bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Clinical significance of circulating plasma DNA in gastric cancer
Authors: Fang Wen‐Liang , Lan Yuan‐Tzu , Huang Kuo‐Hung , Liu Chien‐An , Hung Yi‐Ping , Lin Chien‐Hsing , Jhang Fang‐Yu , Chang Shih‐Ching , Chen Ming‐Huang , Chao Yee , Lin Wen‐Chang , Lo Su‐Shun , Fen‐Yau Li Anna , Wu Chew‐Wun , Chiou Shih‐Hwa , Shyr Yi‐Ming
Published: January 2016

With the progression of molecular techniques, the detection of circulating plasma DNA (cpDNA) is clinically feasible. However, the role of the cpDNA levels in gastric cancer is not well understood. This study assessed the mutational profile in primary tumors and clarified the clinical utility of quantitative and qualitative cpDNA alterations in 277 patients with advanced gastric cancer. The concentrations of cpDNA were measured by TaqMan qPCR, and 68 mutations in 8 genes were studied for cpDNA mutations. The median cpDNA concentrations in patients with stages I, II, and III gastric cancer were 3979, 3390 and 4278 copies/mL, respectively, and increased to 11,380 copies/mL in patients with Stage IV gastric cancer (p < 0.001). Among the 35 patients harboring cpDNA mutations, Stage IV patients (100%) were more likely to display high cpDNA levels than were Stage I (33.3%), II (75%) and III patients (66.7%) (p = 0.037). Patients displaying high cpDNA levels were more likely to experience peritoneal recurrence and exhibited significantly lower 5‐year overall survival rates (39.2% vs. 45.8%, p = 0.039) than did patients displaying low cpDNA levels. Only for late stage (Stages III or IV) gastric cancer, patients harboring cpDNA mutations were more likely to experience vascular invasion (20% vs. 2.4%, p = 0.036) and exhibited a lower 5‐year overall survival rate than did those lacking cpDNA mutations (5.6% vs. 31.5%, p = 0.028). High cpDNA levels are associated with peritoneal recurrence and poor prognosis in patients with advanced gastric cancer; harboring cpDNA mutations is associated with poor prognosis among patients with late stage gastric cancer.
Synthetic Applications and Methodological Developments of Donor−Acceptor Cyclopropanes and Related Compounds
Authors: O'Connor Nicholas R. , Wood John L. , Stoltz Brian M.
Published: January 2016

Donor−acceptor cyclopropanes are convenient precursors to reactive and versatile 1,3‐dipoles, and have found application in the synthesis of a variety of carbo‐ and heterocyclic scaffolds. This perspective review details our laboratory's use of donor−acceptor cyclopropanes as intermediates toward the total synthesis of various natural products. We also discuss our work in the development of novel cycloadditions and rearrangements of donor−acceptor cyclopropanes and aziridines, as well as an example of an aryne insertion proceeding via fragmentation of a transient donor−acceptor cyclobutane.
An evaluation of multiple‐schedule variations to reduce high‐rate requests in the picture exchange communication system
Authors: Landa Robin , Hanley Gregory P.
Published: January 2016

Using procedures similar to those of Tiger, Hanley, and Heal (2006), we compared two multiple‐schedule variations (S+/S– and S+ only) to treat high‐rate requests for edible items in the Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS). Two individuals with autism participated, after they showed persistent requests for edible items after PECS training. Stimulus control was achieved only with the multiple schedule that involved presentation of a discriminative stimulus during reinforcement components and its removal during extinction components (S+ only). Discriminated requests were maintained for the 1 participant who experienced schedule thinning.
Contribution of ionic silver to genotoxic potential of nanosilver in human liver HepG2 and colon Caco2 cells evaluated by the cytokinesis‐block micronucleus assay
Authors: Sahu Saura C. , Roy Shambhu , Zheng Jiwen , Ihrie John
Published: January 2016

Extensive human exposure to food‐ and cosmetics‐related consumer products containing nanosilver is of public concern because of the lack of information about their safety. Genotoxicity is an important endpoint for the safety and health hazard assessment of regulated products including nanomaterials. The in vitro cytokinesis‐block micronucleus (CBMN) assay is a very useful test for predictive genotoxicity testing. Recently, we have reported the genotoxicity of 20 nm nanosilver in human liver HepG2 and colon Caco2 cells evaluated using the CBMN assay. The objective of our present study was three‐fold: (i) to evaluate if HepG2 and Caco2 cells are valuable in vitro models for rapid genotoxicity screening of nanosilver; (ii) to test the hypothesis that the nanoparticle size and cell types are critical determinants of its genotoxicity; and (iii) to determine if ionic silver contributes to the nanosilver genotoxicity. With these objectives in mind, we evaluated the genotoxic potential of 50 nm nanosilver of the same shape, composition, surface charge, obtained from the same commercial source, under the same experimental conditions and the same genotoxic CBMN endpoint used for the previously tested 20 nm silver. The ionic silver (silver acetate) was also evaluated under the same conditions. Results of our study show that up to the concentrations tested in these cell types, the smaller (20 nm) nanosilver induces micronucleus formation in both the cell types but the larger (50 nm) nanosilver and the ionic silver provide a much weaker response compared with controls under the same conditions. Published 2016. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.
Bone Mineral Density and Parathyroid Hormone as Independent Risk Factors for Mortality in Community-Dwelling Older Adults: A Population-Based Prospective Cohort Study in Brazil. The São Paulo Ageing & Health (SPAH) Study
Authors: Domiciano Diogo S , Machado Luana G , Lopes Jaqueline B , Figueiredo Camille P , Caparbo Valéria F , Oliveira Ricardo M , Scazufca Márcia , McClung Michael R , Pereira Rosa MR
Published: January 2016

Previous studies have shown a relationship between osteoporosis and increased mortality risk. However, none of these studies performed a concomitant evaluation of the parathyroid hormone (PTH)-calcium-vitamin D axis and bone mass to accurately determine the contribution of each of these parameters to survival in older subjects. Thus, we sought to investigate the association between bone parameters and mortality in a longitudinal, prospective, population-based cohort of 839 elderly subjects. Clinical data (including history of fractures and cardiovascular events) were assessed using a specific questionnaire. Laboratory exams, including serum 25OHD and PTH, were also performed. Bone mineral density (BMD) at the lumbar spine and hip were evaluated using DXA. All analyses were performed at baseline (2005 to 2007). Mortality was recorded during follow-up. Multivariate Cox proportional regression was used to compute hazard ratios for all-cause and cardiovascular mortality. Over a mean 4.06 ± 1.07 years, there were 132 (15.7%) deaths. These individuals were compared to 707 subjects who were alive at the end of the coverage period for mortality data collection. In a multivariate Cox proportional hazards model, age (HR 1.32; 95% CI, 1.13 to 1.55; p = 0.001, for each 5-year increase), male gender (HR 1.90; 95% CI, 1.30 to 2.79; p = 0.001), recurrent falls (more than two in the previous year; HR 1.65; 95% CI, 1.06 to 2.56; p = 0.026), diabetes mellitus (HR 2.17; 95% CI, 1.46 to 3.21; p < 0.001), low physical activity score (HR 1.78; 95% CI, 1.14 to 2.79; p = 0.011), prior cardiovascular event (HR 1.76; 95% CI, 1.18 to 2.63; p = 0.006), total hip BMD (HR 1.41; 95% CI, 1.15 to 1.72; p = 0.001, per each 1 SD decrease), and intact PTH (iPTH) (HR 1.06; 95% CI, 1.04 to 1.08; p < 0.001, per each 10 pg/mL increase) were independently associated with all-cause mortality. The subjects in the highest quartile of PTH (>49 pg/mL) were at a higher risk of cardiovascular death (HR 3.09; 95% CI, 1.36 to 6.99; p = 0.007) compared with the subjects in the lowest quartile (<26 pg/mL). Low BMD and higher PTH were significantly associated with mortality in community-dwelling older adults. These findings support the notion that careful screening of these bone parameters might lead to better management of older patients and improve outcomes in this population. © 2016 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.
Donors’ health state the year after peripheral haematopoietic progenitor cell collection: A prospective follow‐up study in related and unrelated donors compared to first‐time platelet donors
Authors: Bank I. , Wiersum‐Osselton J.C. , Van Walraven S.M. , Netelenbos T. , Fechter M. , Marijt‐van der Kreek T. , Bär B.M.A.M. , Van der Bom J.G. , Brand A.
Published: January 2016

Granulocyte colony‐stimulating factor (G‐CSF) mobilized peripheral haematopoietic progenitor cells collected by apheresis (HPC‐A) are the most common source used for allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). Retrospective short and long‐term donor follow‐up studies show very low risks of serious complications and do not report compelling evidence of increased cancer occurrence. Some studies reported a prolonged period of leucopenia without an obvious association with infectious complications. However, beyond the first few weeks after the procedure a relationship between events is elusive. We therefore evaluated medical service utilization by prospectively recruited HPC‐A donors and first‐time platelet apheresis donors for comparison for 1 year after donation. Data were prospectively collected using questionnaires and by medical record review. A total of 215 HPC‐A donors (111 unrelated donors and 104 related donors) and 96 first‐time platelet donors consented to participation in the study. Follow‐up was available for 202 (96%): questionnaires were returned by 74% and records from nonstudy contacts were available for 94% of donors. During the 1‐year follow‐up, 94 of the donors who returned questionnaires sought medical attention for diagnostic evaluation and/or treatment: 41% of HPC‐A donors and 40% of platelet donors. Medical service utilization the first year after HPC‐A donation is similar to that after first‐time platelet donation. The occurrence of serious medical conditions in both related and unrelated HPC‐A donors underscores the importance of participation in long‐term follow‐up in large cohorts. The findings in this relatively small cohort contribute to evidence on the safety of G‐CSF mobilization and HPC‐A. J. Clin. Apheresis 31:523–528, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
PPARγ Represses Apolipoprotein A‐I Gene but Impedes TNFα‐Mediated ApoA‐I Downregulation in HepG2 Cells
Authors: Shavva Vladimir S. , Mogilenko Denis A. , Bogomolova Alexandra M. , Nikitin Artemy A. , Dizhe Ella B. , Efremov Alexander M. , Oleinikova Galina N. , Perevozchikov Andrej P. , Orlov Sergey V.
Published: January 2016

Apolipoprotein A‐I (ApoA‐I) is the main anti‐atherogenic component of human high‐density lipoproteins (HDL). ApoA‐I gene expression is regulated by several nuclear receptors, which are the sensors for metabolic changes during development of cardiovascular diseases. Activation of nuclear receptor PPARγ has been shown to impact lipid metabolism as well as inflammation. Here, we have shown that synthetic PPARγ agonist GW1929 decreases both ApoA‐I mRNA and protein levels in HepG2 cells and the effect of GW1929 on apoA‐I gene transcription depends on PPARγ. PPARγ binds to the sites A and C within the hepatic enhancer of apoA‐I gene and the negative regulation of apoA‐I gene transcription by PPARγ appears to be realized via the site C (−134 to −119). Ligand activation of PPARγ leads to an increase of LXRβ and a decrease of PPARα binding to the apoA‐I gene hepatic enhancer in HepG2 cells. GW1929 abolishes the TNFα‐mediated decrease of ApoA‐I mRNA expression in both HepG2 and Caco‐2 cells but does not block TNFα‐mediated inhibition of ApoA‐I protein secretion by HepG2 cells. These data demonstrate that complex of PPARγ with GW1929 is a negative regulator involved in the control of ApoA‐I expression and secretion in human hepatocyte‐ and enterocyte‐like cells. J. Cell. Biochem. 117: 2010–2022, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Modulation of the Isoprenoid/Cholesterol Biosynthetic Pathway During Neuronal Differentiation In Vitro
Authors: Cartocci Veronica , Segatto Marco , Di Tunno Ilenia , Leone Stefano , Pfrieger Frank W. , Pallottini Valentina
Published: January 2016

During differentiation, neurons acquire their typical shape and functional properties. At present, it is unclear, whether this important developmental step involves metabolic changes. Here, we studied the contribution of the mevalonate (MVA) pathway to neuronal differentiation using the mouse neuroblastoma cell line N1E‐115 as experimental model. Our results show that during differentiation, the activity of 3‐hydroxy 3‐methylglutaryl Coenzyme A reductase (HMGR), a key enzyme of MVA pathway, and the level of Low Density Lipoprotein receptor (LDLr) decrease, whereas the level of LDLr‐related protein‐1 (LRP1) and the dimerization of Scavanger Receptor B1 (SRB‐1) rise. Pharmacologic inhibition of HMGR by simvastatin accelerated neuronal differentiation by modulating geranylated proteins. Collectively, our data suggest that during neuronal differentiation, the activity of the MVA pathway decreases and we postulate that any interference with this process impacts neuronal morphology and function. Therefore, the MVA pathway appears as an attractive pharmacological target to modulate neurological and metabolic symptoms of developmental neuropathologies. J. Cell. Biochem. 117: 2036–2044, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Development and validation of hydrophobic molecular fields derived from the quantum mechanical IEF/PCM‐MST solvation models in 3D‐QSAR
Authors: Ginex Tiziana , Muñoz‐Muriedas Jordi , Herrero Enric , Gibert Enric , Cozzini Pietro , Luque F. J.
Published: January 2016

Since the development of structure–activity relationships about 50 years ago, 3D‐QSAR methods belong to the most refined ligand‐based in silico techniques for prediction of biological data using physicochemical molecular fields. In this scenario, this study reports the development and validation of quantum mechanical (QM)‐based hydrophobic descriptors derived from the parametrized MST continuum solvation model to be used in 3D‐QSAR studies within the framework of the Hydrophobic Pharmacophore (HyPhar) method. To this end, five sets of compounds reported in the literature (dopamine D2/D4 antagonists, antifungal 2‐aryl‐4‐chromanones, and inhibitors of GSK‐3, cruzain and thermolysin) have been revisited. The results derived from the QM/MST‐based hydrophobic descriptors have been compared with previous CoMFA and CoMSIA studies, and examined in light of the available X‐ray crystallographic structures of the targets. The analysis reveals that the combination of electrostatic and nonelectrostatic components of the octanol/water partition coefficient yields pharmacophoric models fully comparable with the predictive potential of standard 3D‐QSAR techniques. Moreover, the graphical representation of the hydrophobic maps provides a direct linkage with the pattern of interactions found in crystallographic structures. Overall, the introduction of the QM/MST‐based descriptors, which could be easily adapted to other continuum solvation formalisms, paves the way to novel computational strategies for disclosing structure–activity relationships in drug design. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Zebrafish as a Model for the Study of Chaperonopathies
Authors: Bellipanni Gianfranco , Cappello Francesco , Scalia Federica , Conway de Macario Everly , Macario Alberto J.L. , Giordano Antonio
Published: January 2016

There is considerable information on the clinical manifestations and mode of inheritance for many genetic chaperonopathies but little is known on the molecular mechanisms underlying the cell and tissue abnormalities that characterize them. This scarcity of knowledge is mostly due to the lack of appropriate animal models that mimic closely the human molecular, cellular, and histological characteristics. In this article we introduce zebrafish as a suitable model to study molecular and cellular mechanisms pertaining to human chaperonopathies. Genetic chaperonopathies manifest themselves from very early in life so it is necessary to examine the impact of mutant chaperone genes during development, starting with fertilization and proceeding throughout the entire ontogenetic process. Zebrafish is amenable to such developmental analysis as well as studies during adulthood. In addition, the zebrafish genome contains a wide range of genes encoding proteins similar to those that form the chaperoning system of humans. This, together with the availability of techniques for genetic manipulations and for examination of all stages of development, makes zebrafish the organism of choice for the analysis of the molecular features and pathogenic mechanisms pertaining to human chaperonopathies. J. Cell. Physiol. 231: 2107–2114, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Characterization of halo‐alkaline and thermostable protease from Halorubrum ezzemoulense strain ETR14 isolated from Sfax solar saltern in Tunisia
Authors: Dammak Donyez Frikha , Smaoui Salma Masmoudi , Ghanmi Fadoua , Boujelben Ines , Maalej Sami
Published: January 2016

A total of 54 halophilic strains were isolated from crystallizer TS18 (26 strains) and non‐crystallizer M1 (28 strains) ponds and screened for their ability to produce protease, amylase, and lipase activities. Enzymatic assays allowed the selection of thirty‐two active strains, among them, the ETR14 strain from TS18 showed maximum protease production yields and therefore, selected for further analysis. The results from 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis revealed that the strain belonged to Halorubrum ezzemoulense (Hrr. ezzemoulense) species. Further results indicated that optimum growth and protease production yields were obtained with 10–15% NaCl concentrations in the DSC‐97 medium. The enzyme was also able to maintain high levels of protease activity at salt concentrations of up to 25%. While readily available carbon sources were noted to significantly reduce protease production, the combination between yeast extract and peptone enhanced protease excretion, which reached a maximum of 284 U ml−1 at the end of the exponential growth phase. The enzyme exhibited optimum activity at pH 9 and 60°C. The halophilic protease retained 87% of its initial activity after 1 h incubation at 70 °C and showed high stability over a wide range of pH, ranging from 7 to 10. This protease exhibited good temperature, pH, and salinity tolerance, which distinguishes it from other proteases previously described from other members of the holoarchaea genera and makes it a promising candidate for application in various industries.
Predictability of the wintertime Arctic Oscillation based on autumn circulation
Authors: Kryjov Vladimir N. , Min Young‐Mi
Published: January 2016

A statistical method for 1‐month lead prediction of the wintertime Arctic Oscillation (AO) is suggested in the study. Predictors, independently constructed for each forecast based on October geopotential height of the 500 hPa surface (Z500), indicate that the strongest impact of October circulation on the wintertime AO originates from a Z500 anomaly over the Taymyr Peninsula which causes an anomalous October advection of the cold (warm) air to the central Arctic and warm (cold) air to the East Asia prior to winters of the positive (negative) AO polarity. Independent verification assessments based on the series of 30 forecasts of the December–February (DJF) AO index (AOI) reveal a high skill of the developed method, with correlation coefficient between the predicted and observed DJF AOI being 0.61 and mean square skill score being 0.37.
Organic carbon in seagrass sediments is influenced by seagrass canopy complexity, turbidity, wave height, and water depth
Authors: Samper‐Villarreal Jimena , Lovelock Catherine E. , Saunders Megan I. , Roelfsema Chris , Mumby Peter J.
Published: January 2016

Seagrass meadows are important marine carbon sinks, yet they are threatened and declining worldwide. Seagrass management and conservation requires adequate understanding of the physical and biological factors determining carbon content in seagrass sediments. Here, we identified key factors that influence carbon content in seagrass meadows across several environmental gradients in Moreton Bay, SE Queensland. Sampling was conducted in two regions: (1) Canopy Complexity, 98 sites on the Eastern Banks, where seagrass canopy structure and species composition varied while turbidity was consistently low; and (2) Turbidity Gradient, 11 locations across the entire bay, where turbidity varied among sampling locations. Sediment organic carbon content and seagrass structural complexity (shoot density, leaf area, and species specific characteristics) were measured from shallow sediment and seagrass biomass cores at each location, respectively. Environmental data were obtained from empirical measurements (water quality) and models (wave height). The key factors influencing carbon content in seagrass sediments were seagrass structural complexity, turbidity, water depth, and wave height. In the Canopy Complexity region, carbon content was higher for shallower sites and those with higher seagrass structural complexity. When turbidity varied along the Turbidity Gradient, carbon content was higher at sites with high turbidity. In both regions carbon content was consistently higher in sheltered areas with lower wave height. Seagrass canopy structure, water depth, turbidity, and hydrodynamic setting of seagrass meadows should therefore be considered in conservation and management strategies that aim to maximize sediment carbon content.
Urinary Dysfunctions Are More Severe in the Parkinsonian Phenotype of Multiple System Atrophy
Authors: Yamamoto Tatsuya , Asahina Masato , Yamanaka Yoshitaka , Uchiyama Tomoyuki , Hirano Shigeki , Sugiyama Atsuhiko , Sakakibara Ryuji , Kuwabara Satoshi
Published: January 2016

Background

MSA is clinically classified into two phenotypes: parkinsonism predominant (MSA‐P) and cerebellar ataxia predominant (MSA‐C). However, little is known about the differences in urinary dysfunctions between MSA‐C and MSA‐P. We investigated the differences in urinary and cardiovascular dysfunctions between MSA‐C and MSA‐P.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of patients with MSA diagnosed as having probable or possible MSA according to Gilman's second consensus criteria from January 2007 to September 2013 in our hospital. Data regarding the initial symptoms, onset of urinary symptoms, and results of urodynamic (including anal sphincter electromyography) and head‐up tilt tests were collected.

Results

A total of 100 patients with MSA, including 59 patients with MSA‐C and 41 with MSA‐P, were reviewed. Initial symptoms were autonomic (n = 12) and cerebellar (n = 47) in the MSA‐C phenotype and were autonomic (n = 14) and parkinsonian (n = 27) in the MSA‐P phenotypes. Urodynamic study indicated that bladder contraction was more severely impaired in patients with MSA‐P than in those with MSA‐C. In the head‐up tilt test, the decrease in diastolic blood pressure was significantly larger in the MSA‐P phenotype than that in the MSA‐C phenotype. Acontractile bladder during the pressure flow study increased likelihood that the phenotype is MSA‐P (odds ratio: 6.67; 95% confidence interval: 1.004–44.284; P = 0.050).

Conclusions

Urinary dysfunctions were more severe in MSA‐P compared with MSA‐C. Detailed urodynamic study was helpful for detecting subtle differences between MSA‐C and MSA‐P.
Huntington's Disease, Huntington's Disease Look‐Alikes‎, and Benign Hereditary Chorea: What's New?
Authors: Schneider Susanne A. , Bird Thomas
Published: January 2016

Background

The differential diagnosis of chorea syndromes is complex. It includes inherited forms, the most common of which is autosomal dominant Huntington's disease (HD). In addition, there are disorders mimicking HD, the so‐called HD‐like (HDL) syndromes.

Methods and Results

Here we review main clinical, genetic, and pathophysiological characteristics of HD and the rare HD phenocopies in order to familiarize clinicians with them. Molecular studies have shown that HD phenocopies account for about 1% of suspected HD cases, most commonly due to mutations in C9orf72 (also the main cause of frontotemporal dementia and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis syndromes), TATA box‐binding protein (spinocerebellar ataxia type 17 [SCA17]/HDL4), and JPH3 (HDL2). Systematic screening studies also revealed mutations in PRNP (prion disease), VPS13A (chorea‐acanthocytosis), ATXN8OS‐ATXN8 (SCA8), and FXN (late‐onset Friedreich's Ataxia) in single cases. Further differential diagnoses to consider in patients presenting with a clinical diagnosis consistent with HD, but without the HD expansion, include dentatorubral‐pallidoluysian atrophy and benign hereditary chorea (TITF1), as well as the recently described form of ADCY5‐associated neurodegeneration. Lastly, biallelic mutations in RNF216 and FRRS1L have recently been reported as autosomal recessive phenocopies of HD.

Conclusion

There is a growing list of genes associated with chorea, yet a substantial percentage of patients remain undiagnosed. It is likely that more genes will be discovered in the future and that the clinical spectrum of the described disorders will broaden.
Autophagy and Alpha‐Synuclein: Relevance to Parkinson's Disease and Related Synucleopathies
Authors: Xilouri Maria , Brekk Oeystein Roed , Stefanis Leonidas
Published: January 2016

Evidence from human postmortem material, transgenic mice, and cellular/animal models of PD link alpha‐synuclein accumulation to alterations in the autophagy lysosomal pathway. Conversely, alpha‐synuclein mutations related to PD pathogenesis, as well as post‐translational modifications of the wild‐type protein, result in the generation of aberrant species that may impair further the function of the autophagy lysosomal pathway, thus generating a vicious cycle leading to neuronal death. Moreover, PD‐linked mutations in lysosomal‐related genes, such as glucocerebrosidase, have been also shown to contribute to alpha‐synuclein accumulation and related toxicity, indicating that lysosomal dysfunction may, in part, account for the neurodegeneration observed in synucleinopathies. In the current review, we summarize findings related to the inter‐relationship between alpha‐synuclein and lysosomal proteolytic pathways, focusing especially on recent experimental strategies based on the manipulation of the autophagy lysosomal pathway to counteract alpha‐synuclein‐mediated neurotoxicity in vivo. Pinpointing the factors that regulate alpha‐synuclein association to the lysosome may represent potential targets for therapeutic interventions in PD and related synucleinopathies. © 2016 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society
Design of dual‐band circular polarization for the monopole antenna by utilizing triple‐strip topology
Authors: Wang Chien‐Jen , Shih Meng‐Hong
Published: January 2016

The design and performance of a dual‐band circularly polarized monopole antenna for multisystem integration are shown in this paper. A triple‐strip monopole structure, which is fed at the microstrip line, is designed and fabricated to excite several resonances. After optimization of the geometrical parameters of the antenna, the resonances are merged, and thus a wide impedance bandwidth is obtained. The measured impedance bandwidth of a S11 < −10 dB ranges from 1.43 to 3.29 GHz, and covers most of commercial wireless communication systems. A right‐hand circularly polarized wave at 1.57 GHz for the global positioning system is not only excited, but a left‐hand circularly polarized wave at 2.33 GHz for satellite digital audio radio service system is also generated. The 3‐dB axial ratio bandwidths are about 70 MHz at the lower band (1.57 GHz) and 60 MHz at the upper band (2.33 GHz). Both of simulated and measured results are shown to validate the impedance and CP characteristics of the proposed monopole antenna. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 58:514–521, 2016
Dual‐band BPF design using ASIR structures with a dumbbell‐shaped notch
Authors: Wang Wensong , Yang Chenchen , Cao Qunsheng , Chen Yinchao
Published: January 2016

Presented is a miniaturized microstrip dual‐band bandpass filter (BPF). An asymmetric stepped impedance resonator (ASIR) is employed with a dumbbell‐shaped notch. Compared with the conventional stepped impedance resonator (CSIR) and the multiple‐mode resonator (MMR), the ASIR utilizes the first two modes to produce a wider lower passband, while the third mode produces an upper passband. The input and output ports of the ASIR are connected with interdigital capacitive‐coupled lines. The measured data of the fabricated filter demonstrates a very good agreement to those simulated with a steep upper‐stopband suppression. The filter simultaneously operates at 13.88 and 24.75 GHz, respectively, with the corresponding fractional bandwidths of 29.4% and 7.1%. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 58:532–535, 2016
Compact UWB antenna with sharp tunable band‐notched characteristics
Authors: Li Tong , Zhu Cheng , Cao Xiangyu , Gao Jun
Published: January 2016

This letter proposes a compact ultra‐wideband antenna with sharp tunable band‐notched function. The antenna utilizes a pair of varactor‐loaded interdigital capacitance loading loop resonators (IDCLLRs) to realize tunable band‐notched characteristics. Compared to many other resonant structures, IDCLLR has a larger effective capacitance, leading to a narrower notch width with a more compact size, thus preventing the waste of useful spectrum. The varactors are independently controlled to achieve single or dual notched bands, and the notch frequencies can be electronically tuned by varying the bias voltages across the varactors. Measured results are in good agreement with the simulations, which demonstrates that the proposed antenna can easily adapt to the changeable environment. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 58:529–532, 2016
Self‐homodyne detection technique using extracted local oscillator light by GS‐SOA in optical coherent transmission
Authors: Mun Kyoung‐Hak , Jung Sang‐Min , Han Sang‐Kook
Published: January 2016

A self‐homodyne coherent detection technique using gain‐saturated SOA (GS‐SOA) is proposed. In the proposed system, local oscillator (LO) for optical coherent detection is extracted from the optical signal which is sent from the transmitter using the fact that the modulated downlink data can be erased with SOA operation in saturation region. Therefore, carrier frequency offset noise does not occur because LO light which is extracted from the received optical signal has totally same wavelength with the optical signal. In order to operate SOA operates in deep saturation region, high optical input power is needed. The proposed scheme was experimentally demonstrated, and the feasibility was discussed with the experimental results. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 58:561–565, 2016
A metamaterial based tri‐band antenna for WiMAX/WLAN application
Authors: Pushkar Pratyush , Gupta Vibha Rani
Published: January 2016

This article presents a metamaterial‐based tri‐band antenna for WiMAX (2.5/3.5/5.5 GHz) and WLAN (5.2/5.8 GHz) application. The antenna comprises of a metallic patch of area 22 mm × 14 mm on the top of a substrate. The patch is etched with a T‐shaped slot and meandered lines. At the bottom of substrate we have a partial, rectangular shaped ground plane along with an electric‐inductive‐capacitive resonator. The proposed antenna gives a desired impedance bandwidth along with an omnidirectional radiation pattern. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 58:558–561, 2016
Switchable electromagnetic shield by active frequency selective surface for LTE‐2.1 GHz
Authors: Yang Chenchen , Li Huangyan , Cao Qunsheng , Wang Yi
Published: January 2016

In this letter, a simple design method for reconfigurable active frequency selective surface (AFSS) and novel switchable AFSS is presented, which the AFSS can transmit LTE 2.1 GHz signals in PIN‐OFF state while function as a band‐stop filter to shield those signals in PIN‐ON state. Compared with regular square loop AFSS, the proposed structure is exhibited fair stability for different incident angles and much smaller −10 dB bandwidth of |S21| for reflection state and reasonable insertion loss for transmission state. By changing DC voltage through bias feeder lines, the switch function can be obviously realized. A prototype is fabricated and measured, and a good agreement between the simulation and measurement results is achieved. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 58:535–540, 2016
Substrate integrated waveguide filter on LCP substrate at 94 GHz
Authors: Zhang Yifei , Shi Shouyuan , Martin Richard D. , Prather Dennis W.
Published: January 2016

In this paper we present a substrate integrated waveguide (SIW) filter on a thin film liquid crystal polymer (LCP) substrate at 94 GHz. The proposed filter consists of two cascaded SIW cavities coupled through an iris window, and is fed by microstrip lines. These two cavities are constructed using twenty four vias. The full‐wave simulation predicts the proposed filter has a pass band of 8% centered at 94 GHz. To validate our design, low‐loss and low‐reflection CBCPW probe pads without ground‐connected vias were also designed to integrate with the microstrip lines for probing. The devices were fabricated on a large LCP panel by using commercial state‐of‐the‐art large‐scale circuit printing technologies. The measured spectrum responses of the second‐ordered SIW filter are in good agreement with the simulated ones, and the total insertion loss is below 2.6 dB at 94 GHz with two feeding CBCPW pads. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 58:577–580, 2016
A 1 × 2 triple‐band printed antenna array for use in next generation flying AD‐HOC networks (FANETs)
Authors: Khawaja Bilal A. , Tarar Munir A. , Tauqeer Tauseef , Amir Faisal , Mustaqim Muhammad
Published: January 2016

A triple‐band 1 x 2 microstrip patch antenna array is proposed for use in next generation flying ad‐hoc network (FANET) communication in multi‐UAV systems. The antenna array resonates in the 3.6 GHz, 5.2 GHz and 6.7 GHz frequency bands, respectively. The antenna was designed and simulated using Agilent ADS Momentum using FR4 epoxy glass substrate (εr = 4.2 and h = 1.66mm). A hybrid feed technique is used for antenna arrays with quarter‐wave transformer based network to match the impedance from the feed‐point to the antenna to 50Ω. The antenna is optimized to resonate at triple‐bands by introducing two symmetrical slits at the non‐radiating edges of the patch. The bandwidths achieved for the three bands are 130 MHz, 125 MHz and 180 MHz, respectively, which are very practical. The antenna array design is less complex and can be used for the advanced antenna beam‐steering systems in next generation FANETs. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 58:606–611, 2016
CRLH unit cell loaded quad‐band monopole antenna
Authors: Nandi Sourav , Mohan Akhilesh
Published: January 2016

A novel design of quad‐band monopole planar antenna has been presented in this letter. Initially, a dual‐band monopole antenna is excited at two distinct frequencies using monopoles of two different lengths in the same design. Furthermore, the longer monopole with lower operating frequency is loaded with composite right/left handed (CRLH) unit cell, due to which two additional operating narrowband frequencies are obtained. The special characteristic of the CRLH unit cell lies in the design trick of the meandered stub inductor, a significant length of which is adjusted by doubly folding it within a smaller area leading to an electrically smaller unit cell size. The resonant frequencies of the fabricated quad‐band antenna are found at 0.85, 1.61, 2.42, and 3.55 GHz. The prototype of the proposed antenna is fabricated and measured. The measured results are in good agreement with the simulated results. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 58:653–658, 2016
Strain and curvature‐independent temperature sensor based on an interferometer taper fabricated with a CO2 laser
Authors: Martins T. J. M. , Marques M. B. , Frazão O.
Published: January 2016

An optical fiber interferometer taper fabricated with a CO2 laser is proposed for strain and curvature‐independent temperature measurement. Variations in temperature produce changes in the conditions of the interference between light traveling along the core and cladding and a linear behavior is verified for the relation between the wavelength of the resonant loss peak and temperature, yielding a sensitivity of 110 pm/°C for a range between 25 and 510°C. Both the applied strain and curvature only promote significant changes in the transmitted power, leaving the wavelength of the resonant loss peak approximately constant and rendering this optical sensing device a good strain and curvature‐independent temperature sensor. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 58:688–691, 2016
Acetone evaporation and water vapor detection using a caterpillar‐like microstructured fiber
Authors: Gomes A. D. , Ferreira M. F. S. , Moura J. P. , André R. M. , Kobelke J. , Bierlich J. , Wondraczek K. , Schuster K. , Frazão O.
Published: January 2016

A new microstructured optical fiber is presented as a sensor of acetone evaporation. Sensing is performed by observing the time response of the reflected signal at 1550 nm when the device is dipped in acetone or a 50% acetone–50% water mixture. The sensor consists on a caterpillar‐like microstructured fiber spliced to a single‐mode fiber, where the spliced end of the sensor has a transversal microfluidic channel etched using focused ion beam. Upon heating, different behaviors are visible between the dipping and the evaporation of acetone. The sensor is able to track the evaporation of acetone and to distinguish between pure acetone and a 50% acetone–50% water mixture. The sensor is also able to detect when the acetone in a mixture with water is fully evaporated. The detection of water vapor with no particular orientation of the sensor is achieved due to the presence of the microfluidic channels. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 58:679–683, 2016
Substrate integrated waveguide based triangular antenna arrays
Authors: Banerjee Soumen , Rana Biswarup , Parui Susanta Kumar
Published: January 2016

In this letter, an equilateral triangular antenna with two sides metallic vias resembling perfect electric conductor walls have been proposed. The antenna is designed and fabricated at 5.49 GHz with gain of 5.7 dBi and radiation efficiency of 98%. With the array element, linear (1 × 2 and 1 × 4) and planar (2 × 2) arrays have been proposed and fabricated. Both the linear arrays operate at the centre frequency of 5.43 GHz. The 1 × 2 array produces a gain of 7.5 dBi offering 49 MHz impedance bandwidth while 1 × 4 array offers 52 MHz impedance bandwidth with 10.7 dBi gain. The 2 × 2 planar array, on the other hand, gives 48 MHz impedance bandwidth with 9.6 dBi gain at the operating frequency of 5.45 GHz. The prototypes are fabricated and various antenna parameters are measured. A close agreement between simulated and measured results is observed. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 58:675–679, 2016
An axial‐ratio beamwidth enhancement of patch antenna with digonal slot and square ring
Authors: Yuan Bo , Zhang Xiao Hong , Hu Zhi Fang , Luo Guo Qing
Published: January 2016

A novel circularly polarized (CP) antenna with wide angular coverage is presented. The proposed antenna is formed by a 45
slot cut in the center of a rectangular patch antenna and a square ring around it. It can achieve an impedance bandwidth of 110 MHz and a 3 dB axial ratio bandwidth of 25 MHz. For this design, very stable and symmetrical radiation patterns are obtained. The 3 dB axial ratio beamwidth for the antenna is 160
, compared with the antenna that without the metal square ring, the antenna with square ring has 19
more 3 dB axial ratio beamwidth. This antenna has been successfully applied on passive keyless entry system on door lock. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 58:672–675, 2016
Design of UWB microstrip bandpass filter using stub‐loaded quintuple‐mode resonator
Authors: Sahin Elif Gunturkun , Gorur Ali Kursad , Karpuz Ceyhun , Gorur Adnan
Published: January 2016

Design of a novel ultra‐wideband (UWB) microstrip bandpass filter is presented by using a square loop quintuple‐mode resonator (QMR) having open‐circuited stubs. The proposed resonator has five resonant modes in UWB band range and is coupled to Input/Output (IO) ports by parallel‐coupled feed lines. The first three resonance modes are resulted from the stub loaded square loop resonator, whereas the remaining two modes can be formed by means of the coupling between the open‐circuited stubs and the resonator. The designed UWB filter has totally seven poles including two poles resulting from the nature of the coupling sections and five poles from the QMR. Theoretical analysis of the resonator is realized by defining the equivalent circuit model. Coupling scheme and coupling matrix of the designed filter are also extracted to clarify the filter topology. In addition, two patch perturbation elements are used to control the in‐band return loss levels. A seven pole UWB bandpass filter is designed, analyzed, and fabricated. Measurement results show a good agreement with the predicted results. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 58:662–666, 2016
Novel dual‐band compact his and its application of reducing array in‐band RCS
Authors: Zhang Shuai
Published: January 2016

This paper proposes a novel dual‐band in‐phase reflection characteristic high impedance surface (HIS) by using two‐layer edge located vias and interdigital structures (TELI‐HIS). It has simple structure and compact size, and is easy for dual‐frequency tuning. Parametric study and working mechanism of it are presented. Through the destructive interference between the reflected wave produced by the HIS and the metal part of antennas, the TELI‐HIS is employed to reduce the in‐band RCS of dual‐band microstrip patch antenna array. Compared with the traditional RCS reduction technique, the proposed method can reduce the antenna in‐band RCS without radiation performance degradation. Simulation and measurement show that the RCS in both operating bands are reduced by 11.5 dBsm at least, and the maximum gain and the return loss are coincident to the original antenna array. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 58:700–704, 2016
Circularly polarized inverted stacked high gain antenna with frequency selective surface
Authors: Gangwar Deepak , Das Sushrut , Yadava R.L. , Kanaujia Binod Kumar
Published: January 2016

In this work; the novel design of dumbbell shaped frequency selective surface (FSS) is demonstrated as superstrate. The array of this designed FSS structure is incorporated on two different antennas; (1) Microstrip Patch Antenna (MPA), and (2) Inverted Stacked Microstrip Patch Antenna (ISMPA). The FSS unit cell reflection magnitude is nearly 0.95 in the vicinity of both antennas resonance frequencies. Based on the ray tracing phenomenon multiple reflections occur between superstate and ground plane. So by this phenomenon the gain of circular patch and the ISMPA is enhanced by 6.02 dBic and 5.1 dBic respectively. In the measured results, the impedance bandwidth of MPA and ISMPA are 6.66% (5.8–6.2 GHz) at 6 GHz center frequency and 5.3% (5.53–5.83 GHz) at 5.67 GHz center frequency respectively. The corner truncated dumbbell shaped FSS layer also acts as a polarizer. The axial ratio 3 dB band width of MPA and ISMPA are 8.66% (5.64–6.16 GHz) and 12.6% (5.52–6.24 GHz). Here simulation results are shown good agreement with measured results. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 58:732–740, 2016
Simultaneous muscle water T2 and fat fraction mapping using transverse relaxometry with stimulated echo compensation
Authors: Marty Benjamin , Baudin Pierre‐Yves , Reyngoudt Harmen , Azzabou Noura , Araujo Ericky C. A. , Carlier Pierre G. , de Sousa Paulo L.
Published: January 2016

Skeletal muscle inflammation/necrosis and fat infiltration are strong indicators of disease activity and progression in many neuromuscular disorders. They can be assessed by muscle T2 relaxometry and water‐fat separation techniques, respectively. In the present work, we exploited differences between water and fat T1 and T2 relaxivities by applying a bi‐component extended phase graph (EPG) fitting approach to simultaneously quantify the muscle water T2 and fat fraction from standard multi‐slice multi‐echo (MSME) acquisitions in the presence of stimulated echoes. Experimental decay curves were adjusted to the theoretical model using either an iterative non‐negative least‐squares (NNLS) procedure or a pattern recognition approach. Twenty‐two patients (age, 49 ± 18 years) were selected to cover a large range of muscle fat infiltration. Four cases of chronic or subchronic juvenile dermatomyositis (age, 8 ± 3 years) were investigated before and 3 months following steroid treatment. For control, five healthy volunteers (age, 25 ± 2 years) were recruited. All subjects underwent the MSME sequence and EPG fitting procedure. The EPG fitting algorithm allowed a precise estimation of water T2 and fat fraction in diseased muscle, even in the presence of large B1+ inhomogeneities. In the whole cohort of patients, there was no overall correlation between water T2 values obtained with the proposed method and the fat fraction estimated inside muscle tissues (R2 = 0.02). In the patients with dermatomyositis, there was a significant decrease in water T2 (‐4.09 ± 3.7 ms) consequent to steroid treatment. The pattern recognition approach resulted in a 20‐fold decrease in processing time relative to the iterative NNLS procedure. The fat fraction derived from the EPG fitting approach correlated well with the fat fraction derived from a standard three‐point Dixon method (≈1.5% bias). The bi‐component EPG fitting analysis is a precise tool to monitor muscle tissue disease activity and is able to handle bias introduced by fat infiltration and B1+ inhomogeneities. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
What are ‘unpopular causes’ and how can they achieve fundraising success?
Authors: Body Alison , Breeze Beth
Published: January 2016

Recent efforts to grow and strengthen the culture of philanthropy in the UK have largely focused on two dimensions: the total amount of money donated and the effectiveness of philanthropic spending. This paper explores a third dimension: the destination and distribution of donations. A defining characteristic of charitable giving is that it is voluntary rather than coerced, and the resulting respect for donor autonomy makes people wary of promoting one cause above another or implying that any beneficiary group is more or less ‘worthy’ of support. However, the absence of much comment on, or significant research into, the destination of donations does not alter the fact that some groups succeed in attracting significant philanthropic funds whilst others struggle to secure many—or any—donations. This paper explores the concept of ‘unpopularity’ in the charity sector, especially in relation to its impact on fundraising. We unpack what this loaded phrase means, identify good practice by those seeking support and present case studies of charities that have overcome perceived unpopularity to achieve success in raising voluntary income. We suggest that by investing organisational resources and effort in fundraising, by framing the cause to maximise the arousal of sympathy and minimise concerns about beneficiary culpability and by avoiding the unintended negative consequences of self‐labelling as ‘unpopular’ no charity need assume it is their destiny to languish at the bottom of the fundraising league tables.

Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.