bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Combined effects of oligofructose and Bifidobacterium animalis on gut microbiota and glycemia in obese rats
Authors: Bomhof Marc R. , Saha Dolan C. , Reid Danielle T. , Paul Heather A. , Reimer Raylene A.
Published: October 2013

Objective

Prebiotics and probiotics may be able to modify an obesity‐associated gut microbiota. The aim of this study was to examine the individual and combined effects of the prebiotic oligofructose (OFS) and the probiotic Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis BB‐12 (BB‐12) on gut microbiota and host metabolism in obese rats.

Methods

Adult male, diet‐induced obese Sprague Dawley rats were randomized to: (1) Control (C); (2) 10% OFS; (3) BB‐12; (4) OFS + BB‐12 for 8 weeks (n = 9‐10 rats/group). Body composition, glycemia, gut permeability, satiety hormones, cytokines, and gut microbiota were examined.

Results

Prebiotic, but not probiotic reduced energy intake, weight gain, and fat mass (P < 0.01). OFS, BB‐12, and the combined OFS + BB‐12 improved glycemia (P < 0.05). Individually, OFS and BB‐12 reduced insulin levels (P < 0.05). Portal GLP‐1 was increased with OFS, whereas probiotic increased GLP‐2 (P < 0.05). There was a marked increase in bifidobacteria and lactobacilli (P < 0.01) with OFS that was not observed with probiotic alone.

Conclusions

The impact of prebiotic intake on body composition and gut microbiota was of greater magnitude than the probiotic BB‐12. Despite this, an improvement in glucose AUC with both prebiotic or probiotic demonstrates the beneficial role of each of these “biotic” agents in glycemic control.
Effect of d‐fagomine on excreted enterobacteria and weight gain in rats fed a high‐fat high‐sucrose diet
Authors: Ramos‐Romero Sara , Molinar‐Toribio Eunice , Gómez Livia , Pérez‐Jiménez Jara , Casado Marta , Clapés Pere , Piña Benjamín , Torres Josep Lluís
Published: October 2013

Objective

Becoming overweight has been related to elevated levels of Enterobacteriales in the gut. d‐Fagomine is an iminosugar that has been shown to selectively agglutinate Enterobacteriales in vitro. The goal of this work is to establish whether d‐fagomine exerts a similar effect in vivo and whether this has any downstream consequences on weight gain.

Methods

The rats were fed a high‐fat high‐sucrose diet (HFHS) supplemented with d‐fagomine (or not; for comparison) or a standard diet for 5 weeks. The levels of total bacteria, Enterobacteriales and Escherichia coli were determined in fecal samples by performing quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reactions on DNA.

Results

Whereas the total levels of bacteria were independent of the diet, rats fed HFHS (without d‐fagomine) excreted significantly higher proportions of Enterobacteriales and E. coli than those fed a standard diet. The levels of Enterobacteriales and E. coli of the rats given HFHS with d‐fagomine were similar to those of the rats fed a standard diet. Compared to the standard group, rats fed HFHS with d‐fagomine gained significantly less weight (15.3%) than those fed HFHS (20.9%).

Conclusion

d‐Fagomine reduces the amount of Enterobacteriales excreted by rats fed HFHS and this may help to avert becoming obese.
CXCR3 modulates obesity‐induced visceral adipose inflammation and systemic insulin resistance
Authors: Deiuliis Jeffrey A. , Oghumu Steve , Duggineni Dheeraj , Zhong Jixin , Rutsky Jessica , Banerjee Ambar , Needleman Bradley , Mikami Dean , Narula Vimal , Hazey Jeffrey , Satoskar Abhay R. , Rajagopalan Sanjay
Published: October 2013

Objective

Chemokine (C‐X‐C motif) receptor 3 (CXCR3) is a chemokine receptor involved in the regulation of immune cell trafficking and activation. Increased CXCR3 expression in the visceral adipose of obese humans and mice was observed. A pathophysiologic role for CXCR3 in diet‐induced obesity (DIO) was hypothesized.

Methods

Wild‐type (WT) C57B/L6J and chemokine receptor 3 knockout (CXCR3−/−) mice were fed a high‐fat diet (HFD) for 20 weeks followed by assessment of glucose metabolism and visceral adipose tissue (VAT) inflammation.

Results

CXCR3−/− mice exhibited lower fasting glucose and improved glucose tolerance compared with WT‐HFD mice, despite similar body mass. HFD‐induced VAT innate and adaptive immune cell infiltration, including immature myeloid cells (CD11b+ F4/80lo Ly6C+), were markedly ameliorated in CXCR3−/− mice. In vitro IBIDI and in vivo migration assays demonstrated no CXCR3‐mediated effect on macrophage or monocyte migration, respectively. CXCR3−/− macrophages, however, had a blunted response to interferon‐γ, a TH1 cytokine that induces macrophage activation.

Conclusions

A previously unreported role for CXCR3 in the development of HFD‐induced insulin resistance (IR) and VAT macrophage infiltration in mice was demonstrated. Our results support pharmaceutical targeting of the CXCR3 receptor as a potential treatment for obesity/IR.
Association of infant feeding and dietary intake on obesity prevalence in low‐income toddlers
Authors: Davis Jaimie N. , Koleilat Maria , Shearrer Grace E. , Whaley Shannon E.
Published: October 2013

Objective

This cross‐sectional study assesses the independent and combined effects of breastfeeding (BF) and dietary intake, specifically sugar‐sweetened beverages (SSB), on obesity prevalence in low‐income, primarily Hispanic toddlers.

Methods

The following data were collected in 2011 via phone surveys with caregivers of 2295 low‐income children (2‐4 years) from Los Angeles County Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) programs: infant feeding, dietary intake, gestational diabetes status, birth weight, gestational age, and mother's BMI. WIC staff measured children's height and weight. Chi‐square tests and binary logistic regressions assessed the independent and combined effects of BF and dietary intake on obesity prevalence.

Results

Compared to no BF, BF ≥ 12 mos was associated with a 47% reduction in obesity prevalence (AOR = 0.53, 95% CI 0.4‐0.8, P = 0.004). Compared to 2 + SSB/d, no SSB/d intake was associated with a 28% reduction in obesity prevalence (AOR = 0.72, 95% CI 0.5‐1.0, P = 0.03). High intake of soda, diet soda, and fruit drinks were linked to increases in obesity prevalence. There was no effect of 100% juice, milk (plain or flavored) fruit, vegetable, fast food, or sweetened grain intake on obesity prevalence.

Conclusions

These findings support encouragement of BF ≥ 12 mos and no SSB intake to prevent obesity in low‐income, primarily Hispanic, toddlers.
Public affairs in China: exploring the role of brand fairness perceptions in the case of Mercedes‐Benz
Authors: Chen Junsong , Nguyen Bang , Klaus Phil
Published: October 2013

Mr Sheng Wang demonstrated his perception of Mercedes‐Benz's unfair treatment and insensitivity to Chinese buyers by having his Mercedes sports coupe towed by a water buffalo through his Chinese hometown, Wuhan. But he did not stop there. Next, he ordered workers, specifically hired for this purpose, to pound the car with sledge hammers and sticks until the exterior was completely disfigured. Journalists love the story's inherent drama, and in subsequent days, media reports showed images of the car being towed and ultimately smashed. The event created strong public awareness about both Mr Wang's dissatisfaction about the treatment he received from Mercedes‐Benz and the subsequent Mercedes‐Benz's management reactions triggered by the event. In our paper, we explore this case in more detail, highlighting the crucial role of brand fairness in managing brands in China. Although brand managers implicitly emphasize the importance of fairness in branding strategies, brand management emphasizing fairness is an underdeveloped research concept. Our paper provides an understanding of theories and concepts of brand (un)fairness and brand fairness management illustrated by what we refer to as the Mercedes‐Benz case. We identify three dimensions of Brand Fairness Management: prevention, procedures, and outcomes. This framework will assist brand managers in China in developing successful brand fairness strategies and management programs. We posit that implementing these branding practices will increase the likelihood that consumers perceive the brand in question as fair, leading to an increase in loyalty and positive word‐of‐mouth. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Effect of polyol structure on the properties of the resultant magnetic polyurethane elastomer nanocomposites
Authors: Mohammadi Abbas , Barikani Mehdi , Barmar Mohammad
Published: October 2013

In this study, two types of magnetic polyurethane (PU) elastomer nanocomposites using polycaprolactone (PCL) and polytetramethylene glycol (PTMG) as polyols were synthesized by incorporating thiodiglycolic acid surface modified Fe3O4 nanoparticles (TSM‐Fe3O4) into PU matrices through in situ polymerization method. TSM‐Fe3O4 nanoparticles were prepared using in situ coprecipitation method in alkali media and were characterized by X‐ray diffraction, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrophotometer, Transmission Electron Microscopy, and Vibrating Sample Magnetometer. The effects of PCL and PTMG polyols on the properties of the resultant PUs were studied. The morphology and dispersion of the nanoparticles in the magnetic nanocomposites were studied by Scanning Electron Microscope. It was observed that dispersion of nanoparticles in PTMG‐based magnetic nanocomposite was better than PCL‐based magnetic nanocomposite. Furthermore, the effect of polyol structure on thermal and mechanical properties of nanocomposite was investigated by Thermogravimetric Analysis and Dynamic Mechanical Thermal Analysis. A decrease in the thermal stability of magnetic nanocomposites was found compared to pure PUs. Furthermore, DMTA results showed that increase in glass transition temperature of PTMG‐based magnetic nanocomposite is higher than PCL‐based magnetic nanocomposite, which is attributed to better dispersion of TSM‐Fe3O4 nanoparticles in PTMG‐based PU matrix. Additionally, magnetic nanocomposites exhibited a lower level of hydrophilicity compared to pure PUs. These observations were attributed to the hydrophobic behavior of TSM‐Fe3O4 nanoparticles. Moreover, study of fibroblast cells interaction with magnetic nanocomposites showed that the products can be a good candidate for biomedical application. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Explosives detection with electron‐rich polymers
Authors: Farahat Khedr Medhat S. , McNeil Keith , Nikles David E.
Published: October 2013

The application of polymeric films as alarms for explosive materials is a critical issue these days as mandated by homeland security requirements. Amongst the multiple advantageous points of applying polymer films in this area is the fact that they are cheap material, so they can be applied on a broad scale for low cost. The basic idea of the current work is based on the fact that common explosives are electron deficient because of the existence of the nitro‐groups in their chemical structures, and this causes their high affinities towards electron rich materials to form charge‐transfer complex. Our endeavor is to trace any charge‐transfer complex formation, which would definitely cause a recognizable change in their physical properties. These changes in the polymers' physical properties could be utilized as alerts for the existence of explosive materials, especially if such changes could be incorporated into sophisticated electronic circuits that would give strong for traces of explosives. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Epigenetic dysregulation of leukaemic HOX code in MLL‐rearranged leukaemia mouse model
Authors: Ng Ray Kit , Kong Cheuk Ting , So Chi Chiu , Lui Wing Chi , Chan Yuen Fan , Leung Ka Chun , So Kam Chung , Tsang Ho Man , Chan Li Chong , Sham Mai Har
Published: October 2013

HOX genes are frequently dysregulated in human leukaemia with the gene rearrangement between mixed lineage leukaemia (MLL) and partner genes. The resultant MLL fusion proteins are known to mediate leukaemia through disruption of the normal epigenetic regulation at the target gene loci. To elucidate the pathogenic role of MLL fusion proteins in HOX dysregulation in leukaemia, we generated a novel haematopoietic lineage‐specific Mll–Een knock‐in mouse model using a Cre‐mediated inversion strategy. The MllEen/+ invertor mice developed acute myeloid leukaemia, with organomegaly of the spleen, liver and mesenteric lymph nodes caused by infiltration of blast cells. Using Mll–Een‐expressing leukaemic cell lines derived from bone marrow of MllEen/+ mutant mice, we showed that induction of Hox genes in leukaemic cells was associated with hypomethylated promoter regions and an aberrant active chromatin state at the Hox loci. Knock‐down of Prmt1 was insufficient to reverse the active chromatin status and the hypomethylated Hox loci, suggesting that Prmt1‐mediated histone arginine methylation was only partially involved in the maintenance of Hox expression in leukaemic cells. Furthermore, in vivo analysis of bone marrow cells of MllEen/+ mice revealed a Hox expression profile similar to that of wild‐type haematopoietic stem cells. The leukaemic Hox profile was highly correlated with aberrant hypomethylation of Hox promoters in the mutant mice, which highlights the importance of DNA methylation in leukaemogenic mechanisms induced by MLL fusion proteins. Our results point to the involvement of dynamic epigenetic regulations in the maintenance of the stem cell‐like HOX code that initiates leukaemic stem cells in MLL‐rearranged leukaemia. This provides insights for the development of alternative strategies for leukaemia treatment. Copyright © 2013 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Ultra‐deep T cell receptor sequencing reveals the complexity and intratumour heterogeneity of T cell clones in renal cell carcinomas
Authors: Gerlinger Marco , Quezada Sergio A , Peggs Karl S , Furness Andrew JS , Fisher Rosalie , Marafioti Teresa , Shende Vishvesh H , McGranahan Nicholas , Rowan Andrew J , Hazell Steven , Hamm David , Robins Harlan S , Pickering Lisa , Gore Martin , Nicol David L , Larkin James , Swanton Charles
Published: October 2013

The recognition of cancer cells by T cells can impact upon prognosis and be exploited for immunotherapeutic approaches. This recognition depends on the specific interaction between antigens displayed on the surface of cancer cells and the T cell receptor (TCR), which is generated by somatic rearrangements of TCR α‐ and β‐chains (TCRb). Our aim was to assess whether ultra‐deep sequencing of the rearranged TCRb in DNA extracted from unfractionated clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) samples can provide insights into the clonality and heterogeneity of intratumoural T cells in ccRCCs, a tumour type that can display extensive genetic intratumour heterogeneity (ITH). For this purpose, DNA was extracted from two to four tumour regions from each of four primary ccRCCs and was analysed by ultra‐deep TCR sequencing. In parallel, tumour infiltration by CD4, CD8 and Foxp3 regulatory T cells was evaluated by immunohistochemistry and correlated with TCR‐sequencing data. A polyclonal T cell repertoire with 367–16 289 (median 2394) unique TCRb sequences was identified per tumour region. The frequencies of the 100 most abundant T cell clones/tumour were poorly correlated between most regions (Pearson correlation coefficient, –0.218 to 0.465). 3–93% of these T cell clones were not detectable across all regions. Thus, the clonal composition of T cell populations can be heterogeneous across different regions of the same ccRCC. T cell ITH was higher in tumours pretreated with an mTOR inhibitor, which could suggest that therapy can influence adaptive tumour immunity. These data show that ultra‐deep TCR‐sequencing technology can be applied directly to DNA extracted from unfractionated tumour samples, allowing novel insights into the clonality of T cell populations in cancers. These were polyclonal and displayed ITH in ccRCC. TCRb sequencing may shed light on mechanisms of cancer immunity and the efficacy of immunotherapy approaches. Copyright © 2013 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Metastatic progression of breast cancer: insights from 50 years of autopsies
Authors: Cummings Margaret C , Simpson Peter T , Reid Lynne E , Jayanthan Janani , Skerman Joanna , Song Sarah , McCart Reed Amy E , Kutasovic Jamie R , Morey Adrienne L , Marquart Louise , O'Rourke Peter , Lakhani Sunil R
Published: October 2013

There remain no clear guidelines for the optimal management of patients with metastatic breast cancer. To better understand its natural history, we undertook a detailed examination of 197 autopsies performed on women who died of breast cancer. We reviewed clinical, treatment and pathological aspects of all cases and, additionally, pathological features and biomarker expression (ER, PgR, HER2, EGFR, p53, Ki67, c‐Kit, CK AE1/AE3) were assessed in detail for the primary tumour and matched metastases for 55 of the cases. Genomes of the primary tumour and multiple metastases were analysed by array‐based comparative genomic hybridization for six cases##. 945 metastatic deposits were identified, with a median of four/patient. The most common organs involved were lung/pleura (80%), bone (74%), liver (71%) and non‐axillary lymph nodes (55%). Major findings included: (a) patients with CNS metastases were more likely to have bone metastases (p < 0.013); (b) younger age was associated with metastasis to the liver (≤ 49 years; p < 0.001) and to gynaecological organs (≤ 49 years; p = 0.001); (c) surgical excision of the primary tumour was associated with metastasis to the liver (p = 0.002); and (d) ER and PgR showed down‐regulation during progression in a non‐random manner, particularly in lung/pleura (ER; p < 0.001), liver and bone metastases. Genomic analysis revealed DNA copy number variation between the primary tumour and metastases (e.g. amplification of 2q11.2–q12.1 and 10q22.2–q22.3) but little variation between metastases from the same patient. In summary, the association of CNS and bone metastases, liver and gynaecological metastases in young women and the risk of liver metastases following surgery have important implications for the management of patients with breast cancer. Clonal heterogeneity of the primary tumour is important in developing metastatic propensity and the change in tumour phenotype during progression/colonization highlights the importance of sampling metastatic disease for optimal treatment strategies. © 2013 The Authors. Journal of Pathology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland.
Assessment of gross motor skills and phenotype profile in children 9–11 years of age in survivors of acute lymphoblastic leukemia
Authors: Leone Mario , Viret Pierre , Bui Hung Tien , Laverdière Caroline , Kalinova Émilia , Comtois Alain‐Steve
Published: October 2013

Background

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of a new gross motor skill test battery in acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) children who have been off therapy for at least 1 year and to assess its discriminatory power (discriminant analysis) from healthy children.

Procedure

Twenty children (10 males and 10 females) 9–11 years of age (median age = 10.6 years) were assessed by the UQAC–UQAM test battery and then compared to recent provincial norms. This pilot study was also an opportunity to validate this test battery as a reliable tool for clinical or research purposes in the area of chronic or disabling diseases in children. Eleven motor skill variables grouped into five factors have been measured (speed, agility, balance, coordination, and reaction time).

Results

Scores from 10 of the 11 motor skill tests showed significant differences when compared to the control group (P ≤ 0.05). Nearly 50% of patients obtained an average score below the 15th percentile. Furthermore, stepwise discriminant analysis allowed classifying successfully 88.4% of children in the correct group (ALL or Control). The normal development of GMS among children affected by ALL appears to have been compromised. The UQAC–UQAM test battery seems to be sensitive enough to quantify with precision the extent of the motor impairment in these children.

Conclusion

The UQAC–UQAM test battery appears to be a useful tool to evaluate the extent to which ALL survivors are affected. Early motor intervention should be considered for those patients even during the treatment periods. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2014;61:46–52. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Intermittent X‐linked thrombocytopenia with a novel WAS gene mutation
Authors: Wada Taizo , Itoh Masatsune , Maeba Hideaki , Toma Tomoko , Niida Yo , Saikawa Yutaka , Yachie Akihiro
Published: October 2013

X‐linked thrombocytopenia (XLT) is caused by mutations in the WAS gene and characterized by thrombocytopenia with minimal or no immunodeficiency. Patients with XLT usually exhibit persistent thrombocytopenia, and intermittent thrombocytopenia has been described only in two families. Here, we report a patient with intermittent XLT carrying a novel missense mutation (Ala56Thr). He showed residual expression of Wiskott–Aldrich syndrome protein in the lymphocytes and platelets. There appeared to be an association between normal platelet numbers and a post infectious state. Our findings further support the importance of analysis of Wiskott–Aldrich syndrome protein in male patients who exhibit fluctuating courses of thrombocytopenia. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2014;61:746–748. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Endothelin‐1 gene polymorphisms and risk of chemoresistant pediatric osteosarcoma
Authors: Zhou Yu , Liu Bo , Wang Min , Ni Jiangdong
Published: October 2013

Background

Osteosarcoma (OS) is the most common childhood bone cancer. Chemoresistance is the principal reason for poor survival and disease recurrence in OS patients, and ET‐1 reportedly plays an important role in the development of chemoresistance in OS cells. In the present study, we for the first time explored the association of endothelin‐1 (ET‐1) SNPs and haplotypes with the risk of chemoresistant pediatric OS.

Procedure

We genotyped three SNPs (rs1800541, rs2070699, and rs5370) in the ET‐1 gene in a case–control study, using 350 pairs of age, sex, and tumor location and stage matched pediatric patients with OS. Patients who showed <90% tumor necrosis after neochemotherapy were defined as poor responders (cases), and those who showed ≥90% tumor necrosis were defined as good responders (controls).

Results

The G allele at rs1800541 and the G allele at rs2070699 were associated with reduced and increased risk of chemoresistant OS, respectively. The rs1800541–rs2070699 haplotypes TG and GT were respectively associated with increased (P = 0.012; adjusted OR, 1.82; 95% CI, 1.10–5.65) and reduced (P = 0.009; adjusted OR, 0.25; 95% CI, 0.14–0.84) risk of chemoresistant OS. The TG and the GT haplotypes have a gene‐dosage effect on increasing and decreasing the ET‐1 expression in primary OS tumor cells from chemoresistant pediatric OS subjects, respectively.

Conclusions

This study provides the first evidence of an association between the ET‐1 gene SNPs and haplotypes and the risk of chemoresistant pediatric OS, potentially adding new insights into the pathophysiology and treatment of chemoresistant OS. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2014;61:612–617. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
The fracture properties of a fiber metal laminate based on a self‐reinforced thermoplastic composite material
Authors: Cortes Pedro
Published: October 2013

The present research program has studied the fracture properties of a Fiber‐Metal Laminate (FML) system constituted by aluminum alloy and a high‐impact self‐reinforced composite material. Here, the self‐reinforced composite system consists of a polypropylene matrix reinforced with polypropylene fibers. Initial testing has shown that a though adhesion can be achieved between the aluminum layers and the composite material by incorporating a thermoplastic adhesive interlayer at the common interface. The adhesion at the metal–composite interface has been studied under a wide range of strain rate conditions using a Single Cantilever Beam test geometry, and it has been shown that the interfacial fracture toughness is loading rate sensitive. Interlaminar delamination tests of the plain composite have also been studied and it was shown that their fracture toughness is also loading rate sensitive. Additional tensile tests have shown that the tensile strength and moduli of the FMLs are linearly influenced by the volume fraction of their constituent materials as well as are successfully predicted using a simple rule of mixture. Low velocity impact tests have also shown that the FMLs based on a self‐reinforced polypropylene composite yielded specific perforation energies well above the 30 J m2/kg. It was also shown that by increasing the number of metal and composite plies in the FMLs, resulted in hybrid structures capable of absorbing higher specific low velocity impact energies. POLYM. COMPOS., 35:427–434, 2014. © 2013 Society of Plastics Engineers
Effect of carbon nanotubes on the curing and thermomechanical behavior of epoxy/carbon nanotubes composites
Authors: Rahaman A. , Mohanty Akash
Published: October 2013

The processing of carbon nanotube based nanocomposites is one of the fastest growing areas in materials research due to the potential of significantly changing material properties even at low carbon nanotube concentrations. The aim of our work is to study the curing and thermomechanical behavior of carbon nanotube/epoxy nanocomposites that are critical from an application standpoint. Multiwall carbon nanotubes–epoxy composites are prepared by solvent evaporation based on a commercially available epoxy system and functionalized multiwalled carbon nanotubes. Three weight ratio configurations are considered (0.1, 0.5, and 1.0 wt%) and compared to both the neat epoxy to investigate the nano‐enrichment effect. We focus here on the modification of the curing behavior of the epoxy polymer in the presence of carbon nanotubes. It has been observed that introducing the multiwall carbon nanotubes delays the polymerization process as revealed by the modification of the activation energy obtained by differential scanning calorimetry. The viscoelastic response of the nanocomposites was studied from the measurements of storage modulus and the loss factor using dynamic mechanical analysis to evaluate the effect of the interface in each matrix/carbon nanotube system with changing matrix mobility. These measurements provide indications about the increase in the storage modulus of the composites, shift in the glass transition temperature due to the restriction of polymer chain movement by carbon nanotubes. POLYM. COMPOS., 35:441–449, 2014. © 2013 Society of Plastics Engineers
Improving properties of superabsorbent composite induced by using alkaline protease hydrolyzed‐sericin (APh‐sericin)
Authors: Deng Lianxia , Zhang Haiping , Yang Mingying , Mandal Namita , Zhu Liangjun
Published: October 2013

A series of superabsorbent polymer composites based on sericin hydrolyzed with alkaline protease (AP) were prepared by grafting with acrylic acid (AA) and acrylamide (AM). The properties of the superabsorbent polymers (SAP) by using hydrolyzed sericin with different amount of alkaline protease (nAPh‐sericin) were compared. It was found that the polymer prepared from 5APh‐sericin (the mass ratio of AP to sericin was 5.0 mg g−1) showed the highest graft percentage and water absorbency, this phenomenon may be attributed to the change of molecular weight of resulting sericin molecules. The molecular structure of the grafted polymers was proved by thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) measurements. Comparing with PAA‐AM (poly AA‐co‐AM) and 0APh‐sericin/PAA‐AM polymer, 5APh‐sericin/PAA‐AM polymer had the most excellent water retention capacity and enzyme degradability. The morphological features of the polymers with different drying methods were evidenced by SEM images. The water absorbencies of 5APh‐sericin/PAA‐AM polymer prepared with freeze‐drying were 896 g g−1 in deionized water, 424 g g−1 in tap water, and 83 g g−1 in 0.9 wt% aqueous NaCl solution. POLYM. COMPOS., 35:509–515, 2014. © 2013 Society of Plastics Engineers
Intra‐operator and inter‐operator reliability of manual and semiautomated measurement of fetal nuchal translucency: a cross sectional study
Authors: Bakker M. , Mulder P. , Birnie E. , Bilardo C. M.
Published: October 2013

Objective

The goal of this study was to examine the intra‐operator and inter‐operator differences of the manual and semiautomated nuchal translucency (NT) measurements and to evaluate if these differences alter women's risk status.

Methods

A cross sectional study was performed. Two operators obtained manual and semiautomated NT measurements of 153 NT images. The maximal acceptable difference in NT measurements within and between operators was 0.15 mm. Intra and inter‐operator differences were analyzed by the paired Student's t‐test and homogeneity of variances by the Levene's test. Intra‐operator and inter‐operator agreement were quantified with Bland and Altman's limits of agreement, and changes in women's risk status were tested with the binomial test.

Results

Intra‐operator agreement was high for each of the measurement methods. Operator 1 had lower SDS for manual measurements. Conversely, operator 2 had lower SDS of the differences for semiautomated measurements, although the SD never reached the same level as operator 1. Inter‐operator agreement was highest for the semiautomated measurements. Changes in risk status occurred between the manual and inner‐middle method resulting in different clinical policies in up to 1 out of 20 cases.

Conclusion

Well‐trained operators do not seem to benefit from the use of the semiautomated measurement methods. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Comparison of maternal serum PlGF and sFlt‐1 between pregnancies with and without fetal hemoglobin Bart's disease
Authors: Tongprasert Fuanglada , Srisupundit Kasemsri , Luewan Suchaya , Tongsong Theera
Published: October 2013

Objective

The aim of this study was to compare the levels of maternal serum placental growth factor (PlGF) and soluble fms‐like tyrosine kinase‐1 (sFlt‐1) between pregnancies with fetal hemoglobin (Hb) Bart's disease and unaffected pregnancies.

Methods

Ninety‐one pregnancies at risk for fetal Hb Bart's disease scheduled for cordocentesis at 18–22 weeks were recruited into the study. Maternal serum PlGF and sFlt‐1 concentrations were measured before cordocentesis. Fetal blood samples were collected for thalassemia diagnosis based on fetal Hb typing using high‐performance liquid chromatography. PlGF, sFlt‐1, and sFlt‐1/PlGF ratio were compared between the fetal Hb Bart's group and the non‐Hb Bart's group (normal Hb typing or α‐thalassemia‐1 carrier).

Results

Maternal serum concentration of PlGF was significantly higher in women with fetal Hb Bart's disease (18 cases) than those with unaffected fetuses (71 cases) (P = 0.008), whereas the concentration of sFlt‐1 was not significantly different (P = 0.139). However, the sFlt‐1/PlGF ratio was significantly lower in women with fetal Hb Bart's disease than those with unaffected fetuses (P = 0.001).

Conclusion

Placental growth factor may help differentiate affected from unaffected fetuses among pregnancies at risk, though further studies are needed to confirm its usefulness. In addition, preeclampsia prediction using these markers may be unreliable in pregnancies with placental dysfunction secondary to severe fetal anemia. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Stomach herniation predicts fetal death or non‐reassuring fetal status in gastroschisis at late pregnancy
Authors: Kanda Eriko , Ogawa Kohei , Sugibayashi Rika , Sumie Masahiro , Matsui Hideo , Wada Seiji , Sago Haruhiko
Published: October 2013

What's already known about this topic?

Sudden fetal death and a non‐reassuring fetal status are more frequent in fetal gastroschisis. Many studies were undertaken to determine what findings may predict postnatal outcome, but few assessed the findings related to the fetal risk.

What does this study add?

Fetal gastroschisis with stomach herniation is associated with a high risk of fetal death or non‐reassuring fetal status.
Descriptive investigation of the recording of influenza vaccination details on The Health Information Network database
Authors: Hall Gillian C. , Hill Fiona
Published: October 2013

Background

The UK primary care databases are used in pharmacoepidemiology studies of vaccination type. We investigated vaccine recording and whether, and how, exposure to specific brands and batches can be identified.

Methods

Details of influenza vaccinations given in the 2010–2011 or 2011–2012 seasons were identified from coded and text fields in The Health Information Network UK primary care database. The proportion of people over 64 years of age vaccinated against influenza was compared with published regional rates. Searches for Fluvirin (Novartis Vaccines and Diagnostics GmbH, Marburg, Germany) batch numbers and name identified exposure to this specific vaccine. The recording of any brand name and batch number was described for a sample of 1000 vaccinations across 472 practices.

Results

A total of 767 904 influenza vaccinations were identified during the 2010–2011 season and 784 518 in 2011–2012. Vaccination rates for people aged over 64 years were 75.6%, 80.9%, 78.4% and 71.9% in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, respectively (2011–2012 season), compared with published figures of 74.0%, 77.0%, 76.2% and 67.7%. Rates were slightly lower in 2010–2011 in both data sources. A Fluvirin brand was identified for 3.6% of all UK vaccinations but 26.2% of those in Scottish practices. Vaccination brand could be identified for 94.3% of the sample, 93.6% with a batch number. Batch number (98.5%) and brand name (50.3%) were most frequently recorded in an immunisation ‘batch’ text field.

Conclusion

Patients exposed to an influenza vaccine in primary care can be identified from The Health Information Network. Identification of brand or batch number requires a text search. Regional variation in brand of vaccine should be considered when estimating sample size. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Changes in oxycodone and heroin exposures in the National Poison Data System after introduction of extended‐release oxycodone with abuse‐deterrent characteristics
Authors: Coplan Paul M. , Kale Hrishikesh , Sandstrom Lauren , Landau Craig , Chilcoat Howard D.
Published: October 2013

Purpose

Abuse and misuse of prescription opioids are serious public health problems. Abuse‐deterrent formulations are an intervention to balance risk mitigation with appropriate patient access. This study evaluated the effects of physicochemical barriers to crushing and dissolving on safety outcomes associated with extended‐release oxycodone (ERO) tablets (OxyContin) using a national surveillance system of poison centers. Other single‐entity (SE) oxycodone tablets and heroin were used as comparators and to assess substitution effects.

Methods

The National Poison Data System covering all US poison centers was used to measure changes in exposures in the year before versus the 2 years after introduction of reformulated ERO (7/2009–6/2010 vs 9/2010–9/2012). Outcomes included abuse, therapeutic errors affecting patients, and accidental exposures.

Results

After ERO reformulation, abuse exposures decreased 36% for ERO, increased 20% for other SE oxycodone, and increased 42% for heroin. Therapeutic errors affecting patients decreased 20% for ERO and increased 19% for other SE oxycodone. Accidental exposures decreased 39% for ERO, increased 21% for heroin, and remained unchanged for other SE oxycodone. During the study period, other interventions to reduce opioid abuse occurred, for example, educational and prescription monitoring programs. However, these have shown small effects and do not explain a drop for ERO exposures but not for other opioids.

Conclusions

After ERO reformulation, calls to poison centers involving abuse, therapeutic errors affecting patients, and accidental exposures decreased for ERO, but not for comparator opioids. Abuse‐deterrent formulations of opioid analgesics can reduce abuse, but switching to other accessible non abuse‐deterrent opioids might occur. © 2013 The Authors. Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Improved tensile strength and thermal stability of thermoplastic carbon fiber fabric composites by heat induced crystallization of in situ polymerizable cyclic butylene terephthalate oligomers
Authors: Kim Sung Ho , Noh Ye Ji , Ko Young Woung , Kim Seong Yun , Youn Jae Ryoun
Published: October 2013

Thermoplastic carbon fiber fabric reinforced composites (CFFRCs) were prepared using a novel fast manufacturing process with a low viscosity polymerizable cyclic butylene terephthalate (CBT) resin. Structure and properties of the composites altered by thermal annealing were investigated to develop appropriate post processing of the CFFRCs for fast production and lowering the processing cost. Annealing at 200°C for 120 min resulted in improved mechanical properties and thermal stability of the polymerized CBT (pCBT) based on differential scanning calorimetry, wide‐angle X‐ray diffraction, and thermo gravimetric analysis. The tensile strength of the CFFRC compression molded at 250°C for 2 min was 440 MPa and that of the CFFRC annealed at 200°C for 120 min after compression molding was 500 MPa, which is an improvement of 550 and 625% relative to the pCBT matrix, respectively. In addition, the thermal stability of the CFFRC annealed at 250°C for 120 min improved by 10°C. Therefore, tensile strength and thermal stability of the manufactured CFFRC can be improved by using the appropriate annealing conditions. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 54:2161–2169, 2014. © 2013 Society of Plastics Engineers
Effects of THF as cosolvent in the preparation of polydimethylsiloxane/polyethersulfone membrane for gas separation
Authors: Kamal Siti Nadiah Mustafa , Leo Choe Peng , Ahmad Abdul Latif , Junaidi Mohd Usman Mohd
Published: October 2013

Polydimethylsiloxane/polyethersulfone (PDMS/PES) asymmetric membranes are widely applied in gas separation. However, the effects of common cosolvent on these membranes remain unknown. In order to study the changes in membrane morphology and gas separation properties, asymmetric PDMS/PES membranes were prepared. The studied parameters were types of cosolvents, tetrahydrofuran (THF) concentration, evaporation time, and PDMS concentration. Membrane morphology was examined using scanning electron microscopy and gas separation was conducted using pure CO2, N2, CH4, and Hat 25°C. The addition of cosolvent into the polymer solution decreased the dope viscosity and delayed liquid–liquid demixing during phase inversion. Macrovoids formation was observed in substructure layer after adding THF and these macrovoids elongated with the reduction in THF content. There were microvoids formed on top of macrovoids and microvoids layer became thicker due to the increasing evaporation time of solvents before coagulation in nonsolvent. The PDMS coating on the PES membrane formed a dense skin layer and exhibited higher selectivity compared to the uncoated membrane. Membrane contained THF cosolvent with 60 s evaporation time and 3 wt% coated PDMS is the optimum membrane among other membranes in this work. The CO2/N2 selectivity was enhanced by 73.3% with CO2 permeance of 44.86 GPU. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 54:2177–2186, 2014. © 2013 Society of Plastics Engineers
Synergistic effect of compatibilizer and cloisite 30B on the functional properties of poly(3‐hydroxybutyrate‐co‐3‐hydroxyvalerate)/polylactide blends
Authors: Zembouai Idris , Bruzaud Stéphane , Kaci Mustapha , Benhamida Aida , Corre Yves‐Marie , Grohens Yves , Lopez‐Cuesta José‐Marie
Published: October 2013

Blends of poly(3‐hydroxybutyrate‐co‐3‐hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV) and polylactide (PLA) with different PHBV/PLA weight ratios (100/0, 75/25, 50/50, 25/75, 0/100) were prepared by melt compounding. To improve the miscibility between the two components of the blend, low amount of compatibilizing agent (5 wt%), obtained by grafting maleic anhydride onto PHBV, was used. When compared with the uncompatibilized blends, the compatibilizer presence induces a greater interfacial adhesion. The effect of Cloisite 30B (C30B) on the blend morphology and the blend properties was also investigated. The morphology of the different blends as well as the evolution of their material properties were discussed in terms of the nanoclay and compatibilizing agent contents. A synergistic effect of compatibilizer and C30B was highlighted leading to an improved miscibility of the two blend components. The resulting properties were correlated with the morphology observed for the different blends. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 54:2239–2251, 2014. © 2013 Society of Plastics Engineers
Kinetics of atom transfer radical polymerization of crosslinkable terpolymer P(MMA‐BA‐HEMA)
Authors: Xiu‐fang Wen , Lan Jia‐ling , Ying Liu , Pihui Pi , Zhi‐Qi Cai , Shou‐ping Xu , Li‐juan Zhang , Yu Qian
Published: October 2013

A crosslinkable terpolymer P(MMA‐BA‐HEMA) was prepared by atom transfer radical copolymerization of 2‐hydroxyethyl methacrylate, methyl methacrylate and butyl acrylate. The structure of the terpolymer was characterized by 1H NMR and gel permeation chromatography. The effects on the polymerization of ligand, initiator, solvent, CuCl2 added in the initial stage and reaction temperature were investigated. The optimal reaction conditions were ethyl 2‐bromopropionate as initiator, CuCl/PMDETA as catalyst, cyclohexanone as solvent, catalyst/ligand = 1:1.5, [M]0:[I]0 = 200:1 and temperature 70 °C. The reaction followed first‐order kinetics with respect to monomer concentration, indicating the best control over the polymerization process, a constant concentration of the propagating radical during the polymerization, efficient control over Mn of the polymer and low polydispersity (Mw/Mn < 1.3). © 2013 Society of Chemical Industry
Flexible Cu(In,Ga)Se2 solar cells with reduced absorber thickness
Authors: Reinhard Patrick , Pianezzi Fabian , Kranz Lukas , Nishiwaki Shiro , Chirilă Adrian , Buecheler Stephan , Tiwari Ayodhya N.
Published: October 2013

Reduction of the absorber thickness combined with deposition on a flexible substrate is a technically viable strategy to allow lower cost manufacturing of Cu(In,Ga)Se2 solar modules. Flexible plastic substrates, however, require a low‐temperature deposition process and appropriate control of the band gap grading for achieving high efficiencies. In this work, we developed solar cells on polyimide films using evaporated Cu(In,Ga)Se2 absorbers with thickness of 0.8–1.3 µm. The double Ga‐grading profile across the absorber thickness was modified by varying the maximum Cu excess at the end of the second stage or by adapting the In and Ga evaporation flux profiles during the growth process. By minimizing the Cu excess during the intermediate stage of the growth process, no loss in open circuit voltage and fill factor is observed compared with a device having a thicker absorber. Efficiency of 16.3% was achieved for cells with an absorber thickness of 1.25 µm. Insufficient absorption of photons in the long wavelength region is mainly responsible for current loss. By changing the In and Ga evaporation profiles, the shape and position of the Ga notch were effectively modified, but it did not lead to a higher device performance. Modifications of the Ga compositional profile could not help to significantly reduce absorption losses or increase charge carrier collection in absorbers with thickness below 1 µm. Changes of open circuit voltage and fill factor are mostly related to differences in the net acceptor density or the reverse saturation current rather than changes of the double Ga grading. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Effect of lithium intercalation on the photovoltaic performances of photovoltachromic cells
Authors: Malara Francesco , Cannavale Alessandro , Gigli Giuseppe
Published: October 2013

In the last few years, a new class of smart multifunctional photoelectrochemical devices has been attracting the interest of several academic institutions and industrial companies: photovoltachromic cells, combining the features of photoelectrochromic cells with those of dye‐sensitized solar cells. Here, we report the results of a detailed electrochemical analysis aiming at investigating the electrochemical behavior of these complex photoelectrochemical devices. In particular, we have been focused on the effect of Li+ ions displacement during the coloration of the electrochromic tungsten oxide on the performances of the photovoltaic unit. As we had previously observed striking differences between the performances of the barely photovoltaic mode (with the tungsten oxide in the bleached state) and the photovoltachromic mode (with the tungsten oxide in the colored state), we thus attempted to provide a reasonable physical interpretation to the observed phenomena. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Design of a twin capacitive load and its application to the outdoor rating of photovoltaic modules
Authors: Muñoz Javier , Lorenzo Eduardo , Carrillo José Manuel , Moretón Rodrigo
Published: October 2013

This paper describes the design of an original twin capacitive load that is able of tracing simultaneously the I–V characteristics of two photovoltaic modules. Besides, an example of the application of this dual system to the outdoor rating of photovoltaic modules is presented, whose results have shown a good degree of repeatability. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Refining similarity scoring to enable decoy‐free validation in spectral library searching
Authors: Shao Wenguang , Zhu Kan , Lam Henry
Published: October 2013

Spectral library searching is a maturing approach for peptide identification from MS/MS, offering an alternative to traditional sequence database searching. Spectral library searching relies on direct spectrum‐to‐spectrum matching between the query data and the spectral library, which affords better discrimination of true and false matches, leading to improved sensitivity. However, due to the inherent diversity of the peak location and intensity profiles of real spectra, the resulting similarity score distributions often take on unpredictable shapes. This makes it difficult to model the scores of the false matches accurately, necessitating the use of decoy searching to sample the score distribution of the false matches. Here, we refined the similarity scoring in spectral library searching to enable the validation of spectral search results without the use of decoys. We rank‐transformed the peak intensities to standardize all spectra, making it possible to fit a parametric distribution to the scores of the nontop‐scoring spectral matches. The statistical significance of the top‐scoring match can then be estimated in a rigorous manner according to Extreme Value Theory. The overall result is a more robust and interpretable measure of the quality of the spectral match, which can be obtained without decoys. We tested this refined similarity scoring function on real datasets and demonstrated its effectiveness. This approach reduces search time, increases sensitivity, and extends spectral library searching to situations where decoy spectra cannot be readily generated, such as in searching unidentified and nonpeptide spectral libraries.