bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Safe, Selective, and High‐Yielding Synthesis of Acryloyl Chloride in a Continuous‐Flow System
Authors: Movsisyan Marine , Heugebaert Thomas S. A. , Dams Rudy , Stevens Christian V.
Published: June 2016

Acid chlorides are an important class of compounds and their high reactivity and instability has prompted us to develop a straightforward procedure for their synthesis with on‐demand and on‐site synthesis possibilities. The focus of this report is acryloyl chloride, mainly important for the acrylate and polymer industry. A continuous‐flow methodology was developed for the fast and selective synthesis of the otherwise highly unstable acryloyl chloride. Three routes were investigated in a microreactor setup and all three can potentially be used for its production. The methodology was further expanded to the synthesis of other unstable acid chlorides by both the thionyl chloride and the oxalyl chloride mediated processes. The most sustainable method was the oxalyl chloride mediated procedure under solvent‐free conditions, in which near‐equimolar amounts of carboxylic acid and oxalyl chloride were used in the presence of catalytic amounts of DMF at room temperature. Within 1 to 3 min, nearly full conversions into the acid chlorides were achieved.
Hydatid cyst of parotid: Report of unusual cytological findings extending the cytomorphological spectrum
Authors: Arora Vinod Kumar , Chopra Neha , Singh Poorva , Venugopal Vasantha Kumar , Narang Salil
Published: June 2016

Hydatid disease is a zoonotic infestation caused by larval cestode of genus Echinococcus. Cystic form of this infection mostly involves liver and lung. Hydatid disease of the parotid gland is very rare even in endemic areas and is often clinically mistaken for parotid tumors or cysts. The presence of protoscolices, laminated membranes, and isolated hooklets are characteristic cytological features observed on fine‐needle aspirate from hydatid cysts. We report unusual cytological features from a hydatid cyst of parotid in a 13‐year‐old girl. She presented with a slowly enlarging hard mass in left parotid. Fine‐needle aspiration yielded slightly turbid fluid. Smears from the sediment revealed naked parasitic micronuclei, fragments of germinative layer (endocyst), and abortive brood capsules (buds from endocyst) seen as spherical structures with multiple parasitic nuclei. Some of these spherical structures were degenerated with recognizable nuclei and others were completely necrotic. Diagn. Cytopathol. 2016;44:770–773. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Cytological diagnosis of mesoblastic nephroma: A report of three cases with summary of prior published cases
Authors: Bera Goutam , Das Ram Narayan , Bisht Janki , Mishra Prafulla Kumar , Mallick Mamata Guha , Datta Chhanda , Chaudhuri Manoj Kumar , Chatterjee Uttara
Published: June 2016

Congenital mesoblastic nephroma (CMN) is a rare pediatric renal neoplasm, occurring most commonly in the first few months of life, with a favourable clinical outcome. Accurate pre‐operative cytological diagnosis of this entity is important as pre‐operative chemotherapy is not recommended and surgery is the treatment of choice. Cytodiagnosis of this rare tumor is discussed in only a few case reports. Here two cases of CMN and one case of cellular congenital mesoblastic nephroma (CCMN) diagnosed on FNAC along with their morphological differential diagnoses has been reported. They also take this opportunity to compare the cytological features of CMN with cellular CMN. Diagn. Cytopathol. 2016;44:823–827. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
CX3CR1‐dependent recruitment of mature NK cells into the central nervous system contributes to control autoimmune neuroinflammation
Authors: Hertwig Laura , Hamann Isabell , Romero‐Suarez Silvina , Millward Jason M. , Pietrek Rebekka , Chanvillard Coralie , Stuis Hanna , Pollok Karolin , Ransohoff Richard M. , Cardona Astrid E. , Infante‐Duarte Carmen
Published: June 2016

Fractalkine receptor (CX3CR1)‐deficient mice develop very severe experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), associated with impaired NK cell recruitment into the CNS. Yet, the precise implications of NK cells in autoimmune neuroinflammation remain elusive. Here, we investigated the pattern of NK cell mobilization and the contribution of CX3CR1 to NK cell dynamics in the EAE. We show that in both wild‐type and CX3CR1‐deficient EAE mice, NK cells are mobilized from the periphery and accumulate in the inflamed CNS. However, in CX3CR1‐deficient mice, the infiltrated NK cells displayed an immature phenotype contrasting with the mature infiltrates in WT mice. This shift in the immature/mature CNS ratio contributes to EAE exacerbation in CX3CR1‐deficient mice, since transfer of mature WT NK cells prior to immunization exerted a protective effect and normalized the CNS NK cell ratio. Moreover, mature CD11b+ NK cells show higher degranulation in the presence of autoreactive 2D2 transgenic CD4+ T cells and kill these autoreactive cells more efficiently than the immature CD11b− fraction. Together, these data suggest a protective role of mature NK cells in EAE, possibly through direct modulation of T cells inside the CNS, and demonstrate that mature and immature NK cells are recruited into the CNS by distinct chemotactic signals.
TSLP or IL‐7 provide an IL‐7Rα signal that is critical for human B lymphopoiesis
Authors: Milford Terry‐Ann M. , Su Ruijun J. , Francis Olivia L. , Baez Ineavely , Martinez Shannalee R. , Coats Jacqueline S. , Weldon Abby J. , Calderon Milcris N. , Nwosu Michael C. , Botimer Allen R. , Suterwala Batul T. , Zhang Xiao‐Bing , Morris Christopher L. , Weldon David J. , Dovat Sinisa , Payne Kimberly J.
Published: June 2016

Thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) and IL‐7 are cytokines that signal via the IL‐7 receptor alpha (IL‐7Rα) to exert both overlapping and unique functions during early stages of mouse B‐cell development. In human B lymphopoiesis, the requirement for IL‐7Rα signaling is controversial and the roles of IL‐7 and TSLP are less clear. Here, we evaluated human B‐cell production using novel in vitro and xenograft models of human B‐cell development that provide selective IL‐7 and human TSLP (hTSLP) stimulation. We show that in vitro human B‐cell production is almost completely blocked in the absence of IL‐7Rα stimulation, and that either TSLP or IL‐7 can provide a signal critical for the production and proliferation of human CD19+ PAX5+ pro‐B cells. Analysis of primary human bone marrow stromal cells shows that they express both IL‐7 and TSLP, providing an in vivo source of these cytokines. We further show that the in vivo production of human pro‐B cells under the influence of mouse IL‐7 in a xenograft scenario is reduced by anti‐IL‐7 neutralizing antibodies, and that this loss can be restored by hTSLP at physiological levels. These data establish the importance of IL‐7Rα mediated signals for normal human B‐cell production.
Highly Stable and Active Palladium Nanoparticles Supported on a Mesoporous UiO66@reduced Graphene Oxide Complex for Practical Catalytic Applications
Authors: Liu Xiang , Zhao Xiaohua , Zhou Ming , Cao Yuanyuan , Wu Haiyan , Zhu Jianjun
Published: June 2016

A metal–organic framework‐based composite with reduced graphene oxide was successfully designed, prepared and used for the first time as a support for Pd nanoparticles. The as‐synthesized UiO66@RGO‐Pd composite was characterized by powder X‐ray diffraction (XRD), thermal gravimetric analyses (TGA), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and N2 adsorption. The reduction of nitro compounds was used to demonstrate the catalytic efficiency, which showed excellent activity due to the large surface area and well‐defined pore structure. Additionally, the Pd NPs confined in mesoporous cages could be readily recovered after simple filtration and reused for at least six consecutive cycles without loss of activity.
Highly Efficient Deoxygenation of Aryl Ketones to Arylalkanes Catalyzed by Dioxidomolybdenum Complexes
Authors: Sousa Sara C. A. , Fernandes Tiago A. , Fernandes Ana C.
Published: June 2016

The first method for the deoxygenation of ketones to alkanes catalyzed by dioxidomolybdenum complexes is reported. The system PhSiH3/[MoVICl2O2(H2O)2] proved to be highly efficient for the deoxygenation of a large variety of diaryl ketones and acetophenones to give the corresponding alkanes in good to excellent yields. This new method uses an inexpensive and environmentally friendly dioxidomolybdenum complex that can be used in at least 12 catalytic cycles with excellent activity.
Mortality salience effects on reckless driving intentions in a motorcyclist sample: The moderating role of group riding
Authors: Ivanov Igor , Vogel Tobias
Published: June 2016

Campaigns against reckless driving often mention the risk of dying. Research on terror management theory indicates that death claims may backfire and foster reckless driving. Here, we studied such mortality salience effects in a motorcyclist sample. Two moderating variables, particularly interesting regarding the sample of motorcyclists, were considered: group riding (vs. riding alone) and driving‐related self‐esteem. Motorcyclists were exposed to a campaign, either highlighting mortality or not. Orthogonally, cyclists were primed with riding in a group (vs. riding alone). Driving‐related self‐esteem was assessed via a questionnaire. We predicted that reminders of riding in a group would buffer against ironic mortality effects. Supporting this hypothesis, mortality salience effects interacted with the group prime. The results indicate that death appeals are likely to backfire with cyclists riding alone rather than cyclists riding in a group, especially if motorcycling is relevant to the self.
Microbial population heterogeneity versus bioreactor heterogeneity: Evaluation of Redox Sensor Green as an exogenous metabolic biosensor
Authors: Baert Jonathan , Delepierre Anissa , Telek Samuel , Fickers Patrick , Toye Dominique , Delamotte Anne , Lara Alvaro R. , Jaén Karim E. , Gosset Guillermo , Jensen Peter R. , Delvigne Frank
Published: June 2016

Microbial heterogeneity in metabolic performances has attracted a lot of attention, considering its potential impact on industrial bioprocesses. However, little is known about the impact of extracellular perturbations (i.e. bioreactor heterogeneity) on cell‐to‐cell variability in metabolic performances (i.e. microbial population heterogeneity). In this work, we have evaluated the relevance of Redox Sensor Green (RSG) as an exogenous biosensor of metabolic activity at the single‐cell level. RSG signal is proportional to the activity of the electron transport chain and its signal is strongly affected by metabolic burden, availability of electron final acceptor, and side metabolisms (i.e. overflow and mixed acid fermentation). RSG can also be used for the estimation of the impact of scale‐down conditions on microbial metabolic robustness. The relationship linking averaged RSG activity and its cell‐to‐cell variability (noise) has been highlighted but seems unaffected by environmental perturbations.
Scaling Up and Characterization of Single‐Layer Fuel Cells
Authors: Zheng Yifeng , Xia Chen , Dong Wenjing , Li Junjiao , Zhu Bin
Published: June 2016

Single‐layer fuel cells (SLFCs) are the product of recent advances in low‐temperature solid‐oxide fuel cell (SOFC) research and development. Conventional three‐layer materials comprising an anode, an electrolyte, and a cathode have been replaced by one‐layer materials that can integrate all of the functions of fuel cell anodes, electrolytes, and cathodes into one function. Excellent performance, simple technology, and ultra‐low cost have increased the potential of SLFCs for commercialization. Therefore, methods should be developed to scale up this innovative and advanced SOFC technology for engineering use and further commercial applications. This work reports the scaling up of an SLFC through powder material preparation, pulp preparation and tape casting, cold‐press shaping, hot pressing, and final surface reduction to fabricate 6 cm×6 cm engineering cells with an active area of 25 cm2. Each SLFC delivers approximately 10 W of power at 525–550 °C. The performance of the device is comparable with or even better than that of conventional SOFCs. A maximum output power of 12.0 W (0.48 W cm−2) is obtained from the 6 cm×6 cm SLFC at 550 °C. This study develops a scaling‐up technology that uses tape casting and hot pressing to enhance the commercial uses of SLFC.
SELFNET Framework self‐healing capabilities for 5G mobile networks
Authors: Santos José Pedro , Alheiro Rui , Andrade Luís , Valdivieso Caraguay Ángel Leonardo , Barona López Lorena Isabel , Sotelo Monge Marco Antonio , Garcia Villalba Luís Javier , Jiang Wei , Schotten Hans , Alcaraz‐Calero Jose M. , Wang Qi , Barros Maria João
Published: June 2016

Nowadays, mobile networks are complex sets of heterogeneous equipments that use proprietary management applications, resulting in a huge expenditure, a large effort and a time‐consuming process to manage all network elements by means of currently manual or semi‐automatical approaches. With the emergency of new technologies, such software‐defined networking, network function virtualization, and cloud computing, the current configurable networks are capable of becoming programmable, which will facilitate advanced autonomous network management. This article presents capabilities of a novel framework proposed by the SELFNET project that enables highly autonomic management functionalities. It focuses on the proposed self‐healing use case that can be applied to reactively or preventively deal with the detected or predicted network failures. The SELFNET can provide the upcoming 5G system: an autonomic management framework, which brings a remarkable reduction upon operational expenditure and a substantial improvement of quality‐of‐experience(QoE) in terms of reliability, availability, service continuity and security. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
On the immersed boundary‐lattice Boltzmann simulations of incompressible flows with freely moving objects
Authors: Wang Y. , Shu C. , Yang L. M. , Sun Y.
Published: June 2016

For simulating freely moving problems, conventional immersed boundary‐lattice Boltzmann methods encounter two major difficulties of an extremely large flow domain and the incompressible limit. To remove these two difficulties, this work proposes an immersed boundary‐lattice Boltzmann flux solver (IB‐LBFS) in the arbitrary Lagragian–Eulerian (ALE) coordinates and establishes a dynamic similarity theory. In the ALE‐based IB‐LBFS, the flow filed is obtained by using the LBFS on a moving Cartesian mesh, and the no‐slip boundary condition is implemented by using the boundary condition‐enforced immersed boundary method. The velocity of the Cartesian mesh is set the same as the translational velocity of the freely moving object so that there is no relative motion between the plate center and the mesh. This enables the ALE‐based IB‐LBFS to study flows with a freely moving object in a large open flow domain. By normalizing the governing equations for the flow domain and the motion of rigid body, six non‐dimensional parameters are derived and maintained to be the same in both physical systems and the lattice Boltzmann framework. This similarity algorithm enables the lattice Boltzmann equation‐based solver to study a general freely moving problem within the incompressible limit. The proposed solver and dynamic similarity theory have been successfully validated by simulating the flow around an in‐line oscillating cylinder, single particle sedimentation, and flows with a freely falling plate. The obtained results agree well with both numerical and experimental data. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Acceptability and solubility of iron and zinc contents of modified Moringa oleifera sauces consumed in the Far‐north region of Cameroon
Authors: Mawouma Saliou , Ponka Roger , Mbofung Carl Moses
Published: June 2016

Consumption of Moringa oleifera leaves is a local and inexpensive solution to iron and zinc deficiencies in the Far‐north region of Cameroon. However, traditional household's cooking techniques result in sauces with high pH levels and low leaves incorporation rates that compromise the bioavailability of iron and zinc. The aim of our study was to investigate the effect of modifying a standard Moringa sauce on consumer acceptability and the solubility of iron and zinc, which is an indicator of their bioavailability. Lime juice or tamarind pulp was added to a standard recipe in order to reduce the pH by about one unit, and Moringa leaf powder was incorporated in each acidulated sauce at three levels (1, 2, and 4 g/100 g of sauce). All the formulations were evaluated for their acceptability by 30 housewives using a five‐point hedonic scale. The pH was measured by a digital electronic pH‐meter. Moisture and ash were determined by AOAC methods. Total iron and zinc contents were determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometry, and soluble iron and zinc by HCl‐extractability. The lime juice‐acidulated sauce and the tamarind pulp‐acidulated sauce enriched with 1 g of Moringa leaf powder were the most acceptable formulations with scores of 3.4 and 3.6, respectively. Their chemical analysis showed a reduced pH (6.4 and 6.1, respectively), compared to the Control (7.2). Lime juice‐acidulated sauce improved iron and zinc solubility from 42.19 to 66.38% and 54.03 to 82.03%, respectively. Tamarind pulp‐acidulated sauce enriched with 1 g of Moringa leaf powder showed a decrease in iron solubility from 42.19 to 38.26% and an increase in zinc solubility from 54.03 to 72.86%. These results confirm the beneficial effect of lime juice in improving iron and zinc bioavailability.
Proximate and biochemical characterization of burrito (Bachydeuterus auritus) and flying gurnard (Dactylopterus volitans)
Authors: Abbey Lawrence D. , Glover‐Amengor Mary , Atikpo Margaret Ottah , Howell Nazlin K.
Published: June 2016

With limited protein resources and depleting commercial fish species there is the need to improve utilization of some of the lesser known species which are underutilized, for example, big eye grunt (burrito), Bachydeuterus auritus, and the flying gurnard (Dactylopterus volitans), (other names Cephalocanthus volitans (local) Pampansre). This study was to characterize some of the proximate and biochemical properties of burrito and the flying gurnard so as to evaluate their potential for use in human nutrition and other value‐added products. Proximate and chemical analysis were determined by the methods of AOAC. Fatty acid profiles were determined following the method of Saaed and Howell (1999). Amino acid profiles for the species were determined according to Bidlingmeyer et al. (). The protein content of both the water soluble and salt soluble protein extracts of the fish species were determined by the Bradford Protein Assay method (Bradford ). Rancidity of the fish species was assessed by thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and Peroxide value (PV) as described by Saeed and Howell (). Burrito contained 18% protein, whereas the flying gurnard contained 22.3%. Calcium content was 296 mg/100 g for burrito and 185 mg/100 g for flying gurnard, whereas iron content was 4.1 mg/100 g and 1.0 mg/100 g for burrito and the flying gurnard, respectively. Palmitic acid (C16) was 27% and 14.3% for the flying gurnard and burrito, respectively. C17: 1ω8 was 3% in the flying gurnard and 0.2% in burrito. Oleic (C18:1ω9) was 17% in the flying gurnard and 6% in burrito. C20:4ω6 was 1.6% in the flying gurnard and 3% in burrito. Docosahexaenoic acid (C22:6ω3) was 4.9% in the flying gurnard and 4.0% in burrito. Both burrito and the flying gurnard are of high nutritional quality as they had a high protein content, good general amino acid profile and abundance of polyunsaturated fatty acids.
Method for calibrating a theoretical model in karst springs: an example for a hydropower station in South China
Authors: Luo Mingming , Chen Zhihua , Criss Robert E. , Zhou Hong , Jakada Hamza , Shi Tingting
Published: June 2016

A theoretical, dimensionless rainfall–runoff model was used to simulate the discharge of Wulongdong spring in western Hubei province, South China. The single parameter (time constant τ) in the model is easy to obtain by fitting the recession rate of the observed hydrographs. The model was scaled by simply matching the total annual flow volume of the model to the observed value. Annual distribution of actual evapotranspiration was embedded in the model input to calculate the accumulated deficit of soil moisture before each rain event. Hourly precipitation input data performed better than daily data, defining τ of 0.85 days and returning a Nash–Sutcliffe efficiency of 0.89 and the root mean square error of 0.07. This model offers an effective way to simulate the discharge of karst springs that respond sensitively to rainfall events. The model parameters of a successful simulation can be used to estimate the recharge area and indicate the intrinsic response time of the basin. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Basin‐Scale Irrigation Planning in Areas with Scarce Data
Authors: Masumoto Takao , Yoshida Takeo , Kudo Ryoji
Published: June 2016

This paper presents a basin‐scale approach to irrigation planning for use in areas with scarce hydrological and meteorological data. We review the past development of cascade irrigation facilities in Cambodia's Kep Province and present the results of applying a distributed water circulation model that incorporates agricultural water use in Cambodia's Pursat River Basin. Basic hydrological and meteorological data are scarce for these areas, partly as a result of the Cambodian civil war. Although 70% of overall water use is for agriculture, irrigation rates in many areas of monsoonal Asia are low and farming depends mainly on rainwater, even in basins where paddy fields are dominant and water resources are abundant. Moreover, basic hydrological and meteorological data are scarce in these areas. Past irrigation planning proposals in these areas have not specified the required volumes of water or the necessary capacities of irrigation facilities. Our consideration of irrigation projects in the Pursat River Basin, based on meteorological data inputs estimated by using a general circulation and/or climate change model, showed that basin‐scale irrigation planning can be applied despite the scarcity of data. Application of the results of long‐term climate change modelling by Japan's Meteorological Research Institute and a distributed water circulation model developed by Institute for Rural Engineering, NARO (NIRE), show that it is possible to model and use basic data when observational data are inadequate. © 2016 The Authors. Irrigation and Drainage Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Micro‐Irrigation in Participatory Mode Pays Huge Dividends—Apmip Experiences, India
Authors: Reddy K. Yella
Published: June 2016

In India more than 80% of the renewable water resources are consumed in agriculture alone. The government of India has recognized the importance of micro‐irrigation for improving water and land productivity and identified a suitable potential area of 69 Mha. In order to make the systems costs affordable for farmers, the government has extended the subsidy on the equipment cost.

Andhra Pradesh state launched the Andhra Pradesh Micro‐Irrigation Project (APMIP) in 2003 to promote this water‐saving irrigation technology on a large scale. The major thrust was to put the 3 million electrified pump sets in the state of Andhra Pradesh into micro‐irrigation. The project has so far covered more than 1.042 million ha under micro‐irrigation systems in a 9‐ year period with capital investment of US$533 million, benefiting 0.66 million farmers.

The project is contributing an additional productivity of worth US$254 million (Rs 15 300 million) per annum. On an annual basis the project is indirectly helping a saving of 4.37 BCM (billion cubic metres) of water, 593 million kWh of energy. The attractive payback period of less than 3 years has influenced bankers to provide loans to farmers to procure micro‐irrigation systems. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
River Basin Scale Analysis on the Return Ratio of Diverted Water from Irrigated Paddy Areas
Authors: Yoshida Takeo , Masumoto Takao , Horikawa Naoki , Kudo Ryoji , Minakawa Hiroki , Nawa Norio
Published: June 2016

Water flows in irrigated paddy areas are complicated not only by the substantial volumes involved but also by repeated cycles of diversion and return flow. A spatially explicit hydrological model that simulates water diversion and return processes in irrigated paddy areas was used to evaluate the return ratio of diverted water to river basin. Assuming complete mixing of the rainfall and irrigated water over the entire irrigation period, the time‐averaged return flow was calculated using the simulated net drainage from the irrigated areas. The return ratio, which is defined as the fraction of the total return flow volume to the total diverted water volume, was 48.5% (ranging from 42.3 to 52.1%) in our case study. These values suggest that most of the water diverted to the irrigated paddies will be discharged except that which is lost through evapotranspiration, because we consider the return ratio during a sufficiently long period and for large irrigation areas. While the largest and smallest return ratios were obtained in the driest and wettest years, respectively, the correlation between rainfall amount and return ratio was not significant, suggesting the need for a more appropriate averaging period that accounts for the short‐term variabilities in return flow processes. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Empirical Bayesball Remixed: Empirical Bayes Methods for Longitudinal Data
Authors: Gu Jiaying , Koenker Roger
Published: June 2016

Empirical Bayes methods for Gaussian and binomial compound decision problems involving longitudinal data are considered. A recent convex optimization reformulation of the nonparametric maximum likelihood estimator of Kiefer and Wolfowitz (Annals of Mathematical Statistics1956;27: 887–906) is employed to construct nonparametric Bayes rules for compound decisions. The methods are illustrated with an application to predict baseball batting averages, and the age profile of batting performance. An important aspect of the empirical application is the general bivariate specification of the distribution of heterogeneous location and scale effects for players that exhibits a weak positive association between location and scale attributes. Prediction of players' batting averages for 2012 based on performance in the prior decade using the proposed methods shows substantially improved performance over more naive methods with more restrictive treatment of unobserved heterogeneity. Comparisons are also made with nonparametric Bayesian methods based on Dirichlet process priors, which can be viewed as a regularized, or smoothed, version of the Kiefer–Wolfowitz method. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Enhanced and selective permeability of gold nanoparticles functionalized with cell penetrating peptide derived from maurocalcine animal toxin
Authors: Khamehchian Sedigheh , Nikkhah Maryam , Madani Rasool , Hosseinkhani Saman
Published: June 2016

Functionalization of gold nanoparticles (GNPs) is suitable for many applications such as biomedical imaging, clinical diagnosis, and targeted delivery by conjugating cell‐penetrating peptides (CPPs). Here, we investigated intracellular uptake of GNP conjugated to MCaUF1‐9(Ala), a CPP derived from maurocalcine (MCa) animal toxin, and compared it with TAT functionalized GNP. Peptide conjugated GNP was characterized using UV‐Visible spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering, zeta potential, and transmission electron microscopy. Uptake of MCaUF1‐9(Ala) and TAT functionalized GNPs was evaluated in three cell lines, HeLa, MDA‐MB‐231, and A431, using dark field imaging and atomic absorption spectroscopy. According to peptide sequences and type of cells different cell penetrating activity was observed. Peptide functionalized GNP had little effect on cell viability and respect to net charge difference between peptide, showed interesting selectivity against three cell types. Peptide conjugated to GNPs displayed higher uptake than bare GNPs in the all cell lines except HeLa cell with lowest internalization. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A: 104A: 2693–2700, 2016.
Dendrigraft polylysine coated‐poly(glycolic acid) fibrous scaffolds for hippocampal neurons
Authors: Kojima Chie , Fusaoka‐Nishioka Eri , Imai Toshio , Nakahira Atsushi , Onodera Hiroshi
Published: June 2016

Poly(glycolic acid) (PGA) fibers are a good candidate material for nerve cell scaffolds, which is applicable to the treatment of peripheral nerve injuries. Polylysine is widely used as a coating material for cell substrates to promote nerve cell adhesion. In this study, linear and dendrigraft polylysines were used to coat PGA fibers. The association of large dendrigraft polylysines with PGA fibers was lower and unstable, compared with linear polylysine. However, more hippocampal neurons adhered to PGA fibers coated with large dendrigraft polylysine than linear polylysine. Enhanced cell adhesion was observed, even when the dendrigraft polylysine was coated on the PGA fibers at a low concentration (0.05 μg/mL) or when it was coated in water instead of alkaline buffer. Differences in cell adhesion properties were seen between the dendrigraft polylysine coating and a laminin coating. Thus, large dendrigraft polylysines are a useful coating material for nerve cell scaffolds. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A: 104A: 2744–2750, 2016.
Macrophage responses to 316L stainless steel and cobalt chromium alloys with different surface topographies
Authors: Anderson Jordan A. , Lamichhane Sujan , Mani Gopinath
Published: June 2016

The surface topography of a biomaterial plays a vital role in determining macrophage interactions and influencing immune response. In this study, we investigated the effect of smooth and microrough topographies of commonly used metallic biomaterials such as 316 L stainless steel (SS) and cobalt‐chromium (CoCr) alloys on macrophage interactions. The macrophage adhesion was greater on CoCr compared to SS, irrespective of their topographies. The macrophage activation and the secretion of most pro‐inflammatory cytokines (TNF‐α, IL‐6, and IP‐10) were greater on microrough surfaces than on smooth surfaces by day‐1. However, by day‐2, the macrophage activation on smooth surfaces was also significantly increased up to the same level as observed on the microrough surfaces, with more amount of cytokines secreted. The secretion of anti‐inflammatory cytokine (IL‐10) was significantly increased from day‐1 to day‐2 on all the alloy surfaces with the effect most prominently observed on microrough surfaces. The production of nitric oxide by the macrophages did not show any major substrate‐dependent effect. The foreign body giant cells formed by macrophages were least observed on the microrough surfaces of CoCr. Thus, this study demonstrated that the nature of material (SS or CoCr) and their surface topographies (smooth or microrough) strongly influence the macrophage responses. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A: 104A: 2658–2672, 2016.
Biological functionality and mechanistic contribution of extracellular matrix‐ornamented three dimensional Ti‐6Al‐4V mesh scaffolds
Authors: Kumar A. , Nune K. C. , Misra R. D. K.
Published: June 2016

The 3D printed metallic implants are considered bioinert in nature because of the absence of bioactive molecules. Thus, surface modification of bioinert materials is expected to favorably promote osteoblast functions and differentiation. In this context, the objective of this study is to fundamentally elucidate the effect of cell‐derived decellularized extracellular matrix (dECM) ornamented 3D printed Ti‐6Al‐4V scaffolds on biological functions, involving cell adhesion, proliferation, and synthesis of vinculin and actin proteins. To mimic the natural ECM environment, the mineralized ECM of osteoblasts was deposited on the Ti‐6Al‐4V porous scaffolds, fabricated by electron beam melting (EBM) method. The process comprised of osteoblast proliferation, differentiation, and freeze‐thaw cycles to obtain decellularized extra cellular matrix (dECM), in vitro. The dECM provided a natural environment to restore the natural cell functionality of osteoblasts that were cultured on dECM ornamented Ti‐6Al‐4V scaffolds. In comparison to the bare Ti‐6Al‐4V scaffolds, a higher cell functionality such as cell adhesion, proliferation, and growth including cell‐cell and cell‐material interaction were observed on dECM ornamented Ti‐6Al‐4V scaffolds, which were characterized by using markers for focal adhesion and cytoskeleton such as vinculin and actin. Moreover, electron microscopy also indicated higher cell–material interaction and enhanced proliferation of cells on dECM ornamented Ti‐6Al‐4V scaffolds, supported by MTT assay. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A: 104A: 2751–2763, 2016.
Poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide) hydrogel/chitosan scaffold hybrid for three‐dimensional stem cell culture and cartilage tissue engineering
Authors: Mellati Amir , Kiamahalleh Meisam Valizadeh , Madani S. Hadi , Dai Sheng , Bi Jingxiu , Jin Bo , Zhang Hu
Published: June 2016

Providing a controllable and definable three‐dimensional (3D) microenvironment for chondrogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) remains a great challenge for cartilage tissue engineering. In this work, poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAAm) polymers with the degrees of polymerization of 100 and 400 (NI100 and NI400) were prepared and the polymer solutions were introduced into the preprepared chitosan porous scaffolds (CS) to form hybrids (CSNI100 and CSNI400, respectively). SEM images indicated that the PNIPAAm gel partially occupied chitosan pores while the interconnected porous structure of chitosan was preserved. MSCs were incorporated within the hybrid and cell proliferation and chondrogenic differentiation were monitored. After 7‐day incubation of the cell‐laden constructs in a growth medium, the cell viability in CSNI100 and CSNI400 were 54 and 108% higher than that in CS alone, respectively. Glycosaminoglycan and total collagen contents increased 2.6‐ and 2.5‐fold after 28‐day culture of cell‐laden CSNI400 in the chondrogenic medium. These results suggest that the hybrid structure composed of the chitosan porous scaffold and the well‐defined PNIPAAm hydrogel, in particular CSNI400, is suitable for 3D stem cell culture and cartilage tissue engineering. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A: 104A: 2764–2774, 2016.
Assessment of degradation and biocompatibility of electrodeposited chitosan and chitosan–carbon nanotube tubular implants
Authors: Nawrotek Katarzyna , Tylman Michał , Decherchi Patrick , Marqueste Tanguy , Rudnicka Karolina , Gatkowska Justyna , Wieczorek Marek
Published: June 2016

Designing three‐dimensional tubular materials made of chitosan is still a challenging task. Availability of such forms is highly desired by tissue engineering, especially peripheral nerve tissue engineering. Aiming at this problem, we use an electrodeposition phenomenon in order to obtain chitosan and chitosan–carbon nanotube hydrogel tubular implants. The in vitro biocompatibility of the fabricated structures is assessed using a mouse hippocampal cell line (mHippoE‐18). As both implants do not induce significant cytotoxicity, they are next subjected to in vitro degradation studies in the environment simulating in vivo conditions for specified periods of time: 7, 14, and 28 days. The mass loss of implants indicates their stability at the tested time period; therefore, the materials are subcutaneously implanted in Sprague Dawley rats. The explants are collected after 7, 14, and 28 days. The assessment of composition and changes in tissues surrounding the implanted materials is made in respect to surrounding tissue thickness as well as the number of blood vessels, macrophages, lymphocytes, and neutrophils. No symptoms of acute inflammation are noticed at any point in time. The observed regular healing process allows concluding that both chitosan and chitosan–carbon hydrogel tubular implants are biocompatible with high application potential in tissue engineering. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A: 104A: 2701–2711, 2016.
Physical and mechanical properties of cross‐linked type I collagen scaffolds derived from bovine, porcine, and ovine tendons
Authors: Ghodbane Salim A. , Dunn Michael G.
Published: June 2016

Collagen scaffolds are often utilized in tissue engineering applications where their performance depends on physical and mechanical properties. This study investigated the effects of collagen source (bovine, porcine, and ovine tendon) on properties of collagen sponge scaffolds cross‐linked with 1‐ethyl‐3‐(3‐dimethyl aminopropyl) carbodiimide (EDC)/N‐hydroxysuccinimide (NHS). Scaffolds were tested for tensile and compressive properties, stability (resistance to enzymatic degradation), pore size, and swelling ratio. No significant differences in tensile modulus were observed, but ovine scaffolds had significantly greater ultimate strain, stress, and toughness relative to bovine and porcine scaffolds. No significant differences in compressive properties, pore size, or swelling ratio were observed as a function of collagen source. Ovine scaffolds were more resistant to collagenase degradation compared to bovine samples, which were more resistant than porcine scaffolds. In comparison to bovine scaffolds, ovine scaffolds performed equivalently or superiorly in all evaluations, and porcine scaffolds were equivalent in all properties except enzymatic stability. These results suggest that collagen sponges derived from bovine, porcine, and ovine tendon have similar physical and mechanical properties, and are all potentially suitable materials for various tissue engineering applications. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A: 104A: 2685–2692, 2016.
Short‐range and long‐range cross‐linking effects of polygenipin on gelatin‐based composite materials
Authors: Ge Liming , Xu Yongbin , Liang Weijie , Li Xinying , Li Defu , Mu Changdao
Published: June 2016

Genipin is an ideal cross‐linking agent in biomedical applications, which can undergo ring‐opening polymerization in alkaline condition. The polygenipin can create short‐range and long‐range intermolecular cross‐linking between protein chains. In this article, the polygenipin with different degree of polymerization was successfully prepared and used to fix gelatin composite materials. The short‐range and long‐range cross‐linking effects of polygenipin were systematically studied. The results show that the composite materials present porous structure with tunable pore sizes in the gel state, which can be easily controlled by adjusting the degree of polymerization of polygenipin. Long‐range cross‐linking can increase the pore size of the gel. However, during the drying process, the composite films cross‐linked by polygenipin with higher degree of polymerization shrank to smaller size to create more compact structure, resulting in the improvement of water resistance properties, thermal stability, tensile strength, and darker color for the composite films. It is interesting that the composite films can partly swell to the original gel structure when in contact with water and saturated water vapor. All the composite films have excellent barrier properties against UV light. However, the compatibility of gelatin and polygenipin is reduced when the degree of polymerization of polygenipin increases to a certain extent, which will result in the formation of phase separation structure. The obtained composite films are ideal candidates for food and pharmaceutical packaging materials. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A: 104A: 2712–2722, 2016.
Monolithic chromatography: insights and practical perspectives
Authors: González‐González Mirna , González‐Valdez José , Mayolo‐Deloisa Karla , Rito‐Palomares Marco
Published: June 2016

The use of monoliths, one‐piece porous separation materials, as column packaging media is known as monolithic chromatography and this technology has been widely exploited to improve the separation profile of high‐valued biomolecules from complex biological matrices. Monoliths possess a wide range of processing advantages over commonly used chromatographical resins, including: fast flow rates, short processing times, sufficient surface area interactions, and enhanced thoroughness. The application of three different types of monolithic supports (hydrophobic, ion exchange and affinity) as an alternative to overcome traditional drawbacks in bioseparations will be presented as a practical perspective for the recovery of PEGylated proteins, stem cells or industrial enzymes. In our experience, the use of monolithic matrixes in the separation of high‐valued biological materials has greatly simplified the usual problems observed in traditional chromatographic separations, resulting in a highly efficient downstream separation procedure. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry
Understanding perceptions of changing hurricane strength along the US Gulf coast
Authors: Shao Wanyun , Xian Siyuan , Keim Barry D. , Goidel Kirby , Lin Ning
Published: June 2016

The scientific debate on the impact of climate change on hurricane intensity/strength continues. Regardless of its causes, the consequence of increasing hurricane intensity is undeniably immense among coastal residents. In this study, we investigate how various objective measures of hurricane strength affect people's perception of changing hurricane strength over time. We utilize original survey data to examine the relationship between perceived and actual shift in hurricane strength. In this article, hurricane strength is indicated as maximum wind speed at landfall, storm surge, and economic damage. We find that the characteristics of hurricane strength associated with the most recent landfall are much more closely associated with perceptions of changing hurricane strength than objectively measured trends. This result is consistent with availability bias, suggesting that perceptions are associated with most accessible and retrievable events. We also find that people's belief in climate change play a powerful role in one's perception of changing hurricane strength. Political predispositions are found to affect one's perceptions of changing hurricane strength. Compared to Democrats and Independents, Republicans are far less likely to believe that climate is changing and thus they tend to not believe that hurricanes are becoming stronger. Given that this study focuses on how physical characteristics of past hurricane events influence individual perceptions of hurricane strength shift, future research should focus on how expectations of future climate and weather‐related events influence individual attitudes and behaviours.
Morphologic and quantitative magnetic resonance imaging of knee articular cartilage for the assessment of post‐traumatic osteoarthritis
Authors: Eagle Sonja , Potter Hollis G. , Koff Matthew F.
Published: June 2016

Orthopedic trauma, such as anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) disruption, is a common source of osteoarthritis in the knee. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a non‐invasive multi‐planar imaging modality commonly used to evaluate hard and soft tissues of diarthrodial joints following traumatic injury. The contrast provided by generated images enables the evaluation of bone marrow lesions as well as delamination and degeneration of articular cartilage. We will provide background information about MRI signal generation and decay (T1 and T2 values), the utility of morphologic MRI, and the quantitative MRI techniques of T1ρ, T2, and T2* mapping, to evaluate subjects with traumatic knee injuries, such as ACL rupture. Additionally, we will provide information regarding the dGEMRIC, sodium, and gagCEST imaging techniques. Finally, the description and utility of newer post hoc analysis techniques, such as texture analysis, will be given. Continued development and refinement of these advanced MRI techniques will facilitate their clinical translation. © 2016 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 35:412–423, 2017.
Prediction of clinically relevant initiation and progression of tears within annulus fibrosus
Authors: Shahraki Narjes Momeni , Fatemi Ali , Agarwal Anand , Goel Vijay K.
Published: June 2016

Internal disc disruption and annular tears are some of the causes of back and leg pain. It is difficult to observe location of internal damage and its distribution and propagation in cadaveric experiments or via imaging in clinical scenarios. Finite element analysis is useful for understanding the effects of different loading conditions on the location of initiation and propagation of tears in the annulus. In this study, a hyperelastic anisotropic material model in conjunction with biaxial properties was used for modelling annulus fibrosus material under a variety of loading conditions. The loading conditions considered included compression, flexion, extension, and their combinations. Tsai‐Wu criterion was used to evaluate the damage, considering strength anisotropy and asymmetry. Damage predictions based on this criterion are in better agreement with available experimental studies and clinical observations, as compared to other approaches. Therefore, the use of Tsai‐Wu criterion is suggested as an appropriate mechanical parameter to quantify damage, its initiation locations, and its distribution in annulus fibrosus under different loading conditions. © 2016 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 35:113–122, 2017.
Neither fixed nor random: weighted least squares meta‐regression
Authors: Stanley T. D. , Doucouliagos Hristos
Published: June 2016

Our study revisits and challenges two core conventional meta‐regression estimators: the prevalent use of ‘mixed‐effects’ or random‐effects meta‐regression analysis and the correction of standard errors that defines fixed‐effects meta‐regression analysis (FE‐MRA). We show how and explain why an unrestricted weighted least squares MRA (WLS‐MRA) estimator is superior to conventional random‐effects (or mixed‐effects) meta‐regression when there is publication (or small‐sample) bias that is as good as FE‐MRA in all cases and better than fixed effects in most practical applications. Simulations and statistical theory show that WLS‐MRA provides satisfactory estimates of meta‐regression coefficients that are practically equivalent to mixed effects or random effects when there is no publication bias. When there is publication selection bias, WLS‐MRA always has smaller bias than mixed effects or random effects. In practical applications, an unrestricted WLS meta‐regression is likely to give practically equivalent or superior estimates to fixed‐effects, random‐effects, and mixed‐effects meta‐regression approaches. However, random‐effects meta‐regression remains viable and perhaps somewhat preferable if selection for statistical significance (publication bias) can be ruled out and when random, additive normal heterogeneity is known to directly affect the ‘true’ regression coefficient. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.