bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Chromoselective Photocatalysis: Controlled Bond Activation through Light‐Color Regulation of Redox Potentials
Authors: Ghosh Indrajit , König Burkhard 
Published: May 2016

AbstractCatalysts that can be regulated in terms of activity and selectivity by external stimuli may allow the efficient multistep synthesis of complex molecules and pharmaceuticals. Herein, we report the light‐color regulation of the redox potential of a photocatalyst to control the activation of chemical bonds. Light‐color control of the redox power of a photocatalyst introduces a new selectivity parameter to photoredox catalysis: Instead of changing the catalyst or ligand, alteration of the color of the visible‐light irradiation adjusts the selectivity in catalytic transformations. By using this principle, the selective activation of aryl–halide bonds for C−H arylation and the sequential conversion of functional groups with different reduction potentials is possible by simply applying different colors of light for excitation of the photocatalyst.
Applicability of bacterial biocementation in sustainable construction materials
Authors: Dhami Navdeep Kaur , Mukherjee Abhijit , Reddy M. Sudhakara 
Published: May 2016

AbstractUrease production of calcifying bacterium, Bacillus megaterium SS3 was enhanced by using response surface methodology (RSM) in current study. The preliminary screening by Plackett–Burman's design revealed that among the tested factors, glucose, urea and NaHCO3 significantly (p < 0.05) enhanced the urease production. Further optimization of urease production by B. megaterium through RSM was achieved as 879 U mL−1 in the presence of glucose (21.7 g L−1), urea (21.1 g L−1) and NaHCO3 (1.9 g L−1) compared to 640 U mL−1 in unoptimized medium. The effect of different factors seems to promote the growth of bacterial isolate leading to improvement in urease production. As production of carbonates by ureolytic bacteria is dependent on urease enzyme, improvement in enzyme production enhanced the carbonate precipitation efficacy to 1.7‐fold in optimized medium. Carbonic anhydrase production also increased from 120 U mL−1 to 190 U mL−1 in optimized medium. © 2016 Curtin University of Technology and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Functional Characterization of PyrG, an Unusual Nonribosomal Peptide Synthetase Module from the Pyridomycin Biosynthetic Pathway
Authors: Huang Tingting , Li Lili , Brock Nelson L. , Deng Zixin , Lin Shuangjun 
Published: May 2016

AbstractPyridomycin is an antimycobacterial cyclodepsipeptide assembled by a nonribosomal peptide synthetase/polyketide synthase hybrid system. Analysis of its cluster revealed a nonribosomal peptide synthetase (NRPS) module, PyrG, that contains two tandem adenylation domains and a PKS‐type ketoreductase domain. In this study, we biochemically validated that the second A domain recognizes and activates α‐keto‐β‐methylvaleric acid (2‐KVC) as the native substrate; the first A domain was not functional but might play a structural role. The KR domain catalyzed the reduction of the 2‐KVC tethered to the peptidyl carrier protein of PyrG in the presence of the MbtH family protein, PyrH. PyrG was demonstrated to recognize many amino acids. This substrate promiscuity provides the potential to generate pyridomycin analogues with various enolic acids moiety; this is important for binding InhA, a critical enzyme for cell‐wall biosynthesis in Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
Ethane‐Bridged Organosilica Nanotubes Functionalized with Arenesulfonic Acid and Phenyl Groups for the Efficient Conversion of Levulinic Acid or Furfuryl Alcohol to Ethyl Levulinate
Authors: Song Daiyu , An Sai , Sun Yingnan , Zhang Panpan , Guo Yihang , Zhou Dandan 
Published: May 2016

AbstractA series of ethane‐bridged organosilica nanotubes functionalized with arenesulfonic acid and phenyl groups (ArSO3H‐Si(Et)Si‐Ph‐NTs) was fabricated successfully by a P123‐directed sol–gel co‐condensation route combined with hydrothermal treatment with a carefully adjusted P123‐to‐bis‐silylated organic precursor‐to‐HCl molar ratio in the starting system. The morphological characteristics, textural properties, Brønsted acidity, surface hydrophobicity, and structural integrity of the carbon/silica framework were characterized. The ArSO3H‐Si(Et)Si‐Ph‐NTs materials were applied in the synthesis of ethyl levulinate from the esterification of levulinic acid and the ethanolysis of furfuryl alcohol, and the excellent catalytic activity was explained in terms of the strong Brønsted acidity, unique hollow nanotube morphology, and enhanced surface hydrophobicity. Reusability tests confirmed that ArSO3H‐Si(Et)Si‐Ph‐NTs can be reused for three or five times without a significant loss of activity.
Harnessing Thin‐Film Continuous‐Flow Assembly Lines
Authors: Britton Joshua , Castle Jared W. , Weiss Gregory A. , Raston Colin L. 
Published: May 2016

AbstractInspired by nature's ability to construct complex molecules through sequential synthetic transformations, an assembly line synthesis of α‐aminophosphonates has been developed. In this approach, simple starting materials are continuously fed through a thin‐film reactor where the intermediates accrue molecular complexity as they progress through the flow system. Flow chemistry allows rapid multistep transformations to occur via reaction compartmentalization, an approach not amenable to using conventional flasks. Thin film processing can also access facile in situ solvent exchange to drive reaction efficiency, and through this method, α‐aminophosphonate synthesis requires only 443 s residence time to produce 3.22 g h−1. Assembly‐line synthesis allows unprecedented reaction flexibility and processing efficiency.
Increased tumor response to neoadjuvant therapy among rectal cancer patients taking angiotensin‐converting enzyme inhibitors or angiotensin receptor blockers
Authors: Morris Zachary S. , Saha Sandeep , Magnuson William J. , Morris Brett A. , Borkenhagen Jenna F. , Ching Alisa , Hirose Gayle , McMurry Vanesa , Francis David M. , Harari Paul M. , Chappell Rick , Tsuji Stuart , Ritter Mark A. 
Published: May 2016

BACKGROUNDAngiotensin‐converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) are commonly used antihypertensive medications that have been reported to affect aberrant angiogenesis and the dysregulated inflammatory response. Because of such mechanisms, it was hypothesized that these medications might affect the tumor response to neoadjuvant radiation in patients with rectal cancer.METHODSOne hundred fifteen patients who were treated with neoadjuvant radiation at the University of Wisconsin (UW) between 1999 and 2012 were identified. Univariate analyses were performed with anonymized patient data. In a second independent data set, 186 patients with rectal cancer who were treated with neoadjuvant radiation at the Queen's Medical Center of the University of Hawaii (UH) between 1995 and 2010 were identified. These data were independently analyzed as before. Multivariate analyses were performed with aggregate data.RESULTSAmong patients taking ACEIs/ARBs in the UW data set, a significant 3‐fold increase in the rate of pathologic complete response (pCR) to neoadjuvant therapy (52% vs 17%, P = .001) was observed. This finding was confirmed in the UH data set, in which a significant 2‐fold–increased pCR rate (24% vs 12%, P = .03) was observed. Identified patient and treatment characteristics were otherwise balanced between patients taking and not taking ACEIs/ARBs. No significant effect was observed on pCR rates with other medications, including statins, metformin, and aspirin. Multivariate analyses of aggregate data identified ACEI/ARB use as a strong predictor of pCR (odds ratio, 4.02; 95% confidence interval, 2.06‐7.82; P < .001).CONCLUSIONSThe incidental use of ACEIs/ARBs among patients with rectal cancer is associated with a significantly increased rate of pCR after neoadjuvant treatment. Cancer 2016;122:2487–95. © 2016 American Cancer Society.
Patterns of cell death in the perinatal mouse forebrain
Authors: Mosley Morgan , Shah Charisma , Morse Kiriana A. , Miloro Stephen A. , Holmes Melissa M. , Ahern Todd H. , Forger Nancy G. 
Published: May 2016

ABSTRACTThe importance of cell death in brain development has long been appreciated, but many basic questions remain, such as what initiates or terminates the cell death period. One obstacle has been the lack of quantitative data defining exactly when cell death occurs. We recently created a “cell death atlas,” using the detection of activated caspase‐3 (AC3) to quantify apoptosis in the postnatal mouse ventral forebrain and hypothalamus, and found that the highest rates of cell death were seen at the earliest postnatal ages in most regions. Here we have extended these analyses to prenatal ages and additional brain regions. We quantified cell death in 16 forebrain regions across nine perinatal ages from embryonic day (E) 17 to postnatal day (P) 11 and found that cell death peaks just after birth in most regions. We found greater cell death in several regions in offspring delivered vaginally on the day of parturition compared with those of the same postconception age but still in utero at the time of collection. We also found massive cell death in the oriens layer of the hippocampus on P1 and in regions surrounding the anterior crossing of the corpus callosum on E18 as well as the persistence of large numbers of cells in those regions in adult mice lacking the pro‐death Bax gene. Together these findings suggest that birth may be an important trigger of neuronal cell death and identify transient cell groups that may undergo wholesale elimination perinatally. J. Comp. Neurol. 525:47–64, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Synthesis, Optical, Electrochemical, and Theoretical Studies of Dipolar Ruthenium Alkynyl Complexes with Oligo(phenylenevinylene) Bridges
Authors: Zhang Huihua , Morshedi Mahbod , Kodikara Mahesh S. , Moxey Graeme J. , Wang Genmiao , Wang Huan , Quintana Cristóbal , Stranger Rob , Zhang Chi , Cifuentes Marie P. , Humphrey Mark G. 
Published: May 2016

AbstractThe syntheses of oligo(p‐phenylenevinylene)s (OPVs) end‐functionalized with a ligated ruthenium alkynyl unit as a donor and a nitro as acceptor, namely trans‐[Ru{C≡C‐1‐C6H4‐4‐(E)‐CH=CH‐1‐C6H2‐2,5‐Et2‐4‐(E)‐CH=CH‐1‐C6H2‐2,5‐Et2‐4‐(E)‐CH=CH‐1‐C6H4‐4‐NO2}Cl(dppe)2] (Ru4), trans‐[Ru{C≡C‐1‐C6H4‐4‐(E)‐CH=CH‐1‐C6H2‐2,5‐Et2‐4‐(E)‐CH=CH‐1‐C6H2‐2,5‐Et2‐4‐(E)‐CH=CH‐1‐C6H2‐2,5‐(n‐hexyl)2‐4‐(E)‐CH=CH‐1‐C6H2‐2,5‐(n‐hexyl)2‐4‐(E)‐CH=CH‐1‐C6H4‐4‐NO2}Cl(dppe)2] (Ru6), and trans‐[Ru{C≡C‐1‐C6H4‐4‐(E)‐CH=CH‐1‐C6H2‐2,5‐Et2‐4‐(E)‐CH=CH‐1‐C6H2‐2,5‐Et2‐4‐(E)‐CH=CH‐1‐C6H2‐2,5‐(n‐hexyl)2‐4‐(E)‐CH=CH‐1‐C6H2‐2,5‐(n‐hexyl)2‐4‐(E)‐CH=CH‐1‐C6H2‐2,5‐(2‐ethyl‐n‐hexyl)2‐4‐(E)‐CH=CH‐1‐C6H2‐2,5‐(2‐ethyl‐n‐hexyl)2‐4‐(E)‐CH=CH‐1‐C6H4‐4‐NO2}Cl(dppe)2] (Ru8), are reported, together with those of precursor alkynes. Their electrochemical properties were assessed by cyclic voltammetry (CV), their linear optical and quadratic nonlinear optical (NLO) properties assayed by UV/Vis‐NIR spectroscopy and hyper‐Rayleigh scattering studies at 1064 nm, respectively, and their linear optical properties in the formally RuIII state examined by UV/Vis‐NIR spectroelectrochemistry. Computational studies employing time‐dependent density functional theory were undertaken on model complexes to rationalize the optical observations.
Microwave Irradiation Coupled with MeOx/Al2O3 (Me=Cu, Mn, Ce) Catalysts for Nitrogen Monoxide Removal from Flue Gas at Low Temperatures
Authors: Xu Wentao , Cai Jinjun , Zhou Jicheng , You Zhimin , Su Zhiming , Shi Ni , Ou Yingpiao 
Published: May 2016

AbstractThe direct catalytic decomposition of nitrogen monoxide (NO) into nitrogen (N2) and oxygen (O2) with high efficiency remains a significant challenge at low temperatures under excess oxygen conditions. Herein, we report the direct decomposition of NO by microwave‐assisted catalysis over metal oxide catalysts MeOx/Al2O3 (Me=Cu, Mn, Ce) for the first time under these conditions. The CeCuMnOx/Al2O3 catalyst displays an impressively high efficiency with a high NO conversion and N2 selectivity, reaching up to 94.8 % and 98.7 %, respectively, even at a low temperature of 250 °C and oxygen excess of 10 %. Moreover, the cerium‐doped MeOx/Al2O3 (Me=Cu, Mn) catalysts enhance the catalytic performance dramatically, and CeCuMnOx/Al2O3 is more active than CeCuOx/Al2O3 and CeMnOx/Al2O3 under microwave irradiation. Comparatively, these catalysts show extremely low catalytic activity under conventional reaction conditions. Furthermore, the catalytic performance of NO decomposition under microwave irradiation is hardly influenced by the oxygen concentration.
What Is the Value of Three‐Parent IVF?
Authors: Rulli Tina 
Published: May 2016

AbstractIn February 2016, the Institute of Medicine released a report, commissioned by the United States Food and Drug Administration, on the ethical and social‐policy implications of so‐called three‐parent in vitro fertilization. The IOM endorses commencement of clinical trials on three‐parent IVF, subject to some initial limitations. Also called mitochondrial replacement or transfer, three‐parent IVF is an intervention comprising two distinct procedures in which the genetic materials of three people—the DNA of the father and mother and the mitochondrial DNA of an egg donor—can be used to create a child. Three‐parent IVF would enable a woman with mitochondrial disease to have a genetically related child without transmitting the disease to the child. The possibility for three‐parent children has prompted criticism from many corners. Critics have pointed to ethical issues including safety concerns and risks to children, genetic and germline engineering concerns, the potential exploitation of the third‐parent egg donor, donor anonymity and privacy, and objections to creating babies with three parents, which undermines natural and traditional conceptions of procreation. Additionally, developing the technology would involve experimenting on, manipulating, and disposing of embryos. Although the IOM report considers the ethical concerns about the value of the three‐parent IVF technology, the IOM failed to give due attention to an important objection to the development of this technology: three‐parent IVF lacks the social value necessary to make investment of public resources in it ethical.Unlike the other concerns, this objection is not based on conservativism about new reproductive technologies or default favoritism of the status quo. I argue that the technology does not meet a plausible social value standard to render public research investment into its development ethical. Proponents of three‐parent IVF make inaccurate and exaggerated claims that it will eradicate mitochondrial disease and save lives. Were these claims true, proponents would have a strong case for the social value of the technology. But three‐parent IVF alone will not eradicate mitochondrial disease, and it will not save lives. Rather, it can create healthy lives. As I discuss, the moral distinction is crucial. Most importantly, investment in three‐parent IVF comes at the opportunity cost of researching treatment for mitochondrial disease that would benefit actual, living disease sufferers.
Automated alignment of perioperative MRI scans: A technical note and application in pediatric epilepsy surgery
Authors: Beare Richard , Yang Joseph Yuan‐Mou , Maixner Wirginia J. , Harvey A. Simon , Kean Michael J. , Anderson Vicki A. , Seal Marc L. 
Published: May 2016

AbstractConventional image registration utilizing brain voxel information may be erroneous in a neurosurgical setting due to pathology and surgery‐related anatomical distortions. We report a novel application of an automated image registration procedure based on skull segmentation for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans acquired before, during and after surgery (i.e., perioperative). The procedure was implemented to assist analysis of intraoperative brain shift in 11 pediatric epilepsy surgery cases, each of whom had up to five consecutive perioperative MRI scans. The procedure consisted of the following steps: (1) Skull segmentation using tissue classification tools. (2) Estimation of rigid body transformation between image pairs using registration driven by the skull segmentation. (3) Composition of transformations to provide transformations between each scan and a common space. The procedure was validated using locations of three types of reference structural landmarks: the skull pin sites, the eye positions, and the scalp skin surface, detected using the peak intensity gradient. The mean target registration error (TRE) scores by skull pin sites and scalp skin rendering were around 1 mm and <1 mm, respectively. Validation by eye position demonstrated >1 mm TRE scores, suggesting it is not a reliable reference landmark in surgical scenarios. Comparable registration accuracy was achieved between opened and closed skull scan pairs and closed and closed skull scan pairs. Our procedure offers a reliable registration framework for processing intrasubject time series perioperative MRI data, with potential of improving intraoperative MRI‐based image guidance in neurosurgical practice. Hum Brain Mapp 37:3530–3543, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
A Comparison of the neural correlates that underlie rule‐based and information‐integration category learning
Authors: Carpenter Kathryn L. , Wills Andy J. , Benattayallah Abdelmalek , Milton Fraser 
Published: May 2016

AbstractThe influential competition between verbal and implicit systems (COVIS) model proposes that category learning is driven by two competing neural systems—an explicit, verbal, system, and a procedural‐based, implicit, system. In the current fMRI study, participants learned either a conjunctive, rule‐based (RB), category structure that is believed to engage the explicit system, or an information‐integration category structure that is thought to preferentially recruit the implicit system. The RB and information‐integration category structures were matched for participant error rate, the number of relevant stimulus dimensions, and category separation. Under these conditions, considerable overlap in brain activation, including the prefrontal cortex, basal ganglia, and the hippocampus, was found between the RB and information‐integration category structures. Contrary to the predictions of COVIS, the medial temporal lobes and in particular the hippocampus, key regions for explicit memory, were found to be more active in the information‐integration condition than in the RB condition. No regions were more activated in RB than information‐integration category learning. The implications of these results for theories of category learning are discussed. Hum Brain Mapp 37:3557–3574, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Derivation and verification of empirical catchment response time equations for medium to large catchments in South Africa
Authors: Gericke O. J. , Smithers J. C. 
Published: May 2016

AbstractDespite uncertainties and errors in measurement, observed peak discharges are the best estimate of the true peak discharge from a catchment. However, in ungauged catchments, the catchment response time is a fundamental input to all methods of estimating peak discharges; hence, errors in estimated catchment response time directly impact on estimated peak discharges. In South Africa, this is particularly the case in ungauged medium to large catchments where practitioners are limited to use empirical methods that were calibrated on small catchments not located in South Africa. The time to peak (TP), time of concentration (TC) and lag time (TL) are internationally the most frequently used catchment response time parameters and are normally estimated using either hydraulic or empirical methods. Almost 95% of all the time parameter estimation methods developed internationally are empirically based. This paper presents the derivation and verification of empirical TP equations in a pilot scale study using 74 catchments located in four climatologically different regions of South Africa, with catchment areas ranging from 20 km2 to 35 000 km2. The objective is to develop unique relationships between observed TP values and key climatological and geomorphological catchment predictor variables in order to estimate catchment TP values at ungauged catchments. The results show that the derived empirical TP equation(s) meet the requirement of consistency and ease of application. Independent verification tests confirmed the consistency, while the statistically significant independent predictor variables included in the regressions provide a good estimation of catchment response times and are also easy to determine by practitioners when required for future applications in ungauged catchments. It is recommended that the methodology used in this study should be expanded to other catchments to enable the development of a regional approach to improve estimation of time parameters on a national‐scale. However, such a national‐scale application would not only increase the confidence in using the suggested methodology and equation(s) in South Africa, but also highlights that a similar approach could be adopted internationally. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Effects of flow path boundary optimizations on particle transport in drip irrigation emitters
Authors: Haosu Sun , Yunkai Li , Ji Feng , Liu Haisheng , Liu Yaoze 
Published: May 2016

AbstractA modified digital particle image velocimetry (DPIV) was used to test particles' moving characteristics in cylindrical fractal M‐geometries flow paths with three optimized boundaries. Taken the vorticity and characteristics of streamlines distribution in the central area and the velocity field near the boundary into consideration, it was found that the fractal M‐type flow path would be optimized with a design such that the radius of an arc in tooth‐root facing‐water zone, tooth‐tip backing‐water zone and facing‐water zone was half width of the flow path. Moreover, the radius of the arc in the tooth‐root backing‐water zone was desired to be the same with the width of the flow path. This optimization was attributed to two reasons. Firstly, with a large radius arc in the tooth‐tip backing‐water zone and facing‐water zone, the velocity in the central domain and near boundary area was improved. And the following performance of particles near the boundary was suppressed. Secondly, adoption of a small arc in the tooth‐root facing‐water zone could improve the velocity, vorticity and self‐cleaning capability near wall. In conclusion, when optimizing the boundary, the distribution characteristics of vortices should be fully considered to enhance vortices development in the flow path. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Fabrication, characterization, and in vitro evaluation of silver‐containing arabinoxylan foams as antimicrobial wound dressing
Authors: Aduba Donald C. , An Seon‐Sook , Selders Gretchen S. , Wang Juan , Andrew Yeudall W. , Bowlin Gary L. , Kitten Todd , Yang Hu 
Published: May 2016

AbstractArabinoxylan ferulate (AXF) foams were fabricated via enzymatic peroxidase/hydrogen peroxide crosslinking reaction followed by freeze‐drying and studied as a potential wound dressing material. The AXF foam's rheological, morphological, porous, and swelling properties were examined. AXF foams were found to be a viscoelastic material that proved to be highly porous and water absorbent. AXF foams possessed low endotoxin levels and were cytocompatible with fibroblasts. Silver was successfully integrated into AXF foams and slowly released over 48 h. AXF foams impregnated with silver demonstrated efficacy inhibiting bacterial growth according to a modified Kirby‐Bauer disk diffusion susceptibility test. Overall, AXF foams possess appropriate material properties and the silver‐loaded AXF foams showed antimicrobial activity necessary to be a candidate material in wound dressing development. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A: 104A: 2456–2465, 2016.