bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Mild One‐Step Synthesis of 4,6‐Benzylideneglycopyranosides from Aromatic Aldehydes and Gelation Abilities of the Glucose Derivatives
Authors: Ono Fumiyasu , Hirata Osamu , Ichimaru Keiko , Saruhashi Koichiro , Watanabe Hisayuki , Shinkai Seiji
Published: August 2015

We report herein an efficient one‐step synthesis of 4,6‐benzylidene glycoside derivatives from aromatic aldehydes bearing electron‐donating or ‐withdrawing groups as well as polymerisable monomer groups. Glucose, mannose and galactose derivatives could also be used successfully. Several of the glucose derivatives thus obtained acted as gelators for various solvents, including water. 4‐(n‐Butoxybenzylidene)glucose derivative 3a produced both a clear squalane gel and a hydrogel at 0.1 wt.‐%. Furthermore, 3‐(n‐butoxybenzylidene)glucose derivative 3i produced a clear organogel and an opaque hydrogel. The critical gelation concentration (CGC) of 3i in squalane was determined to be 0.02 wt.‐%, which is one of the lowest CGC values reported so far. The organogels, hydrogels and aqueous solution gels produced from 3a and 3d exhibited thixotropy. The strength and thixotropy of the organo‐ and hydrogel produced from 3a were estimated by a rheometer. The gel morphologies were observed by field‐emission and wet‐scanning electron microscopy, and the self‐assembly modes were analysed by XRD. We have concluded that super‐gelators can be created by this method.
Stereoselective Total Synthesis of the Marine Macrolide Sanctolide A
Authors: Yadav Jhillu Singh , Suresh Borra , Srihari Pabbaraja
Published: August 2015

The stereoselective total synthesis of sanctolide A, a 14‐membered polyketide‐nonribosomal peptide (PK‐NRP) hybrid macrolide, was accomplished. Sanctolide A contains a rare N‐methyl enamide and 2‐hydroxyisovaleric acid functionality embedded into the macrocycle. The synthesis relied on Yamaguchi esterification and intramolecular dehydrative cyclization reactions to construct the core skeleton of the macrolide. The two key chiral centers were generated by Maruoka's allylation and Noyori's asymmetric ketone reduction reactions. Commercially available, inexpensive 2‐hydroxyisovaleric acid and hexanaldehyde were utilized as the raw materials for the total synthesis.
Copper‐Catalyzed Synthesis of N‐Formyl/Acylsulfenamides and ‐thiosulfonamides
Authors: Lee Chan , Lim Yu Na , Jang Hye‐Young
Published: August 2015

Recent remarkable success of copper‐catalyzed oxidative bond formations led us to develop an environmentally benign copper‐catalyzed sulfur–nitrogen bond‐forming reaction to provide synthetically and industrially useful electron‐deficient sulfenamides. The low nucleophilicity of N‐formyl/acyl‐ and sulfonylamides was overcome by introducing a 1,5,7‐triazabicyclo[4.4.0]dec‐5‐ene additive. A variety of N‐formyl/acylsulfenamides and ‐thiosulfonamides were synthesized in good yields without over‐oxidation of sulfur. Related mechanistic studies supported the proposed reaction mechanism.
Poly(diallydimethylammonium chloride) Functionalized Graphene/Double‐walled Carbon Nanotube Composite for Amperometric Determination of Nitrite
Authors: Liu Weilu , Gu Yue , Sun Guoxiang , Na Kexin , Li Cong , Tang Liu , Zhang Zhiquan , Yang Ming
Published: August 2015

Poly(diallydimethylammonium chloride) functionalized graphene/double‐walled carbon nanotube composite (PDDA‐GN/DWCNT) was synthesized by a facile microwave‐assisted reduction reaction. PDDA‐GN/DWCNT exhibits enhanced electrocatalytic activity towards nitrite oxidation. The direct electrooxidation behaviors of nitrite on PDDA‐GN/DWCNT were investigated by cyclic voltammetry, amperometric i‐t curve, and rotating disk electrode experiments. Under the optimum conditions, PDDA‐GN/DWCNT was applied to the quantitative analysis of nitrite with a wide linear range covering 0.07–3000 µM and a low detection limit of 0.03 µM (S/N=3). Moreover, PDDA‐GN/DWCNT exhibits satisfied results in the determination of nitrite that released from breast cancer cells.
Impact of waste water discharge on the plant diversity and community structure of Al‐Marj Plain, Libya
Authors: Shaltout Kamal H. , Fawzy Manal , Ahmed Dalia A. , Awad Mo‐hamed A. , El‐Barasi Yacoub M. , Al‐hasi Sabah M.
Published: August 2015

The present study aims at describing and analyzing the floristic composition and vegetation types, as well as evaluating the impact of waste water pollution on the plant diversity and community structure in Al‐Marj plain, North Libya. Forty‐two stands, distributed among pol‐luted and non‐polluted sites, were selected seasonally for this study. A total of 156 species were recorded (92 in the polluted and 121 in the non‐polluted sites). Eight vegetation groups were resulted after the application of TWINSPAN and DCA as classification and ordi‐nation techniques: four represented the polluted sites, two for the non‐polluted sites and other two were mixed groups. Group II (Sarcopoterium spinosum – Pistacia len‐tiscus), which represents the polluted sites, had the highest values of soil moisture, sa‐linity, sulphate, calcium and potassium; while group VI (Juniperus phoenicea – Olea europaea) inhabiting the non‐polluted site, had the lowest value of organic matter, salinity and magnesium. Group VII (Foeniculum vulgare – Nicotiana glauca), representing the non‐polluted site, was the most diverse, while VG III (Ricinus communis – Chrysanthemum coronarium), characterizing the polluted one, was the least. Heavy metal analysis, in both soil and waste water, indicated that the con‐centrations of Pb, Cd, Cr, Cu and Ni in the polluted sites were significantly higher than that in the non‐polluted ones. The diagram resulting from CCA showed effectiveness of most soil variables, except carbonates, sodium, magnesium and chlorides. The impact of waste water discharge led to the emergence of new invasive species, which may severely affects the plant diversity and community structure of this hot spot of biodiversity in Libya. (© 2015 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Micromorphic modelling of grain size effects in metal polycrystals
Authors: Cordero N. M. , Forest S. , Busso E. P.
Published: August 2015

A long‐standing problem in the modelling of polycrystal behavior from the knowledge of the constitutive equations of single crystals is the incorporation of grain size effects. Standard ho‐mogenization procedures efficiently take into account grain to grain interaction primarily induced by strain incompatibilities at grain boundary and grain morphology effects. Continuum crystal plasticity models are available that satisfactorily describe dislocation forest hardening associated with multiplication and dynamic recovery of dislocation populations. One strong limitation of these techniques is that the local crystal plasticity constitutive parameters at the grain scale are assumed to be known. Conversely, these material parameters can be identified from the macroscopic polycrystal response by an inverse approach involving the homogenization model. But then the found crystal plasticity model will be valid only for the considered grain size and the model can hardly be used for prediction of polycrystal behavior for another grain state of the material. Generalized continuum approaches arise as the suitable mechanical framework for formulating enhanced crystal plasticity models that intrinsically include grain size dependent local material responses. They incorporate the dislocation density tensor as a consitutive variable. Recent developments have shown the limitations of existing strain gradient models in the case of a two–phase laminate microstructure under single or double slip [1]. They plead for a theory even more general than the strain gradient or Cosserat approach, namely the micromorphic model presented here. The effect of the dislocation density tensor is introduced into the classical crystal plasticity framework by means of a micromor‐phic theory of single crystals. A computational homogenization strategy is presented in order to simulate the global and local responses of two–dimensional polycrystalline aggregates for grain sizes ranging from 1 to 200 microns. The model is shown to induce a size–dependent kinematic hardening component which is responsible for the observed strong size effects. The yield stress at a given averaged plastic deformation is shown to follow a power law scaling relation for grain sizes larger than a critical grain size. The field of plastic deformation is also strongly affected by grain size, micron–size grains leading to the formation of intense slip bands crossing several grains. (© 2013 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Analysis and comparison of two finite element algorithms for dislocation density based crystal plasticity
Authors: Klusemann Benjamin , Svendsen Bob , Bargmann Swantje
Published: August 2015

The purpose of the current work is the formulation and comparison of two finite element algorithms for a dislocation density based crystal plasticity model. We study multiscale inelastic materials whose behavior is influenced by the evolution of inelastic microstructure and the corresponding material or internal lengthscales. The work is an extension of the first investigation in Klusemann et al. [1] which was limited to a one‐dimensional bar. In the γ ‐algorithm, the displacement u and glide system slips γα are global unknowns and determined via weak field relations. The non‐dimensional densities of geometrically necessary dislocations ∼α are local quantities and solved for via a strong field relation. In the Q ‐algorithm, both the displacement uand dislocation densities ∼α are modeled as global, and the glide system slips γα as local. As it turns out, both algorithms generally predict the same microstructural behavior on a single crystal level. However, for a polycrystal the two solution strategies predict different material behaviors due to the formulation‐dependent representation of the boundary conditions. The introduction of a boundary layer in the model leads to good agreement between both algorithms for single and polycrystal simulations. (© 2013 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Disruption of cortical integration during midazolam‐induced light sedation
Authors: Liang Peipeng , Zhang Han , Xu Yachao , Jia Wenbin , Zang Yufeng , Li Kuncheng
Published: August 2015

This work examines the effect of midazolam‐induced light sedation on intrinsic functional connectivity of human brain, using a randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled, cross‐over, within‐subject design. Fourteen healthy young subjects were enrolled and midazolam (0.03 mg/kg of the participant's body mass, to a maximum of 2.5 mg) or saline were administrated with an interval of one week. Resting‐state fMRI was conducted before and after administration for each subject. We focus on two types of networks: sensory related lower‐level functional networks and higher‐order functions related ones. Independent component analysis (ICA) was used to identify these resting‐state functional networks. We hypothesize that the sensory (visual, auditory, and sensorimotor) related networks will be intact under midazolam‐induced light sedation while the higher‐order (default mode, executive control, salience networks, etc.) networks will be functionally disconnected. It was found that the functional integrity of the lower‐level networks was maintained, while that of the higher‐level networks was significantly disrupted by light sedation. The within‐network connectivity of the two types of networks was differently affected in terms of direction and extent. These findings provide direct evidence that higher‐order cognitive functions including memory, attention, executive function, and language were impaired prior to lower‐level sensory responses during sedation. Our result also lends support to the information integration model of consciousness. Hum Brain Mapp 36:4247–4261, 2015. © 2015 The Authors Human Brain Mapping Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Bilateral epithelial‐myoepithelial carcinoma of the parotid glands
Authors: Hattori Kayoko , Murai Norihiko , Kusano Junko , Takahashi Yuka
Published: August 2015

Background

The most common histological diagnosis of bilateral parotid gland neoplasm is Warthin tumor. Bilateral malignant tumors of the parotid gland are extremely rare.

Methods

A 60‐year‐old man presented with a painless mass in the right preauricular area and an MRI scan showed multiple masses in the parotid glands, bilaterally. A standard superficial parotidectomy was performed on the right parotid gland followed by subtotal parotidectomy on the left. The diagnosis was synchronous bilateral epithelial‐myoepithelial carcinoma arising in the parotid glands.

Results

Histopathology of the tumor on both sides indicated epithelial‐myoepithelial carcinoma. There was no evidence of locoregional or remote disease during a 5‐year follow‐up period.

Conclusion

Malignant tumors should be included in the differential diagnosis of bilateral parotid gland tumors. Management of unilateral malignant parotid tumors should involve careful observation of the contralateral parotid gland. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck 38: E73–E75, 2016
Iatrogenic dural arteriovenous fistula after radical neck dissection for metastatic malignant disease: A case report
Authors: Ngerageza Japhet Gideon , Horiuchi Tetsuyoshi , Murata Takahiro , Aoyama Tatsuro , Hongo Kazuhiro
Published: August 2015

Background

A case of dural arteriovenous fistula (dAVF) developed after radical neck dissection for lymph node metastasis 2 years after oral surgery for tongue cancer.

Methods

The patient was asymptomatic during follow‐up visits with no evidence of metastasis on follow‐up CT scan of the neck. However, diagnostic angiography showed left internal carotid artery (ICA) stenosis and dAVF involving the posterior meningeal artery and transverse sinus at the left posterior fossa with cortical venous reflux (Cognard type III). They were treated with carotid stenting and surgery, respectively.

Results

The postoperative course was uneventful. Follow‐up angiography revealed obliteration of the dAVF.

Conclusion

This was a rare case of iatrogenic dAVF after surgical ligation of venous outflow during radical neck dissection. The surgical plan is presented along with a literature review regarding the development of iatrogenic dAVFs induced by direct surgical trauma. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck 38: E87–E90, 2016
Non‐nasopharyngeal head and neck lymphoepithelioma‐like carcinoma in the United States: A population‐based study
Authors: Chan Jason Y. K. , Wong Eddy W. Y. , Ng Siu‐Kwan , Vlantis Alexander C.
Published: August 2015

Background

Non‐nasopharyngeal head and neck lymphoepithelioma‐like carcinoma (LELC) is a rate entity. The purpose of this study was to analyze its demographic, clinicopathologic, and survival characteristics.

Methods

A cohort from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database of cases with non‐nasopharyngeal head and neck LELC between 1973 and 2011.

Results

There were 378 cases with 5‐year overall survival (OS) of 70.5% and disease‐specific survival (DSS) of 77.7%. The majority of cases were <60‐year‐old white men. Salivary gland LELC had the highest OS (80.8%) and DSS (85.7%) at 5 years. Multivariate analysis showed that older age, no surgery, and no radiation were independently significantly associated with worse survival (p < .05).

Conclusion

Non‐nasopharyngeal head and neck LELC is uncommon in the United States with salivary gland LELC having the highest OS and DSS compared with other head and neck sites. The optimal treatment with surgery and/or radiotherapy needs to be further investigated. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck 38: E1294–E1300, 2016
Primary intraosseous mucoepidermoid carcinoma of the jaw: Reappraisal of The MD Anderson Cancer Center experience
Authors: Bell Diana , Lewis Carol , El‐Naggar Adel K. , Weber Randal S.
Published: August 2015

Background

Mucoepidermoid carcinoma arises from major or minor salivary glands, making up 10% of salivary gland tumors. Intraosseous mucoepidermoid carcinomas are rare, and make up only 2% to 3% of all mucoepidermoid carcinomas. The t(11;19) and its CRTC1‐MAML2 fusion gene transcript have been identified in mucoepidermoid carcinoma and are associated with a subset of mucoepidermoid carcinomas. The extent to which the transcript influences disease features and patient survival is unclear.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective analysis of records for clinical features, surgical interventions, and prognoses. Reverse transcriptase‐polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR) and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) used to assess the t(11;19) fusion gene in intraosseous mucoepidermoid carcinoma.

Results

Twenty‐five patients with intraosseous mucoepidermoid carcinoma treated between 1998 and 2013 were identified. The t(11;19) fusion gene transcript CRTC1‐MAML2 manifested in 9 intraosseous mucoepidermoid carcinomas, whereas is was not detected in another 9 intraosseous carcinomas. Although the incidence of this fusion in mucoepidermoid carcinoma varies, it is generally accepted that more than 50% of this entity manifest the CRTC1‐MAML2.

Conclusion

Intraosseous mucoepidermoid carcinoma diagnosis should be based on clinical and pathologic manifestations and complete resection is the first choice for patient treatment. The need for neck dissection and adjuvant treatment are debatable. Radiotherapy may improve prognosis and may be recommended in the postoperative period. Primary intraosseous mucoepidermoid carcinoma can manifest the fusion transcript in a subset of tumors. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck 38: E1312–E1317, 2016
Comparing the performance of FAM19A4 methylation analysis, cytology and HPV16/18 genotyping for the detection of cervical (pre)cancer in high‐risk HPV‐positive women of a gynecologic outpatient population (COMETH study)
Authors: Luttmer Roosmarijn , De Strooper Lise M.A. , Berkhof Johannes , Snijders Peter J.F. , Dijkstra Maaike G. , Uijterwaal Margot H. , Steenbergen Renske D.M. , van Kemenade Folkert J. , Rozendaal Lawrence , Helmerhorst Theo J.M. , Verheijen Rene H.M. , Ter Harmsel W. Abraham , Van Baal W. Marchien , Graziosi Peppino G.C.M. , Quint Wim G.V. , Heideman Daniëlle A.M. , Meijer Chris J.L.M.
Published: August 2015

Recently, DNA methylation analysis of FAM19A4 in cervical scrapes has been shown to adequately detect high‐grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia and cervical cancer (≥CIN3) in high‐risk HPV (hrHPV)‐positive women. Here, we compared the clinical performance of FAM19A4 methylation analysis to cytology and HPV16/18 genotyping, separately and in combination, for ≥CIN3 detection in hrHPV‐positive women participating in a prospective observational multi‐center cohort study. The study population comprised hrHPV‐positive women aged 18–66 years, visiting a gynecological outpatient clinic. From these women, cervical scrapes and colposcopy‐directed biopsies (for histological confirmation) were obtained. Cervical scrapes were analyzed for FAM19A4 gene promoter methylation, cytology and HPV16/18 genotyping. Methylation analysis was performed by quantitative methylation‐specific PCR (qMSP). Sensitivities and specificities for ≥CIN3 were compared between tests. Stratified analyses were performed for variables that potentially influence marker performance. Of all 508 hrHPV‐positive women, the sensitivities for ≥CIN3 of cytology, FAM19A4 methylation analysis, and cytology combined with HPV16/18 genotyping were 85.6, 75.6 and 92.2%, respectively, with corresponding specificities of 49.8, 71.1 and 29.4%, respectively. Both sensitivity and specificity of FAM19A4 methylation analysis were associated with age (p ≤ 0.001 each). In women ≥30 years (n = 287), ≥CIN3 sensitivity of FAM19A4 methylation analysis was 88.3% (95%CI: 80.2–96.5) which was noninferior to that of cytology [85.5% (95%CI: 76.0–94.0)], at a significantly higher specificity [62.1% (95%CI: 55.8–68.4) compared to 47.6% (95%CI: 41.1–54.1)]. In conclusion, among hrHPV‐positive women from an outpatient population aged ≥30 years, methylation analysis of FAM19A4 is an attractive marker for the identification of women with ≥CIN3.
Facile Rh‐C Bond Cleavage of Rhodium(III) Benzyl Porphyrin Complex in DMSO with Strong Bases
Authors: Wang Zikuan , Yin Haolin , Yun Lin , Liu Xu , Fu Xuefeng
Published: August 2015

Rhodium‐carbon bond cleavage represents an essential step for small molecule activation and transformation by rhodium porphyrin complexes. This article reports on a new method for the cleavage of porphyrin rhodium(III)‐carbon bonds in DMSO solvent with strong bases. UV‐Vis, in situ 1H NMR spectrum and GC‐MS analysis confirmed generation of rhodium(I) species and monodeuterated toluene. Mechanistic studies revealed that strongly reducing CD3SOCD2−, formed in situ from DMSO‐d6 and strong bases, promoted Rh‐C bond cleavage.
A Case for Mechanisms
Authors: Künzi Stefan A. , Sarria Toro Juan Manuel , den Hartog Tim , Chen Peter
Published: August 2015

A case study in the (re)discovery of a non‐diazo, catalytic, electrophilic cyclopropanation reaction is presented to illustrate the role of mechanistic concepts in chemical innovation. The specific instance also highlights how specific personalities interacted in the report, retraction, and reconsideration of a novel methylene transfer reaction. The case study ends with a series of lessons learned, which generalize the findings from the specific case.
The integration of talent management practices and computer aided engineering in new product development
Authors: Louw Wynand J. , Benade Siebert
Published: August 2015

It is commonly perceived that computer aided engineering (CAE) tools have the potential of improving the quality of products and the time and cost performance of new product development (NPD) undertakings. Whilst the effect of CAE usage on NPD performance is the subject of numerous literature articles, the reasons for its failure to achieve the expected NPD improvements are seldom investigated. A gap in the theory thus exists as speculative reasons are provided where research has found statistically insignificant or negative correlation between NPD performance and CAE usage. The objective of this research was to determine if CAE tool usage has a greater positive impact on NPD performance when combined with talent management initiatives, since talent development presents itself as a possible enabler to realise the potential CAE performance gains. An exploratory multiple case study research strategy was followed where semi‐structured interviews were conducted with individuals at three NPD companies. The results show that satisfying talent requirements is indeed an enabling factor to gain advantage from CAE tools, and talent requirements of NPD managers and engineers are identified.
Modelling Methodology for Engineering of Complex Sociotechnical Systems
Authors: Oosthuizen Rudolph , Pretorius Leon
Published: August 2015

Different Systems Engineering techniques and approaches are applied to design and develop complex sociotechnical systems for complex problems. In a complex sociotechnical system cognitive and social humans use information technology to make sense of a situation in support of decisions. The complex dynamic system elements, their interaction and, the complex environment make sociotechnical systems difficult to develop. A modelling and assessment methodology in support of the Systems Engineering process is required to understand the sociotechnical system's behaviour and underlying structure. It must capture the dynamic interaction as well as the effect of humans performing work in a complex environment. Cognitive Work Analysis and System Dynamics are two complementary approaches that can be applied in support of each other within this context.
Hybrid and Blended Learning
Authors: O'Byrne W. Ian , Pytash Kristine E.
Published: August 2015

Hybrid or blended learning is defined as a pedagogical approach that includes a combination of face‐to‐face instruction with computer‐mediated instruction. The terms blended learning, hybrid learning, and mixed‐mode learning are used interchangeably in current research; however, in the United States, hybrid learning is used most often. Although hybrid learning can be diverse in how it is implemented, educators agree that this approach has the opportunity to provide personalized instruction with some element of student control over path, pace, time, and place. Educators and students need to be given the latitude to teach and learn in these hybrid spaces while being protected and supported by schools. Ultimately, teachers and students bear an equal responsibility as they collaboratively learn and experiment in these evolving spaces.
Professional Resources
Authors: Haddix Marcelle M.
Published: August 2015

This column provides reviews of adolescent and adult professional resources and is a valuable resource for professional resource selection in and outside the classroom.
Degradation of polypropylene in vivo: A microscopic analysis of meshes explanted from patients
Authors: Iakovlev Vladimir V. , Guelcher Scott A. , Bendavid Robert
Published: August 2015

Polypropylene meshes, originally introduced for hernia repair, are presently utilized in several anatomical sites. Several million are implanted annually worldwide. Depending on the device, up to 10% will be excised to treat complications. The excised meshes can provide material to study the complications, however, they have remained underutilized over the last decades and the mechanisms of complications continue to be incompletely understood. The fundamental question as to whether polypropylene degrades in vivo is still debated. We have examined 164 excised meshes using conventional microscopy to search for features of polypropylene degradation. Four specimens were also examined by transmission electron microscopy. The degraded material, detected by its ability to absorb dyes in the degradation nanopores, formed a continuous layer at the surface of the mesh fibers. It retained birefringence, inclusions of non‐degraded polypropylene, and showed ability to meld with the non‐degraded fiber core when heated by the surgical cautery. Several features indicated that the degradation layer formed in vivo: inflammatory cells trapped within fissures, melting caused by cautery of excision surgery, and gradual but progressive growth of the degradation layer while in the body. Cracking of the degraded material indicated a contribution to clinically important mesh stiffening and deformation. Chemical products of degradation need to be analyzed and studied for their role in the mesh‐body interactions. The described methods can also be used to study degradation of other materials. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 105B: 237–248, 2017.
In vivo assessment of two endothelialization approaches on bioprosthetic valves for the treatment of chronic deep venous insufficiency
Authors: Glynn Jeremy J. , Jones Casey M. , Anderson Deirdre E.J. , Pavcnik Dusan , Hinds Monica T.
Published: August 2015

Chronic deep venous insufficiency is a debilitating disease with limited therapeutic interventions. A bioprosthetic venous valve could not only replace a diseased valve, but has the potential to fully integrate into the patient with a minimally invasive procedure. Previous work with valves constructed from small intestinal submucosa (SIS) showed improvements in patients' symptoms in clinical studies; however, substantial thickening of the implanted valve leaflets also occurred. As endothelial cells are key regulators of vascular homeostasis, their presence on the SIS valves may reduce the observed thickening. This work tested an off‐the‐shelf approach to capture circulating endothelial cells in vivo using biotinylated antikinase insert domain receptor antibodies in a suspended leaflet ovine model. The antibodies on SIS were oriented to promote cell capture and showed positive binding to endothelial cells in vitro; however, no differences were observed in leaflet thickness in vivo between antibody‐modified and unmodified SIS. In an alternative approach, valves were pre‐seeded with autologous endothelial cells and tested in vivo. Nearly all the implanted pre‐seeded valves were patent and functioning; however, no statistical difference was observed in valve thickness with cell pre‐seeding. Additional cell capture schemes or surface modifications should be examined to find an optimal method for encouraging SIS valve endothelialization to improve long‐term valve function in vivo. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 104B: 1610–1621, 2016.
An Improved Protocol for Synthesis of 3‐Substituted 5‐Arylidene‐2‐thiohydantoins: Two‐step Procedure Alternative to Classical Methods
Authors: Kuznetsova Olga Yu , Antipin Roman L. , Udina Anna V. , Krasnovskaya Olga O. , Beloglazkina Elena K. , Terenin Vladimir I. , Koteliansky Victor E. , Zyk Nikolay V. , Majouga Alexander G.
Published: August 2015

A novel method for the direct synthesis of 5‐arylidene‐2‐thiohydantoins from thioureas and aromatic aldehydes in the presence of base in ethanol was developed. Application of this efficient method allowed preparing thiohydantoins, which are difficult to synthesis by traditional methods.
Synthesis of Novel 6‐Mercapto‐12‐phenethyl‐quinazolino[3,4‐a]quinazolinones
Authors: Mohammadhosseini Negar , Moradi Shahram , Khoobi Mehdi , Shafiee Abbas
Published: August 2015

Novel 6‐mercapto‐12‐phenethyl‐quinazolino[3,4‐a]quinazolinone derivatives were synthesized through a user‐friendly five‐step reaction starting from isatoic anhydride. All products were characterized by IR, 1H‐NMR, 13C‐NMR spectroscopy, and chemical analysis. All of them were evaluated for their in vitro cytotoxic activity against two cell lines namely MOLT‐4 (human lymphoblastic leukemia) and MCF‐7 (human breast adenocarcinoma).
The Rearrangment of 3‐Aminobenzo‐[b]thiophenes to Tricyclic Benzoisothiazoles as Result of a Simple Azo‐coupling Procedure
Authors: Klimas Susann , Beckert Rainer , Hartmann Horst , Görls Helmar
Published: August 2015

As a result of the reaction of ethyl 3‐amino‐4‐dimethylamino‐benzothiophene‐2‐carboxylate (1) with 2‐thiazolediazonium salt 2, tricyclic ethyl 5‐(thiazol‐2‐yl)‐8‐(thiazol‐2‐yldiazenyl)‐5H‐isothiazolo[3,4,5‐d,e]cinnoline‐3‐carboxylate 4, instead of the expected 7‐thiazolylazo derivative 3, is formed. A mechanism in which sulfanyl cations occur as intermediates is proposed.
Recent Advances in Chemistry of Condensed 4‐Thiazolidinones
Authors: Gupta Richa
Published: August 2015

The syntheses of condensed 4‐thiazolidinone and its various derivatives are reviewed for the first time. Condensed 4‐thiazolidinones are important scaffolds and versatile substrates in heterocyclic chemistry, as they can be used for the synthesis of a large variety of biologically active compounds such as thiazolotriazines and as raw material for the drug synthesis. The high reactivity of active methylene group next to the carbonyl of the thiazolidin ring represents useful targets for many organic reactions.
Connectivity among subpopulations of louisiana black bears as estimated by a step selection function
Authors: Clark Joseph D. , Laufenberg Jared S. , Davidson Maria , Murrow Jennifer L.
Published: August 2015

Habitat fragmentation is a fundamental cause of population decline and increased risk of extinction for many wildlife species; animals with large home ranges and small population sizes are particularly sensitive. The Louisiana black bear (Ursus americanus luteolus) exists only in small, isolated subpopulations as a result of land clearing for agriculture, but the relative potential for inter‐subpopulation movement by Louisiana black bears has not been quantified, nor have characteristics of effective travel routes between habitat fragments been identified. We placed and monitored global positioning system (GPS) radio collars on 8 female and 23 male bears located in 4 subpopulations in Louisiana, which included a reintroduced subpopulation located between 2 of the remnant subpopulations. We compared characteristics of sequential radiolocations of bears (i.e., steps) with steps that were possible but not chosen by the bears to develop step selection function models based on conditional logistic regression. The probability of a step being selected by a bear increased as the distance to natural land cover and agriculture at the end of the step decreased and as distance from roads at the end of a step increased. To characterize connectivity among subpopulations, we used the step selection models to create 4,000 hypothetical correlated random walks for each subpopulation representing potential dispersal events to estimate the proportion that intersected adjacent subpopulations (hereafter referred to as successful dispersals). Based on the models, movement paths for males intersected all adjacent subpopulations but paths for females intersected only the most proximate subpopulations. Cross‐validation and genetic and independent observation data supported our findings. Our models also revealed that successful dispersals were facilitated by a reintroduced population located between 2 distant subpopulations. Successful dispersals for males were dependent on natural land cover in private ownership. The addition of hypothetical 1,000‐m‐ or 3,000‐m‐wide corridors between the 4 study areas had minimal effects on connectivity among subpopulations. For females, our model suggested that habitat between subpopulations would probably have to be permanently occupied for demographic rescue to occur. Thus, the establishment of stepping‐stone populations, such as the reintroduced population that we studied, may be a more effective conservation measure than long corridors without a population presence in between. Published 2015. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.
Behavioral effects of an immunocontraceptive vaccine on eastern fox squirrels
Authors: Krause Sara K. , Van Vuren Dirk H. , Laursen Clara , Kelt Douglas A.
Published: August 2015

Managing pest species in urban and suburban areas is challenging, and contraception may provide a socially acceptable and effective management option for many species. The immunocontraceptive vaccine, GonaCon, effectively inhibits reproduction in many species of wildlife, but the behavioral effects are not yet well understood. Contraceptive‐induced changes in behavior could raise animal welfare concerns and alter survival and reproductive rates in populations. These vital rates frequently are incorporated in population models to predict the population‐level efficacy of contraception. Thus, understanding the behavioral impacts of contraception is necessary to accurately predict population‐level effectiveness of contraception and to protect animal welfare. We investigated the behavioral effects of GonaCon on eastern fox squirrels (Sciurus niger), a pest species that has invaded much of the western United States, caused widespread damages to human infrastructure, and threatened native western gray squirrels (S. griseus). We used field observations to measure time‐activity budgets and dominance, open field trials to measure exploratory behavior, and mirror image stimulation to measure aggression because GonaCon could alter these behaviors. Contrary to our predictions, we failed to detect any significant effects of GonaCon on any of these behaviors. Our results, combined with a previous study finding that GonaCon is highly effective at inhibiting reproduction in fox squirrels, indicate that GonaCon may be a viable control method for fox squirrels and that behavioral changes affecting the demographic parameters are unlikely to undermine population models used to predict the effectiveness of GonaCon. © 2015 The Wildlife Society.
From Slope Morphometry to Morphogenetic Processes: An Integrated Approach of Field Survey, Geographic Information System Morphometric Analysis and Statistics in Italian Badlands
Authors: Cappadonia Chiara , Coco Laura , Buccolini Marcello , Rotigliano Edoardo
Published: August 2015

Calanchi (singular: calanco) represent a typical example of badlands in the Italian peninsula, which rapidly evolve on clayey terrains such as the widespread Pliocene–Pleistocene marine clays. The present study aimed at investigating the role of the slope morphometry on the typology and distribution of morphogenetic processes in a calanchi area located in southern Italy. The research included detailed geomorphological surveying as well as morphometric and statistical analyses. The study area was first subdivided into individual hydrographic units (HUs), for which field survey allowed to identify the dominant denudation processes, their intensity and the distribution of the associated landforms (pipes, rills, gullies and landslides). The morphometry of each HU was characterised by calculating the morphometric slope index (MSI) on a reconstructed digital elevation model. By statistically comparing the morphogenetic and morphometric data, the influence of the slope morphometry on the type, distribution and evolution of the calanchi erosion process has been highlighted. In particular, through a cluster analysis, the groups of HUs having similar dominant processes were identified, and by applying the analysis of variance, the effect of the MSI on the identified clusters was analysed. Two clusters were identified, which revealed the relative importance of morphogenetic processes and the strict connection between surface and subsurface landforms. These two clusters were discriminated by the MSI value (high MSI favoured mass movements, while low MSI favoured gully erosion and piping), highlighting the importance of slope morphometry in driving the morphogenetic hillslope processes. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Prediction of Nucleotide Binding Peptides Using Star Graph Topological Indices
Authors: Liu Yong , Munteanu Cristian R. , Fernández Blanco Enrique , Tan Zhiliang , Santos del Riego Antonino , Pazos Alejandro
Published: August 2015

The nucleotide binding proteins are involved in many important cellular processes, such as transmission of genetic information or energy transfer and storage. Therefore, the screening of new peptides for this biological function is an important research topic. The current study proposes a mixed methodology to obtain the first classification model that is able to predict new nucleotide binding peptides, using only the amino acid sequence. Thus, the methodology uses a Star graph molecular descriptor of the peptide sequences and the Machine Learning technique for the best classifier. The best model represents a Random Forest classifier based on two features of the embedded and non‐embedded graphs. The performance of the model is excellent, considering similar models in the field, with an Area Under the Receiver Operating Characteristic Curve (AUROC) value of 0.938 and true positive rate (TPR) of 0.886 (test subset). The prediction of new nucleotide binding peptides with this model could be useful for drug target studies in drug development.
Enhancement of effective area of Bragg waveguide using plasma for communication systems
Authors: Srivastava Vivek K. , Prajapati Yogendra K. , Singh Vivek , Saini Jai P.
Published: August 2015

An efficient study is performed to modify the propagation characteristics of Bragg waveguide using plasma filled core. The proposed Bragg waveguide consists of a low index central region having plasma surrounded by a large number of periodic cladding layers of dielectric with alternating high and low refractive indices. The effect of plasma filled core of proposed waveguide on chromatic dispersion, radiation loss, and effective area is studied. This analysis shows that introducing plasma in the core region of proposed waveguide is a key to achieve higher effective area with small radiation loss. Hence, a trade‐off exists between low radiation loss and high effective area in the proposed waveguide. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 55:2491–2496, 2015
A new analytical technique for extraction of bias‐dependent drain resistance in GaAs and GaN HEMTs
Authors: Kokolov A. A. , Babak L. I.
Published: August 2015

To improve the quality of transistor modeling, the nonlinear behavior of each element of the equivalent circuit must be known. There are few works devoted to the extraction of bias‐dependent drain resistance Rd, which strongly affects the transistor modeling. In this work, a new analytical technique for the extraction of bias‐dependent drain resistance in HEMT small signal model (SSM) is proposed. The efficiency of the new technique is demonstrated for GaN and GaAs HEMTs. It is shown that the new approach leads to the better SSM accuracy in the range of DC biases as compared to the widespread extraction methods. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 55:2536–2539, 2015
Investigation on cellular‐automata irregular‐fractal ultrawideband slot‐antennas
Authors: Ladhar Lotfi , Zarouan Mohamed , Oueslati Donia , Floch Jean‐Marie , Rmili Hatem
Published: August 2015

In this article, the effect of an irregular‐fractal slot added to a radiating square patch of an ultrawideband (UWB) printed antenna is studied. The fractal complex‐shaped slot was generated randomly by applying the Cellular‐Automata technique. Analysis of both simulated and measured results dealing with the impedance matching, surface currents, gain, and radiation patterns shows three different behaviors: improvement, mismatching, or rejection of one or two bands, depending on the shape and position of the slot. It is found also that the gain of the UWB‐antenna can be enhanced for some particular shaped slots. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 55:2506–2514, 2015
Fault location for WDM‐PON using a multiple‐longitudinal‐mode laser modulated by chaotic wave
Authors: Xu Hang , Wang Bingjie , Zhang Jianguo , Han Hong , Liu Li , Wang Yuncai , Wang Anbang
Published: August 2015

We experimentally demonstrate a cost‐effective method to locate faults in wavelength‐division‐multiplexing passive optical network (WDM‐PON) utilizing a multiple‐longitudinal‐mode Fabry–Perot semiconductor laser directly modulated by chaotic wave from a Colpitts oscillator. Due to chaos modulation, every longitudinal mode of the laser has chaotic intensity waveform. Using a tunable optical filter selects a mode to detect the wavelength‐matched branch of WDM‐PON using chaos correlation technique. Experimental results show that the unterminated fiber end, mismatch connector and fiber breakpoint can be preciously located. A detection range of approximately 75 km and a range‐independent spatial resolution of 14 cm are achieved. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 55:2502–2506, 2015
A three‐phase PMOS voltage‐controlled oscillator using ring and triple‐push coupling
Authors: Jang Sheng‐Lyang
Published: August 2015

This letter presents a three‐phase VCO consisted of three identical single‐ended Clapp pMOSFET VCOs coupled by a pMOSFET ring and tail inductors. The three‐phase circuit operation is based on the interaction of frequency tripler and divide‐y‐3 injection‐locked frequency divider in addition to the MOSFET‐ring coupling. The fully integrated 8.5 GHz three‐phase VCO was fabricated in 90 nm CMOS process, the frequency tuning range is from 8.08 to 8.94 GHz and the VCO‐core power consumption is 4.04 mW at the supply voltage of 0.88 V. The measured phase noise is −117.18 dBc/Hz at 1 MHz offset frequency from the carrier frequency 8.822 GHz. The VCO occupies a chip area of 0.864 × 0.76 mm2 and provides a figure of merit of −190.1 dBc/Hz. The phase noise is reduced through optimizing capacitor value in the Colpitts negative resistance cell. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 55:2529–2532, 2015
A novel hexagonal wideband circularly polarized stacked patch microstrip antenna
Authors: Mondal Tapas , Samanta Susamay , Ghatak Rowdra , Chaudhuri Sekhar Ranjan Bhadra
Published: August 2015

This article proposes a novel, simple, microstrip‐fed, circularly polarized, stacked, diagonal‐slotted, wideband hexagonal microstrip patch antenna for Intelligent Transport System (ITS) applications. It has been found to operate in the Global Positioning Systems frequency L1 (GPS 1.575 GHz). The fabricated antenna shows an impedance bandwidth of 171 MHz which is around 11% (1.521–1.692 GHz) with 3 dB axial‐ratio‐bandwidth (ARBW) of 80 MHz which is around 5% (1.54–1.62 GHz) and for the entire 3 dB ARBW the gain achieved is over 6.5 dBi. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 55:2548–2554, 2015
Plots of modal field distribution in circular dielectric waveguide
Authors: Xia Tian , Chew Weng Cho
Published: August 2015

A method to plot the modal field distributions in the circular dielectric waveguides is discussed in this article. By tracing the directions of fields, closed contours of the fields can be formed in dielectric waveguides. This method is a simple and general approach to plot and visualize the field distributions of the waveguides if the solutions of fields can be found. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 55:2599–2601, 2015
A slotted hollow ring element for Ku‐band high‐efficiency circularly polarized reflectarrays
Authors: Chen Hong‐Wei , Zhang Guang‐Qiu , Lei Xue , Wu Jun‐Mo
Published: August 2015

Based on the idea of a single‐layer multiresonance structure for a linearly polarized reflectarray, a novel slotted hollow ring element is presented for Ku‐band high‐efficiency circularly polarized reflectarrays. The appropriate geometry parameters are determined by studying the effects of incident angle on the element reflection coefficient. Compared to the conventional microstrip ring element, it can provide a broader CP bandwidth and more accurate phase compensation. Then, using the angular rotation technique, an offset 137‐element reflectarray operating at 12 GHz is designed and fabricated to demonstrate the superior performance of the element. The measured result shows that the reflectarray offers a maximum efficiency of 66.13% at 12.3 GHz. Meanwhile, the efficiency is better than 60% over a 16.8% bandwidth (11.1–13.1 GHz). The overlapping 1‐dB gain bandwidth and 3‐dB axial‐ratio bandwidth can reach 20%. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 55:2629–2632, 2015
A compact zeroth‐order resonator based on CRLH via‐less CPW‐fed
Authors: Nilotpal  , Upadhyay Dileep Kr. , Mishra G. K.
Published: August 2015

A novel compact coplanar waveguide (CPW)‐fed zeroth‐order resonator (ZOR) is reported in this article. The zeroth‐order mode is required to reduce the resonator's size. The composite right/left handed transmission line (CRLH TL) structure is designed on a single layer via‐less CPW‐fed, which reduces the fabrication complexity and makes the structure more feasible. The resonator has a compact size of 21.6 × 5.2 mm2. The measured insertion loss and return loss of the resonator are −0.72 dB and −21.3 dB, respectively at the resonant frequency, 2.80 GHz. The performance of the proposed ZOR is compared with the previously reported ZORs. All the performance parameters of the resonator are evaluated by full‐wave electromagnetic simulator IE3D, based on the method of moments (MoM) and all the results are verified by measurement. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 55:2576–2580, 2015