bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Screening for maternal postpartum depression during infant hospitalizations
Authors: Trost Margaret J. , Molas‐Torreblanca Kira , Man Carol , Casillas Ernesto , Sapir Hoda , Schrager Sheree M.
Published: August 2016

BACKGROUND

Postpartum depression is common and adversely affects children of afflicted mothers; postpartum depression recognition and treatment may improve outcomes. Hospitalization represents a potential health encounter for expanding screening and intervention.

OBJECTIVE

We aimed to assess for postpartum depression at infant hospitalization and examine postpartum depression risk factors in this population.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

We conducted a prospective observational study of 310 English‐ or Spanish‐speaking women with an infant aged 2 weeks to 1 year admitted to a pediatric hospitalist service at a large urban freestanding children's hospital.

MEASUREMENTS

Mothers completed demographic questionnaires, a maternal–infant bonding scale, and the Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale (EPDS). Mothers with an EPDS score of 10 or higher (positive screen) received counseling and mental health referrals. Postenrollment calls followed trends in EPDS score and resource utilization. Multivariate logistic regression assessed relationships among risk factors and positive screens.

RESULTS

Eighty‐seven mothers (28%) were EPDS+. Only 14.6% reported appropriate prior depression screening. Maternal factors associated with EPDS+ were poor social support (4.40, interquartile range [IQR] = 2.27–8.53) and history of psychiatric diagnoses (5.02, IQR = 2.49–10.15). Having an infant with neurodevelopmental comorbidities was associated with EPDS+ screens (2.78, IQR = 1.03–7.52). Of 21 initially EPDS+ mothers reached by phone, 8 (38%) utilized their doctor or referral resource, resulting in lower EPDS scores (F(1,19) = 5.743, P < 0.05) compared to those not seeking help.

CONCLUSION

Postpartum depression screening during infant hospitalizations captures women previously unscreened. Low social support, past psychiatric diagnoses, or having infants with neurodevelopmental problems may increase postpartum depression risk. Journal of Hospital Medicine 2015;11:840–846. © 2015 Society of Hospital Medicine
The Effect of Wording and Placement of Task Instructions on Problem‐Solving Creativity
Authors: Di Mascio Rita , Kalyuga Slava , Sweller John
Published: August 2016

Prior research has used many variants of “be creative” or brainstorm instructions to enhance creativity in a variety of tasks. However, differences in instruction wording may lead to differences in instruction interpretation, and varying the placement of instructions before or after a written problem description may lead to differences in problem interpretation. This study investigated the effect of varying the wording and placement of creativity instructions on idea novelty, workability, and effectiveness. A randomized field experiment in two classrooms found that: (a) brainstorming and “be creative” instructions impact some dimensions of idea creativity, relative to standard instructions; (b) combining the two instructions increased the number of ideas only slightly compared with the “be creative” instruction; (c) the effect of the combined instruction varied across classrooms; and (d) the placement of instructions before or after a written problem description influenced novelty slightly. These results suggest that participant‐constructed meaning of instruction may differ from the researcher‐ascribed meaning and that enhancing the salience of the creativity requirement in instructions does not enhance novelty. The results also lead to propositions that creativity instructions induce a promotion focus during problem‐solving and that creativity climate may moderate the impact of instructions.
GetReal in mathematical modelling: a review of studies predicting drug effectiveness in the real world
Authors: Panayidou Klea , Gsteiger Sandro , Egger Matthias , Kilcher Gablu , Carreras Máximo , Efthimiou Orestis , Debray Thomas P. A. , Trelle Sven , Hummel Noemi ,   on behalf of the GetReal methods review group
Published: August 2016

The performance of a drug in a clinical trial setting often does not reflect its effect in daily clinical practice. In this third of three reviews, we examine the applications that have been used in the literature to predict real‐world effectiveness from randomized controlled trial efficacy data. We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE from inception to March 2014, the Cochrane Methodology Register, and websites of key journals and organisations and reference lists. We extracted data on the type of model and predictions, data sources, validation and sensitivity analyses, disease area and software. We identified 12 articles in which four approaches were used: multi‐state models, discrete event simulation models, physiology‐based models and survival and generalized linear models. Studies predicted outcomes over longer time periods in different patient populations, including patients with lower levels of adherence or persistence to treatment or examined doses not tested in trials. Eight studies included individual patient data. Seven examined cardiovascular and metabolic diseases and three neurological conditions. Most studies included sensitivity analyses, but external validation was performed in only three studies. We conclude that mathematical modelling to predict real‐world effectiveness of drug interventions is not widely used at present and not well validated. © 2016 The Authors Research Synthesis Methods Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Robotic assisted placement of hepatic artery infusion pump is a safe and feasible approach
Authors: Dhir Mashaal , Zenati Mazen S. , Padussis James C. , Jones Heather L. , Perkins Samantha , Clifford Amber K. , Steve Jennifer , Hogg Melissa E. , Choudry Haroon A. , Holtzman Matthew P. , Zeh Herbert J. , Pingpank James F. , Bartlett David L. , Zureikat Amer H.
Published: August 2016

Background

Hepatic artery infusion (HAI) chemotherapy can be combined with systemic chemotherapy for the treatment of isolated unresectable colorectal liver metastases (IU‐CRLM) and intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (U‐ICC). However, HAI pump placement requires a major laparotomy that may be associated with morbidity. We hypothesized that the computer‐assisted robotic platform would be well suited for this procedure and report the first single institutional case series of robotic assisted HAI pump placement for primary and secondary malignancies of the liver.

Methods

A retrospective review of patients who underwent robotic assisted HAI pump placement from January 2008 to January 2016. Peri‐operative outcomes were evaluated.

Results

A total of 24 consecutive patients underwent robotic assisted HAI pump placement. Median age was 61 years and 50% were females. Main indications were colorectal cancer = 17 (71%) and intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma = 4 (17%). The majority (87.5%) of patients had bilobar disease with a median of 6 liver lesions. Concurrent procedures including ablation +/− resection and colectomies were performed in 58% of the patients. Median operative time was 282 min, with median blood loss of 100 ml and length of stay 6 days. Conversion to open was required in one (4%) case. Grade 3 or higher complications were seen in 13% of cases and pump related complications were seen in 21% of patients. All except one HAI pumps could be used for pump chemotherapy. CUSUM analysis of operative time indicated a learning curve of eight cases.

Conclusion

Robotic assisted placement of HAI pump placement is safe, feasible, and obviates the need for major laparotomy. J. Surg. Oncol. 2016;114:342–347. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
24/7 Live Stream Telemedicine Home Treatment Service for Parkinson's Disease Patients
Authors: Durner Gregor , Durner Joachim , Dunsche Henrike , Walle Etzel , Kurzreuther Robert , Handschu René
Published: August 2016

Background

Treatment of advanced‐stage idiopathic Parkinson's disease (PD) is a demanding challenge, and in Germany, medication regimen adjustments are often made during inpatient stays. Admissions often follow an acute worsening of symptoms and functioning. In order to reduce long and expensive inpatient stays, and to provide more frequent consultations, a 24/7 live stream telemedicine home treatment service was established.

Methods

A pilot study was conducted in which laptops were distributed to 50 patients for 1 year to see whether such a service was feasible (in terms of patient participation and compliance) and whether this intervention affected the patient's condition, measured in UPDRS, Mini–Mental Status Examination (MMSE), 39‐item Parkinson's Disease Questionnaire (PDQ39), and H & Y Scale.

Results

Seventy‐two percent (36) of the patients were compliant and did not experience technical issues. Patients lived, on average, 198 ± 183 km away from the specialist clinic. In total, 264 video conversations took place with 6.9 ± 7.2 (0–29) calls per patient. We found a significant improvement in PDQ39 scores, but not in UPDRS, MMSE, or H & Y scores, at 1 year.

Conclusions

Our data shows that 24/7 live stream telemedicine is feasible and can help to improve quality of life. However, a detailed preliminary review of the patient's willingness to use such a service should be made to obtain the best results. Improvement of the technical setup and network coverage would facilitate an improved service and increase efficiency.
Partitioning the variance in calorie restriction‐induced weight and fat loss in outbred mice
Authors: Vaanholt Lobke M. , Lane Jeffrey E. , Garner Bethany , Speakman John R.
Published: August 2016

Objective

An increased understanding of the factors influencing interindividual variation in calorie restriction (CR)‐induced weight loss is necessary to combat the current obesity epidemic. This study investigated the partitioning of the phenotypic variation in CR‐induced wight loss.

Methods

Two generations of male and female outbred MF1 mice raised by their biological mother or a foster mother were studied. Mice were exposed to 4 weeks of 30% CR when 6 months old.

Results

Heritability was estimated at 0.43 ± 0.12 for CR‐induced changes in body mass and 0.24 ± 0.10 for fat mass using mid‐parent–offspring regressions. No significant relationships between weight loss in fathers or foster mothers and offspring were observed. Partitioning of phenotypic variance in weight loss using maximum likelihood modeling indicated 19 ± 17% of the variation could be attributed to additive genetic effects, 8 ± 14% to maternal effects during pregnancy, and <1% to maternal effects during lactation. A narrow‐sense heritability around 0.50 was observed for ad libitum food intake and general activity.

Conclusions

A large part of individual variation in CR‐induced weight loss could be attributed to additive genetic and maternal effects during pregnancy, but not to maternal effects in lactation. Genetic differences in food intake and general activity may play a role in determining these effects.
Synthesis of Functional Fluorescent BODIPY‐based Dyes through Electrophilic Aromatic Substitution: Straightforward Approach towards Customized Fluorescent Probes
Authors: Mirri Giorgio , Schoenmakers Daniël C. , Kouwer Paul H. J. , Veranič Peter , Muševič Igor , Štefane Bogdan
Published: August 2016

Fluorescent materials are widely used in biological and material applications as probes for imaging or sensing; however, their customization is usually complicated without the support of an organic chemistry laboratory. Here, we present a straightforward method for the customization of BODIPY cores, which are among the most commonly used fluorescent probes. The method is based on the formation of a new C−C bond through Friedel–Crafts electrophilic aromatic substitution carried out at room temperature. The method presented can be used to obtain completely customized fluorescent materials in one or two steps from commercially available compounds. Examples of the preparation of fluorescent materials for cell staining and functionalization of silica colloids are also presented.
Exosomal miR‐24‐3p impedes T‐cell function by targeting FGF11 and serves as a potential prognostic biomarker for nasopharyngeal carcinoma
Authors: Ye Shu‐Biao , Zhang Han , Cai Ting‐Ting , Liu Yi‐Na , Ni Jian‐Jiao , He Jia , Peng Jing‐Yun , Chen Qiu‐Yan , Mo Hao‐Yuan , Jun‐Cui  , Zhang Xiao‐Shi , Zeng Yi‐Xin , Li Jiang
Published: August 2016

Recent studies have shown that extracellular microRNAs are not only potential biomarkers but are also involved in cell interactions to regulate the intercommunication between cancer cells and their microenvironments in various types of malignancies. In this study, we isolated exosomes from nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) cell lines and patient sera (T‐EXOs), or control NP69 cells and healthy donor sera (HD‐EXOs). We found that miR‐24‐3p was markedly enriched in T‐EXOs as compared with HD‐EXOs; the serum exosomal miR‐24‐3p level was correlated with worse disease‐free survival of patients (p < 0.05). Knockdown of exosomal miR‐24‐3p (miR‐24‐3p‐sponge‐T‐EXOs) by a sponge RNA targeting miR‐24‐3p restored the T‐EXO‐mediated (control‐sponge‐T‐EXO) inhibition of T‐cell proliferation and Th1 and Th17 differentiation, and the induction of regulatory T cells (Tregs). Mechanistic analyses revealed that administration of exosomal miR‐24‐3p increased P‐ERK, P‐STAT1 and P‐STAT3 expression while decreasing P‐STAT5 expression during T‐cell proliferation and differentiation. Moreover, by in vivo and in vitro assessments, we found FGF11 to be a direct target of miR‐24‐3p. However, both miR‐24‐3p‐sponge‐T‐EXOs and T‐EXOs (control‐sponge‐T‐EXOs) impeded proliferation and Th1 and Th17 differentiation, but induced Treg differentiation, of lenti‐shFGF11‐transfected T cells. The levels of phosphorylated ERK and STAT proteins were different in lenti‐ScshRNA‐transfected T cells and lenti‐shFGF11‐transfected T cells following administration of miR‐24‐3p‐sponge‐T‐EXO. Interestingly, tumour FGF11 expression was positively correlated with the number of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in vivo, and predicted favourable patient DFS (p < 0.05). Additionally, hypoxia increased cellular and exosomal miR‐24‐3p levels and enhanced the inhibitory effect of T‐EXO on T‐cell proliferation and differentiation. Collectively, our findings suggest that exosomal miR‐24‐3p is involved in tumour pathogenesis by mediating T‐cell suppression via repression of FGF11, and may serve as a potential prognostic biomarker in NPC. Copyright © 2016 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Impact of oviductal versus ovarian epithelial cell of origin on ovarian endometrioid carcinoma phenotype in the mouse
Authors: Wu Rong , Zhai Yali , Kuick Rork , Karnezis Anthony N , Garcia Paloma , Naseem Anum , Hu Tom C , Fearon Eric R , Cho Kathleen R
Published: August 2016

Endometrioid carcinoma (EC) is a relatively indolent ovarian carcinoma subtype that is nonetheless deadly if detected late. Existing genetically engineered mouse models (GEMMs) of the disease, based on transformation of the ovarian surface epithelium (OSE), take advantage of known ovarian EC driver gene lesions, but do not fully recapitulate the disease features seen in patients. An EC model in which the Apc and Pten tumour suppressor genes are conditionally deleted in murine OSE yields tumours that are biologically more aggressive and significantly less differentiated than human ECs. Importantly, OSE is not currently thought to be the tissue of origin of most ovarian cancers, including ECs, suggesting that tumour initiation in Müllerian epithelium may produce tumours that more closely resemble their human tumour counterparts. We have developed Ovgp1‐iCreERT2 mice in which the Ovgp1 promoter controls expression of tamoxifen (TAM)‐regulated Cre recombinase in oviductal epithelium – the murine equivalent of human Fallopian tube epithelium. Ovgp1‐iCreERT2;Apcfl/fl;Ptenfl/fl mice treated with TAM or injected with adenovirus expressing Cre into the ovarian bursa uniformly develop oviductal or ovarian ECs, respectively. On the basis of their morphology and global gene expression profiles, the oviduct‐derived tumours more closely resemble human ovarian ECs than do OSE‐derived tumours. Furthermore, mice with oviductal tumours survive much longer than their counterparts with ovarian tumours. The slow progression and late metastasis of oviductal tumours resembles the relatively indolent behaviour characteristic of so‐called Type I ovarian carcinomas in humans, for which EC is a prototype. Our studies demonstrate the utility of Ovgp1‐iCreERT2 mice for manipulating genes of interest specifically in the oviductal epithelium, and establish that the cell of origin is an important consideration in mouse ovarian cancer GEMMs. Copyright © 2016 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Multiplexed panel of precisely quantified salivary proteins for biomarker assessment
Authors: Percy Andrew J. , Hardie Darryl B. , Jardim Armando , Yang Juncong , Elliott Monica H. , Zhang Suping , Mohammed Yassene , Borchers Christoph H.
Published: August 2016

An increasingly popular “absolute” quantitative technique involves the SRM or MRM approach with stable isotope‐labeled standards (SIS). Using this approach, many proteins in human plasma/serum have been quantified for biomarker assessment and disease stratification. Due to the complexity of plasma and the invasive nature of its collection, alternative biosamples are currently being explored. Here, we present the broadest panel of multiplexed MRM assays with SIS peptides for saliva proteins developed to date. The validated panel consists of 158 candidate human saliva protein biomarkers, inferred from 244 interference‐free peptides. The resulting concentrations were reproducibly quantified over a 6 order‐of‐magnitude concentration range (from 218 μg/mL to 88 pg/mL; average CVs of 12% over analytical triplicates). All concentrations were determined from reverse standard curves, which were generated using a constant concentration of endogenous material with varying concentrations of spiked‐in SIS peptides. The large‐scale screening of the soluble and membrane‐associated proteins contained within the 158‐plex assay could present new opportunities for biomarker assessment and clinical diagnostics.
Changes in Lymphangiogenesis and Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Expression by Neo‐Adjuvant Hormonal Therapy in Prostate Cancer Patients
Authors: Asai Akihiro , Miyata Yasuyoshi , Matsuo Tomohiro , Shida Yohei , Hakariya Tomoaki , Ohba Kojiro , Sakai Hideki
Published: August 2016

BACKGROUND

The anti‐cancer mechanism of neo‐adjuvant hormonal therapy (NHT) is not well understood. Lymphangiogenesis plays an important role in cancer progression and is regulated by a complex mechanism that includes vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) signaling. However, there is little information regarding relationship between lymphangiogenesis and androgen deprivation. The aim of this study was to clarify changes in lymphangiogenesis and VEGF expression induced by androgen deprivation in prostate cancer in vivo and in vitro.

METHODS

Patients who had undergone a radical prostatectomy were enrolled in the study (NHT, n = 60 and non‐NHT, n = 64). Lymph vessels were identified by D2‐40 immunoreactivity and lymph vessel density and lymph vessel area (LVD and LVA, respectively) were measured from micrographs. The expression of VEGF‐A, ‐B, ‐C, and ‐D was evaluated by immunohistochemistry. The prognostic value of LVD and LVA for biochemical recurrence was also investigated.

RESULTS

Mean LVD ± SD was higher in the NHT than in the non‐NHT group (11.3 ± 3.0 vs. 7.1 ± 3.4 per high power field; P < 0.001). LVA was larger in the NHT than in the non‐NHT group (512.8 ± 174.9 vs. 202.7 ± 72.8 µm2; P < 0.001). VEGF‐A expression was lower whereas VEGF‐C and ‐D levels were higher in the NHT than in the non‐NHT group. VEGF‐B expression in specimens with NHT was lower than that in biopsy specimens at diagnosis. These results were confirmed by in vitro studies used androgen‐sensitive prostate cancer cell line. LVA was found to be an independent predictor of biochemical recurrence in patients who received NHT.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results demonstrate that NHT stimulates lymphangiogenesis via upregulation of VEGF‐C and ‐D, which may increase LVA and affect the outcome of prostate cancer patients. This findings were supported by in vitro data of prostate cancer cell. Prostate 77:255–262, 2017. © 2016 The Authors. The Prostate Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Application of a liquid nitrogen direct jet system to the extinguishment of oil pool fires in open space
Authors: Shi Bobo , Zhou Fubao
Published: August 2016

Liquid fuel fires occurring during industrial processes are serious safety concerns around the world due to their devastating impact on lives, the environment and property. In this study, a liquid nitrogen delivery system was set up to extinguish the oil pool fires in open space. Effects of liquid nitrogen flow rate, pipe diameter, and liquid nitrogen release distance on the suppression process were analyzed according to the mass loss, burning rate and temperature variations. When liquid nitrogen release distance was 0.50 m and pipe diameter was 0.04 m, fire extinguishing time was the shortest 1.6 s and the temperature decrease rate above the liquid fuel surface reached 275°C/s. Fuel surface cooling and blow off process were revealed through the experiments as two kinds of fire extinguishing mechanisms. Based on the flame images captured by high speed camera, the flame expansion phenomenon might occur early in liquid nitrogen injection, especially the situation of the higher flow rate of liquid nitrogen. Three approaches (ground fixed system, moving transportation, and directional transportation of liquid nitrogen) are provided for fire extinguishment of large scale fires. The results obtained provide important reference for the conduct of fire extinguishment for fires. © 2016 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Process Saf Prog 36: 165–177, 2017
Pathogenic nature of Syncephalastrum in Atta sexdens rubropilosa fungus gardens
Authors: Barcoto Mariana O , Pedrosa Felipe , Bueno Odair C , Rodrigues Andre
Published: August 2016

BACKGROUND

Leaf‐cutter ants are considered to be a major herbivore and agricultural pest in the Neotropics. They are often controlled by environmentally persistent insecticides. Biological control using pathogenic fungi is regarded as an alternative for the management of these insects. Here, we assess whether the filamentous fungus Syncephalastrum sp. is a pathogenic microorganism responsible for a characteristic disease in fungus gardens. We also characterise the damage caused by this fungus by evaluating physiological and behavioural responses of Atta sexdens rubropilosa subcolonies infected with Syncephalastrum sp.

RESULTS:

Syncephalastrum sp. fulfils Koch's postulates characterising it as a pathogenic microorganism. Ant workers recognise the infection and remove contaminated fragments from the fungus garden. Syncephalastrum sp. infection causes an interruption of foraging activity, an increase in ant mortality, subcolony deterioration and an increase in the amount of waste generated, all resulting in subcolony death. Syncephalastrum sp. also inhibits the ant fungal cultivar in vitro. The pathogenic effect of Syncephalastrum sp. does not depend on host morbidity or stress (e.g. worker mortality caused by an entomopathogenic fungus).

CONCLUSION

Syncephalastrum sp. treatment resulted in progressive damage in subcolonies. The interactions among Syncephalastrum sp., fungus garden and ants offer new opportunities in integrated pest management of leaf‐cutter ants. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry
Positron annihilation lifetime in float‐zone n‐type silicon irradiated by fast electrons: a thermally stable vacancy defect
Authors: Arutyunov Nikolay , Emtsev Vadim , Krause‐Rehberg Reinhard , Elsayed Mohamed , Oganesyan Gagik , Kozlovskii Vitalii
Published: August 2016

Temperature dependency of the average positron lifetime has been investigated for n‐type float‐zone silicon, n‐FZ‐Si(P), subjected to irradiation with 0.9 MeV electrons at RT. In the course of the isochronal annealing a new defect‐related temperature‐dependent pattern of the positron lifetime spectra has been revealed. Beyond the well known intervals of isochronal annealing of acceptor‐like defects such as E‐centers, divacancies and A‐centers, the positron annihilation at the vacancy defects has been observed in the course of the isochronal annealing from ∼ 320 °C up to the limit of reliable detecting of the defect‐related positron annihilation lifetime at ≥ 500 °C. These data correlate with the ones of recovery of the concentration of the charge carriers and their mobility which is found to continue in the course of annealing to ∼ 570 °C; the annealing is accomplished at ∼650 °C. A thermally stable complex consisting of the open vacancy volume and the phosphorus impurity atom, Vop‐P, is suggested as a possible candidate for interpreting the data obtained by the positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy. An extended couple of semi‐vacancies, 2Vs‐ext, as well as a relaxed inwards a couple of vacancies, 2Vinw, are suggested as the open vacancy volume Vop to be probed with the positron. It is argued that a high thermal stability of the Vs‐ext PVs‐ext (or VinwPVinw.) configuration is contributed by the efficiency of PSi5 bonding. (© 2016 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Berberis Vulgaris and Berberine: An Update Review
Authors: Imenshahidi Mohsen , Hosseinzadeh Hossein
Published: August 2016

Berberine is an isoquinoline alkaloid present in several plants, including Coptis sp. and Berberis sp. Berberine is a customary component in Chinese medicine, and is characterized by a diversity of pharmacological effects. An extensive search in electronic databases (PubMed, Scopus, Ovid, Wiley, ProQuest, ISI, and Science Direct) were used to identify the pharmacological and clinical studies on Berberis vulgaris and berberine, during 2008 to 2015, using ‘berberine’ and ‘Berberis vulgaris’ as search words. We found more than 1200 new article studying the properties and clinical uses of berberine and B. vulgaris, for treating tumor, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, hyperlipidemia, inflammation, bacterial and viral infections, cerebral ischemia trauma, mental disease, Alzheimer disease, osteoporosis, and so on. In this article, we have updated the pharmacological effects of B. vulgaris and its active constituent, berberine. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Inulin‐Type Oligosaccharides Extracted from Yacon Produce Antidepressant‐Like Effects in Behavioral Models of Depression
Authors: An Lei , Yang Ji‐Chu , Yin Hang , Xue Rui , Wang Qiong , Sun Yu Chen , Zhang You‐Zhi , Yang Ming
Published: August 2016

Yacon (Smallanthus sonchifolius), a traditional food in the Andean diet, is attracting global attention for its medicinal properties, which are mainly because of its high content of non‐digestible oligosaccharides. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the antidepressant‐like effects of inulin‐type oligosaccharides extracted from yacon (YOs) in behavioral models of depression. Behavioral despair models in mice including the tail suspension test (TST) and the forced swimming test (FST) were used to determine the effects of acute YOs administration. The locomotor activity was also explored to eliminate any false‐positive activity. In addition, to further investigate the antidepressant‐like effects of subchronic YOs administration, the learned helplessness (LH) paradigm in rats was performed. The results demonstrated that YOs (25, 50, or 100 mg/kg, p.o.) treatment significantly reduced the immobility time in the mouse TST and FST in a U‐shaped, dose‐dependent manner, and showed no stimulatory effect on the locomotor activity. Furthermore, subchronic YOs (25, 50, or 100 mg/kg, p.o.) treatment significantly reversed the escape deficits in LH rats, including an increased number of escape failures and prolonged escape latency. These findings suggest that the inulin‐type oligosaccharides extracted from yacon may be a prospective natural source for antidepressants. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Multivariate Degradation Modeling of Smart Electricity Meter with Multiple Performance Characteristics via Vine Copulas
Authors: Xu Dan , Wei Qidong , Elsayed Elsayed A. , Chen Yunxia , Kang Rui
Published: August 2016

For smart electricity meter with multiple performance characteristics (PCs) with coupling relationships because of amounts of components experiencing multiple deteriorating processes, we develop a multivariate degradation modeling method via vine copulas to estimate the reliability of products with multiple PCs reflecting degradation states. In the multivariate model, pair‐copula construction and vine graphical representation are used to describe the mutual relationship among PCs to overcome the lack of multivariate copula in high‐dimensional cases. Each PC model of smart electricity meter is built by using drift Brownian motion to describe degradation processes of each PC on the basis of degradation mechanism analysis, and parameters are estimated by using likelihood estimation method. The Pearson correlation coefficient, Kendall's τ and product information are used to analyze correlation among those PCs. Furthermore, on the basis of conditional probability theory, the vine graph is used to construct a multivariate copula which can be decomposed into pair copulas. Akaike information criterion principle is utilized to choose the forms of pair‐copula functions in the correlation model. Finally, the reliability joint distribution of all PCs of smart electricity meter is obtained with combining all PCs' marginal distributions and copula functions. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Sheathless interface to match flow rate of capillary electrophoresis with electrospray mass spectrometry using regular‐sized capillary
Authors: Yin Yue , Li Gongyu , Guan Yafeng , Huang Guangming
Published: August 2016

Rationale

The flow rate match has been a great challenge when coupling capillary electrophoresis (CE) with electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI‐MS). Conventional CE‐ESI‐MS interfaces used liquid sheath flow, narrowed capillary or additional pressure to meet this requirement; sacrifice of either capillary inner diameter (i.d.) or separation efficiency is often inevitable. Thus, a regular‐sized capillary‐based sheathless interface would be attractive for flow rate match in CE‐MS.

Methods

The regular‐sized capillary‐based CE‐MS interface was achieved by coupling CE with induced electrospray ionization (iESI) which was stimulated by the fact that the iESI could both achieve flow rate down to 0.2 μL/min and retain ionization efficiency. The CE‐iESI‐MS interface was completed with an intact separation capillary, outside the outlet end of which a metal electrode was attached for the application of alternating current (ac) high voltage (HV).

Results

The feasibility of this CE‐iESI‐MS interface was demonstrated through the stable total ion chromatograms obtained by continuous CE infusion of tripropylamine with regular‐sized capillaries. Tripropylamine and atenolol were separated and detected successfully in phosphate buffer solution (PBS) by CE‐iESI‐MS using a 50 or 75 μm i.d. capillary. Furthermore, this new interface showed a better signal‐to‐noise (S/N) of 3 to 7 times enhancement compared with another sheathless CE‐ESI‐MS interface that using one high voltage for both separation and electrospray when analyzing the mixture of tripropylamine and proline in NH4OAc buffer. In addition, the reproducibility of this interface gave satisfactory results with relative standard deviation (RSD) in retention time in the range between 1% and 3%.

Conclusions

The novel sheathless CE‐MS interface introduced here could match conventional electroosmotic flow (EOF) with electrospray which could also preserve the separation efficiency and sensitivity of CE‐MS. This newly developed CE‐iESI‐MS interface was also demonstrated to be effective for different buffers, PBS and NH4OAc, without any additives such as methanol and acetic acid. Hence, we believe that this sheathless CE‐MS interface could be operated with other nonvolatile and volatile buffers. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Identification of single amino acid substitutions (SAAS) in neuraminidase from influenza a virus (H1N1) via mass spectrometry analysis coupled with de novo peptide sequencing
Authors: Peng Qisheng , Wang Zijian , Wu Donglin , Li Xiaoou , Liu Xiaofeng , Sun Wanchun , Liu Ning
Published: August 2016

Rationale

Amino acid substitutions in the neuraminidase of the influenza virus are the main cause of the emergence of resistance to zanamivir or oseltamivir during seasonal influenza treatment; they are the result of non‐synonymous mutations in the viral genome that can be successfully detected by polymer chain reaction (PCR)‐based approaches. There is always an urgent need to detect variation in amino acid sequences directly at the protein level. Mass spectrometry coupled with de novo sequencing has been explored as an alternative and straightforward strategy for detecting amino acid substitutions, as well – this approach is the primary focus of the present study.

Methods

Influenza virus (A/Puerto Rico/8/1934 H1N1) propagated in embryonated chicken eggs was purified by ultracentrifugation, followed by PNGase F treatment. The deglycosylated virion was lysed and separated by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS‐PAGE). The gel band corresponding to neuraminidase was picked up and subjected to liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) analysis.

Results

LC–MS/MS analyses, coupled with manual de novo sequencing, allowed the determination of three amino acid substitutions: R346K, S349 N, and S370I/L, in the neuraminidase from the influenza virus (A/Puerto Rico/8/1934 H1N1), which were located in three mutated peptides of the neuraminidase: YGNGVWIGK, TKNHSSR, and PNGWTETDI/LK, respectively.

Conclusions

We found that the amino acid substitutions in the proteins of RNA viruses (including influenza A virus) resulting from non‐synonymous gene mutations can indeed be directly analyzed via mass spectrometry, and that manual interpretation of the MS/MS data may be beneficial. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Linear ion trap mass selectivity with impulse power supply and sinusoidal dipolar excitation
Authors: Xu Fuxing , Konenkov Nikolai V. , Ding Hangyu , Wang Yuanyuan , Ding Chuan‐Fan
Published: August 2016

Rationale

An ion trap mass analyzer can be operated by either a sinusoidal waveform power supply or an impulse waveform power supply. The optimal conditions for the performance of ion trap which is driven by an impulse waveform power supply with sinusoidal dipolar voltage were investigated theoretically, and further verified by experiments.

Methods

The analytical relationship between β and q values is derived theoretically for optimal performance, and the dependencies β(q) for different trapezoidal waveforms are studied. To explain the dependence of resolution with working point q, the derivative dβ/dq is also derived analytically for the case of a rectangular waveform power supply. The theoretical results are further verified by experiments.

Results

The results from both theoretical calculations and experiments are in very good agreement. The behaviour resolution with q is controlled by the dispersion dβ/dq that was also confirmed by experiments, when the resolution increases with q.

Conclusions

The optimal conditions of β, qex values and required excitation time n are when S(q) is close to 1 for an ion trap driven by trapezoidal waveform voltage with sinusoidal dipolar voltage. It shown that with increasing impulse parameter τ the dispersion dβ/dq decreases and the mass resolution also decreases as result. In the case of applying a rectangular waveform shape voltage, the mass selectivity is the same as for the sinusoidal wave shape. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Adaptive stationary consensus protocol for a class of high‐order nonlinear multiagent systems with jointly connected topologies
Authors: Rezaee Hamed , Abdollahi Farzaneh
Published: August 2016

The leaderless consensus problem in a class of dynamic agents with high‐order input‐affine nonlinear models is studied. Based on communication of position information among the agents, an adaptive protocol is proposed that guarantees achieving consensus in the network in the presence of unknown parameters in the agents models. The network topology is considered undirected, which may not be connected constantly. Hence, by invoking the Cauchy convergence criterion, sufficient conditions to achieve consensus in the presence of jointly connected switching topologies are obtained. A numerical example for a team of single‐link flexible joint manipulators with forth‐order nonlinear models is provided to confirm the accuracy of the proposed consensus protocol. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Leakage‐resilient ID‐based signature scheme in the generic bilinear group model
Authors: Wu Jui‐Di , Tseng Yuh‐Min , Huang Sen‐Shan
Published: August 2016

Security mechanisms in the traditional cryptography have been modeled under the assumption that secret values (keys) are completely hidden to an adversary. Indeed, a number of side‐channel attacks (e.g., timing, power, fault, etc.) have been demonstrated to obtain partial information about secret keys. Leakage‐resilient cryptography is a countermeasure to withstand side‐channel attacks. Recently, a large number of leakage‐resilient cryptographic schemes or protocols have been proposed to resist various side‐channel attacks. Up to now, no work has been done on leakage‐resilient identity‐based signature (LR‐IBS). In this article, we propose the first LR‐IBS scheme based on Galindo and Vivek's leakage‐resilient signature. In the generic bilinear group model, we formally prove that our LR‐IBS scheme possesses existential unforgeability against identity and adaptive chosen message attacks under the continual leakage model. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Cholesterol–based Bisamides on Biphenyl Backbone: A Case of Selective Visual Sensing of F− and H2PO4− through Breaking and Making of Gels
Authors: Ghosh Kumaresh , Panja Santanu
Published: August 2016

Cholesterol linked bisamides 1–3 on biphenyl spacers have been designed and synthesized. Compound 1 forms gel in CHCl3 – n‐hexane (1:6, v/v) solvent and the gel is selectively collapsed into sol in presence of F− with a color change from yellowish white to greenish yellow. Presence of pyridinium amides in 2 and 3 showed different gelation behaviours. While the chloride salt 2 displayed gelation in CHCl3 in presence of H2PO4−, compound 3 formed gel in DMSO: H2O (1:2, v/v) without having any assistance of externally added anion. The gel derived from 3 underwent rapid gel to sol transition in presence of H2PO4− and F− anions and validated their visual sensing.
Sustainable High‐Temperature Phthalonitrile Resins Derived from Resveratrol and Dihydroresveratrol
Authors: Laskoski Matthew , Clarke Jadah S. , Neal Arianna , Harvey Benjamin G. , Ricks‐Laskoski Holly L. , Hervey W. Judson , Daftary Mehana N. , Shepherd Arica R. , Keller Teddy M.
Published: August 2016

The renewable triphenols, resveratrol and dihydroresveratrol, were used in the preparation of two new phthalonitrile resins (PN), each containing three phthalonitrile groups. These are the first reported PN resins generated from a renewable feedstock. These amorphous PN resins were characterized thoroughly by DSC, NMR spectroscopy and rheometry. The monomers exhibited excellent rheometric viscosities suitable for resin transfer molding and resin infusion molding. After complete cure, the PN polymers exhibited thermal stability to above 500 °C and no glass transition temperature (Tg). As a result of the highly cross‐linked nature of the network, these materials exhibited a low water uptake of 1 ± 0.2 % and dielectric constant values of approximately 3.0. These results suggest that resveratrol‐derived PN resins are excellent candidates for use in maritime environments and aerospace applications.
Xanthenedione Substituted Metallophthalocyanines as an Efficient and Recyclable Catalyst for One–pot Three Component Synthesis of 3‐Substituted Indoles
Authors: Yadav Kumar Karitkey , Ahmad Sohail , Narang Uma , Bhattacharya Soumee , Chauhan S. M. S.
Published: August 2016

An efficient one‐pot methodology for the synthesis of 3‐amino‐alkylated indoles catalyzed by metallophthalocyanines has been developed via a three component Mannich type reaction with secondary amines, aldehydes and indoles. The newer catalysts i. e. metallophthalocyanines were synthesized by tetramerization of xanthenedione substituted phthalonitrile in anhydrous N,N‐dimethylformamide by conventional heating and microwave conditions and were characterized by different spectroscopic techniques. The aggregation behaviors of these metallophthalocyanines were studied at different concentration in dimethyl sulfoxide and it was observed that these metallophthalocyanines show monomeric behavior in DMSO. The catalyst was separated from the reaction medium, characterized and was successfully reused up to five catalytic cycles. It was observed that the catalyst is stable in the catalytic system. Based on observations, a suitable reaction pathway is proposed for the current reaction.
A Terbium‐Organic Framework Material for Highly Sensitive Sensing of Fe3+ in Aqueous and Biological Systems: Experimental Studies and Theoretical Analysis
Authors: Han Min‐Le , Xu Guo‐Wang , Li Dong‐Sheng , Azofra Luis Miguel , Zhao Jun , Chen Banglin , Sun Chenghua
Published: August 2016

Owing to the paramount importance of iron in biological and environmental systems, advanced agents towards the detection of iron ions with high sensitivity and selectivity have been targeted for decades.Here a new super water‐stable agent, namely terbium metal‐organic framework (Tb‐MOF), [H2N(CH3)2][Tb(cppa)2(H2‐ O)2],(CTGU‐1, CTGU=China Three Gorges University, H2cppa=5‐(4‐carboxyphenyl)picolinic acid),has been successfully synthesized and demonstrated as a fluorescent turn‐off sensor for highly sensitive detection of Fe3+ with the detection limit of 10−9 M in dimethylformamide (DMF), 10−7 M in water and 10−7 M in biological environment,respectively. Such detecting capacity, to our knowledge, is the best compared to those of reported lanthanide‐baed MOF fluorescent probes so far. With the combination of first principle calculations, the detecting capacity has been analysed from the interaction between metal ions and organic ligands, particularly the effect of metal ions on the frontier molecular orbitals. This work offers a new Ln–MOF probe towards the detection of metal irons with high sensitivity and selectivity.
Electronic Structure Controlling of Assembly and Optical Properties of TiO2 Nanotube Arrays
Authors: Dai Jianhong , Song Yan
Published: August 2016

First principles calculations are carried out to study the interaction between TiO2 nanotubes. Two type tubes, the (9, 0) and (0, 6) tubes, with different separations and arrangements are studied in detail. Interactions between ions from neighboring nanotubes and contact angle between tubes could greatly affect the stability of nanotube arrays. The (0, 6) nanotubes tend to contact with each other owing to the attracting interactions between Ti and O ions from different tubes, while the (9, 0) nanotubes prefer to distribute separately due to the repulsion between oxygen ions in neighboring nanotubes. The atomic configurations in contact zone and the electronic structures are further studied to clarify the controlling mechanisms of the stability of TiO2 nanotube arrays. Regulation of arrangement of TiO2 nanotube arrays bring diverse electronic and optical properties.
The HR executive effect on firm performance and survival
Authors: Chadwick Clint , Guthrie James P. , Xing Xuejing
Published: August 2016

Research summary: This article replicates and extends Welbourne and Cyr's (1999) pioneering study of the relationship between the presence of human resource executives (HREs) and firm performance in initial public offering (IPO) firms. We employ a larger, more generalizable sample, a model better fitted to the IPO context, and alternative performance measures to execute a more robust examination of this relationship. Using Welbourne and Cyr's model specifications, our results parallel theirs: there is no significant relationship between HREs and firms' post‐IPO financial performance. Moreover, extending Welbourne and Cyr's study, we find that the presence of HREs at the time of firms' IPOs is positively related to the ultimate success measure: post‐IPO firm survival. Additionally, for firms that had executives at the time of IPO, the negative effect of firm size on firm mortality is greater and the positive effect of leverage on firm mortality is smaller.

Managerial summary: Does paying attention to HRM help firms to succeed? This study examines that question in a sample of generally small, young firms that went public from 1996 to 2008. Only about 10 percent of these firms had human resource executives (HREs) at the time of their IPOs, allowing us to examine the effects of the presence of HREs on firm performance. While we find that the presence of an HRE at IPO is not related to firms' post‐IPO financial performance, firms that had HREs at IPO are significantly more likely to survive in the long run. Since approximately 20 percent of the sample firms do not survive, this is a very meaningful outcome. Indeed, survival may be the ultimate measure of firm performance. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Fludioxonil induced the cancer growth and metastasis via altering epithelial–mesenchymal transition via an estrogen receptor‐dependent pathway in cellular and xenografted breast cancer models
Authors: Go Ryeo‐Eun , Kim Cho‐Won , Jeon So‐Ye , Byun Yong‐Sub , Jeung Eui‐Bae , Nam Ki‐Hoan , Choi Kyung‐Chul
Published: August 2016

Fludioxonil is an antifungal agent used in agricultural applications that is present at measurable amounts in fruits and vegetables. In this study, the effects of fludioxonil on cancer cell viability, epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT), and metastasis were examined in MCF‐7 clonal variant breast cancer cell (MCF‐7 CV cells) with estrogen receptors (ERs). MCF‐7 CV cells were cultured with 0.1% DMSO (control), 17β‐estradiol (E2; 1 ×10−9 M, positive control), or fludioxonil (10−5−10−8 M). MTT assay revealed that fludioxonil increased MCF‐7 CV cell proliferation 1.2 to 1.5 times compared to the control, while E2 markedly increased the cell proliferation by about 3.5 times. When the samples were co‐treated with ICI 182,780 (10−8 M), an ER antagonist, fludioxonil‐induced cell proliferation was reversed to the level of the control. Protein levels of cyclin E1, cyclin D1, Snail, and N‐cadherin increased in response to fludioxonil as the reaction to E2, but these increases were not observed when fludioxonil was administered with ICI 182,780. Moreover, the protein level of p21 and E‐cadherin decreased in response to treatment with fludioxonil, but remained at the control level when co‐treated with ICI 182,780. In xenografted mouse models transplanted with MCF‐7 CV cells, fludioxonil significantly increased the tumor mass formation by about 2.5 times as E2 did when compared to vehicle (0.1% DMSO) during the experimental period (80 days). Immunohistochemistry revealed that the protein level of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), Snail, and cathepsin D increased in response to fludioxonil as the reaction to E2. These results imply that fludioxonil may have a potential to induce growth or metastatic behaviors of breast cancer by regulation of the expression of cell cycle‐, EMT‐, and metastasis‐related genes via the ER‐dependent pathway. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Environ Toxicol 32: 1439–1454, 2017.