bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Structural and Theoretical Study of Salts of the [B9H14]− Ion: Isolation of Multiple Isomers and Implications for Energy Storage
Authors: Kelley Steven P. , McCrary Parker D. , Flores Luis , Garner Edward B. , Dixon David A. , Rogers Robin D.
Published: June 2016

Boranes and boron hydrides are well known for their novel molecular structures and useful chemical reactivity, with [B9H14]− notable in particular for its ease of isolation, unusual structure, and tautomerization. We report an experimental and theoretical investigation of the structure of [B9H14]− and the energetics of some of its reactions. Salts of [B9H14]− with 1‐ethyl‐3‐methylimidazolium and N‐butyl‐N‐methylpyrrolidinium were characterized by single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction and demonstrate the stabilization of an isomer of [B9H14]− not previously observed in the solid state. Heats of formation and acid dissociation constants of [B9H14]− and closely related structures were calculated. The results suggest a mechanism for particularly energetic hypergolic ignition induced by protonation and suggest potential for reversible H2 storage. These results encourage further investigation of [B9H14]− as an energy‐storage medium in ionic systems.
Mammalian Cell Tissue Culture Techniques
Authors: Phelan Katy , May Kristin M.
Published: June 2016

Cultured tissues and cells are used extensively in physiological and pharmacological studies. In vitro cultures provide a means of examining cells and tissues without the complex interactions that would be present if the whole organism were studied. A number of special skills are required in order to preserve the structure, function, behavior, and biology of cells in culture. This unit describes the basic skills required to maintain and preserve cell cultures: maintaining aseptic technique, preparing media with the appropriate characteristics, passaging, freezing and storage, recovering frozen stocks, and counting viable cells. © 2016 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Combining Optimized Particle Morphology with a Niobium‐Based Coating for Long Cycling‐Life, High‐Voltage Lithium‐Ion Batteries
Authors: Gabrielli Giulio , Axmann Peter , Diemant Thomas , Behm Rolf Jürgen , Wohlfahrt‐Mehrens Margret
Published: June 2016

Morphologically optimized LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4 (LMNO‐0) particles were treated with LiNbO3 to prepare a homogeneously coated material (LMNO‐Nb) as cathode in batteries. Graphite/LMNO‐Nb full cells present a twofold higher cycling life than cells assembled using uncoated LMNO‐0 (graphite/LMNO‐0 cell): Graphite/LMNO‐0 cells achieve 80 % of the initial capacity after more than 300 cycles whereas for graphite/LMNO‐Nb cells this is the case for more than 600 cycles. Impedance spectroscopy measurements reveal significantly lower film and charge‐transfer resistances for graphite/LMNO‐Nb cells than for graphite/LMNO‐0 cells during cycling. Reduced resistances suggest slower aging related to film thickening and increase of charge‐transfer resistances when using LMNO‐Nb cathodes. Tests at 45 °C confirm the good electrochemical performance of the investigated graphite/LMNO cells while the cycling stability of full cells is considerably lowered under these conditions.
Electrochemically Produced Graphene for Microporous Layers in Fuel Cells
Authors: Najafabadi Amin Taheri , Leeuwner Magrieta J. , Wilkinson David P. , Gyenge Előd L.
Published: June 2016

The microporous layer (MPL) is a key cathodic component in proton exchange membrane fuel cells owing to its beneficial influence on two‐phase mass transfer. However, its performance is highly dependent on material properties such as morphology, porous structure, and electrical resistance. To improve water management and performance, electrochemically exfoliated graphene (EGN) microsheets are considered as an alternative to the conventional carbon black (CB) MPLs. The EGN‐based MPLs decrease the kinetic overpotential and the Ohmic potential loss, whereas the addition of CB to form a composite EGN+CB MPL improves the mass‐transport limiting current density drastically. This is reflected by increases of approximately 30 and 70 % in peak power densities at 100 % relative humidity (RH) compared with those for CB‐ and EGN‐only MPLs, respectively. The composite EGN+CB MPL also retains the superior performance at a cathode RH of 20 %, whereas the CB MPL shows significant performance loss.
Photo‐reduction of CO2 Using a Rhenium Complex Covalently Supported on a Graphene/TiO2 Composite
Authors: Cui Shi‐Cong , Sun Xue‐Zhong , Liu Jin‐Gang
Published: June 2016

One of the promising solutions for decreasing atmospheric CO2 is artificial photosynthesis, in which CO2 can be photoconverted into solar fuels. In this study, a rhenium complex Re(PyBn)(CO)3Cl (PyBn=1‐(2‐picolyl)‐4‐phenyl‐1H‐1,2,3‐triazole) was covalently grafted onto the surface of reduced graphene oxide (rGO). This was further combined with TiO2 to fabricate a novel catalyst composite TiO2–rGO–Re(PyBn)(CO)3Cl for CO2 photo‐reduction. This hybrid composite demonstrated high selectivity conversion of CO2 into CO under xenon‐lamp irradiation. Compared with the unsupported homogeneous catalyst Re(PyBn)(CO)3Cl, the covalent immobilized catalyst composite TiO2–rGO–Re(PyBn)(CO)3Cl enhanced the turnover number six times and significantly improved catalyst stability. During the process of CO2 photo‐reduction, intermediate species with lifetimes longer than hundreds of microseconds were observed and the formation of CO products was revealed using timeresolved infrared spectroscopy. A plausible mechanism for CO2 photo‐reduction by the TiO2–rGO–Re(PyBn)(CO)3Cl catalyst composite has been suggested. The obtained results have implications for the future design of efficient catalyst composites for CO2 photo‐conversion.
Microclimate modification by riparian vegetation affects the structure and resource limitation of arthropod communities
Authors: Allen Daniel C.
Published: June 2016

Ground and surface water hydrology often governs the abundance and type of vegetation present in dryland riparian ecosystems, particularly along rivers that have both perennial and intermittent reaches. But how these differences in riparian vegetation affect riparian arthropod communities is not well understood. I conducted a replicated field experiment at three sites along the San Pedro River in central Arizona, United States, which varied in ground and surface water hydrology and in riparian vegetation. The most mesic site was comprised of cottonwood‐willow gallery forest and had more canopy cover, higher absolute humidity, and lower maximum air temperature than the most arid site, which was comprised of mesquite and saltcedar scrubland. Experimental treatments added resources (water, sugar, and a no resource control) to assess water and energy limitation of ground‐dwelling arthropods over a 4‐week period. I found that arthropod community structure differed between the three study sites, and that these changes were strongly associated with differences in microclimate. The most mesic site had 5.5 times greater arthropod biomass than the most arid site. I also found that the effect size of water supplementation on cricket abundance and the effect size of sugar supplementation on ant abundance were related to microclimate variables. Water effects on cricket abundance were larger, and sugar effects on ant abundance smaller, as general aridity increased. However, I found no relationship between the magnitude of water or sugar effects on total arthropod community abundance and microclimate variables. Nevertheless, these results indicate that groundwater depth can indirectly affect the abundance, community structure, and water vs. energy limitation of riparian arthropod communities via groundwater effects on riparian vegetation, and riparian vegetation effects on microclimate. Increases in river drying events due to climate change and increased water withdrawals will likely lead to changes in riparian vegetation in arid systems, and here I show that these changes could affect riparian animal communities as well.
Increases in mean annual temperature do not alter soil bacterial community structure in tropical montane wet forests
Authors: Selmants Paul C. , Adair Karen L. , Litton Creighton M. , Giardina Christian P. , Schwartz Egbert
Published: June 2016

Soil bacteria play a key role in regulating terrestrial biogeochemical cycling and greenhouse gas fluxes across the soil‐atmosphere continuum. Despite their importance to ecosystem functioning, we lack a general understanding of how bacterial communities respond to climate change, especially in relatively understudied ecosystems like tropical montane wet forests. We used a well‐studied and highly constrained 5.2°C mean annual temperature (MAT) gradient in tropical montane wet forests on the Island of Hawaii to test the hypothesis that long‐term, whole‐ecosystem warming and the accompanying increase in belowground carbon flux increase the diversity and alter the composition of soil bacterial communities. Across this MAT gradient, dominant vegetation, substrate type and age, soil moisture, and disturbance history are constant, allowing us to effectively isolate the influence of rising MAT on soil bacterial community structure. Contrary to our hypothesis, we found that the richness, evenness, and phylogenetic diversity of the soil bacterial community remained remarkably stable with MAT and that MAT did not predict variation in bacterial community composition despite a substantial increase in belowground soil carbon fluxes across the gradient. Our results suggest that other factors that are constant across this gradient—such as soil pH, water availability and plant species composition—may be more important than warming in influencing soil bacterial community composition and diversity, at least within the temperature range studied here (~13–18°C MAT). Ours is the first study to demonstrate stability of soil bacterial community structure with rising MAT and increased belowground carbon flux in a tropical wet forest ecosystem. Moreover, our results add to growing evidence that the diversity and composition of soil bacterial communities dominated by Proteobacteria and Acidobacteria in low‐pH forest soils may be insensitive to the direct effect of climate warming.
Can the eastern red‐backed salamander (Plethodon cinereus) persist in an acidified landscape?
Authors: Bondi Cheryl A. , Beier Colin M. , Ducey Peter K. , Lawrence Gregory B. , Bailey Scott
Published: June 2016

Hardwood forests of eastern North America have experienced decades of acidic deposition, leading to soil acidification where base cation supply was insufficient to neutralize acid inputs. Negative impacts of soil acidity on amphibians include disrupted embryonic development, lower growth rates, and habitat loss. However, some amphibians exhibit intraspecific variation in acid tolerance, suggesting the potential for local adaptation in areas where soils are naturally acidic. The eastern red‐backed salamander (Plethodon cinereus) is a highly abundant top predator of the northern hardwood forest floor. Early research found that P. cinereus was sensitive to acidic soils, avoiding substrates with pH < 3.8 and experiencing decreased growth rates in acidic habitats. However, recent studies have documented P. cinereus populations in lower pH conditions than previously observed, suggesting some populations may persist in acidic conditions. Here, we evaluated relationships between organic horizon soil pH and P. cinereus abundance, adult health (body size and condition), and microhabitat selection, based on surveys of 34 hardwood forests in northeastern United States that encompass a regional soil pH gradient. We found no associations between soil pH and P. cinereus abundance or health, and observed that this salamander used substrates with pH similar to that available, suggesting that pH does not mediate their fine‐scale distributions. The strongest negative predictor of P. cinereus abundance was the presence of dusky salamanders (Desmognathus spp.), which were most abundant in the western Adirondacks. Our results indicate that P. cinereus occupies a wider range of soil pH than has been previously thought, which has implications for their functional role in forest food webs and nutrient cycles in acid‐impaired ecosystems. Tolerance of P. cinereus for more acidic habitats, including anthropogenically acidified forests, may be due to local adaptation in reproductively isolated populations and/or generalist life history traits that allow them to exploit a wider resource niche.
Assessing ecotoxicity of biomining effluents in stream ecosystems by in situ invertebrate bioassays: A case study in Talvivaara, Finland
Authors: Salmelin Johanna , Leppänen Matti T. , Karjalainen Anna K. , Vuori Kari-Matti , Gerhardt Almut , Hämäläinen Heikki
Published: June 2016

Mining of sulfide-rich pyritic ores produces acid mine drainage waters and has induced major ecological problems in aquatic ecosystems worldwide. Biomining utilizes microbes to extract metals from the ore, and it has been suggested as a new sustainable way to produce metals. However, little is known of the potential ecotoxicological effects of biomining. In the present study, biomining impacts were assessed using survival and behavioral responses of aquatic macroinvertebrates at in situ exposures in streams. The authors used an impedance conversion technique to measure quantitatively in situ behavioral responses of larvae of the regionally common mayfly, Heptagenia dalecarlica, to discharges from the Talvivaara mine (Sotkamo, Northern Finland), which uses a biomining technique. Behavioral responses measured in 3 mine-impacted streams were compared with those measured in 3 reference streams. In addition, 3-d survival of the mayfly larvae and the oligochaete Lumbriculus variegatus was measured in the study sites. Biomining impacts on stream water quality included increased concentrations of sulfur, sulfate, and metals, especially manganese, cadmium, zinc, sodium, and calcium. Survival of the invertebrates in the short term was not affected by the mine effluents. In contrast, apparent behavioral changes in mayfly larvae were detected, but these responses were not consistent among sites, which may reflect differing natural water chemistry of the study sites. Environ Toxicol Chem 2017;36:147–155. © 2016 SETAC
Veränderung der Boden‐ und Felsklassen in der VOB, Teil C (2015)
Authors: Borchert Kurt‐M. , Große Almuth
Published: June 2016

Mit Erscheinen des Ergänzungsbands 2015 zur VOB, Ausgabe 2012, wurden in allen ATV‐Normen die bisherigen Klassen durch Homogenbereiche für Boden und Fels ersetzt. Zur Beschreibung der Homogenbereiche werden in diesen Normen, die nach Abschnitt 2 – Stoffe und Bauteile, den Baugrund behandeln müssen, Eigenschaften und Kennwerte vorgegeben, die in der Leistungsbeschreibung anzugeben sind. In diesem Artikel werden die Änderungen durch die Einführung der Homogenbereiche im Vergleich zu den bisherigen Klassen dargestellt und Hinweise für die Baugrunduntersuchungen und zugehörigen Planungen gegeben.

Improvement of soil and rock classes in all VOB‐codes, part C (2015). In 2015 the supplement to the VOB, issue 2012, was released. In all ATV standards the previous soil categories were substituted by homogenous zones for soil and rock. Chapter 2 of this standard, named Material and Construction Elements is dealing with the subsoil conditions. To describe the homogenous zones in these standards, properties and characteristic values are specified, which have to be provided as part of the general technical specifications. In this paper the changes induced by the introduction of the homogenous zones will be represented by means of comparison to the previous soil categories. In addition, advice for ground investigation und associated design will be paid attention to.
Neuroanatomic pathways associated with monoaminergic dysregulation after stroke
Authors: Hama Seiji , Murakami Taro , Yamashita Hidehisa , Onoda Keiichi , Yamawaki Shigeto , Kurisu Kaoru
Published: June 2016

Objective

We examined the complex relationship between lesion location, symptoms of depression (affective and apathetic), and monoamine dysfunction after stroke.

Methods

Magnetic resonance imaging was performed on 48 post‐stroke patients that had been assessed for affective and apathetic symptoms using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and the Apathy Scale, respectively. Noradrenalin (NA), dopamine (DA), their metabolites, and a metabolite of serotonin (5‐HT) were measured using 24‐h urine samples, and 5‐HT and 3‐methoxy‐4‐hydroxyphenylglycol were measured using blood samples. We developed a statistical parametric map that displayed the associations between lesion location and both positive and negative alterations of monoamines and their metabolites.

Results

Multivariate analysis indicated that basal ganglia lesions and 5‐HT showed relationships with affective symptoms, whereas homovanillic acid was related to apathetic symptoms. Univariate analysis showed no such relationships. However, decreases in NA and DA and increases in NA and DA turnover were related to lesions in the brainstem, whereas increases in NA and DA as well as decreases in NA and DA turnover were related to cortical and/or striatum lesions. 5‐HT turnover data showed a pattern opposite to that seen for NA and DA turnover.

Conclusions

Monoaminergic neuronal pathways are controlled by both receptor‐mediated feedback mechanisms and turnover; thus, depletion of monoamines is not the only cause of depression and apathy. Moreover, the monoamine neuronal network might be divided into two branches, catecholamine (NA and DA) and 5‐HT, both of which are anatomically and functionally interconnected and could respectively influence apathetic and affective symptoms of depression.
Sacrificing the buccal branch of the facial nerve during parotidectomy
Authors: Dhiwakar Muthuswamy , Khan Zubair A.
Published: June 2016

Background

The need for and consequence of sacrificing the buccal branch of the facial nerve during parotidectomy is unknown. We sought to determine the indication, frequency, and functional outcome of buccal branch sacrifice.

Methods

We conducted a prospective study of all cases of parotidectomy at a tertiary referral center.

Results

Of 100 consecutive cases of parotidectomy, the buccal branch was sacrificed in 23 cases. This subgroup was more likely to have anterior or deep lesions (p < .001), retrograde facial nerve dissection (p = .037), and immediate postoperative upper and lower facial weakness (p = .051 and .002, respectively). However, if the temporozygomatic and cervicomandibular branches were anatomically preserved, full facial (including buccal) function was restored.

Conclusion

Deep or anterior lesions may warrant sacrifice of the buccal branch for adequate access and excision. However, this does not result in long‐term impairment of facial function. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck 38: 1821–1825, 2016
Treatment of kaposiform hemangioendothelioma and tufted angioma
Authors: Liu Xiao Han , Li Jia Ying , Qu Xin Hua , Yan Wei Li , Zhang Ling , Yang Chi , Zheng Jia Wei
Published: June 2016

This meta‐analysis was to evaluate the efficacy of current treatment modalities for kaposiform hemangioendothelioma and tufted angioma. A systematic review was performed using PubMed (Medline), Web of Science and Embase for clinical studies. The outcome was measured by pooled response rate with 95% confidence intervals (CIs), together with heterogeneity, subgroup analysis, sensitivity analysis and publication bias. Fifteen studies with 244 participants were included in this analysis. Vincristine therapy exhibited a relatively higher response rate (0.72; 95%CI, 0.64–0.79) compared with other therapies including systemic corticosteroid (0.27; 95%CI, 0.17–0.36), interferon (0.36; 95%CI, 0.24–0.48), radiotherapy (0.49; 95%CI, 0.26–0.73), embolization (0.66; 95%CI, 0.48–0.83), aspirin/ticlopidine (0.42; 95%CI, 0.06–0.78) and sirolimus (0.57; 95%CI, 0.00–0.10), in treating KHE/TA. Subgroup analysis indicated that the efficacy of systemic corticosteroids therapy was age‐related. The pooled response rate was 0.15 (95%CI, 0.08–0.23) for participants 3.5 months of age and older compared with 0.35 (95% CI, 0.26–0.44) for participants less than 3.5 months. Regarding side effects, systemic corticosteroids treatment was 0.32 (95%CI, 0.15–0.50), vincristine modality was 0.16 (95%CI, 0.08–0.24) and interferon therapy was 0.28 (95%CI, 0.13–0.43). In conclusion, as one of the first reviews evaluating the effect of common therapies in the treatment of KHE/TA, our meta‐analysis displayed that vincristine was more effective.

Thus, vincristine was the most effective, providing evidence supporting the use of vincristine as a first‐line therapy for KHE/TA.
Ca2+ Signaling and Cell Death Induced by Protriptyline in HepG2 Human Hepatoma Cells
Authors: Wang Jue‐Long , Chou Chiang‐Ting , Liu Kang , Liang Wei‐Zhe , Cheng Jin‐Shiung , Chang Hong‐Tai , Chen I‐Shu , Lu Ti , Kuo Chun‐Chi , Yu Chia‐Cheng , Shieh Pochuen , Kuo Daih‐Huang , Chen Fu‐An , Jan Chung‐Ren
Published: June 2016

The effect of protriptyline on Ca2+ physiology in human hepatoma is unclear. This study explored the effect of protriptyline on [Ca2+]i and cytotoxicity in HepG2 human hepatoma cells. Protriptyline (50–150 μM) evoked [Ca2+]i rises. The Ca2+ entry was inhibited by removal of Ca2+. Protriptyline‐induced Ca2+ entry was confirmed by Mn2+‐induced quench of fura‐2 fluorescence. Except nifedipine, econazole, SKF96365, GF109203X, and phorbol 12‐myristate 13 acetate did not inhibit Ca2+ entry. Treatment with the endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ pump inhibitor 2,5‐di‐tert‐butylhydroquinone (BHQ) inhibited 40% of protriptyline‐induced response. Treatment with protriptyline abolished BHQ‐induced response. Inhibition of phospholipase C (PLC) suppressed protriptyline‐evoked response by 70%. At 20–40 μM, protriptyline killed cells which was not reversed by the Ca2+ chelator 1,2‐bis(2‐aminophenoxy)ethane‐N,N,N′,N′‐tetraacetic acid‐acetoxymethyl ester (BAPTA/AM). Together, in HepG2 cells, protriptyline induced [Ca2+]i rises that involved Ca2+ entry through nifedipine‐sensitive Ca2+ channels and PLC‐dependent Ca2+ release from endoplasmic reticulum. Protriptyline induced Ca2+‐independent cell death.
Strong hydrophobic interaction between graphene oxide and supported lipid bilayers revealed by AFM
Authors: Hu Xiuyuan , Lei Haozhi , Zhang Xueqiang , Zhang Yi
Published: June 2016

Understanding the interaction between graphene oxide (GO) and lipid membranes is of great importance for its various applications in biotechnology. Here, we investigated the interaction between GO and charged supported lipid bilayers (SLBs) by in situ atomic force microscope (AFM) imaging. It was found that GO could peel off a single layer of positively charged SLBs and deposited on the hydrophobic part of the remaining sublayer. Then free lipid molecules would assemble on GO surface and formed 1.5 bilayers in a lipid‐GO‐lipid manner. For negatively charged lipid bilayers, however, GO deposited to the SLBs only when its concentration was very high. These results indicate that, in addition to electrostatic interaction, the hydrophobic interaction plays an important role when GO sheets deposit onto the charged lipid bilayers, and should be helpful to understand possible cytotoxicity and antibiosis of graphene‐related nanomaterials. Microsc. Res. Tech. 79:721–726, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Design and Synthesis of 3‐Substituted‐thiazolyl‐2‐iminothiazolidin‐4‐ones as a New Class of Anticonvulsants
Authors: Alagarsamy V. , Senthilraja M. , Raja Solomon V.
Published: June 2016

A new series of 3‐substituted‐thiazolyl‐2‐iminothiazolidin‐4‐ones were synthesized by nucleophilic substitution of p‐substituted‐thiazol‐2‐yl‐chloroacetamides with potassium thiocyanide by cyclization. The starting material p‐substituted‐thiazol‐2‐yl‐chloroacetamides were synthesized from p‐substituted‐thiazol‐2‐yl‐amines with chloroacetyl chloride, which in turn was prepared from one pot reaction of substituted aryl acetophenone and amino group of thiourea. The title compounds were investigated for their anticonvulsant activity. Among the tested compounds, compound 3‐(4‐(4‐fluorophenyl)thiazol‐2‐yl)‐2‐iminothiazolidin‐4‐one (16) emerged as the most active compound of the series, and it is moderately more potent than the reference standard diazepam.
The risk‐outcome‐experience triad: Mortality risk and the hospital consumer assessment of healthcare providers and systems survey
Authors: Cowen Mark E. , Czerwinski Jennifer , Kabara Jared , Blumenthal David U. , Kheder Susan , Simmons Stefanie
Published: June 2016

BACKGROUND

Studies have shown an association between the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems Survey (HCAHPS) scores and clinical quality. The mortality risk on admission predicts adverse events. It is not known if this risk also portends a suboptimal patient experience.

OBJECTIVE

To determine if the admission mortality risk identifies an experience of care risk.

DESIGN

A retrospectively assembled cohort in which individual HCAHPS survey responses were linked to the admission risk of dying.

SETTING

Five community hospitals of various sizes in Michigan.

PATIENTS

There were 17,509 HCAHPS medical and surgical respondents; 2513 (14.4%) were at high risk of dying.

MEASUREMENTS

Odds ratio (OR) (high‐risk patients to low‐risk patients) for providing a top box score for HCAHPS dimensions, controlling for hospital and the standard HCAHPS patient mix adjustment factors.

RESULTS

High‐risk respondents were less likely to provide the most favorable response (unadjusted) for all HCAHPS domains, although the difference was not significant (P = 0.09) for discharge information. Multivariable analyses indicated that high‐risk patients were less likely to report a top box experience for doctor communication (OR: 0.85; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.77‐0.94) and responsiveness of hospital staff (OR: 0.77; 95% CI: 0.69‐0.85), but were more likely to have received adequate discharge information (OR: 1.30, 95% CI: 1.14‐1.48).

CONCLUSIONS

Patients at high risk of dying who completed surveys were less likely to report favorable physician communication and staff responsiveness. Further understanding of these relationships may help design a care model to improve both outcomes and experience. Journal of Hospital Medicine 2016;11:628–635. © 2016 Society of Hospital Medicine
Shifting the Development Discourse: A Narrative of a Civil Society Network in Ecuador
Authors: Appe Susan
Published: June 2016

This article provides a narrative of the emergence and formalization of a civil society network in Ecuador. The narrative provides a backdrop to explain how organized civil society produces an alternative discourse by shifting key descriptors related to civil society and development. While civil society–state relations still unfold in Ecuador, an alternative development discourse with shifted descriptors has helped to consolidate the civil society network. This shifting of development discourse may provide an avenue for organized civil society to continue to better argue and demonstrate its contributions to social development. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Correlation between anti‐JC‐virus and anti‐cytomegalovirus, ‐Epstein–Barr virus and ‐measles/‐rubella/‐varicella–zoster‐virus antibodies
Authors: Auer Michael , Borena Wegene , Holm‐von Laer Dorothee , Deisenhammer Florian
Published: June 2016

Anti‐JCV antibody status is used for PML‐risk‐stratification in MS patients before and during Natalizumab therapy. JCV antibodies can be detected in around 60% of MS patients, however, only a small proportion actually develop PML. As anti‐viral antibodies tend to occur unspecifically, the aim of this study was to correlate JCV antibody status and index with other common anti‐viral antibodies. A total of 123 samples of MS‐patients were tested for anti‐JCV antibodies by JCV‐Stratify‐ELISA at Unilabs, Denmark. The same samples were analyzed for measles, rubella, varicella zoster, EBV, and CMV IgG and IgM antibodies by ELISA, or chemiluminescence‐microparticle immunoassay. For all antibody‐titers correlations were calculated and group comparisons of JCV‐positive and ‐negative patients were performed. Fifty‐three patients (43.1%) were JCV negative and 70 (56.9%) positive. CMV‐IgM antibodies were detected in six patients. Otherwise no IgM antibodies were detected. IgG antibodies against measles, rubella, varicella zoster, and EBV were detected in ≥97% of patients and 47 samples (38.2%) tested positive for CMV‐IgG. There was no significant correlation between any of the antibody titers including JCV index, however, a significantly higher prevalence (P = 0.003) of CMV‐IgG in JCV positive compared to JCV negative patients, whereas no difference was detected for measles, rubella, varicella zoster, and EBV IgG. In conclusion, the JCV antibody response in MS patients seems to be largely independent of any other anti‐viral immunity. The only coincidence was found with CMV IgG antibodies which might point towards some immunological cross‐reactivity in anti‐viral immune response or other mechanisms leading to combined viral infections such as shared transmission. J. Med. Virol. 89:3–9, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Cell culture‐adaptive mutations of NS5A affect replication of hepatitis C virus differentially depending on the viral genotypes
Authors: Chung Aeri , Jin Bora , Han Kwang‐Hyub , Ahn Sang Hoon , Kim Seungtaek
Published: June 2016

Most of HCV RNAs require cell culture‐adaptive mutations for efficient replication in cell culture and a number of such mutations have been described including a well‐known S2204I substitution mutation in NS5A protein. In contrast, the replication of genotype 2a JFH1 RNA in cell culture does not require any cell culture‐adaptive mutation. Rather, the presence of S2204I mutation impaired the JFH1 RNA replication. In this study, we examined the effect of reversions and substitutions of NS5A cell culture‐adaptive mutations on virus replication in different genotypic backgrounds after either placing genotype 1a NS5A in the genotype 2a JFH1 or vice versa. The results from this investigation suggest that the S2204I mutation affects HCV RNA replication differentially depending on the viral genotypes but that the effect was not simply explained by the genotypic background. Perhaps, the effect of the S2204I mutation on HCV replication reflects both intra‐ and intergenic interactions of NS5A protein. J. Med. Virol. 89:146–152, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Splenectomy is not indicated in living donor liver transplantation
Authors: Ito Kyoji , Akamatsu Nobuhisa , Ichida Akihiko , Ito Daisuke , Kaneko Junichi , Arita Junichi , Sakamoto Yoshihiro , Hasegawa Kiyoshi , Kokudo Norihiro
Published: June 2016

Simultaneous splenectomy (SPX) is preferentially performed in living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) to modulate portal flow; increase postoperative platelet count, especially among those with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection; and modulate the immunologic status in ABO‐incompatible cases. The negative effects of the procedure, however, are not well established. Records of 395 LDLTs performed at our institution, including 169 (42.8%) patients with simultaneous SPX and 226 (57.2%) patients with spleen preservation, were reviewed with special reference to the simultaneous SPX cases. The most common indication for SPX was HCV‐related disease (n = 114), followed by low preoperative platelet count (n = 52), and other reasons (n = 3). Simultaneous splenectomy did not increase the platelet count in the early postoperative period, but the incidence of reoperation for postoperative hemorrhage was increased, mainly at the SPX site, within the first week. In addition, the operative time, intraoperative blood loss, and incidence of lethal infectious disease were significantly higher in the SPX group, whereas the incidence of small‐for‐size syndrome was comparable between groups. Finally, SPX was an independent predictor for both postoperative hemorrhage (odds ratio [OR] = 2.451; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.285‐4.815; P = 0.006) and lethal infectious complication (OR = 3.748; 95% CI = 1.148‐14.001; P = 0.03). In conclusion, on the basis of the present findings, we do not recommend simultaneous SPX in LDLT. Liver Transplantation 22 1526–1535 2016 AASLD.
EZH2 suppresses the nucleotide excision repair in nasopharyngeal carcinoma by silencing XPA gene
Authors: Huang Yuxiang , Wang Xuanyi , Niu Xiaoshuang , Wang Xiaoshen , Jiang Rui , Xu Tingting , Liu Yong , Liang Liping , Ou Xiaomin , Xing Xing , Li Weiwei , Hu Chaosu
Published: June 2016

The enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2) is involved in a number of fundamental pathological processes of cancer. However, its role in DNA repair pathway is still unclear. Here, we have identified XPA as a novel target gene of EZH2 via a DNA repair pathway PCR array. XPA plays a pivot role in nucleotide excision repair (NER). The expression of XPA was significantly increased by EZH2 specific inhibitor GSK126 or lentiviral shEZH2 in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) CNE and 8F cell lines. Chromatin immunoprecipitation assay demonstrated that EZH2 catalyzes H3K27 trimethylation at the XPA promoters. Furthermore, we validated the negative correlation of EZH2 and XPA in a NPC tissue microarray by immunohistochemistry staining. We also found that high expression of EZH2 was positively correlated with advanced T, N, and AJCC stage of NPC; and low expression of XPA was positively correlated with advanced T and N stage. In NPC cell lines, increased XPA expression by EZH2 inhibition resulted in a more rapid removal of UVC induced 6‐4PP‐ and CPD‐DNA adducts, as well as enhanced efficiency of DNA repair after UVC irradiation as detected by the Comet assay and immunofluorescence staining of γH2Ax. Consistently, increased cell clonogenic survival, decreased apoptosis, and necrosis after UVC irradiation, and increased resistance to DNA damaging agent cisplatin was also observed in EZH2 inhibited cells. These results illustrate that EZH2 may promote carcinogenesis and cancer development of NPC by transcriptional repression of XPA gene and inactivation of NER pathway. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Decentralized Supply Chain Decisions on Lead Time Quote and Pricing with a Risk‐averse Supplier
Authors: Chen Weichun , Li Bo , Song Dongping , Li Qinghua
Published: June 2016

We consider a decentralized supply chain containing a risk‐averse supplier and a risk‐neutral retailer with lead time‐sensitive and price‐sensitive demands. A Stackelberg game is employed to model the lead time quote and pricing decision process between the two members under the conditional value‐at‐risk criterion. A unique equilibrium is obtained. Using the corresponding centralized mode as a benchmark, we find that a less risk‐averse supplier is better to cooperate and share risk with the retailer to improve the entire supply chain's efficiency. With a uniformly distributed realized lead time, the impact of the supplier's risk aversion on the decisions can be characterized by a few threshold values of the late delivery penalty cost. In particular, when the unit delay penalty cost exceeds a certain level, a more risk‐averse supplier will counter‐intuitively quote a shorter lead time by risking a higher delay penalty cost. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Subliminal gait initiation deficits in rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder: A harbinger of freezing of gait?
Authors: Alibiglou Laila , Videnovic Aleksandar , Planetta Peggy J. , Vaillancourt David E. , MacKinnon Colum D.
Published: June 2016

Background

Muscle activity during rapid eye movement sleep is markedly increased in people with rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder and people with Parkinson's disease (PD) who have freezing of gait. This study examined whether individuals with rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder who do not have a diagnosis of PD show abnormalities in gait initiation that resemble the impairments observed in PD and whether there is a relationship between these deficits and the level of rapid eye movement sleep without atonia.

Methods

Gait initiation and polysomnography studies were conducted in 4 groups of 10 participants: rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder, PD with and without freezing of gait, and controls.

Results

Significant reductions were seen in the posterior shift of the center of pressure during the propulsive phase of gait initiation in the groups with rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder and PD with freezing of gait when compared with controls and PD nonfreezers. These reductions negatively correlated with the amount of rapid eye movement sleep without atonia. The duration of the initial dorsiflexor muscle burst during gait initiation was significantly reduced in both PD groups and the rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder cohort.

Conclusions

These results provide evidence that people with rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder, prior to a diagnosis of a degenerative neurologic disorder, show alterations in the coupling of posture and gait similar to those seen in PD. The correlation between increased rapid eye movement sleep without atonia and deficits in forward propulsion during the push‐off phase of gait initiation suggests that abnormities in the regulation of muscle tone during rapid eye movement sleep may be related to the pathogenesis of freezing of gait. © 2016 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society
Factors affecting outcome in myasthenia gravis
Authors: Andersen Jintana B. , Gilhus Nils Erik , Sanders Donald B.
Published: June 2016

Introduction and Methods: Information from myasthenia gravis (MG) patients treated and evaluated for at least 2 years between 1980 and 2014 was reviewed to assess the effect of demographics, antibody status and titer, thymus histology, and clinical severity on outcome after 2, 5, and 10 years of treatment. Results: Among 268 patients, 74% had acetylcholine receptor antibodies, 5% had muscle specific tyrosine kinase‐antibodies, and 22% had neither. Optimal outcome was achieved by 64% of patients at 2 years of follow‐up, 73% at 5 years, and 75% after 10 years. Optimal outcome was achieved more often in patients with late onset, in those who had thymectomy, and in those with ocular‐only disease at maximum severity. The only consistent independent predictor of optimal outcome was onset after age 50 years on multivariate analysis. Conclusions: Prognosis is favorable for the majority of MG patients, regardless of age, maximum disease severity, or antibody status. Muscle Nerve, 2016 Muscle Nerve 54: 1041–1049, 2016
CHIP: Facilitating Interprofessional and Culturally Competent Patient Care Through Experiential Learning in China
Authors: Mu Keli , Peck Kirk , Jensen Lou , Bracciano Al , Carrico Cathy , Feldhacker Diana
Published: June 2016

Health care professionals have advocated for educating culturally competent practitioners. Immersion in international experiences has an impact on student cultural competency and interprofessional development. The China Honors Interprofessional Program (CHIP) at a university in the Midwest is designed to increase students' cultural competency and interprofessional development. From 2009 to 2013, a total of 25 professional students including twelve occupational therapy students, ten physical therapy students and three nursing students were enrolled in the programme. Using a one group pre and posttest research design, this study evaluated the impact of CHIP on the participating students. Both quantitative and qualitative data were collected in the study. Findings of the study revealed that CHIP has impact on students' cultural competency and professional development including gaining appreciation and understanding of the contributions of other healthcare professionals and knowledge and skills in team work. The findings of the study suggested that international immersion experience such as CHIP is an important way to increase students' cultural competency and interprofessional knowledge and skills. Limitations of the study included the small sample in the study, indirect outcome measures and the possible celling effect of the instruments of the study. Future research studies should include a larger and more representative sample, direct outcome measures such as behaviour observation and more rigorous design such as prospective experimental comparison group design. Future research should also examine the long‐term effects of international experience on the professional development of occupational therapy students. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Evolution of thermal conductivity of In3Sbβ Teγ thin films up to 550 °C
Authors: Battaglia J.‐L. , Kusiak A. , Gaborieau C. , Anguy Y. , Nguyen H. T. , Wiemer C. , Fallica R. , Campi D. , Bernasconi M. , Longo M.
Published: June 2016

The temperature dependent thermal conductivity of In–Sb–Te thin films has been measured by modulated photothermal radiometry in the 20–550 °C range for samples with different Te content. Significant changes with temperature are observed and ascribed to a sequence of structural transformations on the basis of in‐situ Raman spectra. The data suggest that the as‐deposited material consisting of a mixture of polycrystalline InSb0.8Te0.2and amorphous Te first undergoes a progressive crystallization of the amorphous part, mostly above 300 °C. Further increase in temperature above 460 °C leads, for higher Te content in the alloy, to the formation of crystalline In3SbTe2, intertwined with a less conductive compound, possibly InTe and/or InSb. Upon cooling to room temperature, the initial polycrystalline InSb0.8Te0.2phase is mostly recovered along with other compounds, with a slightly higher thermal conductivity than that of the as deposited material. (© 2016 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH &Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Context and Implications Document for: Research trends in social network sites’ educational use: a review of publications in all SSCI journals to 2015
Authors: Akçayır Gökçe , Akçayır Murat
Published: June 2016

This guide accompanies the following article: Akçayır, G. & Akçayır, M., Research trends in social network sites’ educational use: a review of publications in all SSCI journals to 2015, Review of Education, DOI:10.1002/rev3.3075
Autoregressive linear least square single scanning electron microscope image signal‐to‐noise ratio estimation
Authors: Sim Kok Swee , NorHisham Syafiq
Published: June 2016

A technique based on linear Least Squares Regression (LSR) model is applied to estimate signal‐to‐noise ratio (SNR) of scanning electron microscope (SEM) images. In order to test the accuracy of this technique on SNR estimation, a number of SEM images are initially corrupted with white noise. The autocorrelation function (ACF) of the original and the corrupted SEM images are formed to serve as the reference point to estimate the SNR value of the corrupted image. The LSR technique is then compared with the previous three existing techniques known as nearest neighbourhood, first‐order interpolation, and the combination of both nearest neighborhood and first‐order interpolation. The actual and the estimated SNR values of all these techniques are then calculated for comparison purpose. It is shown that the LSR technique is able to attain the highest accuracy compared to the other three existing techniques as the absolute difference between the actual and the estimated SNR value is relatively small. SCANNING 38:771–782, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Multi‐Drug‐Loaded Microcapsules with Controlled Release for Management of Parkinson's Disease
Authors: Baek Jong‐Suep , Choo Chee Chong , Qian Cheng , Tan Nguan Soon , Shen Zexiang , Loo Say Chye Joachim
Published: June 2016

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive disease of the nervous system, and is currently managed through commercial tablets that do not sufficiently enable controlled, sustained release capabilities. It is hypothesized that a drug delivery system that provides controlled and sustained release of PD drugs would afford better management of PD. Hollow microcapsules composed of poly‐l‐lactide (PLLA) and poly (caprolactone) (PCL) are prepared through a modified double‐emulsion technique. They are loaded with three PD drugs, i.e., levodopa (LD), carbidopa (CD), and entacapone (ENT), at a ratio of 4:1:8, similar to commercial PD tablets. LD and CD are localized in both the hollow cavity and PLLA/PCL shell, while ENT is localized in the PLLA/PCL shell. Release kinetics of hydrophobic ENT is observed to be relatively slow as compared to the other hydrophilic drugs. It is further hypothesized that encapsulating ENT into PCL as a surface coating onto these microcapsules can aid in accelerating its release. Now, these spray‐coated hollow microcapsules exhibit similar release kinetics, according to Higuchi's rate, for all three drugs. The results suggest that multiple drug encapsulation of LD, CD, and ENT in gastric floating microcapsules could be further developed for in vivo evaluation for the management of PD.
A Single‐Cell Assay for Time Lapse Studies of Exosome Secretion and Cell Behaviors
Authors: Chiu Yu‐Jui , Cai Wei , Shih Yu‐Ru V. , Lian Ian , Lo Yu‐Hwa
Published: June 2016

To understand the inhomogeneity of cells in biological systems, there is a growing demand on the capability of characterizing the properties of individual single cells. Since single‐cell studies require continuous monitoring of the cell behaviors, an effective single‐cell assay that can support time lapsed studies in a high throughput manner is desired. Most currently available single‐cell technologies cannot provide proper environments to sustain cell growth and, proliferation of single cells and convenient, noninvasive tests of single‐cell behaviors from molecular markers. Here, a highly versatile single‐cell assay is presented that can accommodate different cellular types, enable easy and efficient single‐cell loading and culturing, and be suitable for the study of effects of in vitro environmental factors in combination with drug screening. One salient feature of the assay is the noninvasive collection and surveying of single‐cell secretions at different time points, producing unprecedented insight of single‐cell behaviors based on the biomarker signals from individual cells under given perturbations. Above all, the acquired information is quantitative, for example, measured by the number of exosomes each single‐cell secretes for a given time period. Therefore, our single‐cell assay provides a convenient, low‐cost, and enabling tool for quantitative, time lapsed studies of single‐cell properties.
Concise Review: Measuring Physiological Responses of Human Pluripotent Stem Cell Derived Cardiomyocytes to Drugs and Disease
Authors: van Meer Berend J. , Tertoolen Leon G.J. , Mummery Christine L.
Published: June 2016

Cardiomyocytes from human pluripotent stem cells (hPSC) are of growing interest as models to understand mechanisms underlying genetic disease, identify potential drug targets and for safety pharmacology as they may predict human relevant effects more accurately and inexpensively than animals or other cell models. Crucial to their optimal use are accurate methods to quantify cardiomyocyte phenotypes accurately and reproducibly. Here, we review current methods for determining biophysical parameters of hPSC-derived cardiomyocytes (hPSC-CMs) that recapitulate disease and drug responses. Even though hPSC-CMs as currently available are immature, various biophysical methods are nevertheless already providing useful insights into the biology of the human heart and its maladies. Advantages and limitations of assays currently available looking toward applications of hPSC-CMs are described with examples of how they have been used to date. This will help guide the choice of biophysical method to characterize healthy cardiomyocytes and their pathologies in vitro.