bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Selective Oxidation of Methanol to Dimethoxymethane over Mesoporous Al‐P‐V‐O Catalysts
Authors: Chen Shuang , Meng Yali , Zhao Yujun , Ma Xinbin , Gong Jinlong
Published: January 2013

The synthesis and application of bifunctional mesoporous Al‐P‐V—O catalysts with both acidic and redox sites for selective oxidation of methanol to dimethoxymethane (DMM) is described. The catalysts were characterized by N2 adsorption/desorption, X‐ray diffraction, temperature‐programmed desorption, X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and infrared spectroscopy. It is shown that porosity; redox property and surface acidity of the catalysts were greatly influenced by the Al/V/P ratio. The synergistic effect of phosphorus and vanadium was investigated. Al‐P‐V—O catalysts exhibited good catalytic activity because of the controlled reducibility and the acidic sites. © 2013 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 59: 2587–2593, 2013
The combination of rituximab, bendamustine, and cytarabine for heavily pretreated relapsed/refractory cytogenetically high‐risk patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia
Authors: Visco Carlo , Finotto Silvia , Pomponi Fabrizio , Sartori Roberto , Laveder Francesco , Trentin Livio , Paolini Rossella , Di Bona Eros , Ruggeri Marco , Rodeghiero Francesco
Published: January 2013

Treatment of patients with B‐cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) relapsed/refractory (R/R) to conventional treatments is particularly challenging. The combination of bendamustine and cytarabine has demonstrated distinct and synergistic mechanisms of action in preclinical studies on cell lines and primary tumor cells of several B‐cell lymphomas, including 17p deleted or TP53 mutated CLL. The efficacy of rituximab (375 mg/m2, Day 1), plus bendamustine (70 mg/m2, days 1–2), and cytarabine (800 mg/m2, Day 1–3; R‐BAC), every 28 days for up to four courses, was evaluated in a pilot trial enrolling 13 patients with very selected high‐risk R/R CLL. All patients (median age 60 years, range 53–74) had symptomatic Binet stage B or C active disease requiring treatment, were characterized by adverse cytogenetics (17p deletion, 11q deletion, or both), unmutated immunoglobulin heavy‐chain variable region, and were heavily pretreated (1–5, median three previous lines). Overall, R‐BAC was well tolerated with limited non‐hematological toxicity. Major toxicities were transient Grade 3/4 neutropenia and thrombocytopenia in 84% and 85% of patients, respectively. Overall response rate (OR) was 84%, including complete and partial response in 38% and 46% of patients, respectively. Patients with 17p deletion had an OR of 78%. After a median follow‐up of 17 months, median progression‐free survival was 16 months while median overall survival (OS) was not reached (1‐year OS: 75 ± 13%). R‐BAC is an active regimen in R/R heavily pretreated high‐risk patients with CLL, representing an option for the treatment of patients that are usually refractory to standard therapy. Am. J. Hematol. 88:289–293, 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Determinants of western food adoption among hindu nepalese women living in the Kathmandu valley
Authors: Smith Chery
Published: January 2013

Objectives

The purpose of this study was to characterize western food adopters among Nepalese women and to investigate whether caste and class play an important role as a barrier to food adoption, thus limiting access to the globalizing market. It was hypothesized that women who consumed and prepared above average amounts of western foods would be taller and heavier.

Methods

A convenience sample of 508 Nepalese women of mixed castes, 18–60 years, was purposefully recruited. A Food Adoption Instrument was developed, tested, and used to assess the consumption of western foods. Women were grouped as western food adopters (≥12.5)—those consuming equal or more western food than Nepalese foods and western food non‐adopters (≤12.5). Using student t‐tests, sample characteristics and body mass index (BMI) were compared between western food adopters and non‐western food adopters.

Results

Nearly a quarter of the women identified as western food adopters (n = 118) and 76% identified as western food non‐adopters (n = 399). Using student t‐test analysis, stepwise regression, and Pearson correlation analyses, it was found that western food adopters were significantly younger (P < 0.000), better educated (P < 0.000), had fewer children (P < 0.003), had higher incomes (P < 0.000), and watched more TV (P < 0.000) than western food non‐adopters. They were taller and had lower BMIs than their western food non‐adopter counterparts. Caste was also associated with western food adoption.

Conclusions

Lack of education and low paying jobs appear to prevent access to the globalizing food system, suggesting that the centuries old sociopolitical and caste infrastructure indirectly prevents western food adoption for those failing to achieve financial security. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 25:205–214, 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Human adaptability studies at high altitude: Research designs and major concepts during fifty years of discovery
Authors: Beall Cynthia M.
Published: January 2013

Objectives

This report presents a perspective on the broad research trends in the biology of human populations at high‐altitude and their contributions to the improved understanding of evolution and adaptation. A focus is on the research that has occurred over the past 50 years of anthropological fieldwork on the Andean, Tibetan, and, to a lesser extent, the East African plateaus.

Methods

With an emphasis on fieldwork studies, this report presents and illustrates major concepts and research designs in published high‐altitude studies.

Results

Early use of a single population‐multiple stress research design focused on Andean Quechua, sometimes in comparison with European or admixed Andean‐European samples. That design identified physical and sociocultural environmental factors including cold and under nutrition as well as high‐altitude hypobaric hypoxia. Researchers accumulated evidence supporting the hypothesis of four modes of adaptation to a complex Andean highland environment: cultural, acclimatization, developmental, and genetic. The discovery that Andean biological patterns were not replicated among Tibetan highlanders stimulated research on the extent and origins of the contrasts. It also shifted emphasis to a multiple population – single stress study design. The discovery of oxygen‐homeostasis‐associated genetic loci and traits in all multicellular animals has transformed high‐altitude research. Paradoxically, genomic analyses identifying the pertinent biological pathways are likely to return interest to environmental factors other than hypoxia.

Conclusions

Details of the proximate mechanisms, the biochemical, and physiological processes underlying the three modes of biological adaptation are accumulating. Better understanding of oxygen‐homeostasis processes leads to questions about crossadaptation with other environmental factors. The particulars of the ultimate mechanisms, the evolutionary, and microevolutionary history underlying the population differences are also emerging. For example, similar hemoglobin phenotypes among Tibetan and Ethiopian Amhara highlanders associate with different genetic loci and the variants at those loci are present in most populations regardless of altitude. Continuing fieldwork is urgent because modernization and migration are changing the traditional ways of life and patterns of exposure to the environment among highlanders everywhere. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 25:141–147, 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Y‐Linked microsatellites in Amazonian Amerindians applied to ancestry estimates in Brazilian Afro‐derived populations
Authors: Wiezel Cláudia E.V. , Luizon Marcelo R. , Sousa Sandra M.B. , Santos Lenize M.W. , Muniz Yara C.N. , Mendes‐Junior Celso T. , Simões Aguinaldo L.
Published: January 2013

Objectives

Proper ancestral populations are required to determine accurate ancestry estimates for Afro‐derived Brazilian populations. Herein, we have genotyped Y‐STRs in Amazonian Amerindians to determine the ancestral contribution in quilombo remnant communities.

Methods

The frequencies for five Y‐chromosome linked microsatellites (DYS19, DYS390, DYS391, DYS392, and DYS393) were characterized in four Amerindian tribes from Brazilian Amazon (Tikúna, Baníwa, Kashinawa, and Kanamarí), and in four quilombo remnants (Mimbó, Sítio Velho, Gaucinha, and São Gonçalo) and two urban populations (Teresina and Jequié) from Northeastern Brazil. We then estimated the male genetic ancestry in each admixed population. Moreover, we performed analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA), FST, haplotype diversity, and principal component analysis.

Results

Lower haplotype diversity (h) values were observed for Tikúna compared with other tribes. Quilombo remnants exhibited higher h levels ranging from 0.893 ± 0.027 in Sítio Velho to 0.963 ± 0.033 in São Gonçalo. African ancestry estimates ranged from 0.529 ± 0.027 in Mimbó to 0.602 ± 0.086 in Sítio Velho. Conversely, European contribution was 0.795 ± 0.045 in Teresina and 0.826 ± 0.040 in Jequié.

Conclusions

FST and principal component analysis indicate homogeneity in the male genetic constitution among the quilombo remnants analyzed. Data on Amerindians allowed accurate ancestry estimates, which indicated a higher African contribution, followed by a considerable European contribution for these quilombo remnants. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 25:313–317, 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Inhibin B Response to Testicular Toxicants Hexachlorophene, Ethane Dimethane Sulfonate, Di‐(n‐butyl)‐phthalate, Nitrofurazone, DL‐Ethionine, 17‐alpha Ethinylestradiol, 2,5‐Hexanedione, or Carbendazim Following Short‐Term Dosing in Male Rats
Authors: Erdos Zoltan , Pearson Kara , Goedken Michael , Menzel Karsten , Sistare Frank D. , Glaab Warren E. , Saldutti Louise Parks
Published: January 2013

BACKGROUND

Inhibin B is a heterodimer glycoprotein that downregulates follicle‐stimulating hormone and is produced predominantly by Sertoli cells. The potential correlation between changes in plasma Inhibin B and Sertoli cell toxicity was evaluated in male rats administered testicular toxicants in eight studies. Inhibin B fluctuations over 24 hr were also measured.

METHODS

Adult rats were administered one of eight testicular toxicants for 1 to 29 days. The toxicants were DL‐ethionine, dibutyl phthalate, nitrofurazone, 2,5‐hexanedione, 17‐alpha ethinylestradiol, ethane dimethane sulfonate, hexachlorophene, and carbendazim. In a separate study plasma was collected throughout a 24‐hr period via an automatic blood sampler.

RESULTS

Histomorphologic testicular findings included seminiferous tubule degeneration, round and elongate spermatid degeneration/necrosis, seminiferous tubule vacuolation, aspermatogenesis, and interstitial cell degeneration. There was a varying response of plasma Inhibin B levels to seminiferous tubule toxicity, with three studies showing high correlation, three studies with a response only at a certain time or dose, and two studies with no Inhibin B changes. In a receiver operating characteristics exclusion model analysis, where treated samples without histopathology were excluded, Inhibin B showed a sensitivity of 70% at 90% specificity in studies targeting seminiferous tubule toxicity.

CONCLUSION

Decreases in Inhibin B correlated with Sertoli cell toxicity in the majority of studies evaluated, demonstrating the value of Inhibin B as a potential biomarker of testicular toxicity. There was no correlation between decreases in Inhibin B and interstitial cell degeneration. In addition, a pattern of Inhibin B secretion could not be identified over 24 hr.
The Inhibin B Response in Male Rats Treated with Two Drug Candidates
Authors: Chapin Robert E. , Alvey James D. , Goldstein Richard A. , Dokmanovich Melba G. , Reagan William J. , Johnson Kjell , Geoly Frank J.
Published: January 2013

BACKGROUND

Serum Inhibin B was measured in two studies of known testis‐toxic drug candidates.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Study 1 was for a compound for Hepatitis C, and utilized a 10‐week dosing period, followed by mating and necropsy of half of each group, and then a 12‐week recovery period for the remaining animals. At the postmating necropsy, 6 of 15 high‐dose males had testis lesions; Inhibin B was significantly reduced in all animals in that group. The mid‐dose group had no lesions but significantly reduced serum Inhibin B. At recovery, 9 of 15 high‐dose males showed damage in testes; serum Inhibin B levels were not different from controls. Inhibin B appeared to both overreport and underreport testis damage in Study 1. Study 2 was an acute pathogenesis study for an antibacterial compound, using control and two dose levels and multiple time points (days 5, 8, 15, 22, and then untreated until day 71). At each time point blood was sampled from all remaining rats and five/group were killed for histologic evaluation. The low‐dose group had minimal to moderate lesions, while serum Inhibin B was never changed. The high‐dose animals progressed quickly from minimal lesions to being broadly and moderately affected; serum Inhibin B levels were reduced at days 8 and 15 only. In Study 2, Inhibin B appeared less sensitive than histology, except at the extremes of testis damage, when Inhibin B was routinely low.

CONCLUSION

We conclude that in these two studies there was a poor correlation between changes in serum levels of Inhibin B and testis histopathology.
Inhibin B as a Marker of Sertoli Cell Damage and Spermatogenic Disturbance in the Rat
Authors: Pfaff Tamara , Rhodes Jon , Bergmann Martin , Weinbauer Gerhard F.
Published: January 2013

This study was designed to determine the effects of Compound A on spermatogenesis including assessment of inhibin B levels and on fertility in the male rat over a 15 to 19 weeks treatment and a 19 weeks treatment‐free period in control and 30, 60, and 180 mg/kg dose groups (n = 22/group). Compound A in a dose‐dependent manner induced various degrees of spermatogenic alterations compatible with Sertoli cells being the primary target, for example, inter‐ and intracellular Sertoli cell vacuolization and altered cellular morphology followed by germ cell degeneration and marked reduction of epididymidal sperm numbers. Blood–testis barrier remained intact (electron microscopy and hyperosmotic fixation test) until germ cells disappeared. Mating behavior and weights of androgen‐dependent prostate and seminal vesicles remained unaffected. Inhibin B levels correlated only with moderate to severe spermatogenic alterations. Ten animals with inhibin B levels below detection limit were encountered and five of these animals were fertile in week 19 but following 19 weeks without treatment, another five animals were rendered infertile and inhibin B levels remained undetectable. In the rat, inhibin B only reflects major spermatogenic alterations and markedly reduced inhibin B levels might indicate irreversibility of these alterations and even infertility.
Diet‐induced obesity has a differential effect on adipose tissue and macrophage inflammatory responses of young and old mice
Authors: Wu Dayong , Ren Zhihong , Pae Munkyong , Han Sung Nim , Meydani Simin Nikbin
Published: January 2013

Obesity and aging are both associated with increased inflammation in adipose tissue. In this study, we investigated effect of diet‐induced obesity on inflammatory status in young and old mice. Young (2 months) and old (19 months) C57BL/6 mice were fed a low‐fat (10%, LF) or high‐fat (60%, HF) diet for 4.5 months. Adipose tissue from old/LF mice expressed higher levels of IL‐1β, IL‐6, TNFα, and cyclooxygenase‐2 mRNA compared with young/LF mice. HF diet upregulated expression of all these inflammatory markers in young mice to the levels seen in the aged. Adipocytes, but not stromal vascular cells, from old/LF mice produced more IL‐6, TNFα, and prostaglandin (PG)E2 than those from young/LF mice. HF diet resulted in an increase of all these markers produced by adipocytes in young, but only TNFα in old mice. PGE2 produced by peritoneal macrophages (Mϕ's) was upregulated with aging, and HF diet induced more IL‐6, TNFα, and PGE2 production in young but not in old mice. Thus, HF diet/obesity induces an inflammatory state in both visceral fat cells and peritoneal Mϕ's of young mice, but not so in old mice. Together, these results suggest that HF diet‐induced obesity may speed up the aging process as characterized by inflammatory status. This study also indicates that animals have a differential response, depending on their ages, to HF diet‐induced obesity and inflammation. This age‐related difference in response to HF diet should be considered when using inflammation status as a marker in investigating adverse health impacts of HF diet and obesity. © 2013 BioFactors, 2013
Are today's Millennials splintering into a new generational cohort? Maybe!
Authors: Debevec Kathleen , Schewe Charles D. , Madden Thomas J. , Diamond William D.
Published: January 2013

A new generational cohort is emerging from the Millennial market segment as a result of cataclysmic events that have occurred since 2008. Interviews with college upperclassmen in the United States identified significant events influencing their values, the values arising from these events, and new values not associated with older Millennials. The most important events identified included the Great Recession, 9/11, and the election of the first African‐American president. Values of Millennials were assessed in online surveys of college juniors and seniors in the United States in the fall of 2009 and 2010 and among older Millennials, aged 27–31, during the summer of 2010. The values most strongly differentiating the younger and older Millennials were “piety” and “thrift.” Younger Millennials in the United States are less thrifty and more secular and sexually permissive than older Millennials. They are also less patriotic and less concerned about politics, sustainability, saving, and making mistakes in life. This suggests a splintering of the Millennials cohort as a result of the Great Recession and the potential emergence of a younger “entitlement” cohort. It also suggests further investigation of cross‐national value shifts among younger Millennials, prompted by the Great Recession. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Transitory bias as a source of customer dissatisfaction: An exploratory investigation
Authors: Trocchia Philip J. , Luckett Michael G.
Published: January 2013

Previous literature has identified sources of customer dissatisfaction in the forms of poor product performance, discrimination, and universal mistreatment (i.e., broad‐based mistreatment of customers). This article proposes the existence of a fourth source of perceived customer dissatisfaction, termed transitory bias, which is based upon fleeting customer characteristics and actions. Using a critical incident approach, this exploratory study analyzes customer narratives of 230 negative experiences. After writing their narratives, consumer informants completed a quantitative survey pertaining to their experience. Some sources of transitory bias were found to be customer complaining, negotiation, special requests, and underpurchasing. Transitory bias was found to drive perceptions of negative customer experiences in 29.1 per cent of the narratives. This was fewer than the number of cases involving universal mistreatment (50%) but more than those involving poor product performance (18.3%) and discrimination (2.6%). Results showed that satisfaction, repeat purchase likelihood, recommendation likelihood, and word of mouth were similar to those found in narratives where universal mistreatment and discrimination were primary drivers of dissatisfaction. This article creates awareness of the transitory bias construct and allows academicians the opportunity to study it as a source of customer dissatisfaction. Retail and service establishments should be aware of customer perceptions of transitory bias because it impacts key performance metrics. Managers may wish to train employees to better identify and respond to sources of transitory bias. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Co‐construction and performancescapes
Authors: Tumbat GÜLNUR , Belk RUSSELL W.
Published: January 2013

Although prior literature has emphasized marketplace participants' co‐construction mostly in terms of symbolic, oral, or emotional aspects of a consumption experience, there has not been much attention paid to potential concerns around success, failure, strategies, risk, dependence, and competition involved. This article, by building on the existing body of research, introduces the notion of performancescapes to better understand these issues as they relate to participant performances in the co‐construction of marketplace experiences. Performances have the character of being an accomplishment involving an interactive quality and an element of risk. Accordingly, highlighting competencies and effectiveness rather than just the meaning enables us to concentrate on issues of success, failure, and risk. Furthermore, it is not uncommon to examine the marketer side of marketplace performances, but the customer side is generally neglected or assumed to be more passive. In this paper, we explore some of the ways through which service providers and clients participate in a marketplace stage as a performancescape in order to have a successful co‐constructed performance. We further maintain that the performative competencies of consumers can be as significant as that of marketers or service providers.

Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The Regio‐ and Stereospecific Intermolecular Dehydrative Alkoxylation of Allylic Alcohols Catalyzed by a Gold(I) N‐Heterocyclic Carbene Complex
Authors: Mukherjee Paramita , Widenhoefer Ross A.
Published: January 2013

A 1:1 mixture of [AuCl(IPr)] (IPr=1,3‐bis(2,6‐diisopropylphenyl)imidazol‐2‐ylidine) and AgClO4 catalyzes the intermolecular dehydrative alkoxylation of primary and secondary allylic alcohols with aliphatic primary and secondary alcohols to form allylic ethers. These transformations are regio‐ and stereospecific with preferential addition of the alcohol nucleophile at the γ‐position of the allylic alcohol syn to the departing hydroxyl group and with predominant formation of the E stereoisomer. The minor α regioisomer is formed predominantly through a secondary reaction manifold involving regioselective γ‐alkoxylation of the initially formed allylic ether rather than by the direct α‐alkoxylation of the allylic alcohol.
Estimation of mixing volumes in buoyant miscible displacement flows along near‐horizontal pipes
Authors: Taghavi S.M. , Frigaard I.A.
Published: January 2013

We present a methodological framework for estimating the degree of mixing between successive miscible fluids pumped along a near‐horizontal pipe. Either or both of the fluids can be non‐Newtonian, of Herschel–Bulkley type. Overall it is considered that the objective is to minimise mixing. In laminar regimes our estimates are based on front velocity of the leading displacement front. In turbulent regimes the spreading mechanism is dispersion. In addition to the estimates of mixing volumes/lengths, we also predict a minimal flow rate necessary in order to achieve a successful displacement of the residual fluid. © 2013 Canadian Society for Chemical Engineering
Cu‐based mixed metal oxide catalysts for WGSR: Reduction kinetics and catalytic activity
Authors: Hossain Mohammad M. , Ahmed Shakeel
Published: January 2013

This communication reports the effects of Mn/Cr on the reducibility and catalytic activity of Cu–Fe–Mn and Cu–Fe–Cr mixed oxide catalysts for the water gas shift reaction (WGSR). The reduction kinetics of the mixed oxide catalysts is investigated using TPR data, nucleation/nuclei growth models, and a power law model. Based on the statistical indicators, it is concluded that a second‐order power law model describes the reduction of all catalysts adequately. The estimated activation energy for the reduction of the Cu–Fe–Mn catalyst is low compared to the Cu–Fe–Cr catalyst. The TPR analysis of the catalysts reveals that the addition of Mn significantly improved the reducibility of Cu‐oxide species, which is consistent with the low activation energy for reduction of the Cu–Fe–Mn catalyst. In a flow type reactor, the Cu–Fe–Mn catalyst showed highest CO conversion at around 220°C, achieving a high specific reaction rate compared to the Cu–Fe–Cr catalyst. The enhanced reducibility of Cu–Fe–Mn catalyst played the key role in the high conversion of CO. These results are comparable with the results obtained for a commercial Cu–ZnO/Al2O3 catalyst, which was evaluated under the same reaction conditions.
Adsorption isotherms, kinetics and mechanism of Pb(II) ions removal from aqueous solution using chemically modified agricultural waste
Authors: Senthil Kumar P. , Senthamarai C. , Sai Deepthi A.S.L. , Bharani R.
Published: January 2013

The removal of Pb(II) ions from aqueous solution by chemically surface modified Strychnos potatorum seeds (SMSP) was investigated. The surface modification of the adsorbent was confirmed by the FTIR and SEM analyses. The Freundlich adsorption isotherm model provides a better fit to the adsorption isotherm data. The maximum adsorption capacity of SMSP for Pb(II) ions was found to be 166.67 mg/g at optimum conditions of pH 5.0, contact time of 30 min, SMSP dosage of 2 g/L and temperature of 30°C. The adsorption kinetics for Pb(II) ions removal by the SMSP follows the pseudo‐second order kinetic model. Adsorption mechanism of Pb(II) ions onto the SMSP was explained with the intraparticle diffusion, Boyd kinetic and Shrinking core models (SCM). The effective diffusivity values were calculated from the Boyd kinetic model: 7.723 × 10−12, 8.464 × 10−12, 6.877 × 10−12, 8.358 × 10−12 and 6.983 × 10−12 m2/s for the initial Pb(II) ions concentration from 100 to 500 mg/L, respectively. The diffusivity values were estimated from the SCM: 8.901 × 10−9, 8.586 × 10−9, 8.359 × 10−9, 5.368 × 10−9 and 4.318 × 10−9 m2/s for the initial Pb(II) ions concentration from 100 to 500 mg/L, respectively. The results suggest that SMSP can be used as an effective low‐cost adsorbent for the Pb(II) ions removal.
Visualization of inactive X chromosome in preimplantation embryos utilizing MacroH2A–EGFP transgenic mouse
Authors: Soma Atsumi , Sato Kenzo , Nakanishi Tomoko
Published: January 2013

One of the two X chromosomes is inactivated in female eutherian mammals. MacroH2A, an unusual histone variant, is known to accumulate on the inactive X chromosome (Xi) during early embryo development, and can thus be used as a marker of the Xi. In this study, we produced a transgenic mouse line expressing the mouse MacroH2A1.2–enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) fusion protein (MacroH2A–EGFP) under the control of a CAG promoter and verified whether MacroH2A–EGFP would be useful for tracing the process of X chromosome inactivation by visualizing Xi noninvasively in preimplantation embryos. In transgenic female mice, MacroH2A–EGFP formed a fluorescent focus in nuclei throughout the body. In female blastocysts, the MacroH2A–EGFP focus colocalized with Xist RNA, well known as a marker of Xi. Fluorescence marking of Xi was first observed in some embryonic cells between the 4‐ and 8‐cell stages. These results demonstrate that MacroH2A can bind to the Xi by around the 8‐cell stage in female mouse embryos. These MacroH2A–EGFP transgenic mice might be useful to elucidate the process of X chromosome inactivation during the mouse life cycle. genesis 51:259–267. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
A novel reporter rat strain that expresses LacZ upon Cre‐mediated recombination
Authors: Fukamachi Katsumi , Tanaka Hajime , Sakai Yuto , Alexander David B. , Futakuchi Mitsuru , Tsuda Hiroyuki , Suzui Masumi
Published: January 2013

The recent widespread application of Cre/loxP technology has resulted in a new generation of conditional animal models that can better recapitulate many salient features of human disease. These models benefit from the ability to monitor the expression and functionality of Cre protein. We have generated a conditional (Cre/loxP dependent) LacZ reporter rat (termed the LacZ541 rat) to monitor Cre in transgenic rats. When LacZ541 rats were bred with another transgenic rat line expressing Cre recombinase under the control of the CAG promoter, LacZ/Cre double transgenic embryos displayed ubiquitous expression of LacZ, and when LacZ541 rats were bred with transgenic rats expressing Cre/loxP‐dependent oncogenic H‐ or K‐ras, LacZ was expressed in the lesions resulting from the activation of the oncogene. The LacZ541 rat enables evaluation of the performance of Cre‐expressing systems which are based upon transgenic rats or somatic gene transfer vectors and provides efficient and simple lineage marking. genesis 51:268–274. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Can wildfire serve as an ecohydrologic threshold‐reversal mechanism on juniper‐encroached shrublands
Authors: Williams C. Jason , Pierson Frederick B. , Al‐Hamdan Osama Z. , Kormos Patrick R. , Hardegree Stuart P. , Clark Patrick E.
Published: January 2013

Woody plant encroachment on water‐limited lands can induce a shift from biotic (plant)‐controlled resource retention to abiotic (physical)‐driven losses of critical soil resources. The biotic‐to‐abiotic shift occurs where encroachment propagates connectivity of runoff processes and amplified cross‐scale erosion that, in‐turn, promote ecohydrologic resilience of the post‐encroachment community. We investigated these relationships for woodland‐encroached sagebrush steppe in the Great Basin, USA, and evaluated wildfire as a mechanism to reverse the post‐encroachment soil erosion feedback. We measured vegetation, soil properties, and runoff/erosion from experimental plots on burned and unburned areas of a late‐succession woodland 1 and 2 years post‐fire. Our findings suggest that the biotic‐to‐abiotic shift and amplified cross‐scale erosion occur where encroachment‐induced bare ground exceeds 50–60% and bare gaps between plant bases frequently extend beyond 1 m. The trigger for amplified cross‐scale erosion is formation of concentrated flow within the degraded intercanopy between trees. Burning in this study decreased ecohydrologic resilience of the late‐succession woodland through herbaceous recruitment 2 years post‐fire. Increased intercanopy herbaceous productivity decreased connectivity of bare ground, improved infiltration, and reduced erosion, but the study site remained vulnerable to runoff and erosion from high‐intensity rainfall. We conclude that burning can reduce woodland ecohydrologic resilience and that woodland encroachment‐induced structural and functional ecohydrologic attributes may persist during high‐intensity storms for an undetermined period post‐fire. We cannot conclude whether wildfire reverses the woodland‐induced soil erosion feedback on sagebrush rangelands. However, our results suggest that wildfire may provide a restoration pathway for sagebrush steppe by reducing woodland ecohydrologic resilience over time. Published 2013. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.
Cis association of leukocyte Ig‐like receptor 1 with MHC class I modulates accessibility to antibodies and HCMV UL18
Authors: Li Nicholas L. , Fu Li , Uchtenhagen Hannes , Achour Adnane , Burshtyn Deborah N.
Published: January 2013

Leukocyte Ig‐like receptor (LIR) 1 (CD85j/ILT2/LILRB1) is an inhibitory receptor with broad specificity for MHC class I (MHC‐I) and the human CMV MHC‐I homologue UL18. LIR‐1 can inhibit NK cells through the conventional interaction with MHC‐I expressed on a target cell (in trans) but the nature and the effects of LIR‐1 interactions with MHC‐I in cis are not well understood. Here we show that MHC‐I expressed in cis has an impact on the detection of LIR‐1 with various antibodies. We found the cis interaction alters recognition by only one of two antibodies known to block functional trans recognition by LIR‐1 on NK cells. Specifically, we observed an enhancement of recognition with GHI/75 in the presence of various MHC‐I alleles on 721.221 cells. We found that blocking the LIR‐1 contact site with anti‐MHC‐I antibodies decreased detection of LIR‐1 with GHI/75. We also observed a decrease in GHI/75 following acid denaturation of MHC‐I. Finally, disruption of LIR‐1 cis interactions with MHC‐I significantly enhanced UL18‐Fc binding to NK92 cells and enhanced the relative inhibition of NK92 cells by HLA‐G. These results have implications for LIR‐1 function in scenarios such as infection when MHC‐I levels on effector cells may be increased by IFNs.
Neural Responses to Visual Food Cues: Insights from Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Authors: García‐García I. , Narberhaus A. , Marqués‐Iturria I. , Garolera M. , Rădoi A. , Segura B. , Pueyo R. , Ariza M. , Jurado M. A.
Published: January 2013

The aim of this paper is to describe the patterns of functional magnetic resonance imaging activation produced by visual food stimuli in healthy participants, as well as in those with anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder and obesity. We conducted a systematic review of studies published in the last decade on normal and abnormal eating. This review suggested the existence of neural differences in response to the sight of food between healthy individuals, those with an eating disorder and obese subjects. Differences were identified in two brain circuits: (i) limbic and paralimbic areas associated with salience and reward processes and (ii) prefrontal areas supporting cognitive control processes. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and Eating Disorders Association.
Higher‐order and adaptive discontinuous Galerkin methods with shock‐capturing applied to transonic turbulent delta wing flow
Authors: Hartmann R.
Published: January 2013

Discontinuous Galerkin (DG) methods allow high‐order flow solutions on unstructured or locally refined meshes by increasing the polynomial degree and using curved instead of straight‐sided elements. DG discretizations with higher polynomial degrees must, however, be stabilized in the vicinity of discontinuities of flow solutions such as shocks.

In this article, we device a consistent shock‐capturing method for the Reynolds‐averaged Navier–Stokes and k‐ ω turbulence model equations based on an artificial viscosity term that depends on element residual terms. Furthermore, the DG method is combined with a residual‐based adaptation algorithm that targets at resolving all flow features. The higher‐order and adaptive DG method is applied to a fully turbulent transonic flow around the second Vortex Flow Experiment (VFE‐2) configuration with a good resolution of the vortex system.Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Propel: A Randomized Trial of Mericitabine Plus Peginterferon Alpha-2a/Ribavirin Therapy in Treatment-NaïVe HCV Genotype 1/4 Patients
Authors: Wedemeyer Heiner , Jensen Donald , Herring Robert , Ferenci Peter , Ma Mang-Ming , Zeuzem Stefan , Rodriguez-Torres Maribel , Bzowej Natalie , Pockros Paul , Vierling John , Ipe David , Munson Marie Lou , Chen Ya-Chi , Najera Isabel , Thommes James
Published: January 2013

Mericitabine is a nucleoside analog polymerase inhibitor of hepatitis C virus (HCV). Treatment-naïve HCV genotype 1 or 4 patients were randomized to double-blind treatment with oral mericitabine at a dosage of 500 mg twice-daily (BID) for 12 weeks (A), 1,000 mg BID for 8 (B) or 12 weeks (C and D), or placebo BID for 12 weeks (E). All patients received pegylated interferon alpha-2a (Peg-IFNα-2a; 40 kD)/ribavirin (RBV) at standard doses for 24 or 48 weeks during and after mericitabine/placebo therapy. Patients in arms A-C who maintained a virologic response (VR) (HCV RNA <15 IU/mL) from weeks 4 to 22 stopped all treatment at week 24; all other patients (arms A-E) continued Peg-IFNα-2a/RBV to complete 48 weeks. The primary outcome was sustained VR (SVR) (HCV RNA <15 IU/mL after 24 weeks of untreated follow-up; SVR-24). VR rates were higher in arms A-D than in arm E at weeks 4 and 12 overall, in patients with and without cirrhosis and in patients with CC and non-CC

IL28B

genotypes. However, the overall SVR-24 rate in arms D (50.6%) and E (placebo, 51.2%) was similar and those in the response-guided therapy arms A, B, and C were lower (48.8%, 42.0%, and 32.9%, respectively). No viral breakthrough or mericitabine-resistance mutations (S282T) were observed during mericitabine therapy.

Conclusion

: Treatment with mericitabine plus Peg-IFNα-2a/RBV for 8 or 12 weeks provided potent suppression of HCV RNA, was well tolerated, and did not select resistant variants, but did not increase SVR rates, compared to placebo. IFN-free and IFN-containing trials of mericitabine of longer treatment duration are ongoing. (HEPATOLOGY 2013;58:524–537)
Pain increases motivational drive to obtain reward, but does not affect associated hedonic responses: A behavioural study in healthy volunteers
Authors: Gandhi W. , Becker S. , Schweinhardt P.
Published: January 2013

Background

Pain and reward have been suggested to interact, and some evidence is provided by a rodent study showing that acutely injured animals are more motivated to reach a food reward while they do not increase food consumption, pointing at unaltered reward liking. Since no data exist in humans, we conducted a psychophysical experiment to test the effects of experimentally induced tonic pain on (1) the motivation to receive reward and (2) hedonic responses when being rewarded.

Methods

Forty healthy participants underwent two experimental sessions: in one, painful heat stimulation was continuously applied while participants played a monetary reward task; in the other, participants experienced non‐painful warm stimulation while playing the task. In the task, participants needed to react quickly enough to a target cue to win the money associated with the particular trial ($0.04, $1 or $4). Reaction time to the target cue served as measure of motivation. Ratings after each trial on how much the participant liked the trial's outcome served as a measure of hedonic responses.

Results

Pain increased the motivation to obtain reward when the incentive was high, indexed by decreased reaction times (repeated‐measures analysis of variance, interaction pain × incentive; p = 0.009). In contrast to motivational drive, hedonic ratings of the rewarding stimuli were not influenced by pain.

Conclusion

Similar to existing rodent data, our results suggest a pain‐induced mismatch of increased motivational drive with a lack of increased hedonic responses. This mismatch is discussed as perhaps reflecting a failed coping attempt, which is potentially relevant for chronic pain patients.
Polylactic‐co‐glycolic acid mesh coated with fibrin or collagen and biological adhesive substance as a prefabricated, degradable, biocompatible, and functional scaffold for regeneration of the urinary bladder wall
Authors: Salem Salah Abood , Hwei Ng Min , Saim Aminuddin Bin , Ho Christopher C.K. , Sagap Ismail , Singh Rajesh , Yusof Mohd Reusmaazran , Md Zainuddin Zulkifili , Bt. Hj Idrus Ruszymah
Published: January 2013

The chief obstacle for reconstructing the bladder is the absence of a biomaterial, either permanent or biodegradable, that will function as a suitable scaffold for the natural process of regeneration. In this study, polylactic‐co‐glycolic acid (PLGA) plus collagen or fibrin was evaluated for its suitability as a scaffold for urinary bladder construct. Human adipose‐derived stem cells (HADSCs) were cultured, followed by incubation in smooth muscle cells differentiation media. Differentiated HADSCs were then seeded onto PLGA mesh supported with collagen or fibrin. Evaluation of cell‐seeded PLGA composite immersed in culture medium was performed under a light and scanning microscope. To determine if the composite is compatible with the urodynamic properties of urinary bladder, porosity and leaking test was performed. The PLGA samples were subjected to tensile testing was pulled until PLGA fibers break. The results showed that the PLGA composite is biocompatible to differentiated HADSCs. PLGA‐collagen mesh appeared to be optimal as a cell carrier while the three‐layered PLGA‐fibrin composite is better in relation to its leaking/ porosity property. A biomechanical test was also performed for three‐layered PLGA with biological adhesive and three‐layered PLGA alone. The tensile stress at failure was 30.82 ± 3.80 (MPa) and 34.36 ± 2.57 (MPa), respectively. Maximum tensile strain at failure was 19.42 ± 2.24 (mm) and 23.06 ± 2.47 (mm), respectively. Young's modulus was 0.035 ± 0.0083 and 0.043 ± 0.012, respectively. The maximum load at break was 58.55 ± 7.90 (N) and 65.29 ± 4.89 (N), respectively. In conclusion, PLGA‐Fibrin fulfils the criteria as a scaffold for urinary bladder reconstruction. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A, 2013.
Subcutaneous tissue response to titanium, poly(ϵ‐caprolactone), and carbonate‐substituted hydroxyapatite‐coated poly(ϵ‐caprolactone) plates: A rabbit study
Authors: Chanchareonsook Nattharee , Tideman Henk , Feinberg Stephen E. , Hollister Scott J. , Jongpaiboonkit Leenaporn , Kin Liao , Jansen John A.
Published: January 2013

The aim of this study was to evaluate the soft tissue response to poly(ϵ‐caprolactone) (PCL) implants with and without carbonate‐substituted hydroxyapatite (CHA) coating compared to the commonly used titanium alloy (Ti‐6Al‐4V)‐machined surface. Experimental materials were implanted subcutaneously in New Zealand white rabbits for 5 weeks. The tissue attachment strength, as evaluated by a tissue peel test, histological and histomorphology analysis, as well as scanning electron microscopy were compared between groups. The peel test result revealed no statistically significant difference between groups. Histological analysis found fibrous capsule formation around all implant materials. The fibrous capsule around PCL implants with and without CHA coating was significantly thinner compared with the capsule thickness around the titanium implants. However, the inflammatory cells, as present at the fibrous capsule‐implant interface, were found to be significantly lower in the Ti‐group. In conclusion, the current data do not prove that PCL or PCL with a CHA coating results in a superior soft tissue response compared with a machined titanium implant. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A, 2013.
Influence of alkyl chain length on calcium phosphate deposition onto titanium surfaces modified with alkylphosphonic acid monolayers
Authors: Wu Jiang , Hirata Isao , Zhao Xianghui , Gao Bo , Okazaki Masayuki , Kato Koichi
Published: January 2013

Much attention has been paid to the modification of a titanium surface with an alkylphosphonic acid (PA)‐based self‐assembled monolayer (SAM) to accelerate hydroxyapatite (HA) deposition on the surface. In order to further accelerate the rate of HA deposition, we examined here the effect of alkyl chain length of SAMs on the formation of a HA layer. PAs with three different alkyl chain lengths (3, 6, and 16 methylene units) were used for the preparation of a SAM on titanium. The titanium specimens with monolayers were soaked in a simulated body fluid under physiological conditions for 4 weeks. The deposited substances were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy, X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and X‐ray diffraction. These analyses revealed that the formation of PA SAMs accelerate the deposition of poorly crystallized HA, in an alkyl chain length‐dependent manner. Among PAs studied here, PA containing a 16‐carbon alkyl chain gave rise to the titanium surface most effective for the deposition of HA. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A, 2013.
Bone integration capability of a series of strontium‐containing hydroxyapatite coatings formed by micro‐arc oxidation
Authors: Yan Jun , Sun Ji‐Feng , Chu Paul K. , Han Yong , Zhang Yu‐Mei
Published: January 2013

Strontium‐containing hydroxyapatites (Sr‐HA) combine the desirable bone regenerative properties of hydroxyapatites (HA) with anabolic and anti‐catabolic effects of strontium cations. In the present work, a series of SryHA [SryCa(10−y)(PO4)6(OH)2; y = 0, 0.5, 1, 2] coatings on titanium are produced by micro‐arc oxidation (MAO), and the effects of the in vivo osseointegration ability of the coatings are investigated by using a rabbit model. All samples are subjected to biomechanical, surface elemental, micro‐CT and histological analysis after 4 and 12 weeks of healing. The obtained results show that the MAO‐formed coatings exhibit a microporous network structure composed of SryHA/SryHA–SrxCa(1‐x)TiO3/SrxCa(1‐x)TiO3–TiO2 multilayers, in which the outer SryHA and intermediate SryHA–SrxCa(1‐x)TiO3 layers have a nanocrystalline structure. All Sr‐HA coated implants induce marked improvements in the behavior of bone formation, quantity and quality of bone tissue around the implants than the control HA implant and in particular, the 20%Sr‐HA coating promotes early bone formation as identified by polyfluorochrome sequential labeling. The bone‐to‐implant contact is increased by 46% (p < 0.05) and the pull‐out strength is increased by 103% over the HA group (p < 0.01). Extensive areas of mineralized tissue densely deposit on the 20%Sr‐HA coating after biomechanical testing, and the greatest improvement of bone microarchitecture are observed around the 20%Sr‐HA implant. The identified biological parameters successfully demonstrate the osteoconductivity of 20%Sr‐HA surfaces, which results not only in an acceleration but also an improvement of bone–implant integration. The study demonstrates the immense potential of 20%Sr‐HA coatings in dental and orthopedic applications. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A: 101A: 2465–2480, 2013.
The Future of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia: What Important Research Remains to Be Done?
Authors: Vitiello Michael V. , McCurry Susan M. , Rybarczyk Bruce D.
Published: January 2013

The efficacy of cognitive‐behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT‐I) to improve both short‐ and long‐term outcomes in both uncomplicated and comorbid insomnia patients has been repeatedly and conclusively demonstrated. Further demonstrations of efficacy, per se, in additional comorbid insomnia populations are likely not the best use of limited energy and resources. Rather, we propose that future CBT‐I research would be better focused on three key areas: (a) increasing treatment efficacy, particularly for more clinically relevant outcomes; (b) increasing treatment effectiveness and potential for translation into the community, with a particular focus on variants of CBT‐I and alternative delivery modalities within primary healthcare systems; and (c) increasing CBT‐I practitioner training and dissemination.