bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Introducing labour productivity changes into models used for economic impact analysis in tourism
Authors: Klijs Jeroen , Peerlings Jack , Heijman Wim
Published: November 2015

In tourism management, traditional input–output models are often applied to calculate economic impacts, including employment impacts. These models imply that increases in output are translated into proportional increases in labour, indicating constant labour productivity. In non-linear input–output (NLIO) models, final demand changes lead to substitution. This causes changes in labour productivity, even though one unit of labour ceteris paribus still produces the same output. Final demand changes can, however, also lead to employees working longer, harder and/or more efficiently. The goal of this article is to include this type of ‘real’ labour productivity change into an NLIO model. To do this, the authors introduce factor augmenting technical change (FATC) and a differentiation between core and peripheral labour. An NLIO model with and without FATC is used to calculate the regional economic impacts of a 10% final demand increase in tourism in the province of Zeeland in the Netherlands. Accounting for real productivity changes leads to smaller increase in the use of labour, as productivity increases allow output to be produced using fewer inputs.
Consciencia y constitucionalización de los derechos humanos en Latinoamérica
Authors: Ramírez Ayérdiz Danny
Published: November 2015

La consciencia por los derechos humanos en nuestra región, solo surgió de sociedades desesperadas por la democracia y así, los derechos humanos, emergieron como fundamento de los pactos sociales de estas democracias que llevaron a la refundación política de los estados latinoamericanos. La democracia y su nuevo eje paradigmático, los derechos humanos, tomó el lugar de las dictaduras a partir de nuestros propias traumas: los más de cincuenta mil muertos y desaparecidos en el genocidio indígena de la Guatemala de Ríos Montt, los treinta mil desaparecidos en Argentina de Videla, los miles de represaliados en el Chile de Pinochet, de Banzer en Bolivia, de Stroessner en Paraguay o en la Nicaragua, ahora libre, de la dinastía de los Somoza.
Primer encuentro de los egresados del Postgrado de Pediatría
Authors: Prado López Lidia María
Published: November 2015

Acta Pediátrica Hondureña, Vol. 4, No. 2 / Octubre 2013 a Marzo 2014
Formas clínicas y perfil epidemiológico de tuberculosis en niños, Hospital Nacional Dr. Mario Catarino Rivas
Authors: Sabillón Vásquez Daphne Lizette , Jovel López Luis Enrique
Published: November 2015

Introducción. La tuberculosis (TB) es una enfermedad infecciosa de amplia distribución, cuya importancia va cada vez más en aumento. Un tercio de la población mundial está infectada y cada año ocurren en el mundo un millón de casos en menores de 15 años. En Honduras, durante el 2,008 se notificaron 2,862 casos para una incidencia de 37.1/100,000 habitantes.Objetivo. Reconocer las formas clínicas y el perfil epidemiológico de niños menores de 18 años con diagnóstico de TB.Pacientes y métodos. Se realizó un estudio descriptivo. La información fue recopilada mediante encuesta sobre características sociodemograficas, epidemiología y diagnóstico en niños con TB que fueron ingresados o manejados en consulta externa del Hospital Nacional Dr. Mario Catarino Rivas (HNMCR), durante el periodo de Julio 2013 a Julio 2014 (n=56).Resultados. Se encontró 27 (48.2%) niñas y 29 (51.8%) niños con TB. En el grupo de edad de 2 a 24 meses hubo 12 (21%) casos, 7 (12.5%) de 3 a 6 años, 14 (25%) de 7 a 11 años y 23 (41%) mayores de 12 años. Las formas de la enfermedad fueron: 38 (68%) casos de TB pulmonar y 18 (32%) casos de TB extrapulmonar. El 18% (10 casos) de los pacientes tiene antecedente de co-infección con VIH.Conclusiones. La TB pulmonar es la forma de presentación clínica más frecuente y afecta a escolares y adolescentes. El 22% de casos de TB están asociados a inmunosupresión, especialmente VIH. Los principales métodos diagnósticos utilizados son: aislamiento del bacilo, la prueba de tuberculina y estudios radiológicos.Acta Pediátrica Hondureña, Vol. 4, No. 2 / Octubre 2013 a Marzo 2014: 298-306
Association Between Urinary Symptoms and Urinary Tract Infection in Patients With Multiple Sclerosis
Authors: Nikseresht Alireza , Salehi Haideh , Foroughi Amin Abolhasani , Nazeri Masoumeh
Published: November 2015

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE: Urinary dysfunctions occur in the majority of MS patients and these patients are at higher risks of developing UTI due to multiple reasons. We determined to study the association between different urinary symptoms and UTI in MS patients.

MATERIAL & METHOD: Eighty seven MS patients that referred to our medical care center with an acute attack of the disease, from November 2012 to April 2014, were included in the study. Patients were classified into two groups based on their urine culture results: UTI positive and non-UTI patients. The prevalence of different types of urinary symptoms was then compared among the two groups.

RESULT: The mean age of our patients was 36.8 years old. From the total 87 patients, 83 (95.4%) were female. Overall 56.3% of patients displayed urinary symptoms. The most prevalent urinary problems were urinary incontinence and frequency (25.3% and 24.1%, respectively). A positive urinary culture was seen in 71.3% of the patients. The prevalence of urinary problems was significantly higher in UTI patients in comparison to non-UTI patients (64.5% and 40% in UTI and non-UTI patients, respectively; p=0.036). Separately none of the different urinary symptoms displayed a significant difference between UTI and non-UTI patients (p>0.05).

CONCLUSION: Not a single symptom can be diagnostic of UTI, but MS patient with urinary tract infections do present more urinary symptoms and this can be an indication for further urine analysis and screening measures for MS patients who display more urinary symptoms.
The Economic Effects of Initial Quota Allocations on Carbon Emissions Trading in China
Authors: Wu Jie , Fan Ying , Xia Yan
Published: November 2015

The emissions trading scheme has recently become an important emissions reduction mechanism in China. The initial quota allocation is one of the key points in its design, which includes the initial quota allocation criterion and allocation method. In this paper, we analyze the regional macroeconomic impacts of emissions trading in China under different quota allocation criteria and allocation methods using a multiregional computable general equilibrium (CGE) model. The results show that the Ability-to-Pay criterion is better than the other criteria, as it can lead to fewer macroeconomic costs and welfare losses; narrow the economic gap between the eastern, central and western regions; and guide investment into the western regions. Comparing free allocation and auction, it is determined that free allocation leads to lower macroeconomic costs, while auction is better at adjusting the industrial structure. This indicates that a hybrid allocation method is preferable.
Short note on convexity of power mean
Authors: Matejíčka Ladislav
Published: November 2015

In this paper, we give an answer to the conjecture posed in the paper [Antal Bege, J\'{o}zsef Bukor, J\'{a}nos T. T\'{o}th, On (log-) convexity of power mean, Annales Mathematicae et Informaticae 42 (2013) pp. 3-7, http://ami.ektf.hu].
Redescription of some species of Bryozoa described by J. Jullien and L. Calvet in the NE Atlantic
Authors: Reverter-Gil Oscar , Souto Javier
Published: November 2015

Five species described by Jullien and/or Calvet from the NE Atlantic are redescribed and stabilized by typification: Hippothoa amoena, Schizoporella confusa, S. jullieni, S. ovum and Smittia guernei. Three new synonymies are established: Schizoporella jullieni with Hippothoa amoena, S. ovum with Escharina alderi, and Escharella pseudopunctata with Smittia guernei. A new trypostegid genus, Pulpeirina gen. nov., is erected for H. amoena. Three new combinations are introduced.
Clinical Applications of 4-Factor Prothrombin Complex Concentrate: A Practical Pathologist's Perspective
Authors: Unold David , Tormey Christopher A.
Published: November 2015

A 4-factor prothrombin complex concentrate (4F-PCC), containing therapeutic doses of vitamin K–dependent coagulation factors, was recently licensed in the United States for reversal of vitamin K antagonist therapy. However, given the emergence of several oral anticoagulants for which there are no specific reversal agents, and the existence of many other complex bleeding disorders, it is likely that clinicians will seek to use 4F-PCCs for any number of off-label indications. Thus, the goal of this review is to explore practical issues regarding 4F-PCC, with an emphasis on issues relevant to blood bankers and pathologists. Specifically, our aims are to (1) examine the role of 4F-PCC in vitamin K antagonist reversal, (2) review its potential use in the treatment of hemorrhage due to novel oral anticoagulants, and (3) explore potential uses in liver disease, trauma-associated bleeding, and rare coagulopathies. Safety and other practical considerations of 4F-PCCs will also be discussed.
The Differential Diagnosis of Sinonasal/Nasopharyngeal Neuroendocrine/Neuroectodermally Derived Tumors
Authors: Montone Kathleen T.
Published: November 2015

Context

The differential diagnosis of neuroendocrine neoplasms arising in the sinonasal tract is broad and includes lesions of epithelial, mesenchymal, and neuroectodermal origin.

Objective

To review the differential diagnosis of sinonasal neuroendocrine and neuroectodermally derived tumors.

Data Sources

The current literature was reviewed to provide updated information regarding the differential diagnosis and means for diagnosing neuroendocrine tumors including sinonasal neuroendocrine carcinoma, olfactory neuroblastoma, malignant melanoma, paraganglioma, pituitary adenoma, and Ewing family of tumors.

Conclusions

The differential diagnosis of neoplasms with neuroendocrine differentiation in the sinonasal tract is broad, and diagnosis often includes not only histologic review but also immunohistochemical or molecular analysis.
Diagnostic Discrepancies in Mandatory Slide Review of Extradepartmental Head and Neck Cases: Experience at a Large Academic Center
Authors: Mehrad Mitra , Chernock Rebecca D. , El-Mofty Samir K. , Lewis James S.
Published: November 2015

Context

Medical error is a significant problem in the United States, and pathologic diagnoses are a significant source of errors. Prior studies have shown that second-opinion pathology review results in clinically major diagnosis changes in approximately 0.6% to 5.8% of patients. The few studies specifically on head and neck pathology have suggested rates of changed diagnoses that are even higher.

Objectives

To evaluate the diagnostic discrepancy rates in patients referred to our institution, where all such cases are reviewed by a head and neck subspecialty service, and to identify specific areas with more susceptibility to errors.

Design

Five hundred consecutive, scanned head and neck pathology reports from patients referred to our institution were compared for discrepancies between the outside and in-house diagnoses. Major discrepancies were defined as those resulting in a significant change in patient clinical management and/or prognosis.

Results

Major discrepancies occurred in 20 cases (4% overall). Informative follow-up material was available on 11 of the 20 patients (55.0%), among whom, the second opinion was supported in 11 of 11 cases (100%). Dysplasia versus invasive squamous cell carcinoma was the most common (7 of 20; 35%) area of discrepancy, and by anatomic subsite, the sinonasal tract (4 of 21; 19.0%) had the highest rate of discrepant diagnoses. Of the major discrepant diagnoses, 12 (12 of 20; 60%) involved a change from benign to malignant, one a change from malignant to benign (1 of 20; 5%), and 6 involved tumor classification (6 of 20; 30%).

Conclusions

Head and neck pathology is a relatively high-risk area, prone to erroneous diagnoses in a small fraction of patients. This study supports the importance of second-opinion review by subspecialized pathologists for the best care of patients.
Fine-Needle Aspiration Biopsy of Salivary Gland Lesions
Authors: Wang He , Fundakowski Christopher , Khurana Jasvir S. , Jhala Nirag
Published: November 2015

Context

Fine-needle aspiration (FNA) is a well-established diagnostic approach for salivary gland lesions; however, lack of a standard system of terminology for classification of salivary gland neoplasms collected by FNA and the relatively high frequency of uncertainty of diagnosis are likely partly responsible for current confusion in the interpretation of these FNA samples.

Objective

To propose a novel classification system for reporting salivary gland FNA samples and summarize recent progress in application of molecular and immunohistochemical markers in selected salivary gland neoplasms.

Data Sources

Literature review and authors' personal practice experience.

Conclusions

The new classification system provides a more succinct, standardized interpretation of results and will ultimately assist in communication between clinicians, clinical decision making, and preoperative patient counseling. Impressive advances have been made in recent years in the understanding of molecular pathogenesis of salivary gland tumors. With the newly acquired diagnostic tools, significant improvement in diagnostic accuracy of salivary gland FNA can certainly be expected.
Nanoconnectomic upper bound on the variability of synaptic plasticity
Authors: Bartol Thomas M , Bromer Cailey , Kinney Justin , Chirillo Michael A , Bourne Jennifer N , Harris Kristen M , Sejnowski Terrence J
Published: November 2015

Information in a computer is quantified by the number of bits that can be stored and recovered. An important question about the brain is how much information can be stored at a synapse through synaptic plasticity, which depends on the history of probabilistic synaptic activity. The strong correlation between size and efficacy of a synapse allowed us to estimate the variability of synaptic plasticity. In an EM reconstruction of hippocampal neuropil we found single axons making two or more synaptic contacts onto the same dendrites, having shared histories of presynaptic and postsynaptic activity. The spine heads and neck diameters, but not neck lengths, of these pairs were nearly identical in size. We found that there is a minimum of 26 distinguishable synaptic strengths, corresponding to storing 4.7 bits of information at each synapse. Because of stochastic variability of synaptic activation the observed precision requires averaging activity over several minutes.
Femoral Nerve Block vs Periarticular Bupivacaine Liposome Injection After Primary Total Knee Arthroplasty: Effect on Patient Outcomes
Authors: Horn Brandon J. , Cien Adam , Reeves N. Peter , Pathak Pramod , Taunt Charles J.
Published: November 2015

Context: Patients receiving femoral nerve blocks for total knee arthroplasty (TKA) have been shown to have a high incidence of postoperative falls, which has been attributed to weakening of the quadriceps muscles. Local injection of analgesic medication that allows for full motor function of the quadriceps and, therefore, better progress through inpatient physical therapy and decreased hospital stay, has been suggested as an option for postoperative pain relief.

Objective: To compare the number of inpatient physical therapy sessions and hospital days needed in patients receiving periarticular injection of extended-release bupivacaine liposome vs femoral nerve block after TKA.

Methods: Data were retrospectively reviewed from the records of patients who underwent bilateral primary TKA, in which femoral nerve block was administered at the first operation and periarticular injection of an extended-release bupivacaine liposome mixture at the second operation. An average of 2.3 years had passed between the 2 procedures. The number of inpatient physical therapy sessions and hospital days needed were compared between both procedures for each patient.

Results: Sixteen patients (14 women) were included in the study, with a mean (SD) age of 63.8 (6.7) years. Compared with femoral nerve block, periarticular injection of analgesic medication resulted in fewer inpatient physical therapy sessions (femoral nerve block: mean [SD], 3.5 [1.3] sessions; periarticular injection: mean [SD], 2.3 [1.0] sessions; P=.002) and fewer hospital days (femoral nerve block: mean [SD], 1.9 [0.6] days; periarticular injection: mean [SD], 1.5 [0.6] days; P<.032).

Conclusion: Compared with femoral nerve block, periarticular injection of analgesia was found to quicken postoperative recovery in patients hospitalized for TKA. The use of periarticular injections in patients undergoing TKA could yield substantial cost savings given the high frequency of this procedure.
Tunable edge-mode-based mid-infrared plasmonically induced transparency in the coupling system of coplanar graphene ribbons
Authors: Li Hong-Ju , Wang Ling-Ling , Zhang Bing-Hua , Zhai Xiang
Published: November 2015

The graphene ribbon waveguide with two short parallel, coupled coplanar strips is investigated. Because of the extreme destructive interference of the short strip resonators, an outstanding plasmonically induced transparency (PIT) window with a group time delay up to 0.28 ps is achieved in the mid-infrared region, with an excellent ultraslow-light feature. The PIT window is controlled by varying the coupling distance between resonators and is tuned dynamically by a small change in the chemical potential. Numerical results are confirmed using the coupled-mode theory (CMT). The planar structure will benefit the fabrication of plasmonic circuits for slow light and optical switching.
Effects of hole-transporting layers of perovskite-based solar cells
Authors: Suzuki Atsushi , Kida Tomoyasu , Takagi Tatsuru , Oku Takeo
Published: November 2015

Fabrication and characterization of the photovoltaic and optical properties, and microstructure of perovskite-based solar cells with lead phthalocyanine (PbPc), zinc phthalocyanine, poly[bis(4-phenyl)(2,4,6-trimethylphenyl)amine], and copper(I) thiocyanate as hole-transporting layers were investigated. X-ray diffraction analysis and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy were used to identify surface morphologies of the crystal structure and the elemental composition. Introducing PbPc into perovskite solar cells extended the retaining period of photovoltaic activity and performance. The effects of the hole-transporting layer on incident photon-to-current efficiency were investigated. The energy diagram and photovoltaic mechanism of the perovskite solar cells with the hole-transporting layer are discussed.
Variation in the flowering time orthologsBrFLCandBrSOC1in a natural population ofBrassica rapa
Authors: Franks Steven J. , Perez-Sweeney Beatriz , Strahl Maya , Nowogrodzki Anna , Weber Jennifer J. , Lalchan Rebecca , Jordan Kevin P. , Litt Amy
Published: November 2015

Understanding the genetic basis of natural phenotypic variation is of great importance, particularly since selection can act on this variation to cause evolution. We examined expression and allelic variation in candidate flowering time loci inBrassica rapaplants derived from a natural population and showing a broad range in the timing of first flowering. The loci of interest were orthologs of the Arabidopsis genesFLCandSOC1(BrFLCandBrSOC1, respectively), which in Arabidopsis play a central role in the flowering time regulatory network, withFLCrepressing andSOC1promoting flowering. InB. rapa, there are four copies ofFLCand three ofSOC1. Plants were grown in controlled conditions in the lab. Comparisons were made between plants that flowered the earliest and latest, with the difference in average flowering time between these groups ∼30 days. As expected, we found that total expression ofBrSOC1paralogs was significantly greater in early than in late flowering plants. Paralog-specific primers showed that expression was greater in early flowering plants in theBrSOC1paralogsBr004928, Br00393andBr009324, although the difference was not significant inBr009324. Thus expression of at least 2 of the 3BrSOC1orthologs is consistent with their predicted role in flowering time in this natural population. Sequences of the promoter regions of theBrSOC1orthologs were variable, but there was no association between allelic variation at these loci and flowering time variation. For theBrFLCorthologs, expression varied over time, but did not differ between the early and late flowering plants. The coding regions, promoter regions and introns of these genes were generally invariant. Thus theBrFLCorthologs do not appear to influence flowering time in this population. Overall, the results suggest that even for a trait like flowering time that is controlled by a very well described genetic regulatory network, understanding the underlying genetic basis of natural variation in such a quantitative trait is challenging.
Preference of a native beetle for “exoticism,” characteristics that contribute to invasive success ofCostelytra zealandica(Scarabaeidae: Melolonthinae)
Authors: Lefort Marie-Caroline , Boyer Stéphane , Vereijssen Jessica , Sprague Rowan , Glare Travis R. , Worner Susan P.
Published: November 2015

Widespread replacement of native ecosystems by productive land sometimes results in the outbreak of a native species. In New Zealand, the introduction of exotic pastoral plants has resulted in diet alteration of the native coleopteran species,Costelytra zealandica(White) (Scarabaeidae) such that this insect has reached the status of pest. In contrast,C. brunneum(Broun), a congeneric species, has not developed such a relationship with these ‘novel’ host plants. This study investigated the feeding preferences and fitness performance of these two closely related scarab beetles to increase fundamental knowledge about the mechanisms responsible for the development of invasive characteristics in native insects. To this end, the feeding preference of third instar larvae of bothCostelytraspecies was investigated using an olfactometer device, and the survival and larval growth of the invasive speciesC. zealandicawere compared on native and exotic host plants.Costelytra zealandica, when sampled from exotic pastures, was unable to fully utilise its ancestral native host and showed higher feeding preference and performance on exotic plants. In contrast,C. zealandicasampled from native grasslands did not perform significantly better on either host and showed similar feeding preferences toC. brunneum, which exhibited no feeding preference. This study suggests the possibility of strong intraspecific variation in the ability ofC. zealandicato exploit native or exotic plants, supporting the hypothesis that such ability underpins the existence of distinct host-races in this species.
Parental encouragement is positively associated with outdoor active play outside of school hours among 7–12 year olds
Authors: Ferrao Thomas , Janssen Ian
Published: November 2015

Background.Physical activity is important for children’s physical, mental, and social well-being. Outdoor active play is an important yet unstudied domain of children’s physical activity. The objective of this study was to determine if parental encouragement is associated with the frequency that children engage in outdoor active play outside of school hours.

Methods.Participants consisted of 514 children aged 7–12 years and one of their parents. Parents completed a survey that included four questions that assessed how frequently they used verbal cues to encourage their child to play outdoors. Points were assigned to each response and averaged across the 4 questions, and based on this average participants were assigned to quintiles. The survey included seven questions that asked parents to assess how frequently their child played outdoors outside of school hours. Points were assigned to each response and summed to create an active outdoor play frequency score. General linear models assessed associations between parental encouragement and outdoor play while controlling for individual, family, and neighborhood covariates.

Results.The mean outdoor active play frequency score increased significantly across quintiles of the parental encouragement score as follows: 6.0 (standard error = 0.7) in quintile 1, 9.8 (0.6) in quintile 2, 11.4 (0.6) in quintile 3, 16.2 (0.9) in quintile 4, and 23.3 (1.3) in quintile 5. After adjusting for covariates, the mean outdoor active play frequency score was almost three times higher in the highest parental encouragement quintile than in the lowest quintile (20.4 vs. 7.8).

Conclusions.Parents use of verbal cues to encourage their children to play outdoors was independently associated with outdoor active play among 7–12 year olds.
Nd2(S, Se, Te)3 Colloidal Quantum Dots: Synthesis, Energy Level Alignment, Charge Transfer Dynamics, and Their Applications to Solar Cells
Authors: Li Qinghua , Jin Xiao , Yang Ying , Wang Haonan , Xu Haijiao , Cheng Yuanyuan , Wei Taihuei , Qin Yuancheng , Luo Xubiao , Sun Weifu , Luo Shenglian
Published: November 2015

Novel and less toxic quantum dot (QD) semiconductors are desired for developing environmentally benign colloidal quantum dot solar cells. Here, the synthesis of novel lead/cadmium‐free neodymium chalcogenide Nd2(S, Se, Te)3 QDs via solution‐processed method is reported for the first time. The results show that small‐bandgap semiconductor QDs with a narrow size distribution ranging from 2 to 8 nm can be produced, and the wide absorption band can be achieved by the redshift owing to the size quantization effect by controlling the initial loading of chalcogenide precursors. By analyzing the band structure of QDs and the energy level alignment between QDs and TiO2, the influence of energy offset between the conduction band edges of QDs and TiO2 on the charge transfer dynamics and photovoltaic performance of QD solar cells (QDSCs) is investigated. It is revealed that among the three types of QDs studied, Nd2Se3 QDSCs with the smallest energy offset exhibit the best performances and a decent power conversion efficiency of 3.19% is achieved. This work clearly demonstrates the promising potentials of novel rare earth chalcogenide quantum dots in photovoltaic applications.
Unmet needs in the transition to adulthood: 18‐ to 30‐year‐old people with hemophilia
Authors: Quon Doris , Reding Mark , Guelcher Chris , Peltier Skye , Witkop Michelle , Cutter Susan , Buranahirun Cathy , Molter Don , Jane Frey Mary , Forsyth Angela , Tran Duc (Bobby) , Curtis Randall , Hiura Grant , Levesque Justin , de la Riva Debbie , Compton Matthew , Iyer Neeraj N. , Holot Natalia , Cooper David L.
Published: November 2015

Young adults with hemophilia face unique challenges during the transition to adulthood, including issues associated with switching from pediatric to adult hematology care, building mature interpersonal relationships, and establishing an independent career with an assurance of medical insurance coverage. A greater understanding of these challenges is essential for developing effective strategies to address the specific needs of this population. These challenges may be differentiated from those of older adults with hemophilia in large part because of more extensive childhood prophylaxis and safer factor products, resulting in fewer joint problems and lower rates of HIV and HCV infections. This analysis of the changing nature and unmet needs of today's young adults entering into adult hemophilia treatment centers, as well as potential strategies for optimally addressing these needs, was developed following roundtable discussions between patients, caregivers, hematologists, and other health care professionals participating in comprehensive care. Challenges identified among young adults with hemophilia include psychosocial issues related to maturity, personal responsibility, and increased independence, as well as concerns regarding when and with whom to share information about one's hemophilia, limited awareness of educational and financial resources, and a low perceived value of regular hematology care. The initiatives proposed herein highlight important opportunities for health care professionals at pediatric and adult hemophilia treatment centers, as well as national organizations, community groups, and career counselors, to address key unmet needs of this patient population. Am. J. Hematol. 90:S17–22, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Renal anomalies in patients with turner syndrome: Is scintigraphy superior to ultrasound?
Authors: Hamza Rasha T. , Shalaby Mennatallah H. , Hamed Laith S. , Abdulla Dunya B. A. , Elfekky Sahar M. , Sultan Omar M.
Published: November 2015

Renal anomalies are present in up to 30% of patients with Turner syndrome (TS). Renal ultrasound (U/S) detects anatomical renal anomalies only while renal scintigraphy detects anomalies, detects early renal malfunction, and estimates glomerular filtration rate (GFR). Thus, we aimed to assess frequency of renal abnormalities detected by scintigraphy in comparison to renal U/S in TS patients. Ninety TS patients were subjected to auxological assessment, measurement of serum creatinine; and renal U/S and scintigraphy. Renal U/S detected renal anomalies in 22.22% of patients versus 17.78 % detected by scintigraphy (P = 0.035). Scintigraphy detected renal functional abnormalities in 44.44% of patients in the form of subnormal total GFR, abnormal renogram curve pattern, improper tracer handling and perfusion; and difference in split renal function >10% between both kidneys. Patients with a 45,X karyotype had more renal functional abnormalities (56%) than those with mosaic karyotype (33.33%), P = 0.04. In conclusion, renal scintigraphy is not superior to U/S in detection of renal anomalies but is a reliable method for early detection of renal malfunction in TS patients especially those with 45,X to ensure early management to offer a better quality of life. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Synthesis of Supported Ultrafine Non‐noble Subnanometer‐Scale Metal Particles Derived from Metal–Organic Frameworks as Highly Efficient Heterogeneous Catalysts
Authors: Kang Xinchen , Liu Huizhen , Hou Minqiang , Sun Xiaofu , Han Hongling , Jiang Tao , Zhang Zhaofu , Han Buxing
Published: November 2015

The properties of supported non‐noble metal particles with a size of less than 1 nm are unknown because their synthesis is a challenge. A strategy has now been created to immobilize ultrafine non‐noble metal particles on supports using metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) as metal precursors. Ni/SiO2 and Co/SiO2 catalysts were synthesized with an average metal particle size of 0.9 nm. The metal nanoparticles were immobilized uniformly on the support with a metal loading of about 20 wt %. Interestingly, the ultrafine non‐noble metal particles exhibited very high activity for liquid‐phase hydrogenation of benzene to cyclohexane even at 80 °C, while Ni/SiO2 with larger Ni particles fabricated by a conventional method was not active under the same conditions.
Nanosized IrOx–Ir Catalyst with Relevant Activity for Anodes of Proton Exchange Membrane Electrolysis Produced by a Cost‐Effective Procedure
Authors: Lettenmeier Philipp , Wang Li , Golla‐Schindler Ute , Gazdzicki Pawel , Cañas Natalia A. , Handl Michael , Hiesgen Renate , Hosseiny Seyed S. , Gago Aldo S. , Friedrich Kaspar A.
Published: November 2015

We have developed a highly active nanostructured iridium catalyst for anodes of proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolysis. Clusters of nanosized crystallites are obtained by reducing surfactant‐stabilized IrCl3 in water‐free conditions. The catalyst shows a five‐fold higher activity towards oxygen evolution reaction (OER) than commercial Ir‐black. The improved kinetics of the catalyst are reflected in the high performance of the PEM electrolyzer (1 mgIr cm−2), showing an unparalleled low overpotential and negligible degradation. Our results demonstrate that this enhancement cannot be only attributed to increased surface area, but rather to the ligand effect and low coordinate sites resulting in a high turnover frequency (TOF). The catalyst developed herein sets a benchmark and a strategy for the development of ultra‐low loading catalyst layers for PEM electrolysis.
Alternative procedure for the incorporation of quantum dots into poly(N‐isopropyl acrylamide‐co‐acrylic acid) microgels based on multiple interactions
Authors: Cai Yuting , Wu Xiaoqing , Liu Qinghao , Liu Hongyan
Published: November 2015

Monodisperse fluorescent poly(N‐isopropyl acrylamide‐co‐acrylic acid) microgels doped with quantum dots (QDs) were fabricated as follows. First, cysteamine‐capped cadmium telluride (CA–CdTe) QDs were introduced into the microgels at pH 7 by electrostatic interactions. Afterward, the CA–CdTe QDs were further immobilized in the microgels by the collapse of the polymer network when the pH of solution was adjusted to 4. In this system, there existed multiple interactions between the CA–CdTe QDs and the microgels, including hydrogen bonds, electrostatic interactions, and coordination bonds. The photoluminescence intensity and maximum emission wavelength of the resulting microgels could be easily adjusted by changes in the content of the CA–CdTe QDs in the hybrid microgels (HMs) and with differently sized QDs, respectively. We found that the lower the addition of CA–CdTe QDs was, the bigger the blueshift of the photoluminescence spectra of the HMs was and the weaker the photoluminescence intensity was. Finally, temperature‐responsive emission of the HMs was examined. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2016, 133, 43227.
Improving the activity of Trichoderma reesei cel7B through stabilizing the transition state
Authors: Wang Yefei , Song Xiangfei , Zhang Shujun , Li Jingwen , Shu Zhiyu , He Chunyan , Huang Qingshan , Yao Lishan
Published: November 2015

Trichoderma reesei (Tr.) cellulases, which convert cellulose to reducing sugars, are a promising catalyst used in the lignocellulosic biofuel production. Improving Tr. cellulases activity, though very difficult, is highly desired due to the recalcitrance of lignocellulose. Meanwhile, it is preferable to enhance the cellulase's promiscuity so that substrates other than cellulose can also be hydrolyzed. In this work, an attempt is made to improve the catalytic activity of a major endogluanase Tr. Cel7B against xylan which crosslinks with cellulose in lignocellulose. By using quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics (QM/MM) molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, the transition state of the xylo‐oligosaccharide hydrolysis is identified. Then, mutations are introduced and their effect on the transition state stabilization is ranked based on the free energy calculations. Seven top ranked mutants are evaluated experimentally. Three mutants A208Q, A222D, and G230R show a higher activity than the wild‐type Tr. Cel7B in the hydrolysis of xylan (by up to 47%) as well as filter paper (by up to 50%). The combination of the single mutants can further improve the enzyme activity. Our work demonstrates that the free energy method is effective in engineering the Tr. Cel7B activity against xylan and cellulose, and thus may also be useful for improving the activity of other Tr. cellulases. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2016;113: 1171–1177. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Comparison of three transposons for the generation of highly productive recombinant CHO cell pools and cell lines
Authors: Balasubramanian Sowmya , Rajendra Yashas , Baldi Lucia , Hacker David L. , Wurm Florian M.
Published: November 2015

Several naturally occurring vertebrate transposable elements have been genetically modified to enable the transposition of recombinant genes in mammalian cells. We compared three transposons—piggyBac, Tol2, and Sleeping Beauty—for their ability to generate cell pools (polyclonal cultures of recombinant cells) and clonal cell lines for the large‐scale production of recombinant proteins using Chinese hamster ovary cells (CHO‐DG44) as the host. Transfection with each of the dual‐vector transposon systems resulted in cell pools with volumetric yields of tumor necrosis factor receptor‐Fc fusion protein (TNFR:Fc) that were about ninefold higher than those from cell pools generated by conventional plasmid transfection. On average, the cell pools had 10–12 integrated copies of the transgene per cell. In the absence of selection, the volumetric productivity of the cell pools decreased by 50% over a 2‐month cultivation period and then remained constant. The average volumetric TNFR:Fc productivity of clonal cell lines recovered from cell pools was about 25 times higher than that of cell lines generated by conventional transfection. In 14‐day fed‐batch cultures, TNFR:Fc levels up to 900 mg/L were obtained from polyclonal cell pools and up to 1.5 g/L from clonal cell lines using any of the three transposons. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2016;113: 1234–1243. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Engineering Cel7A carbohydrate binding module and linker for reduced lignin inhibition
Authors: Strobel Kathryn L. , Pfeiffer Katherine A. , Blanch Harvey W. , Clark Douglas S.
Published: November 2015

Non‐productive binding of cellulases to lignin inhibits enzymatic hydrolysis of biomass, increasing enzyme requirements and the cost of biofuels. This study used site‐directed mutagenesis of the Trichoderma Cel7A carbohydrate binding module (CBM) and linker to investigate the mechanisms of adsorption to lignin and engineer a cellulase with increased binding specificity for cellulose. CBM mutations that added hydrophobic or positively charged residues decreased the specificity for cellulose, while mutations that added negatively charged residues increased the specificity. Linker mutations that altered predicted glycosylation patterns selectively impacted lignin affinity. Beneficial mutations were combined to generate a mutant with 2.5‐fold less lignin affinity while fully retaining cellulose affinity. This mutant was uninhibited by added lignin during hydrolysis of Avicel and generated 40% more glucose than the wild‐type enzyme from dilute acid‐pretreated Miscanthus. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2016;113: 1369–1374. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Making the elderly fit for surgery
Authors: Hulzebos E H J , van Meeteren N L U
Published: November 2015

Prehabilitation promotes rehabilitation
A reappraisal of pediatric abdominal surface anatomy utilizing in vivo cross‐sectional imaging
Authors: Subramaniam Hemanth , Taghavi Kiarash , Mirjalili S. Ali
Published: November 2015

Despite being integral to medical and surgical practice, pediatric anatomy has remained relatively neglected except for a few landmark works. Neonatal and pediatric anatomy differs structurally and functionally from adult anatomy in many ways. The aim of the current study was to reappraise common abdominal surface landmarks of important structures in infants and children. After cases with related pathologies had been excluded, computer tomography scans of 90 children were divided into three age groups and systematically analyzed. The vertebral levels of the unpaired branches of the abdominal aorta (AA) were recorded. The vertebral level and relationship to the midline of the bifurcation of the AA and the formation of the inferior vena cava were measured. The renal long axes, costal relationships, renal artery vertebral levels, and hilar vertebral levels were measured. The splenic long axis and relationship to the mid‐axillary line were also measured. The renal length was disproportionately large in the youngest age group and increased less with age (7.12 cm, 7.85 cm, 8.86 cm). The renal artery was consistently found around L1; the left kidney was related to the 11th and 12th ribs posteriorly, the right kidney only to the 12th rib. The AA bifurcated to the right of the midline in 10% of children. The unpaired visceral branches of the aorta were commonly found at T12 (celiac artery), L1 (superior mesenteric artery), and L3 (inferior mesenteric artery). The current study provides age‐standardized surface landmarks and measurements for major abdominal vascular structures and solid organs in normal children. The clinical applications of these data are multiple and diverse. Clin. Anat. 29:197–203, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Simulation and Measurement of the Adhesion Moment of a Particle‐Wall Contact on the Atomic Scale
Authors: Haarmann Alexander , Schmidt Eberhard
Published: November 2015

If a particle in contact with a wall gets stressed by an external force and the contact breaks, the particle will start an evasive movement. In many cases, the evasive movement with the smallest force to overcome is rolling. The resistive force – or better, resistive moment – that holds the particle in place was observed. To do so, a computer‐based simulation was developed to calculate this adhesion moment for two contact cases: a smooth spherical particle on a wall in a gaseous environment and another spherical particle with an also spherical roughness. These calculated values can now be compared to experimental data, since an apparatus to measure the adhesion moment was installed at an environmental scanning electron microscope.
Engaging Copper(III) Corrole as an Electron Acceptor: Photoinduced Charge Separation in Zinc Porphyrin–Copper Corrole Donor–Acceptor Conjugates
Authors: Ngo Thien H. , Zieba David , Webre Whitney A. , Lim Gary N. , Karr Paul A. , Kord Scheghajegh , Jin Shangbin , Ariga Katsuhiko , Galli Marzia , Goldup Steve , Hill Jonathan P. , D'Souza Francis
Published: November 2015

An electron‐deficient copper(III) corrole was utilized for the construction of donor–acceptor conjugates with zinc(II) porphyrin (ZnP) as a singlet excited state electron donor, and the occurrence of photoinduced charge separation was demonstrated by using transient pump–probe spectroscopic techniques. In these conjugates, the number of copper corrole units was varied from 1 to 2 or 4 units while maintaining a single ZnP entity to observe the effect of corrole multiplicity in facilitating the charge‐separation process. The conjugates and control compounds were electrochemically and spectroelectrochemically characterized. Computational studies revealed ground state geometries of the compounds and the electron‐deficient nature of the copper(III) corrole. An energy level diagram was established to predict the photochemical events by using optical, emission, electrochemical, and computational data. The occurrence of charge separation from singlet excited zinc porphyrin and charge recombination to yield directly the ground state species were evident from the diagram. Femtosecond transient absorption spectroscopy studies provided spectral evidence of charge separation in the form of the zinc porphyrin radical cation and copper(II) corrole species as products. Rates of charge separation in the conjugates were found to be of the order of 1010 s−1 and increased with increasing multiplicity of copper(III) corrole entities. The present study demonstrates the importance of copper(III) corrole as an electron acceptor in building model photosynthetic systems.
Design, Synthesis, and Structural Analysis of Divalent NI Compounds and Identification of a New Electron‐Donating Ligand
Authors: Bharatam Prasad V. , Arfeen Minhajul , Patel Neha , Jain Priyanka , Bhatia Sonam , Chakraborti Asit K. , Khullar Sadhika , Gupta Vijay , Mandal Sanjay K.
Published: November 2015

The dative‐bond representation (L→E) in compounds with main group elements (E) has triggered extensive debate in the recent past. The scope and limits of this nonclassical coordination bond warrant comprehensive exploration. Particularly compounds with (L→N←L′)+ arrangement are of special interest because of their therapeutic importance. This work reports the design and synthesis of novel chemical species with the general structural formula (L→N←L′)+ carrying the unusual ligand cyclohexa‐2,5‐diene‐4‐(diaminomethynyl)‐1‐ylidene. Four species belonging to the (L→N←L′)+ class carrying this unconventional ligand were synthesized. Quantum chemical and X‐ray diffraction analyses showed that the electronic and geometric parameters are consistent with those of already reported divalent NI compounds. The molecular orbital analysis, geometric parameters, and spectral data clearly support the L→N and N←L′ interactions in these species. The newly identified ligand has the properties of a reactive carbene and high nucleophilicity.
Cyclic Tetramers of Zinc Chlorophylls as a Coupled Light‐Harvesting Antenna–Charge‐Separation System
Authors: Shinozaki Yoshinao , Ohkubo Kei , Fukuzumi Shunichi , Sugawa Kosuke , Otsuki Joe
Published: November 2015

A coupled light‐harvesting antenna–charge‐separation system, consisting of self‐assembled zinc chlorophyll derivatives that incorporate an electron‐accepting unit, is reported. The cyclic tetramers that incorporated an electron acceptor were constructed by the co‐assembly of a pyridine‐appended zinc chlorophyll derivative, ZnPy, and a zinc chlorophyll derivative further decorated with a fullerene unit, ZnPyC60. Comprehensive steady‐state and time‐resolved spectroscopic studies were conducted for the individual tetramers of ZnPy and ZnPyC60 as well as their co‐tetramers. Intra‐assembly singlet energy transfer was confirmed by singlet–singlet annihilation in the ZnPy tetramer. Electron transfer from the singlet chlorin unit to the fullerene unit was clearly demonstrated by the transient absorption of the fullerene radical anion in the ZnPyC60 tetramer. Finally, with the co‐tetramer, a coupled light‐harvesting and charge‐separation system with practically 100 % quantum efficiency was demonstrated.
Balancing spatially regulated β‐actin translation and dynamin‐mediated endocytosis is required to assemble functional epithelial monolayers
Authors: Cruz Lissette A. , Vedula Pavan , Gutierrez Natasha , Shah Neel , Rodriguez Steven , Ayee Brian , Davis Justin , Rodriguez Alexis J.
Published: November 2015

Regulating adherens junction complex assembly/disassembly is critical to maintaining epithelial homeostasis in healthy epithelial tissues. Consequently, adherens junction structure and function is often perturbed in clinically advanced tumors of epithelial origin. Some of the most studied factors driving adherens junction complex perturbation in epithelial cancers are transcriptional and epigenetic down‐regulation of E‐cadherin expression. However, numerous reports demonstrate that post‐translational regulatory mechanisms such as endocytosis also regulate early phases of epithelial‐mesenchymal transition and metastatic progression. In already assembled healthy epithelia, E‐cadherin endocytosis recycles cadherin‐catenin complexes to regulate the number of mature adherens junctions found at cell–cell contact sites. However, following de novo epithelial cell–cell contact, endocytosis negatively regulates adherens junction assembly by removing E‐cadherin from the cell surface. By contrast, following de novo epithelial cell–cell contact, spatially localized β‐actin translation drives cytoskeletal remodeling and consequently E‐cadherin clustering at cell–cell contact sites and therefore positively regulates adherens junction assembly. In this report we demonstrate that dynamin‐mediated endocytosis and β‐actin translation‐dependent cadherin–catenin complex anchoring oppose each other following epithelial cell–cell contact. Consequently, the final extent of adherens junction assembly depends on which of these processes is dominant following epithelial cell–cell contact. We expressed β‐actin transcripts impaired in their ability to properly localize monomer synthesis (Δ3′UTR) in MDCK cells to perturb actin filament remodeling and anchoring, and demonstrate the resulting defect in adherens junction structure and function is rescued by inhibiting dynamin mediated endocytosis. Therefore, we demonstrate balancing spatially regulated β‐actin translation and dynamin‐mediated endocytosis regulates epithelial monolayer structure and barrier function. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.