a bacterial additive. The organic matter (OM) content was higher (p < 0.001) in silages with UBB, UM and SMBB compared with the rest of the treatments; meanwhile crude protein content was higher (p < 0.001) in silages with U. The addition of a bacterial additive increased (p < 0.05) OM content and decreased (p < 0.05) fiber content. Total GP was higher (p < 0.05) in silages containing BB, but DMd was higher (p < 0.05) in silages with U and SMBB. The inclusion of a bacterial additive decreased (p < 0.05) GP and DMd. The use of alternative sources of protein such as poultry and swine manure or urea, and of by-products of sugar industry and bakery is an alternative for silages based on corn stover. The results show that when properly formulated, the silages can provide more than 16% of crude protein and have DMd values above 60%.
Short communication. In vitro embryo production can be modified by the previous ovarian response to a superovulatory treatment in sheep
Authors: Forcada F. , Estaún J. , Casao A. , Sánchez-Prieto L. , Palacín I. , Abecia J. A.
Published: June 2013

Thirty-two ewes were used to study how the ovarian response to a superovulatory treatment determines quality of oocytes recovered from ovaries after embryo collection, and their developmental capacity after in vitro maturation (IVM) and fertilization (IVF). Ewes were superovulated, and seven days after oestrus, embryos were collected and ewes divided into three groups: (+ +), n=19, ewes responding to the treatment with embryos collected after flushing; (+ –), n=8, ewes responding, but only oocytes were found; and (– –), n=5, ewes not responding to the treatment and no embryos collected. Ovaries were recovered and oocytes collected from the three groups. A significant effect of the response to the treatment was observed for oocyte quality, so that (– –) ewes presented the higher number of oocytes per ewe (p<0.001). Total number of oocytes selected for IVM and IVF was significantly higher in the same group, in comparison with (+ +) and (+ –) (p<0.001). Group (+ –) ewes presented the lowest maturation (p<0.001), fertilization (p<0.05) and cleavage rates (p<0.001). In conclusion, the ovarian response to a superovulatory treatment determines the number and quality of the oocytes recovered 7 days after the oestrus induced by the hormonal treatment. In vitro techniques could be an important tool to increase embryo production by particular ewes when they are not able to produce a significant amount of in vivo embryos.
DMFCA Model as a Possible Way to Detect Creative Accounting and Accounting Fraud in an Enterprise
Authors: Kouřilová Jindřiška , Plevková Dana
Published: June 2013

The quality of reported accounting data as well as the quality and behaviour of their users influence the efficiency of an enterprise’s management. Its assessment could therefore be changed as well. To identify creative accounting and fraud, several methods and tools were used. In this paper we would like to present our proposal of the DMFCA (Detection model Material Flow Cost Accounting) balance model based on environmental accounting and the MFCA (Material Flow Cost Accounting) as its method. The following balance areas are included
Engineering a Blood-Retinal Barrier With Human Embryonic Stem Cell-Derived Retinal Pigment Epithelium: Transcriptome and Functional Analysis
Authors: Peng Shaomin , Gan Geliang , Qiu Caihong , Zhong Mei , An Hongyan , Adelman Ron A. , Rizzolo Lawrence J.
Published: June 2013

Retinal degenerations are a major cause of impaired vision in the elderly. Degenerations originate in either photoreceptors or the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE). RPE forms the outer blood-retinal barrier and functions intimately with photoreceptors. Animal models and cultures of RPE are commonly used to screen potential pharmaceuticals or explore RPE replacement therapy, but human RPE differs from that of other species. Human RPE forms a barrier using tight junctions composed of a unique set of claudins, proteins that determine the permeability and selectivity of tight junctions. Human adult RPE fails to replicate these properties in vitro. To develop a culture model for drug development and tissue-engineering human retina, RPE were derived from human embryonic stem cells (hESCs). Barrier properties of RPE derived from the H1 and H9 hESC lines were compared with a well-regarded model of RPE function, human fetal RPE isolated from 16-week-gestation fetuses (hfRPE). A serum-free medium (SFM-1) that enhanced the redifferentiation of hfRPE in culture also furthered the maturation of hESC-derived RPE. In SFM-1, the composition, selectivity, and permeability of tight junctions were similar to those of hfRPE. Comparison of the transcriptomes by RNA sequencing and quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction revealed a high correlation between the hESCs and hfRPE, but there were notable differences in the expression of adhesion junction and membrane transport genes. These data indicated that hESC-derived RPE is highly differentiated but may be less mature than RPE isolated from 16-week fetuses. The study identified a panel of genes to monitor the maturation of RPE.
COMPOSIÇÃO ELEMENTAR DO SANGUE, FÍGADO, TÍBIA E MÚSCULO DE LÁPAROS DE 30 DIAS NOVA ZELÂNDIA VARIEDADE BRANCA
Authors: Canella Avelar Artur , Motta Ferreira Walter
Published: June 2013

A carne de coelho faz parte da dieta mediterrânea, considerada uma das dietas mais saudáveis do mundo. A produção de coelho para consumo humano tem crescido consideravelmente, em especial na Europa, Oriente Médio e China. Adicionalmente, os coelhos têm sido usados em estudos biológicos em diversas especialidades como a farmacologia, dermatologia, avaliação da toxicidade, nutrição, entre outras. O conhecimento do perfil mineral dos diversos tecidos desse modelo é fundamental para a interpretação apropriada dos resultados de testes biológicos aplicados a esse modelo animal. Neste estudo, foram abatidos dez coelhos (5 machos e 5 fêmeas) de 30 dias de idade. Amostras de sangue, fígado, tíbia e músculo foram coletadas de cada um dos láparos. A técnica nuclear de Análise por Ativação Neutrônica foi utilizada para obter as concentrações de diversos elementos presentes em cada amostra. Os resultados encontrados foram comparados com valores encontrados nos tecidos humanos, uma vez que na literatura não há dados sobre a maioria dos elementos encontrados nos tecidos de coelhos. Vários elementos químicos nos tecidos de coelho e nos tecidos humanos apresentam concentrações muito similares. Destaca-se uma exceção: o baixo teor de zinco observado no tecido muscular dos láparos.
RESÍDUOS DA INDÚSTRIA DE FILETAGEM DE TILÁPIA DO NILO (OREOCHROMIS NILOTICUS) NA FORMA DE FARINHAS E SILAGEM PARA A ALIMENTAÇÃO DE LAMBARI (ASTIANAX BIMACULATUS)
Authors: Boscolo Wilson Rogério , Feiden Aldi , Signor Arcângelo Augusto , Klein Sidnei , Bittencourt Fábio , Corrêia Arlindo Fabrício
Published: June 2013

O trabalho objetivou avaliar a inclusão de resíduos da indústria de filetagem de tilápias do Nilo (Oreochromis niloticus) na forma de farinha (FT) e silagem (SR) na alimentação de lambari (Astianax bimaculatus). Foram utilizados 100 alevinos de lambari, com peso inicial de 0,087 ± 0,006 g, distribuídos em 20 aquários com capacidade de 30 L, em um delineamento experimental inteiramente casualizado com quatro tratamentos e cinco repetições. A ração-controle foi formulada a base de milho, farelo de soja e farelo de trigo, sem inclusão de alimentos de origem animal e os outros três tratamentos apresentaram a inclusão de resíduos da indústria de filetagem de tilápia como fonte de proteína de origem animal: FT (100%); SR (100%); FT (50%) + SR (50%). O arraçoamento foi realizado quatro vezes ao dia, na forma farelada e à vontade durante 32 dias. Os parâmetros físicos e químicos da água como pH, condutividade elétrica (mS/cm) e oxigênio dissolvido (mg/L) foram medidos semanalmente, enquanto que a temperatura (°C) foi monitorada diariamente às 8h e às 17h. Os parâmetros zootécnicos avaliados nos lambaris foram peso final médio, ganho de peso médio, comprimento final médio, conversão alimentar aparente, sobrevivência e fator de condição. Não houve diferenças significativas entre os tratamentos para os parâmetros zootécnicos avaliados (p > 0,05). Conclui-se que tanto a FT como a SR podem ser utilizadas conjuntamente ou de maneira distinta em rações para alevinos de lambari sem causar prejuízo no desempenho dos animais.
Cryo-EM visualization of the ribosome in termination complex with apo-RF3 and RF1
Authors: Pallesen Jesper , Hashem Yaser , Korkmaz Gürkan , Koripella Ravi Kiran , Huang Chenhui , Ehrenberg Måns , Sanyal Suparna , Frank Joachim
Published: June 2013

Termination of messenger RNA translation in Bacteria and Archaea is initiated by release factors (RFs) 1 or 2 recognizing a stop codon in the ribosomal A site and releasing the peptide from the P-site transfer RNA. After release, RF-dissociation is facilitated by the G-protein RF3. Structures of ribosomal complexes with RF1 or RF2 alone or with RF3 alone—RF3 bound to a non-hydrolyzable GTP-analog—have been reported. Here, we present the cryo-EM structure of a post-termination ribosome containing both apo-RF3 and RF1. The conformation of RF3 is distinct from those of free RF3•GDP and ribosome-bound RF3•GDP(C/N)P. Furthermore, the conformation of RF1 differs from those observed in RF3-lacking ribosomal complexes. Our study provides structural keys to the mechanism of guanine nucleotide exchange on RF3 and to an L12-mediated ribosomal recruitment of RF3. In conjunction with previous observations, our data provide the foundation to structurally characterize the complete action cycle of the G-protein RF3.
Stapled Golgi cisternae remain in place as cargo passes through the stack
Authors: Lavieu Gregory , Zheng Hong , Rothman James E
Published: June 2013

We have designed a membrane ‘staple’, which consists of membrane-anchored repeats of the trans-aggregating FM domain that face the lumen of the secretory pathway. In the presence of the disaggregating drug these proteins transit the secretory pathway. When the drug is removed these proteins form electron-dense plaques which we term staples. Unexpectedly, when initially positioned within the cis-Golgi, staples remained at the cis face of the Golgi even after many hours. By contrast, soluble FM-aggregates transited the Golgi. Staples and soluble aggregates placed in cis-Golgi cisternae therefore have different fates. Whereas the membrane staples are located in the flattened, stacked central regions of the cisternae, the soluble aggregates are in the dilated rims. This suggests that while the cisternae are static on the time scale of protein traffic, the dilated rims are mobile and progress in the cis → trans direction via a mechanism that we term ‘Rim Progression’.
Decision‐making Under Uncertainty in the Cash Cab
Authors: Kelley Matthew R. , Lemke Robert J.
Published: June 2013

Television game shows have long been used to analyze risk‐taking behavior. We used episodes of Cash Cab to investigate how a variety of pre‐game and in‐game factors affected contestants' decisions to accept or reject a double‐or‐nothing gamble offered at the end of the game. As expected, the analysis confirmed the standard influences of gender, age, and group size on the willingness to accept the gamble. More interestingly, however, the data suggested that contestants also used in‐game experiences to update their subjective probability of success when considering the final gamble. Surprisingly, contestants did not appear to use correct performance (e.g., number correct, and streaks of correct) when updating, but the number and distribution of highly confident and correct responses were important when assessing the final gamble. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Tuning of Cell–Biomaterial Anchorage for Tissue Regeneration
Authors: Leal‐Egaña Aldo , Díaz‐Cuenca Aránzazu , Boccaccini Aldo R.
Published: June 2013

Which mechanisms mediate cell attachment to biomaterials? What role does the surface charge or wettability play on cell–material anchorage? What are the currently investigated strategies to modify cell–matrix adherence spatiotemporally? Considering the development of scaffolds made of biocompatible materials to temporarily replace the structure and/or function of the extracellular matrix, focus is given to the analysis of the specific (i.e., cell adhesive peptide sequences) and unspecific (i.e., surface charge, wettability) mechanisms mediating cell‐matrix interactions. Furthermore, because natural tissue regeneration is characterized by the dynamic attachment/detachment of different cell populations, the design of advanced scaffolds for tissue engineering, based in the spatiotemporal tuning of cell–matrix anchorage is discussed.
Nitrilase Activity Screening on Structurally Diverse Substrates: Providing Biocatalytic Tools for Organic Synthesis
Authors: Vergne‐Vaxelaire Carine , Bordier Franck , Fossey Aurélie , Besnard‐Gonnet Marielle , Debard Adrien , Mariage Aline , Pellouin Virginie , Perret Alain , Petit Jean‐Louis , Stam Mark , Salanoubat Marcel , Weissenbach Jean , De Berardinis Véronique , Zaparucha Anne
Published: June 2013

A high‐throughput screening of candidate nitrilases against 25 structurally diverse substrates allowed us to create a wide collection of 125 experimentally validated nitrilases. The enzymes were selected by genomic approach from 700 diverse prokaryotic species and one metagenome as representative of the nitrilase family diversity. The enzymatic screening of this collection expands the biocatalytic toolbox for chemical synthesis by providing a large number of tested nitrilases with their assigned substrates. Three examples illustrate the synthetic potential of our enzyme collection. The syntheses of carboxylic acid building blocks, a β‐substituted phenylpropanoic acid, a cyclic γ‐keto carboxylic acid and a mononitrile monocarboxylic acid, were achieved from the corresponding nitrile substrates, using three new nitrilases (two from Sphingomonas wittichii and one from Syntrophobacter fumaroxidans). Improvements of nitrilase activities through the optimization of reaction parameters and the preparative biocatalytic synthesis are presented for these three examples.
An Efficient Tetrabutylammonium Fluoride (TBAF)‐Catalyzed Three‐Component Synthesis of 3‐Substituted Indole Derivatives under Solvent‐Free Conditions
Authors: Singh Neetu , Allam Bharat Kumar , Raghuvanshi Dushyant Singh , Singh Krishna Nand
Published: June 2013

An expedient and efficient one‐pot three‐component synthesis of 3‐substituted indoles has been developed by the reaction of indoles, active methylene compounds and aldehydes using a catalytic amount of tetrabutylammonium fluoride under solvent‐free conditions.
Direct Regio‐, Diastereo‐, and Enantioselective Vinylogous Michael Addition of Prochiral 3‐Alkylideneoxindoles to Nitroolefins
Authors: Rassu Gloria , Zambrano Vincenzo , Pinna Luigi , Curti Claudio , Battistini Lucia , Sartori Andrea , Pelosi Giorgio , Zanardi Franca , Casiraghi Giovanni
Published: June 2013

3‐Alkylidene‐2‐oxindoles represent a simple, yet enabling subfamily of indole alkaloids, and their ability to react as electron‐poor acceptors has largely been investigated. In contrast, their utility as pronucleophilic synthons remains elusive. In this context, the present article describes the successful execution of the direct, organocatalytic asymmetric Michael addition of prochiral 3‐alkylideneoxindoles to nitroolefins. A variety of γ‐substituted alkylideneoxindoles carrying two stereocenters at both the γ‐ and δ‐carbon sites was assembled with excellent stereoselectivity and without olefin isomerization or stereochemical ablation.
Reserve site selection for data‐poor invertebrate fisheries using patch scale and dispersal dynamics: a case study of sea cucumber(Cucumaria frondosa)
Authors: Shackell Nancy L. , Brickman David W. , Frank Kenneth T.
Published: June 2013

Globally, management decisions for recently established invertebrate fisheries are based on limited information. The negative consequences are being realized as now at least one‐third of invertebrate fisheries are over‐exploited, collapsed or closed. Management of a fishery should be based on abundance and productivity data. This information is often unavailable but in some jurisdictions, spatial distributions are known. A methodology for designating a network of reserves for sedentary invertebrates, using sea cucumber (Cucumaria frondosa) on the Scotian Shelf, Canada is proposed, as a case study.

It is assumed that there is a positive relationship between spawner density and per capita population growth rate in sedentary broadcast spawners and that fertilization success declines rapidly at low densities. Protection of high‐density habitat would safeguard critical spawner density, especially when the critical density is unknown. Using spatial distribution, a method to identify size and location of reserves designed to protect high‐density habitat was developed.

First, geographically distinct regional‐scale clusters are identified. Within clusters, the characteristic patch scale was determined through spatial autocorrelation analysis. The size of reserves can be set as 50% of each high‐density patch based on an appropriate risk‐averse approach.

The allocation of reserve size and location is not dependent on results of a numerical circulation model. However, the analysis was refined by using one to predict larval drift patterns, and connectivity among patches. Reserve boxes were then designated to safeguard from 30 to 65% of each high‐density patch.

Marine reserves do not work if inappropriately sited. In the absence of any other information, it is argued that siting reserves on high‐density areas is an essential and appropriate approach to data‐poor invertebrate fisheries management. A high percentage of each high‐density patch could serve as risk‐averse ‘spatial management’ reference points, and could be modified once replenishment rates are known.

Copyright © Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada 2013
Inhibition of Lactoperoxidase‐Catalyzed Oxidation by Imidazole‐Based Thiones and Selones: A Mechanistic Study
Authors: Roy Gouriprasanna , Jayaram P. N. , Mugesh Govindasamy
Published: June 2013

Herein, we describe the synthesis and biomimetic activity of a series of N,N‐disubstituted thiones and selones that contain an imidazole pharmacophore. The N,N‐disubstituted thiones do not show any inhibitory activity towards LPO‐catalyzed oxidation reactions, but their corresponding N,N‐disubstituted selones exhibit inhibitory activity towards LPO‐catalyzed oxidation reactions. Substituents on the N atom of the imidazole ring appear to have a significant effect on the inhibition of LPO‐catalyzed oxidation and iodination reactions. Selones 16, 17, and 19, which contain methyl, ethyl, and benzyl substituents, exhibit similar inhibition activities towards LPO‐catalyzed oxidation reactions with IC50 values of 24.4, 22.5, and 22.5 μM, respectively. However, their activities are almost three‐fold lower than that of the commonly used anti‐thyroid drug methimazole (MMI). In contrast, selone 21, which contains a NCH2CH2OH substituent, exhibits high inhibitory activity, with an IC50 value of 7.2 μM, which is similar to that of MMI. The inhibitory activity of these selones towards LPO‐catalyzed oxidation/iodination reactions is due to their ability to decrease the concentrations of the co‐substrates (H2O2 and I2), either by catalytically reducing H2O2 (anti‐oxidant activity) or by forming stable charge‐transfer complexes with oxidized iodide species. The inhibition of LPO‐catalyzed oxidation/iodination reactions by N,N‐disubstituted selones can be reversed by increasing the concentration of H2O2. Interestingly, all of the N,N‐disubstituted selones exhibit high anti‐oxidant activities and their glutathione peroxidase (GPx)‐like activity is 4–12‐fold higher than that of the well‐known GPx‐mimic ebselen. These experimental and theoretical studies suggest that the selones exist as zwitterions, in which the imidazole ring contains a positive charge and the selenium atom carries a large negative charge. Therefore, the selenium moieties of these selones possess highly nucleophilic character. The 77Se NMR chemical shifts for the selones show large upfield shift, thus confirming the zwitterionic structure in solution.
A novel solid‐phase extraction–spectrofluorimetric method for the direct determination of atenolol in human urine
Authors: Basan Hasan , Yarımkaya Sezen
Published: June 2013

A novel, simple, sensitive and selective solid‐phase extraction (SPE)–spectrofluorimetric method has been developed for the determination of atenolol (ATE) in human urine. Because an extraction procedure is required to isolate ATE or eliminate the interfering molecules present in complex human urine for the direct spectrofluorimetric determination, a pH‐sensitive poly(acrylic acid‐ethylene glycol dimethacrylate) [poly(AA‐EGDMA)] hydrogel was developed and used as a SPE adsorbent. Some factors affecting the ATE extraction efficiency, such as washing solvent type and volume, and the volume of elution solvent were optimized. Eluates from SPE cartridges were analyzed using a spectrofluorimeter (λex = 277 nm and λem = 300 nm). The calibration graph was linear over the concentration range 0.15–4.0 µg/mL. Limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) values were found to be 0.03 and 0.10 µg/mL, respectively. Relatively high intraday [2.06%, mean relative standard deviation (RSD)] and interday (2.6%, mean RSD) precisions were achieved. High mean recovery (95.4%) and low RSD values (3.8%) were obtained for spiked ATE in human urine. The spectrofluorimetric method presented here can be easily applied to assay trace amounts of ATE in pharmaceuticals and biological samples. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Fundamental interactions in RNA: Questions answered and remaining
Authors: Turner Douglas H.
Published: June 2013

Interpreting the tsunami of sequence information for RNA would be facilitated by an understanding of all the physical principles determining RNA structure. In principle, a complete understanding would make it computationally possible to find RNA sequences that fold for function and to predict their three‐dimensional structure. It would, thus, also facilitate discovery of new principles relating structure to function. This review covers some of the progress in understanding RNA over roughly the preceding 40 years and suggests progress still to be made. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Biopolymers 99: 1097–1104, 2013.
Semi‐rational engineering of cytochrome P450sca‐2 in a hybrid system for enhanced catalytic activity: Insights into the important role of electron transfer
Authors: Ba Lina , Li Pan , Zhang Hui , Duan Yan , Lin Zhanglin
Published: June 2013

Hybrid P450 systems in which P450 monooxygenases are reconstituted with non‐native or surrogate redox partners have become important for the engineering of this class of versatile enzymes. P450sca‐2 fromStreptomyces carbophilusstereoselectively hydroxylates mevastatin to yield pravastatin, a cholesterol‐lowering drug. WhileS. carbophilushas been successfully applied in the industrial biotransformation process for pravastatin, the molecular study and engineering of P450sca‐2 has been very limited. We have previously established a functional P450sca‐2/Pdx/Pdr hybrid system. In this study, on the basis of a more active P450sca‐2 mutant (R8‐5C), five sites located in the substrate binding pocket, substrate access entrance, and presumed Pdx interaction interface were rationally chosen, and systematically subjected to site‐directed saturation mutagenesis (SDSM), and three rounds of iterative saturation mutagenesis (ISM). A best mutant (Variant III) was obtained, which showed a whole cell biotransformation activity (377.5 mg/L) and an overall apparentkcat(6.37 min−1) that was 7.1‐ and 10.0‐fold that of the starting template R8‐5C, respectively. Kinetic characterization revealed that most of the improvements seen for the SDSM and ISM mutants came from enhanced overall electron transfer, with the two sites at the interface between P450sca‐2 and Pdx (T119 and N363) being most critical. Our study underscores the important role of electron transfer in a hybrid P450 system, and also demonstrates the utility of ISM in optimizing the redox partner interface. This should facilitate engineering of this and other important hybrid P450 systems. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2013;110: 2815–2825. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Strain optimization for efficient isobutanol production using Corynebacterium glutamicum under oxygen deprivation
Authors: Yamamoto Shogo , Suda Masako , Niimi Satoko , Inui Masayuki , Yukawa Hideaki
Published: June 2013

Microbial production of isobutanol is made difficult by the chemical's high cell toxicity. Corynebacterium glutamicum, inherently one of the more isobutanol‐tolerant industrial microorganisms, exhibits unprecedented productivity under oxygen deprivation, potentially allowing for high productivity of such toxic chemicals as isobutanol. Here, we show that development of C. glutamicum strains proficient in isobutanol production depends not only on modulating the activity of 2‐keto acid decarboxylase (KDC) and isobutanol dehydrogenase (IBDH) and suppressing by‐product formation, but also on optimizing the production process to eschew product inhibition. Isobutanol production under oxygen deprivation reached 343 mM (3.2% v/v) in strain IBU5 expressing kivd (encoding KDC) under the control of ldhA promoter and adhP (encoding IBDH from Escherichia coli MG1655) under the control of gapA promoter. This productivity is double the previously reported best productivity of 1.6% (v/v) and exceeds the 2.5% (v/v) limit beyond which cell growth becomes too severely suppressed. Irrespective, a cumulative 56.5% improvement on yield was possible with the combined effects of disruption of the ppc gene, encoding phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase (PEPC), use of a NAD+‐specific mutant acetohydroxyacid isomeroreductase (AHAIR), and overexpression of select glycolytic genes. Using oleyl alcohol to continuously extract the isobutanol from reaction mixture and tripling the cell concentration in the reaction mixture to 60 g dry cell/L stretched the yield to 78.1% and volumetric productivity to 981 mM (9.1% v/v). Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2013;110: 2938–2948. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Delinquency Best Treatments: How to Divert Youths from Violence While Saving Lives and Detention Costs
Authors: Zagar Robert John , Grove William M. , Busch Kenneth G.
Published: June 2013

Youth development and violence prevention are two sides of the same public policy. The focus of much theoretical and empirical effort is identifying delinquency risks and intervening. Given the great costs of homicide and the historically high nationwide prison population, new policies must address increasing violence and rising expenses. Treatments of prenatal care, home visitation, bullying prevention, alcohol‐substance abuse education, alternative thinking promotion, mentoring, life skills training, rewards for graduation and employment, functional family and multi‐systemic therapy, and multi‐dimensional foster care are effective, because they ameliorate age‐specific risks for delinquency. At present, these interventions only yield a 10–40% diversion from crime however. Returns on investment (ROIs) vary from $1 to $98. Targeting empirical treatments to those determined to be most at risk, based on statistical models or actuarial testing, and using electronic surveillance for non‐violent prisoners significantly diverted youth from violence, improving ROI, while simultaneously saving costs. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Technique optimization of orbital atherectomy in calcified peripheral lesions of the lower extremities
Authors: Das Tony , Mustapha Jihad , Indes Jeffrey , Vorhies Robert , Beasley Robert , Doshi Nilesh , Adams George L.
Published: June 2013

Objectives

The purpose of CONFIRM registry series was to evaluate the use of orbital atherectomy (OA) in peripheral lesions of the lower extremities, as well as optimize the technique of OA.

Background

Methods of treating calcified arteries (historically a strong predictor of treatment failure) have improved significantly over the past decade and now include minimally invasive endovascular treatments, such as OA with unique versatility in modifying calcific lesions above and below‐the‐knee.

Methods

Patients (3135) undergoing OA by more than 350 physicians at over 200 US institutions were enrolled on an “all‐comers” basis, resulting in registries that provided site‐reported patient demographics, ABI, Rutherford classification, co‐morbidities, lesion characteristics, plaque morphology, device usage parameters, and procedural outcomes.

Results

Treatment with OA reduced pre‐procedural stenosis from an average of 88–35%. Final residual stenosis after adjunctive treatments, typically low‐pressure percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA), averaged 10%. Plaque removal was most effective for severely calcified lesions and least effective for soft plaque. Shorter spin times and smaller crown sizes significantly lowered procedural complications which included slow flow (4.4%), embolism (2.2%), and spasm (6.3%), emphasizing the importance of treatment regimens that focus on plaque modification over maximizing luminal gain.

Conclusion

The OA technique optimization, which resulted in a change of device usage across the CONFIRM registry series, corresponded to a lower incidence of adverse events irrespective of calcium burden or co‐morbidities. © 2013 The Authors. Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Multiple Tank Explosions in an Edible‐Oil Refinery Plant: A Case Study
Authors: Marmo L. , Piccinini N. , Russo G. , Russo P. , Munaro L.
Published: June 2013

Multiple explosions occurred when five workers were acting on a footbridge structure at the top of crude olive pomace oil tanks. Welding on the tank roofs was performed without previously cleaning the tanks stopping their operation. First, one of the several ∼ 650‐m3 reservoirs exploded, provoking a pool fire that spread throughout the tank farm. Roughly 1 h later, two other reservoirs exploded causing the launching of missiles to a distance of 60–80 m and a huge fire that extended throughout the entire tank farm. Four workers were killed instantaneously. The explosion was caused by the unusually high content of hexane in the crude olive pomace oil and, hence, by the inefficiency of the desolventization process which creates a flammable and explosive oil from a combustible one.
Transporting and Shielding Photosensitisers by Using Water‐Soluble Organometallic Cages: A New Strategy in Drug Delivery and Photodynamic Therapy
Authors: Therrien Bruno
Published: June 2013

Skin photosensitivity remains one of the main limitations in photodynamic therapy. In this Concept article a strategy to overcome this limitation is described, in which the photosensitizer is hidden inside the hydrophobic cavity of a water‐soluble organometallic cage. The metallacage not only protects the photosensitizer from light, it also facilitates its delivery to cancer cells.
PCR‐basierte Methode zur Bestimmung von Gen‐Mutationen
Authors: Fuchs Jan , Schlesiger Ralf , Lehmann Leane
Published: June 2013

Chemikalien, Biozide, Pflanzenschutzmittel oder Pharmazeutika, die Mutationen induzieren, können auch ein kanzerogenes Potential besitzen. Die Sicherheitsbewertung dieser Stoffe muss daher Kenntnis über ihre Mutagenität liefern. Hierzu wurde ein Genotyp‐selektives Testsystem entwickelt.
Koffein stärkt Gedächtnis der Bienen
Authors: Groß Michael
Published: June 2013

Wenn Pflanzen psychoaktive Alkaloide wie Nikotin, Kokain oder Koffein produzieren, dann liegt deren natürliche Funktion meist in der Abwehr von Schädlingen. Erst jetzt wurde für pflanzliches Koffein ein völlig anderer Nutzen entdeckt: in den Blüten dient es offenbar der Manipulation des Verhaltens der Bienen.
A novel utilisation of principal component analysis to optimise sorption isotherms and determine diffusion coefficients of five naphthalimide disperse dyes on polyester fibres
Authors: Jafari Seyamack , Khosravi Alireza , Gharanjig Kamaladin , Moradian Siamak , Pourmahdian Saeed
Published: June 2013

Experimental data was gathered from more than 700 dyeings of polyester fibres with five naphthalimide disperse dyes. The dyeing process which was the same for all the dyes was carried out separately at five different temperatures, namely: 40°, 60°, 80°, 100° and 120° centigrade. Dye sorption was measured at 10 min time intervals at each temperature until the completion of the dyeing process. Additionally, the raw data was modified by the principal components analysis (PCA) in order to extract the highly informative part of the raw data (i.e. principal components). Such modified data was correlated with the six main sorption models. The results illustrate that unmodified raw data fit a dual combination of sorption models of the Nernst–Freundlich or Nernst–Scatchard type. However, the novel utilisation of PCA‐modified data illustrate that a linear Nernst type sorption model is appropriate, making it less dependent on dye structure and aggregation. The validity of this approach was confirmed by sensitivity analysis, affinity calculations and diffusivity determination. Furthermore, a novel ‘To To’ numerical method worked extremely well in determining diffusion coefficients based on the Hill's approximate solution.
Accurate determination of patient‐specific boundary conditions in computational vascular hemodynamics using 3D cine phase‐contrast MRI
Authors: Onishi Y. , Aoki K. , Amaya K. , Shimizu T. , Isoda H. , Takehara Y. , Sakahara H. , Kosugi T.
Published: June 2013

In the patient‐specific vascular CFD, determination of the inlet and outlet boundary conditions (BCs) is an important issue for a valid diagnosis. The 3D cine phase‐contrast MRI (4D Flow) velocimetry is promising for this issue; yet, its measured velocities contain relatively large error and are not admissible as the BCs without any correction. This paper proposes a novel correction method for determining the BCs accurately using the 4D Flow velocimetry. First, we reveal that the error of the velocity measured by the 4D Flow at each measurement voxel is large but is distributed symmetrically. Secondly, our method pays attention to the incompressibility of the blood and the fact that the volume flow rate (VFR) in each vessel is constant on any cross sections. We reveal that the average of the cross‐sectional VFRs integrated from many measurement voxel in each vessel is accurate despite the large error. Finally, we propose the novel correction method, which applies a smoothing to the measured velocities on each inlet or outlet boundary with a low‐pass filter and then corrects them with the VFR. The results of the several phantom studies are presented to validate the accuracy of our method. A demonstrative analysis for an actual aneurysm is also presented to show the feasibility and effectiveness of our method. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Treatment of Paranoid Personality Disorder with Cognitive Analytic Therapy: A Mixed Methods Single Case Experimental Design
Authors: Kellett Stephen , Hardy Gillian
Published: June 2013

Paranoid personality disorder (PPD) presents as chronic and widespread interpersonal distrust, whereby the actions of others are interpreted as malevolent and malicious. This research details the assessment, formulation and treatment of a case of PPD within a 24‐session contract of cognitive analytic therapy (CAT). The outcome methodology was an A/B with extended follow‐up single case experimental design (SCED). The SCED was supplemented with qualitative patient interviewing via the Change Interview regarding their experience of CAT, whether change had taken place and detailing of any identified change mechanisms. Quantitative results show that five out of the six daily rated paranoia target complaint measures were extinguished during the treatment phase. Qualitatively, the patient attributed change to the therapy conducted. The results suggest that CAT was an effective intervention in this case of PPD and are discussed in terms of identified methodological shortcomings, treatment implications and the potential for generating a convincing evidence base for the psychotherapy of PPD. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Key Practitioner Message

Narrative reformulation using a CAT model offers a key opportunity for the patient to achieve a new understanding of their paranoia.

Psychotherapy for PPD requires a cognitive component, within a boundaried and relational therapy, that is able to reflect on paranoid enactments and ruptures within the therapeutic relationship.

There is a large role for clinician‐researchers in developing a PPD outcome evidence base.
Nonlinear Self‐Gravitational Solar Plasma Fluctuations with Electron Inertia
Authors: Karmakar P. K. , Borah B.
Published: June 2013

A theoretical evolutionary model for new nonlinear self‐gravitational fluctuations associated with the solar plasma system is developed. The lowest‐order inertial correction of the plasma thermal electrons is considered. We try to present our calculation scheme leading to the fluctuation patterns evolving as a new class of nonlinear coherent structures. It is demonstrated that they are mainly monotonous shock‐like eigenmodes governed by a unique type of driven Korteweg‐de Vries Burger (d ‐KdVB) equation obtained by multiscale analysis over the gravito‐electrostatic equilibrium structure equations. The self‐consistent new and unique nonlinear driving source here appears due to the inclusion of weak electron inertia. The d ‐KdVB system is studied analytically, graphically and numerically in detail to show the detailed features of the eigenmodes. Our conclusions are in good qualitative agreement with multispace satellite and imaging detections made by others. Main results significant to diverse solar, stellar and other astrophysical contexts along with future directions are summarily highlighted. (© 2013 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
The ortholog of the human proto‐oncogene ROS1 is required for epithelial development in C. elegans
Authors: Jones Martin R. , Rose Ann M. , Baillie David L.
Published: June 2013

The orphan receptor ROS1 is a human proto‐oncogene, mutations of which are found in an increasing number of cancers. Little is known about the role of ROS1, however in vertebrates it has been implicated in promoting differentiation programs in specialized epithelial tissues. In this study we show that the C. elegans ortholog of ROS1, the receptor tyrosine kinase ROL‐3, has an essential role in orchestrating the morphogenesis and development of specialized epidermal tissues, highlighting a potentially conserved function in coordinating crosstalk between developing epithelial cells. We also provide evidence of a direct relationship between ROL‐3, the mucin SRAP‐1, and BCC‐1, the homolog of mRNA regulating protein Bicaudal‐C. This study answers a longstanding question as to the developmental function of ROL‐3, identifies three new genes that are expressed and function in the developing epithelium of C. elegans, and introduces the nematode as a potentially powerful model system for investigating the increasingly important, yet poorly understood, human oncogene ROS1. genesis 51:545–561. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Can endopolyploidy explain body size variation within and between castes in ants?
Authors: Scholes Daniel R. , Suarez Andrew V. , Paige Ken N.
Published: June 2013

Endoreduplication is the process by which the nuclear genome is repeatedly replicated without mitotic cell division, resulting in nuclei that contain numerous additional genome copies. Endoreduplication occurs widely throughout Eucarya and is particularly common in angiosperms and insects. Although endoreduplication is an important process in the terminal differentiation of some specialized cell types, and often increases cell size and metabolism, the direct effects of increasing nuclear ploidy on cell function are not well resolved. Here, we examine if endoreduplication may play a role in body size and/or caste differentiation in ants. Nuclear ploidy was measured by flow cytometry of whole individuals (providing the basis for overall body size patterns) and individual body segments for multiple polymorphic ant species. We used cell cycle values, interpreted as the mean number of endocycles performed by each cell in the sample, as our measure of overall endoreduplication. Among females of four polymorphic ant species, endoreduplication was positively related with size within the worker caste, but was not related to caste generally in two species where we also examined queens. Additionally, abdomens had the greatest endoreduplication of all body parts regardless of caste or size. We also found that males, having derived from haploid unfertilized eggs, had the highest rates of endoreduplication and may compensate for their haploid origin by performing an additional endocycle relative to females. These results suggest that endoreduplication may play a role in body size variation in eusocial insects and the development of some segment‐specific tissues.
Neutral and Cationic N‐Heterocyclic Carbene Zinc Adducts and the BnOH/Zn(C6F5)2 Binary Mixture – Characterization and Use in the Ring‐Opening Polymerization of β‐Butyrolactone, Lactide, and Trimethylene Carbonate
Authors: Schnee Gilles , Fliedel Christophe , Avilés Teresa , Dagorne Samuel
Published: June 2013

A variety of N‐heterocyclic carbene (NHC) zinc adducts of the type NHC–ZnMe2 [2a, NHC = 1,3‐dimesitylimidazol‐2‐ylidene; 2b, NHC = 1,3‐(2,6‐iPr2Ph)2‐imidazol‐2‐ylidene; 2c, NHC = 1,3‐di‐tert‐butylimidazol‐2‐ylidene] and NHC–Zn(C6F5)2 [4a, NHC = 1,3‐dimesitylimidazol‐2‐ylidene; 4b, NHC = 1,3‐(2,6‐iPr2Ph)2‐imidazol‐2‐ylidene; 4c, NHC = 1,3‐di‐tert‐butylimidazol‐2‐ylidene] were synthesized by reaction of the appropriate NHC ligand with ZnMe2 or (toluene)Zn(C6F5)2. The X‐ray molecular structures of derivatives 2b, 4b, and 4c confirmed their adduct nature, and their bonding and geometrical parameters are influenced by the nature of the Zn–X group. The ionization reaction of the dimethyl Zn species 2a and 2b with the methide abstracting reagent B(C6F5)3 in the presence of tetrahydrofuran (THF) afforded the NHC–Zn organocations (1,3‐dimesitylimidazol‐2‐ylidene)Zn(Me)(THF)2+ (3a+) and [1,3‐(2,6‐iPr2Ph)2‐imidazol‐2‐ylidene]Zn(Me)(THF)+ (3b+) as dissociated MeB(C6F5)3– salts, as deduced from NMR spectroscopic data. All of these NHC–Zn compounds and BnOH/Zn(C6F5)2 were tested as ring‐opening polymerization (ROP) initiators of β‐butyrolactone (β‐BL), rac‐lactide (rac‐LA), and trimethylene carbonate (TMC). Although cations 3a+ and 3b+ were both inactive ROP initiators, as they appear to decompose prior to any ROP activity, the NHC–Zn(C6F5)2 compounds readily mediate the ROP of β‐BL, rac‐LA, and TMC to afford the corresponding polymeric materials with a moderate level of control, as deduced from NMR, size‐exclusion chromatography (SEC), and mass spectrometric MALDI‐TOF data. In contrast, the use of the alcohol BnOH (instead of a NHC moiety) as a nucleophile for association with (toluene)Zn(C6F5)2 led to efficient, highly controlled, and immortal ROP of TMC and rac‐LA with the formation of controlled chain length and narrowly disperse materials.
Subtle Steric Effects in Nickel‐Catalysed Kumada–Tamao–Corriu Cross‐Coupling Using Resorcinarenyl‐Imidazolium Salts
Authors: Şahin Neslihan , Sémeril David , Brenner Eric , Matt Dominique , Özdemir İsmail , Kaya Cemal , Toupet Loïc
Published: June 2013

Three resorcinarene‐cavitands bearing a 3‐R‐1‐imidazolylium substituent (R = alkyl) grafted to the wider rim of the cavitand (1–3) were assessed in the Kumada–Tamao–Corriu cross‐coupling of aryl halides with arylmagnesium halides. Their combination with [Ni(cod)2] (cod = 1,5‐cyclooctadiene; 1:1 stoichiometry) resulted in highly efficient catalysts, the activities of which varied in the following order: R = n‐propyl (1) < isopropyl (2) ≈ benzyl (3). A remarkable turnover frequency of 60400 mol(ArX) mol(Ni)–1 h–1 was obtained in the coupling of 2‐bromo‐6‐methoxynaphthalene with PhMgBr (100 °C in dioxane, with precursor 2). The high activities of the cavitand derivatives were attributed to steric effects that facilitate the reductive‐elimination/product decoordination step. Comparative experiments carried out with a structurally modified resorcinarene, as well as cavity‐free imidazolium salts bearing 2‐methoxyaryl substituents, suggest that the efficiency of the catalysts mainly relies on steric interactions between the metal and the flexible substituents attached to two methine carbon atoms. These steric interactions are probably reinforced each time the metal binds one of the two oxygen atoms located next to the catalytic centre.
Chymotrypsin‐Catalyzed Peptide Synthesis in Deep Eutectic Solvents
Authors: Maugeri Zaira , Leitner Walter , Domínguez de María Pablo
Published: June 2013

Deep eutectic solvents (DESs) are formed by mixing quaternary ammonium salts (e.g., choline chloride) and hydrogen‐bond donors (e.g., glycerol or urea), which leads to biodegradable and readily available ionic solvents at room temperature. Analogous to other ionic liquids, DESs represent a promising reaction media if hydrophobic and hydrophilic substrates need to be combined. This paper assesses DESs as reaction media for chymotrypsin‐catalyzed peptide synthesis. After careful determination of the reaction conditions (e.g., water content, enzyme loading), α‐chymotrypsin displayed high activity for peptide synthesis in choline chloride/glycerol mixtures to afford productivities of ca. 20 g L–1 h–1 and with complete selectivity for the peptide, which is in contrast to the detrimental hydrolysis pathway observed in aqueous media. The nonimmobilized suspended enzyme could be reused several times by simple filtration with excellent to moderate activities. Overall, the results reported suggest that choline chloride based DESs may become promising neoteric solvents for peptide synthesis through biocatalysis.