bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A new term‐weighting scheme for text classification using the odds of positive and negative class probabilities
Authors: Ko Youngjoong
Published: January 2015

Text classification (TC) is a core technique for text mining and information retrieval. It has been applied to many applications in many different research and industrial areas. Term‐weighting schemes assign an appropriate weight to each term to obtain a high TC performance. Although term weighting is one of the important modules for TC and TC has different peculiarities from those in information retrieval, many term‐weighting schemes used in information retrieval, such as term frequency–inverse document frequency (tf–idf), have been used in TC in the same manner. The peculiarity of TC that differs most from information retrieval is the existence of class information. This article proposes a new term‐weighting scheme that uses class information using positive and negative class distributions. As a result, the proposed scheme, log tf–TRR, consistently performs better than do other schemes using class information as well as traditional schemes such as tf–idf.
An exploratory study of the information‐seeking activities of adolescents in a discussion forum
Authors: Gauducheau Nadia
Published: January 2015

The aim of this study is to understand how teenagers use Internet forums to search for information. The activities of asking for and providing information in a forum were explored, and a set of messages extracted from a French forum targeting adolescents was analyzed. Results show that the messages initiating the threads are often requests for information. Teenagers mainly ask for peers' opinions on personal matters and specific verifiable information. The discussions following these requests take the form of an exchange of advice (question/answer) or a coconstruction of the final answer between the participants (with assessments of participants' responses, requests for explanations, etc.). The results suggest that discussion forums present different advantages for adolescents' information‐seeking activities. The first is that this social medium allows finding specialized information on topics specific to this age group. The second is that the collaborative aspect of information seeking in a forum allows these adolescents to overcome difficulties commonly associated with the search process (making a precise request, evaluating a result).
Content‐based image retrieval methods and professional image users
Authors: Beaudoin Joan E.
Published: January 2015

This article reports the findings of a qualitative research study that examined professional image users' knowledge of, and interest in using, content‐based image retrieval (CBIR) systems in an attempt to clarify when and whereCBIRmethods might be applied. The research sought to determine the differences in the perceived usefulness ofCBIRtechnologies among image user groups from several domains and explicate the reasons given regarding the utility ofCBIRsystems for their professional tasks. Twenty participants (archaeologists, architects, art historians, and artists), individuals who rely on images of cultural materials in the performance of their work, took part in the study. The findings of the study reveal that interest inCBIRmethods varied among the different professional user communities. Individuals who showed an interest in these systems were primarily those concerned with the formal characteristics (i.e., color, shape, composition, and texture) of the images being sought. In contrast, those participants who expressed a strong interest in images of known items, images illustrating themes, and/or items from specific locations believe concept‐based searches to be the most direct route. These image users did not see a practical application forCBIRsystems in their current work routines.
A new index to use in conjunction with the h‐index to account for an author's relative contribution to publications with high impact
Authors: Crispo Erika
Published: January 2015

The h‐index was devised to represent a scholar's contributions to his field with respect to the number of publications and citations. It does not, however, take into consideration the scholar's position in the authorship list. I recommend a new supplementary index to score academics, representing the relative contribution to the papers with impact, be reported alongside the h‐index. I call this index the AP‐index, and it is simply defined as the average position in which an academic appears in authorship lists, on articles that factor in to that academic's h‐index.
Die Massivbaukonstruktion des Nationalstadions in Bukarest
Authors: Constantinescu Dan , Köber Dietlinde
Published: January 2015

Das Bukarester Nationalstadion ist eine modern ausgestattete Fußballarena für 55 000 Zuschauer, die komplett überdacht werden kann. Im Aufsatz werden das Tragwerkskonzept der Stahlbetonkonstruktion und die Grundsätze der Ausbildung der Fertigteile und deren Anschlüsse beschrieben. Bukarest liegt in einem stark gefährdeten Erdbebengebiet und das hat das gewählte Tragwerk maßgeblich geprägt, wenn auch von außen die Arena als eine schlanke, kolosseumähnliche Massivkonstruktion erscheint. Zugleich mussten die unregelmäßigen Baugrundbedingungen berücksichtigt werden.

The RC Structure of the National Stadium in Bucharest

The stadium is a modernly equipped soccer arena for 55 000 spectators, which can be completely roofed over. The paper presents the structural concept of the RC construction as well as some basic features of the precast elements and their connections. Bucharest lies in a very strong earthquake area and that has crucially affected the concept of the stiffening structure, even if from outside the stadium looks like a slender Coliseum. The chosen structural system has also had to account for the existing variable foundation conditions.
Electrodes Functionalized with the 2,2,6,6‐Tetramethylpiperidinyloxy Radical for the Waste‐Free Oxidation of Alcohols
Authors: Ciriminna Rosaria , Palmisano Giovanni , Pagliaro Mario
Published: January 2015

Electrodes functionalised with the organocatalyst 2,2,6,6‐tetramethylpiperidinyloxy (TEMPO) moiety hold great potential for the development of waste‐free industrial synthesis of valuable carbonyl compounds using electrons and alcohols as the only reactants. Since the inception of the first active electrode in 1988, a number of different electrodes have been developed to the recent fastest TEMPO‐mediated alcohol oxidation process ever reported. In addition to good activity and broad applicability to different substrates, the electrode stability is the crucial factor that will guide the adoption of this eminently clean technology by the fine chemical and pharmaceutical industry.
Hierarchically Ordered Porous CoOOH Thin‐Film Electrodes for High‐Performance Supercapacitors
Authors: Dhawale Dattatray S. , Kim Sehwan , Park Dae‐Hwan , Choy Jin‐Ho , Al‐deyab Salem S. , Ariga Katsuhiko , Kim Eunkyoung , Vinu Ajayan
Published: January 2015

We report a simple, cost‐effective, and potentially scalable approach for the fabricating hierarchically porous CoOOH thin‐film supercapacitors by combining a soft‐templating and a chemical‐bath deposition (CBD) method. The prepared electrode materials exhibit uniform morphology and highly ordered macropores, achieving a maximum specific capacitance of 387 F g−1 at a current density of 1 mA cm−2, with a high energy of 19 Wh kg−1 and power density of 1713 W kg−1. In addition, the porous CoOOH electrodes show good stability with a cycling efficiency >90 % after 5000 charge–discharge cycles, which could lead to the generation of novel energy‐storage devices with better efficiencies.
Highly Efficient Dehydrogenative Coupling of Hydrosilanes with Amines or Amides Using Supported Gold Nanoparticles
Authors: Mitsudome Takato , Urayama Teppei , Maeno Zen , Mizugaki Tomoo , Jitsukawa Koichiro , Kaneda Kiyotomi
Published: January 2015

Hydroxyapatite‐supported gold nanoparticles (Au/HAP) can act as a highly active and reusable catalyst for the coupling of hydrosilanes with amines under mild conditions. Various silylamines can be selectively obtained from diverse combinations of equimolar amounts of hydrosilanes with amines including less reactive bulky hydrosilanes. This study also highlights the applicability of Au/HAP to the selective synthesis of silylamides through the coupling of hydrosilanes with amides, demonstrating the first example of an efficient heterogeneous catalyst. Moreover, Au/HAP shows high reusability and applicability for gram‐scale synthesis.
ChemInform Abstract: 1,2,4‐Triazine Derivatives: Synthesis and Biological Applications
Authors: Arshad Mohammad , Khan Taki Ahmed , Khan Meraj Alam
Published: January 2015

Review: 59 refs.
ChemInform Abstract: Electrospinning: A Facile Technique for Fabricating Polymeric Nanofibers Doped with Carbon Nanotubes and Metallic Nanoparticles for Sensor Applications
Authors: Su Zhiqiang , Ding Junwei , Wei Gang
Published: January 2015

Review: 111 refs,
Effective mass diffusion and dispersion in random porous media
Authors: Aguilar‐Madera Carlos G. , Baz‐Rodríguez Sergio A. , Ocampo‐Pérez Raúl
Published: January 2015

In this work, the effect of the stochastic nature of porous medium on porosity, effective diffusion and mass dispersion was investigated. To this end, a methodology to build idealized media composed by solid particles with random size has been introduced. Gaussian and uniform probability distribution functions were employed to design the size and orientation of rectangular cylinders and cubes. Predictions of effective parameters were performed by using numerical procedures based on the volume averaging method. From the porosity and effective diffusion analysis, it was found that a minimum number of particles minimizes fluctuations of predictions. Thus, a minimum sampling size to measure properties was inferred. The minimum number of particles depends on the probability distribution functions and the dimensionality of particles used (cylinders or cubes). The methodology to build porous media also allows the creation of anisotropic media, and its effect is marked over the longitudinal and transverse components of effective diffusivity tensor. But this is not the case for the mass dispersion tensor, where the flow direction is the main cause for anisotropy. In fact, the flow taking place at pore‐scale increases noticeable the randomness of predictions of mass dispersion, specifically when the number of particles or the particle Péclet number are increased. This effect is more significant on the transverse mass dispersion.
Kinetics of transesterification reaction using CAO/AL2O3 catalyst synthesized by sol‐gel method
Authors: Moradi Gholamreza , Davoodbeygi Yegane , Mohadesi Majid , Hosseini Shokoufe
Published: January 2015

Calcium oxide is one of the appropriate catalysts for biodiesel production. In this study, 40 wt. % CaO/Al2O3 catalyst was used. Transesterification reaction was performed in optimal condition presented in the previous study (0.05 molar nitric acid and gelation temperature of 70 °C) in a 250 mL two‐necked flask. All the experiments were carried out in the presence of soybean oil, methanol (methanol to oil molar ratio of 12:1), and catalyst concentration of 6 wt. %. Stirrer speed was set at 350 rpm. This study investigated the effects of reaction temperature and reaction time on produced biodiesel conversion. Methyl ester conversion changes in all temperatures and across different times indicated pseudo‐first order kinetic, so, first, the observed rate constant was obtained at various temperatures. Then, observed activation energy of soybean oil methanolysis in the presence of CaO/Al2O3 catalyst was determined. The results show that maximum errors of model are in primary times because methanol is insoluble in soybean oil. At the other times and by biodiesel and glycerol production, there was increased solubility of methanol in oil. The methyl esters production rate is related to diffusion of methanol in oil film and reaction rate constants which are calculated these constants.
Rational design and characterization of bimetallic gold‐palladium nanoparticle catalysts
Authors: Scott Robert W. J.
Published: January 2015

This feature article covers a long‐term project in our laboratory at the University of Saskatchewan towards the rational synthesis of controlled‐architectures of gold‐palladium bimetallic nanoparticle catalysts for use as low‐temperature alcohol oxidation catalysts. Syntheses involve controlled growth of nanoparticle architectures via solution‐based nanoparticle synthetic strategies, followed by deposition of the designed particles onto solid supports. In addition, characterization methods used to elucidate structures of the synthesized particles before and after activation for catalysis will be discussed. This includes traditional characterization methods such as transmission electron microscopy and X‐ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy (EXAFS), but also includes, more recently, the use of in situ X‐ray absorption spectroscopy studies of gold‐palladium nanoparticle catalysts. Strategies and challenges towards the rational synthesis of heterogeneous supported‐nanoparticle catalysts based on bimetallic nanoparticle precursors will be detailed and contrasted with more traditional routes to synthesize such catalytic materials.
A phase II trial of second‐line axitinib following prior antiangiogenic therapy in advanced hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: McNamara Mairéad G. , Le Lisa W. , Horgan Anne M. , Aspinall Alex , Burak Kelly W. , Dhani Neesha , Chen Eric , Sinaei Mehrdad , Lo Glen , Kim Tae Kyoung , Rogalla Patrik , Bathe Oliver F. , Knox Jennifer J.
Published: January 2015

BACKGROUND

Second‐line treatment options in advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are limited. Axitinib, a selective potent tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) of vascular endothelial growth factor VEGF) receptors 1, 2, and 3, merits exploration in HCC.

METHODS

This was a single‐arm phase II trial of axitinib in advanced HCC. Eligible patients were Child‐Pugh A/B7, with measurable progressive disease after TKIs/antiangiogenic drugs. Axitinib was started at 5 mg twice daily orally, titrated from 2 to 10 mg twice daily as tolerated. The primary end point was tumor control at 16 weeks by RECIST1.1; secondary end points were response rate, comparing response by RECIST1.1 to Choi and modified RECIST, exploring dynamic contrast‐enhanced imaging models, safety, progression‐free (PFS), and overall survival (OS).

RESULTS

Thirty patients were treated. Of 26 patients evaluable for response, there were 3 partial responses (PR) per RECIST1.1; 13 PR by Choi, 6 PR and 1 complete response by modified RECIST. Tumor control rate at 16 weeks was 42.3%. Two‐week perfusion changes were noted on functional imaging. Of 21 patients with evaluable α‐fetoprotein response, 43% had >50% decrease from baseline. Most common axitinib‐related grade 3/4 adverse events (AEs) were hypertension, thrombocytopenia and diarrhea. Of 11 patients with any grade hypertension, 7 had disease control >36wks. Four patients discontinued treatment due to AEs. Median PFS was 3.6months. Median OS was 7.1months.

CONCLUSIONS

With 42.3% tumor control at 16weeks, primary endpoint was met. Axitinib has shown encouraging tolerable clinical activity in VEGF‐pretreated HCC patients but further study should be in a selected population incorporating potential biomarkers of response. Cancer 2015;121:1620–1627. © 2015 American Cancer Society.
Second primary head and neck cancer after Hodgkin lymphoma: A population‐based study of 44,879 survivors of Hodgkin lymphoma
Authors: Chowdhry Amit K. , McHugh Colin , Fung Chunkit , Dhakal Sughosh , Constine Louis S. , Milano Michael T.
Published: January 2015

BACKGROUND

Survivors of Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) are at an increased risk of developing second malignancies. To the authors' knowledge, the risks of head and neck cancer (HNC) after HL and subsequent survival have not been thoroughly investigated.

METHODS

From the US population‐based Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database for 1973 through 2011, survivors of HL who developed HNC as a second cancer were analyzed. Patients with a first primary HNC were used as a comparison group. Observed‐to‐expected ratios and summary statistics were performed on patients with HL with squamous cell carcinoma (HL‐SCC) and salivary gland cancer (HL‐SGC). The impact of HL history on overall survival was assessed using a multivariate Cox proportional hazards model.

RESULTS

The observed‐to‐expected ratio for SCC among patients with HL was 1.73 (95% confidence interval [95% CI], 1.36‐2.16; P<.05), whereas it was 8.56 for SGC (95% CI, 5.82‐12.15; P<.05). Using Cox proportional hazards modeling, a history of HL was found to be an adverse prognostic factor for overall survival for SCC (hazard ratio, 1.37; 95% CI, 1.08‐1.73 [P = .009]) but not SGC (hazard ratio, 1.21; 95% CI, 0.82‐1.79 [P = .34]). The inferior survival of the patients in the HL‐SCC cohort appears to be attributable to more deaths from HL and other malignancies diagnosed after SCC.

CONCLUSIONS

There is a significantly increased risk of salivary and nonsalivary HNC after HL, and worse survival for patients with HL‐SCC versus those with a first primary SCC. Clinicians should be aware of the risks of HNC after HL. In the absence of evidence‐based criteria, the authors recommend that survivors of HL undergo periodic head and neck examination. Cancer 2015;121:1436–1445. © 2015 American Cancer Society.
Trade‐off between thermal tolerance and insecticide resistance in Plutella xylostella
Authors: Zhang Lin Jie , Wu Zhao Li , Wang Kuan Fu , Liu Qun , Zhuang Hua Mei , Wu Gang
Published: January 2015

Fitness costs associated with resistance to insecticides have been well documented, usually at normal temperature conditions, in many insect species. In this study, using chlorpyrifos‐resistant homozygote (RR) and chlorpyrifos‐susceptible homozygote (SS) of resistance ace1 allele of Plutella xylostella (DBM), we confirmed firstly that high temperature experience in pupal stage influenced phenotype of wing venation in insecticide‐resistant and insecticide‐susceptible Plutella xylostella, and SS DBM showed significantly higher thermal tolerance and lower damages of wing veins under heat stress than RR DBM. As compared to SS DBM, RR DBM displayed significantly lower AChE sensitivity to chlorpyrifos, higher basal GSTs activity and P450 production at 25°C, but higher inhibitions on the enzyme activities and P450 production as well as reduced resistance to chlorpyrifos under heat stress. Furthermore, RR DBM displayed significantly higher basal expressions of hsp69s, hsp72s, hsp20, hsp90, Apaf‐1, and caspase‐7 at 25°C, but lower induced expressions of hsps and higher induced expressions of Apaf‐1, caspase‐9, and caspase‐7 under heat stress. These results suggest that fitness costs of chlorpyrifos resistance in DBM may partly attribute to excess consumption of energy caused by over production of detoxification enzymes and hsps when the proteins are less demanded at conducive environments but reduced expressions when they are highly demanded by the insects to combat environmental stresses, or to excess expressions of apoptotic genes under heat stress, which results in higher apoptosis. The evolutionary and ecological implications of these findings at global warming are discussed.
Quantifying water requirements of riparian river red gum (Eucalyptus camaldulensis) in the Murray–Darling Basin, Australia – implications for the management of environmental flows
Authors: Doody Tanya M. , Colloff Matthew J. , Davies Micah , Koul Vijay , Benyon Richard G. , Nagler Pamela L.
Published: January 2015

Water resource development and drought have altered river flow regimes, increasing average flood return intervals across floodplains in the Murray–Darling Basin, Australia, causing health declines in riparian river red gum (Eucalyptus camaldulensis) forests and woodlands. Environmental flow allocations helped to alleviate water stress during the recent Millennium Drought (1997–2010); however, quantification of the flood frequency required to support healthy E. camaldulensis communities is still needed. We quantified water requirements of E. camaldulensis for 2 years across a flood gradient (trees inundated at frequencies of 1:2, 1:5 and 1:10 years) at Yanga National Park, New South Wales, to help inform management decision‐making and design of environmental flows. Sap flow, evaporative losses and soil moisture measurements were used to determine transpiration, evapotranspiration and plant‐available soil water before and after flooding. A formula was developed using plant‐available soil water post‐flooding and average annual rainfall, to estimate maintenance time of soil water reserves in each flood frequency zone. Results indicated that soil water reserves could sustain 1:2 and 1:5 trees for 15 months and 6 years, respectively. Trees regulated their transpiration rates, allowing them to persist within their flood frequency zone, and showed reduction in active sapwood area and transpiration rates when flood frequencies exceeded 1:2 years. A leaf area index of 0·5 was identified as a potential threshold indicator of severe drought stress. Our results suggest that environmental water managers may have greater flexibility to adaptively manage floodplains in order to sustain E. camaldulensis forests and woodlands than has been appreciated hitherto. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Does hydrological connectivity determine the benthic macroinvertebrate structure in oxbow lakes?
Authors: Obolewski Krystian , Glińska‐Lewczuk Katarzyna , Strzelczak Agnieszka
Published: January 2015

In this study, we analyse the qualitative and quantitative structure of benthic macroinvertebrate communities in three oxbow lakes differing in hydrological connectivity, located along the lowland Łyna River (NE Poland). The lakes differed in the extent of surface contact with the main river channel and represented lotic, semi‐lotic, and lentic types of water bodies. Mean benthofauna density ranged from 0.9 · 103 (lentic) to 2.0 · 103 indiv. m−2 (semi‐lotic) and mean biomass ranged from 16 (lentic) to 202 gww m−2 (semi‐lotic); these differences were not statistically significant (P ≤ 0.05). The diversity (Shannon's index) was highest in the lotic and lowest in the lentic ecosystem. It was predominated by Oligochaeta and Chironomidae larvae. The highest, statistically significant differences were observed between the densities of Ephemeroptera larvae (P ≤ 0.05), Megaloptera larvae (P ≤ 0.05) and Arachnida (P ≤ 0.01). In terms of biomass, gastropods prevailed in the semi‐lotic, bivalves in the lotic and Chironomidae larvae in the lentic ecosystems. Amongst gastropods, Viviparus viviparus L. dominated in oxbows connected with the river. Our results, supported by the canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) and hierarchical cluster analysis showed a significant effect of hydrological connectivity, which in a direct or indirect way influenced the macroinvertebrate structure in oxbow lakes. As shown by CCA, a free exchange of water between oxbows and the river channel promotes favourable conditions for the development of hydrobionts. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Surface‐Selective Deposition of a Reusable Gold Catalyst on a Thin Film of Metal Hydroxide Nanocrystals
Authors: Cho Hye Ran , Lee Jong Hyeon
Published: January 2015

We have developed a simple and facile method to fabricate gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) deposited on thin films of layered double hydroxide (LDH) nanocrystals. The oriented thin film of LDH nanocrystals was employed for the preferential deposition of Au NPs by in situ growth of Au NPs on the monolayer thin film of LDH nanocrystals, which effectively provided a large and uniform active hydroxide surface for deposition of a dense monolayer of Au NPs. The reactive hydroxide groups and the positive potential of the LDH surfaces play an important role in the uniform growth of the Au NPs and in their stabilization against agglomeration. This LDH‐supported Au NP catalyst exhibits superior catalytic efficiency and reusability without significant loss in conversion efficiency for the reduction of p‐nitrophenol with NaBH4, maintaining more than 96 % catalytic conversion efficiency.
Synthesis of [(1,2,3‐Triazol‐1‐yl)methyl]boronic Acids Through Click Chemistry: Easy Access to a Potential Scaffold for Protease Inhibitors
Authors: Romagnoli Chiara , Caselli Emilia , Prati Fabio
Published: January 2015

Stereoselective synthesis of previously unreported [(1,2,3‐triazol‐1‐yl)methyl]boronic acids has been achieved from azidomethylboronates by copper‐catalyzed azide–alkyne cycloaddition reaction. The proximity of the cycloaddition reaction center to the boronic group is not detrimental to the stability of the sp3 C–B bond or to the stereoisomeric composition, which further expands the field of application of click chemistry to new boronate substrates and offers a new potential scaffold for protease inhibitors.
Synthesis of 3‐Fluoro‐2‐hetarylindoles and 3,3‐Difluoro‐2‐hetarylindolines through Lewis Acid‐Catalyzed Formation of 3,3‐Difluoroindolium Ions
Authors: Fong Jacqueline Zi Mei , Choo Simon Sze Shiong , Richard Jean‐Alexandre , Garland Marc V. , Guo Liangfeng , Johannes Charles W. , Nguyen Tuan Minh
Published: January 2015

Synthesis of 3‐fluoro‐2‐hetarylindoles through addition of hetarenes to 3,3‐difluoroindolium ions generated in situ by Zn(OTf)2‐catalyzed oxazolidine ring opening is described. Indoles, pyrroles and alkyl‐substituted furans can be used as hetaryl nucleophiles to afford a range of 3‐fluoro‐2‐hetarylindole products 6 in 56–95 % yields. A diverse array of 3,3‐difluorinated 2‐hetarylindolines 7 can also be synthesized in 43–84 % yields by a tandem sequential process that involves hetarene nucleophilic addition, HF elimination and fluorocyclization reactions. Our study by 1H NMR and UV/Vis spectroscopy reveals that 3,3‐difluorinated 2‐hetarylindolines possess interesting substituent‐dependent acidochromic properties. UV absorption and fluorescence spectra of selected compounds 6 and 7 are also studied.
Prognosis and course of pain in patients with chronic non‐specific low back pain: A 1‐year follow‐up cohort study
Authors: Verkerk K. , Luijsterburg P.A.J. , Heymans M.W. , Ronchetti I. , Pool‐Goudzwaard A.L. , Miedema H.S. , Koes B.W.
Published: January 2015

Background

It remains unclear to what extent patients recover from chronic non‐specific low back pain (NSLBP). The objective of this study was to determine (1) the course of chronic NSLBP in tertiary care and (2) which factors predicted 5‐ and 12‐month outcomes.

Methods

This prospective study includes 1760 chronic NSLBP patients from a rehabilitation clinic (mean age 40.1 years, SD 10.6). After baseline measurement, patients followed a 2‐month multidisciplinary therapy programme; evaluation took place at 2, 5 and 12 months post baseline. Recovery was defined as (1) relative recovery [30% improvement on the pain, visual analogue scale (VAS) compared with baseline] and (2) absolute recovery (VAS pain ≤ 10 mm). The multivariate logistic regression analysis included 23 baseline characteristics.

Results

Patient‐reported intensity of back pain decreased from 55.5 (SD 23.0) at baseline to 37.0 (SD 23.8), 35.3 (SD 26.1) and 32.3 (SD 26.9) at 2‐, 5‐ and 12‐month follow‐up, respectively. Younger age, back pain at baseline, no psychological/physical dysfunction (Symptom Check List‐90, item 9), and higher baseline scores on the physical component scale and mental component scale of quality of life (Short Form‐36) were positively associated with recovery at 5 and 12 months. At 5‐month follow‐up, higher work participation at baseline was also a prognostic factor for both definitions of recovery. At 12‐month follow‐up, having co‐morbidity was predictive for both definitions.

Conclusion

The results of this study indicate that in chronic NSLBP patients, bio‐psychosocial prognostic factors may be important for clinicians when predicting recovery in back pain intensity during a 1‐year period.
Ecotoxicological thresholds—practical application to an industrial inventory
Authors: Gutsell Steve , Hodges Geoff , Marshall Stuart , Roberts Jayne
Published: January 2015

The concept of thresholds of toxicological concern as a potentially useful tool in environmental risk assessment has been applied to the inventory of a home and personal care products company to derive a series of chemical class–based ecotoxicological threshold of concern (ecoTTC) values. Cationic chemicals of various types show notably higher toxicity than other classes and should be treated separately. Despite this, the ecoTTC for the full data set in the present study is only slightly lower than that derived previously for chemicals causing toxicity via Verhaar modes of action (MoAs) 1 to 3. Exclusion of cationic chemicals resulted in an ecoTTC value slightly higher than the MoA 1 to 3 value. These observations indicate that such data sets contain few specifically acting chemicals. The applicability of threshold approaches in environmental risk assessment has been extended to include a limited number of inorganic/organometallic chemicals, polymers, and all classes of surfactants. The use of such ecoTTC values in conjunction with mode of action–based quantitative structure–activity relationships will allow the efficient screening and prioritization of large inventories of heterogeneous chemicals, focusing resources on those chemicals that require additional information to better understand any potential risk. Environ Toxicol Chem 2015;34:935–942. © 2015 SETAC
Identifying evaluation considerations for the recovery and restoration from the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill: An initial appraisal of stakeholder concerns and values
Authors: Carriger John F , Jordan Stephen J , Kurtz Janis C , Benson William H
Published: January 2015

Understanding what can be achieved and what should be avoided by environmental management decisions requires an understanding of values, or what is cared about in a decision. Decision analysis provides tools and processes for constructing objectives that transparently reflect the values being considered in environmental management decisions. The present study demonstrates parts of the initial decision analysis steps for identifying a decision context and constructing objectives for the recovery and long-term restoration of the Gulf of Mexico following the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill. From a review of multiple reports, including those developed by policy makers and nongovernmental organizations, a preliminary structuring of concerns and considerations into objectives was derived to highlight features of importance in the recovery from the spill and long-term restoration. The fundamental objectives constructed for the long-term restoration context reflect broader concerns regarding well-being and quality of life. When developed through stakeholder engagement processes, clarifying objectives can potentially 1) lend insight into the values that can be affected, 2) meaningfully include stakeholders in the decision-making process, 3) enhance transparency and communication, and 4) develop high-impact management strategies reflecting broad public interests. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2015;11:502–513. Published 2015 SETAC. This article is a US government work and is in the public domain in the United States of America.

Key Points

Decision analysis tools and methods can foster significant contributions from stakeholders, whose values can clarify important features of large-scale environmental management decisions. The restoration of the Gulf of Mexico has potential environmental, economic, and social consequences for a diverse group of stakeholders across a broad geographic region and over multiple time scales. Understanding these post-restoration consequences is key for the informed management of the Gulf and its resources. Characterizing objectives can help define and operationalize the social, economic, and environmental pillars of sustainability to apprise policy and decision making by coastal communities.
In vitro biodegradation behavior, mechanical properties, and cytotoxicity of biodegradable Zn–Mg alloy
Authors: Gong Haibo , Wang Kun , Strich Randy , Zhou Jack G.
Published: January 2015

Zinc–Magnesium (Zn–Mg) alloy as a novel biodegradable metal holds great potential in biodegradable implant applications as it is more corrosion resistant than Magnesium (Mg). However, the mechanical properties, biodegradation uniformity, and cytotoxicity of Zn–Mg alloy remained as concerns. In this study, hot extrusion process was applied to Zn–1 wt % Mg (Zn–1Mg) to refine its microstructure. Effects of hot extrusion on biodegradation behavior and mechanical properties of Zn–1Mg were investigated in comparison with Mg rare earth element alloy WE43. Metallurgical analysis revealed significant grain size reduction, and immersion test found that corrosion rates of WE43 and Zn–1Mg were reduced by 35% and 57%, respectively after extrusion. Moreover, hot extrusion resulted in a much more uniform biodegradation in extruded Zn–1Mg alloy and WE43. In vitro cytotoxicity test results indicated that Zn–1Mg alloy was biocompatible. Therefore, hot extruded Zn–1Mg with homogenous microstructure, uniform as well as slow degradation, improved mechanical properties, and good biocompatibility was believed to be an excellent candidate material for load‐bearing biodegradable implant application. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 103B: 1632–1640, 2015.
Overexpression of Zinc‐Finger Protein 777 (ZNF777) Inhibits Proliferation at Low Cell Density Through Down‐Regulation of FAM129A
Authors: Yuki Ryuzaburo , Aoyama Kazumasa , Kubota Sho , Yamaguchi Noritaka , Kubota Shoichi , Hasegawa Hitomi , Morii Mariko , Huang Xiayu , Liu Kang , Williams Roy , Fukuda Michiko N. , Yamaguchi Naoto
Published: January 2015

Krüppel‐associated box‐containing zinc finger proteins (KRAB‐ZFPs) regulate a wide range of cellular processes. KRAB‐ZFPs have a KRAB domain, which binds to transcriptional corepressors, and a zinc finger domain, which binds to DNA to activate or repress gene transcription. Here, we characterize ZNF777, a member of KRAB‐ZFPs. We show that ZNF777 localizes to the nucleus and inducible overexpression of ZNF777 inhibits cell proliferation in a manner dependent on its zinc finger domain but independent of its KRAB domain. Intriguingly, ZNF777 overexpression drastically inhibits cell proliferation at low cell density but slightly inhibits cell proliferation at high cell density. Furthermore, ZNF777 overexpression decreases the mRNA level of FAM129A irrespective of cell density. Importantly, the protein level of FAM129A strongly decreases at low cell density, but at high cell density the protein level of FAM129A does not decrease to that observed at low cell density. ZNF777‐mediated inhibition of cell proliferation is attenuated by overexpression of FAM129A at low cell density. Furthermore, ZNF777‐mediated down‐regulation of FAM129A induces moderate levels of the cyclin‐dependent kinase inhibitor p21. These results suggest that ZNF777 overexpression inhibits cell proliferation at low cell density and that p21 induction by ZNF777‐mediated down‐regulation of FAM129A plays a role in inhibition of cell proliferation. J. Cell. Biochem. 116: 954–968, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Epigenetic States of Nephron Progenitors and Epithelial Differentiation
Authors: Adli Mazhar , Parlak Mahmut , Li Yuwen , El‐Dahr Samir S.
Published: January 2015

In mammals, formation of new nephrons ends perinatally due to consumption of mesenchymal progenitor cells. Premature depletion of progenitors due to prematurity or postnatal loss of nephrons due to injury causes chronic kidney disease and hypertension. Intensive efforts are currently invested in designing regenerative strategies to form new nephron progenitors from pluripotent cells, which upon further differentiation provide a potential source of new nephrons. To know if reprogramed renal cells can maintain their identity and fate requires knowledge of the epigenetic states of native nephron progenitors and their progeny. In this article, we summarize current knowledge and gaps in the epigenomic landscape of the developing kidney. We now know that Pax2/PTIP/H3K4 methyltransferase activity provides the initial epigenetic specification signal to the metanephric mesenchyme. During nephrogenesis, the cap mesenchyme housing nephron progenitors is enriched in bivalent chromatin marks; as tubulogenesis proceeds, the tubular epithelium acquires H3K79me2. The latter mark is uniquely induced during epithelial differentiation. Analysis of histone landscapes in clonal metanephric mesenchyme cell lines and in Wilms tumor and normal fetal kidney has revealed that promoters of poised nephrogenesis genes carry bivalent histone signatures in progenitors. Differentiation or stimulation of Wnt signaling promotes resolution of bivalency; this does not occur in Wilms tumor cells consistent with their developmental arrest. The use of small cell number ChIP‐Seq should facilitate the characterization of the chromatin landscape of the metanephric mesenchyme and various nephron compartments during nephrogenesis. Only then we will know if stem and somatic cell reprogramming into kidney progenitors recapitulates normal development. J. Cell. Biochem. 116: 893–902, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
MiR‐540 as a Novel Adipogenic Inhibitor Impairs Adipogenesis Via Suppression of PPARγ
Authors: Chen Lin , Chen Yuanwei , Zhang Sheng , Ye Lanfeng , Cui Junhui , Sun Quan , Li Kaide , Wu Hanjiang , Liu Lei
Published: January 2015

A better understanding of the molecular mechanisms in adipogenesis may provide new insights into adipose tissue‐related diseases. Recently, microRNAs (miRNAs) have emerged as a class of epigenetic regulators of stem cell differentiation. In this study, we found that miR‐540 was an essential negative regulator of adipogenic differentiation in adipose tissue‐derived stromal cells (ADSCs). Lentivirus‐mediated overexpression of miR‐540 resulted in blockade of the expression of C/EBP‐α and PPARγ, the two master transcription factors of adipogenesis, and deficient lipid accumulation, whereas inhibition of miR‐540 promoted these processes. Target gene reporter assays showed that miR‐540 directly targeted the 3′‐untranslated region (3′UTR) of PPARγ, resulting in a decrease of PPARγ protein expression. Collectively, these data suggest that miR‐540 represents a new adipogenic inhibitor by, at least in part, targeting PPARγ. J. Cell. Biochem. 116: 969–976, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Dynamic Mitochondrial Localisation of STAT3 in the Cellular Adipogenesis Model 3T3‐L1
Authors: Kramer Adam H. , Edkins Adrienne L. , Hoppe Heinrich C. , Prinsloo Earl
Published: January 2015

A mechanistic relationship exists between protein localisation, activity and cellular differentiation. Understanding the contribution of these molecular mechanisms is required for elucidation of conditions that drive development. Literature suggests non‐canonical translocation of the Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription 3 (STAT3) to the mitochondria contributes to the regulation of the electron transport chain, cellular respiration and reactive oxygen species production. Based on this we investigated the role of mitochondrial STAT3, specifically the serine 727 phosphorylated form, in cellular differentiation using the well‐defined mouse adipogenic model 3T3‐L1. Relative levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the levels and dynamic localization of pSTAT3S727 were investigated during the initiation of adipogenesis. As a signalling entity, ROS is known to regulate the activation of C/EBPβ to stimulate a critical cascade of events prior to differentiation of 3T3‐L1. Results indicate that upon induction of the differentiation programme, relative levels of mitochondrial pSTAT3S727 dramatically decrease in the mitochondria; in contrast the total cellular pSTAT3S727 levels increase. A positive correlation between increasing levels of ROS and dynamic changes in C/EBPβ indicate that mitochondrial STAT3 plays a potential critical role as an initiator of the process. Based on these findings we propose a model for mitochondrial STAT3 as a regulator of ROS in adipogenesis. J. Cell. Biochem. 116: 1232–1240, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
A surface hopping algorithm for nonadiabatic minimum energy path calculations
Authors: Schapiro Igor , Roca‐Sanjuán Daniel , Lindh Roland , Olivucci Massimo
Published: January 2015

The article introduces a robust algorithm for the computation of minimum energy paths transiting along regions of near‐to or degeneracy of adiabatic states. The method facilitates studies of excited state reactivity involving weakly avoided crossings and conical intersections. Based on the analysis of the change in the multiconfigurational wave function the algorithm takes the decision whether the optimization should continue following the same electronic state or switch to a different state. This algorithm helps to overcome convergence difficulties near degeneracies. The implementation in the MOLCAS quantum chemistry package is discussed. To demonstrate the utility of the proposed procedure four examples of application are provided: thymine, asulam, 1,2‐dioxetane, and a three‐double‐bond model of the 11‐cis‐retinal protonated Schiff base. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Internal coordinate density of state from molecular dynamics simulation
Authors: Lai Pin‐Kuang , Lin Shiang‐Tai
Published: January 2015

The vibrational density of states (DoS), calculated from the Fourier transform of the velocity autocorrelation function, provides profound information regarding the structure and dynamic behavior of a system. However, it is often difficult to identify the exact vibrational mode associated with a specific frequency if the DoS is determined based on velocities in Cartesian coordinates. Here, the DoS is determined based on velocities in internal coordinates, calculated from Cartesian atomic velocities using a generalized Wilson's B‐matrix. The DoS in internal coordinates allows for the correct detection of free dihedral rotations that may be mistaken as hindered rotation in Cartesian DoS. Furthermore, the pronounced enhancement of low frequency modes in Cartesian DoS for macromolecules should be attributed to the coupling of dihedral and angle motions. The internal DoS, thus deconvolutes the internal motions and provides fruitful insights to the dynamic behaviors of a system. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Design, Synthesis and Evaluation of Antibacterial Effects of a New Class of Piperazinylquinolone Derivatives
Authors: Darehkordi Ali , Ramezani Mahin , Rahmani Fariba , Ramezani Mahnaz
Published: January 2015

Pentafluoropyridine derivatives and cyanuric chloride were used for the synthesis of new piperazinylquinolone derivatives. These reactions provided N‐fluoropyridiyl and N‐cyanoryl chloride piperazinylquinolone derivatives in good yields. Synthesized compounds were evaluated for their antibacterial activities. These compounds displayed good to excellent antibacterial activities.
Diffusion‐weighted imaging in assessing pathological response of tumor in breast cancer subtype to neoadjuvant chemotherapy
Authors: Liu Shangang , Ren Ruimei , Chen Zhaoqiu , Wang Yongsheng , Fan Tingyong , Li Chengli , Zhang Pinliang
Published: January 2015

Purpose

To investigate the efficacy of diffusion‐weighted imaging (DWI) for reflecting and predicting pathological tumor response in breast cancer subtype to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC).

Materials and Methods

The retrospective study included 176 patients with breast cancer who underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examinations before and after NAC prior to surgery. The pre‐ and post‐NAC apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values of tumor were measured respectively on DWI. The pathological response was classified into either a complete response (pCR) or as a noncomplete response (pNCR) to NAC with the Miller & Payne system. The relationship between the ADC value and the pathological response was assessed according to intrinsic subtypes (Luminal A, Luminal B, HER2‐enriched, and triple negative) defined by immunohistochemical features.

Results

Multiple comparisons respectively showed that pre‐NAC and post‐NAC ADC were significantly different among four subtypes (P < 0.001). After the comparison between two different subtypes, the pre‐NAC ADC value of the triple‐negative and HER2‐enriched subtypes were significantly higher than Luminal A (P < 0.001 and P < 0.001) and Luminal B subtype (P < 0.001 and P = 0.009), and the post‐NAC ADC of triple‐negative subtype was significantly higher than the others (P < 0.001). The pre‐NAC ADC of pCRs was significantly lower than that of pNCRs only in the triple‐negative subtype among four subtypes (P < 0.001), and the post‐NAC ADC of pCRs was significantly higher than that of pNCRs in each subtype (P < 0.001).

Conclusion

DWI appears to be a promising tool to determine the association of pathological response to NAC in breast cancer subtypes. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2015;42:779–787.
Modelling long‐term monthly temperatures by several data‐driven methods using geographical inputs
Authors: Kisi Ozgur , Sanikhani Hadi
Published: January 2015

This paper investigates the ability of five different data‐driven methods, artificial neural networks (ANNs), adaptive neuro‐fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) with grid partition (GP), ANFIS with subtractive clustering (SC), support vector regression (SVR) and gene expression programming (GEP), in predicting long‐term monthly temperatures by using data from 50 stations in Iran. The periodicity component (month of the year), station latitude, longitude and altitude values were used as inputs to the applied models to predict the long‐term monthly temperatures. The overall accuracy of the SVR model was found to be better than that of the other models. The GEP model gave the worst estimates. The maximum determination coefficient (R2) values were found to be 0.996, 0.999, 0.997 and 0.959 for the ANN, ANFIS‐GP, ANFIS‐SC and GEP models in Karaj and Qazvin stations, respectively. The highest R2 value (0.999) of SVR model was found for the Tabas station. The minimum R2 values were respectively found as 0.988, 0.946 and 0.985 for the ANFIS‐GP, ANFIS‐SC and SVR models in Bandar Abbas station while the ANN and GEP models gave the minimum R2 values of 0.982 and 0.886 in the Abadan and Kerman stations, respectively. The results indicated that the long‐term monthly temperatures of any site can be successfully estimated by data‐driven methods applied in this study using geographical inputs. The interpolated maps of temperatures were also obtained by using the optimal SVR model and evaluated in the study. The temperature maps showed that the highest temperatures were occurred in the southeastern and central parts of the Iran.