bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Rational Design of a Ratiometric Fluorescent Probe Based on Arene–Metal‐Ion Contact for Endogenous Hydrogen Sulfide Detection in Living Cells
Authors: Kawagoe Ryosuke , Takashima Ippei , Usui Kazuteru , Kanegae Anna , Ozawa Yusuke , Ojida Akio
Published: May 2015

We report the design and development of a fluorescent CdII ion complex that is capable of the ratiometric detection of H2S in living cells. This probe exploits the metal‐ion‐induced emission red shift resulting from direct contact between the aromatic ring of a fluorophore and a metal ion (i.e., arene–metal‐ion or “AM” contact). The CdII complex displays a large emission blue shift upon interaction with H2S as the CdII‐free ligand is released by the formation of cadmium sulfide. Screening of potential ligands and fluorophores led to the discovery of a pyronine‐type probe, 6⋅CdII, that generated a sensitive and rapid ratio value change upon interaction with H2S, without interference from the glutathione that is abundant in the cell. The membrane‐impermeable 6⋅CdII was successfully translocated into live cells by using an oligo‐arginine peptide and pyrenebutylate as carriers. As such, 6⋅CdII was successfully applied to the ratiometric detection of both exogenous and endogenous H2S produced by the enzymes in living cells, thus demonstrating the utility of 6⋅CdII in biological fluorescence analysis.
Mechanism of Activated Sludge Floc Disintegration Induced by Excess Addition of NaCl
Authors: Cui Youwei , Su He , Chen Yefei , Chen Yongbao , Peng Yongzhen
Published: May 2015

Abrupt salt intrusion in municipal wastewater treatment plants has triggered serious disturbances and deteriorated the biological treatment process from steady state into unsteady state. The effects of sodium (Na+) concentration on the structure and properties of activated sludge during the shock period were investigated in this paper. A floc disintegration characterized as the decreased floc size and increased porosity in the floc matrix was found when excess Na+ was added to the bioreactor. Increased Na+ resulted in a slight decrease in the normalized capillary suction time. About 53–57% of the total extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) derived from activated sludge was protein, at Na+ concentrations <150.74 mmol/L, and this value even reached 68% at 286.04 mmol/L Na+. Over 50% of Na+ in EPS was found in the loosely bound EPS (LB‐EPS). The Na+ sorbed in LB‐EPS followed Langmuir model with a maxium sorption capacity of 2.086 mmol/g VSS. With the increase of Na+ concentration in LB‐EPS, the Mg2+ concentration in LB‐EPS decreased until reaching equilibrium while there was no significant change of Ca2+ concentration. A concept model is proposed for the first time targeting to improve the understanding of sodium ion effects on activated sludge.
Personalization of models with many model parameters: an efficient sensitivity analysis approach
Authors: Donders W. P. , Huberts W. , van de Vosse F. N. , Delhaas T.
Published: May 2015

Uncertainty quantification and global sensitivity analysis are indispensable for patient‐specific applications of models that enhance diagnosis or aid decision‐making. Variance‐based sensitivity analysis methods, which apportion each fraction of the output uncertainty (variance) to the effects of individual input parameters or their interactions, are considered the gold standard. The variance portions are called the Sobol sensitivity indices and can be estimated by a Monte Carlo (MC) approach (e.g., Saltelli's method [1]) or by employing a metamodel (e.g., the (generalized) polynomial chaos expansion (gPCE) [2, 3]). All these methods require a large number of model evaluations when estimating the Sobol sensitivity indices for models with many parameters [4]. To reduce the computational cost, we introduce a two‐step approach. In the first step, a subset of important parameters is identified for each output of interest using the screening method of Morris [5]. In the second step, a quantitative variance‐based sensitivity analysis is performed using gPCE. Efficient sampling strategies are introduced to minimize the number of model runs required to obtain the sensitivity indices for models considering multiple outputs. The approach is tested using a model that was developed for predicting post‐operative flows after creation of a vascular access for renal failure patients. We compare the sensitivity indices obtained with the novel two‐step approach with those obtained from a reference analysis that applies Saltelli's MC method. The two‐step approach was found to yield accurate estimates of the sensitivity indices at two orders of magnitude lower computational cost. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The Decoupled Potential Integral Equation for Time‐Harmonic Electromagnetic Scattering
Authors: Vico Felipe , Ferrando Miguel , Greengard Leslie , Gimbutas Zydrunas
Published: May 2015

We present a new formulation for the problem of electromagnetic scattering from perfect electric conductors. While our representation for the electric and magnetic fields is based on the standard vector and scalar potentials A,φ in the Lorenz gauge, we establish boundary conditions on the potentials themselves rather than on the field quantities. This permits the development of a well‐conditioned second‐kind Fredholm integral equation that has no spurious resonances, avoids low‐frequency breakdown, and is insensitive to the genus of the scatterer. The equations for the vector and scalar potentials are decoupled. That is, the unknown scalar potential defining the scattered field, φscat, is determined entirely by the incident scalar potential φinc. Likewise, the unknown vector potential defining the scattered field, Ascat is determined entirely by the incident vector potential Ainc. This decoupled formulation is valid not only in the static limit but for arbitrary ω ≥ 0$. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Apache Airavata: design and directions of a science gateway framework
Authors: Pierce Marlon E. , Marru Suresh , Gunathilake Lahiru , Wijeratne Don Kushan , Singh Raminder , Wimalasena Chathuri , Ratnayaka Shameera , Pamidighantam Sudhakar
Published: May 2015

This paper provides an overview and roadmap of the Apache Airavata software system for science gateways. Gateways use Airavata to manage application and workflow executions on a range of backend resources (grids, computing clouds, and local clusters). Airavata's design goal is to provide component abstractions for major tasks required to provide gateway application management. Components are not directly accessed but are instead exposed through component programming interfaces. This design allows gateway developers to take full advantage of Airavata's capabilities and Airavata developers (including those interested in middleware research) to modify Airavata's implementations and behavior. This is particularly important as Airavata evolves to become a scalable, elastic ‘platform as a service’ for science gateways. We illustrate the capabilities of Airavata through the discussion of usage vignettes. As an Apache Software Foundation project, Airavata's open community governance model is as important as its software base. We discuss how this works within Airavata and how it may be applicable to other distributed computing infrastructure and cyberinfrastructure efforts. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Spectral turning bands for efficient Gaussian random fields generation on GPUs and accelerators
Authors: Hunger Lars , Cosenza Biagio , Kimeswenger Stefan , Fahringer Thomas
Published: May 2015

A random field (RF) is a set of correlated random variables associated with different spatial locations. RF generation algorithms are of crucial importance for many scientific areas, such as astrophysics, geostatistics, computer graphics, and many others. Current approaches commonly make use of 3D fast Fourier transform (FFT), which does not scale well for RF bigger than the available memory; they are also limited to regular rectilinear meshes.

We introduce random field generation with the turning band method (RAFT), an RF generation algorithm based on the turning band method that is optimized for massively parallel hardware such as GPUs and accelerators. Our algorithm replaces the 3D FFT with a lower‐order, one‐dimensional FFT followed by a projection step and is further optimized with loop unrolling and blocking. RAFT can easily generate RF on non‐regular (non‐uniform) meshes and efficiently produce fields with mesh sizes bigger than the available device memory by using a streaming, out‐of‐core approach. Our algorithm generates RF with the correct statistical behavior and is tested on a variety of modern hardware, such as NVIDIA Tesla, AMD FirePro and Intel Phi. RAFT is faster than the traditional methods on regular meshes and has been successfully applied to two real case scenarios: planetary nebulae and cosmological simulations. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Unraveling the Degradation Mechanism of Purine Nucleotides Photosensitized by Pterins: The Role of Charge‐Transfer Steps
Authors: Serrano Mariana P. , Lorente Carolina , Borsarelli Claudio D. , Thomas Andrés H.
Published: May 2015

Photosensitized reactions contribute to the development of skin cancer and are used in many applications. Photosensitizers can act through different mechanisms. It is currently accepted that if the photosensitizer generates singlet molecular oxygen (1O2) upon irradiation, the target molecule can undergo oxidation by this reactive oxygen species and the reaction needs dissolved O2 to proceed, therefore the reaction is classified as 1O2‐mediated oxidation (type II mechanism). However, this assumption is not always correct, and as an example, a study on the degradation of 2′‐deoxyguanosine 5′‐monophosphate photosensitized by pterin is presented. A general mechanism is proposed to explain how the degradation of biological targets, such as nucleotides, photosensitized by pterins, naturally occurring 1O2 photosensitizers, takes place through an electron‐transfer‐initiated process (type I mechanism), whereas the contribution of the 1O2‐mediated oxidation is almost negligible.
Nonfragile H∞ output tracking control for uncertain singular Markovian jump delay systems with network‐induced delays and data packet dropouts
Authors: Zhuang Guangming , Xia Jianwei , Zhao Junsheng , Zhang Huasheng
Published: May 2015

This article deals with the problem of nonfragile H∞ output tracking control for a kind of singular Markovian jump systems with time‐varying delays, parameter uncertainties, network‐induced signal transmission delays, and data packet dropouts. The main objective is to design mode‐dependent state‐feedback controller under controller gain perturbations and bounded modes transition rates such that the output of the closed‐loop networked control system tracks the output of a given reference system with the required H∞ output tracking performance. By constructing a more multiple stochastic Lyapunov–Krasovskii functional, the novel mode‐dependent and delay‐dependent conditions are obtained to guarantee the augmented output tracking closed‐loop system is not only stochastically admissible but also satisfies a prescribed H∞‐norm level for all signal transmission delays, data packet dropouts, and admissible uncertainties. Then, the desired state‐feedback controller parameters are determined by solving a set of strict linear matrix inequalities. A simple production system example and two numerical examples are used to verify the effectiveness and usefulness of the proposed methods. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Complexity 21: 396–411, 2016
The birth of time‐of‐flight (TOF) neutron powder diffraction at pulsed neutron source (invited)
Authors: Sosnowska Izabela M.
Published: May 2015

Behind every improvement there is a story.

The early history of the TOF neutron powder diffraction technique is presented. Successes and problems in the application of this technique in material science are reported. Powder diffraction technique is very useful when materials, in a single crystal form, reveal complicated electric and magnetic domain structures. Finding and describing the magnetic structure of multiferroics is the great success of ultra‐high resolution TOF neutron diffraction. This unique role of the TOF method in discovery of the modulated magnetic structure of BiFeO3 is presented. To date, the TOF powder neutron diffraction technique gives the richest information on the long period modulated magnetic structure of BiFeO3 and its solid solutions. Determination of magnetic moment direction in a crystal lattice is the unique area of application of the TOF technique. The current status and perspectives of the application of the TOF neutron powder diffraction technique in material science are presented in the review.
Performance and sensitivity evaluation of 3D spot detection methods in confocal microscopy
Authors: Štěpka Karel , Matula Pavel , Matula Petr , Wörz Stefan , Rohr Karl , Kozubek Michal
Published: May 2015

Reliable 3D detection of diffraction‐limited spots in fluorescence microscopy images is an important task in subcellular observation. Generally, fluorescence microscopy images are heavily degraded by noise and non‐specifically stained background, making reliable detection a challenging task. In this work, we have studied the performance and parameter sensitivity of eight recent methods for 3D spot detection. The study is based on both 3D synthetic image data and 3D real confocal microscopy images. The synthetic images were generated using a simulator modeling the complete imaging setup, including the optical path as well as the image acquisition process. We studied the detection performance and parameter sensitivity under different noise levels and under the influence of uneven background signal. To evaluate the parameter sensitivity, we propose a novel measure based on the gradient magnitude of theF1score. We measured the success rate of the individual methods for different types of the image data and found that the type of image degradation is an important factor. Using theF1score and the newly proposed sensitivity measure, we found that the parameter sensitivity is not necessarily proportional to the success rate of a method. This also provided an explanation why the best performing method for synthetic data was outperformed by other methods when applied to the real microscopy images. On the basis of the results obtained, we conclude with the recommendation of the HDome method for data with relatively low variations in quality, or the Sorokin method for image sets in which the quality varies more. We also provide alternative recommendations for high‐quality images, and for situations in which detailed parameter tuning might be deemed expensive. © 2015 International Society for Advancement of Cytometry
Patterns of drug abuse among drug users with regular and irregular attendance for treatment as detected by comprehensive UHPLC‐HR‐TOF‐MS
Authors: Sundström Mira , Pelander Anna , Simojoki Kaarlo , Ojanperä Ilkka
Published: May 2015

The most severe consequences of drug abuse include infectious diseases, overdoses, and drug‐related deaths. As the range of toxicologically relevant compounds is continually changing due to the emergence of new psychoactive substances (NPS), laboratories are encountering analytical challenges. Current immunoassays are insufficient for determining the whole range of the drugs abused, and a broad‐spectrum screening method is therefore needed. Here, the patterns of drug abuse in two groups of drug users were studied from urine samples using a comprehensive screening method based on high‐resolution time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry. The two groups comprised drug abusers undergoing opioid maintenance treatment (OMT) or drug withdrawal therapy and routinely visiting a rehabilitation clinic, and drug abusers with irregular attendance at a harm reduction unit (HRU) and suspected of potential NPS abuse. Polydrug abuse was observed in both groups, but was more pronounced among the HRU subjects with a mean number of concurrent drugs per sample of 3.9, whereas among the regularly treated subjects the corresponding number was 2.1. NPS and pregabalin were more frequent among HRU subjects, and their abuse was always related to drug co‐use. The most common drug combination for an HRU subject included amphetamine, cannabis, buprenorphine, benzodiazepine, and alpha‐pyrrolidinovalerophenone. A typical set of drugs for treated subjects was buprenorphine, benzodiazepine, and occasionally amphetamine. Abuse of several concurrent drugs poses a higher risk of drug intoxication and a threat of premature termination of OMT. Since the subjects attending treatment used fewer concurrent drugs, this treatment could be valuable in reducing polydrug abuse. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Resurgence of anorexic symptoms during smoking cessation in patients with a history of anorexia nervosa: An unseen problem?—Report of two cases
Authors: Simioni Nicolas , Cottencin Olivier
Published: May 2015

This report describes a resurgence of anorexic symptoms during a smoking cessation program in two patients with a history of anorexia nervosa. These two events were identified among patients lost to follow‐up by using a strategy implemented to limit early drop out. In both cases, the resurgence of anorexic symptoms occurred rapidly after having reached abstinence from tobacco and was described as a response to the weight gain they had experienced just after the start of smoking cessation. The smoking cessation process itself was considered as the most plausible explanation for these two events. Given the potential serious consequences, further research is needed to determine whether such events are frequent during smoking cessation but being unseen because of being hidden in the loss to follow‐up. This report also suggests that systematic screening for both binge eating and anorexic behaviors during smoking cessation is warranted. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. (Int J Eat Disord 2015; 48:798–801)
Facile Synthesis of Bimodal Mesoporous Fe3O4@SiO2 Composite for Efficient Removal of Methylene Blue
Authors: Tan Xianjun , Lu Liujia , Wang Lingzhi , Zhang Jinlong
Published: May 2015

A facile self‐assembly synthetic procedure was exploited to fabricate mesoporous‐silica‐capped Fe3O4 mesoporous clusters, so‐called bimodal mesoporous Fe3O4@SiO2 composites. Structural characterization demonstrated that the core of the Fe3O4 clusters is coated with a mesoporous silica shell of uniform size distribution. Moreover, unprecedentedly good tunability of the core size (180–1700 nm) and the shell thickness (20–75 nm) is achievable by changing the synthetic parameters. Application of the composite in the removal of the organic dye methylene blue (MB) from aqueous solution was examined. The composite exhibits excellent adsorption of methylene blue from aqueous solution (33.12 mg g–1) within 5 min and is easily regenerated by the photo‐Fenton degradation reaction as a result of its high specific surface area, accessible pore channels, and good magnetic separation properties. This novel adsorbent promises extensive application in the practical removal of organic dyes.
Decreased activity with increased background network efficiency in amnestic MCI during a visuospatial working memory task
Authors: Lou Wutao , Shi Lin , Wang Defeng , Tam Cindy W.C. , Chu Winnie C.W. , Mok Vincent C.T. , Cheng Sheung‐Tak , Lam Linda C.W.
Published: May 2015

Recent studies have demonstrated the working memory impairment in patients with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI). However, the neurophysiological basis of the working memory deficit in aMCI is poorly understood. The aim of this study was to explore the abnormal activity during encoding and recognition procedures, as well as the reorganization of the background network maintaining the working memory state in aMCI. Using event‐related fMRI during a visuospatial working memory task with three recognition difficulty levels, the task‐related activations and network efficiency of the background network in 17 aMCI patients and 19 matched controls were investigated. Compared with cognitively healthy controls, patients with aMCI showed significantly decreased activity in the frontal and visual cortices during the encoding phase, while during the recognition phase, decreased activity was detected in the frontal, parietal, and visual regions. In addition, increased local efficiency was also observed in the background network of patients with aMCI. The results suggest patients with aMCI showed impaired encoding and recognition functions during the visuospatial working memory task, and may pay more effort to maintain the cognitive state. This study extends our understanding of the impaired working memory function in aMCI and provides a new perspective to investigate the compensatory mechanism in aMCI. Hum Brain Mapp 36:3387–3403, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Predictability of stemflow in a species‐rich tropical forest
Authors: Zimmermann Alexander , Uber Magdalena , Zimmermann Beate , Levia Delphis F.
Published: May 2015

Numerous studies investigated the influence of abiotic (meteorological conditions) and biotic factors (tree characteristics) on stemflow generation. Although these studies identified the variables that influence stemflow volumes in simply structured forests, the combination of tree characteristics that allows a robust prediction of stemflow volumes in species‐rich forests is not well known. Many hydrological applications, however, require at least a rough estimate of stemflow volumes based on the characteristics of a forest stand. The need for robust predictions of stemflow motivated us to investigate the relationships between tree characteristics and stemflow volumes in a species‐rich tropical forest located in central Panama. Based on a sampling setup consisting of ten rainfall collectors, 300 throughfall samplers and 60 stemflow collectors and cumulated data comprising 26 rain events, we derive three main findings. Firstly, stemflow represents a minor hydrological component in the studied 1‐ha forest patch (1.0% of cumulated rainfall). Secondly, in the studied species‐rich forest, single tree characteristics are only weakly related to stemflow volumes. The influence of multiple tree parameters (e.g. crown diameter, presence of large epiphytes and inclination of branches) and the dependencies among these parameters require a multivariate approach to understand the generation of stemflow. Thirdly, predicting stemflow in species‐rich forests based on tree parameters is a difficult task. Although our best model can capture the variation in stemflow to some degree, a critical validation reveals that the model cannot provide robust predictions of stemflow. A reanalysis of data from previous studies in species‐rich forests corroborates this finding. Based on these results and considering that for most hydrological applications, stemflow is only one parameter among others to estimate, we advocate using the base model, i.e. the mean of the stemflow data, to quantify stemflow volumes for a given study area. Studies in species‐rich forests that wish to obtain predictions of stemflow based on tree parameters probably need to conduct a much more extensive sampling than currently implemented by most studies. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Diminished levels of the soluble form of RAGE are related to poor survival in malignant melanoma
Authors: Wagner Nikolaus B. , Weide Benjamin , Reith Maike , Tarnanidis Kathrin , Kehrel Coretta , Lichtenberger Ramtin , Pflugfelder Annette , Herpel Esther , Eubel Jana , Ikenberg Kristian , Busch Christian , Holland‐Letz Tim , Naeher Helmut , Garbe Claus , Umansky Viktor , Enk Alexander , Utikal Jochen , Gebhardt Christoffer
Published: May 2015

RAGE is a central driver of tumorigenesis by sustaining an inflammatory tumor microenvironment. This study links the soluble forms of RAGE (sRAGE and esRAGE) with clinical outcome of melanoma patients. Moreover, tissue expression of RAGE was analyzed using immunohistochemistry on two independent tissue microarrays (TMA) containing 35 or 257 primary melanomas, and 41 or 22 benign nevi, respectively. Serum concentrations of sRAGE and esRAGE were measured in 229 Stage III–IV patients using ELISA and plasma concentrations of sRAGE were analyzed in an independent second cohort with 173 samples of Stage I–IV patients. In this cohort, three well‐described SNPs in the RAGE gene were analyzed. RAGE protein expression was highly upregulated in primary melanomas compared to benign nevi in the two TMA (p < 0.001 and p = 0.005) as well as in sun‐exposed melanomas (p = 0.046). sRAGE and esRAGE were identified as prognostic markers for survival as diminished sRAGE (p = 0.034) and esRAGE (p = 0.012) serum levels correlated with poor overall survival (OS). Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that diminished serum sRAGE was independently associated with poor survival (p = 0.009). Moreover, diminished sRAGE was strongly associated with impaired OS in the second cohort (p < 0.001). Multivariate Cox regression analysis including the investigated SNPs revealed an independent correlation of the two interacting promoter SNPs with impaired OS. In conclusion, the soluble forms of RAGE and variants in its genetic locus are prognostic markers for survival in melanoma patients with high risk for progression.
Cancer incidence and metolachlor use in the Agricultural Health Study: An update
Authors: Silver Sharon R. , Bertke Steven J. , Hines Cynthia J. , Alavanja Michael C.R. , Hoppin Jane A. , Lubin Jay H. , Rusiecki Jennifer A. , Sandler Dale P. , Beane Freeman Laura E.
Published: May 2015

Metolachlor, a widely used herbicide, is classified as a Group C carcinogen by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency based on increased liver neoplasms in female rats. Epidemiologic studies of the health effects of metolachlor have been limited. The Agricultural Health Study (AHS) is a prospective cohort study including licensed private and commercial pesticide applicators in Iowa and North Carolina enrolled 1993–1997. We evaluated cancer incidence through 2010/2011 (NC/IA) for 49,616 applicators, 53% of whom reported ever using metolachlor. We used Poisson regression to evaluate relations between two metrics of metolachlor use (lifetime days, intensity‐weighted lifetime days) and cancer incidence. We saw no association between metolachlor use and incidence of all cancers combined (n = 5,701 with a 5‐year lag) or most site‐specific cancers. For liver cancer, in analyses restricted to exposed workers, elevations observed at higher categories of use were not statistically significant. However, trends for both lifetime and intensity‐weighted lifetime days of metolachor use were positive and statistically significant with an unexposed reference group. A similar pattern was observed for follicular cell lymphoma, but no other lymphoma subtypes. An earlier suggestion of increased lung cancer risk at high levels of metolachlor use in this cohort was not confirmed in this update. This suggestion of an association between metolachlor and liver cancer among pesticide applicators is a novel finding and echoes observation of increased liver neoplasms in some animal studies. However, our findings for both liver cancer and follicular cell lymphoma warrant follow‐up to better differentiate effects of metolachlor use from other factors.
Therapeutic effect of double‐filtration plasmapheresis combined with methylprednisolone to treat diffuse proliferative lupus nephritis
Authors: Li MinXia , Wang YuanDa , Qiu Qiang , Wei RiBao , Gao YuWei , Zhang Li , Wang Yong , Zhang XueGuang , Chen XiangMei
Published: May 2015

Objective:

The efficacy of double‐filtration plasmapheresis (DFPP), combined with methylprednisolone, to treat diffuse proliferative lupus nephritis (LN) was studied.

Methods:

Twenty‐four patients who were admitted to the hospital and diagnosed with diffuse proliferative LN (LN Class IV‐G(A)) through renal biopsy from 2011 to 2013 were recruited as the study subjects. The patients' clinical manifestations were nephritic syndrome and/or renal insufficiency. The pathological features were glomerular diffuse proliferative lesions. The patients were divided into two groups: the treatment group and the control group, with 12 patients in each group. The patients in the treatment group were first treated with DFPP combined with methylprednisolone (0.8–1.0 mg/kg/day); subsequently, they were put on methylprednisolone therapy only. The patients in the control group were first put on methylprednisolone pulse therapy (500–1,000 mg) for 3 days; subsequently, they were treated with methylprednisolone (0.8–1.0 mg/kg/day) combined with mycophenolate mofetil (1.5 g/day). The patients were observed for 24 months. Levels of hemoglobin, platelet, albumin, serum creatinine, 24‐h urinary protein, serum C3, antinuclear antibody (ANA), anti‐dsDNA, and anti‐Smith were measured at 0, 3, 6, 12, and 24 months. Complete remission and recurrence standards were established. The total dosages of methylprednisolone were calculated. Repeated renal biopsy was performed on several patients.

Results:

There was no statistical significance in the baseline conditions of the treatment and the control groups. For the treatment group, no plasmapheresis‐related complications occurred. The two groups showed no significant difference in complete remission. The patients' edema and serous effusion resolved, urine volume, serum creatinine, and albumin levels returned to normal, urine protein decreased in treatment group more rapidly than the patients in the control group. The mean dose of methylprednisolone received in the treatment group was lower than in the control group. The complement C3 levels in the treatment group were significantly higher than in the control group. The recurrence rate in the treatment group was lower than in the control group. Repeated renal biopsies on several patients in the treatment group indicated that their pathology improved significantly, changing from LN (IV) to LN(II–III).

Conclusions:

Appropriate application of DFPP combined with glucocorticoid therapy could accelerate the remission of diffuse proliferative LN, reduce overall glucocorticoid dosage, prevent recurrence, and maintain C3 level in a higher level. J. Clin. Apheresis 31:375–380, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Synthesis of [2H6]ceftazidime as a stable isotopically labeled internal standard
Authors: Bian Lei , Bushby Nick
Published: May 2015

Ceftazidime is a third generation cephalosporin antibiotic that has activity against a wide range of Gram‐negative and Gram‐positive bacterial pathogens, including Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Stable isotope‐labeled ceftazidime was required for use as an internal standard in LC‐MS/MS assays, and a route was developed to make [2H6]ceftazidime in eight steps from the commercially available labeled starting material [2H7]isobutyric acid.
The impact of genomic testing on the recommendation for radiation therapy in patients with ductal carcinoma in situ: A prospective clinical utility assessment of the 12‐gene DCIS score™ result
Authors: Alvarado Michael , Carter Dennis L. , Guenther J. Michael , Hagans James , Lei Rachel Y. , Leonard Charles E. , Manders Jennifer , Sing Amy P. , Broder Michael S. , Cherepanov Dasha , Chang Eunice , Eagan Marianne , Hsiao Wendy , Schultz Michael J.
Published: May 2015

Background and Objectives

Twenty percent of breast cancers are ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), with 15–60% having a local recurrence (LR) after surgery. Radiotherapy reduces LR by 50% but has not impacted survival. The validated Oncotype DX® 12‐gene assay (DCIS Score) provides individualized 10‐year LR estimates. This is the first study to assess whether DCIS Score impacts physicians' recommendations for radiation.

Methods

Ten sites enrolled women (9/2012–2/2014) with DCIS eligible for breast‐conserving therapy, excluding patients with invasive carcinoma and planned mastectomy. Prospective data collected included clinicopathologic factors, DCIS Score assay, and treatment recommendation before and after the assay result was known.

Results

In 115 patients (median age: 61 years; 74.8% postmenopausal), median DCIS size was 8 mm; 20% were nuclear grade 1, 46.1% grade 2; 64.4% reported necrosis. 86.1% were ER+, 79.1% PR+ (immunohistochemistry assay). Median DCIS Score: 29 (range: 0–85). Pre‐assay, 73% (95%CI: 64.0–80.9%) had radiotherapy recommendations vs. 59.1% (95%CI: 49.6–68.2%) post‐assay (P= 0.008). Physicians rated DCIS Score as the most impactful factor in planning treatment.

Conclusions

The radiotherapy recommendation changed from pre‐assay to post‐assay 31.3% (95%CI: 23.0–40.6%) of the time—a clinically significant change. This study supports the clinical utility of the DCIS Score and indicates that the test provides additional, individualized information on LR risk. J. Surg. Oncol. 2015 111:935–940. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
KRAS discordance between primary and recurrent tumors after radical resection of colorectal cancers
Authors: Lee Kyung Ha , Kim Jin Soo , Lee Choong Sik , Kim Ji Yeon
Published: May 2015

Background

Although KRAS shows high concordance between primary and metastatic colorectal cancers, recent studies have reported discordance and intra‐tumoral heterogeneity. To evaluate KRAS concordance between primary colorectal cancers and recurrent tumors after radical resection, we performed this study.

Methods

Between January 2007 and August 2013, among patients underwent radical resection for primary colorectal cancers and tissue sampling of recurred tumors including resection or biopsy, 74 patients whose both primary and recurred tumor tissues were available for KRAS analysis were enrolled. The clinical and pathologic data were retrospectively revised and KRAS analyses were performed.

Results

The patients with initial M1 stage showed significantly higher KRAS discordance rate (54.5%). The KRAS concordance rate was 79.7% (n = 59). Forty‐two patients (56.8%) showed the wild‐to‐wild type and 17 (22.9%) showed the mutant‐to‐mutant type. The discordance rate was 20.3% (n = 15). Eight patients (10.8%) showed the wild‐to‐mutant type, and 7 (9.5%) showed the mutant‐to‐wild type. Among 15 discordance cases, intra‐tumoral heterogeneity was found in 26.7% (n = 4).

Conclusions

There is 20.3% KRAS discordance between primary and recurrent tumors, which is higher rate than is generally known. For selection of the effective target agent, KRAS analysis of recurred tumors will be necessary, if it is available. J. Surg. Oncol. 2015 111:1059–1064. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Transillumination for needle localization in the larynx
Authors: Hoffman Henry T. , Dailey Seth H. , Bock Jonathan M. , Thibeault Susan L. , McCulloch Timothy M.
Published: May 2015

Objectives/Hypothesis

Transillumination through laryngeal soft tissue may be used to direct percutaneous transcricothyroid membrane subepithelial needle placement in the larynx.

Study Design

Cadaver simulation (canine and human).

Methods

Lighted devices, including sialendoscopes and fiberoptic cables, were tested as transilluminating obturators in trocars and needles through multiple studies to identify appropriate illumination, monitoring, and equipment for successful localization of needle/trocar tips placed within laryngeal tissue.

Results

Lighted 250‐micron fiberoptic cables within 23‐gauge needles were successfully placed percutaneously through the cricothyroid membrane and maneuvered submucosally into Reinke's space, the midlateral vocal fold, and through the thyroarytenoid gap with monitoring via flexible transnasal laryngoscopy. Technical adaptations in the course of study permitted successful simulation of clinical use in full cadaver study for accurate injection laryngoplasty, confirmed by laryngeal dissection following collagen injection.

Conclusions

Small caliber fiberoptic cables are useful as transilluminating obturators to accurately direct needle position within laryngeal tissue. Clinical application of this new technique is anticipated to improve the accuracy of percutaneous needle localization in the larynx, as well as to assist in directed instrumentation of the larynx from an external approach.

Level of Evidence

N/A. Laryngoscope, 125:2341–2348, 2015
Detection of plaque structure and composition using OCT combined with two‐photon luminescence (TPL) imaging
Authors: Wang Tianyi , McElroy Austin , Halaney David , Vela Deborah , Fung Edmund , Hossain Shafat , Phipps Jennifer , Wang Bingqing , Yin Biwei , Feldman Marc D. , Milner Thomas E.
Published: May 2015

Background and Objectives

Atherosclerosis and plaque rupture leads to myocardial infarction and stroke. A novel hybrid optical coherence tomography (OCT) and two‐photon luminescence (TPL) fiber‐based imaging system was developed to characterize tissue constituents in the context of plaque morphology.

Study Design/Materials and Methods

Ex vivo coronary arteries (34 regions of interest) from three human hearts with atherosclerotic plaques were examined by OCT–TPL imaging. Histological sections (4 μm in thickness) were stained with Oil Red O for lipid, Von Kossa for calcium, and Verhoeff–Masson Tri‐Elastic for collagen/elastin fibers and compared with imaging results.

Results

Biochemical components in plaques including lipid, oxidized‐LDL, and calcium, as well as a non‐tissue component (metal) are distinguished by multi‐channel TPL images with statistical significance (P < 0.001). TPL imaging provides complementary optical contrast to OCT (two‐photon absorption/emission vs scattering). Merged OCT–TPL images demonstrate the distribution of lipid deposits in registration with detailed plaque surface profile.

Conclusions

Results suggest that multi‐channel TPL imaging can effectively identify lipid sub‐types and different plaque components. Furthermore, fiber‐based hybrid OCT–TPL imaging simultaneously detects plaque structure and composition, improving the efficacy of vulnerable plaque detection and characterization. Lasers Surg. Med. 47:485–494, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Compact multiband antenna for GPS/WiMAX/WLAN applications
Authors: Chen Shaojian , Fang Mengli , Dong Dacheng , Han Mengqi , Liu Gui
Published: May 2015

A compact microstrip‐fed multiband planar antenna for global positioning system, worldwide interoperability for microwave access, and wireless local area network applications is presented. Three operating frequency bands are achieved by a pair of L‐shaped slots and rectangular slots, and defected ground structure. The fabricated prototype for the proposed antenna occupies an area of 32 × 22.6 mm2. The measured results show that the proposed antenna has 10 dB impedance bandwidth of 420 MHz (1.34–1.76 GHz), 590 MHz (3.21–3.80 GHz), and 1.5 GHz (5.05–6.55 GHz). The proposed antenna shows good radiation patterns and acceptable gain over three operating bands. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 57:1769–1773, 2015
Crescent‐shaped dipole antenna for ultrawideband applications
Authors: Singhal Sarthak , Singh Amit Kumar
Published: May 2015

A crescent‐shaped dipole antenna for ultrawideband applications is designed in this article. The impedance bandwidth of the designed antenna has been enhanced using modified shape of both radiator and feedline. The designed antenna provided an impedance bandwidth of 3.26–19.10 GHz (142%). It has nearly omnidirectional radiation patterns in one plane. The overall dimensions of the designed antenna are 34 × 41 mm2. The experimental and simulation results are found to be in good agreement. A comparison between the antenna performance for three different shapes of the radiator, that is, triangular, rectangular, and elliptical is also presented. The effects of three different substrate materials, that is, FR‐4 epoxy, Carbon Nano Tubes, and Ni0.2Co0.2Zn0.6Fe2O4, on the designed antenna performance are also analyzed. The designed antenna has advantages of wider bandwidth and smaller dimensions over the dipole structures already reported in the literature. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 57:1773–1782, 2015
Broadband omnidirectional dual‐polarized antenna with high isolation
Authors: Huang He , Liu Ying , Gong Shu‐Xi
Published: May 2015

A broadband omnidirectional, dual‐polarized antenna suitable for 2G/3G/LTE applications is presented in this article. The dual‐polarized antenna has a vertically polarized element (VP element) and a horizontally polarized element (HP element). The VP element is a modified discone which can cover the frequency band of 800–2700 MHz (approximately 108%), including the GSM850/900 (824–849/890–960 MHz), DCS 1800 (1710–1880 MHz), PCS 1900 (1850–1990 MHz), UMTS (1920–2170 MHz), LTE 2300 (2305–2400 MHz), and LTE 2500 (2500–2690 MHz). The HP element is composed of a printed dipole array, feeding network, and four pairs of parasitical branches, achieving a wide bandwidth of 64% from 1530 to 2970 MHz (directly overlapping with the higher frequency band of VP element and having some surplus). High isolation larger than 36 dB is achieved in the common operating band because of the insertion of a large clearance. Smooth gain and low cross‐polarization levels are also obtained. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 57:1848–1852, 2015
Submillimeter‐wave InPHBT power amplifier using impedance‐transforming two‐way balun
Authors: Kim Jungsik , Jeong Jinho
Published: May 2015

In this letter, a submillimeter‐wave power amplifier (PA) is presented using a 250 nm InP HBT technology. To obtain high output power, a two‐way power combiner with differential outputs is proposed using multimetal layers. This two‐way balun has an embedded impedance‐transformation function, which enables to design broadband and low‐loss impedance matching networks of a PA. The back‐to‐back connected balun shows a measured insertion loss of 1.2 dB at 296 GHz, including the losses of RF pads. The balanced PA using cascode power cells and the baluns exhibits a measured small‐signal gain of 9.0 dB with broad bandwidth, and the measured output power of 10.0 dBm with a gain of 6.0 dB and drain efficiency of 5.4% at 296 GHz. The chip size is as small as 0.49 mm × 0.41 mm including DC and RF pads. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 57:1831–1834, 2015
A method of designing dual‐band bandpass filter using the hexagon CRLH resonators and cascaded defected ground structure
Authors: Cao Xin , Tang Zong xi , Wang Fei
Published: May 2015

A method using hexagon composite right/left‐handed (CRLH) resonators to design dual‐band bandpass filters is proposed in this article. The designed filter utilizes two different resonance modes of the hexagon CRLH resonators to create the two passbands. Defected ground structure (DGS) is utilized to increase out‐band rejection. It is demonstrated by the simulation and measurement results that these two different structures can work in harmony to achieve excellent performance. The proposed filter can be used in the microwave circuits that work at multiple frequency bands. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 57:1876–1879, 2015
Opportunistic occupancy estimation in museums through wireless sensor networks
Authors: Viani Federico
Published: May 2015

A low‐cost and scalable solution for the estimation of indoor occupancy in museums (or, more in general, indoor sites) is proposed by exploiting in an opportunistic fashion wireless architectures already deployed for artworks conservation purposes. The information on the presence and the distribution of the visitors is yielded throughout the analysis of easily available environmental parameters. Indeed, the relationships between environmental indexes and museum fruition are inferred with a suitable learning‐by‐example technique. An experimental application to a real museum site is presented and discussed to give a proof of the effectiveness and reliability of the proposed approach. ©2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 57:1975–1977, 2015
Centerband‐only analysis of rotor‐unsynchronized spin echo for measurement of lipid 31P chemical shift anisotropy
Authors: Umegawa Yuichi , Yamaguchi Toshiyuki , Murata Michio , Matsuoka Shigeru
Published: May 2015

Structural diversity and molecular flexibility of phospholipids are essential for biological membranes to play key roles in numerous cellular processes. Uncovering the behavior of individual lipids in membrane dynamics is crucial for understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying biological functions of cell membranes. In this paper, we introduce a simple method to investigate dynamics of lipid molecules in multi‐component systems by measuring the 31P chemical shift anisotropy (CSA) under magic angle spinning (MAS) conditions. For achieving both signal separation and CSA determination, we utilized a centerband‐only analysis of rotor‐unsynchronized spin echo (COARSE). This analysis is based on the curve fitting of periodic modulation of centerband intensity along the interpulse delay time in rotor‐unsynchronized spin‐echo experiments. The utility of COARSE was examined by using phospholipid vesicles, a three‐component lipid raft model system, and archaeal purple membranes. We found that the apparent advantages of this method are high resolution and high sensitivity given by the moderate MAS speed and the one‐dimensional acquisition with short spin‐echo delays. COARSE provides an alternative method for CSA measurement that is effective in the investigation of lipid polymorphologies. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Detecting pulmonary capillary blood pulsations using hyperpolarized xenon‐129 chemical shift saturation recovery (CSSR) MR spectroscopy
Authors: Ruppert Kai , Altes Talissa A. , Mata Jaime F. , Ruset Iulian C. , Hersman F. William , Mugler John P.
Published: May 2015

Purpose

To investigate whether chemical shift saturation recovery (CSSR) MR spectroscopy with hyperpolarized xenon‐129 is sensitive to the pulsatile nature of pulmonary blood flow during the cardiac cycle.

Methods

A CSSR pulse sequence typically uses radiofrequency (RF) pulses to saturate the magnetization of xenon‐129 dissolved in lung tissue followed, after a variable delay time, by an RF excitation and subsequent acquisition of a free‐induction decay. Thereby it is possible to monitor the uptake of xenon‐129 by lung tissue and extract physiological parameters of pulmonary gas exchange. In the current studies, the delay time was instead held at a constant value, which permitted observation of xenon‐129 gas uptake as a function of breath‐hold time. CSSR studies were performed in 13 subjects (10 healthy, 2 chronic obstructive pulmonary disease [COPD], 1 second‐hand smoke exposure), holding their breath at total lung capacity.

Results

The areas of the tissue/plasma and the red‐blood‐cell peaks in healthy subjects varied by an average of
and
, respectively, during the cardiac cycle. In 2 subjects with COPD these peak pulsations were not detectable during at least part of the measurement period.

Conclusion:

CSSR spectroscopy is sufficiently sensitive to detect oscillations in the xenon‐129 gas‐uptake rate associated with the cardiac cycle. Magn Reson Med 75:1771–1780, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Context and Implications Document for: Rethinking ‘quantitative’ methods and the development of new researchers
Authors: Gorard Stephen
Published: May 2015

This guide accompanies the following article: Stephen Gorard. Rethinking ‘quantitative’ methods and the development of new researchers, Review of Education, DOI:10.1002/rev3.3041