bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Low abundance of mitochondrial DNA changes mitochondrial status and renders cells resistant to serum starvation and sodium nitroprusside insult
Authors: Lee Sung Ryul , Heo Hye Jin , Jeong Seung Hun , Kim Hyoung Kyu , Song In Sung , Ko Kyung Soo , Rhee Byoung Doo , Kim Nari , Han Jin
Published: April 2015

Mutation or depletion of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) can cause severe mitochondrial malfunction, originating from the mitochondrion itself, or from the crosstalk between nuclei and mitochondria. However, the changes that would occur if the amount of mtDNA is diminished are less known. Thus, we generated rat myoblast H9c2 cells containing lower amounts of mtDNA via ethidium bromide and uridine supplementation. After confirming the depletion of mtDNA by quantitative PCR and gel electrophoresis analysis, we investigated the changes in mitochondrial physical parameters by using flow cytometry. We also evaluated the resistance of these cells to serum starvation and sodium nitroprusside. H9c2 cells with diminished mtDNA contents showed decreased mitochondrial membrane potential, mass, free calcium, and zinc ion contents as compared to naïve H9c2 cells. Furthermore, cytosolic and mitochondrial reactive oxygen species levels were significantly higher in mtDNA‐lowered H9c2 cells than in the naïve cells. Although the oxygen consumption rate and cell proliferation were decreased, mtDNA‐lowered H9c2 cells were more resistant to serum deprivation and nitroprusside insults than the naïve H9c2 cells. Taken together, we conclude that the low abundance of mtDNA cause changes in cellular status, such as changes in reactive oxygen species, calcium, and zinc ion levels inducing resistance to stress.
A Surrogate‐Based Optimization Methodology for the Optimal Design of an Air Quality Monitoring Network
Authors: Al‐Adwani Suad , Elkamel Ali , Duever Thomas A. , Yetilmezsoy Kaan , Abdul‐Wahab Sabah Ahmed
Published: April 2015

A surrogate‐based optimization methodology was proposed for identifying and determining the optimal location and configuration of an air quality monitoring network (AQMN) in an industrial area for different pollutants such as sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen oxide (NOx), and carbon monoxide (CO). Within the framework of the described methodology, an optimal AQMN design was proposed to assess the violation and pattern scores for each pollutant. For this purpose, a criterion for assessing the allocation of monitoring stations was developed by applying a utility function that could describe the spatial coverage of the network and its ability to detect violations of standards for multiple pollutants. An air dispersion model based on the multiple cell approach was used to create monthly spatial distributions for the concentrations of the pollutants emitted from different sources. The data was used to develop the surrogate models. The proposed methodology was applied to a network of existing refinery stacks, and the locations of monitoring stations and their area coverage percentage were obtained. Results clearly indicated that the proposed methodology was successful in designing AQMNs and could be used for as many stations as required.
Studienanfängerinnen und Studienanfänger im Fach Chemie
Authors: Freyer Katja , Asikainen Mervi A. , Hirvonen Pekka E. , Sumfleth Elke
Published: April 2015

Die PISA‐Erhebungen haben den Vorsprung Finnlands gegenüber Deutschland hinsichtlich der naturwissenschaftlichen Kompetenzen fünfzehnjähriger Schülerinnen und Schüler deutlich gemacht. Es ist anzunehmen, dass dieser Vorsprung während der Schulzeit erhalten bleibt. Fraglich ist, ob sich die Leistungsunterschiede auch zu Beginn eines Fachstudiums, in diesem Fall des Chemiestudiums wiederfinden lassen, oder ob durch die Selektion aufgrund der Studienfachwahl diese Unterschiede aufgehoben werden. Es werden Chemie‐ und Chemielehramtsstudierende beider Länder zu Beginn des ersten Semesters hinsichtlich ihrer Schulnoten, ihrer kognitiven Fähigkeiten, ihres Chemiefachwissens, ihrer Selbsteinschätzung und ihres Fachinteresses verglichen. Zwischen den Ländern lassen sich kaum Unterschiede feststellen. Jedoch zeigt sich, dass Chemielehramtsstudierende in Finnland zu Studienbeginn ähnliche Leistungen erbringen und ähnliche Einstellungen aufweisen wie finnische Studierende im Studiengang Chemie. In Deutschland hingegen unterscheiden sich Chemie‐ und Chemielehramtsstudierende gerade bezüglich fachbezogener Variablen deutlich voneinander.
Ionization Potential Depression in Hot Dense Plasmas Through a Pure Classical Model
Authors: Calisti A. , Ferri S. , Talin B.
Published: April 2015

The ionization potential of an ion embedded in a plasma, lowered due to the whole of the charged particles (ions and electrons) interacting with this ion, is the so‐called plasma effect. A numerical plasma model based on classical molecular dynamics has been developed recently. It is capable to describe a neutral plasma at equilibrium involving ions of various charge states of the same atom together with electrons. This code is used here to investigate the ionization potential depression (IPD). The study of the IPD is illustrated and discussed for aluminum plasmas at mid and solid density and electron temperatures varying from 50eV to 190eV. The method relies on a sampling of the total potential energy of the electron located at an ion being ionized. The potential energy of such electron results from all of the interacting charged particles interacting with it. (© 2015 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Note on Mechanism for Formation of Bulbs (Structures) in Complex Plasmas with Grains of Different Size
Authors: Tsytovich V. , Suetterlin R. , Thomas H. , Ivlev A.
Published: April 2015

In this note the phenomena of formation of grain bulbs (compact grain structure) in presence of grains with different size is discussed from point of view of grain force balance. The requirement is found showing where in the equilibrium conditions the larger size grains are expelled from the regions of smaller size grains forming dust bulbs containing only the smallest size grains. The experiments where this phenomenon was observed are discussed. It is possible to conclude that these experiments can serve as direct evidence for existence of the non‐linear screening of individual grains and for excitation of collective large scale electric fields that balances the drag forces in domain of structures. (© 2015 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Rosemary plant (Rosmarinus officinalis L.), solvent extract and essential oil can be used to extend the usage life of hazelnut oil during deep frying
Authors: Tohma Serdar , Turan Semra
Published: April 2015

In this study, the effects of rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L.) plant (RP), its alcoholic extracts (REE and RME) and essential oil (REO) on the oxidative stability of hazelnut oil (HO) during deep frying were investigated. HOs containing rosemary additives had lower conjugated diene (CD) content, p‐anisidine value (AV) and polar material content compared to control values. Additionally, changes in L*, a*, and b* color values and viscosity were lower than control values. RP (50 g/kg) caused the highest retention of α‐tocopherol. At the end of the frying period, the induction periods (IPs) of HOs containing rosemary additives were between 9.43 and 35.01 min, much higher than the control IP (4.28 min). The ratios of C18:1/C16:0 and C18:2/C16:0 were 7.6 and 1.2, respectively, in HOs containing 50 g/kg RP, values which were higher than those of the control. The study indicated that HO containing 50 g/kg RP had the best frying performance. Rosemary additives had no adverse effects on sensory acceptability according to results of a sensorial analysis of French fries. The rosemary additives also had no significant effect in terms of texture and color of French fries (P > 0.05). Consequently, this study shows that rosemary plant or extracts can be used to extend the usage life of hazelnut oil for frying.

Practical applications: Rosemary is an herb with a high antioxidant activity due to its phenolic compound content. After grinding, it can be directly added to frying oils or added as a solvent extract. In direct application, which does not require the use of any additional chemicals, it increases the stability of the frying oil when it is used in an appropriate amount.

Total phenolic content of hazelnut oil increased with the addition of rosemary plant, essential oil and alcoholic extracts.
EDC·HCl and Potassium Salts of Oxyma and Oxyma‐B as Superior Coupling Cocktails for Peptide Synthesis
Authors: Jad Yahya E. , Khattab Sherine N. , de la Torre Beatriz G. , Govender Thavendran , Kruger Hendrik G. , El‐Faham Ayman , Albericio Fernando
Published: April 2015

Nowadays, DIC is the most widely used carbodiimide for solid‐phase peptide synthesis, while EDC·HCl is mostly used only for solution‐phase synthesis. In this paper, we report new coupling cocktails containing EDC·HCl in combination with potassium salts of OxymaPure and Oxyma‐B (i.e., K‐Oxyma and K‐Oxyma‐B, respectively). These reagent cocktails gave spectacular purity compared to DIC/classical N‐hydroxylamine derivatives in the solid‐phase peptide synthesis of the Aib‐enkephaline (Aib = 2‐aminoisobutyric acid) pentapeptide (H‐Tyr‐Aib‐Aib‐Phe‐Leu‐NH2), a hindered peptide. Furthermore, we found that the EDC·HCl/K‐Oxyma combination can be used with DMF, THF, or MeCN as the solvent. The optimized cocktail gave less racemization than benzotriazole derivatives, but slightly more than OxymaPure and Oxyma‐B during stepwise solution‐phase peptide synthesis.
Enhancing separation in short‐capillary electrophoresis via pressure‐driven backflow
Authors: Tian Miaomiao , Wang Yujia , Mohamed Amara Camara , Guo Liping , Yang Li
Published: April 2015

We present a novel easy‐to‐operate and efficient method to improve the separation efficiency in short‐capillary electrophoresis by introducing steady backflow to counterbalance electro‐osmotic flow without the use of any external pressure. The backflow was easily generated by tapering the capillary end, which was achieved by heating a straight capillary and stretching it with a constant force. We investigated the net fluidic transport rate under different tip lengths and separation voltages. Good run‐to‐run repeatability and capillary‐to‐capillary reproducibility of the present method were obtained with RSD less than 1.5%, indicating the stability of the fluid transport rate in the tapered capillary, which ensures the quantification and repeatability of capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) analysis. Enhanced separation of the tapered short capillary electrophoresis was demonstrated by CZE analyzing amino acids and positional isomers. Baseline separations were achieved in less than 60 s using a tapered capillary with the effective length of 5 cm, while no separation was achieved using a normal capillary without a tapered tip. The present study provides a promising method to use pressure‐driven backflow to enhance separation efficiency in short‐capillary electrophoresis, which would be of potential value in a wide application for fast analysis of complex samples.
High‐order compact finite difference schemes for the vorticity–divergence representation of the spherical shallow water equations
Authors: Ghader Sarmad , Nordström Jan
Published: April 2015

This work is devoted to the application of the super compact finite difference method (SCFDM) and the combined compact finite difference method (CCFDM) for spatial differencing of the spherical shallow water equations in terms of vorticity, divergence, and height. The fourth‐order compact, the sixth‐order and eighth‐order SCFDM, and the sixth‐order and eighth‐order CCFDM schemes are used for the spatial differencing. To advance the solution in time, a semi‐implicit Runge–Kutta method is used. In addition, to control the nonlinear instability, an eighth‐order compact spatial filter is employed. For the numerical solution of the elliptic equations in the problem, a direct hybrid method, which consists of a high‐order compact scheme for spatial differencing in the latitude coordinate and a fast Fourier transform in longitude coordinate, is utilized. The accuracy and convergence rate for all methods are verified against exact analytical solutions. Qualitative and quantitative assessments of the results for an unstable barotropic mid‐latitude zonal jet employed as an initial condition are addressed. It is revealed that the sixth‐order and eighth‐order CCFDMs and SCFDMs lead to a remarkable improvement of the solution over the fourth‐order compact method. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Long Memory in Asymmetric Dependence Between LME and Chinese Aluminum Futures
Authors: Gong Yuting , Zheng Xu
Published: April 2015

The co‐dependence of many asset returns has been shown to be asymmetric and to follow long memory dynamics in recent studies. To capture the two features simultaneously, based on Hafner and Manner (2012), we propose the new model of fractionally integrated stochastic copula allowing for long memory in the evolution of co‐dependence. In the empirical analysis, the aluminum futures markets of London Metal Exchange and Shanghai Futures Exchange were shown to have stronger co‐dependence in market downturns than in upturns, and long memory was present in the dynamics of both upper and lower‐tail dependence. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Jrl Fut Mark 36:267–294, 2016
Decision management in transoral robotic surgery: Indications, individual patient selection, and role in the multidisciplinary treatment for head and neck cancer from a European perspective
Authors: Lörincz Balazs B. , Jowett Nathan , Knecht Rainald
Published: April 2015

Background

Transoral robotic surgery (TORS) has become an accepted first‐line treatment for T1 and T2 head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). The growing popularity of this procedure is the result of mounting skepticism as to the survival and quality of life (QOL) benefits of primary chemoradiation over definitive surgery, the rising incidence of human papillomavirus (HPV)‐positive oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) in progressively younger patients, and the advantages of TORS over transoral laser microsurgery (TOLM) and open surgery.

Methods

The authors use their experience and data gained from the TORS‐based management of >100 patients to establish a systematic approach to the use of TORS in HNSCC.

Results

This approach is constructed on a framework which goal is to select the primary treatment option that is most likely to reduce morbidity while preserving function and maintaining oncologic safety.

Conclusion

A consensus regarding the indications of TORS and its role in the multidisciplinary management of HNSCC is to be established. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck 38: E2190–E2196, 2016
Development of toxicity values and exposure estimates for tetrabromobisphenol A: application in a margin of exposure assessment
Authors: Wikoff Daniele , Thompson Chad , Perry Camarie , White Matthew , Borghoff Susan , Fitzgerald Lauren , Haws Laurie C.
Published: April 2015

Tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) is used in a diverse array of products to improve fire safety. The National Toxicology Program (NTP) recently completed a 2‐year bioassay for TBBPA. The objective of the present study was to develop a cancer‐based and a non‐cancer based toxicity value and to compare such to appropriate estimates of human exposure. Data from the NTP 2‐year and 13‐week studies were selected to develop candidate toxicity values. Benchmark dose modeling and subsequent evaluation of candidate values resulted in selection of an oral reference dose (RfD) of 0.6 mg kg−1 day−1 based on uterine hyperplasia in rats and an oral cancer slope factor (OSF) of 0.00315 per mg kg−1 day−1 based on an increased incidence of uterine tumors in rats. Lifetime average daily dose (LADD) estimates ranged from 2.2 E−7 to 3.9 E−6 mg kg−1 day−1 based on age‐adjusted exposures to TBBPA via breast milk consumption, dietary intake, soil/dust ingestion and drinking water ingestion in infants, young children, older children and adults. Average daily dose (ADD) estimates ranged from 3.2 E −7 to 8.4 E−5 mg kg−1 day−1. Resulting margin of exposure (MOE) values were > 800 000 for non‐cancer endpoints and > 32 000 000 for cancer‐based endpoints. These data collectively indicate a low level of health concern associated with exposures to TBBPA based on current data. It is anticipated that the exposure estimates, along with the toxicity values described within, should be informative for understanding human health hazards associated with TBBPA. Copyright © 2015. The Authors. Journal of Applied Toxicology Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Polyclonality of Parathyroid Tumors in Neonatal Severe Hyperparathyroidism
Authors: Corrado Kristin R , Andrade Simone Caixeta , Bellizzi Justin , D'Souza-Li Lilia , Arnold Andrew
Published: April 2015

Neonatal severe hyperparathyroidism (NSHPT) is a rare disorder characterized by major hypercalcemia, elevated parathyroid hormone levels, and marked enlargement of multiple parathyroid glands, usually associated with germline mutations in the calcium receptor gene CASR. However, little is known about the outgrowth of parathyroid tumors in NSHPT, including whether they represent monoclonal or polyclonal expansions. We sought to examine the clonality of parathyroid tissues resected from a patient with NSHPT and biallelic CASR mutations. DNA from two distinct parathyroid tumors resected from a girl with NSHPT, plus polyclonal/monoclonal control samples, were subjected to analyses of clonality by two independent methods, X-chromosome inactivation analysis at the androgen receptor locus (HUMARA) and BAC array comparative genomic hybridization (CGH). Both parathyroid tumor samples revealed polyclonal patterns by X-inactivation analysis, with polyclonal and monoclonal controls yielding the expected patterns. Similarly, by BAC array CGH, neither parathyroid sample contained monoclonal copy number changes and both appeared identical to the patient-matched polyclonal controls. Our observations provide direct experimental evidence that the markedly enlarged parathyroid tumors in the setting of NSHPT constitute polyclonal, generalized hyperplastic growths rather than monoclonal neoplasms. © 2015 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.
Buried in the Middle but Guilty: Intronic Mutations in the TCIRG1 Gene Cause Human Autosomal Recessive Osteopetrosis
Authors: Palagano Eleonora , Blair Harry C , Pangrazio Alessandra , Tourkova Irina , Strina Dario , Angius Andrea , Cuccuru Gianmauro , Oppo Manuela , Uva Paolo , Van Hul Wim , Boudin Eveline , Superti-Furga Andrea , Faletra Flavio , Nocerino Agostino , Ferrari Matteo C , Grappiolo Guido , Monari Marta , Montanelli Alessandro , Vezzoni Paolo , Villa Anna , Sobacchi Cristina
Published: April 2015

Autosomal recessive osteopetrosis (ARO) is a rare genetic bone disease with genotypic and phenotypic heterogeneity, sometimes translating into delayed diagnosis and treatment. In particular, cases of intermediate severity often constitute a diagnostic challenge and represent good candidates for exome sequencing. Here, we describe the tortuous path to identification of the molecular defect in two siblings, in which osteopetrosis diagnosed in early childhood followed a milder course, allowing them to reach the adult age in relatively good conditions with no specific therapy. No clearly pathogenic mutation was identified either with standard amplification and resequencing protocols or with exome sequencing analysis. While evaluating the possible impact of a 3'UTR variant on the TCIRG1 expression, we found a novel single nucleotide change buried in the middle of intron 15 of the TCIRG1 gene, about 150 nucleotides away from the closest canonical splice site. By sequencing a number of independent cDNA clones covering exons 14 to 17, we demonstrated that this mutation reduced splicing efficiency but did not completely abrogate the production of the normal transcript. Prompted by this finding, we sequenced the same genomic region in 33 patients from our unresolved ARO cohort and found three additional novel single nucleotide changes in a similar location and with a predicted disruptive effect on splicing, further confirmed in one of them at the transcript level. Overall, we identified an intronic region in TCIRG1 that seems to be particularly prone to splicing mutations, allowing the production of a small amount of protein sufficient to reduce the severity of the phenotype usually associated with TCIRG1 defects. On this basis, we would recommend including TCIRG1 not only in the molecular work-up of severe infantile osteopetrosis but also in intermediate cases and carefully evaluating the possible effects of intronic changes. © 2015 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.
Bounds for Arcs of Arbitrary Degree in Finite Desarguesian Planes
Authors: Hirschfeld J. W. P. , Pichanick E. V. D.
Published: April 2015

This paper examines subsets with at mostnpoints on a line in the projective plane. A lower bound for the size of complete‐arcs is established and shown to be a generalisation of a classical result by Barlotti. A sufficient condition ensuring that the trisecants to a complete (k, 3)‐arc form a blocking setin the dual planeis provided. Finally, combinatorial arguments are used to show that, for, plane (k, 3)‐arcs satisfying a prescribed incidence condition do not attain the best known upper bound.
Differences in food intake of tumour‐bearing cachectic mice are associated with hypothalamic serotonin signalling
Authors: Dwarkasing Jvalini T. , Boekschoten Mark V. , Argilès Joseph M. , van Dijk Miriam , Busquets Silvia , Penna Fabio , Toledo Miriam , Laviano Alessandro , Witkamp R. F. , van Norren Klaske
Published: April 2015

Background

Anorexia is a common symptom among cancer patients and contributes to malnutrition and strongly impinges on quality of life. Cancer‐induced anorexia is thought to be caused by an inability of food intake‐regulating systems in the hypothalamus to respond adequately to negative energy balance during tumour growth. Here, we show that this impaired response of food‐intake control is likely to be mediated by altered serotonin signalling and by failure in post‐transcriptional neuropeptide Y (NPY) regulation.

Methods

Two tumour cachectic mouse models with different food intake behaviours were used: a C26‐colon adenocarcinoma model with increased food intake and a Lewis lung carcinoma model with decreased food intake. This contrast in food intake behaviour between tumour‐bearing (TB) mice in response to growth of the two different tumours was used to distinguish between processes involved in cachexia and mechanisms that might be important in food intake regulation. The hypothalamus was used for transcriptomics (affymetrix chips).

Results

In both models, hypothalamic expression of orexigenic NPY was significantly higher compared with controls, suggesting that this change does not directly reflect food intake status but might be linked to negative energy balance in cachexia. Expression of genes involved in serotonin signalling showed to be different between C26‐TB mice and Lewis lung carcinoma‐TB mice and was inversely associated with food intake. In vitro, using hypothalamic cell lines, serotonin repressed neuronal hypothalamic NPY secretion while not affecting messenger NPY expression, suggesting that serotonin signalling can interfere with NPY synthesis, transport, or secretion.

Conclusions

Altered serotonin signalling is associated with changes in food intake behaviour in cachectic TB mice. Serotonins' inhibitory effect on food intake under cancer cachectic conditions is probably via affecting the NPY system. Therefore, serotonin regulation might be a therapeutic target to prevent the development of cancer‐induced eating disorders.
The delayed recovery of the remobilized rat tibialis anterior muscle reflects a defect in proliferative and terminal differentiation that impairs early regenerative processes
Authors: Slimani Lamia , Vazeille Emilie , Deval Christiane , Meunier Bruno , Polge Cécile , Dardevet Dominique , Béchet Daniel , Taillandier Daniel , Micol Didier , Listrat Anne , Attaix Didier , Combaret Lydie
Published: April 2015

Background

The immobilization‐induced tibialis anterior (TA) muscle atrophy worsens after cast removal and is associated with altered extracellular matrix (ECM) composition. The secreted protein acidic and rich in cysteine (Sparc) is an ECM component involved in Akt activation and in β‐catenin stabilization, which controls protein turnover and induces muscle regulatory factors (MRFs), respectively. We hypothesized that ECM alterations may influence these intracellular signalling pathways controlling TA muscle mass.

Methods

Six‐month‐old Wistar rats were subjected to hindlimb cast immobilization for 8 days (I8) or not (I0) and allowed to recover for 1 to 10 days (R1–10).

Results

The TA atrophy during remobilization correlated with reduced fibre cross‐sectional area and thickening of endomysium. mRNA levels for Sparc increased during remobilization until R10 and for integrin‐α7 and ‐β1 at I8 and R1. Integrin‐linked kinase protein levels increased during immobilization and remobilization until R10. This was inversely correlated with changes in Akt phosphorylation. β‐Catenin protein levels increased in the remobilized TA at R1 and R10. mRNA levels of the proliferative MRFs (Myf5 and MyoD) increased at I8 and R1, respectively, without changes in Myf5 protein levels. In contrast, myogenin mRNA levels (a terminal differentiation MRF) decreased at R1, but only increased at R10 in remobilized muscles, as for protein levels.

Conclusions

Altogether, this suggests that the TA inefficiently attempted to preserve regeneration during immobilization by increasing transcription of proliferative MRFs, and that the TA could engage recovery during remobilization only when the terminal differentiation step of regeneration is enhanced.
Single Crystal, Molecular Accumulation and Thermal Analysis of Tetrazolo[l,5‐b][1,2,4]triazine
Authors: Han Zhiyue , Yao Qian , Du Zhiming , Tang Zhengqiang , Cong Xiaomin , Zhao Linshuang
Published: April 2015

The nitrogen content of tetrazolo[l,5‐b][1,2,4]triazine is 68.9%. It has a good application prospect in energetic material field. The synthesis was carried out, and the single crystal was cultivated. The analysis showed that the two rings of tetrazolo[l,5‐b][1,2,4]triazine are in the same flat, and the molecular accumulation displayed the net‐like structure in the space. The thermal decomposition process was studied. The relationship between weight loss and temperature, and the thermal decomposition temperature were gained from thermogravimetry‐differential thermogravimetry and differential scanning calorimetry. These provide the reference for its application in energetic material.
A Facile One‐Pot Synthesis and Anticancer Evaluation of Novel Substituted 1,2‐Dihydropyridine and 1,2,3,4‐Tetrahydropyrimidine Analogues
Authors: Bari Ahmed , Parvez Mohammad Khalid , Khan Azmat Ali , Alanazi Amer M. , Syed Saeed Ali , Al‐Dosari Mohammed S. , Alobaid Abdulrahman M.
Published: April 2015

Current paper involves the one‐pot synthesis of various 1,2‐dihydropyridine and 1,2,3,4‐tetrahydropyrimidine analogues. The antitumor activity of the synthesized compounds has been carried out against various human cancer cell lines, and some of the analogues are found to be potent.
The july effect: An analysis of never events in the nationwide inpatient sample
Authors: Wen Timothy , Attenello Frank J. , Wu Brian , Ng Alvin , Cen Steven Y. , Mack William J.
Published: April 2015

BACKGROUND

Prior studies examining the impact of the “July effect” on in‐hospital mortality rates have generated variable results. In 2008, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services published a series of high‐cost, high‐volume, nonreimbursable hospital‐acquired complications (HACs). These events were believed to be preventable and indicate deficiencies in healthcare delivery.

OBJECTIVE

The present study aims to investigate the impact of July admissions on patient safety in a national sample using the HACs as a metric.

DESIGN/SETTING/PATIENTS

Discharge data were collected from all admissions recorded in the Nationwide Inpatient Sample database from 2008 to 2011. HAC incidence was evaluated as a function of admission month, adjusting for demographic and hospital factors in multivariable analysis.

MEASURES

The outcome measures were HAC occurrence, prolonged length of stay (LOS), and higher inpatient costs.

RESULTS

A total of 143,019,381 inpatient admissions were recorded, with an overall HAC occurrence of 4.7%. July admissions accounted for 7.6% of the total number of inpatient admissions. July admissions experienced a 6% increase in likelihood of HAC occurrence (odds ratio = 1.06, 95% confidence interval: 1.06–1.07, P < 0.001) when compared to those admitted during all other months. Patients with HAC occurrence had almost 2 times increased likelihood of prolonged LOS (P < 0.001) and higher inpatient costs (P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

July admissions are associated with increased likelihood of HAC occurrence. This trend may represent breakdowns in organization structure distinct from traditional quality measures, requiring novel transition protocols dedicated to improving HACs. Journal of Hospital Medicine 2015;10:432–438. © 2015 Society of Hospital Medicine
Comparison of Aggregate Stability Measurement Methods for Clay‐rich Soils in Asartepe Catchment of Turkey
Authors: Saygin Selen D. , Erpul Gunay , Basaran Mustafa
Published: April 2015

There are many methods and approaches of determining the structural status of soils as a quality indicator. But there is no common method for aggregate stability measurement that can be used for all soil types and circumstances affecting aggregate disruption. This study aimed to compare different aggregate stability methods for clay‐rich soil systems of semi‐arid lands, where desertification is a significant threat to land resources. The study area is located in the Asartepe catchment of Ankara, Turkey, mainly including land use types of secondary forest, grassland and rainfed arable land. Four research methods were tested: (1) fast wetting (FW); (2) slow wetting (SW); (3) mechanical breakdown (MB) and (4) multiple sieve separation process (MSSP). For clay rich soils (C% ≥ 38) with different land use types in the semiarid region, it was found that MSSP has a greater potential for soil aggregate stability differences to statistically reflect slight variations in SOC than FW, SW and MB. Although the research specifically includes the results from certain land uses and soil types, it is not limited to those but should provide useful findings to help interpret the impairment of soil structural stability differences under various management systems and the processes that each methodology tries to reproduce in a close linkage to given soil properties. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Runoff Trends Driven by Climate and Afforestation in a Pyrenean Basin
Authors: Buendia Cristina , Batalla Ramon J. , Sabater Sergi , Palau Antoni , Marcé Rafael
Published: April 2015

The abandonment of traditional rural life in mountain areas has favoured the expansion of forest in the headwaters of Pyrenean rivers. In this paper, we (i) analyse hydro‐climatic trends at the annual and monthly scales in three nested sub‐catchments in a central Pyrenean basin and (ii) quantify the relative contribution of climate change and forest cover on the observed changes in runoff. Land use maps indicate an increase in the forest cover in all sub‐basins for the period 1987–2009. Non‐parametric Mann–Kendall statistic on annual and monthly hydro‐climatic data from 1965 to 2009 was used to identify trends in climate and runoff data. To assess the potential influence of the period length, trends were also examined for the 1941–2009 stretch. Upward trends were detected for temperature and potential evapotranspiration, particularly during summer and winter months. Precipitation trends and their significance depended on the length of the period considered, although overall results indicated a decrease, particularly for February and July. The effects of climate change and land cover change on annual runoff were identified by means of a change point analysis. Results indicated that a change in annual runoff took place in the 1980s, suggesting the non‐linearity in the relationship between precipitation and runoff, and thus the influence of land use factors. The influence of forest cover was confirmed by comparing observed runoff trends with those resulting from a hydro‐climatic model that does not take into account land use changes. Divergence between both trends revealed that forest cover can account for ~40% of the observed decrease in annual runoff. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Abnormal sonographic appearance of posterior brain at 11–14 weeks and fetal outcome
Authors: Volpe P. , Muto B. , Passamonti U. , Rembouskos G. , De Robertis V. , Campobasso G. , Tempesta A. , Volpe G. , Fanelli T.
Published: April 2015

Objective

The aim of this retrospective study was to describe the sonographic appearance of the posterior brain anatomy in normal fetuses at 11 to 14 weeks of pregnancy and to determine the fetal outcome when one of the posterior brain anatomical space is not recognized.

Methods

Two groups of patients were included in the study: a control group of consecutive 311 healthy fetuses with a normal sonogram and a study group of 21 fetuses with absence of one of the three posterior brain spaces. In each fetus, images of the mid‐sagittal view of the fetal face and brain at 11 to 14 weeks of gestation were obtained.

Results

In all fetuses with absence of one of the three posterior brain spaces, a severe anomaly, including open spina bifida, cephalocele, Dandy–Walker complex, and chromosomal aberrations, was associated.

Conclusion

Our study indicates that the sonographic finding characterized by the absence of one of the three posterior brain spaces seems to facilitate not only the detection of open spina bifida, as previously reported, but also of other neural tube defects, such as cephalocele, and is an important risk factor for cystic posterior brain anomalies, and/or chromosomal abnormalities. Thus it seems a poor prognostic finding for major fetal abnormalities. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Improvements to a global ocean data assimilation system through the incorporation of Aquarius surface salinity data
Authors: Toyoda Takahiro , Fujii Yosuke , Kuragano Tsurane , Matthews John P. , Abe Hiroto , Ebuchi Naoto , Usui Norihisa , Ogawa Koji , Kamachi Masafumi
Published: April 2015

The impact of using sea surface salinity (SSS) data derived from the Aquarius satellite within a global ocean data assimilation system is investigated. In the central‐eastern North Pacific, the more realistic SSS structures introduced by the Aquarius data also influence the salinity, temperature and potential vorticity fields obtained in the subsurface layer via enhanced mode‐water formation. Around the Indonesian maritime continent, the Aquarius data assimilation leads to salinity distributions which are closer to buoy observations, while in the region of the Amazon River plume, subsurface temperatures are improved following a better reproduction of the low‐salinity plume in the surface layer. The SSS model biases are also reduced in the eastern equatorial Pacific and in the Arctic Ocean, although our data are limited in number and accuracy at high latitudes. These results indicate the importance of Aquarius data in deriving improved representations of the global ocean from dynamical models.
Gene expression during the first 28 days of axolotl limb regeneration I: Experimental design and global analysis of gene expression
Authors: Voss S. Randal , Palumbo Alex , Nagarajan Radha , Gardiner David M. , Muneoka Ken , Stromberg Arnold J. , Athippozhy Antony T.
Published: April 2015

While it is appreciated that global gene expression analyses can provide novel insights about complex biological processes, experiments are generally insufficiently powered to achieve this goal. Here we report the results of a robust microarray experiment of axolotl forelimb regeneration. At each of 20 post‐amputation time points, we estimated gene expression for 10 replicate RNA samples that were isolated from 1 mm of heterogeneous tissue collected from the distal limb tip. We show that the limb transcription program diverges progressively with time from the non‐injured state, and divergence among time adjacent samples is mostly gradual. However, punctuated episodes of transcription were identified for five intervals of time, with four of these coinciding with well‐described stages of limb regeneration—amputation, early bud, late bud, and pallet. The results suggest that regeneration is highly temporally structured and regulated by mechanisms that function within narrow windows of time to coordinate transcription within and across cell types of the regenerating limb. Our results provide an integrative framework for hypothesis generation using this complex and highly informative data set.
Traveling wave fault locator for mixed, overhead, and underground teed transmission feeders
Authors: Han Junyu , Crossley Peter A.
Published: April 2015

Society is increasingly concerned about the environmental impact of energy systems, and prefers to locate power lines underground. This is especially true in regions of outstanding natural beauty or if they affect environmental/political/planning constrained areas. However, the use of underground sections within a predominantly overhead feeder introduces significant problems for the auto‐reclosure of circuit breakers. Auto‐reclosure is important on an overhead feeder, since most faults are transient and, once the feeder has been de‐energized, the insulation strength of the air at the fault recovers and the line can be restored to service. Faults on an underground cable are different because, once the insulation is damaged, the fault is normally permanent. In addition, if the breaker is allowed to reclose onto a cable fault, the area of damage increases and health and safety concerns exist for humans in the vicinity of the faulted cable section. The main purpose of the traveling‐wave‐based measurement scheme described in this paper is to locate a fault on a teed transmission feeder with mixed overhead and underground sections. Simulation results demonstrate that the fault locator can accurately locate all realistic faults, including ones that are high resistance or occur at nonideal points on wave. © 2015 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
There Are Diachronic Norms of Rationality
Authors: Hlobil Ulf ,   Philosophy Documentation Center
Published: April 2015

Some philosophers have recently argued that there are no diachronic norms of epistemic rationality, that is, that there are no norms regarding how you should change your attitudes over time. I argue that this is wrong on the grounds that there are norms governing reasoning.
Bayesian model selection using the median probability model
Authors: Ghosh Joyee
Published: April 2015

In the Bayesian approach to model selection, models and model specific parameters are treated as unknown quantities and uncertainty about them are expressed through prior distributions. Given the observed data, updating of the prior distribution to the posterior distribution occurs via Bayes' theorem. The posterior probability of a given model may be interpreted as the support it gets based on the observed data. The highest probability model (HPM) that receives the maximum support from the data is a possible choice for model selection. For large model spaces, Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) algorithms are commonly used to estimate the posterior distribution over models. However, estimates of posterior probabilities of individual models based on MCMC output are not reliable because the number of MCMC samples is typically far smaller than the size of the model space. Thus, the HPM is difficult to estimate and for large model spaces it often has a very small posterior probability. An alternative to the HPM is the median probability model (MPM) of Barbieri and Berger, which has been shown to be the optimal model for prediction using a squared error loss function, under certain conditions. In this article we review some of the conditions for which the MPM is optimal, and provide real data examples to evaluate the performance of the MPM under small and large model spaces. We also discuss the behavior of the MPM under collinearity. WIREs Comput Stat 2015, 7:185–193. doi: 10.1002/wics.1352

This article is categorized under:

Statistical and Graphical Methods of Data Analysis > Bayesian Methods and Theory

Statistical and Graphical Methods of Data Analysis > Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC)
Synthesis, Structure and Thermal Decomposition of the Bismuth Silyltellurolate Bi(TeSitBu2Ph)3
Authors: Traut Stephan , Stahl Sven , Eichhöfer Andreas , von Hänisch Carsten
Published: April 2015

The compound Bi(TeSitBu2Ph)3 (1) was obtained from the reaction of BiCl3 with tBu2PhSiTeSiMe3 in diethyl ether. The single crystal structure analysis revealed a trigonal pyramidal structure of the BiTe3 core and weak Bi···C(arene) contacts. Compound 1 was characterized by multinuclear NMR spectroscopy, IR spectroscopy and elemental analysis. Thermogravimetric experiments show that compound 1 decomposes with formation of Bi2Te3 or a mixture of elemental bismuth and Bi4Te3, depending on the pressure conditions.
Disaster Education in Australian Schools
Authors: Boon Helen J. , Pagliano Paul J.
Published: April 2015

Australia regularly suffers floods, droughts, bushfires and cyclones, which are predicted to increase and/or intensify in the future due to climate change. While school-aged children are among the most vulnerable to natural disasters, they can be empowered through education to prepare for and respond to disasters. School disaster education is essential to raise awareness among students and their communities and to encourage preparedness action. However, evaluation of Australian school-based disaster education programs has been limited. This article presents the results of a critical literature review of peer-reviewed publications on disaster education programs in Australian schools conducted through Scopus, A Plus, PsycINFO and the Education Resources Information Center (ERIC) databases. Results highlight a significant dearth of studies examining disaster education programs in Australian schools. Recommendations for future research are proposed to bridge knowledge gaps and establish disaster preparedness resources that support children's knowledge and preparedness for disasters.
Canadian Emergency Medicine Residents’ Perspectives on Pediatric Pain Management
Authors: Ali Huma , Kircher Janeva , Meyers Christine , MacLellan Joseph , Ali Samina
Published: April 2015

Background

Under-treatment of children’s pain in the emergency department (ED) can have many detrimental effects. Emergency medicine (EM) residents often manage pediatric pain, but their educational needs and perspectives have not been studied.

Methods

A novel online survey was administered from May to June 2013 to 122 EM residents at three Canadian universities using a modified Dillman methodology. The survey instrument captured information on training received in pediatric acute pain management, approach to common painful presentations, level of comfort, perceived facilitators, and barriers and attitudes towards pediatric pain.

Results

56 residents participated (46%), 25 of whom (45%) indicated they had not received any training in pediatric pain assessment. All levels of residents reported they were uncomfortable with pain assessment in 0-2 year olds (p=0.07); level of comfort with assessment increased with years of training for patients aged 2-12 years (p=0.02). When assessing children with disabilities, 83% of respondents (45/54) indicated they were ‘extremely’ or ‘somewhat’ uncomfortable. Sixty-nine percent (38/55) had received training on how to treat pediatric pain. All residents reported they were more comfortable using pain medication for a 9 year old, as compared to a 1 year old (oral oxycodone p<0.001, oral morphine p<0.001, IV morphine p=0.004). The preferred methods to learn about children’s pain management were role-modeling (61%) and lectures (57%). The top challenges in pain management were with non-verbal, younger, or developmentally delayed patients.

Conclusion

Canadian EM residents report receiving inadequate training in pediatric pain management, and are particularly uneasy with younger or developmentally disabled children. Post-graduate curricula should be adjusted to correct these self-identified weaknesses in children’s pain management.
Short- and long-term reliability of adult recall of vegetarian dietary patterns in the Adventist Health Study-2 (AHS-2)
Authors: Teixeira Martins Marcia C. , Jaceldo-Siegl Karen , Fan Jing , Singh Pramil , Fraser Gary E.
Published: April 2015

Past dietary patterns may be more important than recent dietary patterns in the aetiology of chronic diseases because of the long latency in their development. We developed an instrument to recall vegetarian dietary patterns during the lifetime and examined its reliability of recall over 5·3 and 32·6 years on average. The short-term/5-year recall ability study (5-RAS) was done using 24 690 participants from the cohort of the Adventist Health Study-2 (mean age 62·2 years). The long-term/33-year recall ability study (33-RAS) included an overlap population of 1721 individuals who joined the Adventist Health Study-1 and Adventist Health Study-2 (mean age 72·5 years). Spearman correlation coefficients for recall of vegetarian status were 0·78 and 0·72 for the 5-RAS and 33-RAS, respectively, when compared with ‘reference’ data. For both time periods sensitivity and positive predictive values were highest for the lacto-ovo-vegetarian and non-vegetarian patterns (vegans, lacto-ovo-vegetarians, pesco-vegetarians, semi-vegetarians and non-vegetarians). In the 5-RAS analyses, male, non-black, younger, and more educated participants, lifetime Adventists, and those with more stability of consumption of animal products generally showed higher recall ability. Somewhat similar tendencies were shown for the 33-RAS analyses. Our findings show that the instrument has higher reliability for recalled lacto-ovo-vegetarian and non-vegetarian than for vegan, semi- and pesco-vegetarian dietary patterns in both short- and long-term recalls. This is in part because these last dietary patterns were greatly contaminated by recalls that correctly would have belonged in the adjoining category that consumed more animal products.