bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Re‐evaluation of the bond length–bond strength rule: The stronger bond is not always the shorter bond
Authors: Kraka Elfi , Setiawan Dani , Cremer Dieter
Published: October 2015

A set of 42 molecules with N‐F, O‐F, N‐Cl, P‐F, and As‐F bonds has been investigated in the search for potential bond anomalies, which lead to reverse bond length–bond strength (BLBS) relationships. The intrinsic strength of each bond investigated has been determined by the local stretching force constant obtained at the CCSD(T)/aug‐cc‐pVTZ level of theory. N‐F or O‐F bond anomalies were found for fluoro amine radicals, fluoro amines, and fluoro oxides, respectively. A rationale for the deviation from the normal Badger‐type inverse BLBS relation is given and it is shown that electron withdrawal accompanied by strong orbital contraction and bond shortening is one of the prerequisites for a bond anomaly. In the case of short electron‐rich bonds such as N‐F or O‐F, anomeric delocalization of lone pair electrons in connection with lone pair repulsion are decisive whether a bond anomaly can be observed. This is quantitatively assessed with the help of the CCSD(T) local stretching force constants, CCSD(T) charge distributions, and G4 bond dissociation energies. Bond anomalies are not found for fluoro phosphines and fluoro arsines because the bond weakening effects are no longer decisive. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
In situ One‐pot Electrochemical Synthesis of Aluminum Oxide/polyaniline Nanocomposite; Characterization and Its Adsorption Properties towards Some Heavy Metal Ions
Authors: Piri Somayyeh , Piri Farideh , Rajabi Bahare , Ebrahimi Sahar , Zamani Abbasali , Yaftian Mohammad Reza
Published: October 2015

Aluminum oxide/polyaniline nanocomposite is prepared by a new and one‐pot method including in situ electrooxidation of aluminum and electropolymerization of aniline. The product has been characterized by elemental analysis, FT‐IR spectroscopy, X‐ray diffraction (XRD), Field Emission Scanning Electron Micrographs (FESEM), and Transmission Electron Micrographs (TEM) techniques. ICP‐OES was used for determination of aluminum in the prepared nanocomposite. A porous structure of the prepared composite has been shown by FESEM images. TEM of the product confirms the presence of exfoliated aluminum oxide nanofibers. The adsorption potentials of the prepared nanocomposite towards Cu2+, Pb2+, Zn2+, Cd2+, Ni2+ and Co2+ ions were evaluated in batch adsorption experiments. The results show that the adsorption efficiency is controlled by aqueous phase pH. The experimental data was well interpreted by considering the Langmuir model. The kinetics of the adsorption processes can be well interpreted by pseudo‐second‐order equation.
A Rare Case of Acquired Fanconi's Syndrome With Monoclonal Gammopathy in an Infant
Authors: Castillo Brian , Chang Brian N. , Wahed Amer , Tholpady Ashok
Published: October 2015

Background

Monoclonal gammopathies associated with acquired Fanconi's syndrome (AFS) have been reported in the adult population. AFS is characterized by renal dysfunction resulting in proteinuria, aminoaciduria, hypophosphatemia, glucosuria, and hyperchloremic metabolic acidosis. In this case report, we document the clinical and laboratory findings of a preterm infant with features of both AFS and monoclonal gammopathy in the urine.

Methods

Clinical suspicion of AFS prompted the following laboratory studies to be performed: urine protein electrophoresis (UPEP), urine immunofixation, and urine amino acid analysis with high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC).

Results

Urine amino acid analysis revealed aminoaciduria. On UPEP, nonselective glomerular proteinuria was seen with a faint band in the gamma region. Urine immunofixation confirmed the presence of a monoclonal IgG lambda component with free monoclonal lambda light chains.

Conclusion

To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case of pediatric AFS reported with a monoclonal gammopathy and monoclonal free light chains.
Development and Validation of an Enzymatic Method for Total Cholesterol Analysis Using Whole Blood Spot
Authors: Corso Gaetano , Papagni Francesco , Gelzo Monica , Gallo Monica , Barone Rosalba , Graf Maria , Scarpato Nicola , Dello Russo Antonio
Published: October 2015

Background

High serum cholesterol represents a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. This study aims to quantify total cholesterol in dried blood spot (DBS) by direct enzymatic method.

Methods

Three hundred seventeen blood samples with serum cholesterol level ranging from 81 to 337 mg/dl were collected. DBS were manually prepared, cholesterol was extracted using methanol and analyzed by a manual enzymatic method. DBS cholesterol method was validated for imprecision and extraction efficacy. DBS cholesterol values were correlated (training test) with serum values measured by automated enzymatic method (reference method). The obtained correlation was used for predicting serum cholesterol from DBS analysis of a new sample group (validation test, n = 58).

Results

Within‐day and between‐day coefficient of variation (CV%) were lower than 7.69 and 6.32, respectively. Residual cholesterol in DBS after extraction was 16%. DBS cholesterol and serum cholesterol showed a linear correlation (slope = 0.5217; r = 0.9139) and a bias of −28%. Furthermore, DBS cholesterol values of validation test (n = 58), converted using the training test correlation, were not statistically different compared to the corresponding plasma values (P = 0.9487), and the comparison by Passing and Bablok showed a linear regression with a slope of 1.068 (r = 0.611) and a bias of −0.22%.

Conclusions

The results show that this enzymatic method is suitable to analyze cholesterol in DBS and it could be automated and used for population screening of total blood cholesterol.
Ex Vivo Assay of Electrical Stimulation to Rat Sciatic Nerves: Cell Behaviors and Growth Factor Expression
Authors: Du Zhiyong , Bondarenko Olexandr , Wang Dingkun , Rouabhia Mahmoud , Zhang Ze
Published: October 2015

Neurite outgrowth and axon regeneration are known to benefit from electrical stimulation. However, how neuritis and their surroundings react to electrical field is difficult to replicate by monolayer cell culture. In this work freshly harvested rat sciatic nerves were cultured and exposed to two types of electrical field, after which time the nerve tissues were immunohistologically stained and the expression of neurotrophic factors and cytokines were evaluated. ELISA assay was used to confirm the production of specific proteins. All cell populations survived the 48 h culture with little necrosis. Electrical stimulation was found to accelerate Wallerian degeneration and help Schwann cells to switch into migratory phenotype. Inductive electrical stimulation was shown to upregulate the secretion of multiple neurotrophic factors. Cellular distribution in nerve tissue was altered upon the application of an electrical field. This work thus presents an ex vivo model to study denervated axon in well controlled electrical field, bridging monolayer cell culture and animal experiment. It also demonstrated the critical role of electrical field distribution in regulating cellular activities. J. Cell. Physiol. 231: 1301–1312, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Real‐time in vivo confocal laser scanning microscopy of melanin‐containing cells: A promising diagnostic intervention
Authors: Xiang Wenzhong , Song Xiuzu , Peng Jianzhong , Xu Aie , Bi Zhigang
Published: October 2015

The use of noninvasive imaging techniques to evaluate different types of skin lesions is increasing popular. In vivo confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) is a new method for high resolution non‐invasive imaging of intact skin in situ and in vivo. Although many studies have investigated melanin‐containing cells in lesions by in vivo CLSM, few studies have systematically characterized melanin‐containing cells based on their morphology, size, arrangement, density, borders, and brightness. In this study, the characteristics of melanin‐containing cells were further investigated by in vivo CLSM. A total of 130 lesions, including common nevi, giant congenital pigmented nevi, vitiligo, melasma, melanoma, and chronic eczema, were imaged by in vivo CLSM. This research helps dermatologists understand the characteristics of melanin‐containing cells and facilitate the clinical application of melanin‐containing cells in the investigation of dermatological disease. In summary, melanin‐containing cells include keratinocytes, melanocytes, macrophages, and melanocytic skin tumor cells. Our study presents the CLSM characteristics of melanin‐containing cells to potentially facilitate in vivo diagnosis based on shape, size, arrangement, density, borders, and brightness. Microsc. Res. Tech. 78:1121–1127, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Reactivity of N,N″‐1,ω‐alkanediyl‐bis‐[N′‐organylthiourea] Derivatives Towards Isatylidene Malononitrile
Authors: Hassan Alaa A. , El‐Shaieb Kamal M. A. , Abd El‐Aal Amal S. , Bräse Stefan , Nieger Martin
Published: October 2015

(Z)‐2‐(2‐Oxoindolin‐3‐ylidene)‐2‐(substituted amino)acetonitriles, 2‐thioxoimidazolidine‐1‐carbothioamides, and 2‐thioxotetrahydropyrimidine‐1(2H)‐carbothioamides were synthesized via conventional thermal or microwave‐assisted reaction of isatylidene malononitrile with N,N″‐1,ω‐alkanediyl‐bis‐[N′‐organylthiourea] derivatives. Rationale for these conversations involving the nucleophilic addition on the dicyanomethylene carbon atom and intramolecular heterocyclization of the title compounds is presented. The structure of the (Z)‐2‐(2‐oxoindolin‐3‐ylidene)‐2‐(phenylamino)acetonitrile has been confirmed by the X‐ray analysis.
High resolution sampling of methane transport in the Columbia River near‐field plume: Implications for sources and sinks in a river‐dominated estuary
Authors: Pfeiffer‐Herbert A. S. , Prahl F. G. , Hales B. , Lerczak J. A. , Pierce S. D. , Levine M. D.
Published: October 2015

Examining fluxes of biogeochemical constituents at the mouth of an estuary is necessary for assessing the modification of terrigenous‐source materials in the estuary prior to reaching the ocean. In many rivers and estuaries, including the Columbia River estuary (CRE), methane is highly enriched with respect to oceanic concentrations and the equilibrium solubility of the atmospheric gas. We developed a methane budget for the CRE to examine the potential for significant modification of the estuarine methane budget by lateral exchange with peripheral tide flats. We accomplished the challenging task of constraining the net transfer through the estuary‐ocean interface using novel instrumentation: a rapid methane analyzer combined with a membrane‐contactor interfaced with a pumped‐sampling undulating towed vehicle. Transport of riverine methane into the CRE was essentially balanced by losses due to flux to the atmosphere (42%), microbial oxidation in the water column (21%), and transport to the ocean (32%), suggesting limited net effect of lateral tide flat processes on the CRE methane budget. Estimated uncertainty bounds constrained lateral sink/source terms within −30% to +20% of the primary river input. This result contrasts with a number of prior studies of methane cycling in estuaries that reported dominant contributions from lateral sources and relatively minor export to the coastal ocean. The magnitude of lateral supply of methane is a useful indicator of the hydrologic source potential of other related signals of organic matter remineralization from anoxic or suboxic settings in the estuary.
Pseudo almost periodic solutions for a model of hematopoiesis with an oscillating circulation loss rate
Authors: Jiang Ani
Published: October 2015

In this paper, a model of hematopoiesis with an oscillating circulation loss rate is investigated. By applying the exponential dichotomy theory, contraction mapping fixed‐point theorem, and differential inequality techniques, a set of sufficient conditions are obtained for the existence and exponential stability of positive pseudo almost periodic solutions of the model. Some numerical simulations are carried out to support the theoretical findings. Our results improve and generalize those of the previous studies. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The Effects of Changing Test‐Based Policies for Reclassifying English Learners
Authors: Robinson‐Cimpian Joseph P. , Thompson Karen D.
Published: October 2015

When students labeled English Learners (ELs) are reclassified as Fluent English Proficient, changes often occur in services and settings (e.g., changes in teachers, peers, and ancillary services). Policymakers play an important role in the reclassification process because they establish test‐based criteria that an EL must attain in order to become reclassified. If the criteria established by policymakers are incongruent with the instructional changes that result from reclassification, then services and settings may be denied to students who would otherwise benefit from them. In response to teachers’ and administrators’ concerns that some ELs who were reclassified were not succeeding without additional supports, California policymakers in 2006 to 2007 changed the reclassification criteria. In this paper, we examine the effects of changing these criteria using data on Latino/a students from the Los Angeles Unified School District, the U.S. district serving the largest number of ELs. Using “difference‐in‐regression‐discontinuities” approaches, we find consistent evidence that this policy change, which increased the difficulty of attaining the test‐based criteria for EL reclassification eligibility, had significant effects on high‐school students’ subsequent English language arts achievement (0.18 SDs) and graduation outcomes (11 percentage points). Specifically, when the criteria for reclassification were lower, students experienced negative effects of reclassification; but when the criteria were raised, students no longer experienced these negative effects. Highlighting the complex interplay between assessments, instruction, and policy, these findings demonstrate the important role policymakers play in the academic success of ELs and speak to policymaker considerations when implementing assessment and accountability systems.
Congenital Retroperitoneal Teratoma in Neurofibromatosis Type 1
Authors: Yap Patrick , Super Leanne , Qin Jinyi , Burgess Trent , Prodanovic Zdenka , Edwards Caitlin , Thomas Rosemary , Carpenter Karen , Tan Tiong Yang
Published: October 2015

Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) is caused by mutations in the tumor suppressor gene NF1. The increased tumor risk in affected individuals is well established, caused by somatic biallelic inactivation of NF1 due to loss of heterozygosity. Pediatric teratoma has not been reported in individuals with NF1 previously. We report a case of congenital teratoma in an infant with a heterozygous maternally inherited pathogenic NF1 mutation (c.[1756_1759delACTA] and p.[Thr586Valfs*18]). We detected a “second hit” in the form of mosaic whole NF1 deletion in the tumor tissue using multiplex ligation‐dependent probe amplification, as a proof to support the hypothesis of NF1 involvement in the pathogenesis of teratoma.
Features and outcome of fetal cardiac aneurysms and diverticula: a single center experience in China
Authors: Zeng Shi , Zhou Qichang , Zhang Ming , Zhou Jiawei , Peng Qianghai
Published: October 2015

Objectives

We aimed to describe the prenatal features and clinical outcome of fetal cardiac aneurysms (CA) and cardiac diverticula (CD).

Methods

Retrospective single center study reporting on antenatal findings and interventions and clinical outcome of fetuses with CA or CD are assessed in a ten year's period.

Results

Thirteen CA and 16 CD identified, mostly located at the cardiac apex. The average size of the CA was significantly larger than that of the CD (223.2 ± 84.4 vs 80.6 ± 57.9 mm2, respectively; p < 0.05). The bulge longitudinal strain, systolic strain rate, and diastolic strain rate in CA were significantly lower compared with CD (respectively, −12.9 ± 3.7 vs −20.0 ± 5.4% for strain and −1.3 ± 0.4 vs −2.0 ± 0.5 s−1 for the systolic strain rate, 1.2 ± 0.4 vs 1.9 ± 0.4 s−1 for the diastolic strain rate; all p < 0.05). CA coincided more frequently with arrhythmia and CD more frequently with pericardial effusion (p < 0.05). Adverse outcomes were more likely in children with CA [83.3% (5/6) vs 8.3% (1/12), respectively, p < 0.01].

Conclusion

Fetal cardiac aneurysms and diverticula are two distinct entities with different morphology and outcome. An isolated fetal CA has a less favourable outcome than fetal CD. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Styrene–dimethacrylate copolymerization kinetic modeling
Authors: Aguiar Leandro G
Published: October 2015

A model for the copolymerization of styrene with dimethacrylate including the post‐gelation period, diffusion effects and cyclization reactions was developed. The numerical fractionation method, balance of sequences and pseudo‐homopolymerization hypothesis were used for such a purpose. Diffusion effects were taken into account through an exponential correlation between the termination rate coefficient and the monomer conversion. Average rate coefficients of cyclization and crosslinking reactions were fitted. The model was validated through literature data for the copolymerizations of styrene with ethylene glycol dimethacrylate and styrene with tetraethylene glycol dimethacrylate. The predictions were satisfactory in the range 1–20% of dimethacrylate and temperature at 95 °C. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry
Influence ofMEOBiPAcontent on the properties of novel photoluminescent thermosensitive hydrogels
Authors: Lee Wen‐Fu , Liu Pei‐Ying
Published: October 2015

In order to establish a dual functional hydrogel, a special monomer, methacryloyloxy‐ethylene‐oxy‐carbonyl bis[4‐(phenyl‐isopropyl)phenyl]amine (MEOBiPA), was prepared from bis[4‐(phenyl‐isopropyl)phenyl]‐4‐cyanophenyl amine and 2‐hydroxyethyl methacrylate. Subsequently, a series of thermosensitive hydrogels was obtained through copolymerization ofN‐isopropyl acrylamide (NIPAAm) withMEOBiPAbyUVirradiation (named theNMseries). The effect ofMEOBiPAcontent on the swelling behavior, mechanical properties and drug release behavior of the hydrogels was further investigated. Results showed that the swelling ratios of theNMcopolymeric hydrogels decreased from 4.73 to 1.74 g g−1when theMEOBiPAcontent in the hydrogel increased from 0.1 to 0.9 mol%. Both gel strength and crosslinking density of theNMhydrogels increased with increasingMEOBiPA. Conversely, the thermosensitive behavior ofNMhydrogels significantly decreased upon increase ofMEOBiPAcontent. Likewise, the caffeine release ratio also decreased from 70% to 25%. Notably, the intensity of photoluminescence increased with increasingMEOBiPAcontent in the hydrogels. Further, the corresponding copolymers of the hydrogels were prepared using free radical polymerization. TheUVabsorbance and photoluminescent behavior of theMEOBiPA,NIPAAm/MEOBiPAcopolymeric hydrogels and their corresponding copolymers in different polar solvents were also investigated. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry
Chemosensory proteins involved in host recognition in the stored‐food mite Tyrophagus putrescentiae
Authors: Qu Shao‐Xuan , Ma Lin , Li Hui‐Ping , Song Jin‐Di , Hong Xiao‐Yue
Published: October 2015

BACKGROUND

Chemosensory proteins (CSPs) have been proposed to transport a range of aliphatic compounds, esters and other long‐chain compounds. A large number of CSPs from different gene subfamilies have been identified and annotated in arthropods; however, the CSP genes in mites remain unknown. Tyrophagus putrescentiae Schrank is an important stored‐product and house‐dust pest.

RESULTS

By analysing the transcriptome, two putative CSPs were identified, namely TputCSP1 and TputCSP2 (14.9 kDa and 12.1 kDa respectively). The phylogenetic tree showed that the two TputCSPs shared most homology with CSPs in Ixodes scapularis and partially with Diptera, including Anopheles gambiae, Drosophila melanogaster, D. pseudoobscura, D. simulans, Delia antiqua and Culex quinquefasciatus. Additionally, they had similar secondary structure. The 3D models revealed that there are six α‐helices enclosing the hydrophobic ligand binding pocket. Based on a docking study, we found that three ligands, (−)‐alloaromadendrene, 2‐methylnaphthalene and cyclopentadecane, had high binding affinities for TputCSP1. Moreover, the TputCSP2 protein had a higher inhibition constant with different affinities to all test ligands from host volatile substances.

CONCLUSION

The two CSPs have distinct physiological functions. TputCSP1 may mediate host recognition. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry
Carboxylated nanodiamond and re‐oxygenation process of gamma irradiated red blood cells
Authors: Acosta‐Elías M. , Sarabia‐Sainz A. , Pedroso‐Santana S. , Silva‐Campa E. , Santacruz‐Gomez K. , Angulo‐Molina A. , Castaneda B. , Soto‐Puebla D. , Barboza‐Flores M. , Melendrez R. , Álvarez‐García S. , Pedroza‐Montero M.
Published: October 2015

Nanodiamonds (NDs) possess exceptional physical, chemical, and biological properties, which make them suitable for potential biomedical applications. They are biocompatible and their usefulness as effective Raman/fluorescence probes for labeling as well as for drug delivery has been demonstrated. Related to their biocompatibility, the interaction between NDs and red blood cells (RBCs) is of great interest. In this work, the influence of carboxylated NDs (cNDs) in the re‐oxygenation capability of both γ‐irradiated and stored RBCs was studied. The standard 25 Gy γ dose recommended to prevent transfusion associated graft‐versus‐host disease was used. A 5‐day maximum storage time was used to evaluate the “storage lesion”. The hemoglobin (Hb) oxygenation state was assessed by Raman microspectroscopy and the morphologic changes on cells were tracked by optical imaging. Our results show that irradiated RBCs have a better re‐oxygenation capability and morphological recovery when they are in presence of cNDs.
Evolution of thermal, structural, and optical properties of SiGe superlattices upon thermal treatment
Authors: Chen Peixuan , Etzelstorfer Tanja , Hackl Florian , Katcho Nebil A. , Chang Hung‐Tai , Nausner Lukas , Lee Sheng‐Wei , Fromherz Thomas , Stangl Julian , Schmidt Oliver G. , Mingo Natalio , Rastelli Armando
Published: October 2015

We investigate the evolution of the cross‐plane thermal conductivity κ of a SiGe superlattice (SL) as it is gradually converted into an alloy via post‐growth thermal treatment at temperatures varying from 650 to 1000 °C. X‐ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), secondary‐ion‐mass‐spectroscopy (SIMS), and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy measurements are used as complementary tools to gain insight into the structural properties of our SL and their evolution upon annealing. While the SL structure is preserved up to temperatures of ∼850 °C, full alloying is observed for higher temperatures. The thermal conductivity data, collected with differential 3ω method, show a monotonic increase of κ from ∼4.5 W/m K up to the values expected for a thin‐film alloy. To understand the results, we compute the phonon mean‐free‐path (MFP) spectra using the experimentally determined composition profiles as input. The calculated thermal conductivity values are in good agreement with the experimental data and show that the increase of thermal conductivity is due to a gradual increase of MFP of low‐to‐mid‐frequency phonons, i.e., to a weakening of interface scattering for alloyed SLs. The calculations also allow us to address finite‐thickness effects on the measured thermal conductivity data. Although the used SL had a total thickness of only ∼250 nm, its thermal conductivity can be assumed to coincide with that of a “bulk” (infinitely thick) SL prior to annealing. As interdiffusion increases, boundary scattering at the film/substrate interface becomes relevant and leads to a slow increase of κ. Besides its fundamental relevance, this work shows that the thermal stability of superlattices is limited, and that sizeable structural changes (including defect formation) occur already at operation temperatures of ∼650 °C.
Cryptanalysis of a robust key agreement based on public key authentication
Authors: Toorani Mohsen
Published: October 2015

This paper considers security analysis of the YAK, a public key‐based authenticated key agreement protocol. The YAK protocol is a variant of the two‐pass HMQV protocol but uses zero‐knowledge proofs for proving knowledge of ephemeral values. In this paper, we show that the YAK protocol lacks joint key control and perfect forward secrecy attributes and is vulnerable to some attacks including unknown key‐share and key‐replication attacks. This invalidates the semantic security of the protocol in several security models. There are also other considerations regarding the impersonation and small subgroup attacks. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Light‐weight group signatures with time‐bound membership
Authors: Malina Lukas , Hajny Jan , Zeman Vaclav
Published: October 2015

This paper presents a novel privacy‐preserving cryptographic protocol for secure many‐to‐one communication systems, for example, data collection systems, data gathering systems, vehicular networks, smart‐grids, and so on. The proposed solution provides message authenticity, integrity, and non‐repudiation, while message senders are anonymous and untraceable. The protocol is based on group signatures with a time‐bound membership. The protocol is designed to achieve efficiency on the client side where restricted devices are usually employed. On the other hand, the verification of many messages is efficient as well. Common group signature schemes offer the verification phase that needs some pairing operations and employs a long revocation list. Generally, the revocation list grows until scheme parameters and keys are recomputed. However, the reinitialization of all keys and parameters is not practical in large‐scale communication systems. By applying the optimization techniques on the group signature scheme, the verification phase becomes more efficient, and the expiration of group member secret keys naturally reduces the length of a revocation list. In addition to the full cryptographic description, we implement the proposed protocol and outline the performance results. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Immobilization of ALA‐ZnII Coordination Polymer Pro‐photosensitizers on Magnetite Colloidal Supraparticles for Target Photodynamic Therapy of Bladder Cancer
Authors: Tan Jing , Sun Chuanyu , Xu Ke , Wang Changchun , Guo Jia
Published: October 2015

5‐Aminolevulinic acid (ALA) is a widely used photodynamic therapy (PDT) prodrug in the clinic. It can be metalized to the photosensitizer PpIX, which produces toxic singlet oxygen to kill cancer cells upon visible light irradiation. Herein, a core/shell‐structured vehicle is designed to comprise magnetite colloidal supraparticles (MCSPs) as cores and ALA‐ZnII coordination polymers as shells (Fe3O4@ALA‐ZnII) for target pro‐photosensitizer delivery. The coordination polymers with 2D layered structures are locally deposited on the MCSPs by the complexation of the ALA and ZnII ions, and are readily controlled by varying the feed precursors and reaction temperatures. The maximum conjugated ALA amount is up to 17%. The Fe3O4@ALA‐ZnII microspheres exhibit pH‐sensitive release of ALA in acidic environment and rapid magnetic responsiveness. Cytotoxicity results demonstrate that Fe3O4@ALA‐ZnII shows a significant inhibitory effect to T24 cells and is nontoxic to 293T normal cells as exposed to the 630 nm visible light for a very short time, which may due to the selective accumulation of ALA‐induced PpIX in T24 cancer cells. Compared to the ALA used alone, the coordination polymer form is more efficient because of the bioactivity of incorporated Zn ions despite underlying the same apoptosis mechanism as ALA agent.
A design of T–S fuzzy controller with disturbance observer
Authors: Wu Dongyin , Han Hugang
Published: October 2015

The so‐called lumped disturbance in this paper includes modeling error, external disturbance, unmodeled dynamics, and parameter perturbations. The lumped disturbance and control input do not share the same coefficient matrix in the local Takagi–Sugeno (T–S) fuzzy model. In order to design a proper fuzzy disturbance observer (FDO) and involve the estimate from the FDO into controller to counteract the influence of the disturbance, system equivalence transformation is proposed in this paper. As a result, the conditions for both the asymptotical stability of the closed‐loop system and the convergence of estimation error between the FDO and the disturbance are provided in the manner of linear matrix inequalities (LMIs). Also, computer simulations are provided to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed FDO‐based control system. © 2015 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Construction of Two 3D Main Group Coordination Polymers Based on 2‐(2‐Pyridyl)‐4,5‐imidazole‐dicarboxylic Acid: Structures and Luminescent Properties
Authors: Zeng Ronghua , Liang Jinhui , Lin Lujing , Chen Xiaodian , Wang Tingting , Zheng Sheng‐Run , He Daohang
Published: October 2015

Two main group coordination polymers based on 2‐(2‐pyridyl)‐4,5‐imidazole‐dicarboxylic acid (H3oPyIDC), namely [Ba(H2oPyIDC)2(H2O)]n (1) and [Pb2(HoPyIDC)2]n (2) are obtained under hydrothermal conditions. In compound 1, the Ba2+ cations and HoPyIDC2– anions are connected to a 1D chain, and the 1D chains are further interconnected by Ba–O bonds, forming a 3D 3‐connected framework. In compound 2, a 2D layer with (4,4) topology is formed by PbII ions and HoPyIDC2– anions. The 2D layer are pillared by HoPyIDC2–, yielding a 3D (3,4)‐connected framework. The thermogravimetric analyses and luminescence properties of compounds 1 and 2 are also investigated.
Characterisation of cannabinoid composition in a diverse Cannabis
sativa L. germplasm collection
Authors: Welling Matthew T. , Liu Lei , Shapter Tim , Raymond Carolyn A. , King Graham J.
Published: October 2015

The ability to characterise cannabinoid chemical phenotype (chemotype) accurately is important for the development of Cannabissativa L. cultivars specific for pharmacological, hemp fibre, or seed end use. Although a number of chemotyping and genotyping methods have previously been developed to predict and characterise cannabinoid composition, only a subset of the gene pool has been examined. A representative survey from a wide range of geographically and genetically diverse C. sativa accessions using liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC–MS) cannabinoid profiling together with dominant and co-dominant DNA marker assays was performed. Overall variability of chemotype across the gene pool was found to be three-fold greater within heterozygote genotypes than previously reported. Interestingly, an individual plant of East Asian origin was found to exhibit a rare propyl alkyl cannabinoid homologue and a chemotype inconsistent with the predicted genotype. We propose that in order to carry out comprehensive screening of genetic resource collections and to identify chemotypic variants specific for end-use pharmacological applications, a strategy which adopts both cannabinoid profiling and the co-dominant DNA marker assay is required. Further research with consideration of propyl-alkyl-cannabinoid homologues should explore the relationship between chemotype and genotype in greater detail.
Predicting outcomes of emergency cerclage in women with cervical insufficiency using inflammatory markers in maternal blood and amniotic fluid
Authors: Jung Eun Young , Park Kyo Hoon , Lee Sung Youn , Ryu Aeli , Joo Jung Kyung , Park Jeong Woo
Published: October 2015

Objective

To identify inflammatory markers in maternal blood and amniotic fluid that can predict outcomes of emergency cerclage in women with cervical insufficiency.

Methods

This retrospective cohort study included patients at 18–24 weeks of pregnancy who underwent amniocentesis before receiving emergency cerclage for cervical insufficiency between August 2004 and August 2013 at a university teaching hospital in South Korea. Total and differential white blood cell counts were measured during amniocentesis. Amniotic fluid was cultured and analyzed for the presence of interleukin (IL)‐6 and IL‐8. The primary outcome measure was spontaneous preterm delivery (SPTD) at less than 32 weeks of pregnancy following cerclage placement.

Results

Of 37 patients, 18 (49%) experienced SPTD at less than 32 weeks of pregnancy. These patients were found to have significantly more advanced cervical dilatation at presentation, as well as higher mean neutrophil–lymphocyte ratios (NLRs) and higher IL‐6 and IL‐8 levels in amniotic fluid in comparison with those who did not experience SPTD at less than 32 weeks of pregnancy. In a multivariable analysis, a high NLR and high amniotic fluid IL‐8 levels showed a significant correlation with the occurrence of SPTD at less than 32 weeks of pregnancy (P = 0.032).

Conclusion

Pre‐operative NLR and amniotic fluid IL‐8 levels may be important markers for predicting emergency cerclage outcomes in women with cervical insufficiency.
El arbitraje por pares en las publicaciones en educación: ¿cribado, sadismo o control de calidad?
Authors: Sánchez-Mendiola Melchor
Published: October 2015

Para el ocupado médico de hospital público o privado, cuya estabilidad económica y profesional depende primordialmente del salario u honorarios que le genera su actividad clínica, el publicar algún artículo en una revista científica puede parecer algo esotérico que cuesta demasiado tiempo, trabajo y esfuerzo, con una significativa posibilidad de que el manuscrito sea rechazado por el editor o por esa misteriosa y a veces temible red de académicos, denominados «árbitros», que además tienen la nebulosa categoría de «pares».
Advances in the molecular genetics of non-syndromic polydactyly
Authors: Deng Hao , Tan Ting , Yuan Lamei
Published: October 2015

Polydactyly is one of the most common inherited limb abnormalities, characterised by supernumerary fingers or toes. It results from disturbances in the normal programme of the anterior–posterior axis of the developing limb, with diverse aetiology and variable inter- and intra-familial clinical features. Polydactyly can occur as an isolated disorder (non-syndromic polydactyly) or as a part of an anomaly syndrome (syndromic polydactyly). On the basis of the anatomic location of the duplicated digits, non-syndromic polydactyly is divided into three kinds, including preaxial polydactyly, axial polydactyly and postaxial polydactyly. Non-syndromic polydactyly frequently exhibits an autosomal dominant inheritance with variable penetrance. To date, in human, at least ten loci and four disease-causing genes, including theGLI3gene, theZNF141gene, theMIPOL1gene and thePITX1gene, have been identified. In this paper, we review clinical features of non-syndromic polydactyly and summarise the recent progress in the molecular genetics, including loci and genes that are responsible for the disorder, the signalling pathways that these genetic factors are involved in, as well as animal models of the disorder. These progresses will improve our understanding of the complex disorder and have implications on genetic counselling such as prenatal diagnosis.
GOOD CHARACTER DIRECTIONS IN CRIMINAL TRIALS: AN EXERCISE IN CONTAINMENT
Authors: Munday Roderick
Published: October 2015

IN criminal trials, just as a bad character may count against an accused, so a good character may operate in an accused's favour. It was settled by the Court of Appeal in Vye [1993] 1 W.L.R. 471 and by the House of Lords in Aziz [1996] A.C. 41 that any accused who possesses a good character becomes thereby entitled to a mandatory direction (known as a “Vye direction”) in the summing-up. The trial judge is required to instruct jurors that the accused's good character is potentially of dual significance when they come to assess both (1) the credibility of an accused who has testified or who has made admissible, exculpatory pre-trial statements and (2) the likelihood of the accused's having committed the offence(s) charged. But matters do not stop there.
DISHONEST ASSISTANCE AND ACCOUNT OF PROFITS
Authors: Gummow William
Published: October 2015

THIS subject has been considered in Novoship (UK) Ltd. v Mikhayluk [2015] 2 W.L.R. 526; [2014] Q.B. 499. The first plaintiff (“Novoship”) and the 14 other plaintiff companies (“the Novoship Group”) were indirect subsidiaries of the JSC Novorossiyak Shipping Co., incorporated in Russia. The first defendant, Mr. Mikhayluk, was an officer of Novoship and in charge of negotiating the charter of vessels owned by members of the Novoship Group. In litigation in the Commercial Court, he was held to have been in breach of his fiduciary duty to members of the Novoship Group by his corrupt conduct between 2002 and 2004 in dealings with various charterers. These included the sixth defendant, Mr. Nikitin, and the eighth defendant, Henriot Finance Ltd. (“Henriot”), a Virgin Islands company owned and controlled by him. There were connections with a number of jurisdictions but the litigation was conducted on the footing that the governing law was that of the English forum.
ANTI-SUIT INJUNCTIONS IN ARBITRAL AWARDS: ENFORCEMENT IN EUROPE
Authors: Kajkowska Ewelina
Published: October 2015

THE status of anti-suit injunctions in Europe has long given rise to controversy. The decision of the Court of Justice of the European Union in Case C-536/13, Gazprom OAO [2015] All E.R. (EC) 711 sheds a new light on the relationship between anti-suit injunctions and the European jurisdiction regime embodied in the Brussels Regulation (Regulation No. 44/2001 on jurisdiction and the recognition and enforcement of judgments in civil and commercial matters). In this much anticipated judgment, the Court of Justice confirmed that, by virtue of the arbitration exclusion in Article 1(2)(d) of the Brussels Regulation, Member State courts are not precluded from enforcing anti-suit injunctions issued by arbitration tribunals and aimed at restraining the proceedings before Member State courts. Although the decision was given before the Recast Brussels Regulation came into force (Regulation No. 1215/2012 on jurisdiction and the recognition and enforcement of judgments in civil and commercial matters, effective from 10 January 2015), it can be assumed that the same conclusion would have been reached under the new law.
Power to the People? The Impacts and Outcomes of Energy Consultations in Saskatchewan and Nova Scotia
Authors: Martens Linsay , McNutt Kathleen , Rayner Jeremy
Published: October 2015

Like other policy subsectors, power generation has been affected by the governance changes of the last two decades, including a shift to more collaborative state-society relations. Collaborative governance implies new kinds of public engagement designed to provide both input legitimacy, through the involvement of a broader range of actors in policy design, and output legitimacy, through enhanced feedback and policy learning. This paper compares the impact of “governance-driven engagement” in the power generation subsectors in Nova Scotia and Saskatchewan, arguing that engagement increased the complexity of the policy mix in the subsector without succeeding in providing better feedback and learning. The paper notes a recent trend towards more expert-driven and less collaborative processes, as both provinces struggled to rationalize and simplify power generation policy goals and instruments.
The Limitation on Sovereign Regulatory Autonomy and Internationalization of Investment Protection by Treaty: An African Perspective
Authors: Dagbanja Dominic N
Published: October 2015

This article contextualizes the debate about the implications of the investment treaty regime for regulatory autonomy. It points out that, to understand why the investment treaty regime limits sovereign powers and to be able to reconstruct a regime to make it responsive to the needs of both foreign investors and host countries, it is necessary to revisit the history of investment protection by treaty and assess the terms of investment treaties in relation to that history. The article argues that investment protection by treaty was primarily aimed at protecting the private business interests of investors from the developed world who invested abroad. This overarching historical objective influenced the terms of investment treaties. This is manifested in the terms of classical investment treaties which provide for absolute rights for foreign investors. The article calls for the reconstruction of investment treaties to make room for public interest regulation.
Fictions of Speculation: Introduction
Authors: CARROLL HAMILTON , McCLANAHAN ANNIE
Published: October 2015

There are plenty of texts in which one might not be surprised to find an alien invasion on only the second page, but The Financial Crisis Inquiry Report (2010) – the seven-hundred-page document produced by the Congressional Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission – is hardly one of them. The Inquiry Report opens by invoking the dizzying difficulty of its own task: from “millions of pages of documents,” the Inquiry Report begins by noting, its authors have attempted to understand events compared, just in the Inquiry Report's first two pages, to “mass delusion,” “a hurricane,” a “perfect storm,” a “train wreck,” and, finally, an “alien event.” This proliferation of metaphors suggests an encounter with a set of historical conditions whose magnitude and complexity render them recalcitrant to representation. What overwhelms the authors of the Inquiry Report is not simply the complexity – the length and breadth – of the story to be told, but the question of what sort of story it should be: if the crisis was described even by those who should have been in the know as “dramatic and mystifying,” how could one render it legible while at the same time doing justice to its singularity?
Effects of azelastine nasal spray on nasal and nasopharyngeal microflora
Authors: Aksoy F , Senturk E , Doğan R , Veyseller B , Ozturan O , Gönüllü N , Yilmaz F
Published: October 2015

Objective:

Azelastine nasal spray is a topical antihistaminic drug for the symptomatic treatment of allergic rhinitis. This study aimed to investigate the effects of azelastine on nasal and nasopharyngeal microflora.

Methods:

Swab samples from 25 patients prescribed azelastine nasal spray monotherapy were collected just before treatment and after 1 month of treatment. After incubation of inoculates, the number of bacteria present in cultures was measured (in colony-forming units per millilitre).

Results:

Evaluation of the number of microflora revealed increased bacterial reproduction after treatment, but this difference was not statistically significant. The use of azelastine nasal spray decreased the reproduction of three potentially pathogenic bacteria; however, it did not affect the reproduction of other potentially pathogenic bacteria.

Conclusion:

The use of azelastine nasal spray for one month did not have a statistically significant effect on the numbers of nasal and nasopharyngeal microflora; it is therefore safe from a microbiological viewpoint.
An investigation into the patterns of loneliness and loss in the oldest old – Newcastle 85+ Study
Authors: BRITTAIN KATIE , KINGSTON ANDREW , DAVIES KAREN , COLLERTON JOANNA , ROBINSON LOUISE A. , KIRKWOOD THOMAS B. L. , BOND JOHN , JAGGER CAROL
Published: October 2015

Old age is often characterised as being associated with neglect, isolation and loneliness, not least since established risks factors for loneliness include widowhood, living alone, depression and being female. Cross-sectional data have challenged the notion that loneliness is especially an old-age phenomenon but longitudinal data on loneliness is scarce. Moreover, an under-represented group in prior studies are the oldest old, those aged 85 years and more. This paper addresses these knowledge gaps using data from the Newcastle 85+ Study, a large population-based cohort aged 85 years at first interview with follow-up interviews at 18 months and three years. At baseline over half (55%) reported being always or often alone, and 41 per cent reported feeling more lonely than ten years previously, although only 2 per cent reported always feeling lonely. Women spent more time alone than men and reported more loneliness both currently and compared to the past. Length of widowhood was a key factor, with those recently widowed having twice the risk of feeling lonely and those widowed for five or more years having a lower risk of reporting increased loneliness. Overall, the findings show that loneliness is a minority experience in the oldest old but is strongly driven by length of widowhood, challenging the notion that loneliness in later life is a static experience.
COERCION IN CROSS-BORDER PROPERTY RIGHTS
Authors: Wenar Leif
Published: October 2015

A global market exists only because all states have chosen to converge on rules that coordinate property rights. For property rights over natural resources and products made from them, states converge on the rule of effectiveness, or might makes right. Because of effectiveness, consumers making everyday purchases like electronics, cosmetics and gasoline cannot help but support foreign authoritarians and militias. Effectiveness in the international system puts consumers into business with highly coercive actors abroad. States’ choice of effectiveness also leads to their enforcing the injustices of foreign actors within their own borders, with their own justice systems.
PATERNALISM AND GLOBAL GOVERNANCE
Authors: Barnett Michael
Published: October 2015

Contemporary global governance is organized around an odd pairing: care and control. On the one hand, much of global governance is designed to reduce human suffering and improve human flourishing, with the important caveat that individuals should be allowed to decide for themselves how they want to live their lives. On the other hand, these global practices of care are also entangled with acts of control. Peacebuilding, public health, emergency aid, human rights, and development are expressions of this tension between care and control. There is a concept that captures this tension: paternalism. Drawing on our moral intuitions, I argue that paternalism is the attempt by one actor to substitute his judgment for another actor's on the grounds that such an imposition will improve the welfare of the target actor. After discussing and defending this definition, I note how our unease with paternalism seems to grow as we scale up from the interpersonal to the international, which I argue owes to the evaporation of community and equality. After exploring the implications of this definition and distinguishing it from other forms of intervention, I consider how different elements of paternalism combine to generate different configurations. Specifically, I point to five dimensions that are most relevant for examining the paternalism found in contemporary global and humanitarian governance: the tools used to restrict another actor’s liberty (force versus information); the scope of the interference (wide versus narrow); the purpose of the intervention (prevention of harm versus emancipation); the source of the paternalizer’s confidence (faith versus evidence); and the mechanisms of accountability (internal versus external). These different elements often correlate historically, suggestive of two ideal types of global paternalism: strong and weak. Contemporary global and humanitarian governance is largely the weak variety: force is severely proscribed, interference is relatively restricted, the paternalizer’s confidence has epistemic roots, and accountability to local populations remains a noble but rarely practiced goal. I further speculate that a major reason for this difference is the effects of liberalism and rationalization. I use this taxonomy to suggest how two different global efforts to improve the lives of those peoples living in what were perceived to be unstable and illiberal territories — the civilizing missions of the nineteenth century and the peacebuilding operations of the post-Cold War period — exhibited different kinds of paternalism. I conclude by reflecting on the ethics of international paternalism.