bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Decisions from Experience: From Monetary to Medical Gambles
Authors: Lejarraga Tomás , Pachur Thorsten , Frey Renato , Hertwig Ralph
Published: April 2015

The description–experience gap refers to the robust finding that learning about uncertain options via description or experience results in systematically different choices. This gap has previously been studied primarily with monetary gambles. Here, we examine search and choice processes in decisions from experience involving medical outcomes (side effects of medication). We compare these processes both to decisions from experience involving monetary gambles and to decisions from description involving the same medical outcomes. As in the monetary domain, we found a description–experience gap in medical choices. Yet we also found four striking differences between medical and monetary choices. First, medical choices were significantly less consistent with the maximization of expected value than were monetary choices from description or experience. Second, medical choices gave rise to more strongly inverse S‐shaped probability weighting functions in decisions from description and experience, suggesting considerably lower probability sensitivity in the medical than the monetary domain. Third, participants gathered considerably less information in medical than in monetary decisions from experience. Finally, we found that minimax—a simple decision rule that aims to minimize the maximum possible loss—predicted medical choices substantially better than monetary choices, in decisions from both description and experience. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
U.S. women of childbearing age who are at possible increased risk of a neural tube defect‐affected pregnancy due to suboptimal red blood cell folate concentrations, National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2007 to 2012
Authors: Tinker Sarah C. , Hamner Heather C. , Qi Yan Ping , Crider Krista S.
Published: April 2015

Background

Red blood cell (RBC) folate concentrations are a potential biomarker of folate‐sensitive neural tube defect (NTD) risk in the population. The purpose of this analysis was to describe women in the U.S. population with RBC folate concentrations below those associated with optimal NTD prevention.

Methods

We used data from the 2007 to 2012 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) to assess the RBC folate status of U.S. women of childbearing age relative to risk categories for NTD risk based on RBC folate concentrations. We defined suboptimal RBC folate concentrations as those associated with a prevalence of ≥9 NTDs per 10,000 live births.

Results

Among nonpregnant women age 12 to 49 years, 22.8% (95% Confidence Interval: 21.1, 24.6) had suboptimal RBC folate concentrations. Women had greater odds of having a suboptimal RBC folate concentration if they did not use dietary supplements containing folic acid; had mandatorily fortified enriched cereal grain products as their only source of folic acid; were non‐Hispanic black or Hispanic; or were current smokers.

Conclusion

Based on RBC folate concentrations, we would predict that the majority of U.S. women of reproductive age are not at increased risk for folate sensitive NTDs in the presence of mandatory folic acid fortification. Prevention policies and programs can be aimed at population subgroups identified as having higher predicted risk for folate‐sensitive NTDs based on RBC folate concentrations. Birth Defects Research (Part A) 103:517–526, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
President's page
Authors: Bruce Harry
Published: April 2015

EDITOR'S SUMMARY

As Association president, Harry Bruce has had numerous conversations on the international and interdisciplinary nature of the information field. The absence of clear intellectual boundaries is a cause for celebration, stimulating collaborations with those in allied fields in pursuit of deeper understanding of shared problems. Collaboration offers opportunities to view challenges from different perspectives and with different skill sets, research methods and theoretical orientations. Such collaboration is already taking place in many research and professional settings and is sure to be expanded through the Association's international reach and European location for its 2016 Annual Meeting. Important developments for the Association include the headquarters move in February 2014 and progress on a website redesign, social media initiative and revised investment strategy.
Introduction: Economics of knowledge organization systems
Authors: Hlava Marjorie M.K.
Published: April 2015

EDITOR'S SUMMARY

The special section of this ASIS&T Bulletin addresses the economic value of knowledge organization systems (KOS), including taxonomies and metadata. Denise Bedford notes that the value of taxonomies is not universally recognized and discusses their economic characteristics as well as some potential liabilities. Gail Hodge focuses on the economics and value of government‐funded information as it affects the economics of KOS, considering open access and the public good as well as public concern for return on investment. Jane Greenberg targets metadata as capital, a valued asset or commodity. She poses the challenge of gathering empirical evidence to quantify the value of metadata. Taxonomist Barbara Gilles indulges in a thought experiment by digging into an analogy between data mining and mineral mining. As a professor of economics, Rick Szostak notes the ubiquity of knowledge organization systems despite the lack of understanding of their importance. Szostak proposes a synthetic approach to KOS by combining terms for fuller concept expression and muses that KOS may achieve the importance of Cutter's and Dewey's knowledge classification systems.
Did failure to follow disciplinary procedures violate student's rights?
Authors: Gelpi Aileen
Published: April 2015

Judy Chang was a student in the Department of Nursing at Purdue University in January 2007. At that time, lab personnel attempted to discuss their concerns about Chang's lab skills, but she allegedly became very argumentative and stated she felt targeted.
Multicentric occurrence of multiple papillary thyroid carcinomas –HUMARA and BRAF mutation analysis
Authors: Nakazawa Tadao , Kondo Tetsuo , Tahara Ippei , Kasai Kazunari , Inoue Tomohiro , Oishi Naoki , Mochizuki Kunio , Kubota Takeo , Katoh Ryohei
Published: April 2015

Papillary thyroid carcinomas (PTCs) occasionally form multiple tumor foci in different sites of the same thyroid gland. However, it is controversial whether discrete nodules of PTC arise independently (multicentric occurrence) or are seeded from a single tumor via lymphatic channels (intraglandular metastasis). In order to determine the clonal origin of multiple PTCs, we examined X‐chromosome inactivation patterns using a human androgen receptor gene‐based assay (HUMARA) and the BRAF mutation using allele‐specific PCR (AS‐PCR) in 32 microdissected cancerous tissues from 14 Japanese women with multifocal PTC. All tumor foci were greater than 3 mm in size and met the criteria for microscopic classical PTC. Samples from 13 of the 14 patients were informative based on HUMARA. Tumor foci from two cases (15.4%) displayed a discordant X‐chromosome inactivation pattern. Foci from the other 11 cases (84.6%) showed a concordant inactivation pattern of the X‐chromosome. AS‐PCR indicated that BRAF mutational status between the tumor foci was discordant in three (25%) and concordant in nine (75%) of 12 available cases. When the results of these two molecular analyses were combined, 28.6% of the cases were discordant in X‐chromosome inactivation pattern and/or BRAF mutation, suggesting multicentric origin. Some of the remaining concordant cases also may be of multicentric origin. These results support a hypothesis that multicentric occurrence in multiple PTCs may be common, possibly greater than 30%. Although the exact mechanism of multicentric occurrence is still unclear, our findings contribute to the understanding the histogenesis of papillary thyroid carcinoma.
Collaborative divorce: An oxymoron?
Authors: Tolou‐Shams Marina
Published: April 2015

In 1989, an attorney from Minnesota named Stu Webb became highly disenchanted with his divorce litigation practice and the damaging effects he perceived it having on his clients and himself as their attorney. He decided that he either needed to leave his divorce law practice or consider an alternative approach to handling divorce cases (i.e., one that would not involve years of distressing court hearings). In 1990, Webb came up with the idea of couples retaining attorneys as “settlement‐only” specialists, who work with the divorcing couple outside of the court system and hand the case over to trial lawyers only if the settlement process fails. Webb named his approach to divorce settlement “collaborative law,” a practice for resolving divorce that is currently available to couples in most, if not all, states.
Predicting inpatient aggression by self‐reported impulsivity in forensic psychiatric patients
Authors: Bousardt Annelea M. C. , Hoogendoorn Adriaan W. , Noorthoorn Eric O. , Hummelen Jacobus W. , Nijman Henk L. I.
Published: April 2015

Background

Empirical knowledge of ‘predictors' of physical inpatient aggression may provide staff with tools to prevent aggression or minimise its consequences.

Aim

To test the value of a self‐reported measure of impulsivity for predicting inpatient aggression.

Methods

Self‐report measures of different domains of impulsivity were obtained using the Urgency, Premeditation, Perseverance, Sensation seeking, Positive urgency (UPPS‐P) impulsive behaviour scale with all 74 forensic psychiatric inpatients in one low‐security forensic hospital. Aggressive incidents were measured using the Social Dysfunction and Aggression Scale (SDAS). The relationship between UPPS‐P subscales and the number of weeks in which violent behaviour was observed was investigated by Poisson regression.

Results

The impulsivity domain labelled ‘negative urgency' (NU), in combination with having a personality disorder, predicted the number of weeks in which physical aggression was observed by psychiatric nurses. NU also predicted physical aggression within the first 12 weeks of admission.

Conclusions and implications for practice

The results indicate that NU, which represents a patient's inability to cope with rejection, disappointments or other undesired feelings, is associated with a higher likelihood of becoming violent while an inpatient. This specific coping deficit should perhaps be targeted more intensively in therapy. Self‐reported NU may also serve as a useful adjunct to other risk assessment tools and as an indicator of change in violence risk. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Benzimidazole‐Containing Porous Organic Polymers as Highly Active Heterogeneous Solid‐Base Catalysts
Authors: Wang Yangxin , Wang Lijun , Liu Caiping , Wang Ruihu
Published: April 2015

To develop efficient heterogeneous catalytic systems for base‐catalyzed reactions, two benzimidazole‐containing porous organic polymers, BPOP‐1 and BPOP‐2, were synthesized. As a result of the difference in building units, BPOP‐1 exhibits a granular morphology, and BPOP‐2 is composed of tiny particles. N2 adsorption measurements show that BPOP‐1 is a nonporous framework, whereas BPOP‐2 displays good adsorption abilities towards N2, H2, and CO2. Both BPOP‐1 and BPOP‐2 exhibit a higher catalytic activity in the Knoevenagel condensation reaction than their homogeneous molecular counterpart, and the activity of BPOP‐2 is superior to that of BPOP‐1. Theoretical calculations show that the Lewis basicity of the N atoms in BPOP‐1 is identical to that in BPOP‐2. The prominent catalytic performance of BPOP‐2 is mainly attributed to its high specific surface area and microporous character. Moreover, the permanent chemical stability of the structural framework endows BPOP‐2 with an outstanding recyclability.
Bifunctional Diaminoterephthalate Scaffolds as Fluorescence Turn‐On Probes for Thiols
Authors: Freimuth Lena , Christoffers Jens
Published: April 2015

The fluorescent diaminoterephthalate scaffold was equipped by amidation with three types of reactive functions: thiols for metal‐surface binding, alkynes for click reactions, and maleimides for ligation with proteins. Starting from a succinyl succinate derivative with two orthogonally cleavable ester functions, three monoamides (38–57 % yield over three steps) and two bisamides (19 and 25 % yield over five steps) were prepared. Although alkyne and thiol derivatized compounds showed reasonable luminescence behavior (Φ≈1–4 %), the fluorescence was quenched by the maleimide moiety. It was turned on (10‐ to 20‐fold increase of fluorescence quantum yield) by conjugate addition of thiols.
Reactions with a Metalloid Tin Cluster {Sn10[Si(SiMe3)3]4}2−: Ligand Elimination versus Coordination Chemistry
Authors: Schrenk Claudio , Gerke Birgit , Pöttgen Rainer , Clayborne Andre , Schnepf Andreas
Published: April 2015

Chemistry that uses metalloid tin clusters as a starting material is of fundamental interest towards understanding the reactivity of such compounds. Since we identified {Sn10[Si(SiMe3)3]4}2− 7 as an ideal candidate for such reactions, we present a further step in the understanding of metalloid tin cluster chemistry. In contrast to germanium chemistry, ligand elimination seems to be a major reaction channel, which leads to the more open metalloid cluster {Sn10[Si(SiMe3)3]3}− 9, in which the Sn core is only shielded by three Si(SiMe3)3 ligands. Compound 9 is obtained through different routes and is crystallised together with two different countercations. Besides the structural characterisation of this novel metalloid tin cluster, the electronic structure is analysed by 119Sn Mössbauer spectroscopy. Additionally, possible reaction pathways are discussed. The presented first step into the chemistry of metalloid tin clusters thus indicates that, with respect to metalloid germanium clusters, more reaction channels are accessible, thereby leading to a more complex reaction system.
Real‐world chemotherapy treatment patterns in metastatic non–small cell lung cancer: Are patients undertreated?
Authors: Sacher Adrian G. , Le Lisa W. , Lau Anthea , Earle Craig C. , Leighl Natasha B.
Published: April 2015

BACKGROUND

New therapies for metastatic non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) have improved survival in clinical trials. However, only a minority of patients receive systemic therapy. This article reports treatment patterns and outcomes for a population of Canadian patients with metastatic NSCLC (Ontario).

METHODS

Patients diagnosed with stage IV NSCLC from 2005 to 2009 were identified through multiple linked provincial databases. Patient demographics, systemic treatment, and survival were examined over time.

RESULTS

Metastatic NSCLC patients (n = 8113) were identified. The median age was 68 years; 39% had adenocarcinoma, 14% had squamous carcinoma, and a higher than expected proportion (43%) had NSCLC not otherwise specified. Only 24% the patients received first‐line chemotherapy; only 31% of these received second‐line chemotherapy. More patients received systemic therapy over time (from 19% in 2005 to 26% in 2009, P < .0001). Patients who were less than 70 years old or had adenocarcinoma were more likely to receive systemic therapy (P < .0001 for both). The median survival, regardless of age, for those selected to receive first‐line cisplatin‐gemcitabine chemotherapy was longer than that for those receiving other nonpemetrexed platinum doublets at 11.6 months (P = .0002). Patients with nonsquamous histology who were treated with second‐line pemetrexed had longer median survival than those treated with docetaxel (19.8 vs 14.1 months, P < .0001).

CONCLUSIONS

Most patients with metastatic NSCLC in the general population still do not receive systemic therapy. Those selected for first‐ and second‐line systemic treatment, including older patients, have survival outcomes comparable to clinical trial results. Older patients and patients with squamous histology are less likely to receive chemotherapy. The low levels of treatment utilization in this study warrant further investigation. Cancer 2015;121:2562–2569. © 2015 American Cancer Society.
The effect, moderators, and mediators of resistance and aerobic exercise on health‐related quality of life in older long‐term survivors of prostate cancer
Authors: Buffart Laurien M. , Newton Robert U. , Chinapaw Mai J. , Taaffe Dennis R. , Spry Nigel A. , Denham James W. , Joseph David J. , Lamb David S. , Brug Johannes , Galvão Daniel A.
Published: April 2015

BACKGROUND

The current study examined effects, moderators (for whom), and mediators (working mechanisms) of 12 months of exercise on health‐related quality of life (HRQoL) in older long‐term survivors of prostate cancer.

METHODS

In total, 100 men aged 71.7 years (standard deviation, 6.4 years) were randomly assigned to 6 months of supervised aerobic and resistance exercise followed by 6 months of a home‐based exercise maintenance program (EX group) or printed education material regarding physical activity for 12 months (PA group). Assessments took place at baseline and after 6 and 12 months. Generalized estimating equations were used to study the effects of EX versus PA on HRQoL at 6 and 12 months, adjusting for baseline HRQoL. The authors examined potential sociodemographic and clinical moderators by adding interaction terms, and potential physical and psychological mediators using the product‐of‐coefficients test.

RESULTS

At 6 months, significant beneficial effects were found for global QoL, physical function, and social function in the EX group compared with the PA group. For physical function, beneficial effects were sustained at 12 months. Moderation analyses demonstrated larger effects of EX versus PA for patients who were married, started exercising sooner after their diagnosis, and previously used bisphosphonates. Changes in lower body functional performance significantly mediated the effect of EX on global QoL, physical function, and social function. No mediating effects on HRQoL were found for aerobic fitness, physical activity, fatigue, distress, or falls self‐efficacy.

CONCLUSIONS

Aerobic and resistance exercise appears to have beneficial effects on HRQoL among older, long‐term survivors of prostate cancer. Effects were moderated by marital status, time since diagnosis, and use of bisphosphonates, and were mediated by lower body functional performance. Cancer 2015;121:2821‐2830. © 2015 American Cancer Society
Nature of the Intense Second‐Order Nonlinear Optical Activity: DFT Studies on the Octupolarization of Sandwich‐Type Bis(phthalocyaninato) Yttrium Skeletons
Authors: Qi Dongdong , Jiang Jianzhuang
Published: April 2015

The periodic octupolar vibrational nature of the electron cloud in sandwich‐type bis(phthalocyaninato) yttrium double‐decker compounds has been revealed on the basis of coupled perturbed density functional theory. This in turn results in an intense hyper‐Rayleigh scattering response and renders the double‐decker skeletons excellent second‐order hyperpolarizability with a maximum value as high as 5.55×106 au (≈105×10−30 esu, theoretical prediction) achieved for the molecular conformation with a rotation angle between two phthalocyanine chromophores of approximately 70°.
Isolation of vascular endothelial cells from intact and injured murine brain cortex—technical issues and pitfalls in FACS analysis of the nervous tissue
Authors: Wylot Bartosz , Konarzewska Katarzyna , Bugajski Lukasz , Piwocka Katarzyna , Zawadzka Malgorzata
Published: April 2015

CNS endothelial cells (CNS‐ECs), one of the main non‐neural CNS cell populations, play a vital role in physiology, pathology, and regeneration of the nervous system. Therefore, there is an urgent need to enhance our knowledge on their biology to elucidate mechanisms responsible for the blood brain barrier function in normal and pathological conditions, interaction between brain endothelium and neural stem cells in the neurogenic niche, the paracrine processes in the brain and spinal cord, etc. Here, we described a novel, simple, and efficient protocol for isolation of endothelial, vessel‐forming cells from the murine CNS, which is based on Sca‐1 expression. Using this newly described protocol we were able to detect and sort viable, highly pure CNS‐ECs with minimal contamination by cells of non‐endothelial origin. This method will increase the availability of CNS‐ECs for in vitro research. Moreover, we compared phenotype of CNS‐ECs isolated from neonatal mice and adult intact and injured brain looking for the cells of endothelial precursor characteristic, such as those found in the bone marrow and circulating in the bloodstream after organ injuries. We have found that neonatal brain capillaries contain proportion of endothelial precursor cells (Sca‐1+, CD45−, c‐Kit+). Such precursors were also found in adult brain cortex, both in intact and injured brain. Finally, we discuss several crucial technical issues concerning CNS tissue preparation for flow cytometry analysis and cell sorting as well as nonspecific antibody binding caused by inflammatory microglia/macrophages which should be avoided in order to reliable isolation of pure CNS cells for downstream procedures including cell transplantation‐based translational studies. © 2015 International Society for Advancement of Cytometry
Efficient congestion control mechanism for flow‐aware networks
Authors: Domżał Jerzy , Wójcik Robert , Chołda Piotr , Stankiewicz Rafał , Jajszczyk Andrzej
Published: April 2015

Transmission based on flows becomes more and more popular in teleinformatics networks. To guarantee proper quality of service, to enable multipath transmissions, or just to increase transmission effectiveness in a network, traffic should be sent as flows. Flow‐aware networking architecture is one of the possible concepts to realize flow‐based transmissions. In this paper, the efficient congestion control mechanism (ECCM) is proposed to improve transmission in flow‐aware networks (FAN). The mechanism makes it possible to minimize acceptance delay of streaming flows (served with high priority) without deteriorating other transmissions in the network. It is confirmed by simulation experiments that the implementation of FAN with the ECCM mechanism is a promising solution for the Future Internet. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Use and application of AAC masonry in the UK / Einsatz und Anwendung von Porenbeton in Großbritannien
Authors: Fudge Clifford
Published: April 2015

Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (AAC) masonry is widely used in the UK and is a commonly utilised material, predominantly for housing, but also for other building structures. First produced in the 1950s in the UK, it has become an important masonry solution for houses used in number locations from cavity walls to below ground and in concrete beam and block floors. This paper looks at why the material has become so popular and the background for the acceptance of use. The growth of the market for AAC has been driven by changes to Building Regulations and solutions have been developed to improve the structures thermal and acoustic performance.
The M1 Energy‐efficiency building Plus – Conclusion of monitoring / Das M1 Energieeffizienzhaus Plus – Abschluss des Monitorings
Authors: Schoch Torsten
Published: April 2015

The M1 energy‐efficiency building Plus was to render practical proof that the advantages of solid construction such as carrying capacity, fire protection and sound protection could be connected to state‐of‐the‐art and future energy efficiency standards in the scope of a pilot project. With simple and thought‐through planning details and a coordinated system technology, energy plus solid houses are no longer merely visions. The M1 project mostly focuses on the claim to economic efficiency and saleability of the product, points out new possibilities for implementation to consumers, planners and executing companies.

The house is to document, that the means available now are sufficient to construct a solid building that produces more energy than it consumes. In the technical term of construction physics, the building is targeted at a negative final energy and primary energy consumption.

The data presented in this article from the monitoring of the last two years show that a plus energy target can be achieved by “nearly” conventionally built solid buildings. For both years, the M1 pus energy house reached an excess of final and primary energy.
Effects of chronic iTBS‐rTMS and enriched environment on visual cortex early critical period and visual pattern discrimination in dark‐reared rats
Authors: Castillo‐Padilla Diana V. , Funke Klaus
Published: April 2015

Early cortical critical period resembles a state of enhanced neuronal plasticity enabling the establishment of specific neuronal connections during first sensory experience. Visual performance with regard to pattern discrimination is impaired if the cortex is deprived from visual input during the critical period. We wondered how unspecific activation of the visual cortex before closure of the critical period using repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) could affect the critical period and the visual performance of the experimental animals. Would it cause premature closure of the plastic state and thus worsen experience‐dependent visual performance, or would it be able to preserve plasticity? Effects of intermittent theta‐burst stimulation (iTBS) were compared with those of an enriched environment (EE) during dark‐rearing (DR) from birth. Rats dark‐reared in a standard cage showed poor improvement in a visual pattern discrimination task, while rats housed in EE or treated with iTBS showed a performance indistinguishable from rats reared in normal light/dark cycle. The behavioral effects were accompanied by correlated changes in the expression of brain‐derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and atypical PKC (PKCζ/PKMζ), two factors controlling stabilization of synaptic potentiation. It appears that not only nonvisual sensory activity and exercise but also cortical activation induced by rTMS has the potential to alleviate the effects of DR on cortical development, most likely due to stimulation of BDNF synthesis and release. As we showed previously, iTBS reduced the expression of parvalbumin in inhibitory cortical interneurons, indicating that modulation of the activity of fast‐spiking interneurons contributes to the observed effects of iTBS. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Develop Neurobiol 76: 19–33, 2016
Central tolerance spares the private high‐avidity CD4+ T‐cell repertoire specific for an islet antigen in NOD mice
Authors: Serre Laurent , Fazilleau Nicolas , Guerder Sylvie
Published: April 2015

Although central tolerance induces the deletion of most autoreactive T cells, some autoreactive T cells escape thymic censorship. Whether potentially harmful autoreactive T cells present distinct TCRαβ features remains unclear. Here, we analyzed the TCRαβ repertoire of CD4+ T cells specific for the S100β protein, an islet antigen associated with type 1 diabetes. We found that diabetes‐resistant NOD mice deficient for thymus specific serine protease (TSSP), a protease that impairs class II antigen presentation by thymic stromal cells, were hyporesponsive to the immunodominant S100β1‐15 epitope, as compared to wild‐type NOD mice, due to intrathymic negative selection. In both TSSP‐deficient and wild‐type NOD mice, the TCRαβ repertoire of S100β‐specific CD4+ T cells though diverse showed a specific bias for dominant TCRα rearrangements with limited CDR3α diversity. These dominant TCRα chains were public since they were found in all mice. They were of intermediate‐ to low‐avidity. In contrast, high‐avidity T cells expressed unique TCRs specific to each individual (private TCRs) and were only found in wild‐type NOD mice. Hence, in NOD mice, the autoreactive CD4+ T‐cell compartment has two major components, a dominant and public low‐avidity TCRα repertoire and a private high‐avidity CD4+ T‐cell repertoire; the latter is deleted by re‐enforced negative selection.
A Simple and Cost‐Effective Method for the Regioselective Deuteration of Phenols
Authors: Zhan Miao , Xu Ruixue , Tian Ye , Jiang Hongxia , Zhao Lifeng , Xie Yongmei , Chen Yuanwei
Published: April 2015

A highly effective and operationally simple method for the deuteration of phenols using NaOH as a catalyst and D2O as the deuterium source is presented. A high regioselectivity for the ortho and/or para hydrogens relative to the oxygen atom was achieved, as well as a high degree of deuterium incorporation. The method also has a high functional‐group tolerance, and allowed the deuteration of complex pharmaceutically interesting substrates.
Selective Incorporation of Fluorine in Pyrazoles
Authors: Sloop Joseph C. , Holder Cory , Henary Maged
Published: April 2015

Pyrazoles are highly essential heterocyclic structures prevalent in biologically active products used widely throughout various disciplines of chemical industry‐including medicine and agriculture. The efficacy of these pyrazole species is enhanced through the introduction of fluorine and corresponding functionalities; therefore, synthetic methods for the fluorination of these structures is highly appealing which follows the overall trend of increasing interest in fluorination chemistry. Toward assimilating the known techniques for fluorine incorporation to the pyrazole heterocyclic structure we have reviewed both the new and traditional synthetic approaches to the assembly of functionalized pyrazole derivatives. Specifically, efficient synthetic methods and regioselective incorporation of fluorine and fluorine containing functional groups into different pyrazole ring systems are examined.
Synthesis of Boron‐ and Silicon‐Containing Amino Acids through Copper‐Catalysed Conjugate Additions to Dehydroalanine Derivatives
Authors: Bartoccini Francesca , Bartolucci Silvia , Lucarini Simone , Piersanti Giovanni
Published: April 2015

A copper‐based catalytic technique for the regioselective hydroboration and hydrosilylation of dehydroalanine derivatives has been developed. This method introduces synthetically versatile boron and silicon groups, while simultaneously performing a catalytic anti‐Markovnikov hydrofunctionalization of dehydroalanines and dehydropeptides for the synthesis of amino acids and peptides bearing unnatural side‐chains. The products obtained were expediently converted into valuable nonproteinogenic amino acid building blocks for polypeptide synthesis.
Electrochemical Oxidation of Desipramine Drug in the Presence of 4,6‐Dimethylpyrimidine‐2‐thiol Nucleophile in Aqueous Acidic Medium
Authors: Tammari Esmail , Nezhadali Azizollah , Lotfi Shahram
Published: April 2015

Electrochemical oxidation of desipramine (DES) has been studied in the presence of 4,6‐dimethylpyrimidine‐2‐thiol (DMPT) as nucleophile in acidic medium by means of cyclic voltammetry, controlled‐potential electrolysis and spectroscopic data, as diagnostic techniques. Voltammetric studies of electro‐oxidation of desipramine were realized in a range of pH 1.0 to 8.0 in the absence and presence of DMPT. The results indicate the participation of the product of electrochemical oxidation of desipramine in the reaction with DMPT with ECEC electrochemical mechanism. However, the voltammetry and coulometry results imply existence of a catalytic (EC′) electrochemical mechanism in parallel with ECEC electrochemical mechanism. The product has been characterized by IR, 1H NMR, 13C NMR and MS methods.
Carbon‐Based Electrodes for Sensitive Electroanalytical Determination of Aminonaphthalenes
Authors: Zavazalova Jaroslava , Ghica Mariana Emilia , Schwarzova‐Peckova Karolina , Barek Jiri , Brett Christopher M. A.
Published: April 2015

The electroanalytical performance of bare glassy carbon electrodes (GCE) for the determination of 1‐aminonaphthalene (1‐AN) and 2‐aminonaphthalene (2‐AN) was compared with GCE modified by a Nafion permselective membrane or multiwalled carbon nanotubes and with other types of carbon‐based materials, carbon film and boron doped diamond. Nafion‐modified GCE gave the highest sensitivity and lowest detection limit (0.4 µmol L−1) for differential pulse voltammetric determination of 1‐AN. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy gave information about the processes at the electrode surface. Simultaneous determination of 1‐AN and 2‐AN in a mixture at GCE and their determination in model samples of river water is presented.
Improved protease digestion conditions for membrane protein detection
Authors: Min Lie , Choe Leila H. , Lee Kelvin H.
Published: April 2015

This work presents improved protease digestion conditions for membrane protein detection. The enzymatic digest of bacteriorhodopsin (BR), a model membrane protein with seven transmembrane domains (TMDs) was investigated. An initial in‐gel digestion identified 17% BR sequence coverage, including part of the seventh TMD. To improve sequence coverage, BR digest was tested with different concentrations of RapiGest, methanol (MeOH) and SDS using either trypsin or chymotrypsin. Two improved conditions, 0.01% SDS or the combination of 10% MeOH and 0.01% RapiGest, were chosen. Trypsin digestions in both conditions achieved more than 40% BR sequence coverage compared to 0% using standard digestion conditions. Peptides detected from trypsin and chymotrypsin digestions in the same condition were combined to maximize sequence coverage. The same conditions were applied to a different membrane protein with one TMD, Selenoprotein S, and proteins from Escherichia coli. For Selenoprotein S, a higher sequence coverage, including a peptide from the TMD, was detected from the improved condition compared to the typical condition. The application of both improved conditions to a membrane protein fraction of Escherichia coli resulted in the identification of 309 (SDS) and 329 (MeOH/RapiGest) unique proteins of which 140/309 and 148/329 were membrane proteins.
Simple pencil‐drawn paper‐based devices for one‐spot electrochemical detection of electroactive species in oil samples
Authors: Dossi Nicolò , Toniolo Rosanna , Terzi Fabio , Piccin Evandro , Bontempelli Gino
Published: April 2015

We propose here simple electrochemical cells assembled with electrodes pencil drawn on paper for conducting one‐spot tests enabling olive oil to be easily distinguished from other vegetable oils. They consist of small circular pads of hydrophilic paper defined by hydrophobic barriers, these last printed by using custom‐designed rubber stamps, where working, reference, and counterelectrodes are drawn by pencil leads. These cells were first wetted with a small volume of aqueous electrolyte, avoiding coating of the upper surface of electrodes. A controlled volume of edible oil samples was then applied on top of the moist cell. The results found proved that these devices can be adopted as effective platforms suitable for the detection of electroactive compounds present in edible oils. In fact, they allow voltammetric profiles to be recorded not only for the oxidation of water soluble species (ortho‐diphenols, as well as some monophenols and polyphenols) present in olive oils, but also for electroactive hydrophobic components (e.g., α‐tocopherol) present in sunflower oils, which were chosen as model of seed oils. The whole of collected findings pointed out that simple one‐spot tests performed by these devices enable olive oils to be easily distinguished from other edible oils on the basis of their clearly different voltammetric profiles. A satisfactory interdevice reproducibility (±13%) was estimated by applying strictly similar extra virgin olive oil samples onto seven different cells carefully prepared by the same procedure. An operating mechanism able to account for the detection of also electroactive hydrophobic compounds present in oils is proposed.
Electrodeposition of reduced graphene oxide on a Pt electrode and its use as amperometric sensor in microchip electrophoresis
Authors: Lucca Bruno Gabriel , de Lima Fábio , Coltro Wendell K. T. , Ferreira Valdir Souza
Published: April 2015

This report describes the development and application of a novel graphene‐modified electrode to be used as amperometric sensor in microchip electrophoresis (ME) devices. The modified electrode was achieved based on electroreduction of graphene oxide on an integrated Pt working electrode of a commercial ME device. The surface modification was characterized by SEM and cyclic voltammetry techniques. The results indicated that graphene sheets were successfully deposited exhibiting higher surface conductivity and greater electrode sensitivity. The performance of the modified electrode for the amperometric detection on ME devices has been demonstrated by the separation and detection of an anionic mixture containing iodide and ascorbate. The graphene‐modified electrode provided significantly higher sensitivity (896.7 vs. 210.9 pA/μM for iodide and 217.8 vs. 127.8 pA/μM for ascorbate), better separation efficiencies (3400 vs. 700 plates/m for iodide and 10 000 vs. 2400 plates/m for ascorbate), enhanced peak resolutions (1.6 vs. 1.0), and LODs (1.5 vs. 5.3 μM for iodide and 3.1 vs. 7.3 μM for ascorbate) in comparison with the unmodified Pt electrode. The proposed amperometric sensor was successfully applied for the analysis of ascorbic acid (through its anionic form) in a commercial medicine sample, and the results achieved were in agreement with the value provided by the supplier. Based on the data here presented, the modified graphene electrode shows great promise for ME applications.
Concentrated Production and Conditional Heavy Tails in Commodity Returns
Authors: Merener Nicolas
Published: April 2015

I study the impact of commodity production concentration on the occurrence of extreme commodity returns. I explore this issue in a sample of 22 agricultural, mineral and energy commodities of global scope that are liquidly traded through futures at the most important exchanges. I find that measures of production concentration such as the Herfindahl index computed on national shares of global output, or the market share of the top three producers, had significant and positive effect on measures of extreme returns during 1995–2012, as implied by daily return kurtosis or the shape parameter of the distribution of extreme returns. Volatility persistence appears unlikely to generate the cross sectional kurtosis observed empirically unless heavy tailed conditional returns are also included in the dynamics. The results are economically significant and robust to the inclusion of controls for inventories, futures liquidity, and country size. These findings are consistent with a simple mechanism of aggregation of globally distributed local supply shocks that impact global supply and hence commodity prices. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Jrl Fut Mark 36:46–65, 2016
Gulf Coast LNG Exports Still Moving Despite Oil‐Price Decline
Authors: Smead Richard G.
Published: April 2015

The US natural gas abundance story has taken many turns over the last several years.
Psychoactive prescribing for older people—what difference does 15 years make?
Authors: Hughes Lloyd D. , Cochrane Lynda , McMurdo Marion E. T. , Guthrie Bruce
Published: April 2015

Objective

The objective of the study was to review prescribing of psychoactive medications for older residents of the Tayside region of Scotland.

Methods

The analysis used community prescribing data in 1995 and 2010 for all older residents in Tayside. For each psychoactive drug class, the name of the most recently prescribed drug and the date prescribed were extracted. The relative risk (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for patients receiving psychoactive medication in 2010 were compared with those for patients in 1995. Psychoactive prescribing was analyzed by year, age, gender, and deprivation classification. The chi‐squared test was used to calculate statistical significance.

Results

Total psychoactive prescribing in people over the age of 65 years has increased comparing 1995 with 2010. Antidepressant [RR = 2.5 (95% CI 2.41–2.59) p < 0.001] and opioid analgesia [RR = 1.21 (1.19–1.24) p < 0.001] prescriptions increased between 1995 and 2010. Hypnotics/anxiolytic [RR = 0.69 (0.66–0.71) p < 0.001] and antipsychotic [RR = 0.83 (0.77–0.88) p < 0.001] prescriptions decreased between 1995 and 2010. An increase in psychoactive prescribing is particularly marked in lower socioeconomic groups. Patients in the least affluent fifth of the population had RR = 1.25 (1.20–1.29) [p < 0.001] of being prescribed one to two psychoactive medications and RR = 1.81 (1.56–2.10) [p < 0.001] of being prescribed three or more psychoactive medications in 2010 compared with those in 1995. The RRs for the most affluent fifth were RR = 1.14 (1.1–1.19) [p < 0.001] and RR = 1.2 (1.01–1.42) [p < 0.001] for one to two, and three or more medications, respectively.

Conclusion

Psychoactive medication prescribing has increased comparing 1995 with 2010, with increases disproportionately affecting patients in lower socioeconomic groups. The availability of new psychoactive drugs, safety concerns, and economic factors may explain these increases. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Critical Social Network Analysis in Community Colleges: Peer Effects and Credit Attainment
Authors: González Canché Manuel S. , Rios‐Aguilar Cecilia
Published: April 2015

This chapter discusses the importance of conducting critical social network analysis (CSNA) in higher education. To illustrate the benefits of CSNA, the authors use existing institutional data to examine peer effects in community colleges. The chapter ends with a discussion of the implications of using a CSNA approach to measure inequities in higher education.
What Is “Good” Research? Revealing the Paradigmatic Tensions in Quantitative Criticalist Work
Authors: Hernández Ebelia
Published: April 2015

If quantitative criticalism is thought to be a bridge between positivist epistemologies prevalent in quantitative work and social constructionism often found in critical qualitative work, then this bridge is fraught with challenges and tensions. This chapter examines the methodological issues, questions, and tensions that emerged from a research team project. What constitutes “good” research? To what extent do we take our critical perspective in our analysis? Is quantitative criticalism a coming together of different research paradigms? What training is essential for quantitative criticalist work? These critical methodological questions require some frank discussion as we move forward in developing research designs that incorporate quantitative criticalism and in training new researchers.
Past, Present, and Future of Critical Quantitative Research in Higher Education
Authors: Wells Ryan S. , Stage Frances K.
Published: April 2015

This chapter discusses the evolution of the critical quantitative paradigm with an emphasis on extending this approach to new populations and new methods. Along with this extension of critical quantitative work, however, come continued challenges and tensions for researchers. This chapter recaps and responds to each chapter in the volume, and concludes the two‐volume series with a look toward the future use of quantitative criticalism by institutional researchers and higher education scholars.
Estimating the Dynamics and Persistence of Financial Networks, with an Application to the Sterling Money Market
Authors: Giraitis Liudas , Kapetanios George , Wetherilt Anne , ŽIKEŠ Filip
Published: April 2015

We propose a novel methodology for dynamic econometric modelling of large financial networks subject to persistence, structural changes and sparsity. We estimate bivariate dynamic Tobit‐type models for each pair of banks, allowing for deterministic or stochastic time‐varying parameters, and then aggregate across all bank pairs. To tackle the high dimensionality of the model, we construct a few lagged variables that efficiently summarize the position of a bank pair in the network. We propose a simple and computationally easy kernel‐based local maximum likelihood estimator of the time‐varying parameters of the model and establish its asymptotic properties. We then apply the model to the time series of daily overnight money market network in the UK 2003–2012. The results show that our model can successfully accommodate the numerous structural breaks arising from changes to the monetary framework and captures well the dynamics of the interbank lending relationships in this period. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Factor‐Based Identification‐Robust Interference in IV Regressions
Authors: Kapetanios Georges , Khalaf Lynda , Marcellino Massimiliano
Published: April 2015

Robust methods for instrumental variable inference have received considerable attention recently. Their analysis has raised a variety of problematic issues such as size/power trade‐offs resulting from weak or many instruments. We show that information reduction methods provide a useful and practical solution to this and related problems. Formally, we propose factor‐based modifications to three popular weak‐instrument‐robust statistics, and illustrate their validity asymptotically and in finite samples. Results are derived using asymptotic settings that are commonly used in both the factor and weak‐instrument literature. For the Anderson–Rubin statistic, we also provide analytical finite‐sample results that do not require any underlying factor structure. An illustrative Monte Carlo study reveals the following. Factor‐based tests control size regardless of instruments and factor quality. All factor‐based tests are systematically more powerful than standard counterparts. With informative instruments and in contrast to standard tests: (i) power of factor‐based tests is not affected by k even when large; and (ii) weak factor structure does not cost power. An empirical study on a New Keynesian macroeconomic model suggests that our factor‐based methods can bridge a number of gaps between structural and statistical modeling. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Optimization of silk films as substrate for functional corneal epithelium growth
Authors: Jia Liang , Ghezzi Chiara E. , Kaplan David L.
Published: April 2015

The corneal epithelium is the first cellular barrier to protect the cornea. Thus, functional tissue engineering of the corneal epithelium is a strategy for clinical transplantation. In this study, the optimization of silk films (SFs) as substrates for functional human corneal epithelium growth was investigated with primary human corneal epithelial cells on SFs, poly‐D‐lysine (PDL) coated SFs, arginine‐glycine‐aspartic acid (RGD) modified SFs and PDL blended SFs. PDL coated SFs significantly promoted cell adhesion at early phases in comparison to the other study groups, while PDL blended SF significantly promoted cell migration in a “wound healing” model. All film modifications promoted cell proliferation and viability, and a multi‐layered epithelium was achieved in 4 weeks of culture. The epithelia formed were tightly apposed and maintained an intact barrier function against rose bengal dye penetration. The results suggested that a differentiated human corneal epithelium can be established with primary corneal epithelial cells on SFsin vitro, by optimizing SF composition with PDL. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 104B: 431–441, 2016.