bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Preliminary analysis of age of illness onset effects on symptom profiles in major depressive disorder
Authors: Charlton Rebecca A. , Lamar Melissa , Ajilore Olusola , Kumar Anand
Published: February 2013

Objective

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is prevalent across the lifespan, but relatively little is known about how age of illness onset impacts the cognitive and affective presentation of MDD.

Method

We explore depressive symptoms and cognition in 70 adults (30–89 years old) with MDD. Participants were divided into three groups on the basis of age of MDD onset: early (<30 years), midlife (30–49.9 years), and late (>50 years). Symptoms were assessed using the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale; principal component analysis was used to create symptom component scores. Cognitive functions were measured.

Results

The late‐onset group were significantly older than the early‐onset and midlife‐onset groups. Analysis controlled for age and hemoglobin A1c levels, as some participants had diabetes. The late‐onset group demonstrated greater weight loss and gastrointestinal symptoms compared with the early‐onset group. Suicidal thoughts and sleep disturbance were higher in both the early‐onset and late‐onset groups compared with the midlife‐onset group. Correlations between symptom components and cognitive domains varied by age‐of‐onset group.

Discussion

This preliminary analysis demonstrates cognitive and affective profiles that are both unique to age of onset and common across MDD. Symptom profiles may assist in identifying factors influencing depression and enhance the clinical evaluation and care of individuals struggling with the effects of depression across the lifespan. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Sorafenib perpetuates cellular anticancer effector functions by modulating the crosstalk between macrophages and natural killer cells
Authors: Sprinzl Martin Franz , Reisinger Florian , Puschnik Andreas , Ringelhan Marc , Ackermann Kerstin , Hartmann Daniel , Schiemann Matthias , Weinmann Arndt , Galle Peter Robert , Schuchmann Marcus , Friess Helmut , Otto Gerd , Heikenwalder Mathias , Protzer Ulrike
Published: February 2013

Alternatively polarized macrophages (Mφ) shape the microenvironment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and temper anticancer immune responses. We investigated if sorafenib alters the HCC microenvironment by restoring classical macrophage polarization and triggering tumor-directed natural killer (NK) cell responses.

In vivo

experiments were conducted with sorafenib (25 mg/kg)-treated C57BL/6 wildtype as well as hepatitis B virus (HBV) and lymphotoxin transgenic mice with and without HCC. Monocyte-derived Mφ or tumor-associated macrophages (TAM) isolated from HCC tissue were treated with sorafenib (0.07-5.0 μg/mL) and cocultured with autologous NK cells. Mφ and NK cell activation was analyzed by flow cytometry and killing assays, respectively. Cytokine and growth factor release was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Short-term administration of sorafenib triggered activation of hepatic NK cells in wildtype and tumor-bearing mice.

In vitro

, sorafenib sensitized Mφ to lipopolysaccharide, reverted alternative Mφ polarization and enhanced IL12 secretion (

P

= 0.0133). NK cells activated by sorafenib-treated Mφ showed increased degranulation (15.3 ± 0.2% versus 32.0 ± 0.9%,

P

< 0.0001) and interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) secretion (2.1 ± 0.2% versus 8.0 ± 0.2%,

P

< 0.0001) upon target cell contact. Sorafenib-triggered NK cell activation was verified by coculture experiments using TAM. Sorafenib-treated Mφ increased cytolytic NK cell function against K562, Raji, and HepG2 target cells in a dose-dependent manner. Neutralization of interleukin (IL)12 or IL18 as well as inhibition of the nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) pathway reversed NK cell activation in Mφ/NK cocultures.

Conclusion

: Sorafenib triggers proinflammatory activity of TAM and subsequently induces antitumor NK cell responses in a cytokine- and NF-κB-dependent fashion. This observation is relevant for HCC therapy, as sorafenib is a compound in clinical use that reverts alternative polarization of TAM in HCC.
Interstrain differences in chronic hepatitis and tumor development in a murine model of inflammation-mediated hepatocarcinogenesis
Authors: Potikha Tamara , Stoyanov Evgeniy , Pappo Orit , Frolov Antonina , Mizrahi Lina , Olam Deborah , Shnitzer-Perlman Temima , Weiss Ido , Barashi Neta , Peled Amnon , Sass Gabriele , Tiegs Gisa , Poirier Francoise , Rabinovich Gabriel A. , Galun Eithan , Goldenberg Daniel
Published: February 2013

Chronic inflammation is strongly associated with an increased risk for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) development. The multidrug resistance 2 (Mdr2)–knockout (KO) mouse (adenosine triphosphate–binding cassette b4−/−), a model of inflammation-mediated HCC, develops chronic cholestatic hepatitis at an early age and HCC at an adult age. To delineate factors contributing to hepatocarcinogenesis, we compared the severity of early chronic hepatitis and late HCC development in two Mdr2-KO strains: Friend virus B-type/N (FVB) and C57 black 6 (B6). We demonstrated that hepatocarcinogenesis was significantly less efficient in the Mdr2-KO/B6 mice versus the Mdr2-KO/FVB mice; this difference was more prominent in males. Chronic hepatitis in the Mdr2-KO/B6 males was more severe at 1 month of age but was less severe at 3 months of age in comparison with age-matched Mdr2-KO/FVB males. A comparative genome-scale gene expression analysis of male livers of both strains at 3 months of age revealed both common and strain-specific aberrantly expressed genes, including genes associated with the regulation of inflammation, the response to oxidative stress, and lipid metabolism. One of these regulators, galectin-1 (Gal-1), possesses both anti-inflammatory and protumorigenic activities. To study its regulatory role in the liver, we transferred the Gal-1–KO mutation (lectin galactoside-binding soluble 1−/−) from the B6 strain to the FVB strain, and we demonstrated that endogenous Gal-1 protected the liver against concanavalin A–induced hepatitis with the B6 genetic background but not the FVB genetic background. Conclusion: Decreased chronic hepatitis in Mdr2-KO/B6 mice at the age of 3 months correlated with a significant retardation of liver tumor development in this strain versus the Mdr2-KO/FVB strain. We found candidate factors that may determine strain-specific differences in the course of chronic hepatitis and HCC development in the Mdr2-KO model, including inefficient anti-inflammatory activity of the endogenous lectin Gal-1 in the FVB strain. (HEPATOLOGY 2013 )
Albumin: Pathophysiologic basis of its role in the treatment of cirrhosis and its complications
Authors: Garcia-Martinez Rita , Caraceni Paolo , Bernardi Mauro , Gines Pere , Arroyo Vicente , Jalan Rajiv
Published: February 2013

Since the introduction of human serum albumin as a plasma expander in the 1940s, considerable research has allowed a better understanding of its biochemical properties and potential clinical benefits. Albumin has a complex structure, which is responsible for a variety of biological functions. In disease, the albumin molecule is susceptible to modifications that may alter its biological activity. During the last decades, different methods to measure albumin function have been developed. Recent studies have shown that not only albumin concentration but also albumin function is reduced in liver failure. This observation led to the concept of

effective albumin concentration

, which represents the fact that plasma albumin concentration does not reflect its function. Indeed, in liver disease albumin function is several times less than its concentration. In patients with cirrhosis, albumin infusion reduces mortality in patients with spontaneous bacterial peritonitis and improves outcome following large volume paracentesis. In combination with vasoconstrictors, albumin is useful in the management of patients with hepatorenal syndrome. Its role is being investigated in a large number of indications, which rely on its volume and nonvolume expansion functions such as stroke, severe sepsis, Alzheimer's disease, malaria, burns, and ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome. This review explores the above concepts, reviews the available evidence for the use of albumin in liver diseases, defines therapeutic limitations, and explores the challenges that should be addressed in future research. (Hepatology 2013;58:1836–1846)
Health care expenditures from living longer—how much do they matter
Authors: Gandjour Afschin
Published: February 2013

Health interventions have two major downstream cost effects, savings from reducing morbidity and expenditures from living longer. Anecdotal evidence suggests that many economic evaluations, particularly those that are trial‐based, do not include health care costs from living longer. The purpose of this study was therefore to determine the bias from excluding life extension costs in economic evaluations. To this end, the impact of health changes on savings from preventing disease and costs of living longer was examined in the US Medicare population between 1998 and 2004. A state transition decision model with two health states (alive and dead) was built from an extended payer's perspective. It used Medicare expenditure data on survivors and decedents. Health changes were measured in terms of both morbidity and mortality reduction. The analysis shows that life extension costs cancel out savings from reducing morbidity. Users of economic evaluations may use this finding to estimate the bias when life extensions costs are not included in the analysis. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Can clinical tests help monitor human papillomavirus vaccine impact?
Authors: Meites Elissa , Lin Carol , Unger Elizabeth R. , Steinau Martin , Patel Sonya , Markowitz Lauri E. , Hariri Susan
Published: February 2013

As immunization programs for human papillomavirus (HPV) are implemented more widely around the world, interest is increasing in measuring their impact. One early measurable impact of HPV vaccine is on the prevalence of specific HPV types in a population. In low‐resource settings, a potentially attractive strategy would be to monitor HPV prevalence using clinical cervical cancer screening test results to triage specimens for HPV typing. We assessed this approach in a nationally representative population of U.S. females aged 14–59 years. Using self‐collected cervico‐vaginal swab specimens from 4,150 women participating in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey during 2003–2006, we evaluated type‐specific HPV prevalence detected by the Roche linear array (LA) research test on all specimens, compared with type‐specific HPV prevalence detected by LA conducted only on specimens positive by the digene hybrid capture 2 (HC‐2) clinical test. We calculated weighted prevalence estimates and their 95% confidence intervals (CIs), and examined relative type‐specific HPV prevalence according to the two testing approaches. The population prevalence of oncogenic HPV vaccine types 16/18 was 6.2% (CI:5.4–7.1) by LA if all specimens were tested, and 2.4% (CI:1.9–3.0) if restricted to positive HC‐2. Relative prevalence of individual HPV types was similar for both approaches. Compared with typing all specimens, a triage approach would require testing fewer specimens, but a greater reduction in HPV prevalence or a larger group of specimens would be needed to detect vaccine impact. Further investigation is warranted to inform type‐specific HPV monitoring approaches around the world.
Whole blood interferon‐γ levels predict the therapeutic effects of adoptive T‐cell therapy in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer
Authors: Ishikawa Takeshi , Kokura Satoshi , Sakamoto Naoyuki , Okayama Tetsuya , Endo Masahiro , Tsuchiya Reiko , Okajima Manabu , Matsuyama Tatsuzo , Adachi Satoko , Kamada Kazuhiro , Katada Kazuhiro , Uchiyama Kazuhiko , Handa Osamu , Takagi Tomohisa , Yagi Nobuaki , Ando Takashi , Uno Kazuko , Naito Yuji , Yoshikawa Toshikazu
Published: February 2013

A core challenge in administering immune‐based treatments for cancer is the establishment of easily accessible immunological assays that can predict patients' clinical responses to immunotherapy. In this study, our aim was to predict the therapeutic effects of adoptive T‐cell therapy in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer. To do this, we evaluated whole blood cytokine levels and peripheral regulatory T cells (Tregs) in 46 patients with unresectable or recurrent pancreatic cancer who received adoptive T‐cell therapy at 2‐week intervals. To test immune function, venous blood was obtained from patients before the start of therapy and 2 weeks after the 4th treatment. Whole blood interferon (IFN)‐α levels (after stimulation with the Sendai virus) were evaluated, as well as the levels of 9 cytokines stimulated with phytohemagglutinin [interleukin (IL)−2, IL‐4, IL‐5, IL‐10, IL‐12(p70), IL‐13, tumor necrosis factor‐α, IFN‐γ, and granulocyte‐monocyte colony‐stimulating factor]. Peripheral Tregs were analyzed by flow cytometry. Using the obtained data, we then observed the relationship between these immunological parameters and clinical outcome of patients. We found that the whole blood production of IFN‐γ, IL‐2, IL‐4, IL‐5 and IL‐13 significantly increased after adoptive T‐cell therapy, whereas the number of peripheral Tregs did not change. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards analyses indicated that the number of peripheral Tregs before receiving adoptive T‐cell therapy and the change in IFN‐γ levels after adoptive T‐cell therapy were independent variables predicting overall survival. The findings of this study indicate that the assay of whole blood IFN‐γ production offers promise for evaluating the clinical response of patients to cancer immunotherapy.
The combination therapy of α‐galactosylceramide and 5‐fluorouracil showed antitumor effect synergistically against liver tumor in mice
Authors: Aketa Hiroshi , Tatsumi Tomohide , Kohga Keisuke , Tsunematsu Hinako , Aono Satoshi , Shimizu Satoshi , Kodama Takahiro , Nawa Takatoshi , Shigekawa Minoru , Hikita Hayato , Sakamori Ryotaro , Hosui Atsushi , Miyagi Takuya , Hiramatsu Naoki , Kanto Tatsuya , Hayashi Norio , Takehara Tetsuo
Published: February 2013

α‐Galactosylceramide (α‐GalCer) has been reported to be therapeutic against metastatic liver tumors in mice. However, little is known regarding the efficacy of combined chemo‐immunotherapy using α‐GalCer and anticancer drugs. In this study, we evaluated the antitumor effect of the combination therapy of α‐GalCer and 5‐fluorouracil (5‐FU) against liver tumors of MC38 colon cancer cells. The liver weights of tumor‐bearing mice treated with the combination were significantly lower than those of nontreated mice and of mice treated with 5‐FU or α‐GalCer alone. No toxic effects on the liver and renal functions were observed in any of the treatment groups. α‐GalCer treatment induced significant activation of liver NK cells in vivo, but 5‐FU treatment did not. 5‐FU treatment resulted in a significant upregulation of NKG2D activating molecules (Rae‐1 and H60) and DNAM‐1 ligands (CD112 and CD155) on MC38 cells, but α‐GalCer did not. The cytolytic activity of α‐GalCer‐activated liver mononuclear cells against 5‐FU‐treated MC38 cells was significantly higher than that against nontreated cells. The increase of the cytolytic activity induced by 5‐FU partially depended on NKG2D‐Rae‐1 or H60 signals. Depletion of NK cells significantly inhibited the antitumor efficacy of 5‐FU against MC38 liver tumors, which suggested that the antitumor effect of 5‐FU partially depended on the cytolytic activity of NK cells. These results demonstrated that the combination therapy of α‐GalCer and 5‐FU produced synergistic antitumor effects against liver tumors by increasing the expression of NK activating molecules on cancer cells. This study suggests a promising new chemo‐immunotherapy against metastatic liver cancer.
River classification as the basis for freshwater biological assessment in overseas Europe: Issues raised from Guadeloupe (French Lesser Antilles)
Authors: Touron‐Poncet Heliott , Bernadet Caroline , Compin Arthur , Bargier Nicolas , Céréghino Régis
Published: February 2013

Over the past decade, Europe's Water Framework Directive (WFD) has prompted a large amount of ecological research aiming at establishing river typologies and ecological indicators in member States. Yet, the lack of robust bioindicators in Europe's overseas regions arguably reflects minimal knowledge of the distribution patterns of aquatic species in the Community's outermost areas. Specifically, there has been no published classification of rivers for any European overseas region. Fifty‐one sites were sampled for benthic invertebrates and environmental variables (land‐cover, physical habitat, and water chemistry) in Guadeloupe, French Lesser Antilles. Redundancy analysis and k‐means clustering were used to bring out spatial patterns in species composition in relation to environmental conditions. Our results highlighted the importance of land cover and geomorphology in delineating three ecological sub‐regions (clusters) for freshwater invertebrates. Deviation from predictable community structure only occurred when river sites were subjected to harsh water chemistry alterations (urban runoff, wastewaters). Changes in species richness did not detect environmental stress efficiently within a given sub‐region, probably because most sites are naturally species‐poor due to the insular context and/or because disturbance is often weak. However, differences existed between clusters in terms of species identity and numerical dominance. Our a posteriori typology of sites was compared to local a priori expert opinion of river health, in an attempt to better characterize the network of survey sites, and to target sites for reference conditions.
Therapeutic plasma exchange: A technical and operational review
Authors: Kaplan Andre A.
Published: February 2013

Therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE) is an extracorporeal blood purification technique designed for the removal of large molecular weight substances. Examples of these substances include pathogenic autoantibodies, immune complexes, cryoglobulins, myeloma light chains, endotoxin and cholesterol containing lipoproteins. The basic premise of the treatment is that removal of these substances will allow for the reversal of the pathologic processes related to their presence. This review will cover the techniques for performing TPE, the kinetics of the removal of large molecules from the plasma and the benefits and risks of the different types of replacement fluids. J. Clin. Apheresis 28:3–10, 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Parameterization of a reactive force field using a Monte Carlo algorithm
Authors: Iype E. , Hütter M. , Jansen A. P. J. , Nedea S. V. , Rindt C. C. M.
Published: February 2013

Parameterization of a molecular dynamics force field is essential in realistically modeling the physicochemical processes involved in a molecular system. This step is often challenging when the equations involved in describing the force field are complicated as well as when the parameters are mostly empirical. ReaxFF is one such reactive force field which uses hundreds of parameters to describe the interactions between atoms. The optimization of the parameters in ReaxFF is done such that the properties predicted by ReaxFF matches with a set of quantum chemical or experimental data. Usually, the optimization of the parameters is done by an inefficient single‐parameter parabolic‐search algorithm. In this study, we use a robust metropolis Monte‐Carlo algorithm with simulated annealing to search for the optimum parameters for the ReaxFF force field in a high‐dimensional parameter space. The optimization is done against a set of quantum chemical data for MgSO4hydrates. The optimized force field reproduced the chemical structures, the equations of state, and the water binding curves of MgSO4hydrates. The transferability test of the ReaxFF force field shows the extend of transferability for a particular molecular system. This study points out that the ReaxFF force field is not indefinitely transferable. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Evaluation of the FilmArray® Respiratory Panel for Clinical Use in a Large Children's Hospital
Authors: Couturier Marc Roger , Barney Trenda , Alger Garrison , Hymas Weston C. , Stevenson Jeffery B. , Hillyard David , Daly Judy A.
Published: February 2013

Background

Respiratory pathogens are a leading cause of hospital admission and traditional detection methods are time consuming and insensitive. Multiplex molecular detection methods have recently been investigated in hope of replacing these traditional techniques with rapid panel‐based testing.

Objectives

This study evaluated the FilmArray® Respiratory Panel ([FARP], Idaho Technology Inc., Salt Lake City, UT) as a replacement for direct fluorescent antibody (DFA) testing in a pediatric hospital.

Methods

Eleven of the 21 FARP analytes (Adenovirus, Bordetella pertussis, human Metapneumovirus, Influenza A, Influenza A H1N1 2009, Influenza B, Parainfluenza [1, 2, & 3], Respiratory Syncytial Virus, and rhinovirus) were evaluated using nasopharyngeal specimens. Positive samples were pooled in groups of 5. Samples identified by reference methods as positive for respiratory pathogens were used for the majority of positive samples. DFA was the reference method for ten analytes; LuminexTM xTAG Respiratory Virus Panel (RVP) was the reference method for rhinovirus. Discrepant results were resolved by positive culture and fluorescent antibody stain and/or laboratory‐developed real‐time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays (LDT).

Results

The agreement for most analytes was in concordance with the established reference methods with the exception of Adenovirus. Additionally, the FARP detected several pathogens not previously detected by DFA, and most were confirmed by LDT. Several DFA‐positive analytes were confirmed as true‐negatives by the FARP and LDT.

Conclusion

FARP overall performed better than DFA with the exception of Adenovirus, making the FARP an attractive alternative to laboratories looking to replace DFA with a rapid, user‐friendly, multiplex molecular assay. J. Clin. Lab. Anal. 27:148–154, 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Palladium recovery as nanoparticles by an anaerobic bacterial community
Authors: Martins Mónica , Assunção Ana , Martins Hélio , Matos António Pedro , Costa Maria Clara
Published: February 2013

BACKGROUND

Bio‐recovery of metals from dilute industrial waste using bacteria is a promising alternative to primary raw material resources. Therefore, the search for and identification of palladium resistant bacteria with the ability to remove that metal from solutions is very important. The main goal of this study was to find a palladium(II) resistant bacterial community able to bio‐recover this metal from solution.

RESULTS

A palladium(II) resistant bacterial community able to precipitate that metal from the growth medium was obtained from a sludge sample from a municipal waste water treatment plant. This community was able to remove 60% of palladium(II) from an aqueous solution containing 18 mg L‐1 of Pd(II) and 43% in the presence of 26 mg L‐1 Pd(II) plus sulphate. TEM‐EDS analysis showed the presence of nanosized palladium deposits in the surface of cells. Phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA gene showed that this community was mainly composed of bacteria closely related to several Clostridium species. However, bacteria affiliated to genera Bacteroides and Citrobacter were also present in the community.

CONCLUSION

The current study for the first time reports the bio‐recovery of Pd(II) as nanoparticles by a bacterial consortium, and is a relevant demonstration of the biotechnological potentialities of this community. © 2013 Society of Chemical Industry
Analyzing the Effectiveness of Multisource Feedback as a Leadership Development Tool for College Students
Authors: Rosch David M. , Anderson James C. , Jordan Shannon N.
Published: February 2013

Undergraduate students (n = 144) completed the Socially Responsible Leadership Scale (SRLS), which measures leadership capacity within the framework of the Social Change Model (SCM) of Leadership Development. Observers (n = 374) who knew the students from a variety of contexts completed observer‐report versions of the SRLS. The research was designed to measure differences in rating of capacity between student leaders and those who know and observe their behaviors. Mean observer scores were higher than self‐reported scores for most capacities, with moderate to large effect sizes. Significant differences between self and observer interscale correlations and a high degree of subscale intercorrelations within observer‐reports led to conducting an exploratory factor analysis of observer responses. A universal one‐factor structure emerged that was different from the SCM model, suggesting observers make little distinction among separate leadership capacities in those they observe. Implications for leadership development and education programs are discussed including the benefit of rater training prior to the use of multisource feedback instruments, how the context in which students interact with observers affects feedback, and the need for further examination of other methods of determining effectiveness in conjunction with multisource feedback instruments.
The pattern of cartilage damage in antero‐medial osteoarthritis of the knee and its relationship to the anterior cruciate ligament
Authors: Rout Raj , McDonnell Stephen , Hulley Philippa , Jayadev Chethan , Khan Tanvir , Carr Andrew , Murray David , Gill Harinderjit , Price Andrew
Published: February 2013

Within antero‐medial gonarthrosis (AMG) of the knee, there is a spectrum of damage seen in the functionally intact anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). Our aim was to correlate the degree of ACL damage to the geographical extent and degree of cartilage loss on the tibial plateau. Ninety tibial plateaus resected during unicompartmental arthroplasty were photographed and digitally mapped. The ACL damage was graded (0: normal, 1: synovium loss, 2: longitudinal splits), and dimensions of full thickness cartilage loss and damage recorded. The percentage of full thickness loss in patients with a normal ACL was compared to those with a damaged, but functionally intact ligament. All specimens showed similar elliptical loss of cartilage in the antero‐medial part of the tibial plateau. A total of 45(50%) patients had a macroscopically normal ACL, 21(23%) had synovial loss, and 24(27%) had longitudinal splits. An increase in the area of cartilage damage was seen with progressive ACL damage (p < 0.001). The area of macroscopically normal cartilage found posteriorly did not change. This study demonstrates that phenotypic distribution of cartilage damage in AMG is highly reproducible with a pattern of increasing cartilage erosion associated with increasing ACL damage. © 2012 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 31: 908–913, 2013
Effects of boron excess in nutrient solution on growth, mineral nutrition, and physiological parameters of Jatropha curcas seedlings
Authors: Simón Inma , Díaz‐López Leyanes , Gimeno Vicente , Nieves Manuel , Pereira Walter E. , Martínez Vicente , Lidon Vicente , García‐Sánchez Francisco
Published: February 2013

Jatropha curcas L. has recently attracted the attention of the international research community due to its potential as a biodiesel crop. In addition, its high resistance to drought and salinity is well known. Under arid and semiarid conditions, boron (B) concentrations in irrigation water can be higher than desired when water from industry, urban areas, or desalination is used. However, the growth and physiological responses of J. curcas plants to B excess in the irrigation water are unknown. Therefore, a greenhouse experiment was conducted to study the effects of B excess in the nutrient solution (0.25, 2, 4.5, and 7 mg L–1 B, applied as H3BO3) on plant growth, mineral concentration in the different plant tissues, photosynthesis, water relations, chlorophyll fluorescence, chlorophyll concentration (as SPAD values), and composition of carbohydrates. Plant growth decreased with increasing B concentration in the nutrient solution; growth reduction was higher for roots than for leaves or stems. The B concentration increased in all plant tissues, in the following order: leaf > root > stem. These data indicate that the roots of J. curcas are more sensitive to B toxicity than the leaves and that B has restricted mobility inside these plants, accumulating mainly in the basal and middle leaves via the transpiration stream. Increasing B concentration in leaves decreased the ACO2 and the stomatal conductance, but the leaf water parameters were not affected. The data for chlorophyll concentration and chlorophyll fluorescence indicated that nonstomatal factors were involved in the ACO2 decline, whereas decreases in the parameters of PSII photochemistry due to B toxicity suggest that there was structural damage in chloroplasts. There was also a general tendency for a decrease in nonstructural carbohydrates in all plant tissues, possibly due to the decline in ACO2. With excess B, the concentrations of K and Mg increased in leaves due to a decrease in the growth, while a typical antagonistic effect between B and P was evident from the P concentration decrease in leaves. In summary, J. curcas should be considered a B‐sensitive plant, as a leaf B concentration of 1.2 mg (g dw)–1 caused a growth decline of approximately 30%.
Patterns of effects of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi on plants grown in contaminated soil
Authors: Neagoe Aurora , Iordache Virgil , Bergmann Hans , Kothe Erika
Published: February 2013

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are integral functioning parts of plant root systems and are widely recognized for enhancing plant growth on severely disturbed sites, including those contaminated with heavy metals. However, the generality of detailed patterns observed for their influence on various metals and oxidative‐stress parameters in multiple plant species is not clarified. The goal of this study was to investigate the patterns of metal‐stress alleviation by AMF in four plant species. For this purpose, clover, sunflower, mustard, and phacelia were inoculated with Glomus intraradices and compared to noninoculated plants grown under heavy metal–stressed conditions. The study focused on the effect of AMF inoculation on plant biomass, assimilating pigments, total protein, superoxide dismutase and peroxidase activity, lipid peroxidation and As, Cd, Co, Cu, Fe, Mn, P, Pb, U, and Zn contents. As a result of inoculation very different patterns of variation were obtained for concentrations of elements and for biochemical parameters in plants. The particular effect of AMF inoculation on plants was species‐ and metal‐specific, although there was a general enhancement of plant growth.
Separation and pre‐concentration of glucocorticoids in water samples by ionic liquid supported vortex‐assisted synergic microextraction and HPLC determination
Authors: Qin Hui , Li Bi , Liu Mou Sheng , Yang Ya Ling
Published: February 2013

We have developed a synergic microextraction procedure based on ionic liquid for the pre‐concentration and determination of glucocorticoids in water samples. Using nonionic surfactant Triton X‐100 (TX‐100) as synergic reagent, 1‐butyl‐3‐methylimidazolium hexa‐fluorophosphate accomplished extraction rapidly without heating in water bath. One key property of ionic liquids that highlights their potential is their wide liquid temperature range. The improved extraction was named as ionic liquid supported vortex‐assisted synergic microextraction. Compared with the traditional liquid–liquid extraction and cloud point extraction, ionic liquid supported vortex‐assisted synergic microextraction was accomplished in 8 min with considerably high recovery. The proposed method greatly improved the sensitivity of HPLC for the determination of glucocorticoids. The results obtained indicated a good linearity with the correlation coefficient of 0.997 over the range of 0.6–300 ng/mL and high sensitivity with LODs of 4.11, 9.19, and 7.50 ng/mL for hydrocortisone butyrate, beclomethasone dipropionate, and nandrolone phenylpropionate, respectively. The RSD of the method was 1.57–1.81% (n = 6) with enrichment factor of 99.85, and good recovery (≥97.24%). The method was successfully applied to the determination of glucocorticoids in mineral water, water of Dianchi lake, and tap water samples.
Individual turnover in common pochards wintering in western France
Authors: Gourlay‐Larour Marie‐Lucile , Pradel Roger , Guillemain Matthieu , Santin‐Janin Hugues , L'hostis Monique , Caizergues Alain
Published: February 2013

Studying movements and population turnover is a prerequisite of management and conservation policies. Understanding the relative importance of known wintering sites requires estimating total number of birds using a wintering site with robust statistical methods because counts alone do not account for turnover. To study movements of common pochards (Aythya ferina) during winter (Oct to Mar) in western France, we used a combination of band‐recoveries and capture–recapture data. We constructed a multi‐state model to estimate monthly local survival and probability of movements between the banding site and other wintering sites, accounting for individual sex and age. We observed significant movements between sites and high population turnover even during winter. We did not detect any effect of age or sex on movement probabilities, except at the beginning of the winter when first‐year individuals had a lower emigration probability. This result suggests that these inexperienced birds did not explore the wintering area like adults, at least early in the season. Combining our estimates (survival and emigration) and winter counts data, we computed the number of individuals using our study area throughout winter. This total was twice the maximum number of individuals counted in winter. Unexpectedly, low estimates for apparent survival suggest that permanent emigration occurred; although, recaptures and resightings revealed some birds traveled long distances from the capture site. We hypothesize that this permanent emigration was due to birds moving to areas where observation and hunting pressures were reduced compared to those in the French territory. If this hypothesis is true, high turnover rate would prevail not only at the scale of the wetland but also at the scale of the country. © The Wildlife Society, 2013
Gelatin‐Alginate Gels and Their Enzymatic Modifications: Controlling the Delivery of Small Molecules
Authors: Klak Marie‐Cécile , Lefebvre Elodie , Rémy Laure , Agniel Rémy , Picard Julien , Giraudier Sébastien , Larreta‐Garde Véronique
Published: February 2013

The release of molecules entrapped within biogels is dictated by diffusion laws. Innovative biogel architectures are conceived and tested to control small molecule delivery from gelatin gels. The ionic interactions modulate the release of small molecules. Alginate is then added to gelatin gels and further hydrolyzed; the influence of viscosity is discussed. Next, various mixed gels are compared, such as a gelatin‐alginate IPN and the original architecture of an alginate gel entrapped in a gelatin gel with or without a polysaccharidase. The relative influence of ionic interactions and diffusional constraints on the delivery of small charged molecules is explored, and a solution for controlling diffusion is proposed for any situation.

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Genetic variations of mTORC1 genes and risk of gastric cancer in an eastern chinese population
Authors: He Jing , Wang Meng‐Yun , Qiu Li‐Xin , Zhu Mei‐Ling , Shi Ting‐Yan , Zhou Xiao‐Yan , Sun Meng‐Hong , Yang Ya‐Jun , Wang Jiu‐Cun , Jin Li , Wang Ya‐Nong , Li Jin , Yu Hong‐Ping , Wei Qing‐Yi
Published: February 2013

Mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) plays an important role in maintaining proper cellular functions, and genetic variations in this complex may affect cancer risk. In this study, we examined the associations between eight potential functional single nucleotide polymorphisms in the mTORC1 genes (rs2536T>C and rs1883965G>A for mTOR, rs3160T>C, and rs26865A>G for mLST8, rs3751934C>A, rs1062935T>C, rs3751932T>C, and rs12602885G>A for Raptor, not included in published gastric cancer genome‐wide association studies) and gastric cancer risk in 1125 gastric cancer cases and 1196 cancer‐free controls. We performed conditional logistic regression and multifactor dimensionality reduction (MDR) analyses to assess their associations with gastric cancer risk. We also used false‐positive report probabilities (FPRP) for assessing significant findings. We found that only the rs1883965A variant genotypes were associated with an increased risk of gastric cancer (AG vs. GG: adjusted odds ratio (OR) = 1.26, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.00–1.59; AA vs. GG: adjusted OR = 1.85, 95% CI = 0.67–5.16 and dominant model: adjusted OR = 1.28, 95% CI = 1.03–1.61). Patients with ≥1 risk genotypes of mTOR had significant increased risk (adjusted OR = 1.25, 95% CI = 1.04–1.49), compared with those having zero risk genotypes. In the stratified analysis, the risk effect of the rs1883965 AG/AA genotypes was evident in subgroups of ever‐smokers, non‐gastric cardia adenocarcinoma and clinical stage I + II, which were noteworthy findings as evaluated by FPRP. The MDR analysis identified smoking status and rs1883965 as the strongest two‐factors for gastric cancer risk. These data support the hypothesis that functional polymorphisms of mTOR may contribute to gastric cancer risk. Clearly, our results require validation in larger studies with different ethnic populations. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Transductive Support Vector Machines: Promising Approach to Model Small and Unbalanced Datasets
Authors: Kondratovich Evgeny , Baskin Igor I. , Varnek Alexandre
Published: February 2013

Semi‐supervised methods dealing with a combination of labeled and unlabeled data become more and more popular in machine‐learning area, but not still used in chemoinformatics. Here, we demonstrate that Transductive Support Vector Machines (TSVM) – a semi‐supervised large‐margin classification method – can be particularly useful to build the models on small and unbalanced datasets which often represent a difficult problem in QSAR. Both TSVM and ordinary SVM have been applied to build classification models on 10 DUD datasets. The “transductive effect” (the difference in predictive performance between transductive and ordinary support vector machines) was investigated as a function of: (a) active/inactive ratio, (b) descriptor weighting, and (c) the training and test sets size and composition.
Curcumin, a potential therapeutic candidate for retinal diseases
Authors: Wang Lei‐Lei , Sun Yue , Huang Kun , Zheng Ling
Published: February 2013

Curcumin, the major extraction of turmeric, has been widely used in many countries for centuries both as a spice and as a medicine. In the last decade, researchers have found the beneficial effects of curcumin on multiple disorders are due to its antioxidative, anti‐inflammatory, and antiproliferative properties, as well as its novel function as an inhibitor of histone aectyltransferases. In this review, we summarize the recent progress made on studying the beneficial effects of curcumin on multiple retinal diseases, including diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, and age‐related macular degeneration. Recent clinical trials on the effectiveness of phosphatidylcholine formulated curcumin in treating eye diseases have also shown promising results, making curcumin a potent therapeutic drug candidate for inflammatory and degenerative retinal and eye diseases.
Stability of H‐complexes of nicotinamide nitrogen heteroatom with water and ethanol in mixed solvents by 13C NMR probing
Authors: Sharnin V. A. , Aleksandriysky V. V. , Dushina S. V. , Gamov G. A.
Published: February 2013

The formation constants of the nicotinamide H‐complexes with protonic solvents such as water and ethanol in aqueous dimethyl sulfoxide and aqueous ethanol were determined using 13C NMR data. Free Gibbs energy of nicotinamide donor center (nitrogen heteroatom) solvation was calculated. Gibbs energy of entire nicotinamide molecule solvation was shown to be antibate towards Gibbs energy of a pyridine nitrogen solvation. The solvation state of this molecule fragment must be taken into consideration when analyzing the reagents contributions in the thermodynamics of complexation. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Spinal cord transection before scoliosis correction in myelomeningocele may improve bladder function
Authors: Linthorst Josephine I. , Veenboer Paul W. , Dik Pieter , Pruijs Hans E.H. , Han Sen K.S. , de Kort Laetitia M.O. , de Jong Tom P.V.M.
Published: February 2013

Aims

In patients with myelomeningocele (MMC) and coexistent scoliosis, a spinal cord transection (SC‐transection) is sometimes performed before scoliosis correction to prevent traction on the myelum after stretching the spinal column. Performing a SC‐transection may have positive effects on bladder function, especially in case of refractory detrusor‐sphincter dyssynergia. This study investigates the effects of SC‐transection on lower and upper urinary tract outcomes.

Methods

All children with MMC who underwent scoliosis correction (1989–2009) were retrospectively reviewed. Cases were defined as those who underwent a SC‐transection before scoliosis correction, whereas the control group comprised children who had a scoliosis correction alone. Urodynamic and clinical outcomes were examined.

Results

A total of 7 cases and 13 controls were identified. Postoperatively, compared to the control group, cases had relatively more often improvement of compliance (improvement in 6/7 vs. 9/13) and bladder capacity (improvement in 6/7 vs. 8/13). No effect of SC‐transection was found on incontinence severity, clean intermittent catheterization frequency, use of antimuscarinic drugs, or signs of renal damage on ultrasound.

Conclusions

SC‐transection before scoliosis correction in children with MMC without lower extremity function, may improve bladder function with respect to bladder compliance and bladder capacity. Changes in symptoms or renal ultrasound were not found. No harmful effects of SC‐transection were found, indicating that this procedure can be performed safely with respect to bladder function in these patients. Whether or not SC‐transection should be recommended during scoliosis correction in patients with MMC to improve bladder function requires further study. Neurourol. Urodynam. 33:121–128, 2014. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Commuting projections on graphs
Authors: Vassilevski Panayot S. , Zikatanov Ludmil T.
Published: February 2013

Motivated by the increasing importance of large‐scale networks typically modeled by graphs, this paper is concerned with the development of mathematical tools for solving problems associated with the popular graph Laplacian. We exploit its mixed formulation based on its natural factorization as product of two operators. The goal is to construct a coarse version of the mixed graph Laplacian operator with the purpose to construct two‐level, and by recursion, a multilevel hierarchy of graphs and associated operators. In many situations in practice, having a coarse (i.e., reduced dimension) model that maintains some inherent features of the original large‐scale graph and respective graph Laplacian offers potential to develop efficient algorithms to analyze the underlined network modeled by this large‐scale graph. One possible application of such a hierarchy is to develop multilevel methods that have the potential to be of optimal complexity. In this paper, we consider general (connected) graphs and function spaces defined on its edges and its vertices. These two spaces are related by a discrete gradient operator, ‘Grad’ and its adjoint, ‘ − Div’, referred to as (negative) discrete divergence. We also consider a coarse graph obtained by aggregation of vertices of the original one. Then, a coarse vertex space is identified with the subspace of piecewise constant functions over the aggregates. We consider the ℓ2‐projection QH onto the space of these piecewise constants. In the present paper, our main result is the construction of a projection πH from the original edge‐space onto a properly constructed coarse edge‐space associated with the edges of the coarse graph. The projections πH and QH commute with the discrete divergence operator, that is, we have Div πH = QH div. The respective pair of coarse edge‐space and coarse vertex‐space offer the potential to construct two‐level, and by recursion, multilevel methods for the mixed formulation of the graph Laplacian, which utilizes the discrete divergence operator. The performance of one two‐level method with overlapping Schwarz smoothing and correction based on the constructed coarse spaces for solving such mixed graph Laplacian systems is illustrated on a number of graph examples. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Ruthenium‐Catalyzed Intramolecular [2+2+2] Cycloaddition and Tandem Cross‐Metathesis of Triynes and Enediynes
Authors: Yuan Wei , Wei Yin , Shi Min
Published: February 2013

[2+2+2] Cycloadditions can be applied to specifically build up derivatives of benzene and cyclohexadiene and, therefore, have attracted much attention. Herein, we present an intramolecular [2+2+2] cycloaddition of triynes catalyzed by the first‐generation Grubbs ruthenium complex (Ru gen‐1), which can efficiently afford benzene derivatives in good yields under mild conditions. Moreover, we also report on a novel tandem cross‐metathesis transformation of intramolecular enediynes also catalyzed by Ru gen‐1, which has not been observed previously in related reports. On the basis of deuterium labeling experiments, a possible reaction mechanism is presented.
Conducting core‐sheath nanofibers for electroactive shape‐memory applications
Authors: Rana Sravendra , Kim Sung Dong , Cho Jae Whan
Published: February 2013

Conducting nanofibers coated with polypyrrole (PPy) and poly(3‐hexylthiophene) (P3HT) exhibiting core‐sheath structures were prepared by vapor‐phase polymerization of the conducting polymers on electrospun polyurethane nanofibers. The synthesis of the conducting polymers was confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and energy‐disperse X‐ray spectroscopy. The surfaces of the PPy‐coated nanofibers were slightly rough, while very smooth and regular surfaces were observed in the case of the P3HT‐coated nanofibers. The initial polymerization rate of PPy was higher than that of P3HT. In addition, the electrical conductivities of the core‐sheath structured nanofiber webs of both types increased with polymerization time. The maximum sheet conductivity of the PPy and P3HT‐coated nanofiber webs was 5 × 10−3 S/cm and 1 × 10−2 S/cm, respectively. The webs of the conducting core‐sheath structured nanofibers were effective in generating sufficient electrical heating necessary for harnessing these materials for electroactive shape‐memory‐based applications. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.