bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Monitoring the prevalence of genetically modified maize in commercial animal feeds and food products in Turkey
Authors: Turkec Aydin , Lucas Stuart J , Karlık Elif
Published: October 2015

BACKGROUND

EU legislation strictly controls use of genetically modified (GM) crops in food and feed products, and requires them to be labelled if the total GM content is greater than 9 g kg−1 (for approved GM crops). We screened maize‐containing food and feed products from Turkey to assess the prevalence of GM material.

RESULTS

With this aim, 83 food and feed products – none labelled as containing GM material – were screened using multiplex real‐time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for four common GM elements (35S/NOS/bar/FMV). Of these, 18.2% of feeds and 6% of food samples tested positive for one or more of these elements, and were subjected to event‐specific PCR to identify which GM organisms they contained. Most samples were negative for the approved GM events tested, suggesting that they may contain adventitious GM contaminants. One sample was shown to contain an unapproved GM event (MON810, along with GA21) at a concentration well above the statutory labelling requirement.

CONCLUSION

Current legislation has restricted the penetration of GM maize into the Turkish food industry but not eliminated it, and the proliferation of different GM events is making monitoring increasingly complex. Our results indicate that labelling requirements are not being followed in some cases. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry
Which is a more reliable indicator of survival after gastric cancer surgery: Postoperative complication occurrence or C‐reactive protein elevation?
Authors: Saito Takuro , Kurokawa Yukinori , Miyazaki Yasuhiro , Makino Tomoki , Takahashi Tsuyoshi , Yamasaki Makoto , Nakajima Kiyokazu , Takiguchi Shuji , Mori Masaki , Doki Yuichiro
Published: October 2015

Background and Objectives

The impact of postoperative complications on long‐term outcome has been reported in several types of malignancies. However, it is unclear why postoperative complications affect long‐term outcome. The aim of this study is evaluating whether postoperative complication occurrence or C‐reactive protein (CRP) elevation better reflects long‐term outcome in gastric cancer patients.

Methods

This study included 305 patients who underwent curative surgery for pT2–T4b gastric cancer. Patients were divided into two groups based on the peak CRP value (CRPmax): low (<12 mg/dl) and high CRPmax (≥12 mg/dl). A multivariate analysis was conducted to identify independent prognostic factors for recurrence‐free survival (RFS).

Results

Postoperative complications (≥Grade II) occurred in 86 of 305 patients (28.2%). Although CRP elevation (P = 0.001) and postoperative complication occurrence (P = 0.045) was each significantly associated with RFS in the univariate analysis, multivariate analysis identified CRP elevation (P = 0.017) but not complication occurrence (P = 0.682) as an independent prognostic factor. Among patients without complications, those in the high CRPmax group had significantly worse RFS than those in the low CRPmax group (P = 0.004).

Conclusions

CRP elevation is a more reliable indicator of survival after gastric cancer surgery than postoperative complication occurrence. Surgeons should minimize the postoperative inflammatory response to improve prognosis. J. Surg. Oncol. 2015;112:894–899. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Biological Effect, Aquation, and Kinetics of Oxidation of Bis(2‐aminobenzothiazole)dichlorocobalt(II) Complex by Periodate in Aqueous Acidic Medium
Authors: Abdel‐Hady Alaa Eldin Mokhtar
Published: October 2015

The biological effect, aquation, and kinetics of oxidation of bis(2‐aminobenzothiazole)dichlorocobalt(II) complex by periodate in aqueous acidic solutions were studied. The complex exhibited a broad resistance toward the studied pathogens. The average value of the aquation constant was calculated spectrophotometrically as 2.55 × 10−5 mol2 dm−6. Kinetics of the oxidation reaction showed first‐order dependence on each reactant concentration and increased by increasing pH over the 3.80–4.80 range, 35–50°C, and decreased by increasing the ionic strength over the 0.1–0.5 mol dm−3 range. The polymerization of acrylonitrile was taken as an evidence for an inner‐sphere mechanism through the formation of free radical intermediates of Co(III) complexes, which were slowly converted to the final Co(III)products.
An introduction to the contemporary breeding of oil seed rape
Authors: Wood Tom , Teakle Graham , Mackay Ian
Published: October 2015

Plant breeding settled into its modern form a little over 100 years ago. Recent developments in genetics and genomics will not revolutionise this process but will increase the rate at which progress is made. Genetic manipulation could make great changes, though not in Europe until public opinion changes. Ironically, of all the methods used to introduce novel variation into crops, it is arguably the most benign.
BOOK REVIEW
Authors: Gibson Deidre M.
Published: October 2015

McMANUS, DEAN A. 2005. Leaving the Lectern: Cooperative Learning and the Critical First Days of Students Working in Groups. Anker Publishing Company. ISBN 1–882982–85–1 (paperback). xix + 207 p. US $33.
Factors affecting the microstructural stability and durability of thermal barrier coatings fabricated by air plasma spraying
Authors: Helminiak M. A. , Yanar N. M. , Pettit F. S. , Taylor T. A. , Meier G. H.
Published: October 2015

The high‐temperature behavior of high‐purity, low‐density (HP‐LD) air plasma sprayed (APS) thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) with NiCoCrAlY bond coats deposited by argon‐shrouded plasma spraying is described. The high purity yttria‐stabilized zirconia resulted in top coats which are highly resistant to sintering and transformation from the metastable tetragonal phase to the equilibrium mixture of monoclinic and cubic phases. The thermal conductivity of the as‐processed TBC is low but increases during high temperature exposure even before densification occurs. The porous topcoat microstructure also resulted in good spallation resistance during thermal cycling. The actual failure mechanisms of the APS coatings were found to depend on topcoat thickness, topcoat density, and the thermal cycle frequency. The failure mechanisms are described and the durability of the HP‐LD coatings is compared with that of state‐of‐the‐art electron beam physical vapor deposition TBCs.
Oxide scale formation and subsurface phase transformations during long‐term steam exposure of the cobalt base alloy 25
Authors: García Fresnillo L. , Chyrkin A. , Hüttel T. , Böhme C. , Barnikel J. , Grüner D. , Schmitz F. , Quadakkers W.J.
Published: October 2015

High chromium nickel and cobalt base alloys are presently being considered as construction materials for various components in high efficiency steam turbines with envisaged operating temperatures around 700 °C. In the present study, the steam oxidation behavior of the cobalt base alloy 25 in the temperature range 650–800 °C was investigated whereby exposures up to 10 000 were carried out. Post exposure analyses of the oxidation products and alloy microstructures included optical microscopy, scanning and transmission electron microscopy, X‐ray diffraction analysis and secondary neutrals mass spectrometry. The experiments showed in all cases formation of oxide scales mainly consisting of chromia with minor amounts of outer Cr/Mn spinel and internal silica. The oxidation induced chromium depletion resulted in a number of microstructural changes in the subsurface depletion layer. First, the intermetallic phase Co3W became enriched at the scale alloy interface. Additionally, the chromium rich M23C6 and the tungsten rich M6C dissolved in the depletion layer. The mechanisms for occurrence of these effects are discussed on the basis of phase equilibria in the binary Co–W and the ternary Co–Cr–W system.
The Commodification of Self‐Esteem: Branding and British Teenagers
Authors: Isaksen Katja Jezkova , Roper Stuart
Published: October 2015

This study explores the role of consumption in the lives of British adolescents, with a particular focus on its role in forming and maintaining self‐esteem. Through a large qualitative study, over 100 adolescents revealed their attitudes and feelings toward consumption—particularly fashion. It was found that as a result of peer pressure and the importance of conformity among adolescents, consuming the correct possessions at the right time, is essential for social acceptance, gaining and maintaining friendships and thus self‐esteem. This paper argues that self‐esteem has been commodified. The consequences of failing to “keep up” with consumption trends were revealed; these include social exclusion, negative peer evaluation, and reduced self‐esteem. Moreover, these negative consequences were particularly pronounced among adolescents from low‐income families who, in contrast to their financial status, were eager to purchase the more expensive brands. Adolescents appear to have a striking awareness of the role of branding, advertising, and peer pressure in forming their consumption attitudes, yet they are unable to resist them. The findings from this study highlight the need for a rethinking of the more traditional components of adolescent self‐esteem.
Predicting Consumer Behavior and Media Preferences: The Comparative Validity of Personality Traits and Demographic Variables
Authors: Sandy Carson J. , Gosling Samuel D. , Durant John
Published: October 2015

It is common practice for organizations selling a product to divide potential consumers into segments to allow them to target those most likely to buy their products. Two broad approaches to market segmentation can be delineated. The most common approach relies on segmenting by demographic variables (e.g., age, gender). The second approach (known as “psychographics”) identifies market divisions in terms of psychological variables such as values, attitudes, and personality traits. There has been little research comparing the efficacy of the two approaches. Based on analyses of over 45,000 participants, the present research empirically compares the effectiveness of the two approaches among segmentation variables ranging from cell phones and lottery tickets to newspapers and television shows. Overall, both approaches explained surprisingly small amounts of variance in consumer behavior. Nonetheless, for the variance that was predictive, the relative contribution of demographics and psychographics varied dramatically across consumer behaviors; for some behaviors (e.g., electronic purchases), demographics had superior predictive potential but for others (e.g., television shows) psychographics were more useful. Therefore, an approach that integrates both methods is recommended.
Measurement Characteristics of Aaker's Brand Personality Dimensions: Lessons to be Learned from Human Personality Research
Authors: Eisend Martin , Stokburger‐Sauer Nicola E.
Published: October 2015

By referring to research on the measurement of the Big Five personality factors, this article investigates measurement characteristics of brand personality (BP) dimensions. The authors apply a meta‐analysis and investigate the intercorrelations and reliabilities of the BP dimensions of Sincerity, Excitement, Competence, Sophistication, and Ruggedness, as suggested by Aaker (1997). Similar to the Big Five personality factors, the measurement of BP reveals interdependence of the dimensions and one General Personality Factor. Furthermore, the reliabilities reveal instability across method characteristics, for instance, the use of facets as opposed to traits in measuring BP drives up the reliabilities of those dimensions with a larger number of items (e.g., Sincerity). Finally, as with the Big Five, the BP dimensions show differential effects on performance measures (as assessed by brand attitude) and thus support the predictive power of the single dimensions. The findings provide insights into the dimensional structure of BP and its stability, and support the transferability of the Big Five personality factors to nonhuman domains. Importantly, the article outlines relevant avenues for future research on BP measurement.
Comprehensive Microstructure and Molar Mass Analysis of Polybutadiene by Multidimensional Liquid Chromatography
Authors: Maiko Khumo , Pasch Harald
Published: October 2015

For the first time, polybutadiene is separated according to microstructure using solvent gradient interaction chromatography (SGIC). Superior separation of polybutadienes having different microstructures is obtained on a silica‐based reversed stationary phase and a mobile phase of acetone–hexane. This SGIC system enables the baseline separation of 1,2‐polybutadienes and 1,4‐polybutadienes even in cases where the samples have similar molar masses. 2D liquid chromatography is performed with the SGIC method separating according to microstructure in the first dimension coupled to size exclusion chromatography separating according to molar mass in the second dimension, thus providing comprehensive information on both microstructure and molar mass.

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CCL18 from tumor‐cells promotes epithelial ovarian cancer metastasis via mTOR signaling pathway
Authors: Wang Qi , Tang Yong , Yu Hongjing , Yin Qiaoyun , Li Mengdi , Shi Lijun , Zhang Wei , Li Danrong , Li Li
Published: October 2015

CCL18 is a chemotactic cytokine involved in the pathogenesis and progression of various disorders, including cancer. Previously, our results showed high levels of CCL18 in the serum of epithelial ovarian carcinoma patients suggesting its potential as a circulating biomarker. In this study, we determined that CCL18 expression was up‐regulated in ovarian carcinoma compared with adjacent tissue and was expressed in carcinoma cells in the tumor and not in normal ovarian epithelial cells by laser capture microdissection coupled with real‐time RT‐PCR. Moreover, correlation analysis showed that the CCL18 level was positively correlated with the metastasis of patients with ovarian cancer. Survival analysis also revealed that an increased level of CCL18 was associated with worse survival time in ovarian cancer patients. Over‐expression of CCL18 led to enhanced migration and invasion of the Skov3 ovarian cancer cell line in vitro and in vivo. Finally, proteomics analysis demonstrated that CCL18‐mediated ovarian cancer invasiveness was strongly correlated with the mTORC2 pathway. These findings suggest that the CCL18 chemokine has an important role in chemokine‐mediated tumor metastasis, and may serve as a potential predictor for poor survival outcomes for ovarian cancer. © 2015 The Authors. Molecular Carcinogenesis published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Wind turbulence estimates in a valley by coherent Doppler lidar
Authors: Krishnamurthy Raghavendra , Calhoun Ronald , Billings Brian , Doyle James
Published: October 2015

In this paper, the effect of several turbulence parameters during various flow conditions in Owens Valley, educed from coherent Doppler lidar data have been studied. Radial velocity structure functions are processed to estimate the turbulent kinetic energy (TKE) dissipation rate, integral length scale and velocity variance, assuming a theoretical model for isotropic wind fields. Corrections for turbulence measurements have been considered to address the complications due to inherent volumetric averaging of radial velocity over each range gate, noise of the lidar data, and the assumptions required to estimate effects of smaller scales of motion on turbulence quantities. Using data from the Terrain‐induced Rotor Experiment (T‐REX) in April–May 2006, vertical profiles of wind and turbulence parameters have been retrieved. During T‐REX, unusual valley flows were detected by the lidar data, for example on 19 and 27 March 2006, daytime down‐valley and night time up‐valley flows, respectively, were observed. This paper focuses on understanding various turbulence parameters during these flow events. Turbulence estimates during daytime down‐valley conditions were observed to be constant for most of the day, while for night time up‐valley circumstances the turbulence increased steadily as the day progressed. Good comparison was observed between lidar and tower measurements, which validate the lidar turbulence retrieval assumptions. Comparison between TKE estimates from lidar and the Coupled Ocean/Atmosphere Mesoscale Prediction System (COAMPS) model is also presented. This analysis will be helpful for improving the current turbulence parameterization schemes in COAMPS. Finally, differences and similarities in turbulence measurements between both the flow regimes are discussed. Copyright © 2011 Royal Meteorological Society
Optical generation of microwave signal using fiber Bragg gating‐based double‐ring fiber laser assisted by saturable absorber
Authors: Sun Qizhen , Wang Jian , Wo Jianghai , Li Xiaolei , Liu Deming
Published: October 2015

We propose and demonstrate a simple approach to optical generation of microwave signal by exploiting a uniform fiber Bragg gating (FBG)‐based double‐ring laser and a saturable absorber.Parallel arranged uniform FBGs have a wavelength spacing corresponding to the microwave signal. A piece of unpumped polarization‐maintaining erbium‐doped fiber (EBF) serves as a saturable absorber, ensuring the dual‐wavelength single longitudinal mode operation. Stable dual‐wavelength single longitudinal mode lasers are obtained in the experiment. A microwave signal at 28.38 GHz is successfully generated by beating the dual‐wavelength single longitudinal mode lasers. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 53:2478‐2481, 2011; View this article online at wileyonlinelibrary.com. DOI 10.1002/mop.26303
Reconfigurable microstrip monopole patch antenna with electromagnetic band‐gap structure design for ultrawideband wireless communication systems
Authors: Elsheakh Dalia N. , Elsadek Hala A. , Abdallah Esmat A.
Published: October 2015

New design for compact reconfigurable microstrip monopole patch antenna with ultrawideband (UWB) operation for wireless communication is presented in this paper.The proposed antenna design is capable of electronically rejecting various groups of operating frequency bands according to the surrounding interference. The reconfigurable proposed antenna consists of parallel V‐shaped monopole structure and electromagnetic band‐gap structure integrated with p‐i‐n doping structure device (PIN diode) switches. The switches are to reject certain frequency. The operating bandwidth extends from 0.6 to 30 GHz without discontinuities (at 10 dB reflection coefficient). By inserting a PIN diode switches, the printed open slots of the UWB antenna are closed to reject different frequencies of bluetooth and wireless LAN bands. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 53:2466–2471, 2011; View this article online at wileyonlinelibrary.com. DOI 10.1002/mop.26317
Fuzzy logic‐based automatic gain controller for EDFA
Authors: Yucel Murat
Published: October 2015

In this study, the fuzzy logic (FL)‐based automatic gain controller (AGC) is designed to obtain a fixed gain level of erbium‐doped fiber amplifiers along C band based on experimental results. A FL‐AGC with two inputs and one output is considered where the inputs are signal power and signal wavelength and the output is the pump laser current. The output gain variations are examined by varying both input signal levels from −15 to −35 dBm and signal wavelength from 1526 to 1564 nm. The results are well kept within 30‐dB gain level with a ripple of ±0.1 by using FL‐AGC circuit. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 53:2703–2705, 2011; View this article online at wileyonlinelibrary.com. DOI 10.1002/mop.26318
Reconfigurable 3D beam steering for intelligent antenna system
Authors: Ha Sang Jun , Jung Chang Won , Kim Yongjin
Published: October 2015

A reconfigurable three‐dimensional beam steering antenna for intelligent antenna system is presented. The proposed antenna is composed of a triangle loop antenna and two bended dipole antennas with four switches to steer the antenna beam patterns in both of the x–y and x–z planes. The operation frequency of the antenna is 2.5 GHz. The peak gain values are 1.04–2.06 dBi. The overall half‐power beam width (HPBW) is about 160° in both of the x–y and x–z planes. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 53:2615–2619, 2011; View this article online at wileyonlinelibrary.com. DOI 10.1002/mop.26322
Boundary condition for the efficient excitation and absorption of hybrid waveguide modes in finite element formulations
Authors: Tsilipakos Odysseas , Kriezis Emmanouil E. , Yioultsis Traianos V.
Published: October 2015

A boundary condition capable of efficiently exciting and absorbing hybrid waveguide modes is derived for use in the context of the finite element method.Its performance is assessed in two cases, that is, a silicon and a plasmonic waveguide, and compared with that of the standard absorbing boundary condition. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 53:2626–2631, 2011; View this article online at wileyonlinelibrary.com. DOI 10.1002/mop.26364
A mixed bias‐mode power amplifier for WCDMA applications
Authors: Lee Dong‐Ho , Hwan An Kyu , Lee Ockgoo , Kim Hyungwook , Lee Chang‐Ho , Laskar Joy
Published: October 2015

A wideband code‐division multiple access (WCDMA) CMOS power amplifier with a mixed bias‐mode scheme has been developed to meet high linearity and low‐quiescent current requirements at the same time. The power stage of the two‐stage power amplifier consists in three identical differential pairs that are selectively biased with a fixed bias mode or an adaptive bias mode. Each output power of three differential pairs is combined with an on‐chip transformer to achieve output power requirement. The developed power amplifier shows 25.7% of power‐stage drain efficiency at 27 dBm of output power with −33 dBc ACLR at 5 MHz offset in 1.95 GHz. The quiescent current of the mixed bias‐mode power stage was 81 mA, whereas, it is 212 mA with the fixed bias mode. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 53:2547–2552, 2011; View this article online at wileyonlinelibrary.com. DOI 10.1002/mop.26367
Compact Dual Sinc‐Shaped Monopole Antenna for Dual Band Wireless Applications
Authors: Badhai Ritesh Kumar , Gupta Nisha
Published: October 2015

In the presented work, a simple printed compact dual Sinc‐shaped monopole antenna suitable for dual‐band operation is proposed for portable wireless devices. The proposed antenna consists of dual Sinc configuration: one a Sinc‐shaped radiating strip and another Sinc‐shaped sleeve in the ground plane. The antenna operates at dual frequency bands, 2245–2635 MHz, and 4589–5112 MHz, showing 10 dB fractional impedance bandwidths of 16 and 10.8%, respectively. A simple approximate formula for the first two resonant frequencies is also presented. Finally, A prototype model is developed for the proposed configuration and the simulated results are validated experimentally. The antenna is found to be suitable for long term evolution handheld devices, WiMAX, WLAN, and public safety land mobile. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 55:2883–2888, 2013
Widely Tunable Fiber Bragg Grating and its Application in Fiber Lasers
Authors: Drainville Robert A. , Das Gautam
Published: October 2015

The article describes a simple design to make a widely tunable fiber Bragg grating (FBG) filter with a minimum tuning range of 0.02 nm, and its application to develop a widely tunable, single‐longitudinal‐mode, medium‐power fiber laser. The tunable grating was developed using a commercially available FBG. The maximum tuning range of the laser was 35 nm, which was due to the available gain from the laser gain medium. The laser was operating at room temperature. The laser was free from mode hopping and produced more than 300 mW output power at room temperature. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 55:2824–2826, 2013
Anxiety disorders and comorbid depression in community dwelling older adults
Authors: Hek Karin , Tiemeier Henning , Newson Rachel S. , Luijendijk Hendrika J. , Hofman Albert , Mulder Cornelis L.
Published: October 2015

Anxiety disorder is a common psychiatric problem during late‐life, and frequently co‐occurs with depression. High comorbidity between anxiety and depression may partly be explained by the definition of the disorders and the assessment of both disorders with one instrument at the same time. The current study investigates the relation of current and past depression with anxiety disorders in the Rotterdam Study, a large population‐based cohort study of older adults in the Netherlands (n study population = 5565). DSM‐IV anxiety disorder was ascertained with the Munich version of the Composite International Diagnostic Interview. DSM‐IV depression was diagnosed with the Schedules for Clinical Assessment of Neuropsychiatry (SCAN) on a different day. Past depression was assessed from general practitioners' records, self‐report, and a prior SCAN interview. Of the 457 persons with an anxiety disorder, 11.6% had a comorbid major depression, and another 6.3% had other depressive syndromes. However, 49.3% of persons with an anxiety disorder experienced or had in the past experienced a depressive episode. Our study suggests that comorbid depression in older adults with anxiety disorders may be less prevalent than previously suggested. However, the relation of current anxiety disorders with past depression is substantial. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Long‐lived states in an intrinsically disordered protein domain
Authors: Fernandes L. , Guerniou C. , Marín‐Montesinos I. , Pons M. , Kateb F. , Vasos P. R.
Published: October 2015

Long‐lived states (LLS) are relaxation‐favored spin population distributions of J‐coupled magnetic nuclei. LLS were measured, along with classical 1H and 15N relaxation rate constants, in amino acids of the N‐terminal Unique domain of the c‐Src kinase, which is disordered in vitro under physiological conditions. The relaxation rates of LLS can probe motions and interactions in biomolecules. LLS of the aliphatic protons of glycines, with lifetimes approximately four times longer than their spin–lattice relaxation times, are reported for the first time in an intrinsically disordered protein domain. LLS relaxation experiments were integrated with 2D spectroscopy methods, further adapting them for studies on proteins. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Interaction of polyacrylic acid with lipid bilayers: effect of polymer mass
Authors: Munavirov Bulat , Gnezdilov Oleg , Rudakova Maya , Antzutkin Oleg N. , Filippov Andrei
Published: October 2015

Polyanion‐coated lipid vesicles are proposed to have an appreciable potential for drug delivery because of their ability to control the permeability of lipid bilayers by environmental parameters such as pH and temperature. However, details of the interaction of this class of polymers with lipids and their mechanisms of induced permeability are still being debated. In this work, we applied 1H NOESY to study details of the interaction of polyacrylic acid (PAA) fractions of molecular weights 5 and 240 kDa with dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine vesicles. We showed that PAA of two different molecular masses modifies lipid bilayers increasing disorder and probability of close contact between polar and hydrophobic groups. PAA molecules adsorb near the interface of lipid bilayers but do not penetrate into the hydrophobic core of the bilayer and, thus, cannot participate in formation of transbilayer channels, proposed in earlier works. Increasing the molecular mass of PAA from 5 kDa to 240 kDa does not change the effect of PAA on the bilayer, although PAA240 forms a more compact structure (either intra‐molecular or inter‐molecular) and interacts more strongly with interface lipid protons. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
MRS and MRSI guidance in molecular medicine: targeting and monitoring of choline and glucose metabolism in cancer
Authors: Glunde Kristine , Jiang Lu , Moestue Siver A. , Gribbestad Ingrid S.
Published: October 2015

MRS and MRSI are valuable tools for the detection of metabolic changes in tumors. The currently emerging era of molecular medicine, which is shaped by molecularly targeted anticancer therapies combined with molecular imaging of the effects of such therapies, requires powerful imaging technologies that are able to detect molecular information. MRS and MRSI are such technologies that are able to detect metabolites arising from glucose and choline metabolism in noninvasive in vivo settings and at higher resolution in tissue samples. The roles played by MRS and MRSI in the diagnosis of different types of cancer, as well as in the early monitoring of the tumor response to traditional chemotherapies, are reviewed. The emerging roles of MRS and MRSI in the development and detection of novel targeted anticancer therapies that target oncogenic signaling pathways or markers in choline or glucose metabolism are discussed. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Assessing the effect of a guideline change on drug use prevalence by including the birth cohort dimension: the case of benzodiazepines
Authors: Bijlsma Maarten J. , Hak Eelko , Bos Jens , De Jong‐van den Berg Lolkje T. W. , Janssen Fanny
Published: October 2015

Purpose

The aim of this study was to investigate whether including the birth cohort dimension in time series analysis leads to a more accurate estimation of the (long‐term) effect of a guideline change on the trend of benzodiazepine use.

Methods

We calculated age‐specific (20–84 years) and sex‐specific prevalence of benzodiazepine use per 1000 population per quarter year (1998 to 2008) using a prescription database set in the Netherlands. We studied the prevalence over time by age group and within birth cohorts through interrupted time series analyses to estimate the effect of the guideline change in 2001.

Results

From 1998 to 2008, the overall age‐standardized prevalence of benzodiazepine use per 1000 population declined from ~54 for men and ~107 for women to ~45 for men and ~85 for women. The relative change increased significantly after 2001 for both sexes and for the majority of age groups. Within birth cohorts, the prevalence increased with age until the year 2001 and leveled thereafter. The age–period approach overall had worse model fit indicators than the within‐cohort approach and predicted larger long‐term effects than the within‐cohort approach. The age–period projection estimated 36% decline in benzodiazepine use relative to 2008, whereas the birth‐cohort projection estimated 8% decline.

Conclusion

Explicitly following birth cohort trajectories led to models with better fit; the conventional approach estimated a stronger long‐term guideline effect. This has important implications for professional practice. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
N‐Heterocyclic carbenes for metal‐free polymerization catalysis: an update
Authors: Naumann Stefan , Dove Andrew P
Published: October 2015

This mini‐review is intended to serve as a concise introduction to polymerizations that are catalysed by N‐heterocyclic carbenes. The content is structured according to accessible monomer functionalities and type of polymerization. Both major achievements as well as the latest developments in this rapidly evolving field are presented. A broad range of different types of monomers is covered in this way, including among others lactones, epoxides, anhydrides, acrylates, siloxanes and lactams. Special emphasis is put on mechanistic understanding and structure–activity relationships. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry
Extremely Stable Copper–Polymelamine Composite Material for Amperometric Hydrogen Peroxide Sensing
Authors: Baskar Selvaraj , Chang Jen‐Lin , Zen Jyh‐Myng
Published: October 2015

For the first time, electroactive poly(melamine) film has been prepared and evaluated to function as a matrix to immobilize “spherical” copper nanoclusters and also as a ligand to form a copper complex with enhanced electrocatalytic activity. This is a simple two‐step process that involves first polymerization of melamine on a screen‐printed carbon electrode followed by electrodeposition of copper without using harmful and environmentally toxic chemicals. It is remarkable that this electrode can electrocatalytically reduce H2O2 at approximately −0.2 V versus Ag/AgCl in pH 7 PBS and possesses superior stability in amperometric analysis of H2O2 under the continuous wall‐jet flow of 1 mM of H2O2 for more than 5 h. Most importantly, we have demonstrated that the as‐prepared copper‐poly(melamine)‐modified electrode can solve the setbacks of copper‐based H2O2 sensors reported so far. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2013, 51, 1639–1646
Economic Globalization, Inequality, Social Safety Nets, and the Size and Scope of Government in East and Southeast Asia
Authors: Adolf Robert
Published: October 2015

Economic globalization, or economic integration and the liberalization of capital movements across national boundaries, or openness, has been linked to income inequality between and within nations. Using an empirical study of countries within East and Southeast Asia, I establish a general theory about open economies and their relationship to social safety nets and hence bigger and more powerful governments, contrary to the conventional wisdom. This approach was instrumental in determining why some open economies have larger social safety nets, but not necessarily larger governments than less open economies and, conversely, why other open economies have smaller social safety nets and larger governments than less open economies. The nature of the economic/political system was determinative of the degree, timing, and kind of measures taken by governments to alleviate inequality, as well as the size and scope of government, not the degree of openness.
Verification of the Explosive Quality of TH‐5
Authors: Bobić Nikola , Terzić Slavica , Dimić Mirjana , Simić Danica , Nikolić Jasmina , Drmanić Saša
Published: October 2015

This paper reports the characteristics of the explosive TH‐5, recycled (recovered) trinitrotoluene (TNT) with max. 5 wt‐% of hexogen (RDX). The explosive TH‐5 was obtained by delaboration of warheads and melting of explosive charges based on TNT and RDX and by separation (extraction) of high explosive components. The thermal characteristics of pure (virgin) TNT and RDX, and recycled explosive TH‐5 are determined by differential scanning calorimetry. The possibility of processing TH‐5 by pressing and casting is also examined. The comparative analysis of sensitivity of TH‐5 and TNT to friction is determined, as well as compressibility of explosives, and the detonation velocity of pressed and cast charges. Based on the analysis of experimental results, the defense standard requirements for the quality of TH‐5 are defined and possibility of practical application of explosive TH‐5 was estimated.
Learning from medicine related safety incidents
Authors: Jani Yogini
Published: October 2015

This is the first in a series of eight articles that will discuss the recommendations pertaining to medication safety, and provide insights into their application and implications for practice.
Dulaglutide: a once‐weekly GLP‐1 for type 2 diabetes
Authors: Chaplin Steve , Bain Stephen
Published: October 2015

Dulaglutide is a once‐weekly GLP‐1 receptor agonist for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. Steve Chaplin presents the clinical data relating to its efficacy and adverse events and Professor Stephen Bain discusses its place in therapy.
Hybrid semiconductor/metal nanomembrane superlattices for thermoelectric application
Authors: Li Guodong , Grimm Daniel , Engemaier Vivienne , Lösch Sören , Manga Karthikeyan , Bandari Vineeth Kumar , Zhu Feng , Schmidt Oliver G.
Published: October 2015

Multilayer systems consisting of periodic hybrid interfaces show promising applications in thermoelectric design in terms of unique phonon blocking and electron conducting features. Universal techniques combining crystalline semiconductors with various categories of metals, oxides, molecules, and polymers have been rarely reported. In this paper, we first briefly review a novel rolled‐up and compressing technique based on a strain engineered In0.2Ga0.8As/GaAs semiconducting nanomembrane. Then, the controllable rolling and compressing of a nanomembrane, focused ion beam cutting and the following device fabrication steps are demonstrated for the system of a hybrid In0.2Ga0.8As/GaAs/Cr/Au superlattice. Apart from a considerable reduction of thermal conductivity in a similar system reported by part of us very recently, here our efforts are focused on characterizing the cross‐plane electrical conductance of the hybrid superlattice. High electrical conductance of four separated devices show very tight electrical bonding across the hybrid interfaces.
Modeling of thermal expansion coefficients of composites with disc shaped inclusions and related systems
Authors: Ellul Brian , Grima Joseph N.
Published: October 2015

The subject of thermal expansion, particularly negative thermal expansion, is a topic of great practical importance in view of its relevance in many everyday applications and the consequences which may arise when the thermal expansion if not controlled. This paper presents a detailed analytical model of a composite system, which enables control of the thermal expansion through the use of the thinning that is observed when a conventional material is mechanically stretched (the Poisson's effect). It is shown that the model can predict the thermal expansion of such systems to an extent comparable to more complex finite element simulations. The proposed model also permits optimization of the system to exhibit maximum negative thermal expansion, or, thermal expansion of a desired magnitude.
Graphene nanofilm as pressure and force sensor: A mechanical analysis
Authors: Kam K. , Scarpa F. , Adhikari S. , Chowdhury R.
Published: October 2015

The out‐of‐plane mechanical bending properties of single layer graphene sheets (SLGS) are modelled using a molecular mechanics approach based on an atomistic–finite element formulation. Force/displacement curves for different rectangular SLGS with different aspect ratios are obtained for distributed (uniform pressure) and concentrated central loadings. We show that membrane and bending deformations scale differently based on the type of load, as well as geometry of the graphene sensor films.
Cannabis sativa and the Endogenous Cannabinoid System: Therapeutic Potential for Appetite Regulation
Authors: Farrimond Jonathan A. , Mercier Marion S. , Whalley Benjamin J. , Williams Claire M.
Published: October 2015

The herb Cannabis sativa (C. sativa) has been used in China and on the Indian subcontinent for thousands of years as a medicine. However, since it was brought to the UK and then the rest of the western world in the late 19th century, its use has been a source of controversy. Indeed, its psychotropic side effects are well reported but only relatively recently has scientific endeavour begun to find valuable uses for either the whole plant or its individual components. Here, we discuss evidence describing the endocannabinoid system, its endogenous and exogenous ligands and their varied effects on feeding cycles and meal patterns. Furthermore we also critically consider the mounting evidence which suggests non‐Δ9tetrahydrocannabinol phytocannabinoids play a vital role in C. sativa‐induced feeding pattern changes. Indeed, given the wide range of phytocannabinoids present in C. sativa and their equally wide range of intra‐, inter‐ and extra‐cellular mechanisms of action, we demonstrate that non‐Δ9tetrahydrocannabinol phytocannabinoids retain an important and, as yet, untapped clinical potential. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Evaluation of Antigenotoxic Effects of Plant Flavonoids Quercetin and Rutin on HepG2 Cells
Authors: Barcelos Gustavo R. M. , Grotto Denise , Angeli José Pedro F. , Serpeloni Juliana M. , Rocha Bruno A. , Bastos Jairo K. , Barbosa Fernando
Published: October 2015

The flavonoid quercetin and its derivative rutin were investigated for genotoxicity/antigenotoxicity activity in human hepatoma HepG2 cells using the comet assay. The extract cytotoxicity was evaluated using the trypan blue exclusion dye method with quercetin and rutin concentrations ranging from 0.1 to 200.0 μg/mL of culture medium. Three minor non‐cytotoxic concentrations were chosen to evaluate the genotoxicity and antigenotoxicity of the flavonoids (0.1, 1.0 and 5.0 μg/mL) through comet assay. The cultures were treated with three different concentrations of rutin or quercetin (genotoxicity) or their association with Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), methyl methanesulfonate (MMS) or doxorubicin (DXR) (antigenotoxicity test) in three protocols: pre‐treatment, simultaneous treatment and post‐treatment. The cell cultures were also treated with 1% DMSO (control group), AFB1, MMS and DXR (positive‐control). Statistical analyses were performed using ANOVA and Dunnett's test (p ≤ 0.05). Quercetin at concentrations higher than 10.0 μg/mL or rutin higher than 50.0 μg/mL exhibited a cytotoxic effect on the cells, showing that quercetin is more cytotoxic than rutin. Furthermore, neither compound was able to induce genotoxicity in the concentrations evaluated. On the other hand, both flavonoids reduced DNA damage induced by AFB1, MMS and DXR in all treatment protocols. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Identification of common glycosyl groups of flavonoid O‐glycosides by serial mass spectrometry of sodiated species
Authors: Kite Geoffrey C. , Veitch Nigel C.
Published: October 2015

Flavonoid O‐glycosides are a ubiquitous and important group of plant natural products in which a wide variety of sugars are O‐linked to an aglycone. Determining the identity of the sugars, and the manner in which they are linked, by mass spectrometry alone is challenging. To improve the identification of common O‐linked di‐ and trisaccharides when analysing mixtures of flavonoid O‐glycosides by liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC/MS), the fragmentation of electrosprayed sodium adducts in an ion trap mass spectrometer was investigated. The sodium adducts [M + Na]+ of kaempferol 3‐O‐glycosides generated sodiated glycosyl groups by the neutral loss of kaempferol. The product ion spectra of these sodiated glycosyl groups differed between four isomeric kaempferol 3‐O‐rhamnosylhexosides and four isomeric kaempferol 3‐O‐glucosylhexosides in which the primary hexose was either glucose or galactose and bore the terminal glucose or rhamnose at either C‐2 or C‐6. Fragmentation of sodiated glycosyl groups from linear O‐triglucosides and branched O‐glucosyl‐(1 → 2)‐[rhamnosyl‐(1 → 6)]‐hexosides produced sodiated disaccharide residues, and the product ion spectra of these ions assisted the identification of the complete sugar. The product ion spectra of the sodiated glycosyl groups were consistent among flavonoid O‐glycosides differing in the position at which the sugar was O‐linked to the aglycone, and the nature of the aglycone. The abundance of sodiated species was enhanced by application of a pre‐trap collision voltage, without the need to dope with salt, allowing automated LC/MS methods to be used to identify the glycosyl groups of common flavonoid O‐glycosides, such as rutinosides, robinobiosides, neohesperidosides, gentiobiosides and sophorosides. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Profiling the indole alkaloids in yohimbe bark with ultra‐performance liquid chromatography coupled with ion mobility quadrupole time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry
Authors: Sun Jianghao , Baker Andrew , Chen Pei
Published: October 2015

An ultra‐performance liquid chromatography/ion mobility quadrupole time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry (UPLC/IM‐QTOF‐MS) method was developed for profiling the indole alkaloids in yohimbe bark. Many indole alkaloids with the yohimbine or ajmalicine core structure, plus methylated, oxidized and reduced species, were characterized. Common fragments and mass differences are described. It was shown that the use of IMS could provide another molecular descriptor, i.e. molecular shape by rotationally averaged collision cross‐section; this is of great value for identification of constituents when reference materials are usually not available. Using the combination of high resolution (~40000) accurate mass measurement with time‐aligned parallel (TAP) fragmentation, MSE (where E represents collision energy), ion mobility mass spectrometry (IMS) and UPLC chromatography, a total 55 indole alkaloids were characterized and a few new indole alkaloids are reported for the first time. Published in 2011 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Phosphatidylcholine dimers can be easily misinterpreted as cardiolipins in complex lipid mixtures: a matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization time‐of‐flight mass spectrometric study of lipids from hepatocytes
Authors: Eibisch Mandy , Zellmer Sebastian , Gebhardt Rolf , Süß Rosmarie , Fuchs Beate , Schiller Jürgen
Published: October 2015

The liver is an important organ that is particularly involved in the lipid metabolism of the organism. Thus, high interest is nowadays focused on the lipid composition of the liver and particularly the liver parenchymal cells, the hepatocytes. Hepatocytes contain common phospholipids (PL) such as phosphatidylcholines, ‐ethanolamines and ‐inositols, for instance, that can be easily analyzed by matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry (MALDI‐TOF MS) even without previous separation of the PL mixture. However, in addition to common PL, hepatocytes possess also significant amounts of cardiolipin (CLP). The MS analysis of this PL is quite challenging because it (a) has a higher mass than common lipids and (b) possesses a higher negative charge. We will show here that caution is required if CLP is analyzed directly from the total lipid extract because PC dimers may be interpreted as cardiolipins if the positive ion MALDI mass spectra are analyzed. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Methods of lipid‐normalization for multi‐tissue stable isotope analyses in tropical tuna
Authors: Sardenne Fany , Ménard Frédéric , Degroote Maxime , Fouché Edwin , Guillou Gaël , Lebreton Benoit , Hollanda Stephanie J. , Bodin Nathalie
Published: October 2015

Rationale

The bias associated with lipid contents in fish tissues is a recalcitrant topic for trophic studies using stable isotopes. Lipids are depleted in the heavy carbon isotope (13C) and the lipid content varies considerably among species, tissues and in both time and space. We have applied and assessed different correction methods for tropical tuna tissues.

Methods

We tested two types of normalization methods to deal with variable lipid content in liver, gonads, and white and red muscles of yellowfin, bigeye and skipjack tuna: a chemical extraction using dichloromethane and a mathematical correction based on three modeling approaches (linear, non‐linear and mass balance models). We measured isotopic ratios of bulk and lipid‐free tissues and assessed the predictive ability of the correction models with the lipid‐free measurements. The parameters of the models were estimated from our dataset and from results from published studies on other species.

Results

Comparison between bulk, lipid‐free and lipid‐corrected isotopic ratios demonstrated that (1) chemical extraction using dichloromethane did not affect δ15N values; (2) the change in δ13C values after extraction was tissue‐specific; (3) lipid‐normalization models using published parameter estimates failed to predict lipid‐corrected δ13C values; and (4) linear and non‐linear models using parameters estimated for each tissue from our dataset provided accurate δ13C predictions for all tissues, and mass balance model for white muscle only.

Conclusions

Models using published estimates for parameters from other species cannot be used. Based on a range of lipid content that do not exceed 45%, we recommend the linear model to correct the bulk δ13C values in the investigated tissues but the parameters have to be estimated from a proportion of the original data for which chemical extraction is required and the isotopic values of bulk and lipid‐free tissues are measured. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.