bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An activated sympathetic nervous system affects white adipocyte differentiation and lipolysis in a rat model of Parkinson's disease
Authors: Meng XiangZhi , Zheng RuiPan , Zhang Ying , Qiao MingLiang , Liu Li , Jing Peng , Wang LuLu , Liu Jing , Gao Yan
Published: September 2014

Weight loss is an important nonmotor symptom associated with Parkinson's disease (PD). However, the cellular factors responsible for PD‐induced weight loss remain unclear. Because the sympathetic nervous system plays an important role in lipid metabolism and fat cell differentiation, this study investigates whether PD‐induced changes to this system are associated with weight loss in a rat model of PD. Body weight and food intake were measured in control and PD‐model rats. After 10 weeks, retroperitoneal white adipose tissues (RWAT) were removed and weighed. Markers of the sympathetic nervous system were measured in the brainstem dorsal medulla and RWAT. Free fat acids (FFA), triglycerides (TG), adipocyte differentiation‐related genes, and lipolysis‐related molecules in the RWAT and serum were analyzed. Differences in body weight and food intake were insignificant in PD‐model rats and control rats; however, relative RWAT weight and adipocyte surface area were significantly reduced in the PD group. Changes in markers of the sympathetic nervous system were observed in the brainstem dorsal medulla and RWAT of PD rats. Decreased mRNA expression levels of genes involved in adipocyte differentiation, decreased TG levels in RWAT, increased FFA in RWAT, and increased lipolysis‐related molecules in RWAT and serum FFA were observed in PD rats. This study demonstrates that degenerated dopaminergic neurons in the nigrostriatal system correlate with increases in sympathetic nervous system function, resulting in lipolysis and inhibition of fat cell differentiation. These factors ultimately result in the decrease of RWAT in PD‐model rats. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Forest Restoration and Check‐Dams to Reduce Catchment Sediment Yield
Authors: Quiñonero‐Rubio Juan Manuel , Nadeu Elisabet , Boix‐Fayos Carolina , de Vente Joris
Published: September 2014

Reforestations and check‐dams are two commonly used measures to reduce soil erosion rates and sediment export from highly eroding catchments. Here, we evaluated the impact of the construction of 94 check‐dams and land use changes (caused by agricultural abandonment and reforestations) on sediment yield in the Upper Taibilla catchment (320 km2, SE Spain) from 1956 to 2000. We combined land use change analysis, field surveys, and application of the WaTEM‐SEDEM erosion and sediment yield prediction model for nine scenarios combining land use maps (1956, 1987, and 2000) and different numbers of check‐dams throughout the catchment. Land use changes alone reduced sediment yield up to 14%, but in combination with check‐dams, the reduction in sediment yield reached 44 ± 6%. Sediment yield reduction was higher in smaller sub‐catchments, with, on average, a higher transport capacity than larger catchments, illustrating the scale dependency of human impacts on sediment fluxes and the buffer capacity of larger catchments. From an economical perspective, the construction of check‐dams was estimated to be more expensive than reforestation programs in the studied catchment, while adding more check‐dams did not always result in a proportional reduction of sediment yield. This indicates that optimizing check‐dam distribution relative to land use patterns is crucial to decrease catchment sediment yield. Check‐dams have a large and instantaneous impact on sediment yield over a restricted time period, while reforestations have important sustained effects at a lower economic cost. These contrasting effects require a careful evaluation for optimal effective catchment management. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Synthesis, Characterization and Drug Delivery Profile of Magnetic PLGA‐PEG‐PLGA/Maghemite Nanocomposite
Authors: Pereira Emiliane Daher , Souza Fernando G. , Pinto José Carlos C.S. , Cerruti Renata , Santana Camila
Published: September 2014

The antibiotic cotrimoxazole was associated to the multi‐block copolymer containing poly(D,L‐lactic‐glycolic acid) (PLGA) and poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) segments, PLGA‐PEG‐PLGA, aiming to reach a controlled drug release system. Block copolymer was synthesized via polycondensation of lactic acid and glycolic acid with PEG in situ. In turn, maghemite was synthesized through the co‐precipitation method. The drug cotrimoxazole was inserted in the composite through melting mixing method. Several techniques were used to characterize the materials. The materials were characterized by Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X‐ray diffraction (XRD) and magnetic force, this last according to the methodology developed by our group. In addition, dissolution profile was studied. These dissolution tests were performed with and without magnetic field, aiming to study the influence of the magnetic field on the dissolution profile. The dissolution was monitored and quantified using the ultraviolet‐visible spectrophotometry (UV‐Vis), following the USP method for cotrimoxazole tablets. Results demonstrated that nanocomposites presented a good magnetic force, able to keep the magnetic composite trapped in a specific place or tissue. Furthermore, in the presence of a magnetic field, the magnetic nanoparticles were able to perform a magnetic constriction of the material, making the drug release faster than in the absence of the magnetic field. This phenomenon may be useful to perform a fine tuning of the system, allowing the easier adjust of the speed and amount of released drug, useful to improve medical treatments and even the welfare of the patients.
Preparation of Unsaturated Fatty Acids/Chitosan Microcapsules: Influence of Solvent
Authors: Esquerdo Vanessa Mendonça , Silva Juliana Batista , Rodrigues Patrick Amaral , Dotto Guilherme Luiz , de Almeida Pinto Luiz Antonio
Published: September 2014

In this work, the effect of solvent type on the characteristics of unsaturated fatty acids/chitosan microcapsules was evaluated. The unsaturated fatty acids were obtained from carp oil and chitosan was obtained from shrimp wastes. The emulsion containing microcapsules was obtained from an aqueous and an oil phases. In the oil phase, ethanol and hexane were evaluated as solvents. The microcapsules were characterized according to the encapsulation efficiency, peroxide values and scanning electron microscopy. The results revealed that the microcapsules with ethanol and hexane showed encapsulation efficiencies of 79.6 and 69.4%, respectively. The microcapsules with ethanol showed lower peroxide values, and these values were maintained during 30 days. Furthermore, these microcapsules were spherical and irregular, with mean diameter ranging from 0.5 to 2.5 µm. These results indicated that the ethanol was the more adequate solvent to obtain unsaturated fatty acids/chitosan microcapsules.
Chemical Degradation of Poly(hydroxybutyrate‐co‐hydroxyvalerate) Microparticles
Authors: Senhorini Grece Aparecida , Silva Thiago Alessandre da , Barbosa Ronilson Vasconcelos , Farago Paulo Vitor , de Assis Marques Francisco , Zawadzki Sônia Faria
Published: September 2014

Poly(hydroxybutyrate‐co‐hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV) is a polymer that can be used on preparation of controlled release systems containing actives principles. The release of the compounds encapsulated on those systems can occur by three different forms: diffusion, degradation and matrix polymeric rupture. Therefore, it is interesting to evaluate the behavior of polymeric matrix when it is submitted on a pH change, for example an agricultural soils simulations. The objective of this study is the understanding of the chemical degradation process of microparticles employed with agricultural application. The PHBV microparticles were prepared using o/w simple emulsion technique followed by solvent evaporation, using poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) as stabilizing agent. The evaluation of polymeric microparticles, submitted to chemical degradation process in pH 5.6 at room temperature, was determined by conventional characterization techniques such as Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), X‐ray diffraction (XRD) and Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC). By SEM images it is possible to suggest that the chemical degradation process occurred. The indicatives peaks of crystallinity of the PHBV microparticles decrease and occurred the rise of broader peaks relative at appearance of new amorphous regions. The data obtained by thermal analysis shown that microparticles degradation occurred on amorphous and crystallines portions of PHBV.
Bionanocomposite Obtained from Poly (lactic acid)/Biopolyethylene Blend and Clay
Authors: Araújo Aylanna P. M. , Agrawal Pankaj , Cavalcanti Shirley N. , Alves Amanda M. , Brito Gustavo F. , Mélo Tomás J. A.
Published: September 2014

The aim of this work is the development of a bionanocomposite from Poly (lactic acid)‐PLA/Biopolyethylene (PE) blend and clay. The montmorillonite (MMT) clay was organically modified with an ionic surfactant to become organophilic (OMMT). The MMT and OMMT clays were characterized by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and X‐Ray Diffraction (XRD) techniques. The blends and the biocomposites were prepared by extrusion followed by injection molding and characterized by XRD, mechanical properties and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). XRD and FTIR results indicated that the MMT clay was sucessfully modified becoming OMMT. XRD results also indicated that for the PLA/PE/EMA‐GMA biocomposite a bionanocomposite with an intercalated structure was obtained. SEM results showed that the addition of the OMMT clay to both PLA/PE and PLA/PE/EMA‐GMA blends led to a substantial decrease in the PE dispersed phase domains size. This decrease was more pronounced in the PLA/EMA‐GMA/OMMT bionanocomposite.
How to be at the right place at the right time: The importance of spindle positioning in embryos
Authors: Moorhouse Kathleen S. , Burgess David R.
Published: September 2014

Spindle positioning is an imperative cellular process that regulates a number of different developmental events throughout embryogenesis. The spindle must be properly positioned in embryos not only for the segregation of chromosomes, but also to segregate developmental determinants into different daughter blastomeres. In this review, the role of spindle positioning is explored in several different developmental model systems, which have revealed the diversity of factors that regulate spindle positioning. The C. elegans embryo, the Drosophila neuroblast, and ascidian embryos have all been utilized for the study of polarity‐dependent spindle positioning, and exploration of the proteins that are required for asymmetric cell division. Work in the sea urchin embryo has examined the influence of cell shape and factors that affect secondary furrow formation. The issue of size scaling in extremely large cells, as well as the requirement for spindle positioning in developmental fate decisions in vertebrates, has been addressed by work in the Xenopus embryo. Further work in mouse oocytes has examined the roles of actin and myosin in spindle positioning. The data generated from these model organisms have made unique contributions to our knowledge of spindle positioning. Future work will address how all of these different factors work together to regulate the position of the spindle. Mol. Reprod. Dev. 81: 884–895, 2014. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Insights into propylene/ω‐halo‐α‐alkenes copolymerization promoted by rac‐Et(Ind)2ZrCl2 and (pyridyl‐amido)hafnium catalysts
Authors: Wang Xiao‐Yan , Long Ying‐Yun , Wang Yong‐Xia , Li Yue‐Sheng
Published: September 2014

This article discussed the root causes of the interesting differences between rac‐Et(Ind)2ZrCl2 and dimethyl (pyridyl‐amido)hafnium in catalyzing the propylene/ω‐halo‐α‐alkene copolymerization. Confirmed by density functional theory (DFT) calculations, the larger spacial opening around the active center of rac‐Et(Ind)2ZrCl2 contributes to the coordination and insertion of the monomers, resulting in the higher catalytic activity, while the narrow spacial opening around the Hf center retards the chain transfer reaction, leading to the much higher molecular weights (Mws) of the copolymers. The superior tolerability of Zr catalyst toward halogen groups might be attributed to that the dormant species generated from halogen coordination could be promptly reactivated. DFT calculations indicated the higher probability for the ω‐halo‐α‐alkene vinyl to coordinate with the Hf catalyst leading to the better ability to incorporate halogenated monomers. The high Mws and the outstanding isotacticity achieved by the Hf catalyst determined the higher melting temperature values of the copolymers with a certain amount of halogen groups. In addition, the chain transfer schemes were employed to analyze why the presence of halogenated monomers greatly decreased the Mws of the copolymers when rac‐Et(Ind)2ZrCl2 was used, while had no or little effect upon the Mws in the copolymerization by the Hf catalyst. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2014, 52, 3421–3428
Gold Nanoparticle–Dynamic Light Scattering Tandem for the Rapid and Quantitative Detection of the let7 MicroRNA Family
Authors: Seow Nianjia , Tan Yen Nee , Yung Lin‐Yue Lanry
Published: September 2014

The discovery of miRNAs as key regulators of the cellular machinery and their implication in diseases has blossomed research in miRNA detection. Conventional techniques such as quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (qRT–PCR), northern blotting and microarray technologies have contributed significantly to the detection of miRNAs. But, areas of unmet need remained and emerging nanotechnology platforms have the potential to make the biosensing process simpler while maintaining good sensitivity and selectivity. To this effect, a gold nanoparticle (AuNP) scattering technique is presented, which shows the controlled formation of defined nanoassemblies through the hybridization of uniquely designed AuNP probes to its targeted miRNA. The defined assemblies exhibit a distinct size shift that can be detected through dynamic light scattering (DLS). Thus, instead of using DLS as a characterization tool as it is conventionally used for, herein, its potential use is demonstrated as a bioanalytical system. Using the let7 family miRNA, which associates with increasingly many medical conditions, as the model of study, we are able to achieve a limit of detection of 100 fmol and a selectivity discriminating close members of the let7 family. Potentially, detection can be done in 5 min, which also makes this a rapid detection system.
Molecular dynamics simulations on the oxidation of Si(100)/SiO2 interface: Emissions and incorporations of Si‐related species into the SiO2 and substrate
Authors: Takahashi Norihiko , Yamasaki Takahiro , Kaneta Chioko
Published: September 2014

Si(100)‐oxidation processes at the Si/SiO2 interface and in the SiO2 region are investigated focusing on the dynamics of Si and SiO emissions from the interface and the following incorporation into the substrate and/or SiO2. To clarify these atomic processes, classical molecular dynamics (MD) simulations with variable charge interatomic potentials are performed. By incorporating oxygen atoms, twofold coordinated (twofolded) Si atoms are formed after structural relaxation at the interface. The energy changes of the twofolded Si emissions into the substrate and SiO2 are estimated to be 2.97–7.81 eV. The energy barrier of the twofolded Si emission as SiO molecule is estimated to be 1.20 eV on the basis of the enthalpy change in an MD simulation. The emitted SiO molecule is incorporated into the SiO2 network through a Si–O rebonding process with leaving local deficiency of oxygen, i.e., generating an oxygen vacancy. The energy barrier of the SiO incorporation is estimated to be 0.79–0.81 eV. The elementary process of oxygen vacancy diffusion leading to the complete SiO incorporation are also simulated, and the energy barriers are found to be relatively small, 0.71–0.79 eV. The energy changes of Si emissions into the substrate and SiO2 are larger than the energy barrier of the SiO emission, which suggests that, at the ideally flat Si/SiO2 interface with relatively small oxidation stress, the SiO emission into the SiO2 region occurs prior to the Si emission. This result is consistent with previous theoretical and experimental studies. The above‐mentioned typical atomic processes are successfully extracted from some (or one) of MD simulations among many trials in which a statistical procedure is partly employed. Our results give a unified understanding of Si oxidation processes from an atomistic point of view.
Structures and electronic properties of the small rubidium‐doped silicon RbSin (n = 1–12) clusters
Authors: Luo Chang‐Geng , He Chao‐Zheng , Li Hua‐Yang , Li Gen‐Quan , Zhang Shuai , Liu Xu‐Yan
Published: September 2014

The geometries, relative stabilities, and electronic properties of small rubidium‐doped silicon clusters RbSin (n = 1–12) have been systematically investigated using the density functional theory at the B3LYP/GENECP level. The optimized structures show that lowest‐energy isomers of RbSin are similar with the ground state isomers of pure Sin clusters and prefer the three‐dimensional for n = 3–12. The relative stabilities of RbSin clusters have been analyzed on the averaged binding energy, fragmentation energy, second‐order energy difference, and highest occupied molecular orbital‐lowest unoccupied molecular orbital energy gap. The calculated results indicate that the doping of Rb atom enhances the chemical activity of Sin frame and the magic number is RbSi2. The Mulliken population analysis reveals that the charges in the corresponding RbSin clusters transfer from the Rb atom to Si atoms. The partial density of states and chemical hardness are also discussed. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Leveraging Image‐based Localization for Infrastructure‐based Calibration of a Multi‐camera Rig
Authors: Heng Lionel , Furgale Paul , Pollefeys Marc
Published: September 2014

Most existing calibration methods for multi‐camera rigs are computationally expensive, use installations of known fiducial markers, and require expert supervision. We propose an alternative approach called infrastructure‐based calibration that is efficient, requires no modification of the infrastructure (or calibration area), and is completely unsupervised. In infrastructure‐based calibration, we use a map of a chosen calibration area and leverage image‐based localization to calibrate an arbitrary multi‐camera rig in near real‐time. Due to the use of a map, before we can apply infrastructure‐based calibration, we have to run a survey phase once to generate a map of the calibration area. In this survey phase, we use a survey vehicle equipped with a multi‐camera rig and a calibrated odometry system, and self‐calibration based on simultaneous localization and mapping to build the map that is based on natural features. The use of the calibrated odometry system ensures that the metric scale of the map is accurate. Our infrastructure‐based calibration method does not assume an overlapping field of view between any two cameras, and it does not require an initial guess of any extrinsic parameter. Through extensive field tests on various ground vehicles in a variety of environments, we demonstrate the accuracy and repeatability of the infrastructure‐based calibration method for calibration of a multi‐camera rig. The code for our infrastructure‐based calibration method is publicly available as part of the CamOdoCal library at https://github.com/hengli/camodocal.
(t,k)‐Hypergraph anonymization: an approach for secure data publishing
Authors: Asayesh Atefeh , Hadavi Mohammad Ali , Jalili Rasool
Published: September 2014

Privacy preservation is an important issue in data publishing. Existing approaches on privacy‐preserving data publishing rely on tabular anonymization techniques such as k‐anonymity, which do not provide appropriate results for aggregate queries. The solutions based on graph anonymization have also been proposed for relational data to hide only bipartite relations. In this paper, we propose an approach for anonymizing multirelation constraints (ternary or more) with (t,k) hypergraph anonymization in data publishing. To this end, we model constraints as undirected hypergraphs and formally cluster attribute relations as hyperedge with the t‐means‐clustering algorithm. In addition, anonymization is carried out with a k‐anonymity method in every cluster for which the parameter k can vary in each cluster, to attain more flexibility and less information loss with respect to utility. Our experiments demonstrate that this approach offers a great trade‐off between privacy and utility. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Five New Oxylipins from Chaenomeles sinensis
Authors: Kim Chung Sub , Kwon Oh Wook , Kim Sun Yeou , Choi Sang Un , Kim Ki Hyun , Lee Kang Ro
Published: September 2014

In the course of our continuing search for bioactive constituents of Korean medicinal plants, we isolated five new oxylipins, chaenomic acid A–E (1–5), and six known ones (6–11) from the twigs of Chaenomeles sinensis. The structures of the new compounds (1–5) were determined by spectroscopic methods, including 1D and 2D NMR (1H and 13C NMR, 1H–1H COSY, HMQC, HMBC, and NOESY), olefin cross‐metathesis, and LC/MS analysis. The known compounds (6–11) were identified by comparison of their spectroscopic data and specific optical rotation with the reported data. The isolated compounds (1–11) were tested for their inhibitory effects on nitric oxide production in lipopolysaccharide‐activated murine microglial cells and for their cytotoxic activities against four human cancer cell lines (A549, SK‐OV‐3, A498, and HCT‐15).
Improvement in PET/CT image quality in overweight patients with PSF and TOF
Authors: Taniguchi Takafumi , Akamatsu Go , Kasahara Yukiko , Mitsumoto Katsuhiko , Baba Shingo , Tsutsui Yuji , Himuro Kazuhiko , Mikasa Shohei , Kidera Daisuke , Sasaki Masayuki
Published: September 2014

Objective

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of the point spread function (PSF) and time of flight (TOF) on PET/CT images of overweight patients in relation to the iteration number and the acquisition time.

Methods

This study consisted of a phantom study and a clinical study. The NEMA IEC body phantom and a 40 cm diameter large phantom (LG phantom) simulating an overweight patient were used in this study. Both phantoms were filled with 18F solution with a sphere to background ratio of 4:1. The PET data were reconstructed with the baseline ordered-subsets expectation maximization (OSEM) algorithm, with the OSEM + PSF model, with the OSEM + TOF model and with the OSEM + PSF + TOF model. The clinical study was a retrospective analysis of 66 patients who underwent 18F-FDG PET/CT. The image quality was evaluated using the background variability (coefficient of variance, CVphantom and CVliver) and the contrast (CONTHOT and SNR).

Results

In phantom study, the CVphantom of the LG phantom was higher than that of the NEMA phantom. The PSF decreased the CVphantom of the LG phantom to the NEMA phantom level. The TOF information accelerated the CVphantom plateau earlier. The best relationship between the CVphantom and the CONTHOT was observed for the OSEM + PSF + TOF. In clinical study, the combination of PSF and TOF decreased the CVliver for overweight patients to that for normal weight patients while it increased the SNR similarly between two patient groups.

Conclusion

The combination of the PSF and TOF correction improved the image quality of the LG phantom and overweight patients.
Selbstmanagementstrategien von Familien in der Palliative Care zu Hause – eine Metasynthese
Authors: Kreyer Christiane , Pleschberger Sabine
Published: September 2014

Hintergrund: Die Betreuung und Pflege von Menschen mit Krebserkrankung am Lebensende zu Hause wird zu einem großen Teil in der Familie geleistet. Dabei sind vor allem pflegende Angehörige stark belastet. Studien die sich mit der Perspektive der Familien in dieser Situation beschäftigen, gehen häufig indirekt auf Selbstmanagementstrategien ein. Diese könnten ein wichtiger Ansatzpunkt für Unterstützungsangebote sein. Ziel: Ziel der Studie ist es, qualitative Forschungsergebnisse zum Selbstmanagement von Familien in der Palliative Care zu Hause zu synthetisieren. Es soll dargestellt werden, wie Familien die Situation erleben und welche Selbstmanagementstrategien sie nutzen. Methode: Eine Metasynthese, die der Methode nach Noblit und Hare (1988) folgte, wurde durchgeführt. Die Ergebnisse von 13 qualitativen Studien aus sechs Ländern wurden einbezogen. Ergebnisse: Die Palliativversorgung eines Menschen mit Krebserkrankung zu Hause kann als instabiler Übergangsprozess verstanden werden, in dessen Verlauf die Familien «um Normalität ringen». Dieser Prozess wird entlang von vier Themen dargestellt. Zudem konnten sechs Selbstmanagementstrategien der Familien identifiziert werden, dies sind das Anerkennen der Situation, die Restrukturierung des Alltags, die Aufrechterhaltung der Balance in den familiären Beziehungen, die Übernahme von Verantwortung, das Nutzen sozialer Unterstützung und der Erwerb von Kompetenzen für Pflege und Betreuung. Schlussfolgerung: Aus den vielfältigen Selbstmanagementstrategien ergeben sich wertvolle Ansätze für die Unterstützung von Angehörigen im Rahmen palliativer Begleitung und Beratung.
A sphingosine kinase inhibitor combined with temozolomide induces glioblastoma cell death through accumulation of dihydrosphingosine and dihydroceramide, endoplasmic reticulum stress and autophagy
Authors: Noack J , Choi J , Richter K , Kopp-Schneider A , Régnier-Vigouroux A
Published: September 2014

Glioblastomas (GBMs) are very aggressive tumors with low chemosensitivity. The DNA-alkylating agent temozolomide (TMZ) is currently the most efficient chemotoxic drug for GBM therapy; however, many patients develop resistance to TMZ. Combining TMZ with another agent could present an improved treatment option if it could overcome TMZ resistance and avoid side effects. Sphingosine kinase inhibitors (SKIs) have emerged as anticancer agents. Sphingosine kinases are often overexpressed in tumors where their activity of phosphorylating sphingosine (Sph) contributes to tumor growth and migration. They control the levels of the pro-apoptotic ceramide (Cer) and Sph and of the pro-survival sphingosine-1 phosphate. In the present work, TMZ was combined with a specific SKI, and the cytotoxic effect of each drug alone or in combination was tested on GBM cell lines. The combination of sublethal doses of both agents resulted in the cell death potentiation of GBM cell lines without affecting astrocyte viability. It triggered a caspase-3-dependent cell death that was preceded by accumulation of dihydrosphingosine (dhSph) and dihydroceramide (dhCer), oxidative stress, endoplasmic reticulum stress, and autophagy. Autophagy was identified as the crucial switch that facilitated induction of this cell death potentiation. The sublethal dose of the inhibitor induced these stress events, whereas that of TMZ induced the destructive autophagy switch. Remarkably, neither Cer nor Sph, but rather the Cer intermediates, dhSph and dhCer, was involved in the cytotoxicity from the combination. Cell lines sensitive to the combination expressed low levels of the antioxidant enzyme glutathione peroxidase-1, indicating this enzyme as a potential marker of sensitivity to such treatment. This work shows for the first time a strong interaction between a SKI and TMZ, leading to a tumor cell-specific death induction. It further demonstrates the biological relevance of dihydrosphingolipids in cell death mechanisms and emphasizes the potential of drugs that affect sphingolipid metabolism for cancer therapy.
Complex MSH2 and MSH6 mutations in hypermutated microsatellite unstable advanced prostate cancer
Authors: Pritchard Colin C. , Morrissey Colm , Kumar Akash , Zhang Xiaotun , Smith Christina , Coleman Ilsa , Salipante Stephen J. , Milbank Jennifer , Yu Ming , Grady William M. , Tait Jonathan F. , Corey Eva , Vessella Robert L. , Walsh Tom , Shendure Jay , Nelson Peter S.
Published: September 2014

A hypermutated subtype of advanced prostate cancer was recently described, but prevalence and mechanisms have not been well-characterized. Here we find that 12% (7 of 60) of advanced prostate cancers are hypermutated, and that all hypermutated cancers have mismatch repair gene mutations and microsatellite instability (MSI). Mutations are frequently complex MSH2 or MSH6 structural rearrangements rather than MLH1 epigenetic silencing. Our findings identify parallels and differences in the mechanisms of hypermutation in prostate cancer compared with other MSI-associated cancers.
Electrocatalytic proton reduction catalyzed by a dimanganese disulfide carbonyl complex containing a redox-active internal disulfide bond
Authors: Hou Kaipeng , Fan Wai Yip
Published: September 2014

A dimanganese complex containing a redox-active elongated disulfide bond electrocatalyses proton reduction.
Synthesis, structure and properties of 2D lanthanide coordination polymers based on N-heterocyclic arylpolycarboxylate ligands
Authors: You Li-Xin , Wang Shu-Ju , Xiong Gang , Ding Fu , Meert Katrien W. , Poelman Dirk , Smet Philippe F. , Ren Bao-Yi , Tian Yan-Wen , Sun Ya-Guang
Published: September 2014

Eight 2D LCPs based on the N-heterocyclic arylpolycarboxylate ligands were prepared, and the luminescence and magnetic properties were studied.
A heterotrimetallic Ir(iii), Au(iii) and Pt(ii) complex incorporating cyclometallating bi- and tridentate ligands: simultaneous emission from different luminescent metal centres leads to broad-band light emission
Authors: Muñoz-Rodríguez Rebeca , Buñuel Elena , Fuentes Noelia , Williams J. A. Gareth , Cárdenas Diego J.
Published: September 2014

Di- and tri-nuclear metal complexes incorporating Au(iii), Ir(iii) and Pt(ii) units linked via a 1,3,5-triethynylbenzene core.
Computational study of the structural plasticity and the ligand binding affinity of the IRES subdomain IIa
Authors: Branilović Marina Grabar , Tomić Sanja
Published: September 2014

MD simulations revealed reversibility of the long range conformational changes of the HCV RNA subdomain IIa.
Tetrazole regioisomers in the development of nitro group-containing antitubercular agents
Authors: Karabanovich Galina , Roh Jaroslav , Soukup Ondřej , Pávková Ivona , Pasdiorová Markéta , Tambor Vojtěch , Stolaříková Jiřina , Vejsová Marcela , Vávrová Kateřina , Klimešová Věra , Hrabálek Alexandr
Published: September 2014

Tetrazole derivatives containing nitro substituents have been identified as promising antitubercular agents.
Effect of nanovaccine chemistry on humoral immune response kinetics and maturation
Authors: Haughney Shannon L. , Ross Kathleen A. , Boggiatto Paola M. , Wannemuehler Michael J. , Narasimhan Balaji
Published: September 2014

Nanovaccine chemistry can be tailored to sustain antigen availability leading to the development of long-lasting, mature antibody responses.
Conformationally locked bicyclo[4.3.0]nonane carbanucleosides: synthesis and bio-evaluation
Authors: Shing Tony K. M. , Wong Anthony W. H. , Li Huiyan , Liu Z. F. , Chan Paul K. S.
Published: September 2014

d-Ribose was converted into 3 novel carbobicyclic nucleosides bearing a bicyclo[4.3.0]nonane framework in 16–19 steps with 5–12% overall yields involving a Wittig olefination and an intramolecular Diels–Alder reaction as the key steps.
Synthesis and characterization of chiral Ag2S and Ag2S–Zn nanocrystals
Authors: Liu Ying-Fan , Wang Lei , Shi Wan-Zhen , Zhang Yan-Hui , Fang Shao-Ming
Published: September 2014

Ag2S–Zn NCs exhibited tunable PL emission at 500–700 nm and a clear mirror-image relationship in their CD signals.
Structural incorporation of iron into Ge–imogolite nanotubes: a promising step for innovative nanomaterials
Authors: Avellan A. , Levard C. , Kumar N. , Rose J. , Olivi L. , Thill A. , Chaurand P. , Borschneck D. , Masion A.
Published: September 2014

Iron-doped aluminogermanate nanotubes were obtained using a single step, aqueous phase synthesis protocol, resulting in a novel nanomaterial.
Influence of current collector electrode on the capacitive performance of electrodeposited PANI: insight gained from frequency and time domain analysis
Authors: Pandey Kavita , Yadav Pankaj , Mukhopadhyay Indrajit
Published: September 2014

This article focuses on the choice and effect of current collector electrode on the performance-indicating parameters of supercapacitors.
1,1′-Sulfinyldipyridinium bis (hydrogen sulfate) ionic liquid: synthesis and application in the temperature-influenced synthesis of novel pyranopyrimidinediones and pyranopyrimidinetriones
Authors: Patil Jayavant D. , Korade Suyog N. , Pore Dattaprasad M.
Published: September 2014

A novel and robust dication Brønsted acidic ionic liquid as a catalyst for the temperature influenced synthesis of novel pyranopyrimidinediones and pyranopyrimidinetriones.
Rapid18F-radiolabeling of peptides from [18F]fluoride using a single microfluidics device
Authors: Cumming Robin C. , Olberg Dag Erlend , Sutcliffe Julie L.
Published: September 2014

To date the majority of18F-peptide radiolabeling approaches are multi-step, low yielding and time-consuming processes.
Self-protected nickel–graphene hybrid low density 3D scaffolds
Authors: Philip Moab Rajan , Narayanan Tharangattu N. , Praveen Kumar M. , Arya Shashi Bhushan , Pattanayak Deepak K.
Published: September 2014

The development of multifunctional, low density graphene–metallic hybrid foam is demonstrated by a feasible method.
Method to classify elderly subjects as fallers and non‐fallers based on gait energy image
Authors: Gandomkar Ziba , Bahrami Fariba
Published: September 2014

Falls are one of the leading causes of injuries among the elderly. Therefore, distinguishing fallers and performing preventive actions is vitally important. A new variation of the gait energy image (GEI) called coloured gait energy image (CGEI) is proposed for classifying subjects as fallers and non‐fallers and for visualising their gait patterns. Eight elderly fallers, eight elderly non‐fallers and eight young subjects performed timed up and go (TUG) test, which is one of the well‐known clinical tools for fall risk assessment and contains two gait sequences. Subjects were also asked to perform two other variations of the TUG test, namely TUG with manual load and TUG with cognitive load. Gait sequences were extracted from the TUG test based on the opinion of three human observers. Then the gait cycles were automatically extracted from the walking sequence and divided into three phases, corresponding to double support and first and second half of single support. Next, the GEI of each phase was generated and formed one of the colour components of CGEI. Histogram‐based features obtained from CGEI were then used to classify the video collected from walking sequences of elderly fallers and non‐fallers. Correct classification rate was improved by approximately 27% compared with the standard TUG test.
Interference alignment performance in Gaussian interference channel
Authors: Wang Qinmin , Zhou Changlin , Zhang Zhongpei , Jie Fengke
Published: September 2014

Interference alignment (IA) is a data transmission scheme that achieves maximum multiplexing gains in interference channel. This study investigates the theoretical sum rate for IA. By analysing both the asymptotic eigenvalues distribution and the magnitude of the effective channel after interference cancellation in IA, a closed‐form of sum rate expression is derived for Gaussian interference channel. Numerical results show that the closed‐form results nearly coincide with that derived from numerical results of IA.
Using a one‐dimensional bandgap metamaterial to build up a delay line
Authors: Lucas Jerome , Geron Emmanuel , Ditchi Thierry
Published: September 2014

Classical lumped components delay lines are built with inductances and capacitors arranged as to match the standard telegraphist line model to obtain slow group velocity lines. In this study, the authors demonstrate that a practical way to obtain a significant group velocity reduction consist in taking advantage of the forbidden bands that present a one‐dimensional metamaterial. The feasibility of this kind of line, as well as its ability to transmit data are discussed and practically verified.
SIR: a secure and intelligent routing protocol for vehicular ad hoc network
Authors: Bhoi Sourav Kumar , Khilar Pabitra Mohan
Published: September 2014

Security in routing is an important issue in vehicular ad hoc network (VANET) to protect the valuable information. However, this intelligent transportation system (ITS) services provided by VANET are affected by the malicious vehicles. In this study, a secure and intelligent routing (SIR) protocol is proposed to transmit the data in a quickest path through the authenticated vehicles. Sending the data in a most connected path with less link connection problem enhances the system performance and selecting the authenticated vehicles in this quickest path protects the system from the malicious attacks. In this protocol, a weight W is calculated for every neighbouring junction Jneighbour by using the safety message transmission model, delay model, link connectivity model and vehicle position model. The Jneighbour with minimum W is selected as the junction through which the data are forwarded to the destination D. Simulation results show SIR performs better than secure path routing protocol, greedy traffic‐aware routing, anchor‐based street and traffic aware routing and geographic source routing protocols in terms of average end‐to‐end delay, network gap encounter and path length.
Electro‐oxidation of acetaminophen on nickel/poly(o‐aminophenol)/multi‐walled carbon nanotube nanocomposite modified graphite electrode
Authors: Naeemy Ali , Mohammadi Ali , Bakhtiari Hedieh , Ashouri Nasim , Walker Roderick Bryan
Published: September 2014

Poly(o‐aminophenol) (POAP)/multi‐walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) nanocomposite and POAP in the absence of the MWCNT were fabricated by consecutive cyclic voltammetry (CV) on a graphite (G) electrode. The dispersion of nickel (II) ions was accomplished and incorporated into the polymeric electrodes (G/POAP and G/POAP‐MWCNT) by immersing them into a 0.1 M nickel (II) solution. Following preparation of G/POAP/Ni and G/POAP‐MWCNT/Ni, the electrochemical behaviour was examined using CV. Scanning electron microscopy was used for characterisation of the nanocomposite. The prepared electrodes showed enhanced electrocatalytic activity for the oxidation of acetaminophen and facilitated the detection of acetaminophen in a 0.1 M NaOH solution. Compared with the G/POAP/Ni electrode, the G/POAP‐MWCNT/Ni electrode had a significant current response of acetaminophen oxidation because of the synergistic effects of POAP and the MWCNT. By CV, the calibration plot was linear in the range of 1–13 mM with standard deviation between 0.3 and 6.54% for acetaminophen. The G/POAP‐MWCNT/Ni was successfully applied for acetaminophen determination in tablets and the results showed sufficient precision and achieved a mean recovery of 96.8% (R.S.D. = 4.9%).
Silicon fiber with p-n junction
Authors: Homa D. , Cito A. , Pickrell G. , Hill C. , Scott B.
Published: September 2014

In this study, we fabricated a p-n junction in a fiber with a phosphorous doped silicon core and fused silica cladding. The fibers were fabricated via a hybrid process of the core-suction and melt-draw techniques and maintained overall diameters ranging from 200 to 900 μm and core diameters of 20–800 μm. The p-n junction was formed by doping the fiber with boron and confirmed via the current-voltage characteristic. The demonstration of a p-n junction in a melt-drawn silicon core fiber paves the way for the seamless integration of optical and electronic devices in fibers.
Temperature-sensitive nanogels in the presence of salt: Explicit coarse-grained simulations
Authors: Quesada-Pérez Manuel , Ahualli Silvia , Martín-Molina Alberto
Published: September 2014

In this work, coarse-grained simulations of two charged thermo-shrinking nanogels (with degrees of ionization of 0.125 and 0.250) in the presence of 1:1 and 3:1 electrolytes have been explicitly performed through the bead-spring model of polyelectrolyte. In a first set of simulations, salt concentrations for 1:1 and 3:1 electrolytes ranged from 1 to 100 mM and from 0.167 to 16.7 mM, respectively, whereas temperature remained fixed at a value for which hydrophobic forces were negligible in our case (288 K). The sizes of swollen nanogels are smaller when trivalent cations are present, but they do not change significantly in the range of concentrations of 3:1 electrolyte studied here. It should be also stressed that trivalent cations neutralize the nanogel charge more efficiently. According to these results the electrostatic repulsion plays an important role. In a second set of simulations, the temperature varied from 288 to 333 K to study the effect of salt on the thermal response when hydrophobic forces are not negligible. For the nanogels with the lowest degree of ionization, the behavior of the radius with increasing the temperature can be described by a sigmoid function, which shifts towards lower temperatures in the presence of salt. This shift is more clearly observed for trivalent cations, even at low concentrations. For the nanogels with the highest degree of ionization, the effect of additional electrolyte is also noticeable. In this case, hydrophobic forces are not the only responsible for their shrinkage in the presence of trivalent cations. The surface electrostatic potential and the concentration of salt cations inside the nanogel have been computed from simulations and a modified Poisson-Boltzmann (PB) cell model. The thermosensitivity in size have certain influence on the sensitivity of these properties to temperature changes. The rich behavior of the surface electrostatic potential and the uptake of salt cations are successfully predicted by the modified PB cell model proposed (at least qualitatively). Particularly, the model is able to predict how the retention of salt cations depends on their charge and the ionic valence when nanogels shrink.
Unstable domains of tearing and Kelvin-Helmholtz instabilities in a rotating cylindrical plasma
Authors: Fan D. M. , Wei L. , Wang Z. X. , Zheng S. , Duan P.
Published: September 2014

Effects of poloidal rotation profile on tearing and Kelvin-Helmholtz (KH) instabilities in a cylindrical plasma are investigated by using a reduced magnetohydrodynamic model. Since the poloidal rotation has different effects on the tearing and KH modes in different rotation regimes, four unstable domains are numerically identified, i.e., the destabilized tearing mode domain, stabilized tearing mode domain, stable-window domain, and unstable KH mode domain. It is also found that when the rotation layer is in the outer region of the rational surface, the stabilizing role of the rotation can be enhanced so significantly that the stable window domain is enlarged. Moreover, Alfvén resonances can be induced by the tearing and KH modes in such rotating plasmas. Radially wide profiles of current and vorticity perturbations can be formed when multiple current sheets on different resonance positions are coupled together.
Monthly average daily global and diffuse solar radiation based on sunshine duration and clearness index for Brasov, Romania
Authors: Cotfas Daniel Tudor , Cotfas Petru Adrian , Kaplani Eleni , Samoila Cornel
Published: September 2014

The main objective of this study is to develop single location appropriate models for the estimation of the monthly average daily global and diffuse horizontal solar radiation for Brasov, Romania. The study focuses particularly on models based on the sunshine duration and clearness index. The data used for the calibration of the models were collected during a period of 4 yr, between November 2008 and October 2012, at the Transilvania University of Brasov. The testing and validation of the models was carried out using data from the online SoDa database for Brasov for the year 2005. Different statistical error tests were applied to evaluate the accuracy of the models. The predicted values are also compared with values from three other known models concerning the global and diffuse solar radiation. A new mixed model was developed for the estimation of monthly average daily global horizontal solar radiation. The data processing was performed by means of a real-time interface developed with LabVIEW graphical programming language. The parameters taken into account were the relative sunshine, the clearness index, the extraterrestrial radiation, the latitude and the longitude. The methodology is simple and effective and may be applied for any region. Its effectiveness was proven through comparison with global models.
Microfluidic platform integrated with worm-counting setup for assessing manganese toxicity
Authors: Zhang Beibei , Li Yinbao , He Qidi , Qin Jun , Yu Yanyan , Li Xinchun , Zhang Lin , Yao Meicun , Liu Junshan , Chen Zuanguang
Published: September 2014

We reported a new microfluidic system integrated with worm responders for evaluating the environmental manganese toxicity. The micro device consists of worm loading units, worm observing chambers, and a radial concentration gradient generator (CGG). Eight T-shape worm loading units of the micro device were used to load the exact number of worms into the corresponding eight chambers with the assistance of worm responders and doorsills. The worm responder, as a key component, was employed for performing automated worm-counting assay through electric impedance sensing. This label-free and non-invasive worm-counting technique was applied to the microsystem for the first time. In addition, the disk-shaped CGG can generate a range of stepwise concentrations of the appointed chemical automatically and simultaneously. Due to the scalable architecture of radial CGG, it has the potential to increase the throughput of the assay. Dopaminergic (DAergic) neurotoxicity of manganese on C. elegans was quantitatively assessed via the observation of green fluorescence protein-tagged DAergic neurons of the strain BZ555 on-chip. In addition, oxidative stress triggered by manganese was evaluated by the quantitative fluorescence intensity of the strain CL2166. By scoring the survival ratio and stroke frequency of worms, we characterized the dose- and time-dependent mobility defects of the manganese-exposed worms. Furthermore, we applied the microsystem to investigate the effect of natural antioxidants to protect manganese-induced toxicity.