bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Oxidation Rates of Triacylglycerol and Ethyl Ester Fish Oils
Authors: Sullivan Ritter Jenna C. , Budge Suzanne M. , Jovica Fabiola , Reid Anna‐Jean M.
Published: February 2015

Fish oil is available primarily as triacylglycerols (TAG) or ethyl esters (EE). Anecdotal evidence suggests that TAG have superior bioavailability and oxidative stability compared to EE. In this work, peroxide value (PV) and p‐anisidine value (AV) were used to monitor oxidation in commercially available TAG and EE fish oils incubated at temperatures from 5 to 60 °C. Pseudo first‐order kinetics were assumed and rate constants were calculated for each temperature. At all temperatures, the rates of oxidation were higher for EE oils than TAG oils. For PV and AV measured in both oils, non‐linear Arrhenius models were plotted, generating activation energies that ranged from 7 to 103 and 2 to 159 kJ/mol for PV and AV, respectively. Although TAG were more resistant to oxidation than EE, they had lower activation energies (Ea) at ≤15 °C for reactions measured with PV and AV. The Ea for EE was negative at temperatures ≥45 °C, indicating that reaction rate was influenced by factors in addition to temperature.
Riots and Rights: Law and Exclusion in Singapore’s Migrant Worker Regime
Authors: NEO Jaclyn L.
Published: February 2015

This article examines the legal framework regulating unskilled and low-skilled migrant workers in Singapore. It argues that the current legal framework discriminates against these migrant workers and conceptualizes them as undesirable for inclusion in the wider society. This, it is contended, is premised on the assumption that migrant workers could be sequestered from the local population to some extent. This article provides some challenges to this assumption, highlighting instead some of the broader social and political consequences of this exclusionary legal framework. Consequently, it is argued that a more inclusive and integrationist approach is needed, and some positive developments are highlighted.
Microbial community successional patterns in beach sands impacted by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill
Authors: Rodriguez-R Luis M , Overholt Will A , Hagan Christopher , Huettel Markus , Kostka Joel E , Konstantinidis Konstantinos T
Published: February 2015

Although petroleum hydrocarbons discharged from the Deepwater Horizon (DWH) blowout were shown to have a pronounced impact on indigenous microbial communities in the Gulf of Mexico, effects on nearshore or coastal ecosystems remain understudied. This study investigated the successional patterns of functional and taxonomic diversity for over 1 year after the DWH oil was deposited on Pensacola Beach sands (FL, USA), using metagenomic and 16S rRNA gene amplicon techniques. Gamma- and Alphaproteobacteria were enriched in oiled sediments, in corroboration of previous studies. In contrast to previous studies, we observed an increase in the functional diversity of the community in response to oil contamination and a functional transition from generalist populations within 4 months after oil came ashore to specialists a year later, when oil was undetectable. At the latter time point, a typical beach community had reestablished that showed little to no evidence of oil hydrocarbon degradation potential, was enriched in archaeal taxa known to be sensitive to xenobiotics, but differed significantly from the community before the oil spill. Further, a clear succession pattern was observed, where early responders to oil contamination, likely degrading aliphatic hydrocarbons, were replaced after 3 months by populations capable of aromatic hydrocarbon decomposition. Collectively, our results advance the understanding of how natural benthic microbial communities respond to crude oil perturbation, supporting the specialization-disturbance hypothesis; that is, the expectation that disturbance favors generalists, while providing (microbial) indicator species and genes for the chemical evolution of oil hydrocarbons during degradation and weathering.
Misfit accommodation mechanism at the heterointerface between diamond and cubic boron nitride
Authors: Chen Chunlin , Wang Zhongchang , Kato Takeharu , Shibata Naoya , Taniguchi Takashi , Ikuhara Yuichi
Published: February 2015

Diamond and cubic boron nitride (c-BN) are the top two hardest materials on the Earth. Clarifying how the two seemingly incompressible materials can actually join represents one of the most challenging issues in materials science. Here we apply the temperature gradient method to grow the c-BN single crystals on diamond and report a successful epitaxial growth. By transmission electron microscopy, we reveal a novel misfit accommodation mechanism for a {111} diamond/c-BN heterointerface, that is, lattice misfit can be accommodated by continuous stacking fault networks, which are connected by periodically arranged hexagonal dislocation loops. The loops are found to comprise six 60° Shockley partial dislocations. Atomically, the carbon in diamond bonds directly to boron in c-BN at the interface, which electronically induces a two-dimensional electron gas and a quasi-1D electrical conductivity. Our findings point to the existence of a novel misfit accommodation mechanism associated with the superhard materials.
Maternal Folic Acid Supplementation and the Risk of Congenital Heart Defects in Offspring: A Meta-Analysis of Epidemiological Observational Studies
Authors: Feng Yu , Wang Song , Chen Runsen , Tong Xing , Wu Zeyu , Mo Xuming
Published: February 2015

Epidemiological studies have reported conflicting results regarding the association between maternal folic acid supplementation and the risk of congenital heart defects (CHDs). However, a meta-analysis of the association between maternal folic acid supplementation and CHDs in offspring has not been conducted. We searched the MEDLINE and EMBASE databases for articles cataloged between their inceptions and October 10, 2014 and identified relevant published studies that assessed the association between maternal folate supplementation and the risk of CHDs. Study-specific relative risk estimates were pooled using random-effects or fixed-effects models. Out of the 1,606 articles found in our initial literature searches, a total of 1 randomized controlled trial, 1 cohort study and 16 case-control studies were included in our final meta-analysis. The overall results of this meta-analysis provide evidence that maternal folate supplementation is associated with a significantly decreased risk of CHDs (RR = 0.72, 95% CI: 0.63–0.82). Statistically significant heterogeneity was detected (Q= 82.48,P< 0.001,I2= 79.4%). We conducted stratified and meta-regression analyses to identify the origin of the heterogeneity among the studies and a Galbraith plot was generated to graphically assess the sources of heterogeneity. This meta-analysis provides a robust estimate of the positive association between maternal folate supplementation and a decreased risk of CHDs.
MDR1 siRNA loaded hyaluronic acid-based CD44 targeted nanoparticle systems circumvent paclitaxel resistance in ovarian cancer
Authors: Yang Xiaoqian , lyer Arun K. , Singh Amit , Choy Edwin , Hornicek Francis J. , Amiji Mansoor M. , Duan Zhenfeng
Published: February 2015

Development of multidrug resistance (MDR) is an almost universal phenomenon in patients with ovarian cancer and this severely limits the ultimate success of chemotherapy in the clinic. Overexpression of the MDR1 gene and corresponding P-glycoprotein (Pgp) is one of the best known MDR mechanisms. MDR1 siRNA based strategies were proposed to circumvent MDR, however, systemic, safe and effective targeted delivery is still a major challenge. Cluster of differentiation 44 (CD44) targeted hyaluronic acid (HA) based nanoparticle has been shown to successfully deliver chemotherapy agents or siRNAs into tumor cells. The goal of this study is to evaluate the ability of HA-PEI/HA-PEG to deliver MDR1 siRNA and the efficacy of the combination of HA-PEI/HA-PEG/MDR1 siRNA with paclitaxel to suppress growth of ovarian cancer. We observed that HA-PEI/HA-PEG nanoparticles can efficiently deliver MDR1 siRNA into MDR ovarian cancer cells, resulting in down-regulation of MDR1 and Pgp expression. Administration of HA-PEI/HA-PEG/MDR1 siRNA nanoparticles followed by paclitaxel treatment induced a significant inhibitory effect on the tumor growth, decreased Pgp expression and increased apoptosis in MDR ovarian cancer mice model. Our findings suggest that CD44 targeted HA-PEI/HA-PEG/MDR1 siRNA nanoparticles can serve as a therapeutic tool with great potentials to circumvent MDR in ovarian cancer.
Micro- and nanoparticles for treating cardiovascular disease
Authors: Suarez S. , Almutairi A. , Christman K. L.
Published: February 2015

Micro- and nano-particles are being designed as delivery vehicles to provide a sustained therapeutic stimulus at the injured tissue.
A new selective chromogenic and turn-on fluorogenic probe for copper(ii) in solution and vero cells: recognition of sulphide by [CuL]
Authors: Mahapatra Ajit Kumar , Mondal Sanchita , Manna Saikat Kumar , Maiti Kalipada , Maji Rajkishor , Uddin Md. Raihan , Mandal Sukhendu , Sarkar Deblina , Mondal Tapan Kumar , Maiti Dilip Kumar
Published: February 2015

A new coumarin-appended thioimidazole-linked imine conjugate,viz.Lhas been synthesized and characterized for a selectiveturn-onfluorescence chemosensor for Cu2+.
An isotope hydrochemical approach to understand fluoride release into groundwaters of the Datong Basin, Northern China
Authors: Su Chunli , Wang Yanxin , Xie Xianjun , Zhu Yapeng
Published: February 2015

The hydrogeochemical and isotopic investigations of high fluoride (up to 8.26 mg L-1) groundwater in the Datong Basin, Northern China were carried out. The elevated δD and δ18O, low F/Cl ratios, and the presence of low tritium in the high fluoride groundwater reflected the effects of long water-rock reactions and evapotranspiration.
Pd-catalyzed decarboxylation of glutamic acid and pyroglutamic acid to bio-based 2-pyrrolidone
Authors: De Schouwer Free , Claes Laurens , Claes Nathalie , Bals Sara , Degrève Jan , De Vos Dirk E.
Published: February 2015

A palladium based catalytic system was developed to decarboxylate glutamic acid and pyroglutamic acid to bio-based 2-pyrrolidone in aqueous media at 250 °C and under an inert atmosphere.
Self-assembled graphene-constructed hollow Fe2O3 spheres with controllable size for high lithium storage
Authors: Chen Yanwei , Wang Jinzuan , Jiang Jianzhong , Zhou Ming'an , Zhu Jun , Han Sheng
Published: February 2015

Graphene-constructed hollow Fe2O3 spheres with controllable size.
Preparation, characterization and application of succinimidinium hydrogensulfate ([H-Suc]HSO4) as an efficient ionic liquid catalyst for the N-Boc protection of amines
Authors: Shirini Farhad , Jolodar Omid Goli , Seddighi Mohadeseh , Borujeni Hojatollah Takbiri
Published: February 2015

Succinimidinium hydrogensulfate ([H-Suc]HSO4), which is prepared from the reaction of succinimide and sulfuric acid, showed excellent catalytic activity for theN-Boc protection of various amines under solvent free conditions.
Localized surface plasmon-enhanced green quantum dot light-emitting diodes using gold nanoparticles
Authors: Kim Na-Yeong , Hong Sang-Hyun , Kang Jang-Won , Myoung NoSoung , Yim Sang-Youp , Jung Suhyun , Lee Kwanghee , Tu Charles W. , Park Seong-Ju
Published: February 2015

We demonstrate solution processed gold nanoparticles and a ZnO hybrid structure for localized surface plasmon-enhanced colloidal quantum-dot light-emitting diodes.
CO2capture by dry alkanolamines and an efficient microwave regeneration process
Authors: Yang J. , Tan H. Y. , Low Q. X. , Binks B. P. , Chin J. M.
Published: February 2015

Dry alkanolamines shown here are found to be highly efficient CO2sorbents and recyclableviamicrowave regeneration.
Nitrogen-rich porous carbon derived from biomass as a high performance anode material for lithium ion batteries
Authors: Ou Junke , Zhang Yongzhi , Chen Li , Zhao Qian , Meng Yan , Guo Yong , Xiao Dan
Published: February 2015

The OHC shows superior performance as an anode material for LIBs with a high reversible capacity (1181 mA h g−1 at 0.1 A g−1) and an excellent rate capability (304 mA h g−1 at 5 A g−1).
Multifunctional cellulosic paper based on quaternized chitosan and gold nanoparticle–reduced graphene oxide via electrostatic self-assembly
Authors: Ling Yunzhi , Li Xiaoyun , Zhou Shuwei , Wang Xiaoying , Sun Runcang
Published: February 2015

Multifunctional cellulosic paper based on quaternized chitosan and gold nanoparticle–reduced graphene oxide exhibits catalytic, conductive and photothermal properties.
Synthesis, electrochromic, halochromic and electro-optical properties of polyazomethines with a carbazole core and triarylamine units serving as functional groups
Authors: Ma Xiaochuan , Niu Haijun , Wen Hailin , Wang Shuhong , Lian Yongfu , Jiang Xiankai , Wang Cheng , Bai Xuduo , Wang Wen
Published: February 2015

A series of aromatic polyazomethines (PAMs) were prepared via direct polycondensation from 9-(2-ethylhexyl)-carbazole-3,6-dicarboxaldehyde and six different types of diamine containing triarylamines.
Chiral electronic transitions of YVO4:Eu3+ nanoparticles in cellulose based photonic materials with circularly polarized excitation
Authors: Chu Guang , Wang Xuesi , Chen Tianrui , Xu Wen , Wang Yu , Song Hongwei , Xu Yan
Published: February 2015

Hierarchical chiroptical activity of emissive YVO4:Eu3+ nanoparticles in chiral nematic cellulose host matrix.
Monoclonal antibody–europium conjugate-based lateral flow time-resolved fluoroimmunoassay for quantitative determination of T-2 toxin in cereals and feed
Authors: Zhang Zhaowei , Wang Du , Li Jing , Zhang Qi , Li Peiwu
Published: February 2015

A method of lateral flow time-resolved fluoroimmunoassay (LF-TRFIA) was developed for rapid and ultrasensitive detection of T-2 toxin with TRFIA strips and an assorted portable TRFIA reader.
A novel sensing membrane for the determination of ferric ions in aqueous solutions
Authors: Fu Wenjuan , Guo Xiangfeng , Jia Lihua , Ding Ying
Published: February 2015

A new sensing membrane is proposed for the determination of Fe3+ over other common metal ions in an aqueous solution based on the quenching of the fluorescence intensity of the membrane by Fe3+. The fluorescence intensity of the membrane showed distinct changes towards Fe3+ with fast response, satisfactory stability and excellent sensitivity.
Acylative Suzuki coupling of amides: acyl-nitrogen activation via synergy of independently modifiable activating groups
Authors: Li Xijing , Zou Gang
Published: February 2015

Highly efficient Pd/PCy3-catalyzed acylative Suzuki coupling of carboxylic amides has been achieved to provide a variety of aryl ketones, including sterically hindered thus difficultly accessible ones.
C–H bond functionalization based on metal carbene migratory insertion
Authors: Hu Fangdong , Xia Ying , Ma Chen , Zhang Yan , Wang Jianbo
Published: February 2015

C–H bond activation has been merged with carbene coupling to furnish a series of novel synthetic methodologies.
Convenient access to the tricyanoborate dianion B(CN)32− and selected reactions as a boron-centred nucleophile
Authors: Landmann Johannes , Sprenger Jan A. P. , Bertermann Rüdiger , Ignat’ev Nikolai , Bernhardt-Pitchougina Vera , Bernhardt Eduard , Willner Helge , Finze Maik
Published: February 2015

Tricyanoborates M2B(CN)3 (M = Na, K) are accessible by reduction of tricyanofluoroborates with alkali metals in liquid ammonia or in THF–naphthalene.
Pure carbon nanodots for excellent photocatalytic hydrogen generation
Authors: Yang Pengju , Zhao Jianghong , Wang Jian , Cui Huijuan , Li Li , Zhu Zhenping
Published: February 2015

Pure carbon nanodots (CNDs) without any modification and co-catalyst can drive photocatalytic hydrogen generation.
Catalytic asymmetric hydrogenation using a [2.2]paracyclophane based chiral 1,2,3-triazol-5-ylidene–Pd complex under ambient conditions and 1 atmosphere of H2
Authors: Dasgupta Ayan , Ramkumar Venkatachalam , Sankararaman Sethuraman
Published: February 2015

1,2,3-Triazol-5-ylidene–Pd complexes with the planar chiral [2.2]paracyclophane group have been synthesized, structurally characterized and used as catalysts for asymmetric hydrogenation.
Metal–organic frameworks with inherent recognition sites for selective phosphate sensing through their coordination-induced fluorescence enhancement effect
Authors: Yang Jian , Dai Yan , Zhu Xiangyang , Wang Zhe , Li Yongsheng , Zhuang Qixin , Shi Jianlin , Gu Jinlou
Published: February 2015

Zr–O clusters and BDC-NH2 linkers in Zr-MOFs were individually designed as recognition sites and fluorescent reporters for phosphate sensing.
Thia- and selena-diazole containing polymers for near-infrared light-emitting diodes
Authors: Tregnago Giulia , Steckler Timothy T. , Fenwick Oliver , Andersson Mats R. , Cacialli Franco
Published: February 2015

Incorporation of a class of selenium-based near-infrared emitters (benzotriazoloselenadiazoles) into PLEDs and direct comparison between thia- and selena-diazole donor–acceptor–donor units.
Magnetic and structural effects of partial Ce substitution in Y b14MnSb11
Authors: Grebenkemper Jason H. , Kauzlarich Susan M.
Published: February 2015

Single crystals of Y b14−xCexMnSb11 were grown from tin metal as a flux solvent with a maximum Ce incorporation of 0.6. The phases with x ∼ 0.1–0.6 crystallize in the tetragonal Ca14AlSb11 structure type with I41/acd space group. In this structure type, there are 4 crystallographically unique Yb sites and the structure can be described according to the Zintl concept as containing 14Y b2+ + [MnSb4]9− + [Sb3]7− + 4Sb3−. For x > 0.3, Ce is incorporated on specific Yb sites in the structure as a function of x, initially at x = 0.3 on the Yb(2) site followed by Yb(4) at higher values of x. These sites have the largest volume as indicated by Hirshfeld surface analysis of chemical bonding. As Ce content is increased, the ferromagnetic ordering temperatures decrease and effective paramagnetic moments increase. The magnetic ordering temperatures decrease from the undoped TC of 50 K until x ∼ 0.4, where the lowest TC of 39 K is reached. As the additional electron introduced by Ce3+ fills the hole associated with [MnSb4]9−, the screening of the Mn moments is reduced. This leads to an increase in overall moment attributed to Mn in addition to the moment from the Ce3+ f electron. Increasing Ce content also leads to an increase in electrical resistivity, an expected effect from reducing the carrier concentration.
Bulk crystal growth and electronic characterization of the 3D Dirac semimetal Na3Bi
Authors: Kushwaha Satya K. , Krizan Jason W. , Feldman Benjamin E. , Gyenis András , Randeria Mallika T. , Xiong Jun , Xu Su-Yang , Alidoust Nasser , Belopolski Ilya , Liang Tian , Zahid Hasan M. , Ong N. P. , Yazdani A. , Cava R. J.
Published: February 2015

High quality hexagon plate-like Na3Bi crystals with large (001) plane surfaces were grown from a molten Na flux. The freshly cleaved crystals were analyzed by low temperature scanning tunneling microscopy and angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy, allowing for the characterization of the three-dimensional (3D) Dirac semimetal (TDS) behavior and the observation of the topological surface states. Landau levels were observed, and the energy-momentum relations exhibited a linear dispersion relationship, characteristic of the 3D TDS nature of Na3Bi. In transport measurements on Na3Bi crystals, the linear magnetoresistance and Shubnikov-de Haas quantum oscillations are observed for the first time.
Measurement of labile arsenic speciation in water and soil using diffusive gradients in thin films (DGT) and X-ray absorption near edge spectroscopy (XANES)
Authors: Huynh Trang , Harris Hugh H. , Zhang Hao , Noller Barry N.
Published: February 2015

Environmental context
Both inorganic and organic arsenic species are toxic to the environment when labile. The Diffusive Gradients in Thin Films technique, equipped with ferrihydrite binding gel enables measurement of labile arsenic species from water and soil solutions. This study indicated that labile arsenic species are quantitatively adsorbed to the gel, and that they are stable for up to 2 weeks following deployment.

Abstract
Arsenic speciation was determined in the solution extracted from a ferrihydrite binding gel layer in a DGT unit (FB-DGT) deployed in water using coupled high-performance liquid chromatography and hydride generation atomic fluorescence spectrometry (HPLC-HG-AFS). However, the extent of change in arsenic speciation during the extraction process is unknown. By identifying the arsenic species in the FB-DGT gel directly, using X-ray absorption near edge spectroscopy (XANES) fitting with model arsenic compounds, we obtain a better understanding of the ability of FB-DGT to measure labile arsenic species in solution. The results presented herein confirm that FB-DGT accumulated labile inorganic and methylated arsenic species. Arsenic species bound to the FB-DGT gel were stable for up to 2 weeks following deployment. However, caution should be applied when interpreting the proportion of As species measured by HPLC-HG-AFS in solution extracted from FB-DGT because the distribution of arsenic species in extracted solutions was found to be modified by the extraction process. Some (~20%) of arsenate was converted into arsenite, and a significant amount (~25%) of dimethylarsinic acid (DMAsV) was converted into monomethylarsonic acid (MMAsV) or arsenate (AsV). Only inorganic arsenite (iAsIII) was stable during the extraction process. These findings suggested that, based on the XANES measurement, although As species were quantitatively accumulated in the FB-DGT gel, the FB-DGT technique was still unsuitable for studying As speciation. This is because changes in arsenic speciation were observed to occur during gel extraction, prior to HPLC-HG-AFS measurement, and because the XANES technique is available for routine measurements.
Avoiding evolutionary inefficiencies in innovation networks
Authors: Pyka Andreas
Published: February 2015

Innovation policy is in need of a rationale which allows for the design and evaluation of policy instruments. In economic policy, focus has traditionally been placed on market failures, and efficiency measures have been used to decide whether policy should intervene and which instrument should be applied. In innovation policy, this rationale cannot be meaningfully applied because of the uncertain and open character of innovation processes. Uncertainty is not a market failure and cannot be repaired. Inevitably, policy makers are subject to failure and their goals cannot pragmatically be represented by a social optimum. In eschewing the concept of ‘optimal innovation’, avoiding evolutionary inefficiencies becomes central to analysis and to innovation policy making. Superimposed on the several sources of evolutionary inefficiencies are so-called ‘network inefficiencies’. Because of the widespread organization of innovation into innovation networks, network structures and dynamics give useful hints for where and when innovation policy should intervene.
Categorizing identity from facial motion
Authors: Girges Christine , Spencer Janine , O'Brien Justin
Published: February 2015

Advances in marker-less motion capture technology now allow the accurate replication of facial motion and deformation in computer-generated imagery (CGI). A forced-choice discrimination paradigm using such CGI facial animations showed that human observers can categorize identity solely from facial motion cues. Animations were generated from motion captures acquired during natural speech, thus eliciting both rigid (head rotations and translations) and nonrigid (expressional changes) motion. To limit interferences from individual differences in facial form, all animations shared the same appearance. Observers were required to discriminate between different videos of facial motion and between the facial motions of different people. Performance was compared to the control condition of orientation-inverted facial motion. The results show that observers are able to make accurate discriminations of identity in the absence of all cues except facial motion. A clear inversion effect in both tasks provided consistency with previous studies, supporting the configural view of human face perception. The accuracy of this motion capture technology thus allowed stimuli to be generated that closely resembled real moving faces. Future studies may wish to implement such methodology when studying human face perception.
The clash of expectancies: Does the P300 amplitude reflect both passive and active expectations?
Authors: Król Magdalena , El-Deredy Wael
Published: February 2015

We investigated the clash of different types of expectations by studying event-related potentials and behavioural correlates of passive and active expectations. In the three tasks we used, target stimuli could either confirm or disconfirm both expectations, or confirm one while disconfirming the other. Depending on the task, expected events were related to either increased or decreased P300 amplitude. This was contingent on whether the expected item was probable given the context, or whether it was a target match. This suggests that the effect of expectancy on the P300 amplitude can be direct or indirect. In the case of a direct effect, the evidence suggests that most likely only unconscious, automatic estimation of stimulus probability is reflected in the size of P300 amplitude. However, active, conscious expectancies can influence the P300 activity via indirect routes, by influencing stimulus significance, by leading to the closure of perceptual epoch, or by changing the level of difficulty of processing. Such indirect effect of expectancy can have an opposite direction to the effect of automatically formed expectancies—that is, expected stimuli could be related to larger P300 amplitudes.
Restricted dendritic cell and monocyte progenitors in human cord blood and bone marrow
Authors: Lee Jaeyop , Breton Gaëlle , Oliveira Thiago Yukio Kikuchi , Zhou Yu Jerry , Aljoufi Arafat , Puhr Sarah , Cameron Mark J. , Sékaly Rafick-Pierre , Nussenzweig Michel C. , Liu Kang
Published: February 2015

In mice, two restricted dendritic cell (DC) progenitors, macrophage/dendritic progenitors (MDPs) and common dendritic progenitors (CDPs), demonstrate increasing commitment to the DC lineage, as they sequentially lose granulocyte and monocyte potential, respectively. Identifying these progenitors has enabled us to understand the role of DCs and monocytes in immunity and tolerance in mice. In humans, however, restricted monocyte and DC progenitors remain unknown. Progress in studying human DC development has been hampered by lack of an in vitro culture system that recapitulates in vivo DC hematopoiesis. Here we report a culture system that supports development of CD34+ hematopoietic stem cell progenitors into the three major human DC subsets, monocytes, granulocytes, and NK and B cells. Using this culture system, we defined the pathway for human DC development and revealed the sequential origin of human DCs from increasingly restricted progenitors: a human granulocyte-monocyte-DC progenitor (hGMDP) that develops into a human monocyte-dendritic progenitor (hMDP), which in turn develops into monocytes, and a human CDP (hCDP) that is restricted to produce the three major DC subsets. The phenotype of the DC progenitors partially overlaps with granulocyte-macrophage progenitors (GMPs). These progenitors reside in human cord blood and bone marrow but not in the blood or lymphoid tissues.
TarPred: a web application for predicting therapeutic and side effect targets of chemical compounds
Authors: Liu Xian , Gao Yuan , Peng Jianlong , Xu Yuan , Wang Yulan , Zhou Nannan , Xing Jing , Luo Xiaomin , Jiang Hualiang , Zheng Mingyue
Published: February 2015

Motivation: Discovering the relevant therapeutic targets for drug-like molecules, or their unintended ‘off-targets’ that predict adverse drug reactions, is a daunting task by experimental approaches alone. There is thus a high demand to develop computational methods capable of detecting these potential interacting targets efficiently.

Results: As biologically annotated chemical data are becoming increasingly available, it becomes feasible to explore such existing knowledge to identify potential ligand–target interactions. Here, we introduce an online implementation of a recently published computational model for target prediction, TarPred, based on a reference library containing 533 individual targets with 179 807 active ligands. TarPred accepts interactive graphical input or input in the chemical file format of SMILES. Given a query compound structure, it provides the top ranked 30 interacting targets. For each of them, TarPred not only shows the structures of three most similar ligands that are known to interact with the target but also highlights the disease indications associated with the target. This information is useful for understanding the mechanisms of action and toxicities of active compounds and can provide drug repositioning opportunities.

Availability and implementation: TarPred is available at: http://www.dddc.ac.cn/tarpred.

Contact:  hljiang@simm.ac.cn or myzheng@simm.ac.cn
Unraveling the Wheat Stem Rust Infection Process on Barley Genotypes Through Relative qPCR and Fluorescence Microscopy
Authors: Zurn J. D. , Dugyala S. , Borowicz P. , Brueggeman R. , Acevedo M.
Published: February 2015

The infection process of wheat stem rust (Puccinia graminis f. sp. tritici) on barley (Hordeum vulgare) is often observed as a mesothetic infection type at the seedling stages, and cultivars containing the same major resistance genes often show variation in the level of resistance provided against the same pathogen race or isolate. Thus, robust phenotyping data based on quantification of fungal DNA can improve the ability to elucidate host–pathogen interaction, especially at early time points of infection when disease symptoms are not yet evident. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) was used to determine the amount of fungal DNA relative to host DNA in infected tissue, providing new insights about fungal development and host resistance during the infection process in this pathosystem. The stem rust susceptible ‘Steptoe’, resistant cultivars containing only Rpg1 (‘Beacon’, ‘Morex’, and ‘Chevron’), and the resistant line Q21861 containing Rpg1 and the rpg4/Rpg5 complex were evaluated using the traditional 0-to-4 rating scale, fluorescence microscopy, and qPCR. Statistical differences (P < 0.05) were observed in fungal development as early as 24 h postinoculation using the qPCR assay. Fungal development observed using fluorescence microscopy displayed the same hierarchal ordering observed using the qPCR assay. The fungal development occurring at 24 and 48 h postinoculation was vastly different than what was expected using the traditional disease phenotyping methodology; with Steptoe appearing more resistant than the barley lines harboring the known Rpg1 and rpg4/Rpg5 resistance complex. These data indicate potential early prehaustorial resistance contributions in a cultivar considered susceptible based on infection type. Moreover, the temporal differences in resistance suggest pre- and post-haustorial resistance mechanisms in the barley–wheat stem rust infection process, indicating potential host genotype contributions related to basal defense during the wheat stem rust infection process.
Climate change and vector-borne diseases: what are the implications for public health research and policy?
Authors: Campbell-Lendrum Diarmid , Manga Lucien , Bagayoko Magaran , Sommerfeld Johannes
Published: February 2015

Vector-borne diseases continue to contribute significantly to the global burden of disease, and cause epidemics that disrupt health security and cause wider socioeconomic impacts around the world. All are sensitive in different ways to weather and climate conditions, so that the ongoing trends of increasing temperature and more variable weather threaten to undermine recent global progress against these diseases. Here, we review the current state of the global public health effort to address this challenge, and outline related initiatives by the World Health Organization (WHO) and its partners. Much of the debate to date has centred on attribution of past changes in disease rates to climate change, and the use of scenario-based models to project future changes in risk for specific diseases. While these can give useful indications, the unavoidable uncertainty in such analyses, and contingency on other socioeconomic and public health determinants in the past or future, limit their utility as decision-support tools. For operational health agencies, the most pressing need is the strengthening of current disease control efforts to bring down current disease rates and manage short-term climate risks, which will, in turn, increase resilience to long-term climate change. The WHO and partner agencies are working through a range of programmes to (i) ensure political support and financial investment in preventive and curative interventions to bring down current disease burdens; (ii) promote a comprehensive approach to climate risk management; (iii) support applied research, through definition of global and regional research agendas, and targeted research initiatives on priority diseases and population groups.
A multi-method approach for proteomic network inference in 11 human cancers
Authors: Şenbabaoğlu Yasin , Sümer Selçuk Onur , Ciriello Giovanni , Schultz Nikolaus , Sander Chris
Published: February 2015

Protein expression and post-translational modification levels are tightly regulated in neoplastic cells to maintain cellular processes known as ?cancer hallmarks?. The first Pan-Cancer initiative of The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) Research Network has aggregated protein expression profiles for 3,467 patient samples from 11 tumor types using the antibody based reverse phase protein array (RPPA) technology. The resultant proteomic data can be utilized to computationally infer protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks and to study the commonalities and differences across tumor types. In this study, we compare the performance of 13 established network inference methods in their capacity to retrieve literature-curated pathway interactions from RPPA data. We observe that no single method has the best performance in all tumor types, but a group of six methods, including diverse techniques such as correlation, mutual information, and regression, consistently rank highly among the tested methods. A consensus network from this high-performing group reveals that signal transduction events involving receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs), the RAS/MAPK pathway, and the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway, as well as innate and adaptive immunity signaling, are the most significant PPIs shared across all tumor types. Our results illustrate the utility of the RPPA platform as a tool to study proteomic networks in cancer.
Captopril and its dimer captopril disulfide: comparative structural and conformational studies
Authors: Bojarska Joanna , Maniukiewicz Waldemar , Fruziński Andrzej , Sieroń Lesław , Remko Milan
Published: February 2015

The crystal structures of captopril {systematic name: (2S)-1-[(2S)-2-methyl-3-sulfanylpropanoyl]pyrrolidine-2-carboxylic acid}, C9H15NO3S, (1), and its dimer disulfide metabolite, 1,1′-{disulfanediylbis[(2S)-2-methyl-1-oxopropane-3,1-diyl]}bis-L-proline, C18H28N2O6S2, (2), were determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. Compound (1) crystallizes in the orthorhombic space groupP212121, while compound (2) crystallizes in the monoclinic space groupP21, both with one molecule per asymmetric unit. The molecular geometries of (1) and (2) are quite similar, but certain differences appear in the conformations of the five-membered proline rings and the side chains containing the sulfhydryl group. The proline ring adopts an envelope conformation in (1), while in (2) it exists in envelope and slightly deformed half-chair conformations. The conformation adopted by the side chain is extended in (1) and folded in (2). A minimum-energy conformational search using Monte Carlo methods in the aqueous phase reveals that the optimized conformations of the title compounds differ from those determined crystallographically, which depend on their immediate environment. Intermolecular O—H...O and relatively weak C—H...O interactions seem to be effective in both structures and, together with S—H...O and C—H...S contacts, they create three-dimensional networks.
Crystal structure of (S)-2-[(3S,8S,9S,10R,13S,14S,17R)-3-hydroxy-10,13-dimethyl-2,3,4,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16,17-tetradecahydro-1H-cyclopenta[a]phenanthren-17-yl]-N-methoxy-N-methylpropanamide (Fernholz Weinreb amide)
Authors: Viktorsson Elvar Ørn , Åstrand Ove Alexander Høgmoen , Haseeb Rasha Sabah , Görbitz Carl Henrik , Rongved Pål
Published: February 2015

The literature compound 3β-hydroxy-bisnor-5-cholenic aldehyde is an important intermediate for the synthesis of new modulators of the nuclear oxysterol receptor LiverX. As part of our ongoing search for new LXR antagonists, the title compound, C24H39NO3, has proven to be an important intermediate in our new synthetic pathway, giving the corresponding aldehyde in high yield and in only three steps from the commercially available 3β-hydroxy-bisnor-5-cholenic acid. The title amide crystallized with two molecules in the asymmetric unit, linked into helices by O—H...O hydrogen bonds involving the hydroxy and carbonyl groups.
Does CEO compensation impact patient satisfaction?
Authors: Akingbola Kunle , van den Berg Herman A.
Published: February 2015

Purpose

– This study examines the relationship between CEO compensation and patient satisfaction in Ontario, Canada. The purpose of this paper is to determine what impact hospital CEO compensation has on hospital patient satisfaction.

Design/methodology/approach

– The analyses in this study were based on data of 261 CEO-hospital-year observations in a sample of 103 nonprofit hospitals. A number of linear regressions were conducted, with patient satisfaction as the dependent variable and CEO compensation as the independent variable of interest. Controlling variables included hospital size, type of hospital, and frequency of adverse clinical outcomes.

Findings

– CEO compensation does not significantly influence hospital patient satisfaction. Both patient satisfaction and CEO compensation appear to be driven primarily by hospital size. Patient satisfaction decreases, while CEO compensation increases, with the number of acute care beds in a hospital. In addition, CEO compensation does not even appear to moderate the influence of hospital size on patient satisfaction.

Research limitations/implications

– There are several limitations to this study. First, observations of CEO-hospital-years in which annual nominal CEO compensation was below $100,000 were excluded, as they were not publicly available. Second, this research was limited to a three-year range. Third, this study related the compensation of individual CEOs to a measure of performance based on a multitude of patient satisfaction surveys. Finally, this research is restricted to not-for-profit hospitals in Ontario, Canada.

Practical implications

– The findings seem to suggest that hospital directors seeking to improve patient satisfaction may find their efforts frustrated if they focus exclusively on the hospital CEO. The findings highlight the need for further research on how CEOs may, through leading and supporting those hospital clinicians and staff that interact more closely with patients, indirectly enhance patient satisfaction.

Originality/value

– To the best of the authors’ knowledge, no research has examined the relationship between hospital CEO compensation and patient satisfaction. This research fills the gap and provides a basis for future research.
Optimum time-censored simple ramp-stress accelerated life test sampling plan for the log-logistic distribution
Authors: Srivastava Preeti Wanti , Sharma Deepmala
Published: February 2015

Purpose

– Acceptance sampling plans are designed to decide about acceptance or rejection of a lot of products on the basis of sample drawn from it. Accelerating the life test helps in obtaining information about the lifetimes of high reliability products quickly. The purpose of this paper is to formulate an optimum time censored acceptance sampling plan based on ramp-stress accelerated life test (ALT) for items having log-logistic life distribution. The log-logistic life distribution has been found appropriate for highly reliable components such as power system components and insulating materials.

Design/methodology/approach

– The inverse power relationship has been used to model stress-life relationship. It is meant for analyzing data for which the accelerated stress is nonthermal in nature, and frequently used as an accelerating stress for products such as capacitors, transformers, and insulators. The method of maximum likelihood is used for estimating design parameters. The optimal test plan is obtained by minimizing variance of test-statistic that decides on acceptability or rejectibility of lot. The optimal test plan finds optimal sample size, stress rates, sample proportion allocated to each stress and lot acceptability constant such that producer’s risk and consumer’s risk is satisfied.

Findings

– Asymptotic variance plays a pivotal role in determining the sample size required for a sampling plan for deciding the acceptance/rejection of a lot. The sample size is minimized by optimally designing a ramp-stress ALT so that the asymptotic variance is minimized.

Originality/value

– The model suggested is of use to quality control and reliability engineers dealing with highly reliable items.
Performance measurement and management for maintenance: a literature review
Authors: Parida Aditya , Kumar Uday , Galar Diego , Stenström Christer
Published: February 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to provide a literature review of the performance measurement (PM) in maintenance. The authors aim to discuss the background and development of the PM for maintenance, besides defining the concept of performance measures for maintenance and the frameworks developed.

Design/methodology/approach

– A detailed and extensive literature search and study was undertaken by the authors on the concept and definition of PM, performance indicators (PIs), maintenance performance indicators and various performance frameworks. The history and theory of PM over different phases of business and technological developments have been critically examined and analysed in this review paper.

Findings

– This paper reviews and presents the different PIs and PM frameworks like; balanced scorecard (BSC), performance prism, performance pyramid and performance matrix, etc., and identifies their characteristics and shortcomings. After considering related issues and challenges, frameworks and approaches for the maintenance performance measurement (MPM) are also presented, where the emerging techniques like; emaintenance have also been discussed amongst others. More and more industries are applying the balanced and integrated MPM frameworks for their competitive survivability and sustainability.

Practical implications

– The concept, issues and approaches considered for the MPM frameworks can be adapted by the practicing managers, while trying to define and develop an MPM framework for the operation and maintenance activities. The considerations of the advantages and limitations of different frameworks can provide insights to the managers for implementation.

Originality/value

– Some literature reviews on MPM and MPM frameworks are available today. This paper makes an attempt to provide a detailed and relevant literature review, besides adding value in this new and emerging area.
External factors influencing the readiness for implementing public-private partnerships among public and private organizations in Yemen
Authors: Al-shareem Khaled Mohammed , Yusof Nor'Aini , Kamal Ernawati Mustafa
Published: February 2015

Purpose

– This paper aims to examine the external factors that influence the implementation of the new concept of public-private partnerships (PPPs) in Yemen.

Design/methodology/approach

– This study used a self-administered questionnaire that was distributed to Yemeni organizations. Data were analyzed using factor analysis, with appropriate tests of reliability, consistency, correlation and multiple regression analysis.

Findings

– The findings indicate that implementation of PPPs are affected through the government policies, market readiness and environmental uncertainty. The empirical evidence also suggests that government policies are the main predictor to PPPs implementation in Yemen. The proposed conceptual framework can be useful in developing PPPs implementation.

Originality/value

– This study contributes to the existing literature on PPPs by providing empirical evidence to identify the external factors that influence the readiness to implement PPPs. Furthermore, the study adds value through its contextual originality, given that this study is the first to empirically use the readiness theory in PPP implementation. Moreover, this paper describes the first attempt to investigate the implementation of PPPs in the context of Yemen.
Prevention of brachial plexus injury—12 years of shoulder dystocia training: an interrupted time‐series study
Authors: Crofts JF , Lenguerrand E , Bentham GL , Tawfik S , Claireaux HA , Odd D , Fox R , Draycott TJ
Published: February 2015

Objective

To investigate management and outcomes of incidences of shoulder dystocia in the 12 years following the introduction of an obstetric emergencies training programme.

Design

Interrupted time‐series study comparing management and neonatal outcome of births complicated by shoulder dystocia over three 4‐year periods: (i) Pre‐training (1996–99), (ii) Early training (2001–04), and (iii) Late training (2009–12).

Setting

Southmead Hospital, Bristol, UK, with approximately 6000 births per annum.

Population

Infants and their mothers who experienced shoulder dystocia.

Method

A bi‐monthly multi‐professional 1‐day intrapartum emergencies training course, that included a 30‐minute practical session on shoulder dystocia management, commenced in 2000.

Main Outcomes

Neonatal morbidity (brachial plexus injury, humeral fracture, clavicular fracture, 5‐minute Apgar score <7) and documented management of shoulder dystocia (resolution manoeuvres performed, traction applied, head‐to‐body delivery interval).

Results

Compliance with national guidance improved with continued training. At least one recognised resolution manoeuvre was used in 99.8% (561/562) of cases of shoulder dystocia in the late training period, demonstrating a continued improvement from 46.3% (150/324, P < 0.001) pre‐training, and 92% (241/262, P < 0.001) in the early training period. In parallel there was reduction in the brachial plexus injury at birth (24/324 [7.4%, P < 0.01], pre‐training, 6/262 [2.3%] early training, and 7/562 [1.3%] late training.

Conclusions

There are significant benefits to long‐term, embedded training programmes with improvements in both management and outcomes. A decade after the introduction of training there were no cases of brachial plexus injury lasting over 12 months in 562 cases of shoulder dystocia.