bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Elearning approaches to prevent weight gain in young adults: A randomized controlled study
Authors: Nikolaou Charoula Konstantia , Hankey Catherine Ruth , Lean Michael Ernest John
Published: November 2015

Objective

Preventing obesity among young adults should be a preferred public health approach given the limited efficacy of treatment interventions. This study examined whether weight gain can be prevented by online approaches using two different behavioral models, one overtly directed at obesity and the other covertly.

Methods

A three‐group parallel randomized controlled intervention was conducted in 2012–2013; 20,975 young adults were allocated a priori to one control and two “treatment” groups. Two treatment groups were offered online courses over 19 weeks on (1) personal weight control (“Not the Ice Cream Van,” NTICV) and, (2) political, environmental, and social issues around food (“Goddess Demetra,” “GD”). Control group received no contact. The primary outcome was weight change over 40 weeks.

Results

Within‐group 40‐week weight changes were different between groups (P < 0.001): Control (n = 2,134): +2.0 kg (95% CI = 1.5, 2.3 kg); NTICV (n = 1,810): −1.0 kg (95% CI = −1.3, −0.5); and GD (n = 2,057): −1.35 kg (95% CI = −1.4 to −0.7). Relative risks for weight gain vs. control: NTICV = 0.13 kg (95% CI = 0.10, 0.15), P < 0.0001; GD = 0.07 kg (95% CI = 0.05, 0.10), P < 0.0001.

Conclusions

Both interventions were associated with prevention of the weight gain observed among control subjects. This low‐cost intervention could be widely transferable as one tool against the obesity epidemic. Outside the randomized controlled trial setting, it could be enhanced using supporting advertising and social media.
Active lifestyle in childhood and adolescence prevents obesity development in young adulthood
Authors: Kwon Soyang , Janz Kathleen F. , Letuchy Elena M. , Burns Trudy L. , Levy Steven M.
Published: November 2015

Objective

To test the hypothesis that individuals who are active but who decrease physical activity (PA) over time have a higher risk of becoming obese in young adulthood, when compared to individuals who are consistently active throughout childhood and adolescence.

Methods

Iowa Bone Development Study cohort members (242 males and 251 females) participated in accelerometry assessments, dual‐energy X‐ray absorptiometry scans, and dietary questionnaire surveys at ages 5, 8, 11, 13, 15, 17, and 19 years. Group‐based trajectory analyses identified distinct trajectory patterns of moderate‐ to vigorous‐intensity PA (MVPA), percentage of body fat, and energy intake. A multivariable logistic regression model was fit to estimate the odds of “becoming obese” based on the MVPA trajectories, adjusted for mother's education, somatic maturation, and energy intake.

Results

Among males, 74.7% had a “normal” body fat pattern, 14.6% had a “becoming obese” pattern, and 10.7% had a “consistently obese” pattern, while among females, the percentages were 58.6%, 28.6%, and 12.8%, respectively. Participants who were active (≥45 min MVPA) as children but decreased MVPA with age were more likely to become obese, compared to consistently active participants (adjusted OR = 2.77; 95% CI = 1.16, 6.58).

Conclusions

An active lifestyle throughout childhood and adolescence could prevent obesity development in young adulthood.
miR‐27 impairs the adipogenic lineage commitment via targeting lysyl oxidase
Authors: Chen Su‐Zhen , Xu Xu , Ning Liu‐Fang , Jiang Wen‐Yan , Xing Chun , Tang Qi‐Qun , Huang Hai‐Yan
Published: November 2015

Objective

The recruitment and commitment of mesenchymal stem cells and their terminal differentiation into adipocytes are the main pathways for increasing adipocyte cell numbers during obesity. Our previous studies have shown that lysyl oxidase (Lox) is upregulated and functions as an essential factor during bone morphogenetic protein 4 (BMP4) ‐induced C3H10T1/2 cell adipocytic lineage commitment. However, the mechanism of Lox regulation during adipogenic lineage commitment has remained largely unestablished.

Methods

Samples of adipose tissue from humans with different BMI and C57BL/6 mice with a high‐fat diet were used to compare microRNA‐27 (miR‐27) expression level associated with obesity. Taqman assays were used for miR‐27 expression detection and Oil Red O staining for adipogenesis analysis.

Results

A negative correlation was identified between Lox expression level and miR‐27 expression in both BMP4‐treated C3H10T1/2 cells and human subcutaneous adipose tissues. A Lox 3′ UTR luciferase reporter assay showed that miR‐27 directly targeted Lox. Furthermore, overexpression of miR‐27 impaired BMP4‐induced upregulation of Lox and adipocytic commitment, which could be rescued by overexpression of mature Lox. Conversely, miR‐27 inhibition by specific inhibitors increased Lox expression and adipocytic commitment.

Conclusions

Taken together, these results suggest a novel role for miR‐27 in repressing adipogenic lineage commitment by targeting Lox.
Development of phosphazene imine‐modified epoxy composites for low dielectric, antibacterial activity, and UV shielding applications
Authors: Lakshmikandhan Thatchanamurthy , Sethuraman Krishnamoorthy , Chandramohan Ayyavu , Alagar Muthukaruppan
Published: November 2015

In this work, phosphazene modified imine was prepared and its molecular structure was confirmed using FTIR and 1H NMR analysis. The modified phosphazene imine (PZ imine) of different weight percentages was incorporated into DGBEA epoxy resin to obtain composites and the formation of composites was confirmed by FTIR analysis. The composites were subjected to thermal, radiation resistant, electrical, and antibacterial studies. Data resulted from thermal, UV absorption, antibacterial, and surface behavior studies indicate that PZ imine reinforced epoxy composites possess higher thermal stability, enhanced zone of inhibition, better UV shielding, improved hydrophobic behavior and lower value of dielectric constant than those of neat epoxy matrix. The morphology of the samples was analyzed using high resolution transmission electron microsope (HRTEM), which ascertained the homogeneous dispersion of PZ imine in epoxy matrix with fibrous structure. POLYM. COMPOS., 38:E24–E33, 2017. © 2015 Society of Plastics Engineers
Optimal adaptive sequential designs for crossover bioequivalence studies
Authors: Xu Jialin , Audet Charles , DiLiberti Charles E. , Hauck Walter W. , Montague Timothy H , Parr Alan F. , Potvin Diane , Schuirmann Donald J.
Published: November 2015

In prior works, this group demonstrated the feasibility of valid adaptive sequential designs for crossover bioequivalence studies. In this paper, we extend the prior work to optimize adaptive sequential designs over a range of geometric mean test/reference ratios (GMRs) of 70–143% within each of two ranges of intra‐subject coefficient of variation (10–30% and 30–55%). These designs also introduce a futility decision for stopping the study after the first stage if there is sufficiently low likelihood of meeting bioequivalence criteria if the second stage were completed, as well as an upper limit on total study size. The optimized designs exhibited substantially improved performance characteristics over our previous adaptive sequential designs. Even though the optimized designs avoided undue inflation of type I error and maintained power at
80%, their average sample sizes were similar to or less than those of conventional single stage designs. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Group sequential testing of the predictive accuracy of a continuous biomarker with unknown prevalence
Authors: Koopmeiners Joseph S. , Feng Ziding
Published: November 2015

Group sequential testing procedures have been proposed as an approach to conserving resources in biomarker validation studies. Previously, we derived the asymptotic properties of the sequential empirical positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) curves, which summarize the predictive accuracy of a continuous marker, under case‐control sampling. A limitation of this approach is that the prevalence cannot be estimated from a case‐control study and must be assumed known. In this paper, we consider group sequential testing of the predictive accuracy of a continuous biomarker with unknown prevalence. First, we develop asymptotic theory for the sequential empirical PPV and NPV curves when the prevalence must be estimated, rather than assumed known in a case‐control study. We then discuss how our results can be combined with standard group sequential methods to develop group sequential testing procedures and bias‐adjusted estimators for the PPV and NPV curve. The small sample properties of the proposed group sequential testing procedures and estimators are evaluated by simulation, and we illustrate our approach in the context of a study to validate a novel biomarker for prostate cancer. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Survey of the Definition of Fetal Viability and the Availability, Indications, and Decision Making Processes for Post‐Viability Termination of Pregnancy for Fetal Abnormalities and Health Conditions in Canada
Authors: Hull Danna , Davies Gregory , Armour Christine M.
Published: November 2015

The purpose of this study was to explore the definition of fetal viability and the availability, indications, and decision making processes for post‐viability termination of pregnancy for fetal abnormalities and health conditions in Canada. An online survey of members of the Canadian Association of Genetic Counsellors, the Canadian College of Medical Geneticists, and the Canadian Society for Maternal‐Fetal Medicine who provide direct counselling to, or management of, prenatal patients in Canada (total sample size 815). Results of this study showed that the majority of respondents indicated that their centre will offer post‐viability termination of pregnancy (98/123; 80 %). Sixty‐seven percent (68/101) of respondents reported the definition of fetal viability to be 24 weeks’ gestation. Most respondents reported that a collaborative decision making process was used to determine if post‐viability termination of pregnancy would be offered (136/170; 80 %). For conditions presumed to be lethal/likely lethal, the majority of respondents would “sometimes” or “always” offer post‐viability termination of pregnancy, whereas for conditions presumed to have a mild effect, the majority of respondents would “rarely” or “never” offer post‐viability termination of pregnancy. Ninety percent (77/86) of respondents reported that perinatal hospice is offered as an alternative to termination of pregnancy. In conclusion, this study suggests that although post‐viability termination is available in many provinces in Canada, variation in the definition of fetal viability and indications appear to exist. While these variations may lead to unequal access to post‐viability termination of pregnancy across Canada, they might also represent the complexity of the decision making process and the importance of examining individual factors to ensure that the most appropriate decision is made in each case.
Determination of Acylglycerols and Glycerol in Castor:Soybean Biodiesel Blend Produced by a Base/Acid‐Catalyzed Process
Authors: de Moura Renata Rodrigues , Dias Adriana Neves , de Freitas Granjão Vinícius , Primel Ednei Gilberto , D’Oca Marcelo Gonçalves Montes
Published: November 2015

This paper describes the production of the methyl biodiesel blend of hydroxylated vegetable (castor oil) and soybean oils by a base/acid‐catalyzed process and the first simultaneous determination by gas chromatography of the levels of total and free glycerol, mono‐, di‐ and triacylglycerols based on the standard method ASTM D 6584. Best results were observed for transesterification carried out in 6:1 (methanol:oil), sodium hydroxide 1 % w/w at 60 °C for 1.5 h. The analytical method not only produced curves with good linearity, but also had a coefficient of determination (r2) above 0.997 and accuracy between 70 and 141 % at relative standard deviations (RSD) lower than 10 %. The matrix effect (ME) was investigated and only diolein was found to have a significant matrix effect. The method was robust when applied to different chemical compositions of biodiesel. Results showed that the acid value and the contents of mono‐, di‐, and triacylglycerols, total and free glycerol were within the limits set by standardized methods and that biodiesel may be produced from soybean and castor oil blends.
ISDN2014_0027: REMOVED: Identification of a unique molecular and functional microglia signature in health and disease
Authors: Butovsky Oleg , Jedrychowski Mark P. , Moore Craig S. , Cialic Ron , Lanser Amanda J. , Gabriely Galina , Koeglsperger Thomas , Dake Ben , Wu Pauline M. , Doykan Camille E. , Fanek Zain , Liu LiPing , Chen Zhuoxun , Rothstein Jeffrey D. , Ransohoff Richard M. , Gygi Steven P. , Antel Jack P. , Weiner Howard L.
Published: November 2015

This article has been removed: please see Elsevier Policy on Article Withdrawal (https://www.elsevier.com/about/our‐business/policies/article‐withdrawal)

This meeting abstract has been removed by the Publisher. Due to an administrative error, abstracts that were not presented at the ISDN 2014 meeting were inadvertently published in the meeting's abstract supplement. The Publisher apologizes to the authors and readers for this error.
International White Collar Crime
Authors: Zagaris Bruce
Published: November 2015

Contemporary transnational criminals take advantage of globalization, trade liberalization, and emerging new technologies to commit a diverse range of crimes. By moving money, goods, services, and people instantaneously they are able to serve purposes of pure economic gain or political violence. This book examines the rise of international economic crime and recent strategies to combat it in the United States and abroad. Focusing on the role of international relations, it draws from case studies in a diverse range of criminality from money laundering to tax evasion. Newly revised and expanded, the second edition of International White Collar Crime incorporates recent developments and updated case studies. New chapters on environmental crimes and securities enforcement under the Dodd–Frank Act continue to make it an essential tool for practicing business, law, and law enforcement.
Hamilton versus Jefferson in the Washington Administration
Authors: Holloway Carson
Published: November 2015

By the middle of 1792, just a little more than three years after America's new government under the Constitution had been set in motion, Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson - President George Washington's two most important cabinet secretaries and two of the most eminent men among the American founders - had become open and bitter political enemies. Their dispute was not personal but political in the highest sense. Each believed that the debate between them was over regime principles. Each believed that he was protecting the newly established republic, and that the other was laboring to destroy it. Carson Holloway's Hamilton versus Jefferson in the Washington Administration examines Hamilton and Jefferson's differences, seeking to explain why these great founders came to disagree so profoundly and vehemently about the political project to which both were committed and had dedicated so much thought and effort.
Dilemmas
Authors: Ryle Gilbert
Published: November 2015

Common sense tells me I can control my life to some extent; should I then, faced with a logical argument for fatalism, reject common sense? There seems to be no place in a physical theory of the universe for the sensory experiences of colours, taste and smells, yet I know I have these experiences. In this book, Gilbert Ryle explores the conflicts that arise in everyday life and shows that the either/or which such dilemmas seem to suggest is a false dilemma: one side of the dilemma does not deny what we know to be true on the other side. This classic book has been revived in a new series livery for twenty-first-century readers, featuring a specially commissioned Preface written by Barry Stroud.
Land Bargains and Chinese Capitalism
Authors: Rithmire Meg
Published: November 2015

Land reforms have been critical to the development of Chinese capitalism over the last several decades, yet land in China remains publicly owned. This book explores the political logic of reforms to land ownership and control, accounting for how land development and real estate have become synonymous with economic growth and prosperity in China. Drawing on extensive fieldwork and archival research, the book tracks land reforms and urban development at the national level and in three cities in a single Chinese region. The study reveals that the initial liberalization of land was reversed after China's first contemporary real estate bubble in the early 1990s and that property rights arrangements at the local level varied widely according to different local strategies for economic prosperity and political stability. In particular, the author links fiscal relations and economic bases to property rights regimes, finding that more 'open' cities are subject to greater state control over land.
Crafting Courts in New Democracies
Authors: Ingram Matthew C.
Published: November 2015

The role of Latin American courts in facilitating democracy and economic liberalization is considerable. But while national 'high courts' have been closely studied, the form, function, and empowerment of local courts are still not well understood. In Crafting Courts in New Democracies, Matthew C. Ingram fills this gap by examining the varying strength of local judicial institutions in Brazil and Mexico since the 1980s. Combining statistical analysis and in-depth qualitative research, Ingram offers a rich account of the politics that shape subnational court reform in the region's two largest democracies. In contrast to previous studies, theoretical emphasis is given to the influence of political ideas over the traditional focus on objective, material incentives. Exhaustively researched and rigorously presented, this book will appeal to scholars and policymakers interested in the judiciary, institutional change, Latin America, the causal role of ideas, justice reform, and the rule of law.
Introduction to Random Graphs
Authors: Frieze Alan , Karoński Michał
Published: November 2015

From social networks such as Facebook, the World Wide Web and the Internet, to the complex interactions between proteins in the cells of our bodies, we constantly face the challenge of understanding the structure and development of networks. The theory of random graphs provides a framework for this understanding, and in this book the authors give a gentle introduction to the basic tools for understanding and applying the theory. Part I includes sufficient material, including exercises, for a one semester course at the advanced undergraduate or beginning graduate level. The reader is then well prepared for the more advanced topics in Parts II and III. A final part provides a quick introduction to the background material needed. All those interested in discrete mathematics, computer science or applied probability and their applications will find this an ideal introduction to the subject.
UK, EU and Global Administrative Law
Authors: Craig Paul
Published: November 2015

Paul Craig's analysis of UK, EU and global administrative law examines the challenges facing each system and reveals the commonalities in and differences between their foundational assumptions. The challenges which they face may be particular to that legal order, endemic to any legal system of administrative law or the result of interaction between the three systems. The inter-relationship between the three levels is important. The legal and practical reality is that developments at one level can have an impact on the other two. Legal doctrine fashioned at the national level may therefore inform developments in EU and global administrative law. The doctrine thus created may then function symbiotically, shaping developments within a domestic legal order. The inter-relationship is equally marked from the regulatory perspective, since many such provisions originate at the global or EU level.
“A Black Sister to Massachusetts”: Latin America and the Fugitive Democratic Ethos of Frederick Douglass
Authors: HOOKER JULIET
Published: November 2015

The aim of this article is to read Frederick Douglass as a theorist of democracy. It explores the hemispheric dimensions of Douglass' political thought, especially in relation to multiracial democracy. Douglass is generally viewed as an African-American thinker primarily concerned with U.S. politics, and the transnational scope of his ideas is rarely acknowledged. Instead, this article traces the connections between Douglass’ Caribbean interventions and his arguments about racial politics in the United States. It argues that Douglass not only found exemplars of black self-government and multiracial democracy in the Caribbean and Central America, he also sought to incorporate black and mixed-race Latin Americans in order to reshape the contours of the U.S. polity and challenge white supremacy. Viewed though a hemispheric lens Douglass is revealed as a radically democratic thinker whose ideas can be utilized to sketch a fugitive democratic ethos that contains important resources for contemporary democratic theory and comparative political theory.
Antibodies from combinatorial libraries use functional receptor pleiotropism to regulate cell fates
Authors: Lerner Richard A. , Grover Rajesh K. , Zhang Hongkai , Xie Jia , Han Kyung Ho , Peng Yingjie , Yea Kyungmoo
Published: November 2015

To date, most antibodies from combinatorial libraries have been selected purely on the basis of binding. However, new methods now allow selection on the basis of function in animal cells. These selected agonist antibodies have given new insights into the important problem of signal transduction. Remarkably, when some antibodies bind to a given receptor they induce a cell fate that is different than that induced by the natural agonist to the same receptor. The fact that receptors can be functionally pleiotropic may yield new insights into the important problem of signal transduction.
A triazole linkage that mimics the DNA phosphodiester group in living systems
Authors: El-Sagheer Afaf H. , Brown Tom
Published: November 2015

We describe the development of a chemical process based on the CuAAC reaction (click chemistry) to ligate DNA strands and produce an unnatural triazole backbone linkage. The chemical reaction is templated by a complementary DNA splint which accelerates the reaction and provides the required specificity. The resultant 1,4-triazole linkage is read through by DNA and RNA polymerases and is biocompatible in bacterial and human cells. This work has implications for the synthesis of chemically modified genes and other large modified DNA and RNA constructs.
Survey about citation context analysis: Tasks, techniques, and resources
Authors: HERNÁNDEZ-ALVAREZ MYRIAM , GOMEZ JOSÉ M.
Published: November 2015

Bibliometric calculations currently used to assess the quality of researchers, articles, and scientific journals have serious structural problems; many authors have noted the weakness of citation counts, because they are purely quantitative and do not differentiate between high- and low-citing papers. If a paper’s reputation is simply evaluated according to the number of its citations, then incomplete, incorrect, or controversial articles may be promoted, regardless of their relevancy. Therefore, perverse incentives are generated for researchers who may publish many incorrect or incomplete papers to achieve high impact indexes. It is essential to improve the objective criteria for automatic article-quality assessments. However, to obtain these new criteria, it is necessary to advance the programmed detection of context, polarity, and function of bibliographic references.

We present an overview of general concepts and review contributions to the solutions to problems related to these issues, with the purpose of identifying trends and suggesting possible future research directions.
Treating your worst nightmare: a case-series of imagery rehearsal therapy for nightmares in individuals experiencing psychotic symptoms
Authors: Sheaves Bryony , Onwumere Juliana , Keen Nadine , Kuipers Elizabeth
Published: November 2015

Previous research has indicated that nightmares might be a common problem for people with psychotic symptoms. Furthermore, more distressing nightmares have been associated with higher levels of delusional severity, depression, anxiety, stress and working memory. However no known research has investigated the use of nightmare treatments in those with symptoms of psychosis. This study aimed to assess the acceptability and feasibility of using imagery rehearsal (IR) therapy as a treatment of nightmares for those presenting with co-morbid psychotic symptoms. Six participants presenting with frequent distressing nightmares and psychotic symptoms were recruited. Five participants attended 4–6 sessions of IR. Measures of nightmares, sleep quality, psychotic and affective symptoms were completed at baseline and immediately following the intervention. It was feasible to adapt IR for those experiencing psychotic symptoms. Descriptive improvements were noted on measures of nightmare-related distress, vividness and intensity. Positive post-session feedback endorsed the acceptability of IR. Nightmare frequency did not reduce following IR; however, participants described a change in emotional response. IR was an acceptable and feasible intervention for this small sample. A larger study powered to detect group changes, with an additional control is warranted to test the efficacy of the intervention for those with psychosis.
The Colorado Longitudinal Twin Study of Reading Difficulties and ADHD: Etiologies of Comorbidity and Stability
Authors: Wadsworth Sally J. , DeFries John C. , Willcutt Erik G. , Pennington Bruce F. , Olson Richard K.
Published: November 2015

Approximately 60% of children with reading difficulties (RD) meet criteria for at least one co-occurring disorder. The most common of these, attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), occurs in 20–40% of individuals with RD. Recent studies have suggested that genetic influences are responsible. To assess the genetic etiologies of RD and the comorbidity of RD and two ADHD symptom dimensions –– inattention (IN) and hyperactivity/impulsivity (H/I) –– we are conducting the first longitudinal twin study of RD and ADHD. Data from twin pairs in which at least one member of the pair met criteria for proband status for RD at initial assessment, and were reassessed 5 years later, were subjected to DeFries-Fulker (DF) analysis. Analyses of reading composite data indicated that over 60% of the proband deficit at initial assessment was due to genetic influences, and that reading deficits at follow-up were due substantially to the same genetic influences. When a bivariate DF model was fitted to reading performance and IN data, genetic influences accounted for 60% of contemporaneous comorbidity and over 60% of the longitudinal relationship. In contrast, analysis of the comorbidity between reading performance and H/I indicated that common genetic influences accounted for only about 20% of the contemporaneous and about 10% of the longitudinal relationships. Results indicate that (1) genetic influences on RD are substantial and highly stable; (2) the comorbidity between RD and IN is due largely to genetic influences, both contemporaneously and longitudinally; and (3) genetic influences contribute significantly less to the comorbidity between RD and H/I.
Zur Erfassung und Validierung akkommodativer Bewältigungsfähigkeiten im Grundschulalter
Authors: Lessing Nora , Mähler Claudia , Greve Werner
Published: November 2015

Zusammenfassung. Akkommodative Prozesse, die im Sinne der Bewältigungstheorie des Zwei-Prozess-Modells über die Lebensspanne auf flexible Zielanpassungs- bzw. nicht intentionale Zielabwertungsprozesse fokussieren, sind bislang vorwiegend im Erwachsenenalter auf der Basis von Selbstauskunft (Fragebogen) untersucht worden. Insbesondere für das Kindesalter gibt es keinerlei Studien über akkommodative Bewältigungsressourcen. In Studie 1 (N = 38; 7 bis 8 Jahre) wurde ein Instrument entwickelt, das auf altersgerecht spielerische Weise Zielab- sowie -aufwertungsprozesse erfasst. In einer Experimentalbedingung wurden zuvor induzierte Ziele blockiert–die Kinder dieser Gruppe unterschieden sich signifikant in ihren Ausprägungen der Zielabwertung sowie in der Aufwertung alternativer Ziele von der Kontrollbedingung. In Studie 2 (N = 85) wurde das Erhebungsinstrument aus Studie 1 bei 7- bis 8-jährigen Kindern verwendet und im Fremdurteil der Eltern empirisch validiert. Beide Befundmuster stützen die These, dass das vorgelegte Instrument zur Messung akkommodativer Prozesse im Grundschulalter geeignet ist.
Downregulation of miR-320a/383-sponge-like long non-coding RNA NLC1-C (narcolepsy candidate-region 1 genes) is associated with male infertility and promotes testicular embryonal carcinoma cell proliferation
Authors: Lü M , Tian H , Cao Y-x , He X , Chen L , Song X , Ping P , Huang H , Sun F
Published: November 2015

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), which are extensively transcribed from the genome, have been proposed to be key regulators of diverse biological processes. However, little is known about the role of lncRNAs in regulating spermatogenesis in human males. Here, using microarray technology, we show altered expression of lncRNAs in the testes of infertile men with maturation arrest (MA) or hypospermatogenesis (Hypo), with 757 and 2370 differentially down-regulated and 475 and 163 up-regulated lncRNAs in MA and Hypo, respectively. These findings were confirmed by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) assays on select lncRNAs, including HOTTIP, imsrna320, imsrna292 and NLC1-C (narcolepsy candidate-region 1 genes). Interestingly, NLC1-C, also known as long intergenic non-protein-coding RNA162 (LINC00162), was down-regulated in the cytoplasm and accumulated in the nucleus of spermatogonia and primary spermatocytes in the testes of infertile men with mixed patterns of MA compared with normal control. The accumulation of NLC1-C in the nucleus repressed miR-320a and miR-383 transcript and promoted testicular embryonal carcinoma cell proliferation by binding to Nucleolin. Here, we define a novel mechanism by which lncRNAs modulate miRNA expression at the transcriptional level by binding to RNA-binding proteins to regulate human spermatogenesis.
Oxidative phosphorylation-dependent regulation of cancer cell apoptosis in response to anticancer agents
Authors: Yadav N , Kumar S , Marlowe T , Chaudhary A K , Kumar R , Wang J , O'Malley J , Boland P M , Jayanthi S , Kumar T K S , Yadava N , Chandra D
Published: November 2015

Cancer cells tend to develop resistance to various types of anticancer agents, whether they adopt similar or distinct mechanisms to evade cell death in response to a broad spectrum of cancer therapeutics is not fully defined. Current study concludes that DNA-damaging agents (etoposide and doxorubicin), ER stressor (thapsigargin), and histone deacetylase inhibitor (apicidin) target oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) for apoptosis induction, whereas other anticancer agents including staurosporine, taxol, and sorafenib induce apoptosis in an OXPHOS-independent manner. DNA-damaging agents promoted mitochondrial biogenesis accompanied by increased accumulation of cellular and mitochondrial ROS, mitochondrial protein-folding machinery, and mitochondrial unfolded protein response. Induction of mitochondrial biogenesis occurred in a caspase activation-independent mechanism but was reduced by autophagy inhibition and p53-deficiency. Abrogation of complex-I blocked DNA-damage-induced caspase activation and apoptosis, whereas inhibition of complex-II or a combined deficiency of OXPHOS complexes I, III, IV, and V due to impaired mitochondrial protein synthesis did not modulate caspase activity. Mechanistic analysis revealed that inhibition of caspase activation in response to anticancer agents associates with decreased release of mitochondrial cytochrome c in complex-I-deficient cells compared with wild type (WT) cells. Gross OXPHOS deficiencies promoted increased release of apoptosis-inducing factor from mitochondria compared with WT or complex-I-deficient cells, suggesting that cells harboring defective OXPHOS trigger caspase-dependent as well as caspase-independent apoptosis in response to anticancer agents. Interestingly, DNA-damaging agent doxorubicin showed strong binding to mitochondria, which was disrupted by complex-I-deficiency but not by complex-II-deficiency. Thapsigargin-induced caspase activation was reduced upon abrogation of complex-I or gross OXPHOS deficiency whereas a reverse trend was observed with apicidin. Together, these finding provide a new strategy for differential mitochondrial targeting in cancer therapy.
Spectral splitting photovoltaics using perovskite and wideband dye-sensitized solar cells
Authors: Kinoshita Takumi , Nonomura Kazuteru , Joong Jeon Nam , Giordano Fabrizio , Abate Antonio , Uchida Satoshi , Kubo Takaya , Seok Sang Il , Nazeeruddin Mohammad Khaja , Hagfeldt Anders , Grätzel Michael , Segawa Hiroshi
Published: November 2015

The extension of the light absorption of photovoltaics into the near-infrared region is important to increase the energy conversion efficiency. Although the progress of the lead halide perovskite solar cells is remarkable, and high conversion efficiency of >20% has been reached, their absorption limit on the long-wavelength side is ∼800 nm. To further enhance the conversion efficiency of perovskite-based photovoltaics, a hybridized system with near-infrared photovoltaics is a useful approach. Here we report a panchromatic sensitizer, coded DX3, that exhibits a broad response into the near-infrared, up to ∼1100 nm, and a photocurrent density exceeding 30 mA cm−2 in simulated air mass 1.5 standard solar radiation. Using the DX3-based dye-sensitized solar cell in conjunction with a perovskite cell that harvests visible light, the hybridized mesoscopic photovoltaics achieved a conversion efficiency of 21.5% using a system of spectral splitting.
Inward lithium-ion breathing of hierarchically porous silicon anodes
Authors: Xiao Qiangfeng , Gu Meng , Yang Hui , Li Bing , Zhang Cunman , Liu Yang , Liu Fang , Dai Fang , Yang Li , Liu Zhongyi , Xiao Xingcheng , Liu Gao , Zhao Peng , Zhang Sulin , Wang Chongmin , Lu Yunfeng , Cai Mei
Published: November 2015

Silicon has been identified as a highly promising anode for next-generation lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). The key challenge for Si anodes is large volume change during the lithiation/delithiation cycle that results in chemomechanical degradation and subsequent rapid capacity fading. Here we report a novel fabrication method for hierarchically porous Si nanospheres (hp-SiNSs), which consist of a porous shell and a hollow core. On charge/discharge cycling, the hp-SiNSs accommodate the volume change through reversible inward Li breathing with negligible particle-level outward expansion. Our mechanics analysis revealed that such inward expansion is enabled by the much stiffer lithiated layer than the unlithiated porous layer. LIBs assembled with the hp-SiNSs exhibit high capacity, high power and long cycle life, which is superior to the current commercial Si-based anode materials. The low-cost synthesis approach provides a new avenue for the rational design of hierarchically porous structures with unique materials properties.
Features of COPD patients by comparing CAT with mMRC: a retrospective, cross-sectional study
Authors: Huang Wei-Chang , Wu Ming-Feng , Chen Hui-Chen , Hsu Jeng-Yuan ,   The TOLD study group
Published: November 2015

Background:

The group assignment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) may differ depending on whether the COPD assessment test (CAT) or modified Medical Research Council dyspnoea scale (mMRC) is used.

Aims:

This study intended to clarify how different patient characteristics influence the differences, to determine the relationships between CAT and mMRC and to characterise COPD patients by both CAT and mMRC.

Methods:

This was a retrospective, cross-sectional study. The data, collected by Taiwan Obstructive Lung Disease consortium, were managed and analysed.

Results:

Of the 757 participants, COPD group assignment was not identical as well as no substantial agreement presented when categorised based on the cut-point CAT score ⩾10 and each mMRC cut-point. In all, 38.2% of participants had discordant group assignments together with a lower mean CAT score, less severe airway obstruction and less severe airflow limitation compared with those with concordant group assignments. In the discordant group, the CAT⩾10/mMRC 0–1 subgroup had more wheezing than CAT<10/mMRC⩾2 subgroup. Only moderate correlations existed between CAT and mMRC. More-symptom groups and combined high-risk group had better correlations than less-symptom groups and combined low-risk group, respectively. A modest negative correlation existed between forced expiratory volume in 1 s percentage (FEV1%) predicted and CAT score and between FEV1% predicted and mMRC scale in parallel with a significant positive relationship existing between the CAT score and mMRC scale. Notably, a significant proportion of COPD patients with each scale of mMRC had health status impairment.

Conclusions:

The Global initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease committee should redefine the applications of CAT and mMRC in the management of COPD.
The Frenkel Line: a direct experimental evidence for the new thermodynamic boundary
Authors: Bolmatov Dima , Zhernenkov Mikhail , Zav’yalov Dmitry , Tkachev Sergey N. , Cunsolo Alessandro , Cai Yong Q.
Published: November 2015

Supercritical fluids play a significant role in elucidating fundamental aspects of liquid matter under extreme conditions. They have been extensively studied at pressures and temperatures relevant to various industrial applications. However, much less is known about the structural behaviour of supercritical fluids and no structural crossovers have been observed in static compression experiments in any temperature and pressure ranges beyond the critical point. The structure of supercritical state is currently perceived to be uniform everywhere on the pressure-temperature phase diagram and to change only in a monotonic way even moving around the critical point, not only along isotherms or isobars. Conversely, we observe structural crossovers for the first time in a deeply supercritical sample through diffraction measurements in a diamond anvil cell and discover a new thermodynamic boundary on the pressure-temperature diagram. We explain the existence of these crossovers in the framework of the phonon theory of liquids using molecular dynamics simulations. The obtained results are of prime importance since they imply a global reconsideration of the mere essence of the supercritical phase. Furthermore, this discovery may pave the way to new unexpected applications and to the exploration of exotic behaviour of confined fluids relevant to geo- and planetary sciences.
Ultra-flexible Piezoelectric Devices Integrated with Heart to Harvest the Biomechanical Energy
Authors: Lu Bingwei , Chen Ying , Ou Dapeng , Chen Hang , Diao Liwei , Zhang Wei , Zheng Jun , Ma Weiguo , Sun Lizhong , Feng Xue
Published: November 2015

Power supply for medical implantable devices (i.e. pacemaker) always challenges not only the surgery but also the battery technology. Here, we report a strategy for energy harvesting from the heart motion by using ultra-flexible piezoelectric device based on lead zirconate titanate (PZT) ceramics that has most excellent piezoelectricity in commercial materials, without any burden or damage to hearts. Experimental swine are selected for in vivo test with different settings, i.e. opened chest, close chest and awake from anesthesia, to simulate the scenario of application in body due to their hearts similar to human. The results show the peak-to-peak voltage can reach as high as 3 V when the ultra-flexible piezoelectric device is fixed from left ventricular apex to right ventricle. This demonstrates the possibility and feasibility of fully using the biomechanical energy from heart motion in human body for sustainably driving implantable devices.
Circulating microRNAs correlated with the level of coronary artery calcification in symptomatic patients
Authors: Liu Wei , Ling Shukuan , Sun Weijia , Liu Tong , Li Yuheng , Zhong Guohui , Zhao Dingsheng , Zhang Pengfei , Song Jinping , Jin Xiaoyan , Xu Zi , Song Hailin , Li Qi , Liu Shujuan , Chai Meng , Dai Qinyi , He Yi , Fan Zhanming , Zhou Yu Jie , Li Yingxian
Published: November 2015

The purpose of this study was to find the circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) co-related with the severity of coronary artery calcification (CAC) and testify whether the selected miRNAs could reflect the obstructive coronary artery disease in symptomatic patients. Patients with chest pain and moderated risk for coronary artery disease (CAD) were characterized with coronary artery calcium score (CACS) from cardiac computed tomography (CT). We analyzed plasma miRNA levels of clinical matched 11 CAC (CACS > 100) and 6 non-CAC (CACS = 0) subjects by microarray profile. Microarray analysis identified 34 differentially expressed miRNAs between CAC and non CAC groups. Eight miRNAs (miR-223, miR-3135b, miR-133a-3p, miR-2861, miR-134, miR-191-3p, miR-3679-5p, miR-1229 in CAC patients) were significantly increased in CAC plasma in an independent clinical matched cohort. Four miRNAs (miR-2861, 134, 1229 and 3135b) were correlated with the degree of CAC. Validation test in angiographic cohort showed that miR-134, miR-3135b and miR-2861 were significantly changed in patients with obstructive CAD . We identified three significantly upregulated circulating miRNAs (miR-134, miR-3135b and 2861) correlated with CAC while detected obstructive coronary disease in symptomatic patients.
Wnt/β-catenin coupled with HIF-1α/VEGF signaling pathways involved in galangin neurovascular unit protection from focal cerebral ischemia
Authors: Wu Chuanhong , Chen Jianxin , Chen Chang , Wang Wei , Wen Limei , Gao Kuo , Chen Xiuping , Xiong Sihuai , Zhao Huihui , Li Shaojing
Published: November 2015

Microenvironmental regulation has become a promising strategy for complex disease treatment. The neurovascular unit (NVU), as the key structural basis to maintain an optimal brain microenvironment, has emerged as a new paradigm to understand the pathology of stroke. In this study, we investigated the effects of galangin, a natural flavonoid isolated from the rhizome of Alpina officinarum Hance, on NVU microenvironment improvement and associated signal pathways in rats impaired by middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO). Galangin ameliorated neurological scores, cerebral infarct volume and cerebral edema and reduced the concentration of Evans blue (EB) in brain tissue. NVU ultrastructural changes were also improved by galangin. RT-PCR and western blot revealed that galangin protected NVUs through the Wnt/β-catenin pathway coupled with HIF-1α and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). VEGF and β-catenin could be the key nodes of these two coupled pathways. In conclusion, Galangin might function as an anti-ischemic stroke drug by improving the microenvironment of NVUs.
Stabilization of magnetic helix in exchange-coupled thin films
Authors: Dzemiantsova L. V. , Meier G. , Röhlsberger R.
Published: November 2015

Based on micromagnetic simulations, we report on a novel magnetic helix in a soft magnetic film that is sandwiched between and exchange-coupled to two hard magnetic layers with different anisotropies. We show that such a confined helix stays stable without the presence of an external magnetic field. The magnetic stability is determined by the energy minimization and is a result of an internal magnetic field created by the exchange interaction. We show that this internal field stores a magnetic energy density of a few kJ/m3. We also find that it dramatically modifies ferromagnetic resonances, such that the helix can be used as a ferromagnetic resonance filter and a fast acting attenuator.
Platinized Graphene/ceramics Nano-sandwiched Architectures and Electrodes with Outstanding Performance for PEM Fuel Cells
Authors: Chen Xu , He Daping , Wu Hui , Zhao Xiaofeng , Zhang Jian , Cheng Kun , Wu Peng , Mu Shichun
Published: November 2015

For the first time a novel oxygen reduction catalyst with a 3D platinized graphene/nano-ceramic sandwiched architecture is successfully prepared by an unusual method. Herein the specific gravity of graphene nanosheets (GNS) is tailored by platinizing graphene in advance to shorten the difference in the specific gravity between carbon and SiC materials and then nano-SiC is well intercalated into GNS interlayers. This nano-architecture with highly dispersed Pt nanoparticles exhibits a very high oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) activity and polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cell performance. The mass activity of half cells is 1.6 times of that of the GNS supported Pt and 2.4 times that of the commercial Pt/C catalyst, respectively. Moreover, after an accelerated stress test our catalyst shows a predominantly electrochemical stability compared with benchmarks. Further fuel cell tests show a maximum power density as high as 747 mW/cm2 at low Pt loading, which is more than 2 times higher than that of fuel cells with the pristine graphene electrode.
Versatile Molding Process for Tough Cellulose Hydrogel Materials
Authors: Kimura Mutsumi , Shinohara Yoshie , Takizawa Junko , Ren Sixiao , Sagisaka Kento , Lin Yudeng , Hattori Yoshiyuki , Hinestroza Juan P.
Published: November 2015

Shape-persistent and tough cellulose hydrogels were fabricated by a stepwise solvent exchange from a homogeneous ionic liquid solution of cellulose exposure to methanol vapor. The cellulose hydrogels maintain their shapes under changing temperature, pH and solvents. The micrometer-scale patterns on the mold were precisely transferred onto the surface of cellulose hydrogels. We also succeeded in the spinning of cellulose hydrogel fibers through a dry jet-wet spinning process. The mechanical property of regenerated cellulose fibers improved by the drawing of cellulose hydrogel fibers during the spinning process. This approach for the fabrication of tough cellulose hydrogels is a major advance in the fabrication of cellulose-based structures with defined shapes.
Highly efficient hydrogen production through ethanol photoreforming by a carbon nanocone/Pd@TiO2 hybrid catalyst
Authors: Melchionna M. , Beltram A. , Montini T. , Monai M. , Nasi L. , Fornasiero P. , Prato M.
Published: November 2015

Production of molecular hydrogen (H2) is becoming an increasingly prominent process, due to the high expectations as a new green energy carrier and key reagent for many industrial processes.
Gallium(iii)corrole–BODIPY hybrid: novel photophysical properties and first observation of B–F⋯F interactions
Authors: Basumatary Biju , Ramana Reddy R. V. , Bhandary Subhrajyoti , Sankar Jeyaraman
Published: November 2015

Anchoring a BODIPY onto Ga(iii)corrole via a meso-β linkage facilitated PeT in polar solvents, which quenched the fluorescence, and is further confirmed by electrochemical studies.
Double Fano resonances in plasmonic nanocross molecules and magnetic plasmon propagation
Authors: Li Guo-Zhou , Li Qiang , Wu Li-Jun
Published: November 2015

Double Fano resonances in plasmonic heptamer clusters made of nanocrosses and coupled magnetic resonator optical waveguides.
Isopropylmagnesium chloride-promoted unilateral addition of Grignard reagents to β-diketones: one-pot syntheses of β-tertiary hydroxyl ketones or 3-substituted cyclic-2-enones
Authors: Yuan Rui , Zhao Dan , Zhang Li-Yuan , Pan Xiang , Yang Yan , Wang Pei , Li Hong-Feng , Da Chao-Shan
Published: November 2015

Regioselective unilateral additions of Grignards to acyclic or cyclic β-diketones were effectively promoted by sub-stoichiometric amounts of i-PrMgCl to afford β-tertiary alcohol ketones or 3-substituted cyclic-2-enones, respectively.