bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Toward Robust Segmented Nanowires: Understanding the Impact of Crystallographic Texture on the Quality of Segment Interfaces in Magnetic Metallic Nanowires
Authors: Zhang Jin , Pané Salvador , Sort Jordi , Pellicer Eva
Published: August 2016

Segmented nanowires (NWs) have found a wealth of applications due to their multifunctionality, arising from complementarities and synergies among segments of different materials. However, to ensure a practical use of segmented NWs, high quality interfaces between segments must be ensured. Herein, trisegmented CoPt/Cu/Ni NWs and bisegmented CoPt/Ni magnetic NWs are fabricated by means of template‐assisted electrodeposition and the characteristics of their interfaces are investigated in detail. The presence of a Cu segment sandwiched between the CoPt and the Ni segments severely affects the integrity of the whole NW. Namely, Cu deposits in a (200) textured face‐centered cubic (fcc) structure, which cannot accommodate well on the c‐axis oriented hexagonal close‐packed CoPt. Instead, when the Cu segment is absent, well‐connected CoPt/Ni NWs with smooth interface are obtained. Unlike the Cu segment, Ni shows the (111) textured fcc structure, which holds good crystallographic matching with the underlying CoPt segment. Magnetic measurements reveal that CoPt/Ni NWs exhibit staircase‐like hysteresis loops similar to the trisegmented CoPt/Cu/Ni NWs. Such loop shape stems from the dissimilar coercivity between the hard (CoPt) and soft (Ni) segments. The bisegmented NWs (with robust interfaces) are appealing for multibit recording media, magnetic nanoelectromechanical systems, and magnetically driven drug delivery nanoplatforms.
Outcomes of patients with renal monoclonal immunoglobulin deposition disease
Authors: Kourelis Taxiarchis V. , Nasr Samih H. , Dispenzieri Angela , Kumar Shaji K. , Gertz Morie A. , Fervenza Fernando C. , Buadi Francis K. , Lacy Martha Q. , Erickson Stephen B. , Cosio Fernando G. , Kapoor Prashant , Lust John A. , Hayman Suzanne R. , Rajkumar Vincent , Zeldenrust Steven R. , Russell Stephen J. , Dingli David , Lin Yi , Gonsalves Wilson , Lorenz Elizabeth C. , Zand Ladan , Kyle Robert A. , Leung Nelson
Published: August 2016

Recent reports suggest that deep hematologic responses to chemotherapy are associated with improved renal outcomes in monoclonal immunoglobulin deposition disease (MIDD). Here we describe the long term outcomes and identify prognostic factors after first line treatment of the largest reported series of patients with MIDD. Between March 1992 and December 2014, 88 patients with MIDD were seen at Mayo Clinic, MN. Renal responses were defined using criteria used for light chain amyloidosis (AL) or those used by the IMWG. Sixty‐one (69%) patients had a GFR < 30 mL/min/1.73 m2 and 16 (18%) were on renal replacement therapy at diagnosis. The interval between albuminuria or elevation in creatinine and MIDD diagnosis was 12 months suggesting a delay in diagnosis. Thirty‐seven patients (42%) had at least a hematologic CR/VGPR. Fifty‐three (60%) received an autologous stem cell transplant (ASCT) or proteasome inhibitor (PI)‐based treatments. Patients receiving ASCT or PI‐based therapies were more likely to achieve at least a hematologic CR/VGPR compared to those receiving other therapies: 66% vs 2%, p < 0.0001. Patients that achieved a hematologic CR were more likely to achieve a renal response (53% vs 24%, p = 0.001). Five year overall and renal survival for the entire cohort was 67% and 57%, respectively. In multivariate analyses, a baseline GFR < 20 mL/min/1.73 m2 and a renal response (using AL or IMWG criteria) were independently predictive of progression to dialysis. This study confirms that deep hematologic responses, best achieved with ASCT or PI‐based therapies, are a prerequisite to achieving renal responses. Am. J. Hematol. 91:1123–1128, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Normative reference values for the 20 m shuttle‐run test in a population‐based sample of school‐aged youth in Bogota, Colombia: the FUPRECOL study
Authors: Ramírez‐Vélez Robinson , Palacios‐López Adalberto , Humberto Prieto‐Benavides Daniel , Enrique Correa‐Bautista Jorge , Izquierdo Mikel , Alonso‐Martínez Alicia , Lobelo Felipe
Published: August 2016

Objectives

Our aim was to determine the normative reference values of cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) and to establish the proportion of subjects with low CRF suggestive of future cardio‐metabolic risk.

Methods

A total of 7244 children and adolescents attending public schools in Bogota, Colombia (55.7% girls; age range of 9–17.9 years) participated in this study. We expressed CRF performance as the nearest stage (minute) completed and the estimated peak oxygen consumption (V˙O2peak). Smoothed percentile curves were calculated. In addition, we present the prevalence of low CRF after applying a correction factor to account for the impact of Bogota's altitude (2625 m over sea level) on CRF assessment, and we calculated the number of participants who fell below health‐related FITNESSGRAM cut‐points for low CRF.

Results

Shuttles and V˙O2peak were higher in boys than in girls in all age groups. In boys, there were higher levels of performance with increasing age, with most gains between the ages of 13 and 17. The proportion of subjects with a low CRF, suggestive of future cardio‐metabolic risk (health risk FITNESSGRAM category) was 31.5% (28.2% for boys and 34.1% for girls; X2 P = .001). After applying a 1.11 altitude correction factor, the overall prevalence of low CRF was 11.5% (9.6% for boys and 13.1% for girls; X2 P = .001).

Conclusions

Our results provide sex‐ and age‐specific normative reference standards for the 20 m shuttle‐run test and estimated V˙O2peak values in a large, population‐based sample of schoolchildren from a large Latin‐American city at high altitude.
Trabecular architecture in the thumb of Pan and Homo: implications for investigating hand use, loading, and hand preference in the fossil record
Authors: Stephens Nicholas B. , Kivell Tracy L. , Gross Thomas , Pahr Dieter H. , Lazenby Richard A. , Hublin Jean‐Jacques , Hershkovitz Israel , Skinner Matthew M.
Published: August 2016

Objectives

Humans display an 85–95% cross‐cultural right‐hand bias in skilled tasks, which is considered a derived behavior because such a high frequency is not reported in wild non‐human primates. Handedness is generally considered to be an evolutionary byproduct of selection for manual dexterity and augmented visuo‐cognitive capabilities within the context of complex stone tool manufacture/use. Testing this hypothesis requires an understanding of when appreciable levels of right dominant behavior entered the fossil record. Because bone remodels in vivo, skeletal asymmetries are thought to reflect greater mechanical loading on the dominant side, but incomplete preservation of external morphology and ambiguities about past loading environments complicate interpretations. We test if internal trabecular bone is capable of providing additional information by analyzing the thumb of Homo sapiens and Pan.

Materials and methods

We assess trabecular structure at the distal head and proximal base of paired (left/right) first metacarpals using micro‐CT scans of Homo sapiens (n = 14) and Pan (n = 9). Throughout each epiphysis we quantify average and local bone volume fraction (BV/TV), degree of anisotropy (DA), and elastic modulus (E) to address bone volume patterning and directional asymmetry.

Results

We find a right directional asymmetry in H. sapiens consistent with population‐level handedness, but also report a left directional asymmetry in Pan that may be the result of postural and/or locomotor loading.

Conclusion

We conclude that trabecular bone is capable of detecting right/left directional asymmetry, but suggest coupling studies of internal structure with analyses of other skeletal elements and cortical bone prior to applications in the fossil record.
Population structure from NOS genes correlates with geographical differences in coronary incidence across Europe
Authors: Carreras‐Torres Robert , Ferran Albert , Zanetti Daniela , Esteban Esther , Varesi Laurent , Pojskic Naris , Coia Valentina , Chaabani Hassen , Via Marc , Moral Pedro
Published: August 2016

Objectives

The population analysis of cardiovascular risk and non‐risk genetic variation can help to identify adaptive or random demographic processes that shaped coronary incidence variation across geography.

Material and Methods

In this study, 114 single nucleotide polymorphisms and 17 tandem repeat polymorphisms from Nitric Oxide Synthases (NOS) regions were analyzed in 1686 individuals from 35 populations from Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East. NOS genes encode for key enzymes on nitric oxide availability, which is involved in several cardiovascular processes. These genetic variations were used to test for selection and to infer the population structure of NOS regions. Moreover, we tested whether the variation in the incidence of coronary events and in the levels of classical risk factors in 11 of these European populations could be explained by the population structure estimates.

Results

Our results supported, first, the absence of clear signs of selection for NOS genetic variants associated with cardiovascular diseases, and second, the presence of a continuous genetic pattern of variation across European and North African populations without a Mediterranean barrier for gene flow. Finally, population structure estimates from NOS regions are closely correlated with coronary event rates and classical risk parameters (explaining 39–98%) among European populations.

Conclusion

Our results reinforce the hypothesis that genetic bases of cardiovascular diseases and associated complex phenotypes could be geographically shaped by random demographic processes.
Elastic and plastic properties of epoxy resin syntactic foams filled with hollow glass microspheres and glass fibers
Authors: Yu Wei , Qian Meng , Li Huijian
Published: August 2016

Representative volume elements of syntactic foams with a random filling of short glass fibers and hollow glass microspheres in epoxy resin were established by a random sequential adsorption method. The fiber volume fraction was set at 4%, and the microsphere volume fraction range was from 5 to 30%. This numerical simulation was studied with ANSYS software. The influence on the elastic and plastic mechanical properties of syntactic foams of the microsphere volume fraction and relative wall thickness were investigated, and the plastic strain evolution process in the composites was analyzed. The results show that the compressive yield limit and Young's modulus values of the syntactic foams decreased with increasing microsphere volume fraction when the microsphere relative wall thickness was 0.02, but these properties were enhanced with increasing microsphere volume fraction when the relative wall thickness exceeded 0.04. The specific strength and tangent modulus values of the composites increased with increasing microsphere volume fraction. In addition, we observed that the yield stress, Young's modulus, and tangent modulus values of the syntactic foams were obviously enhanced by the addition of glass fibers. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2016, 133, 44188.
Low temperature cure of epoxy thermosets attaining highTgusing a uniform microwave field
Authors: Hubbard Robert L. , Michael Strain S. , Willemsen Connor , Tyler David R.
Published: August 2016

It is demonstrated for the first time that an epoxy thermoset resin can be cured at temperatures well below itsTg∞. This study compared the use of a uniform variable frequency microwave (VFM) field to standard oven curing at temperatures above and belowTg∞. UsingTg, tan δ, modulus, and FTIR measurements, it is shown that the reaction of BFDGE with MDA to attain a product withTg∞of 133 °C is achieved by VFM at temperatures from 100 to 140 °C; in contrast, the thermal cure normally requires 170 °C to attain the sameTg∞and the same extent of cure. By following the pregel cure reaction with13C‐NMR spectroscopy, it was determined that the lower cure temperatures of VFM cure predominately lead to chain extension and smaller amounts of crosslinking compared to the thermal cure. To explain these results, it is suggested that, after gelation, with VFM cure there is higher mobility from dipole rotations that continues the cure to completion without vitrification. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci.2016,133, 44222.
NONSULFATED SULFAKININ CHANGES METABOLIC PARAMETERS OF INSECT FAT BODY MITOCHONDRIA
Authors: Slocinska Malgorzata , Antos‐Krzeminska Nina , Rosinski Grzegorz , Jarmuszkiewicz Wieslawa
Published: August 2016

We investigated the effect of neuropeptide, the nonsulfated sulfakinin (SK) Zopat‐SK‐1 (pETSDDYGHLRFa) on the mitochondrial oxidative metabolism in the Zophobas atratus larval fat body. Mitochondria were isolated from beetle fat bodies 2 and 24 h after hormone injection. The administration of 20 pmol of Zopat‐SK‐1 to feeding larvae led to decreased mitochondrial oxidative activities in larval fat body. Diminished activities of citrate synthase and the cytochrome pathway, that is, nonphosphorylating and phosphorylating respiration during succinate oxidation, were observed. However, the effect of Zopat‐SK‐1 was more pronounced in fat body of insects after 24 h since hormone application. In hormone‐treated larval fat bodies, mitochondrial respiration was decreased at the level of respiratory chain and the TCA cycle as well as at the level of mitochondrial biogenesis, as indicated by decreased activities of mitochondrial marker enzymes in fat body homogenates. The inhibition of succinate oxidation may indicate the role of Zopat‐SK‐1 in the regulation of mitochondrial complex II activity. Moreover, decreased respiratory chain activity was accompanied by the reduced activity of mitochondrial energy‐dissipating pathway, uncoupling protein 4. The observed decrease in mitochondrial oxidative metabolism may reflect the Zopat‐SK‐1‐induced reduction in the metabolic rate of larval fat body linked to actual energetic demands of animal.
Partially observed competing degradation processes: modeling and inference
Authors: Bordes Laurent , Mercier Sophie , Remy Emmanuel , Dautrême Emilie
Published: August 2016

The aim of the present paper is the stochastic modeling and statistical inference of a component which deteriorates over time, for prediction purpose. The deterioration is due to defects which appear one by one and next independently propagate over time. The motivation comes from an application to passive components within electric power plants, where (measurable) flaw indications first initiate (one at a time) and next grow over time. The available data come from inspections at discrete times, where only the largest flaw indication is measured together with the total number of indications on each component. Although detected, too small indications cannot be measured, leading to censored observations. Taking into account this partial information coming from the field, a specific stochastic model is proposed, where the flaw indications initiate according to a Poisson process and next propagate according to competing independent gamma processes. A parametric estimation procedure is developed, tested on simulated data and then applied to the industrial case. The fitted model is next used to make some prediction over the future deterioration of each component and over its residual operating time until a specified critical degradation level is reached. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Assessing potential impacts of sugarcane production on water resources: A case study in Brazil
Authors: Guarenghi Marjorie Mendes , Walter Arnaldo
Published: August 2016

Sustainability has been considered essential for the future consumption of biofuels in large scale and, thus, assessing the impacts on water resources is one of the priorities. The aim of this study is to assess the potential impacts of sugarcane expansion both on the quality and on the quantity of water resources, but using a publicly available database and well‐established statistic procedures. The case studies were defined in São Paulo state, where the bulk of sugarcane production in Brazil is, and more specifically three regions where significant expansion recently occurred: Palmares Paulista, Pontal, and Ribeirão Preto. Time series of streamflows and precipitations (1974–2011) and water quality parameters (1989–2011) were evaluated using non‐parametric tests for detecting trends and abrupt changes. Quality parameters analyzed were concentrations of potassium, total phosphorus, nitrite, nitrate, ammoniacal nitrogen, total solids, dissolved oxygen, and biochemical oxygen demand. Sugarcane cropping data were correlated with streamflows and water quality parameters. Water quality parameters were analyzed vis‐à‐vis sugarcane production and population growth. Significant impacts due to sugarcane cropping were detected only in the case of the smallest basin. In the three studied regions a significant increasing trend of nitrogen and biochemical oxygen demand was observed, but these results can be explained either by sugarcane–ethanol production or by the discharge of sewage and industrial effluents without appropriate treatment. Based on data availability it was not possible to rigorously determine the contribution of large‐scale production of sugarcane cropping to both the quantity and the quality of water resources. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd
Reconciling Compensatory and Noncompensatory Strategies of Cue Weighting: A Causal Model Approach
Authors: Sussman Abigail B. , Oppenheimer Daniel M. , LaMonaca Matthew M.
Published: August 2016

When forming a judgment about any unknown item, people must draw inferences from information that is already known. This paper examines causal relationships between cues as a relevant factor influencing how people determine the amount of weight to place on each piece of available evidence. We propose that people draw from their beliefs about specific causal relationships between cues when determining how much weight to place on those cues, and that understanding this process can help reconcile differences between predictions of compensatory and lexicographic heuristic strategies. As causal relationships change, different cues become more or less important. Across three experiments, we find support for the use of causal models in determining cue weights, but leave open the possibility that they work in concert with other strategies as well. We conclude by discussing relative strengths and weaknesses of the causal model approach relative to existing models, and suggest areas for future research. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The hidden symbols of the female anatomy in Michelangelo Buonarroti's ceiling in the Sistine Chapel
Authors: de Campos Deivis , Malysz Tais , Bonatto‐Costa João Antonio , Jotz Geraldo Pereira , de Oliveira Junior Lino Pinto , Wichmann Jéssica Francine , Goulart Guilherme Reghelin , Stefani Marco Antonio , da Rocha Andrea Oxley
Published: August 2016

A number of published articles have suggested that each element of Renaissance art contains an inner meaning. Some of these elements include the choice of theme and protagonists, faces selected for the characters, colors used, species of flowers and trees chosen, animals depicted, positions of the elements, posture of the characters and their gestures, juxtapositions in the scenes, and even the very scenario or landscape. All of these elements are thought to have hidden meanings. In this context, this manuscript presents a new hypothesis suggesting that Michelangelo Buonarroti (1475–1564) may have concealed symbols associated with female anatomy in the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel (painted 1508–1512) in Rome. Thus, this paper is useful to better understand the history of anatomy and corroborates recent descriptions that have suggested the possible existence of anatomic figures concealed in many of Michelangelo's works. Clin. Anat. 29:911–916, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Use of computer‐aided holographic models improves performance in a cadaver dissection‐based course in gross anatomy
Authors: Miller Michael
Published: August 2016

A compelling, innovative approach to teaching gross anatomy is the use of computer‐aided holographic models. They allow for clean, time‐saving dissection, manipulation of structures and appreciation of anatomical relationships, and potential elimination of the need for cadavers. The present study tests the hypothesis that using holographic models improves mastery of anatomical information. First‐year medical students were taught gross anatomy using the dissection of donor cadavers, manipulation of digitized 3‐dimensional holographic renderings, and examination of plastinated specimens. The effectiveness of these approaches was assessed by comparing students' performance on identification questions on cadavers (qC), holographic models (qH), and plastinated specimens (qP). Students in the top quintile of the class performed strongly on qC, qH, and qP. In contrast, performance by students in the bottom quintile was uneven; they scored best on qH. Performance on the qP was relatively non‐discriminating. Students in the top quintile scored higher on the biological sciences section of the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) than students in the lowest quintile, whereas students in the lowest quintile had higher scores on the verbal section of their MCATs. The availability of different approaches for presenting gross anatomy improves the success of students in mastering the material, particularly for students struggling with the information. The use of holographic models apparently reaches students who may be challenged to learn the material using traditional approaches. This may be linked to potentially predictive information gleaned through performance on the MCAT. Clin. Anat. 29:917–924, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Insurance status, health equity, and the cancer care continuum
Authors: Halpern Michael T. , Brawley Otis W.
Published: August 2016

As illustrated in two studies published in this issue of Cancer, an individual's sociodemographic characteristics including type of health insurance can decrease access to high‐quality and timely cancer care and result in adverse outcomes. Understanding the factors that create cancer health care disparities can help researchers, clinicians, and policy makers develop strategies and interventions to reduce them.

See also pages 3127‐35 and 3157‐65.
Highlights From the American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists/ International Transporter Consortium Joint Workshop on Drug Transporters in Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism, and Excretion: From the Bench to the Bedside – Clinical Pharmacology Considerations
Authors: Ronaldson PT , Bauer B , El‐Kattan AF , Shen H , Salphati L , Louie SW
Published: August 2016

The American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists/International Transporter Consortium Joint Workshop on Drug Transporters in absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion was held with the objective of discussing innovative advances in transporter pharmacology. Specific topics included (i) transporters at the blood‐brain barrier (BBB); (ii) emerging transport proteins; (iii) recent advances in achieving hepatoselectivity and optimizing clearance for organic anion‐transporting polypeptide (OATP) substrates; (iv) utility of animal models for transporter studies; and (v) clinical correlation of transporter polymorphisms. Here, we present state‐of‐the‐art highlights from this workshop in these key areas of focus.
Role of Clinical Pharmacology in the Development and Approval of Immunotherapies Targeting Immune Checkpoints
Authors: Rahman A
Published: August 2016

Immune surveillance plays a critical role in preventing the development and progression of cancer. Immune modulators, such as interferon‐gamma or interleukin‐2, have been a part of the cancer treatment armament over the past few decades. However, new understandings regarding the role of the costimulatory and coinhibitory molecules associated with T‐cells and antigen‐presenting cells as well as tumor necrosis factor receptors and ligands have ushered the new era of immunotherapy for cancer treatment. We now know that primary cancer cells evade screening by the innate immune system, proliferate, and form metastases by upregulating immune inhibitory pathways referred to as immune checkpoints. The recent development of therapies that target immune checkpoints, such as cytotoxic T lymphocyte antigen 4, programmed cell death 1, programmed cell death ligand 1, indoleamine 2,3‐dioxygenase, T‐cell immunoglobulin and mucin domain 3, and lymphocyte activation gene 3 precisely target the immune system and give new hope for treating various types of cancer. In select marker‐enriched populations, immunotherapies provide high response rates as well as durable responses in terms of progression‐free survival and overall survival. Numerous factors, such as patient's immune system, the expression of targets on both immune and cancer cells, maintenance of an effective drug exposure, and tolerability to these agents may play a role in this unique observation.
Desiccation resistance in tropical insects: causes and mechanisms underlying variability in a Panama ant community
Authors: Bujan Jelena , Yanoviak Stephen P. , Kaspari Michael
Published: August 2016

Desiccation resistance, the ability of an organism to reduce water loss, is an essential trait in arid habitats. Drought frequency in tropical regions is predicted to increase with climate change, and small ectotherms are often under a strong desiccation risk. We tested hypotheses regarding the underexplored desiccation potential of tropical insects. We measured desiccation resistance in 82 ant species from a Panama rainforest by recording the time ants can survive desiccation stress. Species' desiccation resistance ranged from 0.7 h to 97.9 h. We tested the desiccation adaptation hypothesis, which predicts higher desiccation resistance in habitats with higher vapor pressure deficit (VPD) – the drying power of the air. In a Panama rainforest, canopy microclimates averaged aVPDof 0.43kPa, compared to aVPDof 0.05kPa in the understory. Canopy ants averaged desiccation resistances 2.8 times higher than the understory ants. We tested a number of mechanisms to account for desiccation resistance. Smaller insects should desiccate faster given their higher surface area to volume ratio. Desiccation resistance increased with ant mass, and canopy ants averaged 16% heavier than the understory ants. A second way to increase desiccation resistance is to carry more water. Water content was on average 2.5% higher in canopy ants, but total water content was not a good predictor of ant desiccation resistance or critical thermal maximum (CTmax), a measure of an ant's thermal tolerance. In canopy ants, desiccation resistance andCTmaxwere inversely related, suggesting a tradeoff, while the two were positively correlated in understory ants. This is the first community level test of desiccation adaptation hypothesis in tropical insects. Tropical forests do contain desiccation‐resistant species, and while we cannot predict those simply based on their body size, high levels of desiccation resistance are always associated with the tropical canopy.
Temporal increase in thymocyte negative selection parallels enhanced thymic SIRPα+ DC function
Authors: Kroger Charles J. , Wang Bo , Tisch Roland
Published: August 2016

Dysregulation of negative selection contributes to T‐cell‐mediated autoimmunity, such as type 1 diabetes. The events regulating thymic negative selection, however, are ill defined. Work by our group and others suggest that negative selection is inefficient early in ontogeny and increases with age. This study examines temporal changes in negative selection and the thymic DC compartment. Peptide‐induced thymocyte deletion in vivo was reduced in newborn versus 4‐week‐old NOD mice, despite a similar sensitivity of the respective thymocytes to apoptosis induction. The temporal increase in negative selection corresponded with an elevated capacity of thymic antigen‐presenting cells to stimulate T cells, along with altered subset composition and function of resident DC. The frequency of signal regulatory protein α+ (SIRPα+) and plasmacytoid DCs was increased concomitant with a decrease in CD8α+ DC in 4‐week‐old NOD thymi. Importantly, 4‐week‐old versus newborn thymic SIRPα+ DC exhibited increased antigen processing and presentation via the MHC class II but not class I pathway, coupled with an enhanced T‐cell stimulatory capacity not seen in thymic plasmacytoid DC and CD8α+ DC. These findings indicate that the efficiency of thymic DC‐mediated negative selection is limited early after birth, and increases with age paralleling expansion of functionally superior thymic SIRPα+ DC.
Octaammine EuII and YbII Azides and Their Thermal Decompositions to the Nitrides
Authors: Müller Thomas G. , Mogk Jochen , Conrad Matthias , Kraus Florian
Published: August 2016

The common preparation for many nitrides is the synthesis from the corresponding metals and nitrogen at quite high temperatures and/or high pressures. Here we present a route to metal nitrides by the use of ammine metal azides under relatively mild conditions. Europium(II) and ytterbium(II) azides are prepared in liquid ammonia at –36 °C in form of their temperature‐sensitive octaammine complexes. These were investigated by single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction at low temperatures, and their structures seem to be the first evidence for the existence of homoleptic ammine EuII and YbII complexes, as well as that the coordination number of these divalent cations can go beyond six with NH3 ligands. In one of the cases presented here the observed coordination polyhedron is better described as a bicapped trigonal prism (C2v), in one case better as square‐antiprismatic (D4d). Warming of these compounds to room temperature leads to the lanthanoid metal azides still containing approximately 1 equiv. of ammonia. The behaviour of these azides towards further heating was investigated: By very careful and slow decomposition, the nitrides of europium(III) and ytterbium(III) are obtained at only 230 °C at ambient pressure. This method may be suitable to obtain other metal nitrides at remarkably low temperatures and pressures.
Single‐Ion Magnets Based on Mononuclear Cobalt(II) Complexes with Sulfadiazine
Authors: Villa‐Pérez Cristian , Oyarzabal Itziar , Echeverría Gustavo A. , Valencia‐Uribe Gloria C. , Seco José M. , Soria Delia B.
Published: August 2016

The already reported monomeric complex Co(SDZ)2bpy (1) and the new ternary complex Co(SDZ)2(6MQ)2 (2) (SDZ = sulfadiazine, bpy = 2,2′‐bipyridine, and 6MQ = 6‐methoxyquinoline) have been synthesized in order to study their magnetic properties. X‐ray diffraction studies indicate that in both compounds the SDZ acts as a bidentate ligand coordinating through the sulfonamide and the pyrimidine N atoms giving rise to a CoN6 coordination sphere. The complexes have been characterized based on elemental analyses, FTIR, UV/Vis spectroscopy, and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA, only for 2). Compounds 1 and 2 have been characterized magnetically, and they show slow relaxation of the magnetization below 9 and 6 K, respectively.
Synthesis and Chiral Resolution of C3‐Symmetric Tribenzotriquinacenes
Authors: Beaudoin Daniel , Rominger Frank , Mastalerz Michael
Published: August 2016

The synthesis and chiral resolution of a C3‐symmetric triaminotribenzotriquinacene is reported. Both enantiomers were obtained in good yields and excellent enantiomeric purity by selective precipitation of their monodibenzoyltartrate salts. Conversion of the enantiopure (M)‐triaminotribenzotriquinacene into a C3‐symmetric triiodide highlights the usefulness of this compound as a starting point for the preparation of other enantiopure C3‐symmetric tribenzotriquinacene derivatives, which may find application as building blocks for the preparation of chiral molecules in the nanosize regime.
My Sister Myself: A Controlled Study of the Relationship Between Women with a Lifetime Diagnosis of Anorexia Nervosa and Their Sisters
Authors: Zohar Ada H. , Lev Ari Lilac , Bachner‐Melman Rachel
Published: August 2016

This study focused on the quality of the relationship between women with a lifetime anorexia nervosa (AN) diagnosis and their sisters, in the context of family functioning. Participants were 112 sister pairs including a woman with a lifetime diagnosis of AN, and 356 sister pairs with no history of an eating disorder. Participants completed the Sibling Relationship Questionnaire, Family Environment Scale and Eating Attitudes Test‐26. We hypothesised that sister relationships would be less favourably assessed by women with an AN diagnosis than by their sisters, and less favourably assessed overall in the AN sister pairs than in the healthy sib‐pair controls. These hypotheses were confirmed. Also, the AN sisters viewed the family as less cohesive and more conflicted than their non‐affected sisters. For the AN sisters, there was an inverse relationship between level of current pathology and how favourably they viewed the sister relationship. Sister relationships may suffer during AN and improve as the pathology recedes. This would mean that the quality of sister relationships has clinical significance and may serve as an indicator of recovery. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and Eating Disorders Association.
Achieved throughput of OFDM‐based cognitive radio systems in the presence of inphase quadrature imbalance
Authors: Mohajeran Seyed Ali , Sadough Seyed Mohammad Sajad
Published: August 2016

Cognitive radio (CR) systems based on orthogonal frequency‐division multiplexing have so far obtained a great deal of attention in wireless communications requiring higher data rates. It is well known that the highest achievable data rate in a wireless communication system is restricted by some factors including the wireless communication channel and the hardware imperfection, which are unavoidable in practice. One of the most important implementation issues that significantly affects the performance of the receiver and the transmitter is the amplitude and phase imbalance in the inphase and quadrature branches, or for brevity inphase and quadrature imbalance (IQI). This imbalance is due to non‐ideal local oscillators at the transmitter or at the receiver of direct conversion systems. In this paper, the ergodic capacity is investigated in a CR system based on orthogonal frequency‐division multiplexing. We also inspect the outage probability, which is restricted by the common IQI challenge in the transmitter of the secondary user (SU) and in the receiver of the SU in a Rayleigh fading channel. First, we obtain an approximate closed‐form expression for the ergodic capacity and the outage probability in a multi‐carrier system. Then we investigate the special cases in which IQI only exists at the receiver or at the transmitter. We show that when IQI only exists at the transmitter of the SU, the approximate closed‐form outage probability of the SU approaches its exact value. Also, when IQI only exists at the receiver or at the transmitter of the SU, the approximate closed form of the ergodic capacity of the secondary link approaches its exact value. Numerical results validate the obtained analytical expression in the CR system. Our results may serve in the evaluation of the trade‐off between the required quality of service (in terms of secondary achieved throughput and the outage probability) and CR system parameters in the presence of IQI. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Improving the flame retardance and melt dripping of poly(lactic acid) with a novel polymeric flame retardant of high thermal stability
Authors: Shi Xiaowei , Liao Fenghui , Ju Yaqing , Dai Xiu , Cao Yu , Li Jiawei , Wang Xinlong
Published: August 2016

A polymeric flame retardant containing phosphorus and nitrogen (PCNFR) was synthesized and characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance and gel permeation chromatography. The thermal decomposition temperatures at 10% weight loss (T10 wt%) of PCNFR were around 358 °C, and the char yield at 600 °C reached about 60 wt% both in nitrogen and air by thermogravimetric analysis. The flame retarded poly(lactic acid) (PLA) composites with PCNFR were prepared. The thermogravimetric analysis results showed that PCNFR could improve the thermal stability of the flame retarded PLA composites with low loading (≤10 wt%) and at high temperature zone (≥390 °C). The condensed products from the decomposition of the flame retarded composites at 380 °C and 450 °C for different intervals were analyzed by Raman spectroscopy, and the results showed that time and temperature influenced the structure of the char residue evidently. When incorporating 30 wt% PCNFR into PLA, the limited oxygen index of the flame retarded composites reached 25.0%, and V‐0 rating was achieved. The char residues were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy in detail. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Modified partial maxillary swing approach for myxofibrosarcoma in pterygopalatine fossa
Authors: Shimoda Hikari , Yonezawa Koichiro , Shinomiya Hirotaka , Otsuki Naoki , Hashikawa Kazunobu , Sasaki Ryohei , Komura Eiji , Nibu Ken‐ichi
Published: August 2016

Background

Extirpation of tumors arising in the pterygopalatine fossa is challenging because of its anatomic complexity.

Methods and Results

A 67‐year‐old man was referred to our department with a diagnosis of a tumor in his left pterygoid fossa. An incisional biopsy through the canine fossa was diagnosed as myxofibrosarcoma. The upper part of the maxilla was swung laterally to remove the tumor while the hard plate was preserved. The defect was reconstructed using rectus abdominis musculocutaneous free and ipsilateral temporal. The postoperative course was uneventful, without facial palsy or mastication disorders.

Conclusion

Our experience with this case suggests that the modified partial maxillary swing approach with preservation of the hard palate and orbital floor in combination with infratemporal and cervical approaches is useful for lesions in the pterygoid process without causing severe complications. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck 38: E2519–E2522, 2016
Antiviral therapy improves overall survival in hepatitis C virus‐infected patients who develop diffuse large B‐cell lymphoma
Authors: Hosry Jeff , Mahale Parag , Turturro Francesco , Miranda Roberto N. , Economides Minas P. , Granwehr Bruno P. , Torres Harrys A.
Published: August 2016

Chronic Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is associated with increased incidence of non‐Hodgkin lymphoma. Several studies have demonstrated regression of indolent lymphoma with antiviral therapy (AVT) alone. However, the role of AVT in HCV‐infected patients with diffuse large B‐cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is unclear. We therefore analyzed AVT's impact on oncologic outcomes of HCV‐infected patients (cases) who developed DLBCL. Cases seen at our institution (June 2004–May 2014) were matched with uninfected counterparts (controls) and then divided according to prior AVT consisting of interferon‐based regimens. We studied 304 patients (76 cases and 228 controls). More cases than controls had extranodal (79% vs. 72%; p = 0.07) and upper gastrointestinal (GI; 42% vs. 24%; p = 0.004) involvement. Cases never given AVT had DLBCL more refractory to first‐line chemotherapy than that in the controls (33% vs. 17%; p = 0.05) and exhibited a trend toward more progressive lymphoma at last examination compared to controls (50% vs. 32%; p = 0.09) or cases given AVT (50% vs. 27%; p = 0.06). Cases never given AVT had worse 5‐year overall survival (OS) rates than did the controls (HR, 2.3 [95% CI, 1.01–5.3]; p = 0.04). Furthermore, AVT improved 5‐year OS rates among cases in both univariate (median [Interquartile range]: 39 [26–56] vs. 16 [6–41] months, p = 0.02) and multivariate analyses (HR = 0.21 [95% CI, 0.06–0.69]; p = 0.01). This study highlights the negative impact of chronic HCV on survival of DLBCL patients and shows that treatment of HCV infection is associated with a better cancer response to chemotherapy and improves 5‐year OS.
Direct and indirect effects of parenting practices on socio‐moral approval of aggression in Polish young adults. Do all practices matter?
Authors: Dominiak‐Kochanek Monika , Konopka Karolina , Rutkowska Marta , Frączek Adam , Ramirez J. Martin
Published: August 2016

The purpose of this article was to determine the socialisation antecedents of socio‐moral approval of aggression (SMAA). In Study 1, we assessed factorial structure and reliability of the SMAA with a sample of 355 students who reported on the extent to which they approved of six forms of aggressive behaviour and six justifications of aggression. Two‐factor solutions were obtained with regard to forms and justifications of aggressive acts. Thus, approval of extreme and minor aggression was distinguished as well as legitimate and illegitimate justifications of aggression. In Study 2, we tested the path models of the socialisation antecedents that contributed to the high approval of minor and extreme aggressive acts as well as legitimate and illegitimate justifications of aggression. Data were collected from 173 undergraduate students. Path analyses showed that high levels of approval of extremely aggressive acts and of illegitimate justifications of aggression were preceded by a sequence of negative life events, beginning with frequent misbehaviour in childhood, corporal punishment used by parents and ending with delinquency in adolescence. The approval of minor aggression had little relation to socialisation factors apart from a detrimental effect of psychological aggression while approval of legitimate justifications of aggression had no socialisation antecedents.
A synoptic climatology of strong along‐channel winds on the Coast of British Columbia, Canada
Authors: Bakri Talaat , Jackson Peter , Doherty Ford
Published: August 2016

A synoptic climatology using mean sea level pressure and 500‐hPa geopotential height composites is conducted for strong along‐channel winds that occur through five of the channels dissecting British Columbia's coast. Seasonal (winter, summer) and directional (inflow, air moving from the coast inland; outflow, air moving from inland towards the coast) partitioning of the winds, results in four distinct along‐channel winds that occur: summertime inflow, summertime outflow, wintertime inflow and wintertime outflow. Composite analyses using reanalysis data and in situ observations are used to examine each wind type at all locations. Wintertime composites produce patterns that are distinct from the overall winter climatology, in which outflows occur when an arctic surface high‐pressure area on the inland side of the coastal mountains is accompanied by the presence of an area of low surface pressure in the northeastern Pacific. Inflow composites in the winter indicate low‐pressure areas associated with mid‐latitude cyclones over the Gulf of Alaska. Summertime composites are similar to the overall summer climatology; therefore, other approaches are applied to explain these winds. We analyse 104 summertime inflow events at three locations using surface analysis charts for 13 summer seasons. The analysis reveals the importance of fronts at the time of inflows, with fronts associated with almost half of the events. Non‐hierarchical clustering analysis is applied for the summertime inflow events. The clustering analysis gives a better explanation of the summertime inflows than the composites. This is achieved by grouping events into different clusters, allowing for better illustration of the variance between the clusters.
Free anterolateral thigh flap and masseter nerve transfer for reconstruction of extensive periauricular defects: Surgical technique and clinical outcomes
Authors: Cristóbal Lara , Linder Sora , Lopez Beatriz , Mani Maria , Rodríguez‐Lorenzo Andres
Published: August 2016

Background

Radical tumor ablation in the periauricular area often results in extensive soft tissue defects, including facial nerve sacrifice, bone and/or dura defects. Reconstruction of these defects should aim at restoring facial reanimation, wound closure, and facial and neck contours. We present our experience using free anterolateral thigh flap (ALT) in combination with masseter nerve to facial nerve transfer in managing complex defects in the periauricular area.

Methods

Between 2011 and 2015 six patients underwent a combined procedure of ALT flap reconstruction and masseter nerve transfer, to reconstruct extensive, post tumor resection, periauricular defects. The ALT flap was customized according to the defect. For smile restoration, the masseter nerve was transferred to the buccal branch of the facial nerve. If the facial nerve stump was preserved, interposition of nerve grafts to the zygomatic and frontal branches was performed to provide separate eye closure. The outcomes were analyzed by assessing wound closure, contour deformity, symmetry of the face, and facial nerve function.

Results

There were no partial or total flap losses. Stable wound closure and adequate volume replacement in the neck was achieved in all cases, as well as good facial tonus and symmetry. The mean follow‐up time of clinical outcomes was 16.8 months. Smile restoration was graded as good or excellent in four cases, moderate in one and fair in one.

Conclusion

Extensive periauricular defects following oncologic resection could be adequately reconstructed in a combined procedure of free ALT flap and masseter nerve transfer to the facial nerve for smile restoration.
An improved non‐Cartesian partially parallel imaging by exploiting artificial sparsity
Authors: Chen Zhifeng , Xia Ling , Liu Feng , Wang Qiuliang , Li Yi , Zhu Xuchen , Huang Feng
Published: August 2016

Purpose

To improve the performance of non‐Cartesian partially parallel imaging (PPI) by exploiting artificial sparsity, the generalized autocalibrating partially parallel acquisitions (GRAPPA) operator for wider band lines (GROWL) is taken as a specific example for explanation.

Theory

This work is based on the GRAPPA‐like PPI having an improved performance when the to‐be‐reconstructed image is sparse in the image domain.

Methods

A systematic scheme is proposed to artificially generate the sparse image for non‐Cartesian trajectory. Using GROWL as a specific non‐Cartesian PPI method, artificial sparsity‐enhanced GROWL (ARTS‐GROWL) is used to demonstrate the efficiency of the proposed scheme. The ARTS‐GROWL consists of three steps: 1) generating synthetic k‐space data corresponding to an image with smaller support, that is, artificial sparsity; 2) applying GROWL to the synthetic k‐space data from previous step; and 3) recovering the final image from the reconstruction with the processed data.

Results

For simulation and in vivo data, the experiments demonstrate that the proposed ARTS‐GROWL significantly reduces the reconstruction errors compared with the conventional GROWL technique for the tested acceleration factors.

Conclusion

Taking ARTS‐GROWL, for instance, experimental results indicate that artificial sparsity improved the signal‐to‐noise ratio and normalized root‐mean‐square error of non‐Cartesian PPI. Magn Reson Med 78:271–279, 2017. © 2016 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine