bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Organogenesis of the Musculoskeletal System in Horse Embryos and Early Fetuses
Authors: Barreto Rodrigo da Silva Nunes , Rodrigues Márcio Nogueira , Carvalho Rafael Cardoso , De Oliveira E. Silva Fernanda Menezes , Rigoglio Náthia Nathaly , Jacob Júlio César Ferraz , Gastal Eduardo Leite , Miglino Maria Angélica
Published: March 2016

Musculoskeletal system development involves heterotypical inductive interactions between tendons, muscles, and cartilage and knowledge on organogenesis is required for clarification of its function. The aim of this study was to describe the organogenesis of horse musculoskeletal system between 21 and 105 days of gestation, using detailed macroscopic and histological analyses focusing on essential developmental steps. At day 21 of gestation the skin was translucid, but epithelial condensation and fibrocartilaginous tissues were observed on day 25 of pregnancy. Smooth muscle was seen in lymphatic and blood vessel walls and the beginning of cartilaginous chondrocranium was detected at day 30 of gestation. At day 45, typical chondroblasts and chondrocytes were observed and at day 55, mandibular processes expanded toward the ventral midline of the pharynx. At day 75, muscles became thicker and muscle fibers were seen developing in carpal and metacarpal joints with the beginning of the ossification process. At day 105, major muscle groups, similar to those seen in an adult equine, were observed. The caudal area of the nasal capsule and trabecular cartilages increased in size and became ossified, developing into the ethmoid bone. The presence of nasal, frontal, parietal, and occipital bones was observed. In conclusion, novel features of equine musculoskeletal system development have been described here and each process was linked with an early musculoskeletal event. Data presented herein will facilitate a better understanding of the equine muscular system organogenesis and aid in the detection of congenital deformities. Anat Rec, 299:722–729, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
The influence of diversity and experience on the effects of crowd size
Authors: Robert Lionel P. , Romero Daniel M.
Published: March 2016

One advantage of crowds over traditional teams is that crowds enable the assembling of a large number of individuals to address problems. The literature is unclear, however, about when crowd size leads to better outcomes. To better understand the effects of crowd size we conducted a study on the retention and performance of 4,317 articles in the WikiProject Film community. Results indicate that crowd composition, specifically diversity and experience, is vital to understanding when size leads to better retention and performance. Crowd size was positively related to retention and performance when crowds were high in diversity and experience. Retention was important to determining when crowd size led to better performance. Crowd size was positively related to performance when retention was low. Our results suggest that crowds benefit from their size when they are diverse, experienced, and have low retention rates.
Measuring self‐reported quality of life in 8‐ to 11‐year‐old children born with gastroschisis: Is the KIDSCREEN questionnaire acceptable?
Authors: Rankin Judith , Glinianaia Svetlana V. , Jardine Jenni , McConachie Helen , Borrill Heather , Embleton Nicholas D.
Published: March 2016

Background

Children born with gastroschisis have a good prognosis but require surgical correction and long‐term follow up. There has been little research on the impact of gastroschisis on the child's health‐related quality of life (QoL). The aim was to assess face and content validity of the KIDSCREEN‐52 questionnaire as a measurement of self‐ and proxy‐reported QoL in children born with gastroschisis and to evaluate self‐reported QoL in these children compared with the reference population.

Methods

In this cross‐sectional exploratory study, we used the validated KIDSCREEN‐52 questionnaire and individual interview with 8‐ to 11‐year‐old children born with gastroschisis who were identified from the Northern Congenital Abnormality Survey. Self‐reported QoL scores were compared with age‐matched UK norms by using the two‐sample t test.

Results

Ten children (median age 9.6 years, interquartile range 8.3–11.0) and their parents participated. Children found KIDSCREEN a helpful tool to explore their feelings and that it covered life aspects important to them. Parents believed that all priority areas were represented and that it was straightforward for their children to complete. In nine KIDSCREEN domains, children with gastroschisis had similar QoL scores to those in the reference population, and in one (psychological well‐being) the mean score was significantly better (p = 0.03). All children described their health as good/very good or excellent; eight said they would not like to change anything about their body.

Conclusion

The KIDSCREEN questionnaire has adequate face and content validity as a measure of QoL in children with gastroschisis and is acceptable to both children and parents. Birth Defects Research (Part A) 106:250–256, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Teenage pregnancy with catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia and documented ICD discharges
Authors: Ahmed Aziez , Phillips John R.
Published: March 2016

Key Clinical Message

We report the first case of pregnancy in a pediatric patient with catecholiminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia (CPVT). Pregnant adolescents with CPVT are at high risk for NSVT and malignant VT during pregnancy, despite antiarrhythmic medication. They may receive multiple implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) therapies. Such patients require close monitoring with special care during the first trimester.
An uncommon complication of arterial embolization for treatment of epistaxis
Authors: Bobinskas Alexander M. , Barrett Michael
Published: March 2016

Key Clinical Message

Although uncommon, patients should be advised that soft tissue necrosis may be a complication of arterial embolization used for treatment of epistaxis.
A Lysosome‐Compatible Near‐Infrared Fluorescent Probe for Targeted Monitoring of Nitric Oxide
Authors: Wang Baogang , Yu Shichong , Chai Xiaoyun , Li Tiejun , Wu Qiuye , Wang Ting
Published: March 2016

The requirement for nitric oxide (NO) of lysosomes has motivated the development of a sophisticated fluorescent probe to monitor the distribution of this important biomolecule at the subcellular level in living cells. A near‐infrared (NIR) fluorescent Si‐rhodamine (SiRB)‐NO probe was designed based on the NO‐induced ring‐opening process of Si‐rhodamine. The probe exhibits fast chromogenic and fluorogenic responses, and high sensitivity and selectivity toward trace amounts of NO. Significantly, the spirolactam in Si‐rhodamine exhibits very good tolerance to H+, which in turn brings extremely low background fluorescence not only in the physiological environment but also under acidic conditions. The stability of the highly fluorescent product in acidic solution provides persistent fluorescence emission for long‐term imaging experiments. To achieve targeted imaging with improved spatial resolution and sensitivity, an efficient lysosome‐targeting moiety was conjugated to a SiRB‐NO probe, affording a tailored lysosome‐targeting NIR fluorescent Lyso‐SiRB‐NO probe. Inheriting the key advantages of its parent SiRB‐NO probe, Lyso‐SiRB‐NO is a functional probe that is suited for monitoring lysosomal NO with excellent lysosome compatibility. Imaging experiments demonstrated the monitoring of both exogenous and endogenous NO in real time by using the Lyso‐SiRB‐NO probe.
Promoting the Hydrosilylation of Benzaldehyde by Using a Dicationic Antimony‐Based Lewis Acid: Evidence for the Double Electrophilic Activation of the Carbonyl Substrate
Authors: Hirai Masato , Cho Junsang , Gabbaï François P.
Published: March 2016

The concomitant activation of carbonyl substrates by two Lewis acids has been investigated by using [1,2‐(Ph2MeSb)2C6H4]2+ ([1]2+), an antimony‐based bidentate Lewis acid obtained by methylation of the corresponding distibine. Unlike the simple stibonium cation [Ph3MeSb]+, dication [1]2+ efficiently catalyzes the hydrosilylation of benzaldehyde under mild conditions. The catalytic activity of this dication is correlated to its ability to doubly activate the carbonyl functionality of the organic substrate. This view is supported by the isolation of [1‐μ2‐DMF][OTf]2, an adduct, in which the DMF oxygen atom bridges the two antimony centers.
A study of living wage effects on employees' performance‐related attitudes and behaviour
Authors: Zeng Zhaocheng , Honig Benson
Published: March 2016

Despite the surge of interest in living wage research, most studies pay little attention to the effect of living wages on employee attitudes and behaviour. We examine the differences between living wage and minimum wage workers on three attitudinal and behavioural outcomes: affective commitment, organizational citizenship behaviour (OCB), and turnover intention. We also examine the effects of training and benefits on the three outcomes. Results show that living wage workers have higher affective commitment and lower turnover intention. Training and benefits also improve workers' attitudinal and behavioural outcomes variously. Copyright © 2016 ASAC. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The emerging role of the tubulin code: From the tubulin molecule to neuronal function and disease
Authors: Chakraborti Soumyananda , Natarajan Kathiresan , Curiel Julian , Janke Carsten , Liu Judy
Published: March 2016

Across different cell types and tissues, microtubules are assembled from highly conserved dimers of α‐ and β‐tubulin. Despite their highly similar structures, microtubules have functional heterogeneity, generated either by the expression of different tubulin genes, encoding distinct isotypes, or by posttranslational modifications of tubulin. This genetically encoded and posttranslational generated heterogeneity of tubulin—the “tubulin code”—has the potential to modulate microtubule structure, dynamics, and interactions with associated proteins. The tubulin code is therefore believed to regulate microtubule functions on a cellular and sub‐cellular level. This review highlights the importance of the tubulin code for tubulin structure, as well as on microtubule dynamics and functions in neurons. It further summarizes recent developments in the understanding of mutations in tubulin genes, and how they are linked to neurodegenerative and neurodevelopmental disorders. The current advances in the knowledge of the tubulin code on the molecular and the functional level will certainly lead to a better understanding of how complex signaling events control microtubule functions, especially in cells of the nervous system. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Stable Ultrathin‐Shell Double Emulsions for Controlled Release
Authors: Zhao Chun‐Xia , Chen Dong , Hui Yue , Weitz David A. , Middelberg Anton P. J.
Published: March 2016

Double emulsions are normally considered as metastable systems and this limit in stability restricts their applications. To enhance their stability, the outer shell can be converted into a mechanically strong layer, for example, a polymeric layer, thus allowing improved performance. This conversion can be problematic for food and drug applications, as a toxic solvent is needed to dissolve the polymer in the middle phase and a high temperature is required to remove the solvent. This process can also be highly complex, for example, involving UV initiation of polymeric monomer crosslinking. In this study, we report the formation of biocompatible, water‐in‐oil‐in‐water (W/O/W) double emulsions with an ultrathin layer of fish oil. We demonstrate their application for the encapsulation and controlled release of small hydrophilic molecules. Without a trigger, the double emulsions remained stable for months, and the release of small molecules was extremely slow. In contrast, rapid release was achieved by osmolarity shock, leading to complete release within 2 h. This work demonstrates the significant potential of double emulsions, and provides new insights into their stability and practical applications.
Interaction of Boron Nitride Nanosheets with Model Cell Membranes
Authors: Hilder Tamsyn A , Gaston Nicola
Published: March 2016

Boron nitride nanomaterials have attracted attention for biomedical applications, due to their improved biocompatibility when compared with carbon nanomaterials. Recently, graphene and graphene oxide nanosheets have been shown, both experimentally and computationally, to destructively extract phospholipids from Escherichia coli. Boron nitride nanosheets (BNNSs) have exciting potential biological and environmental applications, for example the ability to remove oil from water. These applications are likely to increase the exposure of prokaryotes and eukaryotes to BNNSs. Yet, despite their promise, the interaction between BNNSs and cell membranes has not yet been investigated. Here, all‐atom molecular dynamics simulations were used to demonstrate that BNNSs are spontaneously attracted to the polar headgroups of the lipid bilayer. The BNNSs do not passively cross the lipid bilayer, most likely due to the large forces experienced by the BNNSs. This study provides insight into the interaction of BNNSs with cell membranes and may aid our understanding of their improved biocompatibility.
Design of Highly Selective Platinum Nanoparticle Catalysts for the Aerobic Oxidation of KA‐Oil using Continuous‐Flow Chemistry
Authors: Gill Arran M. , Hinde Christopher S. , Leary Rowan K. , Potter Matthew E. , Jouve Andrea , Wells Peter P. , Midgley Paul A. , Thomas John M. , Raja Robert
Published: March 2016

Invited for this month′s cover is the group of Dr. Robert Raja at the University of Southampton, UK. The image shows the origin of spatially isolated and well‐defined platinum nanoparticles, within a microporous framework architecture, for the selective aerobic oxidation of KA‐oil to cyclohexanone, which is an important precursor in the manufacture of nylon‐6. The Communication itself is available at 10.1002/cssc.201501264.
Efficient detection of missing tags for passive RFID systems
Authors: Sanchez Leonardo , Ramos Victor , Ledesma Oscar
Published: March 2016

One of the most interesting radio‐frequency identification applications is the detection of missing tags along with the objects they are attached to. This process must be executed in a fast and efficient way. A monitoring function may need to be periodically executed in order to implement a reliable detection system, therefore raising the need to optimize its performance, in terms of both time and reliability. The contribution of this paper is twofold; on one hand, we provide a protocol taxonomy for the missing‐tag detection problem, which up to our best knowledge is the first of its class, and on the other hand, we propose two novel protocols for a fast detection of the missing tags in a passive radio‐frequency identification system. By increasing the length of the packets exchanged among the reader and the tags, our protocols are able to reduce the time needed to detect the missing tags, by decreasing the number of broadcast messages in the network. Our results show that our proposals outperform the most recent protocols in the literature, obtaining improvements on the execution time going from 25% to 75%. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Design of an harmonic radar for the tracking of the Asian yellow‐legged hornet
Authors: Milanesio Daniele , Saccani Maurice , Maggiora Riccardo , Laurino Daniela , Porporato Marco
Published: March 2016

The yellow‐legged Asian hornet is an invasive species of wasps, indigenous to the Southeast Asia but recently spreading in Southern Europe. Because of its exponential diffusion and its serious threat to the local honeybee colonies (and to humans as well), restraint measures are currently under investigation. We developed and tested an harmonic radar capable of tracking the flying trajectory of these insects, once equipped with a small transponder, in their natural environment. Several hornets were captured close to a small cluster of honeybee hives, tagged with different transponders and then released in order to follow the flight toward their nest. On‐field testing proved an initial maximum detection range of about 125 m in a hilly and woody area. A number of detections were clearly recorded, and preferential directions of flight were identified. The system herein described is intended as a first low‐cost harmonic radar; it proved the capability to track the hornets while flying and it permitted to test the tagging techniques. Several upgrades of the system have been identified during this work and are extensively described in the last chapter. The designed system has three major advantages over conventional harmonic radars. First and most importantly, it adopts advanced processing techniques to suppress clutter and to improve target detection. Second, it allows radar operations in complex environments, generally hilly and rich in vegetation. Finally, it can continuously track tagged insects (24/7) and in any meteorological condition, providing an effective tool in order to locate the nests of the yellow‐legged Asian hornet.
FeII and CoII Complexes with Click‐Derived Tripodal Ligands: Influence of the Peripheral Substituents on Geometric Structures and Magnetic Properties
Authors: Schweinfurth David , Demeshko Serhiy , Sommer Michael G. , Dechert Sebastian , Meyer Franc , Sarkar Biprajit
Published: March 2016

Tuning of the geometric and electronic properties of a transition metal center through manipulation of the secondary coordination sphere is an important topic in contemporary chemistry. In this contribution we present mononuclear iron(II) and cobalt(II) complexes that contain “click”‐derived tripodal ligands with peripheral phenyl substituents on the backbone. A comparison of the complexes presented here with those of previously reported complexes shows that the substituents at the ligand backbone dictate the first coordination environment at the metal center, and hence, its geometric structure. The substituents also have a decisive influence on the spin state of the metal centers. Apart from synthesis and characterization, single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction studies and magnetometric measurements have been performed to investigate the properties of these complexes. We show here how the modification of the peripheral substituents in these increasingly popular tripodal ligands can influence the geometric and electronic structures of the reported metal complexes. These results are likely to have an impact in the field of magnetism related to such complexes, as well as in the study of spin state dependent reactivity in related iron(II) and cobalt(II) complexes.
Isolation and Structures of 1,2,3‐Triazole‐Derived Mesoionic Biscarb­enes with Bulky Aromatic Groups
Authors: Iwasaki Haruka , Yamada Yuji , Ishikawa Ryuta , Koga Yuji , Matsubara Kouki
Published: March 2016

1,2,3‐Triazole‐derived mesoionic biscarbenes bridged by a pyridylene group were synthesized and their structures were determined. Bulky substituents on the carbene rings stabilized the carbenes, which enabled their crystal structures to be determined. As implied by DFT calculations and the experimental results, the carbenes are partly reduced to anionic radical species in the presence of strong bases. This suggests that the pyridylene and triazolylidene moieties endow molecules with both electron‐acceptor and ‐donor properties. A rare example of an iron complex with a pincer carbene was synthesized.
A Formal Intermolecular Iodolactonization Reaction Based on a Radical‐Ionic Sequence
Authors: León‐Rayo David F. , Morales‐Chamorro Maricela , Cordero‐Vargas Alejandro
Published: March 2016

We report herein a method based on a radical‐ionic sequence between an allylic alcohol and an α‐iodo acid in the presence of substoichiometric amounts of lauroyl peroxide (DLP) to produce an atom transfer radical addition (ATRA) adduct, which subseqently underwent an acid‐mediated lactonization. This approach can be described as a free radical reaction followed by an intermolecular iodolactonization. Twenty‐two experiments were carried out to evaluate the scope of the reaction, which afforded a wide variety of iodo lactones with diverse functionalities. The utility of this approach was demonstrated in the synthesis of the natural product (–)‐de‐O‐methylcentrolobine.
Multicomponent Cascade Synthesis of Biaryl‐Based Chalcones in Pure Water and in an Aqueous Micellar Environment
Authors: Armenise Nicola , Malferrari Danilo , Ricciardulli Sara , Galletti Paola , Tagliavini Emilio
Published: March 2016

The challenging multicomponent cascade synthesis of biaryl‐based chalcones was carried out in pure water and in an aqueous micellar system. The first step of the protocol was a simple Pd‐catalysed, ligand‐free, and aerobic Suzuki–Miyaura reaction in aqueous medium. This proved to be extremely efficient for the coupling of aryl and heteroaryl bromides with different arylboronic acids. Subsequently, the resulting intermediates underwent an in‐situ aldol condensation reaction to give biaryl(hetero)chalcones in good to excellent yields. When the protocol was applied to highly lipophilic or less reactive reagents, micellar catalysis was required for good results. To achieve this, we successfully used a new surfactant obtained from renewable resources that we recently designed. Furthermore, using this additive, the catalytic system can be repeatedly recycled without significant loss of activity.
Spectroscopic methods and their applicability for high‐throughput characterization of mammalian cell cultures in automated cell culture systems
Authors: Musmann Carsten , Joeris Klaus , Markert Sven , Solle Dörte , Scheper Thomas
Published: March 2016

The number and use of automated cell culture systems for mammalian cell culture are steadily increasing. Automated cell culture systems require miniaturized analytics with a high throughput to obtain as much information as possible from single experiments. Standard analytics commonly used for conventional bioreactor samples cannot handle the high throughput and the low sample volumes. Spectroscopic methods provide a means of meeting this analytical requirement and afford fast and direct access to process information. In the first part of this review, UV/VIS, fluorescence, Raman, near‐infrared, and mid‐infrared spectroscopy are presented. In the second part of the review, these spectroscopic methods are evaluated in terms of their applicability in the new field of mammalian cell culture processes in automated cell culture systems. Unlike standard bioreactors, these automated systems have special requirements that apply to the use of spectroscopic methods. Therefore, they are compared with regard to cell culture automation, throughput, and required sample volume.
Influence of time‐varying frequency content in earthquake ground motions on seismic response of linear elastic systems
Authors: Li Yong , Conte Joel P. , Barbato Michele
Published: March 2016

Earthquake ground motion records are nonstationary in both amplitude and frequency content. However, the latter nonstationarity is typically neglected mainly for the sake of mathematical simplicity. To study the stochastic effects of the time‐varying frequency content of earthquake ground motions on the seismic response of structural systems, a pair of closely related stochastic ground motion models is adopted here. The first model (referred to as ground motion model I) corresponds to a fully nonstationary stochastic earthquake ground motion model previously developed by the authors. The second model (referred to as ground motion model II) is nonstationary in amplitude only and is derived from the first model. Ground motion models I and II have the same mean‐square function and global frequency content but different features of time variation in the frequency content, in that no time variation of the frequency content exists in ground motion model II. New explicit closed‐form solutions are derived for the response of linear elastic SDOF and MDOF systems subjected to stochastic ground motion model II. New analytical solutions for the evolutionary cross‐correlation and cross‐PSD functions between the ground motion input and the structural response are also derived for linear systems subjected to ground motion model I. Comparative analytical results are presented to quantify the effects of the time‐varying frequency content of earthquake ground motions on the structural response of linear elastic systems. It is found that the time‐varying frequency content in the seismic input can have significant effects on the stochastic properties of system response. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Synergistic stress exacerbation in hippocampal neurons: Evidence favoring the dual‐hit hypothesis of neurodegeneration
Authors: Heinemann Scott D. , Posimo Jessica M. , Mason Daniel M. , Hutchison Daniel F. , Leak Rehana K.
Published: March 2016

The dual‐hit hypothesis of neurodegeneration states that severe stress sensitizes vulnerable cells to subsequent challenges so that the two hits are synergistic in their toxic effects. Although the hippocampus is vulnerable to a number of neurodegenerative disorders, there are no models of synergistic cell death in hippocampal neurons in response to combined proteotoxic and oxidative stressors, the two major characteristics of these diseases. Therefore, a relatively high‐throughput dual‐hit model of stress synergy was developed in primary hippocampal neurons. In order to increase the rigor of the study and strengthen the interpretations, three independent, unbiased viability assays were employed at multiple timepoints. Stress synergy was elicited when hippocampal neurons were treated with the proteasome inhibitor MG132 followed by exposure to the oxidative toxicant paraquat, but only after 48 h. MG132 and paraquat only elicited additive effects 24 h after the final hit and even loss of heat shock protein 70 activity and glutathione did not promote stress synergy at this early timepoint. Dual hits of MG132 elicited modest glutathione loss and slightly synergistic toxic effects 48 h after the second hit, but only at some concentrations and only according to two viability assays (metabolic fitness and cytoskeletal integrity). The thiol N‐acetyl cysteine protected hippocampal neurons against dual MG132/MG132 hits but not dual MG132/paraquat hits. These findings support the view that proteotoxic and oxidative stress propel and propagate each other in hippocampal neurons, leading to synergistically toxic effects, but not as the default response and only after a delay. The neuronal stress synergy observed here lies in contrast to astrocytic responses to dual hits, because astrocytes that survive severe proteotoxic stress resist additional cell loss following second hits. In conclusion, a new model of hippocampal vulnerability was developed for the testing of therapies, because neuroprotective treatments that are effective against severe, synergistic stress are more likely to succeed in the clinic. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Hypertension, use of antihypertensive medications, and risk of epithelial ovarian cancer
Authors: Huang Tianyi , Poole Elizabeth M. , Eliassen A. Heather , Okereke Olivia I. , Kubzansky Laura D. , Sood Anil K. , Forman John P. , Tworoger Shelley S.
Published: March 2016

Few studies have examined the associations of hypertension and antihypertensive medications with ovarian cancer. In particular, beta‐blockers, one of the most commonly prescribed medications to treat hypertension, may reduce ovarian cancer risk by inhibiting beta‐adrenergic signaling. We prospectively followed 90,384 women in the Nurses' Health Study (NHS) between 1988–2012 and 113,121 NHSII participants between 1989–2011. Hypertension and use of antihypertensive medications were self‐reported biennially. Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). We documented 948 ovarian cancer cases during follow‐up. Similar results were observed in the two cohorts. While hypertension was not associated with ovarian cancer risk (Pooled HR = 1.01; 95% CI = 0.88, 1.16), current use of any antihypertensive medication was associated with slightly increased risk compared to never users (Pooled HR = 1.18; 95% CI: 1.02, 1.37). This increased risk was primarily due to use of thiazide diuretics (Pooled HR = 1.37; 95% CI: 1.13, 1.68). No associations were observed for beta‐blockers or angiotensin‐converting‐enzyme inhibitors. Calcium channel blockers (CCBs) were associated with suggestively reduced risk (NHS HR = 0.73; 95% CI: 0.53, 1.01), after adjusting for all antihypertensive medications. Associations were similar among hypertensive women and stronger for longer use of thiazide diuretics and CCBs. In conclusion, our results provided no evidence that beta‐blockers were associated with reduced ovarian cancer risk. In contrast, we observed an increased risk for use of thiazide diuretics that should be confirmed in other studies.
Tumour angiogenesis—Origin of blood vessels
Authors: Krishna Priya S. , Nagare R.P. , Sneha V.S. , Sidhanth C. , Bindhya S. , Manasa P. , Ganesan T.S.
Published: March 2016

The conventional view of tumour vascularization is that tumours acquire their blood supply from neighbouring normal stroma. Additional methods of tumour vascularization such as intussusceptive angiogenesis, vasculogenic mimicry, vessel co‐option and vasculogenesis have been demonstrated to occur. However, the origin of the endothelial cells and pericytes in the tumour vasculature is not fully understood. Their origin from malignant cells has been shown indirectly in lymphoma and neuroblastoma by immuno‐FISH experiments. It is now evident that tumours arise from a small population of cells called cancer stem cells (CSCs) or tumour initiating cells. Recent data suggest that a proportion of tumour endothelial cells arise from cancer stem cells in glioblastoma. This was demonstrated both in vitro and in vivo. The analysis of chromosomal abnormalities in endothelial cells showed identical genetic changes to those identified in tumour cells. However, another report contradicted these results from the earlier studies in glioblastoma and had shown that CSCs give rise to pericytes and not endothelial cells. The main thrust of this review is the critical analysis of the conflicting data from different studies and the remaining questions in this field of research. The mechanism by which this phenomenon occurs is also discussed in detail. The transdifferentiation of CSCs to endothelial cells/pericytes has many implications in the progression and metastasis of the tumours and hence it would be a novel target for antiangiogenic therapy.
LOC283731 promoter hypermethylation prognosticates survival after radiochemotherapy in IDH1 wild‐type glioblastoma patients
Authors: Mock Andreas , Geisenberger Christoph , Orlik Christian , Warta Rolf , Schwager Christian , Jungk Christine , Dutruel Céline , Geiselhart Lea , Weichenhan Dieter , Zucknick Manuela , Nied Ann‐Katrin , Friauf Sara , Exner Janina , Capper David , Hartmann Christian , Lahrmann Bernd , Grabe Niels , Debus Jürgen , von Deimling Andreas , Popanda Odilia , Plass Christoph , Unterberg Andreas , Abdollahi Amir , Schmezer Peter , Herold‐Mende Christel
Published: March 2016

MGMT promoter methylation status is currently the only established molecular prognosticator in IDH wild‐type glioblastoma multiforme (GBM). Therefore, we aimed to discover novel therapy‐associated epigenetic biomarkers. After enrichment for hypermethylated fractions using methyl‐CpG‐immunoprecipitation (MCIp), we performed global DNA methylation profiling for 14 long‐term (LTS; >36 months) and 15 short‐term (STS; 6–10 months) surviving GBM patients. Even after exclusion of the G‐CIMP phenotype, we observed marked differences between the LTS and STS methylome. A total of 1,247 probes in 706 genes were hypermethylated in LTS and 463 probes in 305 genes were found to be hypermethylated in STS patients (p values < 0.05, log2 fold change ± 0.5). We identified 13 differentially methylated regions (DMRs) with a minimum of four differentially methylated probes per gene. Indeed, we were able to validate a subset of these DMRs through a second, independent method (MassARRAY) in our LTS/STS training set (ADCY1, GPC3, LOC283731/ISLR2). These DMRs were further assessed for their prognostic capability in an independent validation cohort (n = 62) of non‐G‐CIMP GBMs from the TCGA. Hypermethylation of multiple CpGs mapping to the promoter region of LOC283731 correlated with improved patient outcome (p = 0.03). The prognostic performance of LOC283731 promoter hypermethylation was confirmed in a third independent study cohort (n = 89), and was independent of gender, performance (KPS) and MGMT status (p = 0.0485, HR = 0.63). Intriguingly, the prediction was most pronounced in younger GBM patients (<60 years). In conclusion, we provide compelling evidence that promoter methylation status of this novel gene is a prognostic biomarker in IDH1 wild‐type/non‐G‐CIMP GBMs.
The role of halophyte Juncus acutus L. in the remediation of mixed contamination in a hydroponic greenhouse experiment
Authors: Christofilopoulos Stavros , Syranidou Evdokia , Gkavrou Georgia , Manousaki Eleni , Kalogerakis Nicolas
Published: March 2016

BACKGROUND

Emerging organic contaminants include a large group of compounds that are frequently detected in wastewater along with heavy metals, due to incomplete removal or limitations in conventional and advanced treatment processes. In this work, the efficiency of Juncus acutus L. on the removal of mixed contamination; ciprofloxacin (CIP), sulfamethoxazole (SMX), bisphenol A (BPA) and heavy metals (chromium (Cr), nickel (Ni), cadmium (Cd) and zinc (Zn)), was investigated in a hydroponic experiment in order to evaluate its potential for use in the alternative remediation technology of constructed wetland (CW) systems. Concentrations of the compounds ranged from µg L−1 to well beyond environmentally relevant values (50 mg L−1 for the organics and more than 1000 mg L−1 in the case of Zn and Cr).

RESULTS

Antibiotics (CIP and SMX), BPA and heavy metals were efficiently removed after 28 days, without J. acutus exhibiting perceptible phytotoxicity symptoms, in concentrations even higher than those that are generally detected in industrial or hospital wastewater. Extremely high concentrations of heavy metals induced severe physiological damage to the plants.

CONCLUSION

The remarkable efficiency of the halophyte J. acutus was revealed, regarding all the contaminants tested at environmentally relevant concentrations. In higher concentrations of antibiotics and mixtures of organic and inorganic contaminants, the contribution of the plant was also demonstrated. Findings from this work suggest that J. acutus plants are an ideal candidate for phytoremediation applications in CW systems, targeting urban, industrial or pharmaceutical wastewater treatment. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry
Efficient Synthesis of Pyrrolo [2,3‐d] Pyrimidines Containing 1,4‐Disubstituted‐1,2,3‐Triazole Derivatives
Authors: Ruddarraju Radhakrishnamraju , Murugulla Adharvana Chari , Donthabakthuni Shobha , Kotla Ravindar , Deshmukh Sandeep , Maroju Ravichandar , Palle Sadhanandam
Published: March 2016

Here, we demonstrate a simple but highly efficient method for the synthesis of multifunctionalized pyrrolo[2,3‐d]pyrimidines containing 1,4‐disubstituted 1,2,3‐triazole derivative coupled with various amines (10a, 10b, 10c, 10d, 10e, 10f, 10g) and alcohol (10h) to obtain final compounds (11a, 11b, 11c, 11d, 11e, 11f, 11g, 11h) with reasonable to excellent yields (25% to 94%). The newly synthesized compounds were characterized by IR, 1HNMR, 13CNMR, and mass spectroscopy analysis.
Muscle strength is associated with vitamin D receptor gene variants
Authors: Bozsodi Arpad , Boja Sara , Szilagyi Agnes , Somhegyi Annamaria , Varga Peter Pal , Lazary Aron
Published: March 2016

Vitamin D receptor (VDR) is an important candidate gene in muscle function. Scientific reports on the effect of its genetic variants on muscle strength are contradictory likely due to the inconsistent study designs. Hand grip strength (HGS) is a highly heritable phenotype of muscle strength but only limited studies are available on its genetic background. Association between VDR polymorphisms and HGS has been poorly investigated and previous reports are conflicting. We studied the effect of VDR gene variants on HGS in a sample of 706 schoolchildren. Genomic DNA was extracted from saliva samples and six candidate single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) across the VDR gene were genotyped with Sequenom MassARRAY technique. HGS was measured with a digital dynamometer in both hands. Single marker and haplotype associations were adjusted for demographic parameters. Three SNPs, rs4516035 (A1012G; p = 0.009), rs1544410 (BsmI; p = 0.010), and rs731236 (TaqI; p = 0.038) and a 3′ UTR haploblock constructed by three SNPs (Bsml‐Taq1‐rs10783215; p < 0.005) showed significantly associations with HGS of the dominant hand. In the non‐dominant hand, the effects of the A1012G (p = 0.034) and the 3′ UTR haploblock (p < 0.01) on HGS were also significant. Since the promoter SNP (A10112G) and the 3′ UTR haplotype were proved to be associated with the expression and the stability of the VDR mRNA in earlier studies, VDR variants can be supposed to have a direct effect on muscle strength. The individual genetic patterns can also explain the inconsistency of the previously published clinical results on the association between vitamin D and muscle function. © 2016 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 34:2031–2037, 2016.
Nitrogen and oxygen isotopic fractionation during microbial nitrite reduction
Authors: Martin Taylor S. , Casciotti Karen L.
Published: March 2016

Microbial nitrite reduction plays an important role in the nitrogen cycle, producing the first gaseous product in the denitrification pathway. The role of nitrite reduction in the environment can be assessed using stable isotope measurements of nitrite. Here, we present estimates for nitrogen (N) and oxygen (O) isotope fractionation during nitrite reduction catalyzed by copper‐containing nitrite reductase (Cu‐NIR) and cytochrome cd1‐containing nitrite reductase (Fe‐NIR). A Rayleigh fractionation model was used to calculate the N and O isotope effects, 15ε and 18ε respectively, from time‐course measurements of nitrite concentration and isotopic composition in batch culture experiments. For three strains of denitrifier carrying the Cu‐NIR, 15ε = 22 ± 2‰ and 18ε = 2 ± 2‰ (95% confidence interval). For three strains of denitrifier carrying the Fe‐NIR, 15ε = 8 ± 2 and 18ε = 6 ± 2‰ (95% confidence interval). These isotope effects for nitrite reduction are significantly different from each other. Furthermore, 15ε and 18ε do not show a 1 : 1 relationship, as has been assumed. The difference between the isotope effects for these two families of enzymes is likely due to a mechanical difference in how the enzymes bind nitrite. The Cu‐NIR binds to both O atoms and the Fe‐NIR only binds to the N, allowing either NO bond to be cleaved and imparting a larger isotope effect for O than for the Cu‐NIR. Utilizing these new N isotope effects for nitrite reduction in oxygen minimum zone N cycle models results in higher rates of nitrite oxidation than previously modeled.
Tröger's Base‐Containing Aromatic Polymers with Unexpected Properties Endowed by the Insertion of Alkyne Spacers
Authors: Li Wei , Michinobu Tsuyoshi
Published: March 2016

Novel Tröger's base‐containing linear polymers are synthesized by the Pd‐catalyzed polycondensation of 2,8‐disubstituted Tröger's base monomers. Despite the nonplanarity of Tröger's base structure, there is a solubility problem for the resulting polymers. Careful selection of the comonomers and π‐spacers eventually produce high molecular weight polymers. All the polymers show high thermal stabilities with decomposition temperatures (Td5%) exceeding 300 °C. The optical and electrochemical properties of Tröger's base‐containing polymers are, to the best of our knowledge, investigated for the first time. They absorb UV light and emit a blue fluorescence in CH2Cl2 solutions with the quantum yield reaching 0.72. The polymers with ethynylene spacers display a remarkable light‐green fluorescence in thin films as a result of excellent intermolecular interactions. Also, the redox activities depend on the chemical structures of the comonomers and π‐spacers. Remarkably, Tröger's base‐fluorene copolymer does not show any oxidation peaks, whereas the ethynylene‐linked copolymer exhibits a well‐defined oxidation at ≈1.1 V (vs Ag/Ag+). The use of triphenylamine comonomers further enhances the redox activities. A facilitated oxidation occurs at the benzidine subunits, and a faster redox response is revealed by spectroelectrochemical measurements.

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Two‐dimensional‐NGC‐SENSE‐GRAPPA for fast, ghosting‐robust reconstruction of in‐plane and slice‐accelerated blipped‐CAIPI echo planar imaging
Authors: Koopmans Peter J.
Published: March 2016

Purpose

Ghosting‐robust reconstruction of blipped‐CAIPI echo planar imaging simultaneous multislice data with low computational load.

Methods

To date, Slice‐GRAPPA, with “odd–even” kernels that improve ghosting performance, has been the framework of choice for such reconstructions due to its predecessor SENSE‐GRAPPA being deemed unsuitable for blipped‐CAIPI data. Modifications to SENSE‐GRAPPA are used to restore CAIPI compatibility and to make it robust against ghosting. Two implementations are tested, one where slices and in‐plane unaliasing are dealt in the same serial manner as in Slice‐GRAPPA [referred to as one‐dimensional (1D)‐NGC‐SENSE‐GRAPPA, where NGC stands for Nyquist Ghost Corrected] and one where both are unaliased in a single step (2D‐NGC‐SENSE‐GRAPPA), which is analytically and experimentally shown to be computationally cheaper.

Results

The 1D‐NGC‐SENSE‐GRAPPA and odd‐even Slice‐GRAPPA perform identically, whereas 2D‐NGC‐SENSE‐GRAPPA shows reduced error propagation, less residual ghosting when reliable reference data were available. When the latter was not the case, error propagation was increased.

Conclusion

Unlike Slice‐GRAPPA, SENSE‐GRAPPA operates fully within the GRAPPA framework, for which improved reconstructions (e.g., iterative, nonlinear) have been developed over the past decade. It could, therefore, bring benefit to the reconstruction of SMS data as an attractive alternative to Slice‐GRAPPA. Magn Reson Med 77:998–1009, 2017. © 2016 The Authors Magnetic Resonance in Medicine published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine. This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Analytical‐numerical solution for stress distribution around tunnel reinforced by radial fully grouted rockbolts
Authors: Ranjbarnia Masoud , Oreste Pierpaolo , Fahimifar Ahmad , Arya Amir
Published: March 2016

This paper presents an analytical‐numerical approach to obtain the distribution of stresses and deformations around a reinforced tunnel. The increase in the radial stress of the reinforced tunnel, based on the performance of a bolt, is modeled by a function, which its maximum value is in the vicinity of the bolt periphery and it exponentially decreases in the far distance from the bolt. On the basis of this approach, the shear stiffness between the bolt and the rock mass and the shear stress distribution around the bolt within the rock mass are also analytically obtained. The results are compared with those obtained by the assumption of ‘uniform increase of radial stress’ method, which is made by the previous studies. The analyses show when the bolts' spacing is large, the safety factor must be increased if the ‘uniform increase of radial stress’ method is used for the design.

Finally, a procedure is introduced to calculate the non‐equal deformation of the rock mass between the bolts at any radius that can be useful to compute the bending moment in shotcrete layer in New Austrian Tunnelling Method (NATM) approach. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Improved state estimation for Markovian jumping systems with time delay and partial information on transition probabilities
Authors: Zhang Yan , Lou Ke , Ge Yuan , Zhang Chuan‐Ke
Published: March 2016

This paper focuses on the full‐order state estimation problem for continuous‐time Markovian jumping systems with time delay and incomplete transition probabilities. Based on the Lyapunov stability theory, an extended Wirtinger's inequality is used to value the upper bound of integral term by considering the relationship among time delay, its upper, and their difference. At the same time, an extended vector inequality is applied to deal with the accompanying fractions that contain the information of time delay. As a result, an improved stability criterion is derived, and a full‐order state estimates design method is proposed. Finally, two examples are provided to illustrate the merits of the proposed method. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Unmasking Cleckley's psychopath: assessing historical case studies
Authors: DeShong Hilary L. , Helle Ashley C. , Mullins‐Sweatt Stephanie N.
Published: March 2016

The current study investigated original case descriptions of psychopathy (Cleckley, 1941) in relation to current conceptualizations and general personality traits. Attorneys, forensic psychologists and clinical faculty members completed ratings of psychopathy and personality after reading vignettes based on Cleckley's descriptions of a psychopath. The results suggest that professionals' ratings are consistent with current conceptualizations of psychopathy. Furthermore, the five‐factor model (FFM) personality traits of the vignettes aligned with the current literature on the FFM and psychopathy (i.e. low neuroticism, conscientiousness and agreeableness). The results further supported that a general trait model, like the FFM, may be well suited to describe the underlying personality traits of psychopathy. Gender differences were also examined.
Approaching Pharmacometrics as a Paleontologist Would: Recovering the Links Between Drugs and the Body Through Reconstruction
Authors: Craig M , González‐Sales M , Li J , Nekka F
Published: March 2016

Our knowledge of dinosaurs comes primarily from the fossil record. Notwithstanding the condition of these vestiges, paleontologists reconstruct early reptilian life by comparison to previously discovered specimens. When relics are missing, reasonable deductions are used to fill in the gaps.
Independent control of phases and defects in TiO2 thin films for functional transistor channels
Authors: Yajima Takeaki , Oike Go , Nishimura Tomonori , Toriumi Akira
Published: March 2016

TiO2 has various inherent advantages in practical devices: chemical stability, non‐toxicity, and abundance on earth, as highlighted in a range of applications of TiO2 surfaces in photocatalysis/optoelectronics. However, the application of TiO2 to three‐terminal devices has been limited; for example, TiO2‐channel transistors, which may potentially modulate the TiO2 surface properties by electrostatic back gating, has suffered from low field‐effect mobility (μFE < 1 cm2 V−1 s−1) irrespective of fabrication methods. The major challenge is to control phases (rutile/anatase) and defects (oxygen vacancy) simultaneously in TiO2 thin films. Here, we achieved μFE ∼ 10 cm2 V−1 s−1 in TiO2‐channel transistors, one order higher than before and even comparable to InGaZnO channels. The major improvement is the independent control of phases and defects in TiO2 thin films; we formed short‐range order of anatase phase in the amorphous deposition, and minimized the number of defects in the subsequent thermal treatment. Besides, we showed this independent control of phases and defects are underpinned by excellent thermal stability of TiO2/SiO2 interfaces. These results demonstrate TiO2 can be a transistor channel with a reasonable μFE and ON/OFF ratio (>6 orders), not only changing the conventional image of this material, but also promising new functionalities based on unique properties of TiO2.