bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Development of novel DNA vaccine for VEGF in murine cancer model
Authors: Kyutoku Mariko , Nakagami Hironori , Koriyama Hiroshi , Tomioka Hideki , Nakagami Futoshi , Shimamura Munehisa , Kurinami Hitomi , Zhengda Pang , Jo Dong Hyun , Kim Jeong Hun , Takakura Nobuyuki , Morishita Ryuichi
Published: November 2013

We developed DNA vaccine for vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), which may provide the therapeutic option instead of anti-VEGF antibody, bevacizumab. Plasmid containing VEGF mini-gene was constructed in the insertion of B-cell epitope of Hepatitis B core protein [HBc-VEGF], which was an epitope carrier. High titer of anti-VEGF antibody was observed in BALB/c mice which were intramuscularly immunized with HBc-VEGF by electropolator. In mice inoculated with colon 26 cells, tumor volume and microvessel density was decreased in HBc-VEGF with a significant prolonged survival. Co-treatment of purified IgG from immunized mice with HBc-VEGF showed in vitro neutralizing activity for VEGF-induced ERK phosphorylation and tube formation in cultured endothelial cells. Furthermore, intravitreally injection of this purified IgG reduced the neovessel formation in the mouse oxygen-induced retinopathy and laser-induced choroidal neovascularization models. These results first provided that DNA vaccine against VEGF possessed the anti-angiogenic effect, leading to prolonged survival in mouse cancer model.
Quantum dot-functionalized porous ZnO nanosheets as a visible light induced photoelectrochemical platform for DNA detection
Authors: Wang Wenjing , Hao Qing , Wang Wei , Bao Lei , Lei Jianping , Wang Quanbo , Ju Huangxian
Published: November 2013

A visible light induced photoelectrochemical strategy is achieved using CdTe QD-functionalized porous ZnO nanosheets for the detection of DNA.
Everolimus is a potent inhibitor of activated hepatic stellate cell functions in vitro and in vivo, while demonstrating anti-angiogenic activities
Authors: Piguet Anne-Christine , Majumder Syamantak , Maheshwari Uma , Manjunathan Reji , Saran Uttara , Chatterjee Suvro , Dufour Jean-François
Published: November 2013

Progression of liver fibrosis to HCC (hepatocellular carcinoma) is a very complex process which involves several pathological phenomena, including hepatic stellate cell activation, inflammation, fibrosis and angiogenesis. Therefore inhibiting multiple pathological processes using a single drug can be an effective choice to curb the progression of HCC. In the present study, we used the mTOR inhibitor everolimus to observe its effect on the in vitro activation of hepatic stellate cells and angiogenesis. The results of the present study demonstrated that everolimus treatment blocked the functions of the immortalized human activated hepatic stellate cell line LX-2 without affecting the viability and migration of primary human stellate cells. We also observed that treatment with everolimus (20 nM) inhibited collagen production by activated stellate cells, as well as cell contraction. Everolimus treatment was also able to attenuate the activation of primary stellate cells to their activated form. Angiogenesis studies showed that everolimus blocked angiogenesis in a rat aortic ring assay and inhibited the tube formation and migration of liver sinusoidal endothelial cells. Finally, everolimus treatment reduced the load of tumoral myofibroblasts in a rat model of HCC. These data suggest that everolimus targets multiple mechanisms, making it a potent blocker of the progression of HCC from liver fibrosis.
microRNA profiling in patients with abdominal aortic aneurysms: the significance ofmiR-155
Authors: Biros Erik , Moran Corey S. , Wang Yutang , Walker Philip J. , Cardinal John , Golledge Jonathan
Published: November 2013

AAA (abdominal aortic aneurysm) is a potentially life-threatening late-onset degenerative condition. miRNAs (microRNAs), the small non-coding RNA molecules that regulate gene expression, have been shown previously to be associated with a broad range of human pathologies, including cardiovascular diseases. The aim of the present study was to identify AAA-associated miRNAs potentially contributing to AAA pathology. We analysed the expression of 124 miRNAs within AAA biopsies and serum of ten patients undergoing AAA repair, and serum from ten age- and sex-matched subjects without AAA, using the FlexmiR™ MicroRNA Assay. RNA extracted from the site of main AAA dilatation (AAA body) was compared with that extracted from the macroscopically non-dilated neck of the AAA (AAA neck). Similarly, RNA extracted from the serum of AAA patients (AAA serum) was compared with that extracted from age- and sex-matched controls (control serum). qPCR (quantitative real-time PCR), Western blot analysis and histology were performed using an independent set of six paired AAA body and neck biopsies to examine the validity of findings. Seven miRNAs were up-regulated [>2-fold difference, FDR (false discovery rate) <0.5] within AAA biopsies, of which miR-155 was the most differentially expressed (11.32-fold, FDR=0.414). This finding was confirmed by qPCR with the median relative expression of miR-155 being 3.26 and 0.63 within AAA body and AAA neck biopsies respectively (P=0.031). Circulating miR-155 was also increased in AAA patients compared with controls, with a 2.67-fold up-regulation at borderline significance (FDR=0.554). Two immunologically important miR-155 target genes, CTLA4 (cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein) and SMAD2, were assessed and found to be significantly down-regulated within AAA bodies compared with AAA necks (P=0.032 and P=0.026) as determined by qPCR and Western blotting respectively. Histology demonstrated dense accumulation of T-lymphocytes within the adventitial and outer medial layers of AAA body, but not neck tissue. The results of the present study suggest that miR-155 is overexpressed in AAA with potential implications in the pathogenesis of the condition.
Sensitive and quantitative pEPR detection system for SPIO nanoparticles
Authors: Li X. , Torfs G. , Vandewege J. , Bauwelinck J. , Verbiest J.R.
Published: November 2013

A new system for the quantification of super paramagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) is presented. The proposed system relies on the particle electron paramagnetic resonance (pEPR) technique and utilises the linear response of the SPIONs to generate a pEPR signal under a static field. By extracting the pEPR signals, whose intensity is proportional to the SPIONs concentration, the quantitative information of the SPIONs is derived. To evaluate the system performance, sensitivity measurements have been conducted with two commercial SPIONs, FeraSpin M and Resovist, and reveal a measurement sensitivity of 300 ng.
Optimised decoding of odd‐weight single error correction double error detection codes with 64 bits
Authors: Reviriego P. , Pontarelli S. , Maestro J.A.
Published: November 2013

Error correction codes are commonly used in memories to ensure that data are not corrupted. Single error correction double error detection (SEC‐DED) codes are among the most widely used codes to protect memories. One common technique to implement SEC‐DED codes is to construct a parity check matrix with odd‐weight columns. This ensures that double errors have an even weight syndrome and therefore are not confused with single errors thus providing the DED feature. Recently, a technique that reduces the decoding complexity for odd‐weight SEC‐DED codes has been proposed. This technique can be used only for small data block sizes being the practical limit 32 bits. However, memories with 64 bits are commonly found in modern computing systems. Therefore, it would be advantageous to also reduce the decoding complexity for larger block sizes. A scheme to optimise the decoding of odd‐weight SEC‐DED codes with block sizes of 64 bits is presented and evaluated. The results show that the new scheme can provide significant reductions in the decoder circuitry area and delay.
Tri‐band microstrip‐fed monopole antenna with dual‐polarisation characteristics for WLAN and WiMAX applications
Authors: Wu Ting , Shi Xiao‐Wei , Li Ping , Bai Hao
Published: November 2013

A novel and compact tri‐band microstrip‐fed monopole antenna with dual‐polarisation characteristics for wireless local area network (WLAN) and worldwide interoperability for microwave access (WiMAX) applications is proposed. The antenna is composed of a partial ground and a Y‐shaped radiating patch that consists of two unequal monopole arms and a modified circle monopole. The antenna is able to generate three separate impedance bandwidths to cover the frequency bands of the WLAN (2.4–2.484 and 5.8 GHz) and the WiMAX (3.4–3.7 GHz). In addition, the antenna is circularly polarised in both the WLAN bands. Furthermore, the antenna structure is extremely simple, durable and occupies small space, making it suitable for practical applications.
Co‐segmentation of multiple similar images using saliency detection and region merging
Authors: Zhou Chongbo , Liu Chuancai
Published: November 2013

The aim of co‐segmentation is to simultaneously segment multiple images depicting an identical or similar object. In this study, a co‐segmentation method using saliency detection and region merging is proposed. The saliency detection results using different detection methods on different types of colour space are combined to produce seed regions for each image in the image group. The initial seed regions of all the images are refined by eliminating the dissimilar ones to ensure accurate seed regions for each images as possible. Region merging is performed on each image individually in order to allow our method to be applied to large image groups. The maximal similarity measurement and nearest similarity measurement are defined as merging rules. The deliberately designed merging strategy aims to merge two regions using the maximal similarity rule and label two regions as the same class but not merge them using the nearest similarity rule. The proposed method has been compared with some state‐of‐the‐art methods on three datasets, and the experimental results show its effectiveness.
Low specific absorption rate hexa‐band coplanar waveguide‐fed planar inverted‐F antenna with independent resonant frequency control for wireless communication applications
Authors: Elsheakh Dalia Mohammad Nashaat , Soliman Ahmed Mohamed , Abdallah Esmat A.
Published: November 2013

Compact low specific absorption rate (SAR) hexa‐band planar inverted‐F antenna (PIFA) with independent resonant frequency control is presented in this study. Two trapezoidal shaped slots are etched on the coplanar waveguide (CPW)‐fed PIFA‐radiating plate to create two independent resonant frequencies as well as the fundamental CPW‐fed PIFA itself. Three coupled slots are added within the ground plane to create additional three independent resonant frequencies with slight effect on the other resonant frequencies. Multiband (dual, tri, quad, penta and hexa) band capabilities with bandwidth enhancement and acceptable SAR values are realised for different wireless communication applications. The SAR of human head is investigated by using Computer Simulation Technology (CST) 2012 Microwave Studio Hugo Voxel Model. The proposed antennas are fabricated and there is a good agreement between measured and simulated results.
Visual and Haptic Integration in the Estimation of Softness of Deformable Objects
Authors: Cellini Cristiano , Kaim Lukas , Drewing Knut
Published: November 2013

Softness perception intrinsically relies on haptic information. However, through everyday experiences we learn correspondences between felt softness and the visual effects of exploratory movements that are executed to feel softness. Here, we studied how visual and haptic information is integrated to assess the softness of deformable objects. Participants discriminated between the softness of two softer or two harder objects using only-visual, only-haptic or both visual and haptic information. We assessed the reliabilities of the softness judgments using the method of constant stimuli. In visuo-haptic trials, discrepancies between the two senses' information allowed us to measure the contribution of the individual senses to the judgments. Visual information (finger movement and object deformation) was simulated using computer graphics; input in visual trials was taken from previous visuo-haptic trials. Participants were able to infer softness from vision alone, and vision considerably contributed to bisensory judgments (∼35%). The visual contribution was higher than predicted from models of optimal integration (senses are weighted according to their reliabilities). Bisensory judgments were less reliable than predicted from optimal integration. We conclude that the visuo-haptic integration of softness information is biased toward vision, rather than being optimal, and might even be guided by a fixed weighting scheme.
Image schemas and mimetic schemas in cognitive linguistics and gesture studies
Authors: Cienki Alan
Published: November 2013

Image schemas have been a fundamental construct in cognitive linguistics, providing grounds for psychological, philosophical, as well as linguistic research. Given the focus in cognitive linguistics on embodied experience as a fundamental basis for language structure and meaning, the employment of image schemas in the analysis of gesture with speech is a logical extension. However, given their level of abstraction, to what degree do image schemas provide a useful explanatory tool for researching the concrete, physically embodied details of gestures? This article considers the answer to this question and then turns to a more recent theoretical development that complements the picture by encompassing a different realm of cognitive and linguistic phenomena. This research, on ‘mimetic schemas’, is shown to have great potential for thinking about some known phenomena of gesture in a new way. Schema research on these different levels thus provides a useful means to analyze behavior in another modality involved in spoken language use, namely the visual.
Exploring 'omics' of genetic resources to mitigate the effects of climate change.
Authors: McNally K. L.
Published: November 2013

This chapter aims to provide a glimpse into the molecular technologies that could be used to address and mitigate the effects that climate change will impose on food production. In particular, it provides an overview of these molecular technologies and their current state. Because informatics analyses are integral to the effective exploration and use of high-density sequence and other 'omics' datasets, informatic tools and approaches for analyses are also explored. Some examples of their application in relevant crop species are discussed. Game-changing technologies that may significantly accelerate our understanding are highlighted and ways that certain information can be used to fine-tune genotypic selection for targeted phenotyping and breeding is explored. Approaches to improve data mining and its use in breeding are addressed.
Cognitive dysfunction syndrome in dogs and cats.
Authors: Pan Y. L.
Published: November 2013

Some ageing pets developed cognitive dysfunction syndrome (CDS), which is equivalent to dementia or Alzheimer's disease (AD) in people. Both CDS and AD share similar pathological changes including cortical atrophy with irreversible loss of brain cells, cerebral amyloid angiopathy and ventricular enlargement. Clinical signs of CDS include disorientation, social interaction changes, sleep/wake disturbances, house soiling and general activity changes. The risk factors and causes of CDS in dogs and cats have not been fully investigated, but age, gender, oxidative stress and sex hormone deficiency appear to be associated with increased risk of CDS in dogs. Both AD and CDS are incurable diseases currently, therefore greater efforts should be focused on preventing or reducing brain atrophy, and minimizing the risk of AD in people and CDS in pets. A number of nutritional approaches for enhancing cognitive function and promoting healthy brain ageing are briefly discussed.
Structure, magnetism and colour in simple bis(phosphine)nickel(II) dihalide complexes: an experimental and theoretical investigation
Authors: Schultz Madeleine , Plessow Philipp-Nikolaus , Rominger Frank , Weigel Laura
Published: November 2013

The complex [1,2-bis(di-tert-butylphosphanyl)ethane-κ2P,P′]diiodidonickel(II), [NiI2(C18H40P2] or (dtbpe-κ2P)NiI2, [dtbpe is 1,2-bis(di-tert-butylphosphanyl)ethane], is bright blue–green in the solid state and in solution, but, contrary to the structure predicted for a blue or green nickel(II) bis(phosphine) complex, it is found to be close to square planar in the solid state. The solution structure is deduced to be similar, because the optical spectra measured in solution and in the solid state contain similar absorptions. In solution at room temperature, no31P{1H} NMR resonance is observed, but the very small solid-state magnetic moment at temperatures down to 4 K indicates that the weak paramagnetism of this nickel(II) complex can be ascribed to temperature independent paramagnetism, and that the complex has no unpaired electrons. The red [1,2-bis(di-tert-butylphosphanyl)ethane-κ2P,P′]dichloridonickel(II), [NiCl2(C18H40P2] or (dtbpe-κ2P)NiCl2, is very close to square planar and very weakly paramagnetic in the solid state and in solution, while the maroon [1,2-bis(di-tert-butylphosphanyl)ethane-κ2P,P′]dibromidonickel(II), [NiBr2(C18H40P2] or (dtbpe-κ2P)NiBr2, is isostructural with the diiodide in the solid state, and displays paramagnetism intermediate between that of the dichloride and the diiodide in the solid state and in solution. Density functional calculations demonstrate that distortion from an ideal square plane for these complexes occurs on a flat potential energy surface. The calculations reproduce the observed structures and colours, and explain the trends observed for these and similar complexes. Although theoretical investigation identified magnetic-dipole-allowed excitations that are characteristic for temperature-independent paramagnetism (TIP), theory predicts the molecules to be diamagnetic.
Calcium and strontium salts of (glycinato-κ2N,O)oxidobis(peroxido-κ2O,O′)vanadate(V) tetrahydrate
Authors: Higuchi Takeshi , Uchida Ayana , Hashimoto Masato
Published: November 2013

The title salts calcium (glycinato-κ2N,O)oxidobis(peroxido-κ2O,O′)vanadate(V) tetrahydrate, Ca[VO(O2)2(NH2CH2COO)]·4H2O, and strontium (glycinato-κ2N,O)oxidobis(peroxido-κ2O,O′)vanadate(V) tetrahydrate, Sr[VO(O2)2(NH2CH2COO)]·4H2O, crystallized at pHca7.4 with similar lattice parameters. The glycinate anion acts as a bidentateN,O-chelating ligand, and the V atom has a pentagonal bipyramidal geometry, with two η2-peroxo groups and the glycinate N atom in the equatorial plane, and one terminal oxo and a glycinate O atom at the axial positions. The H atoms of three of the four water molecules in the strontium salt exhibited disorder over three positions for each molecule.
Two polymorphs of 2-ethyl-3-hydroxy-6-methylpyridinium hydrogenN-acetyl-L-glutamate from powder diffraction data
Authors: Chernyshev Vladimir V. , Efimov Sergey Y. , Paseshnichenko Ksenia A. , Shiryaev Andrey A.
Published: November 2013

The title salt, C8H12NO+·C7H10NO5−, crystallizes in two polymorphic modifications,viz.monoclinic (M) and orthorhombic (O). The crystal structures of both polymorphic modifications have been established from laboratory powder diffraction data. The crystal packing motifs in the two polymorphs are different, but the conformations of the anions are generally similar. InM, the anions are linked by pairs of hydrogen bonds of the N—H...O and O—H...O types into chains along theb-axis direction, and neighbouring molecules within the chain are related by the 21screw axis. The cations link these chainsviaO—H...O and N—H...O hydrogen bonds into layers parallel to (001). InO, the anions are linked by O—H...O hydrogen bonds into helices along [001], and neighbouring molecules within the helix are related by the 21screw axis. The neighbouring helical turns are linked by N—H...O hydrogen bonds. The cations link the helicesviaO—H...O and N—H...O hydrogen bonds, thus forming a three-dimensional network.
Transannular S...N interactions in 10-ethynyl-10H-phenothiazine 5-oxide and 5,5-dioxide
Authors: Umezono Satoru , Ikeda Satoshi , Okuno Tsunehisa
Published: November 2013

The title compounds, C14H9NOS, (1), and C14H9NO2S, (2), are oxidation products of the parent compound 10-ethynyl-10H-phenothiazine. They differ with respect to transannular interactions, the intramolecular S...N contact being shorter in (2). Intermolecular Csp—H...O hydrogen bonds were detected in both crystals, and (1) was found to form stronger hydrogen bonds. These results are in agreement with the lower acidity of Csp—H in (2), caused by an increase in π-electron density due to the transannular S...N interaction.
Intermolecular C—H...O, Cl...Cl and π–π interactions in the 2-dichloromethyl derivative of vitamin K3
Authors: Soave Raffaella , Colombo Pietro
Published: November 2013

The title 1,4-naphthoquinone, 2-dichloromethyl-3-methyl-1,4-dihydronaphthalene-1,4-dione, C12H8Cl2O2, is a chlorinated derivative of vitamin K3, which is a synthetic compound also known as menadione. Molecules of (I) are planar and lie on a crystallographic mirror plane (Z′ = 0.5) in the space groupPnma. They are connected to each other by C—H...O hydrogen bonds, forming two-dimensional layers parallel to theacplane. In addition, Cl...Cl and π–π interactions link adjacent molecules in different layers, thus forming zigzag ribbons along thebaxis, such that a three-dimensional architecture is generated.
Solid-state photochemistry of molecular photo-switchable species: the role of photocrystallographic techniques
Authors: Hatcher Lauren E. , Raithby Paul R.
Published: November 2013

Over the last 30 years, the single-crystal photocrystallographic technique has been developed to determine the three-dimensional crystal and molecular structures of metastable species which have been generated in the crystal photochemically. Transition-metal complexes that have been investigated using this methodology include complexes that contain nitrosyl, dinitrogen, sulfur dioxide and nitrite ligands, all of which form new linkage isomers in the solid state when photoactivated by light of the appropriate wavelength. Both steric and electronic factors determine the level of the conversion from the ground-state structure to the metastable isomeric structure, and both the `reaction cavity' size and the nature of the intermolecular interactions are shown to be among the key factors that influence the percentage conversion.
1-(4-Methylphenylsulfonyl)-2-{[3-methyl-4-(2,2,2-trifluoroethoxy)pyridin-2-yl]methylsulfanyl}-1H-1,3-benzimidazole
Authors: Shivaprasad C. M. , Kumar S. Madan , Swaroop T. R. , Rangappa K. S. , Lokanath N. K.
Published: November 2013

In the title compound, C23H20F3N3O3S2, the benzoimidazole unit makes dihedral angles of 5.02 (1) and 76.42 (1)°, respectively, with the pyridine and methylbenzene rings; the dihedral angle between the pyridine and methylbenzene rings is 72.19 (1)°. In the crystal, molecules are connected by weak C—H...F, C—H...O and C—H...N hydrogen bonds. Weak C—H...π interactions and π–π stacking [centroid–centroid distance = 3.6485 (14) Å] are also observed. The overall packing shows a three-dimensional architecture. The crystal structure contains a void of 51 Å3, but no solvent molecule (hexane or ethyl acetate) is located within it.
2-[(E)-2-(4-Hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)ethenyl]-1-methylpyridinium 4-bromobenzenesulfonate monohydrate
Authors: Chantrapromma Suchada , Boonnak Nawong , Jindawong Boonwasana , Fun Hoong-Kun
Published: November 2013

The title salt crystallized as the monohydrate C15H16NO2+·C6H4BrSO3−·H2O. The cation exists in anEconformation with respect to the ethynyl bond and is essentially planar, with a dihedral angle of 6.52 (14)° between the pyridinium and the benzene rings. The hydroxy and methoxy substituents are coplanar with the benzene ring to which they are attached, with an r.m.s. deviation of 0.0116 (3) Å for the nine non-H atoms [Cmethyl—O—C—C torsion angle = −0.8 (4)°]. In the crystal, the cations and anions are stacked by π–π interactions, with centroid–centroid distances of 3.7818 (19) and 3.9004 (17) Å. The cations, anions and water molecules are linked by O—H...O hydrogen bonds and weak C—H...O interactions, forming a three-dimensional network.
4-Chloro-3-methylphenyl quinoline-2-carboxylate
Authors: Fazal E. , Kaur Manpreet , Sudha B. S. , Nagarajan S. , Jasinski Jerry P.
Published: November 2013

In the title compound, C17H12ClNO2, the dihedral angle between the mean planes of the quinoline ring system and the benzene ring is 68.7 (7)°. The mean plane of the carboxylate group is twisted from the latter planes by 14.0 (1) and 80.2 (4)°, respectively. In the crystal, weak C—H...O interactions are observed, forming chains along [001]. In addition, π–π stacking interactions [centroid–centroid distances = 3.8343 (13) and 3.7372 (13)Å] occur. No classical hydrogen bonds were observed.
3,4-Dimethylphenyl quinoline-2-carboxylate
Authors: Fazal E. , Kaur Manpreet , Sudha B. S. , Nagarajan S. , Jasinski Jerry P.
Published: November 2013

In the title compound, C18H15NO2, the dihedral angle between the mean planes of the quinoline ring system and the phenyl ring is 48.1 (5)°. The mean plane of the carboxylate group is twisted from the mean planes of the latter by 19.8 (8) and 64.9 (5)°, respectively. The crystal packing features weak C—H...O interactions, which form chains along [010].
2,2′-[(1,3,4-Thiadiazole-2,5-diyl)bis(sulfanediyl)]diacetonitrile
Authors: Mague Joel T. , Akkurt Mehmet , Mohamed Shaaban K. , El-Saghier Ahmed M. M. , Albayati Mustafa R.
Published: November 2013

In the title compound, C6H4N4S3, the 1,3,4-thiadiazole ring is essentially planar, with an r.m.s. deviation of 0.001 Å. The two N—C—S—C torsion angles in the molecule are −23.41 (15) and 0.62 (14)°. One acetonitrile group is above the plane of the 1,3,4-thiadiazole ring and the other is below it, indicatingsynandantiorientations. In the crystal, C—H...N hydrogen bonds link the molecules into ribbons along [010].
4-[(tert-Butyldiphenylsilyloxy)methyl]pyridazin-3(2H)-one
Authors: Costas-Lago María Carmen , Costas Tamara , Vila Noemí , Besada Pedro
Published: November 2013

In the title compound, C21H24N2O2Si, the carbonyl group of the heterocyclic ring and the O atom of the silyl ether group are placed toward opposite sides and thetert-butyl and pyridazinone moieties areanti-oriented across the Si—O bond [torsion angle = −168.44 (19)°]. In the crystal, molecules are assembled into inversion dimers through co-operative N—H...O hydrogen bonds between the NH groups and O atoms of the pyridazinone rings of neighbouring molecules. The dimers are linked by π–π interactions involving adjacent pyridazinone rings [centroid–centroid distance = 3.8095 (19) Å], generating ladder-like chains along theb-axis direction. The chains are further linked into a two-dimensional network parallel to theabplane through weak C—H...π interactions.
Is eutrophication really a major impairment for small waterbody biodiversity?
Authors: Rosset Véronique , Angélibert Sandrine , Arthaud Florent , Bornette Gudrun , Robin Joël , Wezel Alexander , Vallod Dominique , Oertli Beat
Published: November 2013

Eutrophication remains a major stress for freshwater biodiversity. Its deleterious consequences on biodiversity are well documented for large waterbodies. However, the impact of eutrophication may differ in smaller waterbodies, such as ponds and small lakes, which generally support naturally high levels of nutrients in lowlands. Furthermore, this response could depend on the scale considered, from local (individual waterbody, alpha diversity) to regional (the network of waterbodies, gamma diversity). It is also unclear whether the richness of threatened species responds in the same way as the richness of the whole assemblage.

The present study investigates local‐ and regional‐scale consequences of eutrophication on taxonomic richness (all taxa) and conservation value (threatened taxa) in temperate lowland small waterbodies. Five taxonomic groups were investigated: macrophytes, gastropods, water beetles, adult dragonflies and amphibians, in a set of natural waterbodies and a set of enriched waterbodies covering a large nutrient gradient from mesotrophic to hypertrophic conditions.

Globally, our study did not reveal consistent, systematic responses to eutrophication. For macrophytes, the richness and conservation value suffered from eutrophication at both local and regional scales. In contrast, for amphibians and gastropods, eutrophication did not impair biodiversity at the local nor the regional scale. Dragonflies and water beetles showed intermediate situations, with an impairment by eutrophication varying according to the type of waterbodies considered. At the regional scale, each trophic status, even the nutrient richest, brought an original contribution to biodiversity.

Synthesis and applications. The management of eutrophication for small lowland waterbodies has to be considered differently than for lakes. For an individual waterbody (the local scale), nutrient enrichment is not necessarily a major impairment and its impact depends on the taxonomic group considered. Conversely, at the landscape scale, eutrophication is a major pressure on small waterbody biodiversity, especially because nutrient‐rich small waterbodies are dominant in the landscape. Therefore, conservation efforts should integrate the notion of pond regional networks or ‘pondscapes’, where the regional biodiversity is supported by a mosaic of trophic conditions, and promote the presence of less rich waterbodies.
Post‐dispersal seed depletion by rodents in marginal populations of yew (Taxus baccata): consequences at geographical and local scales
Authors: Sanz Rubén , Pulido Fernando
Published: November 2013

Post‐dispersal seed predation is a crucial phenomenon for plant recruitment, and its incidence can be hypothesized to increase in ecologically and geographically marginal populations of threatened species, such as yew (Taxus baccata). Here we examine the among‐ and within‐population patterns of seed consumption by rodents and evaluate to what extent they are linked to marginality in Mediterranean low‐density yew stands. Among populations we tested: (i) whether the rates of seed predation found in our marginal sites were consistently higher than in populations from core regions; (ii) within populations we evaluated whether rodents preferred microhabitats with greater seed availability (beneath female yew trees) or with lower predation risk (shrubs) in two seeding seasons (fall–winter 2005 and 2006). Predation rates were extremely high (92.5%) and they were well above values reported for core populations (65.4%), to the extent that rodents almost completely depleted the experimental seeds in all populations and years. Our expectation of lower predation rates with decreasing vegetation cover was also confirmed for all years and populations, suggesting that rodent foraging was risk‐sensitive. This microhabitat effect outweighed the effect of seed availability under female yew trees, implying also that rodents selectively consumed the most valuable seeds in terms of their recruitment prospects. Overall, our results suggest that the mechanisms underlying seed depletion and its demographic consequences are linked to the effects of reduced yew performance in ecologically marginal habitats.
The paradox of marine heterotrophic nitrogen fixation: abundances of heterotrophic diazotrophs do not account for nitrogen fixation rates in the Eastern Tropical South Pacific
Authors: Turk‐Kubo Kendra A. , Karamchandani Muskan , Capone Douglas G. , Zehr Jonathan P.
Published: November 2013

Results of recent modelling efforts imply denitrification‐influenced waters, such as those in the Eastern Tropical South Pacific (ETSP), may support high rates of biological nitrogen fixation (BNF), yet little is known about the N2‐fixing microbial community in this region. Our characterization of the ETSP diazotrophic community along a gradient from upwelling‐influenced to oligotrophic waters did not detect cyanobacterial diazotrophs commonly found in other open ocean regions. Most of the nifH genes amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) from DNA and RNA samples clustered with γ‐proteobacterial nifH sequences, although a novel Trichodesmium phylotype was also recovered. Three quantitative PCR assays were developed to target γ‐proteobacterial phylotypes, but all were found to be present at low abundances. An analysis of the expected BNF rates based on abundances and plausible cell‐specific N2 fixation rates indicates that these γ‐proteobacteria are unlikely to be responsible for previously reported BNF rates from corresponding samples. Therefore, the organisms responsible for the measured BNF rates remain poorly understood. Furthermore, there is little direct evidence, at this time, to support the hypothesis that heterotrophic N2 fixation contributes significantly to oceanic BNF rates based on our analysis of heterotrophic cell‐specific N2 fixation rates required to explain BNF rates reported in previously published studies.
The influence of enzymatic cross‐linking of proteins on the Maillard reaction in milk
Authors: Yüksel Zerrin
Published: November 2013

The influence of transglutaminase (TGase) on the Maillard reaction was investigated in skimmed milk samples during heat treatment. TGase‐treated and control samples were heated at 80, 120 and 140 °C for 1, 5, 15, 30, 40 and 60 min. Compared with the TGase‐treated samples heated at 80 and 120 °C, the sample heated at 140 °C showed a larger decrease in furosine concentration. It was also found that TGase did not affect the formation of hydroxymethylfurfural and lactulose at 120 °C, whereas their concentrations increased in the presence of TGase at 140 °C. It was concluded that blockage of lysine residues via enzymatic cross‐linking of milk proteins had a limited effect on the Maillard reaction.
Kangaroo mother care in the neonatal intensive care unit: staff attitudes and beliefs and opportunities for parents
Authors: Strand H , Blomqvist YT , Gradin M , Nyqvist KH
Published: November 2013

Aim

To compare attitudes towards Kangaroo mother care (KMC) among staff in two high‐tech neonatal intensive care units, which provided parents with different opportunities to get involved in their infants' care.

Method

Questionnaires were completed by healthcare staff in Unit A, which provided parents with unrestricted access so that they could provide continuous KMC, and Unit B, where parents could only practice KMC intermittently.

Results

Unit A staff were more positive about the benefits and use of KMC, including its use in unstable infants, and rated their knowledge and practical skills more highly than staff in the other unit. Unit B staff also appreciated the method, but expressed more hesitation in using it with unstable infants. In particular, they stressed the need to adapt the physical environment of the NICU to enable parents to stay with their infants and practice the method.

Conclusion

Staff working in the NICU that gave parents unrestricted access were more positive about KMC than staff in the NICU that offered limited opportunities for parents to stay with their children. This finding suggests that it is important to eliminate unjustifiable obstacles to the presence of parents in the NICU, so that they can provide KMC.
Immediate‐type hypersensitivity drug reactions
Authors: Stone Shelley F. , Phillips Elizabeth J. , Wiese Michael D. , Heddle Robert J. , Brown Simon G. A.
Published: November 2013

Hypersensitivity reactions including anaphylaxis have been reported for nearly all classes of therapeutic reagents and these reactions can occur within minutes to hours of exposure. These reactions are unpredictable, not directly related to dose or the pharmacological action of the drug and have a relatively high mortality risk. This review will focus on the clinical presentation, immune mechanisms, diagnosis and prevention of the most serious form of immediate onset drug hypersensitivity reaction, anaphylaxis. The incidence of drug‐induced anaphylaxis deaths appears to be increasing and our understanding of the multiple and complex reasons for the unpredictable nature of anaphylaxis to drugs is also expanding. This review highlights the importance of enhancing our understanding of the biology of the patient (i.e. immune response, genetics) as well as the pharmacology and chemistry of the drug when investigating, diagnosing and treating drug hypersensitivity. Misdiagnosis of drug hypersensitivity leads to substantial patient risk and cost. Although oral provocation is often considered the gold standard of diagnosis, it can pose a potential risk to the patient. There is an urgent need to improve and standardize diagnostic testing and desensitization protocols as other diagnostic tests currently available for assessment of immediate drug allergy are not highly predictive.
Bayesian Analysis of Time-Series Data under Case-Crossover Designs: Posterior Equivalence and Inference
Authors: Li Shi , Mukherjee Bhramar , Batterman Stuart , Ghosh Malay
Published: November 2013

Case-crossover designs are widely used to study short-term exposure effects on the risk of acute adverse health events. While the frequentist literature on this topic is vast, there is no Bayesian work in this general area. The contribution of this paper is twofold. First, the paper establishes Bayesian equivalence results that require characterization of the set of priors under which the posterior distributions of the risk ratio parameters based on a case-crossover and time-series analysis are identical. Second, the paper studies inferential issues under case-crossover designs in a Bayesian framework. Traditionally, a conditional logistic regression is used for inference on risk-ratio parameters in case-crossover studies. We consider instead a more general full likelihood-based approach which makes less restrictive assumptions on the risk functions. Formulation of a full likelihood leads to growth in the number of parameters proportional to the sample size. We propose a semi-parametric Bayesian approach using a Dirichlet process prior to handle the random nuisance parameters that appear in a full likelihood formulation. We carry out a simulation study to compare the Bayesian methods based on full and conditional likelihood with the standard frequentist approaches for case-crossover and time-series analysis. The proposed methods are illustrated through the Detroit Asthma Morbidity, Air Quality and Traffic study, which examines the association between acute asthma risk and ambient air pollutant concentrations.
The role of mechanical instrumentation in the cleaning of root canals
Authors: Metzger Zvi , Solomonov Michael , Kfir Anda
Published: November 2013

The cleaning and shaping of the root canal is a key procedure in root canal treatment. The aim of cleaning is the removal of tissue remnants and bacterial biofilms in order to allow close adaptation of the root filling to the canal walls. In simple straight canals with a round cross‐section, this aim is easily attained by mechanical instrumentation and irrigation. The task of cleaning presents a greater challenge in oval canals, curved canals, and in canal systems that contain an isthmus. In areas that are inaccessible to mechanical instrumentation, the cleaning greatly depends on the action of sodium hypochlorite, which is used to dissolve and remove all of the remaining tissues and bacterial biofilms. Traditional irrigation with syringe and needle is often ineffective in cleaning such inaccessible areas. Newer irrigation methods allow for better cleaning by facilitating a more effective flow of irrigants; nevertheless, adequate, larger, mechanical preparations are required for the effective use of these methods. An alternative approach is to use a hollow file that adapts itself to the cross‐section of the canal, without excessive enlargement of the canal, thus allowing mechanical scrubbing of the walls with a continuous flow of the irrigant through the file. All cleaning methods reach their limit in cases of long narrow isthmuses that are often inaccessible to mechanical instrumentation; adequate instrumentation is, however, a prerequisite for all cleaning methods.
Evolution of nickel–titanium instruments: from past to future
Authors: Haapasalo Markus , Shen Ya
Published: November 2013

Over the decades, a wide array of nickel–titanium (NiTi) instruments has been introduced for shaping root canals. Each generation of instruments has had something new to offer and has been intended to improve upon previous generations. Many variables and physical properties influence the clinical performance of NiTi rotaries. Ultimately, clinical experience, handling properties, safety, and case outcomes should decide the fate of a particular instrument design. This review article summarizes the metallurgical and mechanical properties of NiTi endodontic instruments and the design features of each generation, with a special focus on the latest generation of NiTi instruments. Experimental and clinical evaluations of the performance of NiTi instruments in endodontic treatment are discussed.
Approaches to fully documented fisheries: practical issues and stakeholder perceptions
Authors: Mangi Stephen C , Dolder Paul J , Catchpole Thomas L , Rodmell Dale , de Rozarieux Nathan
Published: November 2013

The Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) reform sets out a move to a land‐all catch policy in European Union waters with a requirement for full reporting of fishing and on‐board processing activity. We explore the merits, stakeholder perceptions and applicability of different technology and approaches to the full documentation of fisheries that might be considered in the context of implementing the CFP reform. While recent efforts have focused on demonstrating how remote electronic monitoring (REM) systems can be utilized in fully documented fisheries (FDF), other technologies and approaches such as reference fleet and self‐sampling exist that could contribute to delivering FDF. Perceptions of fishers show that they would prefer using a reference fleet or self‐sampling to REM systems as a future method of implementing FDF. In general, there is support from the fishing industry for data collection and enhancement, but there remains some mistrust concerning the use of the data. Findings show that the most appropriate means and methods of FDF will depend on the circumstances and objectives for full documentation whether in enforcing a discard ban, documentation of total catch or data enhancement. We conclude that any technology or approach that will be used to deliver the monitoring requirements for FDF needs to make practical and commercial sense at the fishing vessel level.
Clusters of reaction rates and concentrations in protein networks such as the phosphotransferase system
Authors: Härdin Hanna M. , Zagaris Antonios , Willms Allan R. , Westerhoff Hans V.
Published: November 2013

To understand the functioning of living cells, it is often helpful or even necessary to exploit inherent timescale disparities and focus on long‐term dynamic behaviour. In the present study, we explore this type of behaviour for the biochemical network of the phosphotransferase system. We show that, during the slow phase that follows a fast initial transient, the network reaction rates are partitioned into clusters corresponding to connected parts of the reaction network. Rates within any of these clusters assume essentially the same value: differences within each cluster are vastly smaller than that from one cluster to another. This rate clustering induces an analogous clustering of the reactive compounds: only the molecular concentrations on the interface between these clusters are produced and consumed at substantially different rates and hence change considerably during the slow phase. The remaining concentrations essentially assume their steady‐state values already by the end of the transient phase. Further, we find that this clustering phenomenon occurs for a large number of parameter values and also for models with different topologies; to each of these models, there corresponds a particular network partitioning. Our results show that, in spite of its complexity, the phosphotransferase system tends to behave in a rather simple (yet versatile) way. The persistence of clustering for the perturbed models we examined suggests that it is likely to be encountered in various environmental conditions, as well as in other signal transduction pathways with network structures similar to that of the phosphotransferase system.
Institutional Investor Ownership and Corporate Pension Transparency
Authors: Eaton Tim V. , Nofsinger John R. , Varma Abhishek
Published: November 2013

We examine the association between institutional ownership and defined benefit (DB) pension decisions. We find that institutional ownership is negatively associated with pension underfunding, opportunistic increases in the expected rate of return assumption in the presence of underfunding, and significant ownership of the firm's own stock in the DB plan portfolio. Furthermore, these relations are stronger when institutional ownership is concentrated, when institutions are nontransient investors, or when institutions are relatively large. These results suggest that institutional investors are monitoring firm pension decisions, particularly those institutions with stronger monitoring incentives or resources.
An analysis of geothermal and carbonic springs in the western United States sustained by deep fluid inputs
Authors: Colman D. R. , Garcia J. R. , Crossey L. J. , Karlstrom K. , Jackson‐Weaver O. , Takacs‐Vesbach C.
Published: November 2013

Hydrothermal springs harbor unique microbial communities that have provided insight into the early evolution of life, expanded known microbial diversity, and documented a deep Earth biosphere. Mesothermal (cool but above ambient temperature) continental springs, however, have largely been ignored although they may also harbor unique populations of micro‐organisms influenced by deep subsurface fluid mixing with near surface fluids. We investigated the microbial communities of 28 mesothermal springs in diverse geologic provinces of the western United States that demonstrate differential mixing of deeply and shallowly circulated water. Culture‐independent analysis of the communities yielded 1966 bacterial and 283 archaeal 16S rRNA gene sequences. The springs harbored diverse taxa and shared few operational taxonomic units (OTUs) across sites. The Proteobacteria phylum accounted for most of the dataset (81.2% of all 16S rRNA genes), with 31 other phyla/candidate divisions comprising the remainder. A small percentage (~6%) of bacterial 16S rRNA genes could not be classified at the phylum level, but were mostly distributed in those springs with greatest inputs of deeply sourced fluids. Archaeal diversity was limited to only four springs and was primarily composed of well‐characterized Thaumarchaeota. Geochemistry across the dataset was varied, but statistical analyses suggested that greater input of deeply sourced fluids was correlated with community structure. Those with lesser input contained genera typical of surficial waters, while some of the springs with greater input may contain putatively chemolithotrophic communities. The results reported here expand our understanding of microbial diversity of continental geothermal systems and suggest that these communities are influenced by the geochemical and hydrologic characteristics arising from deeply sourced (mantle‐derived) fluid mixing. The springs and communities we report here provide evidence for opportunities to understand new dimensions of continental geobiological processes where warm, highly reduced fluids are mixing with more oxidized surficial waters.