bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Direct physician reporting is associated with reductions in radiation exposure in pediatric cardiac catheterizations
Authors: Nicholson George T. , Gao Kevin , In Kim Sung , Kim Dennis W. , Vincent Robert N. , Balfour Virginia , Petit Christopher J.
Published: July 2015

Objective

The objective is to quantify radiation dose in children undergoing cardiac catheterization and determine the impact of increased reporting transparency on total radiation exposure. Background: Cardiac catheterization (cath) can result in significant radiation exposure in children. There has been growing interest in quantifying and reducing radiation exposure in pediatric cath procedures. Our center underwent a slight change in practice recently that resulted in direct physician reporting of radiation dose following every case.

Methods

We reviewed cath procedures across three different eras in four cath categories: post‐heart transplant annual cath, unilateral pulmonary artery (PA) stent placement, pre‐Fontan cath, and pre‐Glenn cath. The eras were defined as: Era 1, 1/2009 – 1/2011; Era 2, 1/2011 – 9/2013; and Era 3, 9/2013 – 5/2014. In Era 3, the physician performing the cath was responsible for reporting the radiation data.

Results

Across the three eras, there were significant decreases in cumulative air KERMA (mGy) among all four cath categories. From Era 2 to Era 3, the greatest decreases in radiation were noted, particularly in dose area product (cGy·cm2) in the transplant annual evaluation and pre‐Glenn cases. In Era 1, 2 cases (1.2%) had a frame rate reduction, while in Era 2, 22 cases (12.0%), and in Era 3, 83 cases (21.6%) had frame rate changes (P < 0.01).

Conclusions

Increased physician awareness of radiation exposure is associated with a significant reduction in radiation dose across a variety of cath procedures. This is seen not only by the overall reduction in radiation across case types, but also as the frame rate was more frequently changed during individual cases, indicating an important change in physician behavior and practice. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Intra‐arterial thrombolysis of central retinal artery occlusion following percutaneous atrial septal defect closure
Authors: Jeon Jin Pyeong , Cho Young Dae , Han Moon Hee
Published: July 2015

Use of percutaneous devices for atrial septal defect (ASD) closure is growing, given the minimally invasive nature and the long‐term durability of this approach. The reported rate of thrombus formation after catheter closure is 1.2%. Thrombotic risk varies according to closure device and Dacron‐covered nitinol Amplatzer devices carry a 0‐0.3% rate of thrombus formation; but central retinal artery occlusion (CRAO) is rarely implicated as an adverse event. Herein, we report the first successful intra‐arterial thrombolytic treatment of CRAO developing after ASD closure via Amplatzer device. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Adsorption of Brilliant Green Dye on Biochar Prepared From Lignocellulosic Bioethanol Plant Waste
Authors: Saif Ur Rehman Muhammad , Kim Ilgook , Rashid Naim , Adeel Umer Malik , Sajid Muhammad , Han Jong‐In
Published: July 2015

This study was aimed at the adsorption of Brilliant Green (BG) on hydrolyzed rice straw biochar, which was obtained from a lignocellulosic bioethanol process. Rice straw biochar (RBC) possessed surface properties such as a Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) surface area of 232.31 m2/g, a total pore volume of 0.30 cm3/g, and an average pore width of 5.22 nm. Adsorption studies were carried out to investigate the effect of experimental factors such as pH (2–10), biochar dose (0.05–1.25 g/L), contact time (30–480 min), and temperature (30 to −50°C) on the adsorption of BG. The Langmuir isotherm (R2 = 0.998) fitted well to the adsorption data for initial dye concentrations of 20–500 mg/L, implying that BG adsorption occurred in the form of a monolayer on RBC. Adsorption kinetics was well fitted by the pseudo‐second order kinetic model (R2 ≥ 0.988) for all tested dye concentrations. The thermodynamic study revealed that BG adsorption on RBC was spontaneous, favorable, and a physical process. The maximum adsorption capacity of RBC was found to be 111.11 mg/g. These results showed that RBC, prepared from the waste of the bioethanol process, can be effectively used as a promising cheap adsorbent to remove dyes from aqueous solution. This approach of product diversification (bioethanol along with biochar) may lead to a cost effective and cleaner production of bioethanol.
How morphology influences relaxivity – comparative study of superparamagnetic iron oxide–polymer hybrid nanostructures
Authors: Ebert Sandro , Bannwarth Markus B. , Musyanovych Anna , Landfester Katharina , Münnemann Kerstin
Published: July 2015

Superparamagnetic iron oxides (SPIOs) are widely used in MRI as T2 contrast agents, and interest is still growing. Here, the T2 relaxivity of three different SPIO–polymer hybrid morphologies, i.e. homogeneously distributed iron oxide within a polymer matrix, Janus‐like nanoparticles and polymer nanocapsules containing iron oxides, is studied. Making use of calculations based on theory for agglomerated systems, the obtained T2 values could be predicted for all different morphologies, except for nanocapsules. Nanocapsules, in contrast to full spheres, allow for water exchange between encapsulated water and bulk water, and thus have two contributions to relaxivity. One originates from the capsules acting as a weakly magnetized cluster and the other stems from the individual SPIOs inside the capsule. Therefore, the relaxivities were also computed using an empirical equation found in the literature, which considers water exchange, resulting in a better T2 forecast for the nanocapsules. The presented study is the first example of a comparison between measured and calculated relaxivities of nanocapsules. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
MR tracking of SPIO‐labeled mesenchymal stem cells in rats with liver fibrosis could not monitor the cells accurately
Authors: Zhou Bin , Li Dan , Qian Jiesheng , Li Zhengran , Pang Pengfei , Shan Hong
Published: July 2015

Our previous study showed that in vivo magnetic resonance (MR) imaging is effective in tracking superparamagnetic iron oxide (SPIO)‐labeled bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) in rats with liver fibrosis. SPIO‐labeling‐induced signal reduction on MR images was completely reversed within 15 days after transplantation. It is still unclear whether the signal changes in MR imaging could reflect the number of transplanted cells in the liver. In the present study, BMSCs of male rats were doubly labeled with enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) and SPIO and injected intravascularly into female rats with liver fibrosis. At different time points after injection, MR imaging was performed. The distribution of SPIO particles and EGFP‐positive cells was determined by Prussian blue staining and EGFP immunohistochemistry, respectively. The distribution of transplanted BMSCs in various organs was assessed by detection of the SRY gene using real‐time quantitative PCR. At 15 days post transplantation, the numbers of transplanted cells were significantly decreased in the lung, kidney, spleen and muscle, but not liver and heart, in comparison with those at 7 days after transplantation. EGFP staining‐positive cells were observed in the liver intralobular parenchyma, while Prussian blue staining was negative at 42 days after transplantation. Taken together, SPIO particles and EGFP‐labeled BMSCs show a different tissue distribution pattern in rats with liver fibrosis after a long‐term period of monitoring. SPIO‐based MR imaging may not be suitable for long‐term tracking of transplanted BMSCs in vivo. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A self‐calibrated delay‐locked loop with low static phase error
Authors: Kao Shao‐Ku , Cheng Hsiang‐Chi , Lin Jian‐Da
Published: July 2015

In conventional delay‐locked loop circuits, the charge and discharge of the charge pump result in mismatched current reflecting the size of the static phase error. The static phase error between feedback clock and reference clock is likely to be within tens or hundreds of picoseconds (ps). We thus propose an approach using digital calibration methods to reduce the charge pump current mismatch by means of the setup time of the D‐type flip flop. The setup time of D‐type flip flop is determined and duplicated to detect the phase error between the reference clock and feedback clock. It results in a very small static phase error between the reference clock and feedback clock. This paper used a 0.18 µm CMOS process design, with a reference frequency of 700 ~ 900 MHz. The active area is 0.031 mm2, and the phase error after correction is less than 5 ps. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Simulation of long‐term soil water dynamics at Reynolds Creek, Idaho: implications for rangeland productivity
Authors: Finzel Julie A. , Seyfried Mark S. , Weltz Mark A. , Launchbaugh Karen L.
Published: July 2015

Plant productivity, forage availability and soil carbon dynamics are all strongly controlled by soil water in semi‐arid rangelands. Sagebrush steppe ecosystems are among the most extensive in the western USA. We used the soil ecohydrology model (SEM) to simulate soil water dynamics and estimate plant growth at three different sagebrush steppe sites. SEM is a capacitance parameter model that uses a water balance approach to simulate daily changes in soil water and a modification of the de Wit equation to estimate plant yield. Model‐simulated soil water results were evaluated using long‐term (27–34 years) measured data. We found that SEM accurately simulated soil water dynamics and total soil water storage at all three sites, with R2 values greater than 0.8, Nash–Sutcliffe efficiencies near 0.8 and mean absolute errors of about 1.5 cm. Model‐estimated yield indices indicated a high degree of interannual variability, with values ranging more than fivefold and no long‐term trend in plant production due to water availability. We also found that seasonal yield could be estimated with reasonable accuracy at the outset of the growing season (March 1) for about half of the years simulated due to either relatively high or low pre‐growing season precipitation. Published 2015. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA. Ecohydrology published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Pt, Pd and Hg Complexes with Potentially Tridentate Telluroether Ligands
Authors: Kirsten Lars , Schwade Vania D. , Selter Lars , Hagenbach Adelheid , Piquini Paulo C. , Schulz Lang Ernesto , Abram Ulrich
Published: July 2015

N‐[3‐(Phenyltellanyl)propyl]picolinamide (HL1) or N‐[N″,N″‐methyl(phenyl)aminothiocarbonyl]‐N′‐[3‐(phenyltellanyl)propyl]benzamidine (HL2) react with equivalent amounts of PtCl2 or PdCl2 with formation of neutral [MCl(L1‐κN,N′,Te)] or [MCl(L2‐κS,N,Te)] chelates. A corresponding reaction of HL2 with HgCl2 results in the formation of [HgCl2(HL2‐κS,Te)]. Treatment of [PtCl(L1‐N,N′,Te)] with elemental iodine results in the exclusive oxidation of the metal ion and the platinum(IV) complex [PtI3(L1‐κN,N′,Te)] could be isolated in reasonable amounts. A decomposition of the tellurium‐containing ligand and the formation of [PdI2(PhTeI)2] was observed during a similar procedure with the corresponding palladium complex. The bonding situation inside the latter compound was analyzed through density functional theory calculations.
Dinuclear Nitrato Coordination Compounds with Bis(3,5‐tert‐butylpyrazol‐1‐yl)­acetate
Authors: Kozlevčar Bojan , Jakomin Klemen , Počkaj Marta , Jagličić Zvonko , Beyer Andreas , Burzlaff Nicolai , Kitanovski Nives
Published: July 2015

Two dinuclear centrosymmetric coordination compounds with the bis(3,5‐di‐tert‐butylpyrazol‐1‐yl)acetic acid anion (L– = bdtbpza), namely, violet [Co(bdtbpza)(NO3)]2 (1) and turquoise [Cu(bdtbpza)(NO3)]2 (2), are reported. Around each metal(II) ion, the L– ligand is κ3‐N,N,O coordinated, and the M–O bonds are significantly longer than both M–N bonds. The coordination sphere is completed by short nitrato and M–O bonds to a ligand that is already κ3‐N,N,O coordinated to the adjacent intra‐dinuclear metal center. Therefore, each L– ligand has a total coordination number of four but with different carboxylate modes, namely, κ4‐N,N,O,O (1,1) in 1 and κ4‐N,N,O,O′ (1,3) in 2 for the C(1)–O–C(2) group. Thus, the coordination spheres are MO2N2O in both cases, though 1 is distorted trigonal bipyramidal, whereas 2 is square pyramidal. Antiferromagnetic (AFM) coupling (17 cm–1) is seen only in 1, though the best fit was obtained with consideration of spin–orbit coupling along with zero‐field splitting owing to exchange anisotropy. The new dinuclear nitrato species might be alternatives to previously reported mimics of enzyme active sites.
Silylated Group 14 Ylenes: An Emerging Class of Reactive Compounds
Authors: Marschner Christoph
Published: July 2015

Silyl‐substituted heavy‐element tetrylenes are very reactive entities and therefore prefer variously to dimerize to heavy olefin analogues, to oligomerize to cyclic products, or to undergo some type of rearrangement reaction. Our work on the synthesis of oligosilanyl‐substituted plumbylenes, stannylenes, and germylenes has shown that trapping such tetrylenes as phosphine adducts is a good method for preventing dimerization or rearrangement and allows the chemistry of the free tetrylene to be studied either through phosphane abstraction or even through thermally induced dissociation. In addition to a number of typical reactions with these tetrylenes, which occur in such a way that the divalent element becomes tetravalent, it was found in the case of germylenes that addition of monosubstituted alkynes proceeds by insertion into a Ge–Si bond with preservation of the divalent state of the germylene. The obtained tetrylene phosphane adducts could also be used as precursors for the generation of transition‐metal complexes with tetrylene ligands.
4′‐Selenonucleosides as Next‐Generation Nucleosides
Authors: Sahu Pramod K. , Naik Siddhi D. , Yu Jinha , Jeong Lak Shin
Published: July 2015

Modified nucleosides continue to hold their position as one of the most fruitful classes of therapeutic agents in drug discovery. One fairly recent modification involves bioisosteric introduction of selenium at the 4′‐position of the sugar ring, with the aim of overcoming the drawbacks of previous‐generation 4′‐oxo‐, 4′‐carba‐, and 4′‐thionucleosides. This review highlights the development of new 4′‐selenonucleosides, summarizing various synthetic strategies involved in several prime modifications on the 4‐selenosugar moiety.
Synthesis of 2,1‐Borazaroquinolines and 2,1‐Borazaroisoquinolines from Vinyl­aminopyridines and Potassium Organotrifluoroborates by Microwave‐Assisted Heating
Authors: Sánchez Casado M. Rosa , Ciordia Jiménez Myriam , Ariza Bueno Manuela , Barriol Morgane , Leenaerts Joseph E. , Pagliuca Chiara , Martínez Lamenca Carolina , De Lucas Ana Isabel , García Aránzazu , Trabanco Andrés A. , Rombouts Frederik J. R.
Published: July 2015

Azaborines are an emerging class of compounds with applications in medicinal chemistry and materials science. The synthesis of a wide variety of borazaronaphthalenes has been reported in the last decade. However, access to other borazaro derivatives has been limited. A new approach to synthesize 2,1‐borazaroquinolines and 2,1‐borazaroisoquinolines from (vinylamino)pyridines and potassium organotrifluoroborates using microwave‐assisted heating is reported. A substituted diverse set of new azaborines has been synthesized by this method, providing the first access to a family of 2,1‐borazaroquinolines and 2,1‐borazaroisoquinolines.
Aqueous acidities of primary benzenesulfonamides: Quantum chemical predictions based on density functional theory and SMD
Authors: Aidas Kęstutis , Lanevskij Kiril , Kubilius Rytis , Juška Liutauras , Petkevičius Daumantas , Japertas Pranas
Published: July 2015

Aqueous
of selected primary benzenesulfonamides are predicted in a systematic manner using density functional theory methods and the SMD solvent model together with direct and proton exchange thermodynamic cycles. Some test calculations were also performed using high‐level composite CBS‐QB3 approach. The direct scheme generally does not yield a satisfactory agreement between calculated and measured acidities due to a severe overestimation of the Gibbs free energy changes of the gas‐phase deprotonation reaction by the used exchange‐correlation functionals. The relative
values calculated using proton exchange method compare to experimental data very well in both qualitative and quantitative terms, with a mean absolute error of about 0.4
units. To achieve this accuracy, we find it mandatory to perform geometry optimization of the neutral and anionic species in the gas and solution phases separately, because different conformations are stabilized in these two cases. We have attempted to evaluate the effect of the conformer‐averaged free energies in the
predictions, and the general conclusion is that this procedure is highly too costly as compared with the very small improvement we have gained. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Experimental and Theoretical Studies of 4‐(1‐benzyl‐5‐methyl‐1H‐1,2,3‐triazol‐4‐yl)‐6‐(2,4‐dichlorophenyl)pyrimidin‐2‐amine: A Potential Antibacterial Agent
Authors: Murugavel S. , Madhanraj R. , Prasanna Kumar D. K. Andrew , Nagarajan Sangaraiah , Ponnuswamy Alagusundaram
Published: July 2015

The title compound (1), 4‐(1‐benzyl‐5‐methyl‐1H‐1,2,3‐triazol‐4‐yl)‐6‐(2,4‐dichlorophenyl)pyrimidin‐2‐amine (C20H16Cl2N6), was synthesized and structurally characterized by elemental analysis, 1H NMR and 13C NMR and single crystal X‐ray diffraction. The compound crystallizes as a colourless needle shaped in the triclinic system, space group P‐1 with cell constants: a = 10.7557(11) Å, b = 12.7078(17) Å, c = 15.511(2) Å, α = 68.029(4)0, β = 86.637(5)0, γ = 87.869(4)0; V = 1962.4 (4) Å3, Z = 4. There are two structurally similar but crystallographically independent molecules (A and B) in the asymmetric unit of the title compound, which is linked via N‐H…Cl hydrogen bond. An intramolecular C‐H…N hydrogen also occurs in each molecule. In the crystal, each of independent molecules forms a centrosymmetric dimer with an R22(8) ring motifs through a pair of N‐H…N hydrogen bonds. These dimers are further connected by intermolecular N‐H…Cl and C‐H…Cl hydrogen bonds, forming an infinite two dimensional supramolecular network lying parallel to the [010] plane. The molecular geometry was also optimized using density functional theory (DFT/B3LYP) method with the 6‐311G (d, p) basis set and compared with the experimental data. Mulliken population analyses on atomic charges, HOMO‐LUMO energy levels, Molecular electrostatic potential and chemical reactivity of the title compound were investigated by theoretical calculations. The thermo dynamical properties of the title compound at different temperature have been calculated and corresponding relations between the properties and temperature have also been obtained. The in vitro antibacterial activity has been screened against Gram‐positive (Bacillus cerus and Staphylococcus epidermidis) and Gram‐Negative (Escherichia coli, Acinetobacter baumannii and Proteus vulgaris). The results revealed that the compound exhibited good to moderate antibacterial activity.
Magnetically‐recoverable Schiff Base Complex of Pd (II) Immobilized on Fe3O4@SiO2 Nanoparticles: An Efficient Catalyst for Mizoroki‐Heck and Suzuki‐Miyaura Coupling Reactions
Authors: Esmaeilpour Mohsen , Javidi Jaber
Published: July 2015

The activity of Pd(II)‐Schiff base complex molecules grafted on the surface of Fe3O4@SiO2 particles were investigated in the palladium‐catalyzed coupling reactions of aryl halides with alkenes (Mizoroki‐Heck reaction) and phenylboronic acids (Suzuki‐Miyaura reaction) in the absence of phosphorous ligands. This method shows notable advantages such as heterogeneous nature of the catalyst, excellent yields, short reaction times, easy preparation, simplicity of operation, and cleaner reaction profiles. The catalyst can be separated from the reaction mixture by applying a permanent magnet externally and can be reused for several times without significant loss of activity. Also, the amount of palladium leaching has been determined by ICP analysis.
Influence of Support Type and Metal Loading in Methane Decomposition over Iron Catalyst for Hydrogen Production
Authors: Ibrahim Ahmed A. , Al‐Fatesh Ahmed S. , Khan Wasim U. , Soliman Mostafa A. , AL Otaibi Raja L. , Fakeeha Anis H.
Published: July 2015

Natural gas resources, stimulate the method of catalytic methane decomposition. Hydrogen is a superb energy carrier and integral component of the present energy systems, while carbon nanotubes exhibit remarkable chemical and physical properties. The reaction was run at 700 °C in a fixed bed reactor. Catalyst calcination and reduction were done at 500 °C. MgO, TiO2 and Al2O3 supported catalysts were prepared using a co‐precipitation method. Catalysts of different iron loadings were characterized with BET, TGA, XRD, H2‐TPR and TEM. The catalyst characterization revealed the formation of multi‐walled nanotubes. Alternatively, time on stream tests of supported catalyst at 700 °C revealed the relative profiles of methane conversions increased as the %Fe loading was increased. Higher %Fe loadings decreased surface area of the catalyst. Iron catalyst supported with Al2O3 exhibited somewhat higher catalytic activity compared with MgO and TiO2 supported catalysts when above 35% Fe loading was used. CH4 conversion of 69% was obtained utilizing 60% Fe/Al2O3 catalyst. Alternatively, Fe/MgO catalysts gave the highest initial conversions when iron loading below 30% was employed. Indeed, catalysts with 15% Fe/MgO gave 63% conversion and good stability for 1 h time on stream. Inappropriateness of Fe/TiO2 catalysts in the catalytic methane decomposition was observed.
Synthesis of stable isotope‐labeled epothilone D using a degradation–reconstruction approach
Authors: Burrell Richard C. , Turley Wesley A. , Bonacorsi Samuel J.
Published: July 2015

The stabilization of microtubules using epothilones represents a novel mechanism of action to treat Alzheimer's disease. Epothilone D is one such microtubule‐stabilizing drug that has been investigated by Bristol‐Myers Squibb. An important step in the development process was the synthesis of a stable isotope‐labeled analog for use in bioanalytical assays to accurately quantify the concentration of the drug in biological samples.

A novel synthetic route to stable isotope‐labeled epothilone D is described. The synthetic route was based on a strategy to degrade epothilone B and then use that key intermediate to reconstruct stable isotope‐labeled epothilone D. Epothilone B was treated with potassium osmate and sodium periodate. The thiazole moiety in epothilone B was efficiently cleaved to give (1S,3S,7S,10R,11S,12S,16R)‐3‐acetyl‐7,11‐dihydroxy‐8,8,10,12,16‐pentamethyl‐4,17‐dioxabicyclo[14.1.0]heptadecane‐5,9‐dione. The epoxide in the macrocyclic ring of that intermediate was cleanly removed by treatment with tungsten hexachloride and n‐butyllithium to give the corresponding olefin (4S,7R,8S,9S,16S,Z)‐16‐acetyl‐4,8‐dihydroxy‐5,5,7,9,13‐pentamethyloxacyclohexadec‐13‐ene‐2,6‐dione. Bis(triethylsilyl) protection produced (4S,7R,8S,9S,16S,Z)‐16‐acetyl‐5,5,7,9,13‐pentamethyl‐4,8‐bis(triethylsilyloxy)‐oxacyclohexadec‐13‐ene‐2,6‐dione. This intermediate was coupled to a stable isotope‐labeled thiazole using a Wittig reaction as the key step to provide 13C5, 15N‐labeled epothilone D. In summary, the synthesis was completed in nine total steps, only six of which involved isotopically labeled reagents. A total of 168 mg of 13C5, 15N‐labeled epothilone D was prepared in an 8% overall yield from 13C2, 15N‐labeled thioacetamide and 13C3‐labeled ethyl bromopyruvate.
Who takes the lead? A multi‐source diary study on leadership, work engagement, and job performance
Authors: Breevaart Kimberley , Bakker Arnold B. , Demerouti Evangelia , Derks Daantje
Published: July 2015

Transformational leadership is associated with a range of positive outcomes. Yet, according to substitutes for leadership theory, there may be circumstances under which it is difficult, if not impossible, for leaders to inspire and challenge their employees. Therefore, we hypothesize that transformational leadership behaviors as well as employee self‐leadership strategies contribute to employee work engagement and job performance. Furthermore, we hypothesize that transformational leadership behaviors are more effective when employees have a high need for leadership, whereas self‐leadership strategies are more effective when employees have a low need for leadership. A sample of 57 unique leader–employee dyads filled out a quantitative diary survey at the end of each week, for a period of five weeks. The results of multilevel structural equation modeling showed that employees were more engaged in their work and received higher performance ratings from their leader when leaders used more transformational leadership behaviors, and when employees used more self‐leadership strategies. Furthermore, we showed that transformational leadership behaviors were more effective when employees had a high (vs. low) need for leadership and that the opposite was true for employee self‐leadership. These findings contribute to our understanding of the role of employees in the transformational leadership process. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Non‐polar lipids characterization of Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa) seed by comprehensive two‐dimensional gas chromatography with flame ionization/mass spectrometry detection and non‐aqueous reversed‐phase liquid chromatography with atmospheric pressure chemical ionization mass spectrometry detection
Authors: Fanali Chiara , Beccaria Marco , Salivo Simona , Tranchida Peter , Tripodo Giusy , Farnetti Sara , Dugo Laura , Dugo Paola , Mondello Luigi
Published: July 2015

A chemical characterization of major lipid components, namely, triacylglycerols, fatty acids and the unsaponifiable fraction, in a Quinoa seed lipids sample is reported. To tackle such a task, non‐aqueous reversed‐phase high‐performance liquid chromatography with mass spectrometry detection was employed. The latter was interfaced with atmospheric pressure chemical ionization for the analysis of triacylglycerols. The main triacylglycerols (>10%) were represented by OLP, OOL and OLL (P = palmitoyl, O = oleoyl, L = linoleoyl); the latter was present in the oil sample at the highest percentage (18.1%). Furthermore, fatty acid methyl esters were evaluated by gas chromatography with flame ionization detection. 89% of the total fatty acids was represented by unsaturated fatty acid methyl esters with the greatest percentage represented by linoleic and oleic acids accounting for approximately 48 and 28%, respectively. An extensive characterization of the unsaponifiable fraction of Quinoa seed lipids was performed for the first time, by using comprehensive two‐dimensional gas chromatography with dual mass spectrometry/flame ionization detection. Overall, 66 compounds of the unsaponifiable fraction were tentatively identified, many constituents of which (particularly sterols) were confirmed by using gas chromatography with high‐resolution time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry.
Polymorphisms in the precursor microRNAs and aflatoxin B1‐related hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Long Xi‐Dai , Huang Xiao‐Ying , Yao Jin‐Guang , Liao Pinhu , Tang Yu‐Jin , Ma Yun , Xia Qiang
Published: July 2015

The altered expression of some microRNAs (miRNAs) is observed in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC); however, the genetic polymorphisms in the precursor miRNAs (pre‐miRNAs) in aflatoxin B1 (AFB1)‐related HCC have not yet been investigated. A hospital‐based case‐control study, including 1,706 HCC cases and 2,270 controls without any liver diseases or tumors, was conducted in a high AFB1 exposure area of China to assess the relationship between 48 polymorphisms in the pre‐miRNAs and AFB1‐related HCC risk and prognosis. Among 48 polymorphisms, only rs28599926 (in the miRNA 1268a) affected HCC risk. Compared with the homozygote of rs28599926C alleles (rs28599926‐CC), the genotypes of rs28599926 T alleles (namely rs28599926‐CT or ‐TT) increased HCC risk (odds ratio [OR]: 1.63 and 5.52, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.40–1.90 and 4.27–7.14, respectively). Significant interactive effects between risk genotypes and AFB1 exposure status were also observed in the joint effects analysis. This polymorphism was associated not only with larger tumor size, higher portal vein tumor risk, and tumor dedifferentiation, but also with higher AFB1 adducts levels and increasing the mutation risk of TP53 gene. Furthermore, rs28599926 modified the tumor recurrence‐free survival (hazard ratio [HR]: 2.86, 95% CI: 2.36–3.43) and overall survival (HR: 2.12, 95% CI: 1.86–2.41) of cases. Additionally, one target of miR‐1268a was show to be the ADAMTS4 mRNA and rs28599926 polymorphism might modify ADAMTS4 expression. These findings indicate that polymorphisms in the pre‐miRNAs may be risk and prognostic biomarkers of AFB1‐related HCC, and rs28599926 in miR‐1268a is such a potential candidate. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Amarogentin regulates self renewal pathways to restrict liver carcinogenesis in experimental mouse model
Authors: Sur Subhayan , Pal Debolina , Banerjee Kaustav , Mandal Suvra , Das Ashes , Roy Anup , Panda Chinmay Kumar
Published: July 2015

Amarogentin, a secoiridoid glycoside isolated from medicinal plant Swertia chirata, was found to restrict CCl4/N‐nitrosodiethyl amine (NDEA) induced mouse liver carcinogenesis by modulating G1/S cell cycle check point and inducing apoptosis. To understand its therapeutic efficacy on stem cell self renewal pathways, prevalence of CD44 positive cancer stem cell (CSC) population, expressions (mRNA/protein) of some key regulatory genes of self renewal Wnt and Hedgehog pathways along with expressions of E‐cadherin and EGFR were analyzed during the liver carcinogenesis and in liver cancer cell line HepG2. It was observed that amarogentin could significantly reduce CD44 positive CSCs in both pre and post initiation stages of carcinogenesis than carcinogen control mice. In Wnt pathway, amarogentin could inhibit expressions of β‐catenin, phospho β‐catenin (Y‐654) and activate expressions of antagonists sFRP1/2 and APC in the liver lesions. In Hedgehog pathway, decreased expressions of Gli1, sonic hedgehog ligand, and SMO along with up‐regulation of PTCH1 were seen in the liver lesions due to amarogentin treatment. Moreover, amarogentin could up‐regulate E‐cadherin expression and down‐regulate expression of EGFR in the liver lesions. Similarly, amarogentin could inhibit HepG2 cell growth along with expression and prevalence of CD44 positive CSCs. Similar to in vivo analysis, amarogentin could modulate the expressions of the key regulatory genes of the Wnt and hedgehog pathways and EGFR in HepG2 cells. Thus, our data suggests that the restriction of liver carcinogenesis by amarogentin might be due to reduction of CD44 positive CSCs and modulation of the self renewal pathways. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
126 novel mutations in Italian patients with neurofibromatosis type 1
Authors: Bianchessi Donatella , Morosini Sara , Saletti Veronica , Ibba Maria Cristina , Natacci Federica , Esposito Silvia , Cesaretti Claudia , Riva Daria , Finocchiaro Gaetano , Eoli Marica
Published: July 2015

Genetic analysis of Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) may facilitate the identification of patients in early phases of the disease. Here, we present an overview of our diagnostic research spanning the last 11 years, with a focus on the description of 225 NF1 mutations, 126 of which are novel, found in a series of 607 patients (513 unrelated) in Italy. Between 2003 and 2013, 443 unrelated patients were profiled by denaturing high pressure liquid chromatography (DHPLC) analysis of 60 amplicons derived from genomic NF1 DNA and subsequent sequencing of heterozygotic PCR products. In addition, a subset of patients was studied by multiplex ligation‐dependent probe amplification (MLPA) to identify any duplications, large deletions or microdeletions present at the locus. Over the last year, 70 unrelated patients were investigated by MLPA and sequencing of 22 amplicons spanning the entire NF1 cDNA. Mutations were found in 70% of the 293 patients studied by DHPLC, thereby fulfilling the NIH criterion for the clinical diagnosis of NF1 (detection rate: 70%); furthermore, 87% of the patients studied by RNA sequencing were genetically characterized. Mutations were also found in 36 of the 159 patients not fulfilling the NIH clinical criteria. We confirmed a higher incidence of intellectual disability in patients harboring microdeletion type 1 and observed a correlation between a mild phenotype and the small deletion c.2970_2972delAAT or the missense alteration in amino acid residue 1809 (p.Arg1809Cys). These data support the use of RNA‐based methods for genetic analysis and provide novel information for improving the management of symptoms in oligosymptomatic patients.
Global solution and asymptotic behavior for the variable coefficient beam equation with nonlinear damping
Authors: Yan Long , Ji Shuguan
Published: July 2015

This paper is concerned with the initial‐boundary value problem for a variable coefficient beam equation with nonlinear damping. Such a model arises from the vertical deflections of a damped extensible elastic inhomogeneous beam whose density depends on time and position. By using the Faedo–Galerkin method and energy method, we obtain the existence and uniqueness of global strong solution. Furthermore, the exponential decay estimate for the total energy is also derived. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Exact traveling wave solutions to the fourth‐order dispersive nonlinear Schrödinger equation with dual‐power law nonlinearity
Authors: Douvagai  , Salathiel Yakada , Betchewe Gambo , Doka Serge Yamigno , Crepin Kofane Timoleon
Published: July 2015

In this paper, we investigate exact traveling wave solutions of the fourth‐order nonlinear Schrödinger equation with dual‐power law nonlinearity through Kudryashov method and (G'/G)‐expansion method. We obtain miscellaneous traveling waves including kink, antikink, and breather solutions. These solutions may be useful in the explanation and understanding of physical behavior of the wave propagation in a highly dispersive optical medium. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Global bounded weak solutions to a degenerate quasilinear chemotaxis system with rotation
Authors: Wang Yilong
Published: July 2015

This paper deals with the quasilinear Keller–Segel system with rotation

urn:x-wiley:mma:media:mma3561:mma3561-math-0006
where
is a bounded domain with smooth boundary, D(u) is supposed to be sufficiently smooth and satisfies D(u)≥D0um − 1(m≥1) and D(u)≤D1(u + 1)K − mum − 1(K≥1) for all u≥0 with some positive constants D0 and D1, and f(u) is assumed to be smooth enough and non‐negative for all u≥0 and f(0) = 0, while S(u,v,x) = (sij)n × n is a matrix with
and
with l≥2, where
is nondecreasing on [0,∞). It is proved that when
, the system possesses at least one global and bounded weak solution for any sufficiently smooth non‐negative initial data. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Orthotropic conductivity reconstruction with virtual‐resistive network and Faraday's law
Authors: Lee Min‐Gi , Ko Min‐Su , Kim Yong‐Jung
Published: July 2015

We obtain the existence and the uniqueness at the same time in the reconstruction of orthotropic conductivity in two‐space dimensions by using two sets of internal current densities and boundary conductivity. The curl‐free equation of Faraday's law is taken instead of the elliptic equation in a divergence form that is typically used in electrical impedance tomography. A reconstruction method based on layered bricks‐type virtual‐resistive network is developed to reconstruct orthotropic conductivity with up to 40% multiplicative noise. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
MRI accurately identifies early murine mammary cancers and reliably differentiates between in situ and invasive cancer: correlation of MRI with histology
Authors: Mustafi Devkumar , Zamora Marta , Fan Xiaobing , Markiewicz Erica , Mueller Jeffrey , Conzen Suzanne D. , Karczmar Gregory S.
Published: July 2015

MRI methods that accurately identify various stages of mouse mammary cancer could provide new knowledge that may have a direct impact on the management of breast cancer in patients. This research investigates whether we can accurately follow the progression from in situ to invasive cancer by the evaluation of in vivo and ex vivo MRI, and in comparison with histology as the gold standard for the diagnosis and staging of cancer. Six C3(1)SV40Tag virgin female mice, aged 12–16 weeks, were studied. At this age, these mice develop in situ cancer that resembles human ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS). Fast spin‐echo images of inguinal mammary glands were acquired at 9.4 T. After in vivo MRI, mice were sacrificed; inguinal mammary glands were excised and fixed in formalin for ex vivo MRI. Three‐dimensional, volume‐rendered, in vivo and ex vivo MR images were then correlated with histology. High‐resolution ex vivo scans facilitated the comparison of in vivo scans with histology. The sizes of mammary cancers classified as in situ on the basis of histology ranged from 150 to 400 µm in largest diameter, and the average signal intensity relative to muscle was 1.40 ± 0.18 on T2‐weighted images. Cancers classified as invasive on the basis of histology were >400 µm in largest diameter, and the average intensity relative to muscle on T2‐weighted images was 2.34 ± 0.26. Using a cut‐off of 400 µm in largest diameter to distinguish between in situ and invasive cancers, a T2‐weighted signal intensity of at least 1.4 times that of muscle for in situ cancer, and at least 2.3 times that of muscle for invasive cancer, 96% of in situ and 100% of invasive cancers were correctly identified on in vivo MRI, using histology as the gold standard. Precise MRI–histology correlation demonstrates that MRI reliably detects early in situ cancer and differentiates in situ from invasive cancers in the SV40Tag mouse model of human breast cancer. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Association of Maternal and Infant Salivary Testosterone and Cortisol and Infant Gender With Mother–Infant Interaction in Very‐Low‐Birthweight Infants
Authors: Cho June , Su Xiaogang , Phillips Vivien , Holditch‐Davis Diane
Published: July 2015

Male very‐low‐birthweight (VLBW) infants are more prone than females to health and developmental problems and less positive mother–infant interactions. Because gender differences in brain development and social relationships suggest hormonal influences on quality of mother–infant interaction, the authors explored the associations of maternal and infant salivary testosterone and cortisol levels with mother–infant interactions in the sample as a whole and by gender, after controlling for covariates. Data were collected prospectively from 62 mothers and their VLBW infants through infant record review, maternal interview, biochemical measurement of both mothers and infants, and observation of mother–infant interactions at 40 weeks postmenstrual age and at three and six months corrected age. Infants’ positive interactions increased and mothers’ decreased from three to six months. In generalized estimating equation (GEE) analyses, after controlling for covariates, higher maternal testosterone and infant cortisol were associated with more positive and more frequent maternal interactive behaviors. In GEE analyses by infant gender, after controlling for covariates, effects of maternal and infant hormone levels became more significant, especially on infants’ interactive behaviors. Based on these preliminary findings, among VLBW infants, males with high testosterone are expected to have less positive mother–infant interactions than males with low testosterone or female infants. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Improved bounds for the randomized decision tree Complexity of recursive majority
Authors: Magniez Frédéric , Nayak Ashwin , Santha Miklos , Sherman Jonah , Tardos Gábor , Xiao David
Published: July 2015

We consider the randomized decision tree complexity of the recursive 3‐majority function. We prove a lower bound offor the two‐sided‐error randomized decision tree complexity of evaluating heighthformulae with error. This improves the lower bound ofgiven by Jayram, Kumar, and Sivakumar (STOC'03), and the one ofgiven by Leonardos (ICALP'13). Second, we improve the upper bound by giving a new zero‐error randomized decision tree algorithm that has complexity at most. The previous best known algorithm achieved complexity. The new lower bound follows from a better analysis of the base case of the recursion of Jayramet al. The new algorithm uses a novel “interleaving” of two recursive algorithms. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Random Struct. Alg., 48, 612–638, 2016
Finding semantic associations in hierarchically structured groups of Web data
Authors: Rosaci Domenico
Published: July 2015

Most of the activities usually performed by Web users are today effectively supported by using appropriate metadata that make the Web practically readable by software agents operating as users’ assistants. While the original use of metadata mostly focused on improving queries on Web knowledge bases, as in the case of SPARQL-based applications on RDF data, other approaches have been proposed to exploit the semantic information contained in metadata for performing more sophisticated knowledge discovery tasks. Finding semantic associations between Web data seems a promising framework in this context, since it allows that novel, potentially interesting information can emerge by the Web’s sea, deeply exploiting the semantic relationships represented by metadata. However, the approaches for finding semantic associations proposed in the past do not seem to consider how Web entities are logically collected into groups, that often have a complex hierarchical structure. In this paper, we focus on the importance of taking into account this additional information, and we propose an approach for finding semantic associations which would not emerge without considering the structure of the data groups. Our approach is based on the introduction of a new metadata model, that is an extension of the direct, labelled graph allowing the possibility to have nodes with a hierarchical structure. To evaluate our approach, we have implemented it on the top of an existing recommender system for Web users, experimentally analyzing the introduced advantages in terms of effectiveness of the recommendation activity.
Short‐Term Performance Improvement of a Continuing Medical Education Program in a Low‐Income Country
Authors: Fils Jacky , Bhashyam Abhiram R. , Pierre Pierre Jacques B. , Meara John G. , Dyer George S.M.
Published: July 2015

Background

The Haitian Annual Assembly for Orthopaedic Trauma (HAAOT) is a CME conference designed to help Haitian orthopaedic surgeons improve their knowledge and skills. The effectiveness of international CME conferences has not been studied. We hypothesized that HAAOT improves participants’ short‐term performance on knowledge‐based assessments.

Methods

Data were prospectively collected from 57 Haitian and 21 foreign orthopaedic surgeons and residents who attended HAAOT using pre‐ and post‐presentation questions. An audience response system was used to capture responses to 40 questions. Five additional demographic questions were used to train participants and to record unique audience member responses. Questions were projected in English and in French. Two‐sided paired t tests were used to compare pre‐ and post‐test scores. ANOVA with post‐hoc unpaired t tests was used to compare among demographic groups.

Results

Response rate Median response rate was 77.4 % per day (Range: 76.5–85.9 % per day). Pre‐test scores Pre‐test scores averaged 21 % for Haitians and 39 % for foreigners (p < 0.0001), and were similar among Haitian attendings and residents. Pre‐post differences Scores improved by 8 % for Haitians (p < 0.0001) and 10 % for foreigners (p < 0.01) after didactic presentations. Among sub‐groups, Haitian attendings improved on average by 18 % compared to 6 % for residents (p < 0.0001). Haitian attending improvement trended toward significance when compared to foreign attendings (p < 0.08).

Conclusions

Our study is the first to show improved short‐term knowledge performance using an audience response system during a CME conference in a low‐income country. CME conferences in low‐income countries can be an effective tool to increase surgeon knowledge, and audience response systems can help engage participants and track outcomes.
Scalable temperature induced stress for the large-scale production of functionalized Bifidobacteria
Authors: Nguyen Huu Thanh , Razafindralambo Hary , Richel Aurore , Jacquet Nicolas , Evrard Pol , Antoine Patrice , Thonart Philippe , Delvigne Frank
Published: July 2015

The application of sub-lethal stresses is known to be an efficient strategy to enhance survival of probiotic bacteria during drying processes. In this context, we previously showed that the application of heat stress upon the entry into stationary phase increased significantly the viability of Bifidobacterium bifidum. However, this heat shock has been considered only in small-scale bioreactor and no information is available for a possible scaling-up strategy. Five different operating scales (0.2, 2, 20, 200 and 2000 L) have thus been tested and the results showed that the viability of B. bifidum increases from 3.15 to 6.57 folds, depending on the scale considered. Our observations pointed out the fact that the heat stress procedure is scalable according to the main outcome, i.e., increases in cell viability, but other factors have to be taken into account. Among these factors, dissolved carbon dioxide seems to play a significant role, since it explains the differences observed between the test performed at laboratory scale and in industrial conditions.
Sample Size Determination Within the Scope of Conditional Maximum Likelihood Estimation with Special Focus on Testing the Rasch Model
Authors: Draxler Clemens , Alexandrowicz Rainer W.
Published: July 2015

This paper refers to the exponential family of probability distributions and the conditional maximum likelihood (CML) theory. It is concerned with the determination of the sample size for three groups of tests of linear hypotheses, known as the fundamental trinity of Wald, score, and likelihood ratio tests. The main practical purpose refers to the special case of tests of the class of Rasch models. The theoretical background is discussed and the formal framework for sample size calculations is provided, given a predetermined deviation from the model to be tested and the probabilities of the errors of the first and second kinds.