bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Intracortical connections are altered after long‐standing deprivation of dorsal column inputs in the hand region of area 3b in squirrel monkeys
Authors: Liao Chia‐Chi , Reed Jamie L. , Kaas Jon H. , Qi Hui‐Xin
Published: October 2015

A complete unilateral lesion of the dorsal column somatosensory pathway in the upper cervical spinal cord deactivates neurons in the hand region in contralateral somatosensory cortex (areas 3b and 1). Over weeks to months of recovery, parts of the hand region become reactivated by touch on the hand or face. To determine whether changes in cortical connections potentially contribute to this reactivation, we injected tracers into electrophysiologically identified locations in cortex of area 3b representing the reactivated hand and normally activated face in adult squirrel monkeys. Our results indicated that even when only partially reactivated, most of the expected connections of area 3b remained intact. These intact connections include the majority of intrinsic connections within area 3b; feedback connections from area 1, secondary somatosensory cortex (S2), parietal ventral area (PV), and other cortical areas; and thalamic inputs from the ventroposterior lateral nucleus (VPL). In addition, tracer injections in the reactivated hand region of area 3b labeled more neurons in the face and shoulder regions of area 3b than in normal monkeys, and injections in the face region of area 3b labeled more neurons in the hand region. Unexpectedly, the intrinsic connections within area 3b hand cortex were more widespread after incomplete dorsal column lesions (DCLs) than after a complete DCL. Although these additional connections were limited, these changes in connections may contribute to the reactivation process after injuries. J. Comp. Neurol. 524:1494–1526, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
The α1, α2, α3, and γ2 subunits of GABAA receptors show characteristic spatial and temporal expression patterns in rhombencephalic structures during normal human brain development
Authors: Stojanovic Tamara , Capo Ivan , Aronica Eleonora , Adle‐Biassette Homa , Höger Harald , Sieghart Werner , Kovacs Gabor G. , Milenkovic Ivan
Published: October 2015

γ‐Aminobutyric acid (GABA) is the most abundant inhibitory neurotransmitter in adult mammalian brain, mediating its actions chiefly via a pentameric chloride ion channel, the GABAA receptor. Nineteen different subunits (α1‐6, β1‐3, γ1‐3, δ, ε, π, θ, ρ1‐3) can give rise to multiple receptor subtypes that are the site of action of many clinically important drugs. In the developing brain, however, GABAA receptors mediate excitatory actions due to an increased chloride concentration within neurons and seem to control cell proliferation, migration, differentiation, synapse maturation, and cell death. Little is known about the distribution of single subunits in the human brain. Here we describe developmental changes in the immunohistochemical distribution of four subunits (α1, α2, α3, and γ2) in the human rhombencephalon. The γ2 was the most abundant subunit in all rhombencephalic structures during development and in adults, whereas α subunits showed a structure‐ and age‐characteristic distribution. The α1 was expressed prenatally in the molecular and Purkinje cell layer, but only postnatally in the granule cell layer and the dentate nucleus. Expression was completely absent in the inferior olivary nucleus. The α2 gradually increased during development, showing some layer specificity in the cerebellar cortex. The α3‐immunoreactivity in the cerebellar cortex was relatively weak, but it was abundantly observed in different cell populations in the subcortical cerebellar structures. Structure‐ and age‐characteristic colocalization between subunits during development suggests differences in GABAA receptor composition. Interestingly, subunit expression in several instances differed between human and rodent brain, underlining the importance of immunohistochemical studies in humans. J. Comp. Neurol. 524:1805–1824, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Adaptive demand‐aware work‐stealing in multi‐programmed multi‐core architectures
Authors: Chen Quan , Zheng Long , Guo Minyi
Published: October 2015

Modern multi‐core computers often execute multiple programs concurrently, but traditional work‐stealing schedulers assume that only a single program executes at a time. If multiple work‐stealing programs run on a multi‐core computer concurrently, the performance of these co‐located programs is poor and unbalanced due to the interference among their workers. To relieve this problem, this paper proposes demand‐aware work‐stealing (DWS) for a single work‐stealing program. If multiple programs that adopt DWS run simultaneously on a multi‐core system, the computation resources are evenly allocated to the co‐located programs at the beginning. At runtime, if a program does not need all its allocated cores, it donates its free cores. Otherwise, if a program needs more cores, it steals the free cores donated by its co‐located programs. In addition, each program that adopts DWS dynamically puts its workers to sleep and wakes them up according to the number of its queued tasks. Experimental results show that DWS can improve the co‐located programs' performance up to 42.6% and can also balance the performance of the co‐located programs compared with traditional work‐stealing. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A single‐switch cascaded high step‐up voltage converter with 95% maximum efficiency for renewable energy systems
Authors: Wu Yu‐En , Huang Kuo‐Chan
Published: November 2015

This paper proposes a novel nonisolated single‐switch cascaded high step‐up converter. The converter consists of coupled inductors, a clamp circuit, and cascaded capacitors to achieve high step‐up voltage output. Only one switch is used in the proposed converter; the switch can reduce cost efficiently and simplify the control of the proposed converter. The converter also possesses an energy‐recycle mechanism for recycling the spike energy of a leakage inductor. In addition, a clamp circuit is used to reduce voltage‐stress across the switch, and a cascaded design is used to reduce voltage‐stress across diodes and output capacitor. Thus, the proposed converter can select a low‐voltage stress switch for reducing circuit loss and improving the efficiency of the converter. Finally, in this study, a 400‐W nonisolated cascaded high step‐up converter was implemented, of which the input and output voltages are 48 and 400 V, respectively. A microcontroller dsPIC30F4011 was used to control the converter and verify system effects and feasibility. The maximum efficiency of the proposed converter is 95% and the efficiency under a full load is 93%. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Consumers' perceptions of the dietary supplement health and education act: implications and recommendations
Authors: Dodge Tonya
Published: November 2015

In 1994, the United States Congress passed the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA). The regulatory framework for dietary supplements created by DSHEA has led to significant misperceptions regarding consumers' understanding of the safety and efficacy of supplements. Research shows that consumers erroneously believe that: (1) supplements are approved by the government, (2) supplements have been tested for safety and effectiveness, (3) the content of supplements is analyzed, and (4) manufacturers are required to disclose known adverse effects to consumers. Furthermore, labelling requirements that are intended to provide transparency to consumers are relatively ineffective. The following four recommendations are offered for reforming DSHEA: (1) only allow structure‐function claims that are supported by research evidence, (2) require manufacturers to list known adverse effects on the labels of dietary supplements, (3) require that the Food and Drug Administration analyzes the content of dietary supplements and (4) restrict the definition of dietary ingredients. These recommendations would bring DSHEA to more closely align with consumer expectations regarding the regulation of dietary supplements and would likely provide a safer landscape for the use of supplements. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Self‐reported side‐effects associated with use of dietary supplements in an armed forces population
Authors: Austin Krista G. , Farina Emily K. , Lieberman Harris R.
Published: November 2015

Approximately 60–70% of Armed Forces personnel consume a dietary supplement (DS) at least once a week and there have been numerous reports of severe adverse events among DS users. This study assessed patterns of DS use and self‐reported side‐effects among 4400 Armed Forces personnel using a paper‐and‐pencil survey. Multivariable logistic regression was used to examine associations between patterns of DS use and self‐reported side‐effects. Sixty‐nine percent of personnel surveyed reported using a DS. Seven percent of DS users reported experiencing abnormal heart beats, 6% tremors, 5% stomach pain, 3% dizziness, and 3% numbness/tingling and they believed these symptoms were associated with the use of DS. After adjustment for use of other DS classes, total supplement use, and demographic characteristics, protein supplement users were more likely than non‐users to report numbness/tingling; combination product users were more likely to report experiencing abnormal heart beats, stomach pain, dizziness, tremors, and numbness/tingling; and users of purported steroid analogues were more likely to report dizziness. Use of more than one DS per week was associated with an increased likelihood of reporting side‐effects. Respondents with a higher body mass index were more likely to report side‐effects. Further research is necessary to determine whether self‐reported side‐effects associated with multiple DS use and some DS classes impact the long‐term health or performance of service members. Surveillance of military populations using surveys like this one may provide a method for detecting adverse health events of DS before they are apparent in the civilian population. © 2015 The Authors. Drug Testing and Analysis published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Occupancy of red‐naped sapsuckers in a coniferous forest: using LiDAR to understand effects of vegetation structure and disturbance
Authors: Holbrook Joseph D. , Vierling Kerri T. , Vierling Lee A. , Hudak Andrew T. , Adam Patrick
Published: November 2015

Red‐naped sapsuckers (Sphyrapicus nuchalis) are functionally important because they create sapwells and cavities that other species use for food and nesting. Red‐naped sapsucker ecology within aspen (Populus tremuloides) has been well studied, but relatively little is known about red‐naped sapsuckers in conifer forests. We used light detection and ranging (LiDAR) data to examine occupancy patterns of red‐naped sapsuckers in a conifer‐dominated system. We surveyed for sapsuckers at 162 sites in northern Idaho, USA, during 2009 and 2010. We used occupancy models and an information‐theoretic approach to model sapsucker occupancy as a function of four LiDAR‐based metrics that characterized vegetation structure and tree harvest, and one non‐LiDAR metric that characterized distance to major roads. We evaluated model support across a range of territory sizes using Akaike's information criterion. Top model support was highest at the 4‐ha extent, which suggested that 4 ha was the most relevant scale describing sapsucker occupancy. Sapsuckers were positively associated with variation of canopy height and harvested area, and negatively associated with shrub and large tree density. These results suggest that harvest regimes and structural diversity of vegetation at moderate extents (e.g., 4 ha) largely influence occurrence of red‐naped sapsuckers in conifer forests. Given the current and projected declines of aspen populations, it will be increasingly important to assess habitat relationships, as well as demographic characteristics, of aspen‐associated species such as red‐naped sapsuckers within conifer‐dominated systems to meet future management and conservation goals.
Lightweight and confidential data aggregation in healthcare wireless sensor networks
Authors: Soufiene Ben Othman , Bahattab Abdullah Ali , Trad Abdelbasset , Youssef Habib
Published: November 2015

Medical wireless sensor networks (MWSNs) provide efficient solutions to the ubiquitous healthcare systems. Deployment of MWSNs for healthcare monitoring minimizes the need for healthcare professionals and helps the patients and elderly people to safely maintain an independent life. In hospitals, medical data sensors on patients produce an enormous volume of increasingly diverse real‐time data. However, it is still critical to efficiently aggregate the different types of MWSNs data to the central servers. The security of collected and transmitted data from medical sensors is critical, whether inside the network or when stored at central servers. Efficient and secure aggregation of data is thus very essential to ensure integrity of data delivery, as well as the privacy of these data. In this research, we propose a priority‐based compressed data aggregation scheme with integrity preservation to improve the aggregation efficiency of different types of health data. We use compressed sensing as a sampling procedure to reduce the communication overhead and minimize power consumption. Then, the compressed data are encrypted, and integrity is protected by a cryptographic hash algorithm to preserve data integrity. Finally, according to different data priorities, we apply an aggregation function and then send the data for diagnosis. The security analysis focuses on security properties assured by our scheme. Then, we will present experimental results for the evaluation of the proposed system on e‐health sensor platform. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Immune responses to WT1 in patients with AML or MDS after chemotherapy and allogeneic stem cell transplantation
Authors: Casalegno‐Garduño Rosaely , Schmitt Anita , Spitschak Alf , Greiner Jochen , Wang Lei , Hilgendorf Inken , Hirt Carsten , Ho Anthony D. , Freund Mathias , Schmitt Michael
Published: October 2015

Wilms' tumor gene 1 (WT1) is overexpressed in leukemia and WT1‐derived CD8+ T‐cell epitopes for immunotherapies targeting WT1 have been defined. Here, we analyzed expression of WT1 in 226 peripheral blood and bone marrow samples from patients with acute myeloid leukemia or myelodysplastic syndrome (AML/MDS) before and after allogeneic stem cell transplantation (SCT). Transcripts were assessed by quantitative polymerase chain reaction, and WT1‐specific CD8+ cytotoxic T cells (CTL) were monitored by tetramer staining and enzyme‐linked immunospot (ELISPOT) assays. Reduction of WT1 levels correlated with a longer survival (p < 0.01). Increment of WT1 transcripts eventually resulted in relapse and subsequent death of the patients. In patients with longer survival and continuous complete remission (cCR) after SCT, higher and enduring frequencies of WT1‐specific CTL than in patients developing a relapse were detected. These cells were effector T cells secreting interferon gamma and granzyme B. In summary, WT1 is a suitable marker for the detection of minimal residual disease after SCT or chemotherapy. A rising WT1 signal correlated with a dismal prognosis of the patients. WT1‐specific CD8+ T cells might contribute to the maintenance of a cCR. Targeting WT‐1 by peptide/protein vaccination as well as adoptive transfer of genetically modified T cells are future options in the individualized therapy for AML/MDS patients.
Recovery and separation of erythromycin from industrial wastewater by imprinted magnetic nanoparticles that exploit β‐cyclodextrin as the functional monomer
Authors: Zhang Yuxin , Li Jinyang , Wang FeiFei , Wu Gang , Qv Xue , Hong Hua , Liu Changsheng
Published: November 2015

A type of surface imprinting over magnetic Fe3O4 nanoparticles utilizing erythromycin‐A as a template for use in the separation and recovery of erythromycin was developed and investigated. As the intermolecular forces play a key role in the performance of imprinted materials, differential scanning calorimetry, and 1H NMR spectroscopy was employed to evaluate the interactions between erythromycin and the functional monomer β‐cyclodextrin. To synthesize the surface imprinted polymers, magnetic Fe3O4 nanoparticles, the core materials, were modified with a free radical initiator to initialize polymerization in a “grafting from” manner. Then using acryloyl‐modified β‐cyclodextrin as the functional monomer and ethyleneglycol dimethacrylate as the cross‐linker, thin erythromycin‐imprinted films were fabricated by the radical‐induced graft copolymerization of monomers on the surface of the Fe3O4 nanoparticles. Selectivity experiments showed that the erythromycin‐A‐imprinted materials had recognition ability toward erythromycin derivatives. Finally, these magnetic molecularly imprinted particles were successfully used for the separation and enrichment of erythromycin from the mother liquor. The recovery, detected by high‐performance liquid chromatography and differential pulse voltammetry, approached 97%. The combination of the specific selectivity of the imprinted material and the magnetic separation provided a powerful tool that is simple, flexible, and selective for the separation and recovery of erythromycin.
Controlled‐Release System of Small Molecules Triggered by the Photothermal Effect of Polypyrrole
Authors: Zhang Hui , Xiong Linfeng , Liao Xiaojuan , Huang Kun
Published: November 2015

In this paper, a novel synthesis of polyethylene glycol (PEG)‐modified polypyrrole (PPy) nanomaterials is demonstrated by combining reversible addition‐fragmentation chain transfer polymerization and oxidative polymerization. Dye molecules with a heat‐labile linker are used as a model drug and covalently anchored onto the PEGlated PPy nanomaterials via “click chemistry.” The strong absorption of such PPy nanomaterials in the near‐infrared region endows the system excellent photothermal effect, which can be used not only as efficient photothermal agents for photothermal therapy but also good controllers of a drug‐release system by retro D–A reaction.

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Effect of the omega‐3 fatty acid plus vitamin E supplementation on subjective global assessment score, glucose metabolism, and lipid concentrations in chronic hemodialysis patients
Authors: Asemi Zatollah , Soleimani Alireza , Bahmani Fereshteh , Shakeri Hossein , Mazroii Navid , Abedi Fatemeh , Fallah Melika , Mohammadi Ali Akbar , Esmaillzadeh Ahmad
Published: October 2015

Scope

This study was conducted to determine the effects of omega‐3 fatty acid plus vitamin E supplementation on subjective global assessment (SGA) score and metabolic profiles in chronic hemodialysis (HD) patients.

Methods and results

This randomized double‐blind placebo‐controlled clinical trial was conducted among 120 chronic HD patients. Participants were randomly divided into four groups to receive: (i) 1250 mg/day omega‐3 fatty acid containing 600 mg eicosapentaenoic acid and 300 mg docosahexaenoic acid + vitamin E placebo (n = 30), (ii) 400 IU/day vitamin E + omega‐3 fatty acids placebo (n = 30), (iii) 1250 mg omega‐3 fatty acids/day + 400 IU/day vitamin E (n = 30), and (iv) omega‐3 fatty acids placebo + vitamin E placebo (n = 30) for 12 wk. Fasting blood samples were taken at baseline and after 12‐wk intervention to measure metabolic profiles. Patients who received combined omega‐3 fatty acids and vitamin E supplements compared with vitamin E, omega‐3 fatty acids, and placebo had significantly decreased SGA score (p < 0.001), fasting plasma glucose (p = 0.01), serum insulin levels (p = 0.001), homeostasis model of assessment insulin resistance (p = 0.002), and improved quantitative insulin sensitivity check index (p = 0.006).

Conclusion

Omega‐3 fatty acids plus vitamin E supplementation for 12 wk among HD patients had beneficial effects on SGA score and metabolic profiles.
Analysis of perfusion MRI in stroke: To deconvolve, or not to deconvolve
Authors: Meijs Midas , Christensen Soren , Lansberg Maarten G. , Albers Gregory W. , Calamante Fernando
Published: October 2015

Purpose

There is currently controversy regarding the benefits of deconvolution‐based parameters in stroke imaging, with studies suggesting a similar infarct prediction using summary parameters. We investigate here the performance of deconvolution‐based parameters and summary parameters for dynamic‐susceptibility contrast (DSC) MRI analysis, with particular emphasis on precision.

Methods

Numerical simulations were used to assess the contribution of noise and arterial input function (AIF) variability to measurement precision. A realistic AIF range was defined based on in vivo data from an acute stroke clinical study. The simulated tissue curves were analyzed using two popular singular value decomposition (SVD) based algorithms, as well as using summary parameters.

Results

SVD‐based deconvolution methods were found to considerably reduce the AIF‐dependency, but a residual AIF bias remained on the calculated parameters. Summary parameters, in turn, show a lower sensitivity to noise. The residual AIF‐dependency for deconvolution methods and the large AIF‐sensitivity of summary parameters was greatly reduced when normalizing them relative to normal tissue.

Conclusion

Consistent with recent studies suggesting high performance of summary parameters in infarct prediction, our results suggest that DSC‐MRI analysis using properly normalized summary parameters may have advantages in terms of lower noise and AIF‐sensitivity as compared to commonly used deconvolution methods. Magn Reson Med 76:1282–1290, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
A second‐order backward difference time‐stepping scheme for penalized Navier–Stokes equations modeling filtration through porous media
Authors: Ravindran S. S.
Published: November 2015

We investigate the stability and convergence of a fully implicit, linearly extrapolated second‐order backward difference time‐stepping scheme for the penalized Navier–Stokes equations modeling filtration through porous media. In the penalization approach, an extended Navier–Stokes equation is used in the entire computational domain with suitable resistance terms to mimic the presence of porous medium. It is widely used as an alternative to the heterogeneous approach in which different types of partial differential equations (PDEs) are used in fluid and porous subregions along with suitable continuity conditions at the interface. However, the introduction of extra resistance terms makes the penalized Navier–Stokes equations more nonlinear. We prove that the linearly extrapolated scheme is unconditionally stable and derive optimal order error estimates without any stability condition. To show feasibility and applicability of the approach, it is used to numerically solve a passive control problem in which flow around a solid body is controlled by adding porous layers on the surface. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Numer Methods Partial Differential Eq 32: 681–705, 2016
A new look at the genetic and environmental coherence of metabolic syndrome components
Authors: Panizzon Matthew S. , Hauger Richard L. , Sailors Megan , Lyons Michael J. , Jacobson Kristen C. , Murray McKenzie Ruth , Rana Brinda , Vasilopoulos Terrie , Vuoksimaa Eero , Xian Hong , Kremen William S. , Franz Carol E.
Published: November 2015

Objective

Metabolic syndrome, a clustering of risk factors including insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, central obesity, and hypertension, increases risk for cardiovascular disease and cognitive decline. The etiology of the risk factors' cohesion remains unclear. How genetic and environmental influences explained co‐occurrence of metabolic syndrome components was examined.

Methods

Continuous measures of body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, blood pressure (BP), fasting insulin and glucose, high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL), and triglycerides from 1,193 middle‐aged twin men participating in the Vietnam Era Twin Study of Aging at average age 62 (range 56‐67) were analyzed using multivariate biometrical modeling.

Results

Four heritable factors were found: adiposity (BMI, waist circumference), insulin resistance (glucose, insulin), lipids (HDL, triglycerides), and BP (systolic, diastolic). Heritabilities were 0.42‐0.68. In the best‐fitting model, insulin resistance, lipids, and adiposity comprised a higher‐order latent genetic factor. Adiposity and BP shared genetic influences independent of the latent genetic factor. All factors aggregated on a latent unique environmental factor.

Conclusions

Metabolic syndrome components form the equivalent of two genetic factors. BP was genetically unrelated to insulin resistance and lipids. Adiposity was the only characteristic genetically and environmentally related to all other factors. These results inform strategies for gene discovery and prediction of health outcomes.
Effect of Acarbose on Glycemic Variability in Patients with Poorly Controlled Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Receiving Stable Background Therapy: A Placebo‐Controlled Trial
Authors: Derosa Giuseppe , Franzetti Ivano , Querci Fabrizio , D'Angelo Angela , Maffioli Pamela
Published: November 2015

Study Objective

To evaluate the effect of acarbose on glycemic control and glycemic variability, using a continuous glucose‐monitoring system, in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus who were not well controlled on metformin and vildagliptin therapy.

Design

Multicenter, randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled study.

Setting

Clinical research units at three hospitals in Italy.

Patients

Fifty‐three patients with type 2 diabetes who were taking stable dosages of metformin 850 mg 3 times/day and vildagliptin 50 mg twice/day for at least 3 months and who were not adequately controlled with these therapies.

Intervention

Patients were randomized to either placebo or acarbose 100 mg 3 times/day to be added to their metformin‐vildagliptin regimen.

Measurements and Main Results

Glycemic excursions were assessed by using a continuous glucose‐monitoring system for 1 week. Glycemic control was estimated as the mean blood glucose (MBG) level, the area under the glucose concentration‐time curve for a glucose level above 70 mg/dl (AUC above 70) or 180 mg/dl (AUC above 180), and the percentage of time that the glucose level was above 70 mg/dl (T above 70) or 180 mg/dl (T above 180). Intraday glycemic variability was assessed by the standard deviation of the blood glucose level, the mean amplitude of glycemic excursions (MAGE), the M value, and continuous overlapping net glycemic action. Day‐to‐day glycemic variability was assessed as the mean of daily difference (MODD). The MBG level was ~20 mg/dl lower in the acarbose group than in the placebo group (p<0.05), particularly during the postprandial period. The AUC above 70 did not significantly differ between the two groups, whereas the AUC above 180 was ~40% lower in the acarbose group than in the placebo group during the daytime (p<0.01). The T above 180 was significantly higher in the placebo group than in the acarbose group (31% vs 8%, p<0.01. Moreover, the standard deviation and MAGE values were significantly lower in the acarbose group. The MODD value was not significantly changed in either group, and no significant differences were recorded between groups. All adverse events were mild in both groups, with only a significantly greater frequency of flatulence noted in the acarbose group (5% with acarbose vs 0.5% with placebo, p<0.05).

Conclusion

The addition of acarbose to metformin and vildagliptin background therapy in patients with inadequately controlled type 2 diabetes decreased intraday glycemic variability, especially postprandial variability, but it was not associated with a significant change in interday glycemic variability.
Isavuconazole: Pharmacology, Pharmacodynamics, and Current Clinical Experience with a New Triazole Antifungal Agent
Authors: Rybak Jeffrey M. , Marx Kayleigh R. , Nishimoto Andrew T. , Rogers P. David
Published: November 2015

Coinciding with the continually increasing population of immunocompromised patients worldwide, the incidence of invasive fungal infections has grown over the past 4 decades. Unfortunately, infections caused by both yeasts such as Candida and molds such as Aspergillus or Mucorales remain associated with unacceptably high morbidity and mortality. In addition, the available antifungals with proven efficacy in the treatment of these infections remain severely limited. Although previously available second‐generation triazole antifungals have significantly expanded the spectrum of the triazole antifungal class, these agents are laden with shortcomings in their safety profiles as well as formulation and pharmacokinetic challenges. Isavuconazole, administered as the prodrug isavuconazonium, is the latest second‐generation triazole antifungal to receive U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval. Approved for the treatment of both invasive aspergillosis and invasive mucormycosis, and currently under investigation for the treatment of candidemia and invasive candidiasis, isavuconazole may have therapeutic advantages over its predecessors. With clinically relevant antifungal potency against a broad range of yeasts, dimorphic fungi, and molds, isavuconazole has a spectrum of activity reminiscent of the polyene amphotericin B. Moreover, clinical experience thus far has revealed isavuconazole to be associated with fewer toxicities than voriconazole, even when administered without therapeutic drug monitoring. These characteristics, in an agent available in both a highly bioavailable oral and a β‐cyclodextrin–free intravenous formulation, will likely make isavuconazole a welcome addition to the triazole class of antifungals.
Höhenmessungen über Luftdruckmessungen
Authors: Burde Jan‐Philipp , Wilhelm Thomas , Kuhn Jochen
Published: November 2015

Mit den kostenfreien Android‐Apps Höhenmesser und Genaue Höhenmesser kostenlos kann über eine Luftdruckmessung die ungefähre Höhe des jeweiligen Standorts mit dem Smartphone schnell und unkompliziert bestimmt werden.
Ein Grundschullehrer mit Nobelpreis
Authors: Loos Andreas
Published: November 2015

Im Alter von nur 14 Jahren geht er als Lehreranwärter an eine Grundschule. Zu diesem Zeitpunkt hat er alle Schulausbildungen abgeschlossen, die sein Vater, ein ärmlicher Zimmermann, zu finanzieren imstande ist. Der Besuch einer Universität kommt aus Geldmangel nicht infrage. Seinen Job macht er aber so gut, dass er schon mit 24 Jahren zum Direktor einer Grundschule ernannt wird.
Managing Project Stakeholder Communication: The Qstock Festival Case
Authors: Turkulainen Virpi , Aaltonen Kirsi , Lohikoski Päivi
Published: October 2015

This research develops the understanding of project stakeholder management through examining how stakeholder communication is facilitated and managed during the different phases of the project's life cycle. By building on the information processing view and the stakeholder salience framework, our study shows how stakeholder communication practices vary among the impersonal, personal, and group modes of communication. We also show how these practices depend on stakeholders’ salience and project life cycle phase. The results indicate that a dynamic approach is required to understanding stakeholder management; different communication practices are required over the project's life cycle, which can be explained by the varying degrees of stakeholder salience.
Thioxanthonation of fluorenone: Visible photoinitiator for radical polymerization
Authors: Karaca Nurcan , Balta Demet Karaca , Ocal Nuket , Arsu Nergis
Published: October 2015

Thioxanthonation of fluorenone resulted in a new visible light initiator namely, indeno [1,2‐b]thioxanthene‐7,13‐dione (TX–FN). The detailed photophysical properties of the singlet and the triplet excited states of TX–FN are reported using steady‐state absorption, fluorescence, and phosphorescence, as well as laser flash photolysis techniques. Photoinitiated polymerization of MMA with TX–FN and CQ has been investigated in the presence and absence of a co‐initiator (MDEA). Additionally, Photo‐DSC studies were performed both in mono‐ and multiacrylate systems with TX–FN and parent compounds TX and FN. The obtained results were compared for formulations consisting of CQ. At low initiator concentrations, the conversions were lower than those obtained with TX–FN. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2016, 54, 1012–1019
Cell line modeling to study biomarker panel in prostate cancer
Authors: NickKholgh Bita , Fang Xiaolan , Winters Shira M. , Raina Anvi , Pandya Komal S. , Gyabaah Kenneth , Fino Nora , Balaji K.C.
Published: November 2015

Background

African–American men with prostate cancer (PCa) present with higher‐grade and ‐stage tumors compared to Caucasians. While the disparity may result from multiple factors, a biological basis is often strongly suspected. Currently, few well‐characterized experimental model systems are available to study the biological basis of racial disparity in PCa. We report a validated in vitro cell line model system that could be used for the purpose.

Methods

We assembled a PCa cell line model that included currently available African–American PCa cell lines and LNCaP (androgen‐dependent) and C4‐2 (castration‐resistant) Caucasian PCa cells. The utility of the cell lines in studying the biological basis of variance in a malignant phenotype was explored using a multiplex biomarker panel consisting of proteins that have been proven to play a role in the progression of PCa. The panel expression was evaluated by Western blot and RT‐PCR in cell lines and validated in human PCa tissues by RT‐PCR. As proof‐of‐principle to demonstrate the utility of our model in functional studies, we performed MTS viability assays and molecular studies.

Results

The dysregulation of the multiplex biomarker panel in primary African–American cell line (E006AA) was similar to metastatic Caucasian cell lines, which would suggest that the cell line model could be used to study an inherent aggressive phenotype in African–American men with PCa. We had previously demonstrated that Protein kinase D1 (PKD1) is a novel kinase that is down regulated in advanced prostate cancer. We established the functional relevance by over expressing PKD1, which resulted in decreased proliferation and epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) in PCa cells. Moreover, we established the feasibility of studying the expression of the multiplex biomarker panel in archived human PCa tissue from African–Americans and Caucasians as a prelude to future translational studies.

Conclusion

We have characterized a novel in vitro cell line model that could be used to study the biological basis of disparity in PCa between African–Americans and Caucasians. Prostate 76:245–258, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Risk assessment for fire and explosion accidents of steel oil tanks using improved AHP based on FTA
Authors: Zhang Miao , Song Wenhua , Chen Zhen , Wang Ji
Published: October 2015

The fire and explosion accidents of steel oil tanks is an extreme threat for crude oil storage, and they are considerably difficult to extinguish and easy to spread. Fault Tree Analysis (FTA) and Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) are often used for the risk assessment of such accidents. The probabilities of basic events are very different to obtain. For example, the failure probabilities of most components in industrial are related to their service time, work environment, operating, and some probabilities of human factors are more difficult to establish. So, there are no sufficient data for FTA to make accurate quantitative assessments, whereas the AHP relies on expert judgment and scoring, which have great subjectivity. Both the structural importance of the basic events for FTA and the weight of the index layer for the AHP significantly affect the top event. A new approach is proposed to improve the AHP method. The judgment matrices of AHP are developed based on the basic events, structural importance of FTA, and the expert scoring of AHP. In addition, the new method reconciles the differences of FTA and AHP by combining the weighting factors, and has been tested and validated by applying for fire and explosion accidents of different types of steel oil tanks. Finally, the risk of boilover fire in tank park and its influencing factors are discussed. The results provide valuable information for the decision maker to improve the safety performance and to set up an effective firefighting strategy. © 2015 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Process Saf Prog 35: 260–269, 2016
Evaluation of the endophytic nature of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens strain GYL4 and its efficacy in the control of anthracnose
Authors: Kim Jeong Do , Jeon Byeong Jun , Han Jae Woo , Park Min Young , Kang Sin Ae , Kim Beom Seok
Published: October 2015

BACKGROUND

Endophytic bacteria are viewed as a potential new source of biofungicides because they have beneficial characteristics as control agents for plant disease. This study was performed to examine the endophytic feature and disease control efficacy of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens strain GYL4 and to identify the antifungal compounds produced by this strain.

RESULTS

B. amyloliquefaciens strain GYL4 was isolated from leaf tissue of pepper plants (Capsicum annuum L.). Anthracnose symptoms were markedly reduced in the leaves of pepper plants colonised by GYL4. An egfp‐expressing strain of GYL4 (GYL4‐egfp) was constructed and reintroduced into pepper plants, which confirmed its ability to colonise the internal tissues of pepper plants. GYL4‐egfp was observed in the root and stem tissues 4 days after treatment and abundantly found in the internal leaf tissue 9 days after treatment. Bacillomycin derivatives purified from the culture extract of GYL4 displayed control efficacy on anthracnose development in cucumber (Cucumis sativus L. cv. Chunsim).

CONCLUSION

The present study is the first report on evaluation of the endophytic and systemic nature of B. amyloliquefaciens strain GYL4 and its potential as a biocontrol agent for anthracnose management. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry
Viral O‐GalNAc peptide epitopes: a novel potential target in viral envelope glycoproteins
Authors: Olofsson Sigvard , Blixt Ola , Bergström Tomas , Frank Martin , Wandall Hans H.
Published: November 2015

Viral envelope glycoproteins are major targets for antibodies that bind to and inactivate viral particles. The capacity of a viral vaccine to induce virus‐neutralizing antibodies is often used as a marker for vaccine efficacy. Yet the number of known neutralization target epitopes is restricted owing to various viral escape mechanisms. We expand the range of possible viral glycoprotein targets, by presenting a previously unknown type of viral glycoprotein epitope based on a short peptide stretch modified with small O‐linked glycans. Besides being immunologically active, these epitopes have a high potential for antigenic variation. Thus, sera from patients infected with EBV develop individual IgG responses addressing the different possible glycopeptide glycoforms of one short peptide backbone that reflect individual variations in the course of virus infection. In contrast, in HSV type 2 meningitis patients, CSF antibodies are focussed to only one single glycoform peptide of a major viral glycoprotein. Thus, dependent on the viral disease, the serological response may be variable or constant with respect to the number of targeted peptide glycoforms. Mapping of these epitopes relies on a novel three‐step procedure that identifies any reactive viral O‐glycosyl peptide epitope with respect to (i) relevant peptide sequence, (ii) the reactive glycoform out of several possible glycopeptide isomers of that peptide sequence, and (iii) possibly tolerated carbohydrate or peptide structural variations at glycosylation sites. In conclusion, the viral O‐glycosyl peptide epitopes may be of relevance for development of subunit vaccines and for improved serodiagnosis of viral diseases. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Review of Graphene as a Solid State Diffusion Barrier
Authors: Morrow Wayne K. , Pearton Stephen J. , Ren Fan
Published: November 2015

Conventional thin‐film diffusion barriers consist of 3D bulk films with high chemical and thermal stability. The purpose of the barrier material is to prevent intermixing or penetration from the two materials that encase it. Adhesion to both top and bottom materials is critical to the success of the barrier. Here, the effectiveness of a single atomic layer of graphene as a solid‐state diffusion barrier for common metal schemes used in microelectronics is reviewed, and specific examples are discussed. Initial studies of electrical contacts to graphene show a distinct separation in behavior between metallic groups that strongly or weakly bond to it. The two basic classes of metal reactions with graphene are either physisorbed metals, which bond weakly with graphene, or chemisorbed metals, which bond strongly to graphene. For graphene diffusion barrier testing on Si substrates, an effective barrier can be achieved through the formation of a carbide layer with metals that are chemisorbed. For physisorbed metals, the barrier failure mechanism is loss of adhesion at the metal–graphene interface. A graphene layer encased between two metal layers, in certain cases, can increase the binding energy of both films with graphene, however, certain combinations of metal films are detrimental to the bonding with graphene. While the prospects for graphene's future as a solid‐state diffusion barrier are positive, there are open questions, and areas for future research are discussed. A better understanding of the mechanisms which influence graphene's ability to be an effective diffusion barrier in microelectronic applications is required, and additional experiments are needed on a broader range of metals, as well as common metal stack contact structures used in microelectronic applications. The role of defects in the graphene is also a key area, since they will probably influence the barrier properties.
Integrated DFIG‐based wind turbine model with direct power control
Authors: Yang Shih‐Yu , Wu Yuan‐Kang , Lin Huei‐Jeng
Published: November 2015

This paper is focused on the model development of doubly fed induction generator (DFIG)‐based wind turbines. The model integrates mechanical and electrical systems. In the mechanical system, the aerodynamic properties are calculated in every section and every angle of attack by using a finite element analysis software, and the dynamic structure analysis is performed by using the Fatigue, Aerodynamics, Structures, and Turbulence (FAST) code. On the other hand, the electrical system includes DFIG modeling, the grid side converter (GSC) with DC bus voltage control, and the rotor side inverter (RSI) with direct power control (DPC). By using the direct power control strategy, the active power, reactive power, and power factor from the DFIG can be controlled to meet the requirements of the grid code. Moreover, the actual measured wind speed data are used in this work to simulate the outputs from the DFIG in order to confirm the feasibility of the wind turbine modeling. According to the simulation results, the proposed model is useful and can provide a reference for further studies about wind turbine technology. © 2015 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Discharge characteristic investigation on surface discharge initiated by metallic particles attached to gas‐insulated substation insulator
Authors: Yao Rui , Si Gangquan , Zhang Yanbin
Published: November 2015

The ultrahigh frequency (UHF) method is used for detecting the three kinds of surface discharges started by metallic particles on the spacer insulators in gas‐insulated switchgear (GIS). Three different designs of the same surface defect are applied to ensure the consistency of the results. The present experiments are made on a 220‐kV GIS, which is close to the actual situations to study the surface discharge characteristic. A measuring system for this purpose consists of an oscilloscope connected to UHF sensors. Partial discharge (PD) data was captured by UHF detection using an oscilloscope and stored as phase‐resolved pulse sequence (PRPS) data. Since PRPS data contain the complete information of the PD, PRPS analysis (PRPSA) pattern and three‐dimensional ϕ − q − n (3D PRPD) pattern can be calculated from the recorded PRPS datasets. The PRPSA data also allows us to obtain the actual test voltage (rms) of every cycle, the number of measuring cycles, and phase information of all PD pulses, together with their peak values, so that a statistical analysis of these data can be discussed. Besides, this paper also focuses on the frequency analysis and time–frequency analysis of the single‐pulse time‐domain signal. It is shown that the characteristic parameters obtained from the PRPS data, frequency spectrum, and time–frequency spectrum have the potential to be used as PD characteristic interpretation and further research on PD pattern identification. © 2015 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
The evolution and state of interdisciplinary hyporheic research
Authors: Ward Adam S.
Published: November 2015

Hyporheic zones are of broad interest, given their location at the interface between surface and groundwaters, numerous ecological functions, and location as a zone of interdependent physical, chemical, and biological processes. Hyporheic research has been successful in study of individual processes, but our understanding of coupled, interacting processes in hyporheic zones remains limited. Based on an analysis of publications and citations, interest in the hyporhec zone was catalyzed by ecological functions, and interest has become more balanced across disciplines and functions in recent years. Analysis of publications and field studies spanning 12 identified hyporheic processes demonstrates that studies commonly focus on 1–3 processes limiting our ability to characterize interaction or interdependence of hyporheic processes. Analysis of field studies demonstrate that the most frequently studies scales are second‐ and third‐order streams with longitudinal, lateral, and vertical scales of 10–1000+ m, 1–10, and 0–1 m, respectively. These studies commonly considered variations spanning timescales of storm events to seasons. I identified a total of 86 variables used to characterize hyporheic processes of which the most frequently reported 14 variables represent more than 50% of all variables found in this analysis. Thus, a relatively small suite of variables may hold key information to enable cross‐site comparison of findings. Future hyporheic research should address the challenges of (1) defining common metadata to support interdisciplinary research and cross‐site comparison and (2) quantifying spatial and temporal heterogeneity in hyporheic functions to enable multi‐scale assessment and prediction of hyporheic processes.WIREs Water2016, 3:83–103. doi: 10.1002/wat2.1120

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Science of Water > Methods