bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Updated results of the Gothenburg Trial of Mammographic Screening
Authors: Bjurstam Nils G. , Björneld Lena M. , Duffy Stephen W.
Published: April 2016

BACKGROUND

There remain uncertainties about age‐specific effects of breast cancer screening on mortality due to the disease.

METHODS

In 1982, a randomized trial of mammographic screening every 18 months was started in Gothenburg, Sweden. Women between the ages of 39 and 49 years were randomized to an invitation to screening (intervention group; n = 11,792) or to usual care (the control group; n = 14,321). The corresponding numbers for women between the ages of 50 and 59 years were 10,112 and 15,997. Follow‐up data for breast cancer mortality were available up to the end of 2007. Data were analyzed by Poisson regression with conservative variance estimates.

RESULTS

There were 79 breast cancer deaths in the intervention arm and 156 in the control arm, and this meant a significant 30% reduction in breast cancer mortality with the offer of screening (relative risk [RR], 0.70; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.53‐0.93; P = .01). In women aged 39 to 49 years, there was a significant 40% reduction in breast cancer mortality (RR, 0.60; 95% CI, 0.43‐0.85; P = .003). In the 50‐ to 59‐year age group, there was a nonsignificant 18% breast cancer mortality reduction (RR, 0.82; 95% CI, 0.54‐1.26; P = .4).

CONCLUSIONS

The policy of offering mammographic screening substantially reduces breast cancer mortality and can do so in women younger than 50 years. Cancer 2016;122:1832–5. © 2016 The Authors. Cancer published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of American Cancer Society.
Nonrandomized comparison of neurofibromatosis type 1 and non–neurofibromatosis type 1 children who received carboplatin and vincristine for progressive low‐grade glioma: A report from the Children's Oncology Group
Authors: Ater Joann L. , Xia Caihong , Mazewski Claire M. , Booth Timothy N. , Freyer David R. , Packer Roger J. , Sposto Richard , Vezina Gilbert , Pollack Ian F.
Published: April 2016

BACKGROUND

To evaluate tumor responses, event‐free survival (EFS), overall survival (OS), and toxicity of chemotherapy, children with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) and progressive low‐grade glioma were enrolled into the Children's Oncology Group (COG) A9952 protocol and treated with carboplatin and vincristine (CV).

METHODS

Non‐NF1 patients were randomized to CV or thioguanine, procarbazine, 1‐(2‐chloroethyl)‐3‐cyclohexyl‐1‐nitrosourea, and vincristine in COG A9952. NF1 patients were assigned to CV only. NF1 patients and non‐NF1 patients who were treated with CV were compared with respect to baseline characteristics, toxicity, tumor responses, EFS, and OS.

RESULTS

A total of 127 eligible patients with NF1 were nonrandomly assigned to CV: 42 NF1 patients (33%) had events, and 6 (4.7%) died. The 5‐year EFS rate was 69% ± 4% for the CV‐NF1 group and 39% ± 4% for the CV–non‐NF1 group (P < .001). In a univariate analysis, NF1 children had a significantly higher tumor response rate and superior EFS and OS in comparison with CV‐treated children without NF1. NF1 patients and non‐NF1 patients differed significantly in amount of residual tumor, extent of resection, tumor location, and pathology. According to a multivariate analysis, NF1 was independently associated with better EFS (P < .001) but not with OS. NF1 patients also had a decreased risk of grade 3 or 4 toxicities in comparison with non‐NF1 patients. Three second malignant neoplasms occurred in NF1 patients receiving CV (CV‐NF1 group) at a median of 7.8 years (range, 7.3‐9.4 years) after enrollment, but there were none in the non‐NF1 group.

CONCLUSIONS

Children with NF1 tolerated CV well and had tumor response rates and EFS that were superior to those for children without NF1. Cancer 2016;122:1928–36. © 2016 American Cancer Society.
3D time‐varying simulations of Ca2+ dynamics in arterial coupled cells: A massively parallel implementation
Authors: Zakkaroff Constantine , Moore Stephen , Dowding Stewart , David Tim
Published: April 2016

Preferential locations of atherosclerotic plaque are strongly associated with the areas of low wall shear stress and disturbed haemodynamic characteristics such as flow detachment, flow recirculation and oscillatory flow. The areas of low wall shear stress are also associated with the reduced production of adenosine triphosphate in the endothelial layer, as well as the resulting reduced production of inositol trisphosphate (IP3). The subsequent variation in Ca2+ signalling and nitric oxide synthesis could lead to the impairment of the atheroprotective function played by nitric oxide. In previous studies, it has been suggested that the reduced IP3 and Ca2+ signalling can explain the correlation of atherosclerosis with induced low WSS and disturbed flow characteristics. The massively parallel implementation described in this article provides insight into the dynamics of coupled smooth muscle cells and endothelial cells mapped onto the surface of an idealised arterial bifurcation. We show that variations in coupling parameters, which model normal and pathological conditions, provide vastly different smooth muscle cell Ca2+ dynamics and wave propagation profiles. The extensibility of the coupled cells model and scalability of the implementation provide a solid framework for in silico investigations of the interaction between complex cellular chemistry and the macro‐scale processes determined by fluid dynamics. © 2016 The Authors. International Journal for Numerical Methods in Biomedical Engineering published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Organometallic Hydrogels
Authors: Zheng Yunhui , Li Guanying , Zhang Ye
Published: April 2016

Hydrogels are soft materials with distinct three dimensional (3D) networks capturing a large water content. The similarity of hydrogels to natural tissue has made them the most promising biomaterials for use in human bodies. During the past several decades, hydrogels have attracted considerable attention from scientists in different research fields. With their contributions, the research in this field has experienced significant advances both in content and in style. Organometallic hydrogels, one special category of hydrogels in which metal ions participate in the 3D networks, have become one of the pioneering types of soft materials. Endowed with the unique properties of metal ions and coordination chemistry's structural diversity, this type of material has shown great potential for intelligent materials as part of a smart future. In this review, we focus on the state‐of‐the‐art achievements in organometallic hydrogels and provide bottom‐up insights from structure to applications.
Singularities of Solutions to Quadratic Vector Equations on the Complex Upper Half‐Plane
Authors: Ajanki Oskari , Krüger Torben , ERDŐS LÁszlÓ
Published: April 2016

Let S be a positivity‐preserving symmetric linear operator acting on bounded functions. The nonlinear equation with a parameter z in the complex upper half‐plane ℍ has a unique solution m with values in ℍ. We show that the z‐dependence of this solution can be represented as the Stieltjes transforms of a family of probability measures v on ℝ. Under suitable conditions on S, we show that v has a real analytic density apart from finitely many algebraic singularities of degree at most 3.

Our motivation comes from large random matrices. The solution m determines the density of eigenvalues of two prominent matrix ensembles: (i) matrices with centered independent entries whose variances are given by S and (ii) matrices with correlated entries with a translation‐invariant correlation structure. Our analysis shows that the limiting eigenvalue density has only square root singularities or cubic root cusps; no other singularities occur.© 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Large Deviations for Diffusions Interacting Through Their Ranks
Authors: Dembo Amir , Shkolnikov Mykhaylo , Varadhan S. R. Srinivasa , Zeitouni Ofer
Published: April 2016

We prove a large deviations principle (LDP) for systems of diffusions (particles) interacting through their ranks when the number of particles tends to infinity. We show that the limiting particle density is given by the unique solution of the appropriate McKean‐Vlasov equation and that the corresponding cumulative distribution function evolves according to a nondegenerate generalized porous medium equation with convection. The large deviations rate function is provided in explicit form. This is the first instance of an LDP for interacting diffusions where the interaction occurs both through the drift and the diffusion coefficients and where the rate function can be given explicitly. In the course of the proof, we obtain new regularity results for tilted versions of such a generalized porous medium equation.© 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Identifying long tail term from large‐scale candidate pairs for big data‐oriented patent analysis
Authors: Qu Peng , Zhang Junsheng , Yao Changqing , Zeng Wen
Published: April 2016

Patent is a very important and valuable type of scientific and technical big data. This paper presents how to mine patent text to obtain valuable information/knowledge from large‐scale candidates obtained from these patents based on massive patent texts. We firstly propose a patent term extraction method using co‐occurrence in the abstract and first‐claim sections of patent records. There are three steps: (1) we extract candidate strings according to our definition of a term; (2) we propose an assumption to verify whether a candidate string is a qualified term or not by using the co‐occurrence of terms in the abstract and first claim; and (3) we use term frequency–inverse document frequencyAUTHOR: TF‐IDF has been defined as “term frequency–inverse document frequency”. Please check if correct. or mutual information to rank and select candidate terms. Secondly, we propose a new method to obtain valuable long tail term from patents. To fulfill the purpose, (1) we firstly build long tail term–common term pair as candidate set; (2) then we evaluate each candidate pair's value; and finally, (3) to demonstrate our method, we give an example on our result. This study provides a new perspective in extracting terms from free texts of patent records and also proposes a new method to obtain valuable long term to aid information analysis with massive patent texts. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
SimMon: a toolkit for simulation of monitoring mechanisms in cloud computing environment
Authors: Zhao Xinkui , Yin Jianwei , Zhi Chen , Chen Zuoning
Published: April 2016

Monitoring is a precondition for intelligent management in cloud computing environment, such as dynamic resource allocation. Typically, working as an auxiliary tool, a monitoring system is expected to incur the least additional resource usage, thus the strategies to improve the efficiency of monitoring mechanisms become significant. Yet the scale and monitoring requirement of different data centers vary, we cannot determine whether a monitoring mechanism would work well in a new data center before it serves the data center. To evaluate monitoring mechanisms, we propose SimMon, a toolkit for simulating monitoring mechanisms in cloud computing environments. SimMon is designed to simulate the topologies, actions, and strategies in data collection, dissemination, storage, and management processes. SimMon provides a controllable and repeatable way to evaluate monitoring mechanisms. In this paper, we describe the requirements analysis, design, implementation, and evaluation of SimMon. We simulate several different monitoring systems and compare their cost on time and resource to evaluate the efficiency of SimMon. We reproduce two usage scenarios from former literatures to demonstrate the effectiveness of SimMon on monitoring mechanisms simulation and evaluation. We build a real‐world working environment to validate the capability of SimMon on mimicking the characteristics of cloud monitoring systems. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Parallel multi‐core hyper‐heuristic GRASP to solve permutation flow‐shop problem
Authors: Alekseeva Ekaterina , Mezmaz Mohand , Tuyttens Daniel , Melab Nouredine
Published: April 2016

In this paper, we aim to propose a parallel multi‐core hyper‐heuristic based on greedy randomized adaptive search procedure (GRASP) for the permutation flow‐shop problem with the makespan criterion. The GRASP is a well‐known two‐phase metaheuristic. First, a construction phase builds a complete solution iteratively, component by component, by a greedy randomized algorithm. After that, a local search phase improves this solution. The choice of a component and the order in which it is added in a solution mostly depend on its incremental cost. Thus, a basic GRASP configuration is defined by a cost function, a probabilistic parameter of greediness and a neighbourhood structure. We consider five cost functions and seven well‐known neighbourhood structures. In this paper a cost function based on a bounding operator is integrated in GRASP for the first time. Mechanisms that investigate automatically algorithm configurations refer to hyper‐heuristics. Our hyper‐heuristic investigates 315 GRASP configurations and reports which one produces better results. Parallel multi‐core computing is used as a way to efficiently implement the hyper‐heuristic. Taillard's benchmark instances are used to test the hyper‐heuristic for the permutation flow‐shop problem. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A Set of Efficient nD NMR Protocols for Resonance Assignments of Intrinsically Disordered Proteins
Authors: Wiedemann Christoph , Bellstedt Peter , Häfner Sabine , Herbst Christian , Bordusa Frank , Görlach Matthias , Ohlenschläger Oliver , Ramachandran Ramadurai
Published: April 2016

The RF pulse scheme RN[N‐CA HEHAHA]NH, which provides a convenient approach to the acquisition of different multidimensional chemical shift correlation NMR spectra leading to backbone resonance assignments, including those of the proline residues of intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs), is experimentally demonstrated. Depending on the type of correlation data required, the method involves the generation of in‐phase (15N)x magnetisation via different magnetisation transfer pathways such as H→N→CO→N, HA→CA→CO→N, H→N→CA→N and H→CA→N, the subsequent application of 15N‐13Cα heteronuclear Hartmann‐Hahn mixing over a period of ≈100 ms, chemical‐shift labelling of relevant nuclei before and after the heteronuclear mixing step and amide proton detection in the acquisition dimension. It makes use of the favourable relaxation properties of IDPs and the presence of 1JCαN and 2JCαN couplings to achieve efficient correlation of the backbone resonances of each amino acid residue “i” with the backbone amide resonances of residues “i−1” and “i+1”. It can be implemented in a straightforward way through simple modifications of the RF pulse schemes commonly employed in protein NMR studies. The efficacy of the approach is demonstrated using a uniformly (15N,13C) labelled sample of α‐synuclein. The different possibilities for obtaining the amino‐acid‐type information, simultaneously with the connectivity data between the backbone resonances of sequentially neighbouring residues, have also been outlined.
Reverse Anomeric Effect in Large‐Amplitude Pyridinium Amide‐Containing Mannosyl [2]Rotaxane Molecular Shuttles
Authors: Riss‐Yaw Benjamin , Waelès Philip , Coutrot Frédéric
Published: April 2016

The reverse anomeric effect (RAE) was investigated in different mannosyl [2]rotaxane molecular shuttle isomers that contain dibenzo‐24‐crown‐8 (DB24C8) as the macrocycle, and anilinium and pyridinium amide as molecular stations. The switching on or off of the RAE was possible depending on both the pyridinium amide motif and the localization of the DB24C8 along the thread. The 1C4 mannopyranosyl chair‐like conformation was observed in all the non‐interlocked molecules because the anomeric carbon of the mannose is linked to the positively charged nitrogen of the pyridinium unit. In the protonated rotaxanes, the 1C4 chair conformation of the mannose end remains because the DB24C8 resides around the best anilinium station, which is located at the other end of the axle. Upon deprotonation of the anilinium, the DB24C8 shuttles with a large‐amplitude motion toward the pyridinium amide stations, where it interacts in a different fashion depending on the pyridinium motif. In one molecular shuttle, the RAE could be switched on or off with control at one end of the encircled thread upon protonation/deprotonation of the other end, through shuttling of the DB24C8.
Therapeutic Alliance in Internet‐Delivered Cognitive Behaviour Therapy for Depression or Generalized Anxiety
Authors: Hadjistavropoulos Heather D. , Pugh Nicole E. , Hesser Hugo , Andersson Gerhard
Published: April 2016

There has been limited research on therapeutic alliance in the context of therapist‐assisted Internet‐delivered cognitive behaviour therapy (ICBT) when delivered in clinical practice. The present study investigated therapeutic alliance in ICBT delivered to patients seeking treatment for symptoms of depression (n = 83) or generalized anxiety (n = 112) as part of an open dissemination trial. ICBT was provided by 27 registered therapists or 28 graduate students working in six geographically dispersed clinics; therapist‐assistance was delivered primarily through secure messages and occasionally telephone calls. The Generalized Anxiety Disorder‐7 and Patient Health Questionnaire‐9 were collected pre‐, mid‐ and post‐treatment, and the Therapeutic Alliance Questionnaire was assessed mid‐ and post‐treatment. Therapeutic alliance ratings were high both at mid‐treatment and post‐treatment (above 80%). There was no relationship between therapeutic alliance ratings and improvement on primary outcomes. Among patients treated for depression, lower ratings of mid‐treatment alliance were associated with concurrent treatment by a psychiatrist and fewer phone calls and emails from their therapist. Among patients treated for generalized anxiety, ratings of mid‐treatment alliance were higher among registered providers as compared to graduate students. Multiple directions for future research on therapeutic alliance in ICBT are offered, including suggestions for developing a new measure of therapeutic alliance specific to ICBT and measuring therapeutic alliance throughout the treatment process. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Key Practitioner Message

This research demonstrated that therapeutic alliance ratings were very strong at both mid‐ and post‐treatment among patients who received Internet‐delivered cognitive behaviour therapy (ICBT) for depression or anxiety in clinical practice.

Among patients receiving ICBT for depression, lower ratings of therapeutic alliance were associated with patients reporting concurrent treatment by a psychiatrist and with the receipt of fewer phone calls and emails from the therapist.

Among patients receiving ICBT for generalized anxiety, ratings of alliance were higher when patients were treated by registered providers as compared to graduate students.

Therapeutic alliance ratings did not predict outcome in ICBT for depression or anxiety.

Practitioners have reason to be confident that a therapeutic relationship can be formed in ICBT when delivered in clinical practice.
Maternal use of selective serotonin‐reuptake inhibitors and risk of persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn
Authors: Alwan S , Bandoli G , Chambers CD
Published: April 2016

Use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) in late pregnancy has been associated with persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (PPHN), a rare condition with substantial infant mortality and morbidity. Although the increase in absolute risk is small on a population level, it may be of concern to many patients. It remains unclear the extent to which the increased risks reported for PPHN are explained by the underlying maternal illness rather than the use of SSRIs.
Medicine safety in pregnancy and ambitions for the EU medicine regulatory framework
Authors: Saint‐Raymond A , de Vries CS
Published: April 2016

Is the European Union (EU) regulatory framework concerning pregnant women and women at risk of becoming pregnant fit for the purpose? This article discusses improvements in how medicines should be developed and monitored for safe and effective use by pregnant women and women at risk of becoming pregnant.
Linear optical properties and Raman spectroscopy of natural fluorapatite
Authors: Becker Petra , Libowitzky Eugen , Kleinschrodt Reiner , Bohatý Ladislav
Published: April 2016

Precision refractive indices and their dispersion in the visible and near IR range (430 – 2400 nm) and thermal expansion (including its anisotropy and temperature dependence between 144 K and 673 K) were determined for gem‐quality crystals of fluorapatite from Durango, Mexico. In addition, results of a polarized Raman spectroscopy study on these crystals are given. Fluorapatite crystals show moderate values of thermal expansion with small anisotropy. The linear optical properties of the crystals allow no phase matching for third harmonic generation, but signalize, together with the Raman characteristics, a potential suitability of fluorapatite as nonlinear optical material for χ(3)‐based stimulated Raman scattering.
New Insights into CO2 Absorption Mechanisms with Amino‐Acid Ionic Liquids
Authors: Yang Qiwei , Wang Zhiping , Bao Zongbi , Zhang Zhiguo , Yang Yiwen , Ren Qilong , Xing Huabin , Dai Sheng
Published: April 2016

The last decade saw an explosion of interest in using amine‐functionalized materials for CO2 capture and conversion, and it is of great importance to elucidate the relationship between the molecular structure of amine‐functionalized materials and their CO2 capacity. In this work, based on a new quantitative analysis method for the CO2 absorption mechanism of amino‐acid ionic liquids (ILs) and quantum chemical calculations, we show that the small difference in the local structure of amine groups in ILs could lead to much different CO2 absorption mechanisms, which provides an opportunity for achieving higher CO2 capacity by structure design. This work revealed that the actual CO2 absorption mechanism by amino‐acid ILs goes beyond the apparent CO2/amine stoichiometry; a rigid ring structure around the amine group in ILs creates a unique electrostatic environment that inhibits the deprotonation of carbamic acid and enables actually equimolar CO2/amine absorption.
Nanostructurally Controlled Hydrogel Based on Small‐Diameter Native Chitin Nanofibers: Preparation, Structure, and Properties
Authors: Mushi Ngesa Ezekiel , Kochumalayil Joby , Cervin Nicholas Tchang , Zhou Qi , Berglund Lars A.
Published: April 2016

Chitin nanofibers of unique structure and properties can be obtained from crustacean and fishery waste. These chitin nanofibers have roughly 4 nm diameters, aspect ratios between 25–250, a high degree of acetylation and preserved crystallinity, and can be potentially applied in hydrogels. Hydrogels with a chitin nanofiber content of 0.4, 0.6, 0.8, 1.0, 2.0, and 3.0 wt % were successfully prepared. The methodology for preparation is new, environmentally friendly, and simple as gelation is induced by neutralization of the charged colloidal mixture, inducing precipitation and secondary bond interaction between nanofibers. Pore structure and pore size distributions of corresponding aerogels are characterized using auto‐porosimetry, revealing a substantial fraction of nanoscale pores. To the best of our knowledge, the values for storage (13 kPa at 3 wt %) and compression modulus (309 kPa at 2 wt %) are the highest reported for chitin nanofibers hydrogels.
MoS2 Nanosheet‐Modified CuInS2 Photocatalyst for Visible‐Light‐Driven Hydrogen Production from Water
Authors: Yuan Yong‐Jun , Chen Da‐Qin , Huang Yan‐Wei , Yu Zhen‐Tao , Zhong Jia‐Song , Chen Ting‐Ting , Tu Wen‐Guang , Guan Zhong‐Jie , Cao Da‐Peng , Zou Zhi‐Gang
Published: April 2016

Exploiting photocatalysts respond to visible light is of huge challenge for photocatalytic H2 production. Here, we synthesize a new composite material consisting of few‐layer MoS2 nanosheets grown on CuInS2 surface as an efficient photocatalyst for solar H2 generation. The photocatalytic results demonstrate that the 3 wt % MoS2/CuInS2 photocatalyst exhibits the highest H2 generation rate of 316 μmol h−1 g−1 under visible light irradiation, which is almost 28 times higher than that of CuInS2. Importantly, the MoS2/CuInS2 photocatalyst shows a much higher photocatalytic activity than that of Pt‐loaded CuInS2 photocatalyst. The enhanced photocatalytic activities of MoS2/CuInS2 photocatalysts can be attributed to the improved charge separation at the interface of MoS2 and CuInS2, which is demonstrated by the significant enhancement of photocurrent responses in MoS2/CuInS2 photoelectrodes. This work presents a noble‐metal‐free photocatalyst that responds to visible light for solar H2 generation.
High Pseudocapacitive Performance of MnO2 Nanowires on Recyclable Electrodes
Authors: Han Zhao Jun , Bo Zheng , Seo Dong Han , Pineda Shafique , Wang Ye , Yang Hui Ying , Ostrikov Kostya (Ken)
Published: April 2016

Manganese oxides are promising pseudocapacitve materials for achieving both high power and energy densities in pseudocapacitors. However, it remains a great challenge to develop MnO2‐based high‐performance electrodes due to their low electrical conductance and poor stability. Here we show that MnO2 nanowires anchored on electrochemically modified graphite foil (EMGF) have a high areal capacitance of 167 mF cm−2 at a discharge current density of 0.2 mA cm−2 and a high capacitance retention after 5000 charge/discharge cycles (115 %), which are among the best values reported for any MnO2‐based hybrid structures. The EMGF support can also be recycled and the newly deposited MnO2‐based hybrids retain similarly high performance. These results demonstrate the successful preparation of pseudocapacitors with high capacity and cycling stability, which may open a new opportunity towards a sustainable and environmentally friendly method of utilizing electrochemical energy storage devices.
A long lifetime passive LED driver with power factor correction
Authors: Chen Po‐Yen , Pan Ching‐Tsai , Liu Yi‐Hua
Published: April 2016

In this paper, a novel single stage passive ac to dc converter is first proposed for LED drivers. No controlled active switch, electrolytic capacitors and auxiliary power supply are required in the proposed LED driver. The advantages of the proposed driver include long lifetime, high efficiency and recyclability. In addition, application of the proposed quasi‐resonant circuit enables one to use much smaller capacitance and inductance for the capacitors and inductor to achieve high power factor and compact size. Theoretical analysis of the proposed LED driver is made, and some design guidelines are provided. Finally, a prototype system of 50‐W rating is constructed. Experimental results confirm the validity of the proposed LED driver. It can be seen that the proposed driver is robust to variations of input voltage, frequency and output load. The features of low cost, long lifetime, robustness and without EMI problem render the proposed driver a very attractive alternative for outdoor applications. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Validation of a flow cytometry‐based detection of γ‐H2AX, to measure DNA damage for clinical applications
Authors: Johansson Pegah , Fasth Anders , Ek Torben , Hammarsten Ola
Published: April 2016

Background

The nucleosomal histone protein H2AX is specifically phosphorylated (γ‐H2AX) adjacent to DNA double‐strand breaks (DSBs) and is used for quantifying DSBs. Many chemotherapies and ionizing radiation (IR) used in cancer treatment result in DSBs. Therefore, γ‐H2AX has a significant potential as a biomarker in evaluating patient sensitivity and responsiveness to IR and chemotherapy.

Methods

Here, we report a flow cytometry‐based quantification of γ‐H2AX (FCM‐γ‐H2AX assay) customized for clinical practice.

Results

We validated that our method is able to detect DNA damage in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) treated with DSB inducing agents. The method also detected the DNA repair deficiency in PBMCs treated with DNA repair inhibitors, as well as the deficiency in DNA repair signaling in PBMCs from two ataxia telangiectasia patients.

Conclusions

The FCM‐γ‐H2AX assay has sufficient analytical sensitivity and precision to measure levels of DNA damage and DNA repair for clinical purposes. © 2016 International Clinical Cytometry Society
A survey of cross‐layer protocols for IEEE 802.11 wireless multi‐hop mesh networks
Authors: Sheikh Sajid M. , Wolhuter Riaan , Engelbrecht Herman A.
Published: April 2016

There has been an escalation in deployment and research of wireless mesh networks by both the business community and academia in the last few years. Their attractive characteristics include low deployment cost, a low‐cost option to extend network coverage and ease of maintenance due to their self‐healing properties. Multiple routes exist between the sender and receiver nodes because of the mesh layout that ensures network connectivity even when node or link failures occur. Recent advances among others include routing metrics, optimum routing, security, scheduling, cross‐layer designs and physical layer techniques. However, there are still challenges in wireless mesh networks as discussed in this paper that need to be addressed. Cross‐layer design allows information from adjacent and non‐adjacent layers to be used at a particular layer for performance improvement. This paper presents a survey of cross‐layer protocol design approaches applied to the IEEE 802.11 standards for wireless multi‐hop mesh networks that have been proposed over the last few years for improved performance. We summarize the current research efforts in cross‐layer protocol design using the IEEE 802.11 standard in identifying unsolved issues that are a promising avenue to further research. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Pharmaceutical doses of the banned stimulant oxilofrine found in dietary supplements sold in the USA
Authors: Cohen Pieter A. , Avula Bharathi , Venhuis Bastiaan , Travis John C. , Wang Yan‐Hong , Khan Ikhlas A.
Published: April 2016

Oxilofrine (4‐[1‐hydroxy‐2‐(methylamino)propyl]phenol) is a pharmaceutical stimulant prescribed in dosages of 16 to 40 mg to stimulate the heart and increase blood pressure. It has never been approved for use in the USA as a prescription drug or as a dietary supplement. Several athletes, however, have been banned from sport for testing positive for oxilofrine and have claimed that they inadvertently consumed oxilofrine in sports supplements. Consumption of supplements containing oxilofrine may also pose serious health risks. For example, one brand of supplements containing oxilofrine has been linked to serious adverse events including vomiting, agitation, and cardiac arrest. We designed our study to determine the presence and quantity of oxilofrine in dietary supplements sold in the USA. A validated ultra‐high performance liquid chromatography‐quadrupole time of flight‐mass spectrometry method was developed for the identification and quantification of oxilofrine. The separation was achieved using a reversed phase column, mass spectrometry detection, and a water/acetonitrile gradient as the mobile phase. The presence of oxilofrine was confirmed using a reference standard. We analyzed 27 brands of supplements labelled as containing a synonym of oxilofrine (‘methylsynephrine’) and found that oxilofrine was present in 14 different brands (52%) at dosages ranging from 0.0003 to 75 mg per individual serving. Of the supplements containing oxilofrine, 43% (6/14) contained pharmaceutical or greater dosages of oxilofrine. Following instructions on the label, consumers could ingest as much as 250 mg of oxilofrine per day. The drug oxilofrine was found in pharmacological and greater dosages in supplements labelled as containing methylsynephrine. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Evaluating carbon storage, timber harvest, and habitat possibilities for a Western Cascades (USA) forest landscape
Authors: Kline Jeffrey D. , Harmon Mark E. , Spies Thomas A. , Morzillo Anita T. , Pabst Robert J. , McComb Brenda C. , Schnekenburger Frank , Olsen Keith A. , Csuti Blair , Vogeler Jody C.
Published: April 2016

Forest policymakers and managers have long sought ways to evaluate the capability of forest landscapes to jointly produce timber, habitat, and other ecosystem services in response to forest management. Currently, carbon is of particular interest as policies for increasing carbon storage on federal lands are being proposed. However, a challenge in joint production analysis of forest management is adequately representing ecological conditions and processes that influence joint production relationships. We used simulation models of vegetation structure, forest sector carbon, and potential wildlife habitat to characterize landscape‐level joint production possibilities for carbon storage, timber harvest, and habitat for seven wildlife species across a range of forest management regimes. We sought to (1) characterize the general relationships of production possibilities for combinations of carbon storage, timber, and habitat, and (2) identify management variables that most influence joint production relationships. Our 160 000‐ha study landscape featured environmental conditions typical of forests in the Western Cascade Mountains of Oregon (USA). Our results indicate that managing forests for carbon storage involves trade‐offs among timber harvest and habitat for focal wildlife species, depending on the disturbance interval and utilization intensity followed. Joint production possibilities for wildlife species varied in shape, ranging from competitive to complementary to compound, reflecting niche breadth and habitat component needs of species examined. Managing Pacific Northwest forests to store forest sector carbon can be roughly complementary with habitat for Northern Spotted Owl, Olive‐sided Flycatcher, and red tree vole. However, managing forests to increase carbon storage potentially can be competitive with timber production and habitat for Pacific marten, Pileated Woodpecker, and Western Bluebird, depending on the disturbance interval and harvest intensity chosen. Our analysis suggests that joint production possibilities under forest management regimes currently typical on industrial forest lands (e.g., 40‐ to 80‐yr rotations with some tree retention for wildlife) represent but a small fraction of joint production outcomes possible in the region. Although the theoretical boundaries of the production possibilities sets we developed are probably unachievable in the current management environment, they arguably define the long‐term potential of managing forests to produce multiple ecosystem services within and across multiple forest ownerships.
Two‐year follow‐up of the MOSAIC trial: A multicenter randomized controlled trial comparing two psychological treatments in adult outpatients with broadly defined anorexia nervosa
Authors: Schmidt Ulrike , Ryan Elizabeth G. , Bartholdy Savani , Renwick Bethany , Keyes Alexandra , O'Hara Caitlin , McClelland Jessica , Lose Anna , Kenyon Martha , Dejong Hannah , Broadbent Hannah , Loomes Rachel , Serpell Lucy , Richards Lorna , Johnson‐Sabine Eric , Boughton Nicky , Whitehead Linette , Bonin Eva , Beecham Jennifer , Landau Sabine , Treasure Janet
Published: April 2016

Objective

This study reports follow‐up data from a multicenter randomized controlled trial (n = 142) comparing the Maudsley Model of Anorexia Nervosa Treatment for Adults (MANTRA) with Specialist Supportive Clinical Management (SSCM) in outpatients with broadly defined anorexia nervosa (AN). At 12 months postrandomization, all patients had statistically significant improvements in body mass index (BMI), eating disorder (ED) symptomatology and other outcomes with no differences between groups. MANTRA was more acceptable to patients. The present study assessed whether gains were maintained at 24 months postrandomization.

Methods

Follow‐up data at 24 months were obtained from 73.2% of participants. Outcome measures included BMI, ED symptomatology, distress, impairment, and additional service utilization during the study period. Outcomes were analyzed using linear mixed models.

Results

There were few differences between groups. In both treatment groups, improvements in BMI, ED symptomatology, distress levels, and clinical impairment were maintained or increased further. Estimated mean BMI change from baseline to 24 months was 2.16 kg/m2 for SSCM and 2.25 kg/m2 for MANTRA (effect sizes of 1.75 and 1.83, respectively). Most participants (83%) did not require any additional intensive treatments (e.g., hospitalization). Two SSCM patients became overweight through binge‐eating.

Discussion

Both treatments have value as outpatient interventions for patients with AN. © 2016 Crown copyright. International Journal of Eating Disorders. (Int J Eat Disord 2016; 49:793–800)
Forearm bone mineralization in recently diagnosed female adolescents with a premenarchal onset of anorexia nervosa
Authors: Roggen Inge , Vanbesien Jesse , Gies Inge , Van den Eede Ursula , Lampo Annik , Louis Olivia , De Schepper Jean
Published: April 2016

Objective

Data available on bone mineralization by peripheral quantitative computed tomography (pQCT) in adolescents with an early onset anorexia nervosa (AN) is limited. We investigated whether a disturbed bone mineralization can be observed at the distal radius in recently diagnosed female adolescents with AN and a premenarchal onset of this disease.

Method

Twenty‐four premenarchal patients with AN and 22 healthy females which were age and height matched, were selected from our reference database; both groups underwent a pQCT bone assessment at the distal radius of the nondominant arm.

Results

The patients age ranged between 13.3 and 18.4 years. Their percent weight loss ranged between 5 and 36% (median 23%) and occurred within the preceding 3 to 44 months. Trabecular volumetric bone mineral density of the patient group was significantly lower than the comparison group (185.6 ± 30.2 vs.209.3 ± 34.0 mm2; p = 0.02). Bone cross‐sectional area, bone mineral content, total volumetric bone mineral density and periosteal circumference were also lower, albeit not significantly. The bone parameters were unrelated to the under nutrition severity and duration.

Discussion

In premenarchal patients with AN the trabecular bone mineralization of the forearm is significantly reduced, this might be an early indicator of altered bone mineral accrual. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.(Int J Eat Disord 2016; 49:809–812)
Nonmedical prescription stimulant use for suppressing appetite and controlling body weight is uniquely associated with more severe eating disorder symptomatology
Authors: Kilwein Tess M. , Goodman Erica L. , Looby Alison , De Young Kyle P.
Published: April 2016

Objective

Nonmedical prescription stimulant use (NPS; i.e., use without a prescription or in ways other than prescribed) to suppress appetite or control weight appears to be associated with eating disorder (ED) symptomatology among college students. However, it remains unknown if this relationship is motive‐specific and uniquely related to ED symptomatology. This research examined whether engaging in NPS specifically for appetite/weight‐related purposes is associated with ED symptomatology and a unique indicator of more severe symptomatology.

Method

A nonclinical sample of college students (N = 668; 79% female) reported eating disorder symptoms via the Eating Pathology Symptoms Inventory and Eating Disorder Examination‐Questionnaire, and lifetime history of NPS and corresponding motives.

Results

Binge eating, body dissatisfaction, negative attitudes towards obesity, restricting, purging, and cognitive restraint were reported more frequently by students who endorsed NPS for weight/appetite‐related purposes than by those who used for other purposes or denied lifetime NPS. Additionally, NPS for appetite/weight‐related purposes was uniquely associated with ED symptomatology after adjusting for gender, lifetime NPS, and past‐month binge eating and purging.

Discussion

Engaging in NPS for appetite/weight‐related purposes is a unique indicator of ED symptomatology, highlighting the need to query for this behavior among individuals with an ED. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. (Int J Eat Disord 2016; 49:813–816)
Population dynamics of a natural red deer population over 200 years detected via substantial changes of genetic variation
Authors: Hoffmann Gunther Sebastian , Johannesen Jes , Griebeler Eva Maria
Published: April 2016

Most large mammals have constantly been exposed to anthropogenic influence over decades or even centuries. Because of their long generation times and lack of sampling material, inferences of past population genetic dynamics, including anthropogenic impacts, have only relied on the analysis of the structure of extant populations. Here, we investigate for the first time the change in the genetic constitution of a natural red deer population over two centuries, using up to 200‐year‐old antlers (30 generations) stored in trophy collections. To the best of our knowledge, this is the oldest DNA source ever used for microsatellite population genetic analyses. We demonstrate that government policy and hunting laws may have strong impacts on populations that can lead to unexpectedly rapid changes in the genetic constitution of a large mammal population. A high ancestral individual polymorphism seen in an outbreeding population (1813–1861) was strongly reduced in descendants (1923–1940) during the mid‐19th and early 20th century by genetic bottlenecks. Today (2011), individual polymorphism and variance among individuals is increasing in a constant‐sized (managed) population. Differentiation was high among periods (FST > ***); consequently, assignment tests assigned individuals to their own period with >85% probability. In contrast to the high variance observed at nuclear microsatellite loci, mtDNA (D‐loop) was monomorphic through time, suggesting that male immigration dominates the genetic evolution in this population.
Structural (UV) and carotenoid‐based plumage coloration – signals for parental investment?
Authors: Lucass Carsten , Iserbyt Arne , Eens Marcel , Müller Wendt
Published: April 2016

Parental care increases parental fitness through improved offspring condition and survival but comes at a cost for the caretaker(s). To increase life‐time fitness, caring parents are, therefore, expected to adjust their reproductive investment to current environmental conditions and parental capacities. The latter is thought to be signaled via ornamental traits of the bearer. We here investigated whether pre‐ and/or posthatching investment of blue tit (Cyanistes caeruleus) parents was related to ornamental plumage traits (UVcrown coloration and carotenoid‐based plumage coloration) expressed by either the individual itself (i.e. “good parent hypothesis”) or its partner (i.e. “differential allocation hypothesis”). Our results show that neither prehatching (that is clutch size and offspring begging intensity) nor posthatching parental investment (provisioning rate, offspring body condition at fledging) was related to an individual'sUVcrown coloration or to that of its partner. Similar observations were made for carotenoid‐based plumage coloration, except for a consistent positive relationship between offspring begging intensity and maternal carotenoid‐based plumage coloration. This sex‐specific pattern likely reflects a maternal effect mediated via maternally derived egg substances, given that the relationship persisted when offspring were cross‐fostered. This suggests that females adjust their offspring's phenotype toward own phenotype, which may facilitate in particular mother‐offspring co‐adaptation. Overall, our results contribute to the current state of evidence that structural or pigment‐based plumage coloration of blue tits are inconsistently correlated with central life‐history traits.
An ordination of life histories using morphological proxies: capital vs. income breeding in insects
Authors: Davis Robert B. , Javoiš Juhan , Kaasik Ants , Õunap Erki , Tammaru Toomas
Published: April 2016

Predictive classifications of life histories are essential for evolutionary ecology. While attempts to apply a single approach to all organisms may be overambitious, recent advances suggest that more narrow ordination schemes can be useful. However, these schemes mostly lack easily observable proxies of the position of a species on respective axes. It has been proposed that, in insects, the degree of capital (vs. income) breeding, reflecting the importance of adult feeding for reproduction, correlates with various ecological traits at the level of among‐species comparison. We sought to prove these ideas via rigorous phylogenetic comparative analyses. We used experimentally derived life‐history data for 57 species of European Geometridae (Lepidoptera), and an original phylogenetic reconstruction. The degree of capital breeding was estimated based on morphological proxies, including relative abdomen size of females. Applying Brownian‐motion‐based comparative analyses (with an original update to include error estimates), we demonstrated the associations between the degree of capital breeding and larval diet breadth, sexual size dimorphism, and reproductive season. Ornstein‐Uhlenbeck model based phylogenetic analysis suggested a causal relationship between the degree of capital breeding and diet breadth. Our study indicates that the gradation from capital to income breeding is an informative axis to ordinate life‐history strategies in flying insects which are affected by the fecundity vs. mobility trade off, with the availability of easy to record proxies contributing to its predictive power in practical contexts.
Suppression of innate inflammation and immunity by interleukin‐37
Authors: Dinarello Charles A. , Nold‐Petry Claudia , Nold Marcel , Fujita Mayumi , Li Suzhao , Kim Soohyun , Bufler Philip
Published: April 2016

IL‐37 is unique in the IL‐1 family in that unlike other members of the family, IL‐37 broadly suppresses innate immunity. IL‐37 can be elevated in humans with inflammatory and autoimmune diseases where it likely functions to limit inflammation. Transgenic mice expressing human IL‐37 (IL37‐tg) exhibit less severe inflammation in models of endotoxin shock, colitis, myocardial infarction, lung, and spinal cord injury. IL37‐tg mice have reduced antigen‐specific responses and dendritic cells (DCs) from these mice exhibit characteristics of tolerogenic DCs. Compared to aging wild‐type (WT) mice, aging IL37‐tg mice are protected against B‐cell leukemogenesis and heart failure. Treatment of WT mice with recombinant human IL‐37 has been shown to be protective in several models of inflammation and injury. IL‐37 binds to the IL‐18 receptor but then recruits the orphan IL‐1R8 (formerly TIR8 or SIGIRR) in order to function as an inhibitor. Here, we review the discovery of IL‐37, its production, release, and mechanisms by which IL‐37 reduces inflammation and suppresses immune responses. The data reviewed here suggest a therapeutic potential for IL‐37.