bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Site‐Selective Labeling of Native Proteins by a Multicomponent Approach
Authors: Chilamari Maheshwerreddy , Purushottam Landa , Rai Vishal
Published: February 2017

Chemical functionalization of proteins is an indispensable tool. Yet, selective labeling of native proteins has been an arduous task. The limited success of chemical methods allows N‐terminus protein labeling, but the examples with side‐chain residues are rare. Herein, we surpass this challenge through a multicomponent transformation that operates under physiological conditions in the presence of a protein, aldehyde, acetylene, and Cu‐ligand complex. The methodology results in the labeling of a single lysine residue in nine distinct proteins.
Role of the Diamagnetic Zinc(II) Ion in Determining the Electronic Structure of Lanthanide Single‐Ion Magnets
Authors: Upadhyay Apoorva , Das Chinmoy , Vaidya Shefali , Singh Saurabh Kumar , Gupta Tulika , Mondol Ranajit , Langley Stuart K. , Murray Keith S. , Rajaraman Gopalan , Shanmugam Maheswaran
Published: February 2017

Four complexes containing DyIII and PrIII ions and their LnIII–ZnII analogs have been synthesized in order to study the influence that a diamagnetic ZnII ion has on the electronic structure and hence, the magnetic properties of the DyIII and PrIII single ions. Single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction revealed the molecular structures as [DyIII(HL)2(NO3)3] (1), [PrIII(HL)2(NO3)3] (2), [ZnIIDyIII(L)2(CH3CO2)(NO3)2] (3) and [ZnII2PrIII(L)2(CH3CO2)4(NO3)] (4) (where HL=2‐methoxy‐6‐[(E)‐phenyliminomethyl]phenol). The dc and ac magnetic data were collected for all four complexes. Compounds 1 and 3 display frequency dependent out‐of‐phase susceptibility signals (χM“), which is a characteristic signature for a single‐molecule magnet (SMM). Although 1 and 3 are chemically similar, a fivefold increase in the anisotropic barrier (Ueff) is observed experimentally for 3 (83 cm−1), compared to 1 (16 cm−1). To rationalize the larger anisotropic barrier (1 vs. 3), detailed ab initio calculations were performed. Although the ground state Kramer's doublet in both 1 and 3 are axial in nature (gzz=19.443 for 1 and 18.82 for 3), a significant difference in the energy gap (Ueff) between the ground and first excited Kramer's doublet is calculated. This energy gap is governed by the electrostatic repulsion between the DyIII ion and the additional charge density found for the phenoxo bridging ligand in 3. This extra charge density was found to be a consequence of the presence of the diamagnetic ZnII ion present in the complex. To explore the influence of diamagnetic ions on the magnetic properties further, previously reported and structurally related Zn–DyIII complexes were analyzed. These structurally analogous complexes unambiguously suggest that the electrostatic repulsion is found to be maximal when the Zn‐O‐Dy‐O dihedral angle is small, which is an ideal condition to maximize the anisotropic barrier in DyIII complexes.
Intermolecular Redox‐Neutral Amine C−H Functionalization Induced by the Strong Boron Lewis Acid B(C6F5)3 in the Frustrated Lewis Pair Regime
Authors: Chen Guo‐Qiang , Kehr Gerald , Daniliuc Constantin G. , Bursch Markus , Grimme Stefan , Erker Gerhard
Published: February 2017

N,N‐Dimethylmesitylamine undergoes an intermolecular redox‐neutral C−H activation/C−C coupling process upon treatment with dimethyl acetylenedicarboxylate and the strong boron Lewis acid B(C6F5)3. Similarly, N,N‐dimethylmesitylamine reacts with two molar equivalents of ethyl acrylate to give the respective unsaturated coupling product with H2 transfer to the acrylic ester to form the ethyl propionate/B(C6F5)3 adduct. N,N‐Dimethylmesitylamine also undergoes a C−H activation at the benzylic ortho sp3‐carbon atom with dihydrogen formation upon treatment with Piers’ borane [HB(C6F5)2]. The last two reactions of N,N‐dimethylmesitylamine were analyzed by DFT calculations.
Iron‐Catalyzed C−H Alkynylation through Triazole Assistance: Expedient Access to Bioactive Heterocycles
Authors: Cera Gianpiero , Haven Tobias , Ackermann Lutz
Published: February 2017

Triazole assistance enabled the first iron‐catalyzed C−H alkynylation of arenes, heteroarenes, and alkenes. The modular TAM directing group set the stage for a sequential C−H alkynylation/annulation strategy with ample scope, enabling the iron‐catalyzed assembly of isoquinolones, pyridones, pyrrolones, and isoindolinones with high levels of chemo‐, site‐, and regioselectivity.
In vivo expression of Nurr1/Nr4a2a in developing retinal amacrine subtypes in zebrafish Tg(nr4a2a:eGFP) transgenics
Authors: Goodings Liana , He Jie , Wood Alasdair J. , Harris William A. , Currie Peter D. , Jusuf Patricia R.
Published: February 2017

The Nuclear receptor subfamily 4 group A member 2 (Nr4a2) is crucial for the formation or maintenance of dopaminergic neurons in the central nervous system including the retina, where dopaminergic amacrine cells contribute to visual function. Little is known about which cells express Nr4a2 at which developmental stage. Furthermore, whether Nr4a2 functions in combination with other genes is poorly understood. Thus, we generated a novel transgenic to visualize Nr4a2 expression in vivo during zebrafish retinogenesis. A 4.1 kb fragment of the nr4a2a promoter was used to drive green fluorescent protein expression in this Tg(nr4a2a:eGFP) line. In situ hybridization showed that transgene expression follows endogenous RNA expression at a cellular level. Temporal expression and lineages were quantified using in vivo time‐lapse imaging in embryos. Nr4a2 expressing retinal subtypes were characterized immunohistochemically. Nr4a2a:eGFP labeled multiple neuron subtypes including 24.5% of all amacrine interneurons. Nr4a2a:eGFP labels all tyrosine hydroxylase labeled dopaminergic amacrine cells, and other nondopaminergic GABAergic amacrine populations. Nr4a2a:eGFP is confined to a specific progenitor lineage identified by sequential expression of the bhlh transcription factor Atonal7 (Atoh7) and Pancreas transcription factor 1a (Ptf1a), and labels postmitotic postmigratory amacrine cells. Thus, developmental Nr4a2a expression indicates a role during late differentiation of specific amacrine interneurons. Tg(nr4a2a:eGFP) is an early marker of distinct neurons including dopaminergic amacrine cells. It can be utilized to assess consequences of gene manipulations and understand whether Nr4a2 only carries out its role in the presence of specific coexpressed genes. This will allow Nr4a2 use to be refined for regenerative approaches.
A fault‐tolerant routing strategy for k‐ary n‐direct s‐indirect topologies based on intermediate nodes
Authors: Peñaranda Roberto , Gómez María Engracia , López Pedro , Gunnar Gran Ernst , Skeie Tor
Published: February 2017

Exascale computing systems are being built with thousands of nodes. The high number of components of these systems significantly increases the probability of failure. A key component for them is the interconnection network. If failures occur in the interconnection network, they may isolate a large fraction of the machine. For this reason, an efficient fault‐tolerant mechanism is needed to keep the system interconnected, even in the presence of faults. A recently proposed topology for these large systems is the hybrid k‐ary n‐direct s‐indirect family that provides optimal performance and connectivity at a reduced hardware cost. This paper presents a fault‐tolerant routing methodology for the k‐ary n‐direct s‐indirect topology that degrades performance gracefully in presence of faults and tolerates a large number of faults without disabling any healthy computing node. In order to tolerate network failures, the methodology uses a simple mechanism. For any source‐destination pair, if necessary, packets are forwarded to the destination node through a set of intermediate nodes (without being ejected from the network) with the aim of circumventing faults. The evaluation results shows that the proposed methodology tolerates a large number of faults. For instance, it is able to tolerate more than 99.5% of fault combinations when there are 10 faults in a 3‐D network with 1000 nodes using only 1 intermediate node and more than 99.98% if 2 intermediate nodes are used. Furthermore, the methodology offers a gracious performance degradation. As an example, performance degrades only by 1% for a 2‐D network with 1024 nodes and 1% faulty links.
Studying shadow page cache to improve isolated drivers' performance
Authors: Zheng Hao , Zhu Zhengdong , Dong Xiaoshe , Chen Baoke , Liu Chengzhe
Published: February 2017

Using virtualization technology, users can reuse various existing operating systems and drivers to customize their application environments. However, faults that exist in the reused drivers threaten the users' customized environments. Chariot has been proposed to solve this problem. It isolates a driver by monitoring its real‐time performance and examining the correctness of its write operations. To capture the write operations, we found that it needs to keep the write permissions of shadow pages as read‐only, which may cause many page faults in the virtual machine monitor and has adversely affect the driver's performance. To address this, we propose a new algorithm that uses the shadow page cache to remit the page faults, based on the principle of delaying the closing of the write permissions of frequently accessed shadow pages. Experimental results show that using these shadow page caches, we can greatly the performance of isolated drivers without significantly impacting Chariot's isolation efficiency.
Microwave‐Assisted Synthesis of Stable and Highly Active Ir Oxohydroxides for Electrochemical Oxidation of Water
Authors: Massué Cyriac , Huang Xing , Tarasov Andrey , Ranjan Chinmoy , Cap Sébastien , Schlögl Robert
Published: February 2017

Water splitting for hydrogen production in acidic media has been limited by the poor stability of the anodic electrocatalyst devoted to the oxygen evolution reaction (OER). To help circumvent this problem we have synthesized a class of novel Ir oxohydroxides by rapid microwave‐asisted hydrothermal synthesis, which bridges the gap between electrodeposited amorphous IrOx films and crystalline IrO2 electrocatalysts prepared by calcination routes. For electrode loadings two orders of magnitude below current standards, the synthesized compounds present an unrivalled combination of high activity and stability under commercially relevant OER conditions in comparison to reported benchmarks, without need for pretreatment. The best compound achieved a lifetime 33 times longer than the best commercial Ir benchmark. Thus, the reported efficient synthesis of an Ir oxohydroxide phase with superior intrinsic OER performance constitutes a major step towards the targeted design of cost‐efficient Ir based OER electrocatalysts for acidic media.
Catalytic Biodiesel Production Mediated by Amino Acid‐Based Protic Salts
Authors: Li Jingbo , Guo Zheng
Published: February 2017

Hetero‐ and homogeneous acid catalysts are effective catalysts for the production of biodiesel from oils containing high free fatty acids. The protic salts synthesized from natural amino acids were examined for catalytic activity and efficiency for the esterification of oleic acid after structural identification and characterization. In the esterification reaction of oleic acid with methanol, [Asp][NO3] was the best catalyst, and its high activity correlated to its high Hammett acidity. The optimal reaction conditions for the esterification of oleic acid to achieve 97 % biodiesel yield were: 70 °C, 10 % catalyst loading (w/w, on oleic acid basis), methanol/oleic acid ratio 7.5:1, and 5 h. Generally, [Asp][NO3] could be a good catalyst for the esterification of oleic acid with alcohols with chain lengths of up to six. The biodiesel yield of 93.86 % obtained from palm fatty acid distillate implies that the catalyst has potential for industrial application. A study of the kinetics indicated that the reaction followed pseudo‐first‐order kinetics with an activation energy and pre‐exponential of 57.36 kJ mol−1 and 44.24×105 min−1, respectively. The aspartic acid‐derived protic salt is a promising, operationally simply, sustainable, renewable, and possibly biodegradable catalyst for the conversion of free fatty acids into biodiesel.
Selective Production of 2‐Methylfuran by Gas‐Phase Hydrogenation of Furfural on Copper Incorporated by Complexation in Mesoporous Silica Catalysts
Authors: Jiménez‐Gómez Carmen Pilar , Cecilia Juan A. , Moreno‐Tost Ramón , Maireles‐Torres Pedro
Published: February 2017

Copper species have been incorporated in mesoporous silica (MS) through complexation with the amine groups of dodecylamine, which was used as a structure‐directing agent in the synthesis. A series of Cu/SiO2 catalysts (xCu‐MS) with copper loadings (x) from 2.5 to 20 wt % was synthesized and evaluated in the gas‐phase hydrogenation of furfural (FUR). The most suitable catalytic performance in terms of 2‐methylfuran yield was obtained with an intermediate copper content (10 wt %). This 10Cu‐MS catalyst exhibits a 2‐methylfuran yield higher than 95 mol % after 5 h time‐on‐stream (TOS) at a reaction temperature of 210 °C with a H2/FUR molar ratio of 11.5 and a weight hourly space velocity (WHSV) of 1.5 h−1. After 14 h TOS, this catalyst still showed a yield of 80 mol %. In all cases, carbonaceous deposits on the external surface were the cause of the catalyst deactivation, although sintering of the copper particles was observed for higher copper loadings. This intermediate copper loading (10 wt %) offered a suitable balance between resistance to sintering and tendency to form carbonaceous deposits.
Solar Cell Materials by Design: Hybrid Pyroxene Corner‐Sharing VO4 Tetrahedral Chains
Authors: El‐Mellouhi Fedwa , Akande Akinlolu , Motta Carlo , Rashkeev Sergey N. , Berdiyorov Golibjon , Madjet Mohamed El‐Amine , Marzouk Asma , Bentria El Tayeb , Sanvito Stefano , Kais Sabre , Alharbi Fahhad H.
Published: February 2017

Hybrid organic–inorganic frameworks provide numerous combinations of materials with a wide range of structural and electronic properties, which enable their use in various applications. In recent years, some of these hybrid materials—especially lead‐based halide perovskites—have been successfully used for the development of highly efficient solar cells. The large variety of possible hybrid materials has inspired the search for other organic–inorganic frameworks that may exhibit enhanced performance over conventional lead halide perovskites. In this study, a new class of low‐dimensional hybrid oxides for photovoltaic applications was developed by using electronic structure calculations in combination with analysis from existing materials databases, with a focus on vanadium oxide pyroxenes (tetrahedron‐based frameworks), mainly due to their high stability and nontoxicity. Pyroxenes were screened with different cations [A] and detailed computational studies of their structural, electronic, optical and transport properties were performed. Low‐dimensional hybrid vanadate pyroxenes [A]VO3 (with molecular cations [A] and corner‐sharing VO4 tetrahedral chains) were found to satisfy all physical requirements needed to develop an efficient solar cell (a band gap of 1.0–1.7 eV, strong light absorption and good electron‐transport properties).
Morin Inhibits Proliferation, Migration, and Invasion of Bladder Cancer EJ Cells via Modulation of Signaling Pathways, Cell Cycle Regulators, and Transcription Factor‐Mediated MMP‐9 Expression
Authors: Shin Seung‐Shick , Won Se Yeon , Noh Dae‐Hwa , Hwang Byungdoo , Kim Wun‐Jae , Moon Sung‐Kwon
Published: February 2017

Preclinical Research

Previous studies have shown that morin exerts diverse pharmacological activities. In this study, we investigated the inhibitory activity of morin on bladder cancer EJ cells. Morin significantly inhibited EJ cell proliferation, which was related to the G1‐phase cell cycle arrest together with the reduced expression of cyclin D1, cyclin E, CDK2, and CDK4 via increased expression of p21WAF1. Morin also increased ERK1/2 phosphorylation and decreased JNK and AKT phosphorylation without altering the p38MAPK phosphorylation levels. Morin treatment suppressed the migration and invasion of EJ cells in wound‐healing and transwell cell invasion assays. Zymographic and electrophoretic mobility shift assays showed that morin suppressed the expression of matrix metalloproteinase‐9 (MMP‐9) via repression of the binding activity of AP‐1, Sp‐1, and NF‐κB. Collectively, these results demonstrate that morin reduced cyclin D1, cyclin E, CDK2 and CDK4 expression via the induction of p21WAF1 expression, increased ERK1/2 phosphorylation and decreased JNK, and AKT phosphorylation, and prevented MMP‐9 expression via the inhibition of transcription factors AP‐1, Sp‐1, and NF‐κB, thereby resulting in the inhibition of growth, migration, and invasion of bladder cancer EJ cells. These results provide a novel insight into the use of morin in the prevention of bladder cancer. Drug Dev Res 78 : 81–90, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Generation and characterization of mice for conditional inactivation of Zeb1
Authors: Brabletz Simone , Lasierra Losada María , Schmalhofer Otto , Mitschke Julia , Krebs Angela , Brabletz Thomas , Stemmler Marc P.
Published: February 2017

The multizinc finger containing transcription factor ZEB1 plays crucial roles during various aspects of mammalian development and tumorigenesis. Best studied in human tumors, ZEB1 is activating the embryo‐derived program of epithelial‐mesenchymal transition (EMT). The aberrant activation of EMT confers an invasive metastasizing phenotype with acquisition of stem cell properties and resistance to radio‐ and chemotherapy. Although ZEB1 has very important functions in tumor progression, not much is known about its role in physiological contexts and during development and homeostasis. We describe the generation of Zeb1flox/flox mice carrying a targeted mutation for conditional Zeb1 gene inactivation and show that homozygous Zeb1‐depletion in the germline results in a phenotype similar to the conventional Zeb1 knockout.
Unmanned aerial vehicles for surveying marine fauna: assessing detection probability
Authors: Hodgson Amanda , Peel David , Kelly Natalie
Published: February 2017

Aerial surveys are conducted for various fauna to assess abundance, distribution, and habitat use over large spatial scales. They are traditionally conducted using light aircraft with observers recording sightings in real time. Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) offer an alternative with many potential advantages, including eliminating human risk. To be effective, this emerging platform needs to provide detection rates of animals comparable to traditional methods.UAVs can also acquire new types of information, and this new data requires a reevaluation of traditional analyses used in aerial surveys; including estimating the probability of detecting animals. We conducted 17 replicateUAVsurveys of humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) while simultaneously obtaining a ‘census’ of the population from land‐based observations, to assessUAVdetection probability. TheScanEagleUAV, carrying a digitalSLRcamera, continuously captured images (with 75% overlap) along transects covering the visual range of land‐based observers. We also usedScanEagleto conduct focal follows of whale pods (n = 12, mean duration = 40 min), to assess a new method of estimating availability. A comparison of the whale detections from theUAVto the land‐based census provided an estimatedUAVdetection probability of 0.33 (CV = 0.25; incorporating both availability and perception biases), which was not affected by environmental covariates (Beaufort sea state, glare, and cloud cover). According to our focal follows, the mean availability was 0.63 (CV = 0.37), with pods including mother/calf pairs having a higher availability (0.86,CV = 0.20) than those without (0.59,CV = 0.38). The follows also revealed (and provided a potential correction for) a downward bias in group size estimates from theUAVsurveys, which resulted from asynchronous diving within whale pods, and a relatively short observation window of 9 s. We have shown thatUAVs are an effective alternative to traditional methods, providing a detection probability that is within the range of previous studies for our target species. We also describe a method of assessing availability bias that represents spatial and temporal characteristics of a survey, from the same perspective as the survey platform, is benign, and provides additional data on animal behavior.
Climatic niche divergence and habitat suitability of eight alien invasive weeds in China under climate change
Authors: Wan Ji‐Zhong , Wang Chun‐Jing , Tan Jing‐Fang , Yu Fei‐Hai
Published: February 2017

Testing climatic niche divergence and modeling habitat suitability under conditions of climate change are important for developing strategies to limit the introduction and expansion of alien invasive weeds (AIWs) and providing important ecological and evolutionary insights. We assessed climatic niches in both native and invasive ranges as well as habitat suitability under climate change for eight representative Chinese AIWs from the American continent. We used climatic variables associated with occurrence records and developed ecological niche models with Maxent. Interestingly, the climatic niches of all eight AIWs diverged significantly between the native and invasive ranges (the American continent and China). Furthermore, the AIWs showed larger climatic niche breadths in the invasive ranges than in the native ranges. Our results suggest that climatic niche shifts between native and invasive ranges occurred. Thus, the occurrence records of both native and invasive regions must be considered when modeling and predicting the spatial distributions of AIWs under current and future climate scenarios. Owing to high habitat suitability, AIWs were more likely to expand into regions of low latitude, and future climate change was predicted to result in a shift in the AIWs in Qinghai and Tibet (regions of higher altitude) as well as Heilongjiang, Jilin, Liaoning, Inner Mongolia, and Gansu (regions of higher latitude). Our results suggest that we need measures to prevent and control AIW expansion at the country‐wide level.
The cost‐effectiveness of real‐time pulmonary artery pressure monitoring in heart failure patients: a European perspective
Authors: Cowie Martin R. , Simon Marcus , Klein Liviu , Thokala Praveen
Published: February 2017

Aims

Heart failure (HF) treatment guided by physicians with access to real‐time pressure measurement from a wireless implantable pulmonary artery pressure (PAP) sensor (CardioMEMS), has previously been shown to reduce HF‐related hospital admissions in theCHAMPIONtrial. However, uncertainty remains regarding the value ofCardioMEMSin European health systems where healthcare costs are significantly lower than in theUSA.

Methods and results

A Markov model was developed to estimate the cost‐effectiveness ofPAP‐guided treatment ofHFusing theCardioMEMS™HFsystem compared with usual care. Cost‐effectiveness was measured as the incremental cost per quality‐adjusted life year (QALY) gained. In the base case analysis over a time horizon of 10 years,PAP‐guidedHFtherapy increased cost compared with usual care by £10 916 (€14 030).QALYsper patient for usual care andPAP‐guided patients were 2.57 and 3.14, respectively, reflecting an increase of 0.57QALYswithPAP‐guided treatment. The resultant incremental cost‐effectiveness ratio (ICER) is £19 274 (€24 772) perQALYgained. The base case analysis did not include staff time, due to a lack of data concerning this variable. Running the model with estimated staff time included resulted in an increasedICERof between £22 342 and £25 464 perQALYgained (€28 709–32 721).

Conclusion

The analysis indicates that integrating wirelessPAPmonitoring into the management ofUK HFpatients is likely to be a cost‐effective addition to theHFtreatment pathway for appropriate patients.
Impact of QRS complex duration and morphology on left ventricular reverse remodelling and left ventricular function improvement after cardiac resynchronization therapy
Authors: van der Bijl Pieter , Khidir Mand , Leung Melissa , Mertens Bart , Ajmone Marsan Nina , Delgado Victoria , Bax Jeroen J.
Published: February 2017

Aims

To evaluate the impact of the interaction of QRS duration and morphology on left ventricular (LV) reverse remodelling and LV functional improvement in heart failure (HF) patients treated with cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT).

Methods and results

From an ongoing registry of HF patients treated with CRT according to contemporary guidelines, demographic, clinical, electrocardiographic (ECG) and echocardiographic characteristics were analysed. Patients were divided according to QRS duration and morphology: <150 ms vs. ≥150 ms and left bundle branch block (LBBB) vs. non‐LBBB, respectively. Echocardiographic measurements were performed at baseline and at 6 months' follow‐up. The effect of the interaction between QRS duration and morphology on LV reverse remodelling and LV ejection fraction (LVEF) was analysed using linear, mixed models. Of 1467 patients (mean age 65 ± 10 years, 77% male), 884 (60%) had a QRS ≥150 ms and 814 (55%) showed LBBB. The group with QRS ≥150 ms demonstrated larger LV reverse remodelling (mean reduction in LV end‐systolic volume 34.3 mL vs. 14.8 mL; P < 0.001) and improvement in LVEF (mean increase 6.8% vs. 5.2%; P < 0.001) compared with their counterparts. Similarly, patients with LBBB QRS morphology showed greater LV reverse remodelling (mean reduction in LV end‐systolic volume 30.8 mL vs. 17.4 mL; P < 0.001) and improvement in LVEF (mean increase 6.9% vs. 3.7%; P < 0.001) than those with non‐LBBB QRS morphology.

Conclusions

Left ventricular reverse remodelling and LV functional improvement are greater among HF patients with LBBB morphology and increasing QRS duration who receive CRT.
Food and fuel from Canadian oilseed grains: Biorefinery production may optimize both resources
Authors: Shim Youn Young , Falk Kevin , Ratanapariyanuch Kornsulee , Reaney Martin J. T.
Published: February 2017

Food and fuel markets are seen as competing for common land and biomass resources. However, in a well‐designed biorefinery, the production of food and fuel might be synergistic. Canadian oilseed crops could be processed in Canada to increase opportunities for rural development and improved environmental stewardship. Biorefinery processing of grain crops will yield fractions with little or no utility as food. The objective of this study was to simultaneously optimize the yield of high quality food, animal feed, and energy co‐products. Oilseed crops grown in western Canada are typically processed into two fractions: oil and meal. The quality of oilseed meal, as a nutritional ingredient, is greatly affected by extraction processes. It is proposed that processes are developed to separate anti‐nutrients and compounds that have nutritional value to achieve a maximum yield of total nutrients.

Practical applications: Organic materials that have little nutritional value might then be processed for utilization as biomass for energy or chemicals. We have devised processes for fractionation of various Cruciferous crops that simultaneously produce food, feed, industrial chemicals, and raw materials for energy production. In this report, we describe the performance of several crops that potentially produce high quality protein for food as well as oil, carbohydrate, and glucosinolates that could be used for industrial purposes.

It is proposed that processes are developed to separate anti‐nutrients and compounds that have nutritional value to achieve an optimum utilization. The composition of the input material before processing is determined by both plant genotype and environment. Principal component analysis shows trends in composition that reflect the impact of genotype and environment. Protein was highest (greatest CP1) in seeds grown in Canora and lowest in Truro while protein was highest in Sinapis alba and lowest in Brassica rapa. Oil was highest in seed grown in Saskatoon and for Brassica juncea (greatest CP2).
Palladium‐Catalyzed Intramolecular Cyclization of Nitroalkenes: Synthesis of Thienopyrroles
Authors: El‐Atawy Mohamed A. , Ferretti Francesco , Ragaini Fabio
Published: February 2017

In the presence of carbon monoxide, the palladium/phenanthroline system catalyzes the intramolecular amination of thiophene rings following the reduction of a nitroalkene moiety directly attached to the S‐heterocyclic ring. Optimization of the ligand and reaction conditions allowed the synthesis of a series of thienopyrroles aryl/alkyl‐substituted at either the 2‐ or 3‐position of the pyrrole ring. By using low pressures of carbon monoxide (5 bars), high yields of fused bicyclic compounds have been obtained (up to 98 % yield).
Multi‐proxy approach to palaeoenvironmental modelling: the English Lower Cretaceous Weald Basin
Authors: Akinlotan Oladapo
Published: February 2017

Palaeoenvironmental reconstructions of the Wealden (Lower Cretaceous) in southeast England have been previously based mainly on field and fossil data. This study presents new interpretations of multi‐proxy data sets such as sandstone petrography, elemental geochemistry and sideritic ironstones, supplemented by outcrop and clay mineralogical data. The dominance of quartz arenites, kaolinite and thorium and the presence of Zr in the sediments suggest that they were sourced mainly from granitic and/or gneissic rocks. Materials from metamorphic sources are secondary in abundance. The mineral and textural maturity of the sediments coupled with inferred short transport distances suggests reworking from older sources. Palaeoclimatic conditions in the source areas were generally warm and humid in nature, which supported an intensive weathering regime. The nature of the sediments suggests they may have been sourced directly or indirectly from a stable craton. The lithology, facies, sedimentary structures, architecture and gamma ray data confirm the freshwater origin of the sediments. Redox‐sensitive trace elements such as Mo, U, V and Co suggest anoxic conditions in the basin. The results presented in this paper reinforce the importance of integrating multi‐proxy data sets for interpreting the palaeoenvironmental conditions of sedimentary basins: when traditional data sets such as field and fossil data are not readily available or insufficient to enable adequate interpretations, the integration of petrographic, mineralogical and geochemical data sets may prove to be useful in similar palaeoenvironmental studies. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Network‐level assessment of reward‐related activation in patients with ADHD and healthy individuals
Authors: von Rhein Daniel , Beckmann Christian F. , Franke Barbara , Oosterlaan Jaap , Heslenfeld Dirk J. , Hoekstra Pieter J. , Hartman Catharina A. , Luman Marjolein , Faraone Stephen V. , Cools Roshan , Buitelaar Jan K. , Mennes Maarten
Published: February 2017

Introduction

Reward processing is a key aspect of cognitive control processes, putatively instantiated by mesolimbic and mesocortical brain circuits. Deficient signaling within these circuits has been associated with psychopathology. We applied a network discovery approach to assess specific functional networks associated with reward processing in participants with attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

Methods

To describe task‐related processes in terms of integrated functional networks, we applied independent component analysis (ICA) to task response maps of 60 healthy participants who performed a monetary incentive delay (MID) task. The resulting components were interpreted on the basis of their similarity with group‐level task responses as well as their similarity with brain networks derived from resting state fMRI analyses. ADHD‐related effects on network characteristics including functional connectivity and communication between networks were examined in an independent sample comprising 150 participants with ADHD and 48 healthy controls.

Results

We identified 23 components to be associated with 4 large‐scale functional networks: the default‐mode, visual, executive control, and salience networks. The salience network showed a specific association with reward processing as well as the highest degree of within‐network integration. ADHD was associated with decreased functional connectivity between the salience and executive control networks as well as with peripheral brain regions.

Conclusions

Reward processing as measured with the MID task involves one reward‐specific and three general functional networks. Participants with ADHD exhibited alterations in connectivity of both the salience and executive control networks and associated brain regions during task performance. Hum Brain Mapp 38:2359–2369, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Differential microstructural and morphological abnormalities in mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease: Evidence from cortical and deep gray matter
Authors: Gong Nan‐Jie , Chan Chun‐Chung , Leung Lam‐Ming , Wong Chun‐Sing , Dibb Russell , Liu Chunlei
Published: February 2017

One aim of this study is to use non‐Gaussian diffusion kurtosis imaging (DKI) for capturing microstructural abnormalities in gray matter of Alzheimer's disease (AD). The other aim is to compare DKI metrics against thickness of cortical gray matter and volume of deep gray matter, respectively. A cohort of 18 patients with AD, 18 patients with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and 18 normal controls underwent morphological and DKI MR imaging. Images were investigated using regions‐of‐interest‐based analyses for deep gray matter and vertex‐wise analyses for cortical gray matter. In deep gray matter, more regions showed DKI parametric abnormalities than atrophies at the early MCI stage. Mean kurtosis (MK) exhibited the largest number of significant abnormalities among all DKI metrics. At the later AD stage, diffusional abnormalities were observed in fewer regions than atrophies. In cortical gray matter, abnormalities in thickness were mainly in the medial and lateral temporal lobes, which fit the locations of known early pathological changes. Microstructural abnormalities were predominantly in the parietal and even frontal lobes, which fit the locations of known late pathological changes. In conclusion, MK can complement conventional diffusion metrics for detecting microstructural changes, especially in deep gray matter. This study also provides evidence supporting the notion that microstructural changes predate morphological changes. Hum Brain Mapp 38:2495–2508, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
The Impact of Unanticipated Economic Shocks on the Demand for Contraceptives: Evidence from Uganda
Authors: Abiona Olukorede
Published: February 2017

We investigate the impact of unanticipated economic shocks on the use of contraceptives for childbirth control in Uganda using a nationally representative panel of women. To complement our reduced form analysis, we use both intra‐village and inter‐village variation in rainfall shocks between 2009 and 2012 to identify the impact of agricultural income on the adoption of contraceptives by Ugandan women and their husbands. Our results indicate that women in Uganda, along with their husbands, use contraceptives strategically to postpone childbirth during negative shocks. Our baseline coefficient estimate reveals that a 0.10 log‐point adverse rainfall shock increases the demand for contraceptives by 3.8 percentage points. This translates to a 6.7% increase in the likelihood of contraceptives demand. Results from the two‐stage least‐square instrumental variable estimation for the impact of income complements the strategic birth control story from the reduced form estimates of this paper. More importantly, we find suggestive evidence‐linking preventive childbirth decisions to food insecurity during drought. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Hippocampal release of dopamine and norepinephrine encodes novel contextual information
Authors: Moreno‐Castilla Perla , Pérez‐Ortega Rodrigo , Violante‐Soria Valeria , Balderas Israela , Bermúdez‐Rattoni Federico
Published: February 2017

The detection and processing of novel information encountered in our environment is crucial for proper adaptive behavior and learning. Hippocampus is a prime structure for novelty detection that receives high‐level inputs including context information. It is of our interest to understand the mechanisms by which the hippocampus processes contextual information. For this, we performed in vivo microdyalisis in order to monitor extracellular changes in neurotransmitter levels during Object Location Memory (OLM), a behavioral protocol developed to evaluate contextual information processing in recognition memory. Neurotransmitter release was evaluated in the dorsal hippocampus and insular cortex during OLM in 3‐month‐old B6129SF2/J mice. We found a simultaneous release of dopamine and norepinephrine in hippocampus during OLM, while neurochemical activity remained unaltered in the cortex. Additionally, we administered 6‐hydroxy‐dopamine (6‐OHDA), a neurotoxic compound selective to dopaminergic and noradrenergic neurons, in the dorsal hippocampus in a different group of mice. Depletion of catecholaminergic terminals in the hippocampus by 6‐OHDA impaired OLM but did not affect novel object recognition. Our results support the relevance of hippocampal catecholaminergic neurotransmission in recognition memory. The significance of catecholaminergic function may be extended to the clinical field as it has been reported that innervation of hippocampus by the noradrenergic and dopaminergic system is reduced and atrophied in aging and Alzheimer's disease brain. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Optimizing for generalization in the decoding of internally generated activity in the hippocampus
Authors: van der Meer Matthijs A. A. , Carey Alyssa A. , Tanaka Youki
Published: February 2017

The decoding of a sensory or motor variable from neural activity benefits from a known ground truth against which decoding performance can be compared. In contrast, the decoding of covert, cognitive neural activity, such as occurs in memory recall or planning, typically cannot be compared to a known ground truth. As a result, it is unclear how decoders of such internally generated activity should be configured in practice. We suggest that if the true code for covert activity is unknown, decoders should be optimized for generalization performance using cross‐validation. Using ensemble recording data from hippocampal place cells, we show that this cross‐validation approach results in different decoding error, different optimal decoding parameters, and different distributions of error across the decoded variable space. In addition, we show that a minor modification to the commonly used Bayesian decoding procedure, which enables the use of spike density functions, results in substantially lower decoding errors. These results have implications for the interpretation of covert neural activity, and suggest easy‐to‐implement changes to commonly used procedures across domains, with applications to hippocampal place cells in particular. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Reconsolidation‐induced rescue of a remote fear memory blocked by an early cortical inhibition: Involvement of the anterior cingulate cortex and the mediation by the thalamic nucleus reuniens
Authors: Sierra Rodrigo O. , Pedraza Lizeth K. , Zanona Querusche K. , Santana Fabiana , Boos Flávia Z. , Crestani Ana P. , Haubrich Josué , de Oliveira Alvares Lucas , Calcagnotto Maria Elisa , Quillfeldt Jorge A.
Published: February 2017

Systems consolidation is a time‐dependent reorganization process involving neocortical and hippocampal networks underlying memory storage and retrieval. The involvement of the hippocampus during acquisition is well described; however we know much less about the concomitant contribution of cortical activity levels to the formation of stable remote memories. Here, after a reversible pharmacological inhibition of the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) during the acquisition of a contextual fear conditioning, retrieval of both recent and remote memories were impaired, an effect that was reverted by a single memory reactivation session 48 h after training, through a destabilization‐dependent mechanism interpreted as reconsolidation, that restored the normal course of systems consolidation in order to rescue a remote memory. Next we have shown that the integrity of both the anterior cingulate cortex and the thalamic nucleus reuniens (RE) were required for this reactivation‐induced memory rescue. Because lidocaine infused into the RE inhibited LTP induction in the CA1‐anterior cingulate cortex pathways, it seems that RE is a necessary component of the circuit underlying systems consolidation, mediating communication between dorsal hippocampus and cortical areas. To our notice, this is the first demonstration of the rescue of remote memories disrupted by ACC inhibition during acquisition, via a reconsolidation‐driven mechanism. We have also shown the importance of RE to ensure the interconnection among brain areas that collectively seem to control the natural course of systems consolidation and allow the persistence of relevant emotional engrams. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Cognitive behavioral therapy for post‐traumatic stress disorder, depression, or anxiety disorders in women and girls living with female genital mutilation: A systematic review
Authors: Adelufosi Adegoke , Edet Bassey , Arikpo Dachi , Aquaisua Ememobong , Meremikwu Martin M.
Published: February 2017

Background

Female genital mutilation (FGM) is associated with psychological consequences such as post‐traumatic stress disorder (PSTD), depression, and anxiety disorders. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), an empirically supported form of psychotherapy, may be an effective treatment for these psychological sequelae of FGM.

Objectives

To assess the effectiveness of CBT among individuals living with any type of FGM and diagnosed to have PTSD, depression, or anxiety disorders.

Search strategies

CENTRAL, Medline, African Index Medicus, SCOPUS, PILOTS, POPLINE, PsycINFO, WHOLIS, LILACS, ERIC, NYAM Library, CINAHL, Web of Science were searched from inception up to August 10, 2015.

Selection criteria

Both randomized and nonrandomized studies comparing the efficacy of CBT to other forms of interventions for PTSD, depression, or anxiety disorders in individuals with FGM, were systematically reviewed.

Data collection and analysis

We did not identify any studies with eligible design that addressed the objective of the review.

Main results

There are no included studies.

Conclusion

Future studies need to look beyond establishing the prevalence and correlates of FGM to conducting well‐designed, randomized controlled studies or well‐designed interventional observational studies for the management of the psychological consequences of women and girls living with FGM.

PROSPERO registration

CRD42015024458.
Prioritizing and synthesizing evidence to improve the health care of girls and women living with female genital mutilation: An overview of the process
Authors: Stein Karin , Hindin Michelle J. , Chou Doris , Say Lale
Published: February 2017

Female genital mutilation (FGM) constitutes a harmful traditional practice that can have a profound impact on the health and well‐being of girls and women who undergo the procedure. In recent years, due to international migration, healthcare providers worldwide are increasingly confronted with the need to provide adequate health care to this population. Recognizing this situation the WHO recently developed the first evidence‐based guidelines on the management of health complications from FGM. To inform the guideline recommendations, an expert‐driven, two‐step process was conducted. The first step consisted of developing and ranking a list of priority research questions for the evidence retrieval. The second step involved conducting a series of systematic reviews and qualitative data syntheses. In the present paper, we first provide the methodology used in the development and ranking of the research questions (step 1) and then detail the common methodology for each of the systematic reviews and qualitative evidence syntheses (step 2).
Antepartum or intrapartum deinfibulation for childbirth in women with type III female genital mutilation: A systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Esu Ekpereonne , Udo Atim , Okusanya Babasola O. , Agamse David , Meremikwu Martin M.
Published: February 2017

Background

There remains no consensus on the best timing of deinfibulation in women with type III female genital mutilation (FGM).

Objectives

To conduct a systematic review of the effects of antepartum or intrapartum deinfibulation on childbirth outcomes in women with type III FGM.

Search strategy

The following major databases were searched: Cochrane Central Register for Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), MEDLINE, Scopus, Web of Science, and ClinicalTrials.gov, from inception until August 2015 without any language restrictions.

Selection criteria

Studies of pregnant women or girls with type III FGM who were deinfibulated antepartum or intrapartum were included.

Data collection and analysis

Two team members independently screened and collected data. Quality of evidence was assessed using GRADE. Summary odds ratios and proportions were calculated when possible.

Results

There is no evidence of a significant difference between antepartum and intrapartum deinfibulation for obstetric outcomes such as duration of labor, perineal lacerations, episiotomies, postpartum hemorrhage, and cesarean deliveries. Outcomes in women living with type III FGM and those who have undergone deinfibulation were not statistically different; however, trends show a benefit for deinfibulation. All studies were underpowered to detect statistical differences.

Conclusion

Larger studies are required to have full confidence in these findings.

PROSPERO registration

CRD42015024464.
Deinfibulation for preventing or treating complications in women living with type III female genital mutilation: A systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Okusanya Babasola O. , Oduwole Olabisi , Nwachuku Nuria , Meremikwu Martin M.
Published: February 2017

Background

Deinfibulation is a surgical procedure carried out to re‐open the vaginal introitus of women living with type III female genital mutilation (FGM).

Objectives

To assess the impact of deinfibulation on gynecologic or obstetric outcomes by comparing women who were deinfibulated with women with type III FGM or women without FGM.

Search strategy

Major databases including CENTRAL, MEDLINE, and Scopus were searched until August 2015.

Selection criteria

We included nonrandomized studies that compared obstetric outcomes of women with deinfibulation, type III FGM (not deinfibulated during labor), and no FGM.

Data collection and analysis

Quality of evidence was determined following the GRADE methodology. Summary measures were calculated using odds ratios at 95% confidence intervals.

Results

We found no randomized controlled trials. We included four case–control studies. The quality of evidence was very low. Compared with women with type III FGM at delivery, deinfibulated women had a significant reduction in the risk of having a cesarean delivery or postpartum hemorrhage. Compared with women without FGM, deinfibulated women had a similar risk of episiotomy, cesarean delivery, vaginal lacerations, postpartum hemorrhage, and blood loss at vaginal delivery. The length of second stage of labor, mean maternal hospital stay, and Apgar scores less than 7 were also comparable.

Conclusions

Low‐quality evidence suggests deinfibulation improves birth outcomes for women with type III FGM.

PROSPERO registration

CRD42015024466.