bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Synoptic‐climatological evaluation of the classifications of atmospheric circulation patterns over Europe
Authors: Huth Radan , Beck Christoph , Kučerová Monika
Published: December 2015

This study evaluates the classifications of atmospheric circulation patterns collected in the COST733 database (COST733cat) in terms of their ability to stratify daily surface temperature and precipitation in 12 domains covering the whole of Europe. The classifications differ in the classification methods used, in the number of types, the variable(s) classified, the number of days in a sequence that are classified and in whether the classification is based on year‐round or seasonal data. Several classification methods that perform fairly well are identified; they include a simple k‐means clustering, a k‐means clustering preceded by hierarchical cluster analysis, Litynski's method, and a classification based on circulation prototypes. On the other hand, there are a couple of classification methods that do not provide a good stratification of temperature and precipitation: orthogonally and obliquely rotated principal component analysis in a T‐mode, Lund's correlation method, Kirchhofer's sums‐of‐squares method, and Erpicum's method. Some methods tend to perform better on large domains, while others tend to perform better on smaller domains; however, the sensitivity of most classification methods to the domain size appears to be small. Several methods exhibit a geographical dependence of their performance, e.g. the method based on circulation prototypes tends to perform better in the northern domains, while Jenkinson–Collison and Erpicum's methods perform better in the southern domains. Classifications of 4‐day sequences are usually better in stratifying surface temperature than ordinary instantaneous classifications; the opposite is true for precipitation. Adding a mid‐tropospheric variable (500 hPa heights or 1000/500 hPa thickness) to sea level pressure as a classified variable improves the skill of classifications in stratifying temperature.
Prediction of survival and tumor recurrence in patients undergoing surgery for pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms
Authors: Kaltenborn Alexander , Matzke Svenja , Kleine Moritz , Krech Till , Ramackers Wolf , Vondran Florian W. R. , Klempnauer Jürgen , Bektas Hüseyin , Schrem Harald
Published: December 2015

Background

This study strives to define prognostic models for outcome after surgery for malignant pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors.

Methods

Forty‐one patients were included. Prognostic models for mortality and disease recurrence were developed with multivariate binary logistic regression.

Results

The proposed prognostic model for tumor recurrence risk after surgery in percentage (AUROC = 0.774, 95%CI = 0.611–0.937) is: Risk in % = Exp(Y)/(1 + Exp(Y)), with Y = −4.360 + (0.015 × tumor diameter in cm) + (0.010 × preoperative platelet count in thousand/μl) + (1.077 × distant metastases, if yes = 1; if no = 0) + (−0.026 × Ki‐67‐positive cells in %) + (−1.086 × upper abdominal pain, if yes = 1; if no = 0). The proposed prognostic model for observed 3‐year survival probability after surgery in % (AUROC = 0.932, 95%CI = 0.857–0.999) is: Survival probability in % = Exp(Y)/(1 + Exp(Y)), with Y = −12.492 + (0.054 × preoperative platelet count in thousand/μl) + (0.112 × minimal distance of the resection margin from the tumor in mm) + (−1.574 × number of positive lymph nodes) + (2.292 × histological tumor infiltration, if yes = 1; if no = 0)

Conclusions

The platelet count was identified as a relevant risk factor. Proposed prognostic models with good model‐fit display properties that indicate potential clinical usefulness. J. Surg. Oncol. 2016;113:194–202. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Hollow‐fiber double‐solvent synergistic microextraction with high‐performance liquid chromatography for the determination of antitumor alkaloids in Coptis chinensis
Authors: Chen Xuan , Wang Jin , Hu Shuang , Bai Xiaohong
Published: December 2015

A new hollow‐fiber double‐solvent synergistic microextraction method was proposed for the extraction and concentration of trace active compounds in traditional Chinese medicine. The main variables affecting the method were investigated and optimized. Under the optimized conditions, linearities were 0.01–10 μg/mL, detection limits were lower than 0.8 ng/mL, and interday, and intraday relative standard deviations were <9.20%. Furthermore, average recoveries ranged from 102.8 to 104.1%, and enrichment factors were 6–70 for the four alkaloids tested. The antitumor alkaloid group in Coptis chinensis was screened and identified by hollow‐fiber cell fishing with high‐performance liquid chromatography. The four alkaloids were then enriched and quantified by hollow‐fiber double‐solvent synergistic microextraction with high‐performance liquid chromatography. The mechanism of the proposed microextraction method was described, and results demonstrated that the approach was a simple and reliable sample‐preparation procedure. This method, as well as hollow‐fiber cell fishing combined with high‐performance liquid chromatography can be adopted to study the different characteristic effects of the multiple components and multiple targets of traditional Chinese medicine. The approach can also be used to conduct tailored quality control of the active compounds associated with therapeutic efficacy.
Determination of residual levels of naloxone, yohimbine, thiophanate, and altrenogest in porcine muscle using QuEChERS with liquid chromatography and triple quadrupole mass spectrometry
Authors: Zhang Dan , Park Jin‐A , Kim Seong‐Kwan , Cho Sang‐Hyun , Cho Soo‐Min , Yi Hee , Shim Jae‐Han , Kim Jin‐Suk , Abd El‐Aty A. M. , Shin Ho‐Chul
Published: December 2015

A quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe QuEChERS (method) was used for the simultaneous detection of four veterinary drug residues, namely naloxone, yohimbine, thiophanate, and altrenogest, in porcine muscle, using liquid chromatography with electrospray ionization triple quadrupole tandem mass spectrometry. Because of the unavailability of a suitable internal standard, matrix‐matched calibrations were used for quantification, with determination coefficients ≥ 0.9542. The accuracy (expressed as recovery %) ranged from 60.53 to 83.25%, and the intra‐ and interday precisions (expressed as relative standard deviations) were <12%. The limits of quantification were 5, 0.5, 2, and 5 ng/g for naloxone, yohimbine, thiophanate, and altrenogest, respectively. Samples purchased from local markets in Seoul, Republic of Korea, revealed no traces of the target analytes. The developed method described herein is sensitive and reliable and can be applied to quantify the tested veterinary drugs in animal tissues.
Quantification of structurally related aliphatic amino alcohols in l‐valinol by hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography separation combined with postcolumn derivatization and fluorescence detection
Authors: Douša Michal , Stach Jan , Gibala Petr , Lemr Karel
Published: December 2015

The amino alcohols in l‐valinol were effectively separated and quantified using hydrophilic interaction chromatography with fluorescence detection. The influence of the mobile phase (salt type, buffer concentration, and pH) on retention was studied. A column TSKgel amide and mobile phase consisting of 10 mM acetate buffer pH 4.0 and acetonitrile (20:80, v/v) provided well‐separated symmetric peaks of analytes. Fluorescence detection was performed using postcolumn derivatization with o‐phtaldialdehyde/2‐mercaptoethanol at an excitation and emission wavelength of 345 and 450 nm, respectively. Simple sample pretreatment and very high sensitivity represent the main advantages of the developed method. After validation, the method was successfully applied to the analysis of commercial samples of l‐valinol.
Metabolic scaling predicts posthepatectomy liver regeneration after accounting for hepatocyte hypertrophy
Authors: Young LeAnne H. , Periwal Vipul
Published: December 2015

We adapted a mathematical model of posthepatectomy liver regeneration using data from a subset of patients in the Adult‐to‐Adult Living Donor Liver Transplantation Cohort Study. The original model addressed changes in the number of quiescent, primed, and proliferating cells. Our adapted model takes into account hypertrophy of primed and replicating cells, and it is better able to predict liver volume. In addition, by building off the hypothesis that cell cycle parameters are approximately the same across all mammals, we found that changing only a single parameter characterizing metabolic load could model liver regeneration in 5 species of mammals. In conclusion, we improved a mathematical model of liver regeneration, predicted mammalian liver regeneration based on metabolism, and found correlations between model parameters and physiological measurements from liver donors.
Nocturia in Patients With Parkinson's Disease
Authors: Smith Matthew , Seth Jai , Batla Amit , Hofereiter Johann , Bhatia Kailash P. , Panicker Jalesh N.
Published: December 2015

Background

Waking up from sleep more than once to pass urine, known as nocturia, is an important nonmotor symptom in Parkinson's disease (PD). Very little is known about the cause for nocturia. The aim of this work was to evaluate lower urinary tract (LUT) symptoms in patients withPDreporting nocturia using standardized validated questionnaires and bladder diaries and to assess the impact of nocturia on quality of life and sleep.

Methods

Twenty‐three consecutive patients withPD(17 males, 6 females; mean age: 68.5 years; range, 50–85) referred to a specialist uro‐neurology clinic reporting nocturia according to the International Continence Society definition were included. Patients measured their daily fluid intake, urinary output per void, and recorded these with the timing of voids on a 3‐day bladder diary. Standardized questionnaires were used to assessLUTsymptoms (Urinary Symptom Profile, International Prostate Symptom Score, and Qualiveen Short Form) and sleep quality (Parkinson's Disease Sleep Scale).

Results

Mean duration ofPDwas 10.1 years, and mean severity on H & Y scale was 3.0 (range, 1.0–5.0). Median duration ofLUTsymptoms was 6.0 years. Mean night‐time urinary frequency was 3.5 (range, 1.0–7.3), and mean nocturnal maximum voided volume was 242 mL. Mean Nocturnal Polyuria Index (NPi) was 0.4 (range, 0.13–0.75), and 13 patients (56.5%) had nocturnal polyuria (NPi > 0.33). Patients with nocturnal polyuria reported more‐severeLUTsymptoms that impacted quality of life and sleep.

Conclusions

In this preliminary study, nocturnal polyuria seems to be common in patients withPDreporting nocturia and appears to affect quality of life and sleep, though this was not statistically significant. The bladder diary is an essential tool in the assessment of nocturia in patients withPD.
3–10 GHz, 6.54‐mW CMOS ultrawideband low‐noise amplifier using a hybrid structure
Authors: Sun Mingyuan Y. , Lim Wei Meng , Shi Zhengyu Y. , Yu Qi , Liu Yang
Published: December 2015

A low‐noise amplifier (LNA) for 3–10 GHz ultrawideband applications is realized in 65‐nm CMOS technology. A self‐biased resistive feedback structure with inductive peaking topology is used to achieve wideband matching as well as flat gain, and the current reuse technique is used to reduce power consumption. Furthermore, a series source negative feedback resistor is introduced to achieve a significant input matching improvement for the purpose of saving chip area. The LNA exhibits 13.2‐dB power gain, 4.38‐dB minimum noise figure, and 6.54‐mW power consumption under a 1.2‐V supply voltage. Moreover, only two inductors are used in the circuit, occupying a silicon area of 0.072 mm2. It is able to achieve functionality with a small silicon area and a low‐power consumption among recently published CMOS‐based wideband LNAs. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 58:293–295, 2016
Design of hexa‐channel triplexer with modified manifold‐coupled structure
Authors: Xu Jin
Published: December 2015

In this article, a novel hexa‐channel triplexer with modified manifold‐coupled structure is presented. Three asymmetrical coupling shorted stub loaded stepped‐impedance resonator dual‐band bandpass filter is used to replace the single‐band channel filters in the conventional manifold‐coupled triplexer. The proposed modified manifold‐coupled structure is constructed by two different three‐element lowpass Π‐networks for achieving the required phase shift and filtering performance. Good agreements can be observed between the simulated and measured results. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 58:279–283, 2016
Fiber ring resonator using a cavity ring‐down interrogation technique for curvature sensing
Authors: Magalhães R. , Silva S. O. , Frazão O.
Published: December 2015

In this work, it is demonstrated a fiber ring resonator connected to an interrogation system usually implemented on a cavity ring‐down technique. A long‐period grating (LPG) was inserted in the resonant cavity, being operated as a curvature sensor. The experimental results demonstrate that using this setup, different sensitivities can be achieved in terms of analyzing decay time over the radius of the curvature and over curvature. The LPG sensor presented higher sensitivity with larger radius of curvature, namely 6.91 μs/m. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 58:267–270, 2016
A compact UWB bandpass filter based on CRLH via‐less CPW‐fed
Authors: ••• Nilotpal , Upadhyay Dileep Kumar
Published: December 2015

A novel compact coplanar waveguide (CPW)‐fed ultrawideband (UWB) bandpass filter is proposed in this article. The composite right‐/left‐handed transmission line structure is designed on a single layer via‐less CPW‐fed, which reduces the fabrication complexity and makes the structure more feasible. The filter exhibits stopband rejection level greater than 10 dB while maintaining insertion loss less than 0.3 dB throughout the passband range. The filter has a compact size of 18.4 mm × 4.5 mm. The performance of the proposed UWB bandpass filter is compared with the previously reported UWB bandpass filters. All the performance parameters of the filter are evaluated by full‐wave electromagnetic simulator IE3D, based on the method of moments and all the results are verified by measurement. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 58:276–279, 2016
Channel‐spacing tunable multiwavelength thulium‐doped fiber laser based on four‐wave mixing effect in a high nonlinear fiber
Authors: Wei Yizhen , Yang Xiong , Mao Barerem‐Melgueba , Lu Yang , Zhou Xuefang , Bi Meihua , Yang Guowei
Published: December 2015

We propose a channel‐spacing tunable multiwavelength thulium‐doped fiber laser in the 2‐μm waveband. Stable multiwavelength operation at room temperature is achieved using four‐wave mixing effect in a high nonlinear fiber. The wavelength spacing and number of channels of the multiwavelength fiber laser are adjustable by controlling the effective length of polarization‐maintaining fiber in the intracavity Lyot–Sagnac filter. Four channels with 3.0‐nm spacing, eight channels with 1.5‐nm spacing, and 11 channels with 1.0‐nm spacing are experimentally demonstrated. Characteristics of output stability and extinction ratio are also evaluated. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 58:337–340, 2016
Circularly polarized antenna using a double layered via‐less high impedance surface
Authors: Gupta Gaurangi , Harish Ayyangar R.
Published: December 2015

Low profile (0.019λ) linearly and circularly polarized antennas are constructed by placing a printed bow tie dipole above a double layered via‐less high impedance surface (HIS). Asymmetry in the HIS and the orientation of the dipole are adjusted to achieve either circular polarization or linear polarization with low cross‐polarization level. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 58:340–343, 2016
A compact planar wide‐band balun with high isolation based on coupled‐line and composite right–left‐handed transmission line
Authors: Wu Yongle , Zhuang Zheng , Jiao Lingxiao , Liu Yuanan
Published: December 2015

A novel compact single‐layer wide‐band planar balun with high isolation is proposed. It is composed of a broadband coupled‐line power divider and an improved phase shifter using coupled‐line (CL) and composite right/left‐handed transmission line (CRLH TL). The CRLH structure is used to realize the advanced phase response while the coupled‐line power divider can be utilized to provide the performance of wide‐band matching and isolation. For demonstration, a novel planar microstrip balun operating at ∼2.75 GHz is designed and implemented. The proposed balun has many advantages including compact single‐layer structure, excellent return loss, high isolation, and perfect phase response. Finally, good agreements between the simulated and measured results verify this design. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 58:372–376, 2016
Novel axe‐shaped circular microstrip quad band antenna
Authors: Nafiza N. , Sreeja B. S. , Devi R. Chithra , Radha S.
Published: December 2015

Novel axe‐shaped circular microstrip quad band cost effective antenna with simple structure is developed. This design consists of circular patch with elliptical and circular slots loading provide an axe shape patch along with stubs offer quad bands. The proposed antenna provides resonance at the frequencies of 2.8, 4, 5.4, and 6.2 GHz which covers the applications of WLAN/WI‐FI and WIMAX. The measured results of reflection coefficient and VSWR are presented. The proposed design provides minimum rejection ratio of 23 dB and maximum rejection ratio of 15 dB. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 58:400–402, 2016
V‐band 18.3 dB/1.6 dBm three‐stage amplifier with inductive self‐biasing in 130‐nm CMOS
Authors: Zhang Mingming , Wu Hsien‐Shun , Tzuang Ching‐Kuang C.
Published: December 2015

The common source amplifier design with the inductive self‐biasing is presented. The proposed design can establish the biasing and the impedance matching with two transmission line elements. Both theoretical and experimental verifications confirm that the three‐stage prototype achieves a gain per stage of 6.1 dB, and the output P1dB of 1.6 dBm with 29 mW power consumption at 53 GHz based on the standard CMOS 130 nm 1P8M technology. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 58:409–413, 2016
Optical communication system for high‐capacity LAN
Authors: Perrone P. , Betti S. , Rutigliano G.G.
Published: December 2015

In this article, it is proposed a model for multilevel polarization modulation tailored to Local Area Networks (LAN's), which exploits optical fiber intrinsic properties to obtain, with the same bandwidth, a higher single‐channel throughput with a reduced receiver complexity. This is achieved through a “fluid” constellation of confined bands. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 58:389–393, 2016
High performance terahertz antennas based on split ring resonator and thin wire metamaterial structures
Authors: Abdelrehim Adel A. A. , Ghafouri‐Shiraz Hooshang
Published: December 2015

In this letter, the left‐handed metamaterial (LH‐MTM) which has a negative refractive index (NRI) is employed to improve the performance of microstrip patch antenna. The LH‐MTM used in this work is a 3D periodic structure which consists of split ring resonators and thin wires (SRR/TW). The LH‐MTM is placed in front of the microstrip patch antenna and due to the NRI property of the LH‐MTM; the radiated electromagnetic beam size reduces which results in a highly focused beam. The proposed antenna has been designed and simulated using CST microwave studio and the MTM effective parameters are extracted from the s parameters by using Nicolson–Ross–Weir (NRW) algorithm. A parametric analysis has been performed to study the effects of the patch antenna and LT‐MTM lens separation and the size of the 3D LH‐MTM structure on the radiating properties and the impedance matching of the proposed antenna. For the experimental verification, the proposed antenna operating at 10 GHz is fabricated, the return loss and the gain for the proposed antenna with and without MTM are measured. Furthermore, the results show the antenna gain improved by 1.5 dB which validate the concept of beam focusing using NRI MTM structure, while the return loss and the bandwidth are slightly reduced. However, the idea has been extended to the terahertz frequency range by designing and simulating a 303 GHz antenna for heartbeat rate (HR) measurement. For 303 GHz patch antenna, the results demonstrate an improvement in the gain by 1.1 dB, in the bandwidth by 14.73 GHz, and in the return loss by 12.62 dB over their original values without MTM lens, while the beam size is slightly reduced. The simulation and experimental results investigated the idea of the beam focusing using NRI MTM for wide frequency ranges including microwaves and terahertz. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 58:382–389, 2016
40‐GB/s all‐optical 3R regeneration based on AFL and SOA‐DI
Authors: Chen Xin , Lou Caiyun , Zhao Xiaofan , Huo Li , Sun Yu , Zhao Lingjuan
Published: December 2015

In this article, 40‐Gb/s all‐optical 3R regeneration with a monolithic amplified feedback laser (AFL) as the all‐optical clock recovery and a semiconductor optical amplifier delayed interferometer (SOA‐DI) as the optical decision gate has been experimentally demonstrated. A 40‐GHz optical clock with low timing jitter and uniform amplitude was successfully recovered from the polarization mode dispersion (PMD) and noise degraded signal by the AFL. The PMD degraded signal was restored by the 3R regenerator with the Q‐factor and the amplitude uniformity improved. Bit‐error rate improvement of the noise degraded signal has also been achieved using the 3R regenerator. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 58:433–436, 2016
Research on the propagation constant of the periodically slotted rectangular waveguide by equivalent circuit method
Authors: Huo Xingying , Wang Junhong , Li Dawei , Zhang Zhan , Chen Meie , Li Zheng
Published: December 2015

The influence of the structural parameters on the propagation constant of the leaky rectangular waveguide is studied by an equivalent circuit method and the dispersion equations are derived by the theory of transmission line. Using these equations, variation of propagation constant with the structural parameters is obtained and analyzed. And the propagation constants obtained from the equivalent circuit method were compared with those from the full‐wave simulation results. Both the results show that there is a critical length of the slots, below which the propagation constant of the leaky waveguide will be larger than that of the closed waveguide. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 58:426–429, 2016
A high‐power, broadband 245–285 GHz balanced frequency doubler in 45 nm SOI CMOS
Authors: Abbasi Morteza , Ricketts David S.
Published: December 2015

A compact, broadband balanced frequency doubler that achieves state‐of‐the‐art output power with a usable bandwidth of over 40 GHz (245–285 GHz) has been presented. This wide bandwidth is twice that of previously published CMOS doublers from 140 to 340 GHz, enabling emerging applications in wide bandwidth communication and radar at sub‐THz frequencies. The doubler is designed and fabricated in a 45 nm SOI CMOS technology with an effective area of only 0.12 mm2. The frequency doubler exhibits −15 ± 1.5 dB conversion loss over 40 GHz bandwidth and can provide as high as 200 μW power while consuming 19 ± 1 mW dc power from a 1.1 V supply. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 58:423–426, 2016
Dual‐band filtenna array for WLAN applications
Authors: Ahmad Waqas , Budimir Djuradj
Published: December 2015

This article presents the design and results of a dual‐band antenna array integrated with bandpass filters for WLAN applications. The array is fed with a single 50 Ω port and consists of two radiating elements; thereby having a 1 × 2 array structure. The two bands of the antenna array correspond to the two WLAN bands of 2.4 GHz and 5.8 GHz. A standalone array has first been designed. Other than the two fundamental resonant frequencies, the standalone array exhibits spurious harmonics at various other frequencies. For the suppression of these harmonics, the array has been integrated with two bandpass filters, centered at 2.4 GHz and 5.8 GHz. The resulting filtenna array was simulated, fabricated, and measured. Obtained simulation and measurement results agree well with each other and have been presented to validate the accuracy of the proposed structure. Measured return loss of the structure shows dual‐bands at 2.4 GHz and 5.8 GHz of more than 30 dB each and also a successful suppression of the spurious harmonics of the antenna array has been achieved. Radiation patterns have also been simulated and measured and both results shown. The gain and efficiency have also been presented; with the values being 6.7 dBi and 70% for the 2.4 GHz band and 7.4 dBi and 81% for the 5.8 GHz band, respectively. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 58:477–481, 2016
Prospective study on the effects of regular and decaffeinated coffee on urinary symptoms in young and healthy volunteers
Authors: Staack Andrea , Distelberg Brian , Schlaifer Amy , Sabaté Joan
Published: December 2015

Aims

Coffee reduction has been a strategy to prevent urinary symptoms with conflicting evidence. We aimed to study the effects of regular and decaffeinated coffee on urinary symptoms among low and frequent coffee users, who were young and healthy.

Methods

We conducted a double‐blinded parallel study on subjects, who were restricted from consuming caffeinated items outside the study. After subjects completed 5 days of caffeine abstinence they consumed regular coffee (450 mg/d caffeine content) or decaffeinated coffee (12 mg/d caffeine content) for 5 days. Previous caffeine use and urinary symptoms were assessed by a diet survey, urogenital distress inventory, and interstitial cystitis problem and symptom indices (ICPI, ICSI).

Results

Forty nine subjects completed the study. When assessing the submeasures “frequency” and “urgency” on ICPI and ICSI subjects drinking coffee reported a significant increase in urgency (P < 0.05) and frequency (P < 0.05), whereas subjects drinking decaffeinated coffee experienced no difference in those submeasures in comparison to no caffeine intake. However, previous “low coffee users” experienced the largest increase of urinary symptoms, whereas previous “frequent coffee users” showed fewer symptoms when exposed to regular coffee.

Conclusions

The study suggests that avoiding high‐dosage coffee consumption prevents urgency and frequency, which supports recommendations to limit caffeinated beverages. The study differentiates between subjects having a history of low and frequent coffee use. Subjects, who are not used to regular coffee consumption, seem to be more vulnerable to the effects of coffee on urinary symptoms. Better understanding of the effects of coffee on urinary symptoms may improve patients counseling. Neurourol. Neurourol. Urodynam. 36:432–437, 2017. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Polymer–gold nanoparticle composite films for topical application: Evaluation of physical properties and antibacterial activity
Authors: Mandapalli Praveen Kumar , Labala Suman , Chawla Sumeet , Janupally Renuka , Sriram Dharmarajan , Venuganti Venkata Vamsi Krishna
Published: December 2015

The biocompatible polymer films show potential as an alternative to gels and patches used for topical delivery of therapeutics and cosmetics. The physical strength and antimicrobial activity of polymer films are important attributes for their topical applicability. Here, we have investigated the physical properties and antibacterial activity of six commonly used film forming polymers before and after formation of nanocomposites with gold nanoparticles (AuNP). The blank and AuNP loaded polymer films were prepared by solvent casting method and characterized for thickness, tensile strength, burst strength, skin adhesion strength, degree of swelling, and porosity. The antibacterial activity of the composite films was evaluated by zone‐of‐inhibition and spectrophotometric growth inhibition method against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. The physical characterization showed that chitosan films casted using 1.5% w/w resulted in 76 MPa of tensile strength, while zein films required 40% w/w to show 23 MPa of tensile strength. The AuNP (250 μM; 35 nm) loaded polymer films showed significantly (p < 0.05) greater burst strength and skin adhesion strength compared with respective blank films. Among the polymers tested, only blank films of chitosan and zein showed antibacterial activity. On the other hand, all the AuNP loaded polymer films showed significantly (p < 0.05) greater antibacterial activity. The AuNP loaded chitosan film showed E. coli growth inhibition similar to tetracycline. Taken together, chitosan‐ and zein‐AuNP nanocomposite films showed better physical properties and antibacterial activity. POLYM. COMPOS., 38:2829–2840, 2017. © 2015 Society of Plastics Engineers
ZnO Nanorods on a LaAlO3–SrTiO3 Interface: Hybrid 1D–2D Diodes with Engineered Electronic Properties
Authors: Bera Ashok , Lin Weinan , Yao Yingbang , Ding Junfeng , Lourembam James , Wu Tom
Published: December 2015

Integrating nanomaterials with different dimensionalities and properties is a versatile approach toward realizing new functionalities in advanced devices. Here, a novel diode‐type heterostructure is reported consisting of 1D semiconducting ZnO nanorods and 2D metallic LaAlO3–SrTiO3 interface. Tunable insulator‐to‐metal transitions, absent in the individual components, are observed as a result of the competing temperature‐dependent conduction mechanisms. Detailed transport analysis reveals direct tunneling at low bias, Fowler–Nordheim tunneling at high forward bias, and Zener breakdown at high reverse bias. Our results highlight the rich electronic properties of such artificial diodes with hybrid dimensionalities, and the design principle may be generalized to other nanomaterials.
Cover Image, Volume 6, Issue 1
Authors: Jing Yu , Zhang Xu , Zhou Zhen
Published: December 2015

The cover image, by Zhen Zhou et al., is based on the overview Phosphorene: What Can We Know from Computations?, DOI 10.1002/wcms.1234

image
Phylogeography of the bobwhite (Colinus) quails
Authors: Williford Damon , Deyoung Randy W. , Honeycutt Rodney L. , Brennan Leonard A. , Hernández Fidel
Published: December 2015

The bobwhites (Colinus) consist of 3 grassland‐associated, allopatric species of New World quails (family Odontophoridae): the northern bobwhite (C. virginianus), distributed from the eastern United States to Guatemala; the black‐throated bobwhite (C. nigrogularis), which occurs in scattered localities in the Yucatán Peninsula, Nicaragua, and Honduras; and the crested bobwhite (C. cristatus), whose range stretches from Guatemala to northern Brazil. We used mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequences from both the control region and the ND2 gene to study the phylogenetic relationships and phylogeography of the 3 bobwhite species. We developed ecological niche models to evaluate conclusions inferred from genetic data.Colinuswas composed of 2 deeply divergent lineages, 1 represented by the crested bobwhite and the other by northern and black‐throated bobwhites, both of which were genetically distinct from each other. Although the northern bobwhite had high haplotype diversity, this species exhibited evidence of past demographic and geographic expansion, no phylogeographic structure, and no congruence between genetic variation and subspecies taxonomy. Ecological niche modeling was congruent with a recent range expansion for the northern bobwhite from Late Pleistocene refugia in México and the southern United States. The black‐throated bobwhites from the Yucatán Peninsula were distinct from those in Nicaragua, and as a whole this species displayed little evidence of recent expansion. Ecological niche modeling suggested that the current, fragmented distribution of the black‐throated bobwhite has existed for the past 130,000 years. Although the crested bobwhite displayed little evidence of population expansion, the mtDNA data revealed 3–4 geographically and genetically distinct lineages. Results of niche modeling suggest that the crested bobwhite had a much wider distribution in Central and South America during the Last Glacial Maximum. Given the sensitivity of all 3 bobwhite species to climatic cycles, managers should consider impacts of climate change in addition to the loss of habitat when crafting conservation plans. © 2015 The Wildlife Society.
Diverse roles of the nucleic acid‐binding protein KHSRP in cell differentiation and disease
Authors: Briata Paola , Bordo Domenico , Puppo Margherita , Gorlero Franco , Rossi Martina , Perrone‐Bizzozero Nora , Gherzi Roberto
Published: December 2015

The single‐stranded nucleic acid‐binding protein KHSRP (KH‐type splicing regulatory protein) modulates RNA life and gene expression at various levels. KHSRP controls important cellular functions as different as proliferation, differentiation, metabolism, and response to infectious agents. We summarize and discuss experimental evidence providing a potential link between changes in KHSRP expression/function and human diseases including neuromuscular disorders, obesity, type II diabetes, and cancer. WIREs RNA 2016, 7:227–240. doi: 10.1002/wrna.1327

This article is categorized under:

RNA Interactions with Proteins and Other Molecules > RNA–Protein Complexes

RNA Turnover and Surveillance > Regulation of RNA Stability

RNA in Disease and Development > RNA in Disease
Evaluation of an avian radar system in a midwestern landscape
Authors: Gerringer Michael B. , Lima Steven L. , DeVault Travis L.
Published: December 2015

Bird strikes in aviation are an increasing threat to both aircraft and human safety. Management efforts have focused largely on the immediate airport environment. Avian radar systems could potentially be useful in assessing bird strike threats at greater distances from the airport, at higher altitudes, and at night, but few studies have been conducted to assess the capabilities of avian radar systems. Thus, our goal was to assess the detection and tracking abilities of a commercially available avian radar system in an airport environment in Indiana, USA, during October 2011–March 2012. Transits by free‐flying birds allowed us to assess radar tracking performance as influenced by flock size, altitude, and distance from the radar unit. Most of the single large‐bird targets (raptors) observed within 2 nautical miles (NM) of the radar were tracked ≥1 time, but such targets were generally tracked <30% of the time observed. Flocks of large birds such as geese (Branta canadensis) and cranes (Grus canadensis) were nearly always tracked ≥1 time, and were generally tracked approximately 40–80% of the time observed, even those several NMs away from the radar unit. Our results suggest that avian radar can be a useful tool for monitoring bird flock activity at airports, but less so for monitoring single large‐bird targets such as thermalling raptors. Published 2015. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.
Developing a habitat suitability index to guide restoration of New England cottontail habitats
Authors: Warren Alena , Litvaitis John A. , Keirstead Donald
Published: December 2015

Populations of taxa dependent on young forests and shrublands in the northeastern United States are declining in response to habitat loss and fragmentation. In particular, the reduction in distribution and abundance of the New England cottontail (Sylvilagus transitionalis; NECs) prompted consideration to list it as federally threatened or endangered. In response to those concerns, a range‐wide conservation strategy for NECs has been developed that includes managing >20,000 ha of thicket habitats. Although much is known about the habitat associations of NECs, there is no obvious approach for evaluating the suitability of sites managed for them. We developed a habitat suitability model that conservationists can use to monitor progress in generating and maintaining habitats for NECs. We relied on literature reviews, expert opinions, and field data to identify habitat features that can be measured and indexed and used in a simple model to rank patches of habitat on a scale of 0 (unsuitable) to 1 (high suitability). Important features included dense understory vegetation, summer forage, and the presence–absence of additional refuges (e.g., constructed brush piles). We used our model to rank 60 managed habitats and found general agreement with opinions of an expert panel. There are obvious advantages to using a habitat‐suitability model during efforts to restore populations of NECs: it provides a consistent approach for monitoring management actions, can be used to identify site‐specific limitations prior to releasing cottontails in vacant habitats, and can be used to track suitability over time and alert managers of potential habitat deficiencies. Our suitability model also can be modified to accommodate new information and changing conditions. © 2015 The Wildlife Society.
Analysis of Castor by ELISAs that Distinguish Ricin and Ricinus communis agglutinin (RCA)
Authors: Brandon David L. , McKeon Thomas A. , Patfield Stephanie A. , Kong Qiulian , He Xiaohua
Published: December 2015

To facilitate the analysis of castor (Ricinus communis L.) seed fractions and germplasm for ricin content, we investigated the use of enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) methods to differentiate between ricin toxin and the related Ricinus communis agglutinin (RCA). Both proteins are based on a heterodimeric AB structure, with a common A chain. RCA comprises two dimers of A and B chains. Both proteins are found in the meal remaining after castor oil extraction and impede the commercial production of castor seed in the USA. We identified pairs of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) that could distinguish between the structurally related proteins that share a common A chain. Antibody specificity was determined by ELISA and checked by immunoblotting. We found that mAb–mAb pairs afforded quantification of each castor protein, and that a mAb paired with a commercial polyclonal antibody provided detection of both with comparable sensitivity.
Tungsten, Barium and Base Metal Mineralization in a Layer of Amphibolite in Mesoarchaean Ghattihosahalli Belt, Western Dharwar Craton, Karnataka, India
Authors: Srinivasaiah C. , Vasudev V. N. , Rao N. V. Chalapathi
Published: December 2015

Scheelite together with barytes and base metals is found in a layer of para-amphibolite within the Mesoarchaean Ghattihosahalli schist belt in western Dharwar craton. Scheelite occurs as disseminated grains within the amphibolite layer which occurs at the interface between >3.34 Ga old sequence of ultramafic komatiite-komatiitic basalt and an overlying sequence of interbedded fuchsite quartzite, barytes, cherty quartzite and kyanite-sillimanite-quartz-sericite schist. This lithological assemblage is intruded by and co-folded with sheets of gneisses and granites of >3.0 Ga age (Peninsular gneiss). The source material of the mineralized amphibolite is probably derived from weathering of the underlying komatiitic basalt. The mineralization comprising of scheelite, barytes and basemetals in the amphibolite may have been formed by sea floor hydrothermal activity. The mineralized amphibolite is comparable in its geological setting and mineralization features to ~3.8 Ga old Isua supracrustal belt of West Greenland. This new finding could be viewed as one of the oldest instances of Proto SEDEX-style base metal mineralization associated with barite deposits in the Indian shield.
Validation of a structured intensive laparoscopic course for basic and advanced gynecologic skills training
Authors: Enciso Silvia , Díaz‐Güemes Idoia , Pérez‐Medina Tirso , Zapardiel Ignacio , de Santiago Javier , Usón Jesús , Sánchez‐Margallo Francisco M
Published: December 2015

Objective

To describe and validate a gynecologic laparoscopic‐surgery training model.

Methods

The present prospective observational study was conducted at the Minimally Invasive Surgery Centre Jesús Usón, Cáceres, Spain, between January 2011 and June 2013. Novice gynecologists attended a 3‐day course including simulation and animal training. Participants’ were assessed before and after training using a virtual reality simulator; during training, gynecologists were timed and assessed using an Objective and Structured Assessment of Technical Skills score. The virtual reality simulator‐assessed skills were eye–hand coordination, hand–hand coordination, and transference of objects. Participants were asked to rate various elements of the training program using a five‐point scale.

Results

The study enrolled 21 gynecologists. Participants performed all tasks faster (P < 0.001), using fewer movements (P < 0.05 for left and right instruments), after receiving training. During participants’ final animal and simulator training sessions, completion times were reduced (P < 0.001) and assessment scores (P < 0.001) increased for all techniques and tasks. Participants considered suturing to be the most useful aspect of the basic‐skills training (4.95 ± 0.22); animal training received a higher rating than simulator training for practicing new techniques (4.81 ± 0.40 vs 4.05 ± 0.86) and maintaining skills (4.76 ± 0.54 vs 3.95 ± 0.97).

Conclusion

Combining proficiency‐based physical simulation and animal training models under expert guidance is an efficient model for improving basic and advanced laparoscopic skills. Suturing and animal models were the preferred training components.
Intramural esophageal foreign body in a child
Authors: Skaff Chahdah , Al Awadhi Haifa , Habib Zakaria , Al-Dekhail Wajeeh
Published: December 2015

Foreign body ingestion is a common problem in the pediatric population. The majority of cases occur between 6 months and 3 years of age. Major complications, including bowel perforation and obstruction, have been reported. Forty percent of ingested foreign bodies are unwitnessed, and in fact, many are asymptomatic. We report the case of a 2-year-old girl who was referred to King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (KFSH&RC) with suspected congenital esophageal stenosis. Upon investigation, she was diagnosed with intramural esophageal foreign body.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging Assessment of the Femoral Tunnel Position in Medial Patellofemoral Ligament Reconstruction
Authors: Leung Kwun Tung , Hung Lie Chester Wai , Lam Chan Wai , Yuan Pan Nin , Lit Chow Hung , Hung Wong Kevin Koon , Bon Woo Siu , Cheung Wong Wing
Published: December 2015

Background/Purpose

Correct femoral tunnel position in medial patellofemoral ligament (MPFL) reconstruction is essential to maintain proper biomechanics of the patellofemoral joint throughout the range of movement. Several techniques have been described for MPFL reconstruction, however, there are few reports describing the accuracy of femoral tunnel positioning assessed postoperatively.

Methods

Ten patients having recurrent patellar dislocation with MPFL reconstruction performed in our centre from 2009 to 2013 were analysed. Femoral tunnel position was guided by intraoperative X-ray with landmarks described by Schottle et al, 2007. Postoperative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed on both knees, and femoral tunnel was assessed with reference to the femoral origin of the MPFL in the nonoperated side.

Results

All cases showed an intact MPFL graft, with the majority demonstrating satisfactory femoral tunnel position based on postoperative MRI.

Conclusion

MPFL reconstruction with anatomic positioning of the femoral tunnel guided by intraoperative X-ray showed satisfactory accuracy in postoperative MRI results, indicating that a well-positioned MPFL graft results in better clinical outcomes.
Ziggurat fringes are self-similar
Authors: CHOWDHURY SUBHADIP
Published: December 2015

We give explicit formulae for fringe lengths of the Calegari–Walker ziggurats—i.e., graphs of extremal rotation numbers associated with positive words in free groups. These formulae reveal (partial) integral projective self-similarity in ziggurat fringes, which are low-dimensional projections of characteristic polyhedra on the bounded cohomology of free groups. This explains phenomena observed experimentally by Gordenko, Calegari and Walker.
The effects of acute fluoxetine administration on temporal discounting in youth with ADHD
Authors: Carlisi C. O. , Chantiluke K. , Norman L. , Christakou A. , Barrett N. , Giampietro V. , Brammer M. , Simmons A. , Rubia K.
Published: December 2015

Background

Serotonin is under-researched in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), despite accumulating evidence for its involvement in impulsiveness and the disorder. Serotonin further modulates temporal discounting (TD), which is typically abnormal in ADHD relative to healthy subjects, underpinned by reduced fronto-striato-limbic activation. This study tested whether a single acute dose of the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) fluoxetine up-regulates and normalizes reduced fronto-striato-limbic neurofunctional activation in ADHD during TD.

Method

Twelve boys with ADHD were scanned twice in a placebo-controlled randomized design under either fluoxetine (between 8 and 15 mg, titrated to weight) or placebo while performing an individually adjusted functional magnetic resonance imaging TD task. Twenty healthy controls were scanned once. Brain activation was compared in patients under either drug condition and compared to controls to test for normalization effects.

Results

Repeated-measures whole-brain analysis in patients revealed significant up-regulation with fluoxetine in a large cluster comprising right inferior frontal cortex, insula, premotor cortex and basal ganglia, which further correlated trend-wise with TD performance, which was impaired relative to controls under placebo, but normalized under fluoxetine. Fluoxetine further down-regulated default mode areas of posterior cingulate and precuneus. Comparisons between controls and patients under either drug condition revealed normalization with fluoxetine in right premotor-insular-parietal activation, which was reduced in patients under placebo.

Conclusions

The findings show that a serotonin agonist up-regulates activation in typical ADHD dysfunctional areas in right inferior frontal cortex, insula and striatum as well as down-regulating default mode network regions in the context of impulsivity and TD.