bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
When an Analytical Interference Is a Useful Diagnostic Tool: Finding Monoclonal Gammopathies in Routine Analysis
Authors: Quiñones‐Torrelo Carmen , Villanueva‐Gil María Pilar , Rodríguez‐Muñoz Ana , Abellán‐Tejada Lidia , Aparici‐Ibáñez Manuel , Carratalá‐Calvo Arturo
Published: December 2014

Background

The daily productivity of a clinical laboratory depends on the large number of interferences that affect analytical accuracy. Obviously, they have always been considered as a very important aspect to keep accuracy under control. Nevertheless, we wondered if this aspect would be beneficial. In this article, we propose a method for finding monoclonal gammopathies that are based on the fact that the presence of paraprotein in the sample may interfere with routine laboratory assays, specifically, with the quantification of uric acid and conjugated bilirubin.

Methods

Over a 5‐month period, we evaluated 18,278 sera samples of patients from primary care. None of them were suspected of having plasma cell dyscrasias (not observed hypercalcemia, renal failure, anemia, and/or lytic bone lesions). Although biochemical findings suggested paraprotein interference, we carried out serum capillary electrophoresis (CE) and quantification of immunoglobulins and serum‐free light chains (SFLCs). We also confirmed the results obtained by performing the corresponding immunofixation electrophoresis (IFE). Flow cytometry analyses were conducted for immunophenotypic characterization of plasma cells from these patients.

Results

The proposed detection method allowed us to identify eight patients with previously undiagnosed monoclonal gammopathy.

Conclusions

The results show that it is possible to use analytical interference for diagnostic purposes, and most importantly, almost all cases were identified at an early stage of the disease, when associated clinical manifestations were not yet observed.
Correlations Between Serum IL‐6 Levels and Radiation Pneumonitis in Lung Cancer Patients: A Meta‐Analysis
Authors: Fu Zhan‐Zhao , Peng Yong , Cao Li‐Yan , Chen Yan‐Sheng , Li Kun , Fu Bao‐Hong
Published: December 2014

Objective

Diagnostic significance of interleukin 6 (IL‐6) for lung cancer patients with radiation pneumonitis (RP) was examined within various studies, but yielded conflicting results. Thus, this meta‐analysis was performed to demonstrate correlations between serum IL‐6 levels and RP in lung cancer patients.

Method

Electronic databases updated to March 2014 were searched to find relevant studies. Relevant literatures were searched under the PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, CISCOM, CINAHL, Google Scholar, CBM and CNKI databases. STATA statistical software (Version 12.0, Stata Corporation, and College Station, TX) Standardized mean difference (SMD), and its corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used for this meta‐analysis. In addition, nine cohort studies met the inclusion criteria and involved a total of 137 RP patients and 295 non‐RP patients.

Results

The results of combined SMD suggested that serum IL‐6 levels in RP patients was significantly higher than in non‐RP patients before radiotherapy. While, there was a significant difference in serum IL‐6 levels of RP patients between before and after radiotherapy, we observed no difference in serum IL‐6 levels between RP patients and non‐RP patients after radiotherapy. Ethnicity‐stratified analyses indicated that increased serum IL‐6 levels were related to the risk of RP in lung cancer patients among Caucasians, but not detected among Asians (all P > 0.05).

Conclusion

The main finding of our meta‐analysis reveals that increased serum IL‐6 levels may contribute to the incidence of RP in lung cancer patients, especially among Caucasians.
Serum Preptin and Amylin Values in Psoriasis Vulgaris and Behçet's Patients
Authors: Dogan Fatma Baskaya , Cicek Demet , Aydin Suleyman , Dertlioglu Selma Bakar , Halisdemir Nurhan , Ucak Haydar , Demir Betul , Erden Ilker
Published: December 2014

Background

Insulin resistance is found in both psoriasis and Behçet's disease. No study has yet explored whether preptin and amylin, two hormones associated with insulin resistance, are involved in the insulin resistance observed in patients with psoriasis and Behçet's disease.

Objectives

We aimed to explore how the amounts of preptin and amylin change in psoriasis and Behçet's disease and whether they are involved in the etiopathology of these two diseases, by comparing hormone levels in patients and healthy controls.

Methods

The study registered 30 patients with psoriasis, 30 patients with Behçet's disease, and 30 healthy volunteers (as a control group). Fasting blood sugar, triglyceride, LDL, VLDL, HDL, total cholesterol, HbA1c, C‐peptide, insulin, and serum preptin and amylin levels were measured in all subjects.

Results

Serum preptin and amylin levels were significantly lower in the patients with psoriasis and Behçet's disease than in the control group (P < 0.001, P = 0.004, and P = 0.008, respectively). A comparison of the serum preptin and amylin levels between the patients with psoriasis and Behçet's disease did not reveal a statistically significant difference. Serum insulin level and The homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA‐IR) index were significantly lower in the psoriasis patient group relative to the control group (P = 0.02 and P = 0.03, respectively), while the values for the Behçet's disease group did not differ significantly from those for the control group

Conclusions

Serum levels of preptin and amylin were significantly lower in patients with psoriasis and Behçet's disease, indicating that these hormones may be a factor for development of metabolic syndrome in these two diseases.
Enzymatic treatment applied as a final stage in E. globulus kraft pulp bleaching
Authors: Sousa Joana IT , Moura Ana IG , Evtuguin Dmitry V , Carvalho M Graça VS
Published: December 2014

BACKGROUND

Brightness stability of bleached chemical pulps is often associated with the final bleaching stages that should provide the removal of chromogenic species responsible for brightness reversion without compromising the papermaking potential. Aiming at promoting higher brightness stability, a partially bleached Eucalyptus globulus pulp (DED) of c. 88% ISO brightness was involved in a study of a final enzymatic stage (X) alternative to conventional chlorine dioxide (D) and hydrogen peroxide (P) bleaching stages (DEDX vs. DEDD and DEDX vs. DEDP). X stage was also applied before and after the final P or D stages (DEDDX/DEDXD and DEDPX/DEDXP) to produce high brightness pulps (c. 91%).

RESULTS

X stage with xylanase Pulpzyme HC allowed an increase of c. 1.5% in pulp brightness while decreasing the brightness reversion and a concomitant pulp yield loss of only 0.5%. Significant chemical savings were obtained in the final D (70%) or P (45%) stages to achieve targeted final brightness of c. 91%. DEDXD or DEDXP sequences had advantage over DEDDX and DEDPX, respectively, in terms of brightness stability of fully bleached pulps.

CONCLUSIONS

Xylanase interferes with structures responsible for the brightness reversion. X stage allows production of pulp with extra brightness in sequences with a final P stage. © 2014 Society of Chemical Industry
The usage of different forms of ferrate (VI) ion for amoxicillin and ciprofloxacin removal: density functional theory based modelling of redox decomposition
Authors: Barışçı Sibel , Ulu Feride , Sillanpää Mika , Dimoglo Anatholy
Published: December 2014

BACKGROUND

Decomposition of amoxicillin (AMX) and ciprofloxacin (CIP) in aqueous suspensions by two forms of ferrate (VI) were investigated. The effect of the initial concentration of antibiotics, pH, and ferrate (VI) dosage were examined. Model calculations were made by the Density Functional Theory (DFT) method (RB3LYP) taking into account the environmental parameters. LanL2DZ and 6‐311G++(d, p) were taken as basic functions for the calculations. This was followed by analysis of two redox decomposition mechanisms of the ferrate ion, with the O2 molecule formation and electron density distribution, and the reaction mechanism of superoxide particle formation, which participates in the AMX and CIP oxidation process.

RESULTS

Ferrate (VI) degraded CIP more effciently than AMX in both forms. Electrogenerated ferrate (VI) was more efficient than direct use of its solid form. The removal efficiencies of CIP and AMX by electrogenerated ferrate (VI) were 80.9% and 63.7%, respectively.

CONCLUSION

This study demonstrates that ferrate (VI), with its high oxidizing capacity and coagulation effect, could be applied to the removal of antibiotics in wastewater treatment. The results of the AMX and CIP electron structure calculations demonstrate that electron transfer to the molecules leads to the formation of meta‐stable states and causes the molecules to fragment. © 2014 Society of Chemical Industry
Value of sonographic anterior‐posterior renal pelvis measurements before and after voiding for predicting vesicoureteral reflux in children
Authors: Demir Senay , Tokmak Naime , Cengiz Nurcan , Noyan Aytul
Published: December 2014

Purpose

Voiding cystourethrography (VCUG) is the gold standard for diagnosing vesicoureteral reflux (VUR), but it is important to minimize the use of VCUG because of the urinary catheterization and radiation exposure required. Ultrasound (US) observations suggest that pelvicalyceal dilatation varies according to the degree of bladder fullness in children with urinary tract infection. The aim of this study was to assess whether anterior‐posterior (AP) measurements of the renal pelvis on US before and after voiding can be used as a screening tool while predicting the presence of VUR in children.

Methods

The subjects were toilet‐trained children older than 4 years who required VCUG. Two groups were established based on the VCUG results: a VUR group of 40 kidney units (each unit defined as calyces and ureter) that exhibited different severities of reflux, and a control group of 68 kidney units unaffected by VUR. Prior to VCUG, US AP measurements of the renal pelvis of each kidney unit were recorded when the urinary bladder was full and again after bladder emptying. The change in AP measurement from before to after voiding was compared between the two groups.

Results

The mean change in AP measurements from before to after voiding in the VUR group was significantly greater than that in the control group (p = 0.003).

Conclusions

Comparing US AP measurements of the renal pelvis before and after voiding is useful for identifying children who are suspected to have VUR and thus require immediate VCUG. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Ultrasound 43:490–494 2015
Brooks' Theorem and Beyond
Authors: Cranston Daniel W. , Rabern Landon
Published: December 2014

We collect some of our favorite proofs of Brooks' Theorem, highlighting advantages and extensions of each. The proofs illustrate some of the major techniques in graph coloring, such as greedy coloring, Kempe chains, hitting sets, and the Kernel Lemma. We also discuss standard strengthenings of vertex coloring, such as list coloring, online list coloring, and Alon–Tarsi orientations, since analogs of Brooks' Theorem hold in each context. We conclude with two conjectures along the lines of Brooks' Theorem that are much stronger, the Borodin–Kostochka Conjecture and Reed's Conjecture.
Neural systemic impairment from whole‐body vibration
Authors: Yan Ji‐Geng , Zhang Lin‐ling , Agresti Michael , LoGiudice John , Sanger James R. , Matloub Hani S. , Havlik Robert
Published: December 2014

Insidious brain microinjury from motor vehicle‐induced whole‐body vibration (WBV) has not yet been investigated. For a long time we have believed that WBV would cause cumulative brain microinjury and impair cerebral function, which suggests an important risk factor for motor vehicle accidents and secondary cerebral vascular diseases. Fifty‐six Sprague‐Dawley rats were divided into seven groups (n = 8): 1) 2‐week normal control group, 2) 2‐week sham control group (restrained in the tube without vibration), 3) 2‐week vibration group (exposed to whole‐body vibration at 30 Hz and 0.5g acceleration for 4 hr/day, 5 days/week, for 2 weeks), 4) 4‐week sham control group, 5) 4‐week vibration group, 6) 8‐week sham control group, and 7) 8‐week vibration group. At the end point, all rats were evaluated in behavior, physiological, and brain histopathological studies. The cerebral injury from WBV is a cumulative process starting with vasospasm squeezing of the endothelial cells, followed by constriction of the cerebral arteries. After the 4‐week vibration, brain neuron apoptosis started. After the 8‐week vibration, vacuoles increased further in the brain arteries. Brain capillary walls thickened, mean neuron size was obviously reduced, neuron necrosis became prominent, and wide‐ranging chronic cerebral edema was seen. These pathological findings are strongly correlated with neural functional impairments. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Determination of neuroprotective oxysterols in Calculus bovis, human gallstones, and traditional Chinese medicine preparations by liquid chromatography with mass spectrometry
Authors: Wang Yalong , Jiang Han , Huang Huizhi , Xie Yanqi , Zhao Yunshi , You Xiuhua , Tang Lipeng , Wang Youqiong , Yin Wei , Qiu Pengxin , Yan Guangmei , Hu Haiyan
Published: December 2014

So far, the components responsible for the neuroprotective effects of Calculus bovis are unclear. Cholesterol, one of the major components in Calculus bovis, is easily oxidized into oxysterols, which possess direct or indirect neuroprotective effects proved by our and others’ previous studies. Therefore, a liquid chromatography with mass spectrometry method coupled with ultrasonic extraction and solid‐phase extraction was developed for the determination of neuroprotective oxysterols in Calculus bovis, human gallstones, and traditional Chinese medicine preparations. Chromatographic separation was achieved on a C18 column with isocratic elution at a flow rate of 1 mL/min. The established method showed good linearity (R2 > 0.998), sensitivity with low limits of detection (0.06–0.39 μg/g), acceptable precisions (relative standard deviations ≤ 7.4%), stability (relative standard deviations ≤ 5.9%), and satisfactory accuracy (92.4–102.9%) for all analytes identified by different retention times, which could be applied for the determination of oxysterols. Five kinds of oxysterols proved to function as neuroprotectants were detected at different concentrations. Among them, 7β‐hydroxycholesterol and cholestane‐3β,5α,6β‐triol were rather abundant in the samples. It could be concluded that the potential neuroprotective components in Calculus bovis may be these oxysterols.
Identification, control strategies, and analytical approaches for the determination of potential genotoxic impurities in pharmaceuticals: A comprehensive review
Authors: Reddy Ambavaram Vijaya Bhaskar , Jaafar Jafariah , Umar Khalid , Majid Zaiton Abdul , Aris Azmi Bin , Talib Juhaizah , Madhavi Gajulapalle
Published: December 2014

Potential genotoxic impurities in pharmaceuticals at trace levels are of increasing concern to both pharmaceutical industries and regulatory agencies due to their possibility for human carcinogenesis. Molecular functional groups that render starting materials and synthetic intermediates as reactive building blocks for small molecules may also be responsible for their genotoxicity. Determination of these genotoxic impurities at trace levels requires highly sensitive and selective analytical methodologies, which poses tremendous challenges on analytical communities in pharmaceutical research and development. Experimental guidance for the analytical determination of some important classes of genotoxic impurities is still unavailable in the literature. Therefore, the present review explores the structural alerts of commonly encountered potential genotoxic impurities, draft guidance of various regulatory authorities in order to control the level of impurities in drug substances and to assess their toxicity. This review also describes the analytical considerations for the determination of potential genotoxic impurities at trace levels and finally few case studies are also discussed for the determination of some important classes of potential genotoxic impurities. It is the authors’ intention to provide a complete strategy that helps analytical scientists for the analysis of such potential genotoxic impurities in pharmaceuticals.
Optimization of a high‐resolution radical scavenging assay coupled on‐line to reversed‐phase liquid chromatography for antioxidant detection in complex natural extracts
Authors: De Smet Seppe , Miserez Bram , Rambla Alegre Maria , Talha Yapa Mehmet , de Villiers André , Sandra Pat , Lynen Frederic
Published: December 2014

This paper reports the optimization of the on‐line coupling of 2,2′‐azinobis(3‐ethylbenzothiazoline)‐6‐sulfonic acid based radical scavenging assays with reversed‐phase high‐performance liquid chromatography. The residence time in the reactor was reduced to 6.4 s to ensure minimal peak broadening and loss of separation. Peak capacity losses between compound detection and measurement of the radical scavenging potential were reduced to 10% and lower on coupled column systems. The methodology was successfully applied for the detection of the scavenging activity of molecules encompassing a broad hydrophobicity range. The method shows promise for the assessment of low‐molecular‐weight polyphenols in red wine by coupled‐column high‐resolution high‐performance liquid chromatography with mass spectrometry analysis.
Influence of landscape features on spatial genetic structure of white‐tailed deer in human‐altered landscapes
Authors: Locher Alexandra , Scribner Kim T. , Moore Jennifer A. , Murphy Brittany , Kanefsky Jeannette
Published: December 2014

Predictive relationships between estimates of functional population connectivity and physical and biotic landscape features can provide important insights into present and future population responses to human‐mediated landscape change. Quantification of associations between landscape features and dispersal or genetic surrogates such as gene flow among areas can be particularly challenging for continuously distributed and highly mobile wildlife species. We assessed the relative influence of natural and human‐altered landscape features on white‐tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) spatial genetic structure (SGS) in southern Michigan (USA) using 7 microsatellite markers assayed for 326 adult individuals from 21 contiguous counties (33,284 km2). We used previously collected telemetry data to quantify probabilities of habitat occupancy and seasonal movements that allowed selection and weighting of landscape features to create habitat suitability indices (HSI). We assigned individuals to groups (n = 13) for statistical analyses quantifying relationships between measures of SGS (response variable) with Euclidean distance, least cost distances parameterized using HSI, and presence of natural (rivers) and man‐made (roads) barriers to dispersal. Over the entire study area, genetic differentiation was significant (meanFst = 0.019,P < 0.001) and increased with increasing inter‐group geographic distance (r2 = 0.381;P < 0.05). We identified features in the landscape matrix between groups including rivers, high traffic roads, and habitats of intermediate HSI as inhibiting gene flow. Low HSI was associated with low between‐groupFstand appeared to facilitate gene flow. Quantification of the relative importance of man‐made barriers (roads) and habitat suitability to SGS for white‐tailed deer emphasizes the importance of joint use of ecological and genetic analyses in conservation and control efforts for abundant and mobile wildlife species. © 2014 The Wildlife Society.
Temporal dynamics of the reponses by African mammals to prescribed fire
Authors: Green David S. , Roloff Gary J. , Heath Brian R. , Holekamp Kay E.
Published: December 2014

Prescribed fire is an important management tool in east Africa as a way to improve foraging conditions for herbivores, and to make wildlife easier for tourists to observe and photograph. Although past research has investigated the factors influencing herbivore use of post‐fire vegetation, the temporal dynamics of these effects have seldom been documented, and use of burned areas by African carnivores has not been evaluated. Between 2008 and 2011, we studied responses of 8 common herbivores and 8 carnivore species to burns in the Mara‐Serengeti ecosystem in southwestern Kenya by monitoring mammal abundance on 4 transects from up to 136 days before burning, and up to 748 days after burning. Among herbivores, zebra, warthog, Thomson's gazelle, Grant's gazelle, and topi, occurred in higher densities in burned than unburned areas. Impala and wildebeest showed trends toward occurring in higher densities in burned areas. These effects lasted up to 120 days for Thomson's gazelle, but we did not observe a specific temporal relationship to burning in the other 5 herbivore species. Both small and large carnivores were more likely to be observed along transects after than before burns; we observed small carnivores including black‐backed jackals, side‐striped jackals, bat‐eared foxes, and banded mongoose in greater numbers up to 365 days after burns but observed large carnivores, including African lions, spotted hyenas, leopards, and cheetahs, in greater numbers only for up to 120 days after burns. Our results indicate that wildlife responses to prescribed fire last ≤1 year in this region. Although burning stimulates vegetation growth and improves wildlife visibility, managers should recognize that wildlife responses might not persist for more than a few months in tropical African savannas like the one monitored here. © 2014 The Wildlife Society.
Evaluating habitat suitability models for nesting white‐headed woodpeckers in unburned forest
Authors: Latif Quresh S. , Saab Victoria A. , Mellen‐Mclean Kim , Dudley Jonathan G.
Published: December 2014

Habitat suitability models can provide guidelines for species conservation by predicting where species of interest are likely to occur. Presence‐only models are widely used but typically provide only relative indices of habitat suitability (HSIs), necessitating rigorous evaluation often using independently collected presence‐absence data. We refined and evaluated presence‐only habitat suitability models for nesting white‐headed woodpeckers (Picoides albolarvatus), a narrowly distributed species of conservation concern that occupies dry conifer forests of the Inland Pacific Northwest, USA. We developed 2 models using Mahalanobis D2 and Maxent techniques from nest location datasets collected on the eastside of the Cascade Mountain Range, Oregon (1 dataset in 1997–2004 and another, sampling a broader spatial extent, in 2010–2011). Consistent with known ecology of white‐headed woodpeckers, both HSI models related positively with percent ponderosa pine, moderate levels of canopy cover (approx. 40%), and moderate‐to‐high levels of heterogeneity in forest structure. Unlike Mahalanobis HSIs, however, Maxent HSIs were consistently and positively related with nest prevalence and positively related with habitat use estimated with independent point count data. Locations with high Maxent HSIs were characterized by canopy openings adjacent to closed canopy forests. The fact that this habitat feature was described by Maxent HSIs but not by Mahalanobis HSIs possibly explains why Maxent HSIs better predicted white‐headed woodpecker occurrence. Additionally, we used presence‐absence data for model evaluation that sampled a broader spatial extent than nest surveys and therefore allowed us to demonstrate the generality of Maxent HSIs. Additional nest location data collected across a broader portion of the species range would be valuable for further model improvement and evaluation, but until such data are available, we recommend use of Maxent HSIs to guide habitat conservation and restoration efforts in unburned dry forests of Oregon. Published 2014. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.
Surgically placed abdominal wall catheters on postoperative analgesia and outcomes after living liver donation
Authors: Khan James , Katz Joel , Montbriand Janice , Ladak Salima , McCluskey Stuart , Srinivas Coimbatore , Ko Raynauld , Grant David , Bradbury Ashleene , LeManach Yannick , Clarke Hance
Published: December 2014

Living donor liver resections are associated with significant postoperative pain. Epidural analgesia is the gold standard for postoperative pain management, although it is often refused or contraindicated. Surgically placed abdominal wall catheters (AWCs) are a novel pain modality that can potentially provide pain relief for those patients who are unable to receive an epidural. A retrospective review was performed at a single center. Patients were categorized according to their postoperative pain modality: intravenous (IV) patient‐controlled analgesia (PCA), AWCs with IV PCA, or patient‐controlled epidural analgesia (PCEA). Pain scores, opioid consumption, and outcomes were compared for the first 3 postoperative days. Propensity score matches (PSMs) were performed to adjust for covariates and to confirm the primary analysis. The AWC group had significantly lower mean morphine‐equivalent consumption on postoperative day 3 [18.1 mg, standard error (SE) = 3.1 versus 28.2 mg, SE = 3.0; P = 0.02] and mean cumulative morphine‐equivalent consumption (97.2 mg, SE = 7.2 versus 121.0 mg, SE = 9.1; P = 0.04) in comparison with the IV PCA group; the difference in cumulative‐morphine equivalent remained significant in the PSMs. AWC pain scores were higher than those in the PCEA group and were similar to the those in the IV PCA group. The AWC group had a lower incidence of pruritus and a shorter hospital stay in comparison with the PCEA group and had a lower incidence of sedation in comparison with both groups. Time to ambulation, nausea, and vomiting were comparable among all 3 groups. The PSMs confirmed all results except for a decrease in the length of stay in comparison with PCEA. AWCs may be an alternative to epidural analgesia after living donor liver resections. Randomized trials are needed to verify the benefits of AWCs, including the safety and adverse effects. Liver Transpl 21:478–486, 2015. © 2015 AASLD.
CopM is a novel copper‐binding protein involved in copper resistance in Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803
Authors: Giner‐Lamia Joaquín , López‐Maury Luis , Florencio Francisco J.
Published: December 2014

Copper resistance system in the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 comprises two operons, copMRS and copBAC, which are expressed in response to copper in the media. copBAC codes for a heavy‐metal efflux–resistance nodulation and division (HME‐RND) system, while copMRS codes for a protein of unknown function, CopM, and a two‐component system CopRS, which controls the expression of these two operons. Here, we report that CopM is a periplasmic protein able to bind Cu(I) with high affinity (KD ~3 × 10−16). Mutants lacking copM showed a sensitive copper phenotype similar to mutants affected in copB, but lower than mutants of the two‐component system CopRS, suggesting that CopBAC and CopM constitute two independent resistance mechanisms. Moreover, constitutive expression of copM is able to partially suppress the copper sensitivity of the copR mutant strain, pointing out that CopM per se is able to confer copper resistance. Furthermore, constitutive expression of copM was able to reduce total cellular copper content of the copR mutant to the levels determined in the wild‐type (WT) strain. Finally, CopM was localized not only in the periplasm but also in the extracellular space, suggesting that CopM can also prevent copper accumulation probably by direct copper binding outside the cell.
Miniaturized Cultivation of Microbiota for Antimalarial Drug Discovery
Authors: Waterman Carrie , Calcul Laurent , Beau Jeremy , Ma Wai Sheung , Lebar Matthew D. , von Salm Jacqueline L. , Harter Charles , Mutka Tina , Morton Lindsay C. , Maignan Patrick , Barisic Betty , van Olphen Alberto , Kyle Dennis E. , Vrijmoed Lilian , Pang Ka‐Lai , Pearce Cedric J. , Baker Bill J.
Published: December 2014

The ongoing search for effective antiplasmodial agents remains essential in the fight against malaria worldwide. Emerging parasitic drug resistance places an urgent need to explore chemotherapies with novel structures and mechanisms of action. Natural products have historically provided effective antimalarial drug scaffolds. In an effort to search nature's chemical potential for antiplasmodial agents, unconventionally sourced organisms coupled with innovative cultivation techniques were utilized. Approximately 60,000 niche microbes from various habitats (slow‐growing terrestrial fungi, Antarctic microbes, and mangrove endophytes) were cultivated on a small‐scale, extracted, and used in high‐throughput screening to determine antimalarial activity. About 1% of crude extracts were considered active and 6% partially active (≥67% inhibition at 5 and 50 μg/mL, respectively). Active extracts (685) were cultivated on a large‐scale, fractionated, and screened for both antimalarial activity and cytotoxicity. High interest fractions (397) with an IC50 < 1.11 μg/mL were identified and subjected to chromatographic separation for compound characterization and dereplication. Identifying active compounds with nanomolar antimalarial activity coupled with a selectivity index tenfold higher was accomplished with two of the 52 compounds isolated. This microscale, high‐throughput screening project for antiplasmodial agents is discussed in the context of current natural product drug discovery efforts.
The influence of vascularization of transplanted processed allograft nerve on return of motor function in rats
Authors: Giusti Guilherme , Lee Joo‐Yup , Kremer Thomas , Friedrich Patricia , Bishop Allen T. , Shin Alexander y.
Published: December 2014

Processed nerve allografts have become an alternative to repair segmental nerve defects, with results comparable with autografts regarding sensory recovery; however, they have failed to reproduce comparable motor recovery. The purpose of this study was to determine how revascularizaton of processed nerve allograft would affect motor recovery. Eighty‐eight rats were divided in four groups of 22 animals each. A unilateral 10‐mm sciatic nerve defect was repaired with allograft (group I), allograft wrapped with silicone conduit (group II), allograft augmented with vascular endothelial growth factor (group III), or autograft (group IV). Eight animals from each group were sacrificed at 3 days, and the remaining animals at 16 weeks. Revascularization was evaluated by measuring the graft capillary density at 3 days and 16 weeks. Measurements of ankle contracture, compound muscle action potential, tibialis anterior muscle weight and force, and nerve histomorphometry were performed at 16 weeks. All results were normalized to the contralateral side. The results of capillary density at 3 days were 0.99% ± 1.3% for group I, 0.33% ± 0.6% for group II, 0.05% ± 0.1% for group III, and 75.6% ± 45.7% for group IV. At 16 weeks, the results were 69.9% ± 22.4% for group I, 37.0% ± 16.6% for group II, 84.6% ± 46.6% for group III, and 108.3% ± 46.8% for group IV. The results of muscle force were 47.5% ± 14.4% for group I, 21.7% ± 13.5% for group II, 47.1% ± 7.9% for group III, and 54.4% ± 10.6% for group IV. The use of vascular endothelial growth factor in the fashion used in this study improved neither the nerve allograft short‐term revascularization nor the functional motor recovery after 16 weeks. Blocking allograft vascularization from surrounding tissues was detrimental for motor recovery. The processed nerve allografts used in this study showed similar functional motor recovery compared with that of the autograft. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microsurgery 36:134–143, 2016.
A deductive approach to the solution of the problem of optimal pairs trading from the viewpoint of stochastic control with time‐dependent parameters
Authors: Charalambous K. , Sophocleous C. , O'Hara J. G. , Leach P. G. L.
Published: December 2014

In a fairly recent paper (2008 American Control Conference, June 11‐13, 1035‐1039), the problem of dealing with trading in optimal pairs was treated from the viewpoint of stochastic control. The analysis of the subsequent nonlinear evolution partial differential equation was based upon a succession of Ansätze, which can lead to a solution of the terminal‐value problem. Through an application of the Lie Theory of Continuous Groups to this equation, we show that the Ansätze are based upon the underlying symmetries of the equation (their (14)). We solve the problem in a more general context by allowing the parameters to be explicitly time dependent. The extension means thatmore realistic problems are amenable to the samemode of solution. Copyright © 2014 JohnWiley & Sons, Ltd.
Ultrasound characterization of medial gastrocnemius tissue composition in children with spastic cerebral palsy
Authors: Pitcher Christian A. , Elliott Catherine M. , Panizzolo Fausto A. , Valentine Jane P. , Stannage Katherine , Reid Siobhán L.
Published: December 2014

Introduction: In this study we aimed to characterize muscle composition of the medial gastrocnemius in children with spastic cerebral palsy (SCP) using quantitative ultrasound.Methods: Forty children with SCP, aged 4–14 years, participated in this study. Children were grouped according to the gross motor function classification system (GMFCS I–V) and compared with a cohort of age‐ and gender‐matched, typically developing children (TD;n = 12). Ultrasound scans were taken of the medial gastrocnemius. Images were then characterized using grayscale statistics to determine mean echo intensity (EI) and the size and number of spatially connected homogeneous regions (i.e., blobs).Results: Significant differences in skeletal muscle composition were found between children with SCP and their TD peers. Children classified as GMFCS III consistently exhibited the highest EI and blob area.Conclusions: This study demonstrates altered tissue composition in children with SCP visualized using ultrasound. Further work is required to determine the pathophysiology contributing to these alterations in SCP.Muscle Nerve52:397–403, 2015
A non‐local continuum damage approach to model dynamic crack branching
Authors: Wolff Cyprien , Richart Nicolas , Molinari Jean‐François
Published: December 2014

Dynamic crack‐branching instabilities in a brittle material are studied numerically by using a non‐local damage model. PMMA is taken as our model brittle material. The simulated crack patterns, crack velocities, and dissipated energies compare favorably with experimental data gathered from the literature, as long as the critical strain for damage initiation as well as the parameters for a rate‐dependent damage law are carefully selected. Nonetheless, the transition from a straight crack propagation to the emergence of crack branches is very sensitive to the damage initiation threshold. The transition regime is thus a particularly interesting challenge for numerical approaches. We advocate using the present numerical study as a benchmark to test the robustness of alternative non‐local numerical approaches. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Validation of the Patient Advocacy Engagement Scale for Health Professionals
Authors: Jansson Bruce S. , Nyamathi Adeleine , Duan Lei , Kaplan Charles , Heidemann Gretchen , Ananias Debbie
Published: December 2014

Codes of ethics of nursing, social work, and medicine, as well as Joint Commission Accreditation Standards, require members of these professions to engage in advocacy on behalf of patients. With use of expert panels, seven categories of patient problems in the healthcare milieu were identified: ethical rights, quality care, preventive care, culturally competent care, affordable/accessible care, mental health care, and care linked to patients' homes and communities. To measure the frequency with which healthcare professionals engage in patient advocacy related to these specific problems, the Patient Advocacy Engagement Scale (Patient‐AES) scale was developed and validated through analysis of responses of 297 professionals (94 social workers, 97 nurses, and 104 medical residents) recruited from the personnel rosters of eight acute‐care hospitals in Los Angeles County. Hospitals included public, not‐for‐profit, HMO, and church‐affiliated hospitals that served general hospital populations, veterans, cancer patients, and children. Results supported the validity of both the concept and the instrument. Construct validity was supported by testing the hypothesized seven‐factor solution through confirmatory factor analysis; 26 items loaded onto seven components. Pearson correlations for the overall scale and seven subscales in two administrations supported their test–retest stability. Cronbach α ranged from .55 to .94 for the seven subscales and .95 for the overall Patient‐AES. The Patient‐AES is, to our knowledge, the first scale that measures patient advocacy engagement by healthcare professionals in acute‐care settings related to a broad range of specific patient problems. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
A comparison of distributed MPC schemes on a hydro‐power plant benchmark
Authors: Maestre J. M. , Ridao M. A. , Kozma A. , Savorgnan C. , Diehl M. , Doan M. D. , Sadowska A. , Keviczky T. , De Schutter B. , Scheu H. , Marquardt W. , Valencia F. , Espinosa J.
Published: December 2014

In this paper, we analyze and compare five distributed model predictive control (DMPC) schemes using a hydro‐power plant benchmark. Besides being one of the most important sources of renewable power, hydro‐power plants present very interesting control challenges. The operation of a hydro‐power valley involves the coordination of several subsystems over a large geographical area in order to produce the demanded energy while satisfying constraints on water levels and flows. In particular, we test the different DMPC algorithms using a 24‐h power tracking scenario in which the hydro‐power plant is simulated with an accurate nonlinear model. In this way, it is possible to provide qualitative and quantitative comparisons between different DMPC schemes implemented on a common benchmark, which is a type of assessment rare in the literature. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
22‐S‐Hydroxycholesterol protects against ethanol‐induced liver injury by blocking the auto/paracrine activation of MCP‐1 mediated by LXRα
Authors: Na Tae‐Young , Han Young‐Hyun , Ka Na‐Lee , Park Han‐Su , Kang Yun Pyo , Kwon Sung Won , Lee Byung‐Hoon , Lee Mi‐Ock
Published: December 2014

Chronic ethanol consumption causes hepatic steatosis and inflammation, which are associated with liver hypoxia. Monocyte chemoattractant protein‐1 (MCP‐1) is a hypoxia response factor that determines recruitment and activation of monocytes to the site of tissue injury. The level of MCP‐1 is elevated in the serum and liver of patients with alcoholic liver disease (ALD); however, the molecular details regarding the regulation of MCP‐1 expression are not yet understood completely. Here, we show the role of liver X receptor α (LXRα) in the regulation of MCP‐1 expression during the development of ethanol‐induced fatty liver injury, using an antagonist, 22‐S‐hydroxycholesterol (22‐S‐HC). First, administration of 22‐S‐HC attenuated the signs of liver injury with decreased levels of MCP‐1 and its receptor CCR2 in ethanol‐fed mice. Second, hypoxic conditions or treatment with the LXRα agonist GW3965 significantly induced the expression of MCP‐1, which was completely blocked by treatment with 22‐S‐HC or infection by shLXRα lentivirus in the primary hepatocytes. Third, over‐expression of LXRα or GW3965 treatment increased MCP‐1 promoter activity by increasing the binding of hypoxia‐inducible factor‐1α to the hypoxia response elements, together with LXRα. Finally, treatment with recombinant MCP‐1 increased the level of expression of LXRα and LXRα‐dependent lipid droplet accumulation in both hepatocytes and Kupffer cells. These data show that LXRα and its ligand‐induced up‐regulation of MCP‐1 and MCP‐1‐induced LXRα‐dependent lipogenesis play a key role in the autocrine and paracrine activation of MCP‐1 in the pathogenesis of alcoholic fatty liver disease, and that this activation may provide a promising new target for ALD therapy.Copyright © 2014 The Authors. The Journal of Pathology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland.
Soluble and crosslinkable poly(phthalazinone ether ketone)s with pendent terminal ethynyl groups: synthesis, characterization and click modification
Authors: He QinZheng , Wang JinYan , Zong LiShuai , Liu Rui , Jian XiGao
Published: December 2014

New poly(phthalazinone ether ketone)s (PPEKs) with pendent terminal ethynyl groups were synthesized by the aromatic nucleophilic substitution (SNAr) polycondensation reaction of a new bisphenol monomer, 2‐(3‐ethynylphenyl)hydroquinone, with 4‐(4′‐hydroxyphenyl)phthalazin‐1(2H)‐one and 4,4′‐bis(4‐fluorophenyl) ketone, followed by click modification reaction with 1‐azidopyrene. Fourier transform infrared and NMR spectral data of the model compound indicated that the terminal ethynyl groups were stable in SNAr reaction conditions, thus allowing the synthesis of the desired polymers. The PPEKs obtained with glass transition temperature (Tg) in the range 152–245 °C were amorphous, characterized by wide‐angle X‐ray diffraction, and dissolved in organic solvent to cast into transparent and flexible films. Differential scanning calorimetry results indicated that the curing reaction of the terminal ethynyl groups of the copolymers took place upon heating to 250 °C. The Tg of cured PPEKs was increased to about 260 °C. They also exhibited excellent thermal stability with 5% weight loss temperatures ranging from 448 to 527 °C in various atmospheres. The PPEKs with pendent terminal ethynyl groups were subsequently functionalized with pyrene through click reaction. A dilute chloroform solution displayed a red‐shifted emission profile. © 2014 Society of Chemical Industry
Cationic ring‐opening polymerization of trimethylene carbonate to α,ω‐dihydroxy telechelic and star‐shaped polycarbonates catalyzed by reusable o‐benzenedisulfonimide
Authors: Wu Hao , Ji Yufeng , Li Zhenjiang , Wang Xin , Zhang Qiguo , Cui Saide , Wu Wenzhuo , Liu Jingjing , Guo Kai
Published: December 2014

Cationic ring‐opening polymerization of trimethylene carbonate using o‐benzenedisulfonimide as a reusable catalyst under mild conditions was described. The polymerization proceeded homogeneously without decarboxylation and poly(trimethylene carbonates) (PTMCs) were synthesized with well‐controlled molecular weights and narrow polydispersities (Mw/Mn = 1.12–1.18). The spectra of 1H‐NMR, SEC, and MALDI–ToF MS clearly demonstrated the incorporation of the initiator residue into the polymer chains and the controlled/living nature of the polymerizations. Furthermore, the catalyst can be easily recovered, and its efficiency was fully retained. In addition, 1,3‐propanediol, 1,1,1‐trimethylolpropane, and pentaerythritol were successfully used as initiators to produce telechelic and star‐shaped polycarbonates which were determined by intrinsic viscosity experiments. The number of arms estimated by the shrinking factors (
) were 2.0, 2.6, and 3.5, respectively, indicating the successful syntheses of the two‐, three‐, and four‐armed PTMCs. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2015, 53, 729–736
Reversibly light‐responsive biodegradable poly(carbonate) micelles constructed via CuAAC reaction
Authors: Hu Ding , Peng Hua , Niu Yile , Li Yefei , Xia Yingchun , Li Ling , He Jingwen , Liu Xiangyu , Xia Xinnian , Lu Yanbing , Xu Weijian
Published: December 2014

Light‐responsive poly(carbonate)s PEG113‐b‐PMPCn‐SP were synthesized via copper catalyzed azide‐alkyne cycloaddition reaction between azide‐modified spiropyran (SP‐N3) and amphiphilic copolymer PEG113‐b‐PMPCn. PEG113‐b‐PMPC25‐SP can self‐assemble to biocompatible micelles with an average diameter of ∼96 nm and a critical aggregation concentration of 0.0148 mg mL−1. Under 365 nm UV light irradiation, the characteristic absorption intensity of merocyanine (MC) progressively increased and most of the micellar aggregations were disrupted within 10 min, suggesting the completion of the transformation of hydrophobic SP to hydrophilic MC. Subsequent exposuring the micelles to 620 nm visible light, spherical micelles aggregated again. The light‐controlled release and re‐encapsulation behaviors of coumarin 102‐loaded micelles were further investigated by fluorescence spectroscopy. This study provides a convenient way to construct smart poly(carbonate)s nanocarriers for controlled release and re‐encapsulation of hydrophobic drugs. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2015, 53, 750–760
Quality of life in children with CF: Psychometrics and relations with stress and mealtime behaviors
Authors: Driscoll Kimberly A. , Modi Avani C. , Filigno Stephanie S. , Brannon Erin E. , Chamberlin Leigh Ann , Stark Lori J. , Powers Scott W.
Published: December 2014

Background

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the utility of the Cystic Fibrosis Questionnaire‐Revised (CFQ‐R) with toddlers and preschool‐aged children. Clinically relevant relations between health‐related quality of life (HRQOL), stress, and mealtime behaviors have not been examined. It was hypothesized that problematic mealtime behaviors and increased stress would be negatively associated with HRQOL.

Methods

Parents of 73 children (2–6 years) with CF completed questionnaires assessing their children's generic (PedsQL) and CF‐specific HRQOL, parenting and CF‐specific stress, and mealtime behaviors.

Results

CFQ‐R Physical, Eating, and Respiratory HRQOL subscales had acceptable to strong reliability (alphas = 0.73–0.86); other scales approached acceptable reliability. Lower CF‐specific stress was associated with higher CFQ‐R Eating HRQOL (B = −0.84; P < 0.05) scores. Fewer eating problems were associated with higher CFQ‐R Eating (B = −1.17; P < 0.0001) and Weight HRQOL (B = −0.78; P < 0.01) scores.

Conclusions

As hypothesized, problematic eating and higher CF‐specific stress was associated with lower CF‐specific HRQOL. The CFQ‐R has promise for use in young children with CF, but will need to be modified to exchange items not relevant to preschoolers with items that are more relevant to this age group. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2015; 50:560–567. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.