bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Release of Neutrophil Extracellular Traps by Neutrophils Stimulated With Antiphospholipid Antibodies: A Newly Identified Mechanism of Thrombosis in the Antiphospholipid Syndrome
Authors: Yalavarthi Srilakshmi , Gould Travis J. , Rao Ashish N. , Mazza Levi F. , Morris Alexandra E. , Núñez‐Álvarez Carlos , Hernández‐Ramírez Diego , Bockenstedt Paula L. , Liaw Patricia C. , Cabral Antonio R. , Knight Jason S. 
Published: June 2015

ObjectiveAntiphospholipid antibodies (aPL), especially those targeting β2‐glycoprotein I (β2GPI), are well known to activate endothelial cells, monocytes, and platelets, with prothrombotic implications. In contrast, the interaction of aPL with neutrophils has not been extensively studied. Neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) have recently been recognized as an important activator of the coagulation cascade, as well as an integral component of arterial and venous thrombi. This study was undertaken to determine whether aPL activate neutrophils to release NETs, thereby predisposing to the arterial and venous thrombosis inherent in the antiphospholipid syndrome (APS).MethodsNeutrophils, sera, and plasma were prepared from patients with primary APS (n = 52) or from healthy volunteers and characterized. No patient had concomitant systemic lupus erythematosus.ResultsSera and plasma from patients with primary APS had elevated levels of both cell‐free DNA and NETs, as compared to healthy volunteers. Freshly isolated neutrophils from patients with APS were predisposed to high levels of spontaneous NET release. Further, APS patient sera, as well as IgG purified from APS patients, stimulated NET release from control neutrophils. Human aPL monoclonal antibodies, especially those targeting β2GPI, also enhanced NET release. The induction of APS NETs was abrogated with inhibitors of reactive oxygen species formation and Toll‐like receptor 4 signaling. Highlighting the potential clinical relevance of these findings, APS NETs promoted thrombin generation.ConclusionOur findings indicate that NET release warrants further investigation as a novel therapeutic target in APS.
Direct Synthesis of Palladium Catalyst on Supporting WS2 Nanotubes and its Reactivity in Cross‐Coupling Reactions
Authors: Višić Bojana , Cohen Hagai , Popovitz‐Biro Ronit , Tenne Reshef , Sokolov Viacheslav I. , Abramova Natalya V. , Buyanovskaya Anastasiya G. , Dzvonkovskii Sergei L. , Lependina Olga L. 
Published: June 2015

AbstractPalladium nanoparticles were deposited on multiwall WS2 nanotubes. The composite nanoparticles were characterized by a variety of techniques. The Pd nanoparticles were deposited uniformly on the surface of WS2 nanotubes. An epitaxial relationship between the (111) plane of Pd and the (013) plane of WS2 was mostly observed. The composite nanoparticles were found to perform efficiently as catalysts for cross‐coupling (Heck and Suzuki) reactions. The role of the nanotubes′ support in the catalytic process is briefly discussed.
Photon‐Quantitative 6π‐Electrocyclization of a Diarylbenzo[b]thiophene in Polar Medium
Authors: Li Ruiji , Nakashima Takuya , Galangau Olivier , Iijima Shunsuke , Kanazawa Rui , Kawai Tsuyoshi 
Published: June 2015

AbstractThe high reactivity of 6π‐electrocyclization in polar solvents has remained one of the important challenges for diarylethenes because of the emergence of a twisted intramolecular charge transfer (TICT) state at the excited state in such polar media, which usually quenches the photocyclization reaction. Herein we report on the preparation and highly efficient photocyclization of 2,3‐diarylbenzo[b]thiophenes with nonsymmetric side‐aryl units in a polar solvent. While the dithiazolylbenzo[b]thiophene showed a suppressed quantum yield of 6π‐electrocyclization of 54 % in methanol, the replacement of a thiazole unit with a thiophene ring led to a photon‐quantitative 6π‐cyclization reaction. The nonsymmetrical modification into the side‐aryl units was considered to enhance the CH/π interactions between side‐aryl units to support a photoreactive conformation in methanol. The stabilization of the photochromic reactive conformation is expected to suppress the formation of the TICT state at the excited state, leading to highly efficient photoreactivity.
Amine‐Catalyzed Highly Regioselective and Stereoselective C(sp2)–C(sp2) Cross‐Coupling of Naphthols with trans‐α,β‐Unsaturated Aldehydes
Authors: Hu Yang , Ma Yueyue , Sun Rengwei , Yu Xinhong , Xie Hexin , Wang Wei 
Published: June 2015

AbstractA metal‐free C(sp2)–C(sp2) cross‐coupling approach to highly congested (E)‐α‐naphtholylenals from simple naphthols and enals is described. The mild reaction conditions with pyridine hydrobromideperbromide (PHBP) as the bromination reagent in the presence of piperidine or diphenylprolinol trimethylsilyl (TMS) ether as promoters enable the process in good yields and with high chemoselectivity, regioselectivity, and stereoselectivity. The process involves an unprecedented pathway of in situ regioselective 4‐bromination of 1‐naphthols and the subsequent unusual aromatic nucleophilic substitution of the resulting 4‐bromo‐1‐naphthols with the α‐C(sp2) of enals through a Michael‐type Friedel–Crafts alkylation–dearomatization followed by a cyclopropanation ring‐opening cascade process. The noteworthy features of this strategy are highlighted by the highly efficient creation of a C(sp2)–C(sp2) bond from readily available unfunctionalized naphthols and enals catalyzed by non‐metal, readily available cyclic secondary amines under mild reaction conditions.
Visible‐Light Photoredox Catalysis: Direct Synthesis of Sulfonated Oxindoles from N‐Arylacrylamides and Arylsulfinic Acids by Means of a Cascade C−S/C−C Formation Process
Authors: Xia Dong , Miao Tao , Li Pinhua , Wang Lei 
Published: June 2015

AbstractA novel photocatalytic synthesis of sulfonated oxindoles from N‐arylacrylamides and arylsulfinic acids was developed by means of a cascade C−S/C−C bond‐formation process. This method provides mild, efficient, and atom‐economical access to various sulfonated oxindoles in water.
Required traffic micro‐simulation runs for reliable multivariate performance estimates
Authors: Truong Long T. , Sarvi Majid , Currie Graham , Garoni Timothy M. 
Published: June 2015

SummaryPrevious methods to calculate the minimum number of traffic micro‐simulation runs do not consider multiple measures of performance simultaneously at an overall confidence level, which can lead to unreliable simulation outputs. This paper describes new methodologies for calculating the minimum number of traffic micro‐simulation runs for multivariate estimates at an overall confidence level. Simultaneous confidence intervals obtained from multiple comparisons in statistical theory such as the Bonferroni inequality and simultaneous confidence interval method are used to estimate multiple measures of performance with allowable errors at an overall confidence level. Measures of performance can be means and standard deviations. Results of numerical analysis based on an example corridor suggest that the proposed methods provide improved means of assessing statistical accuracy of multiple measures of performance. Results also indicate that the minimum number of runs is influenced by not only the sample size issue but also the complexity of the traffic system. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Regulation of uridine diphosphate‐glucuronosyltransferase 1A3 activity by protein phosphorylation
Authors: Xiao Yongsheng , Yao Yan , Jiang Huidi , Lu Chuan , Zeng Su , Yu Lushan 
Published: June 2015

AbstractProtein phosphorylation is a vital post‐translational modification. This study investigated the effect of phosphorylation on human uridine diphosphate (UDP)‐glucuronosyltransferase 1A3 (UGT1A3) activity. Curcumin and calphostin C suppressed the activity and phosphorylation of recombinant UGT1A3 expressed in Sf9 cells. These results indicate that UGT1A3 undergoes phosphorylation, which is required for its catalytic activity. Calphostin C is a highly specific protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitor, so three predicted PKC phosphorylation sites in UGT1A3 were examined. Site‐directed mutation analysis at residues 28, 43 and 436 (from serine to glycine) was conducted. Compared with the wild‐type, the S43G‐mutant showed significantly decreased UGT1A3 catalytic activity. Furthermore, the UGT1A3 activity of wild‐type and S43G‐mutant was down‐regulated by calphostin C, whereas the calphostin C inhibitory effect was much weaker on the S43G‐mutant than the wild‐type. In conclusion, phosphorylation plays an important role in UGT1A3 activity, and the serine at site 43 in UGT1A3 is most likely a phosphorylation site. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Unusual trend in the prevalence of trisomy 13 in mothers aged 35 and older: A population based study of national congenital anomaly data
Authors: Nair Deepa Balachandran , Tucker David , Hughes Rhian , Greenacre Judith , Morgan Margery 
Published: June 2015

BackgroundTrisomy 13 is one of the three autosomal trisomies compatible with viability. It is associated with structural anomalies, learning disability and poor survival. Advanced maternal age is the most frequently suggested risk factor. This is a population based register study to investigate the temporal trends of trisomy 13.MethodsChromosomal trisomies were reviewed by the Welsh Congenital Anomaly Register using data from 1998‐2012. All pregnancy outcomes were included. Prevalence rates and trends for all cases and for cases with mothers aged below 35 years and those aged 35 years and older were plotted for trisomy 13, 18 and 21. Possible risk factors contributing to the trend in older mothers were compared in the early and late period of the study.ResultsThere were 124 cases of trisomy 13 over the 15 year period with 55 mothers aged 35 years and older. Overall prevalence was 2.5 per 10,000 total births. A significant declining trend in the prevalence of trisomy 13 in mothers aged 35 and older (χ2trend = 4.98, p=0.026) was noted. Rates for younger mothers were lower and remained stable. Prevalence of trisomy 18 and 21 in older mothers remained stable.ConclusionThe unexpected declining trend in trisomy 13 in older mothers could not be explained by the risk factors examined in this study. There have been no other reports of trends in the prevalence of trisomy 13 in older mothers in recent years. There is further need for surveillance of trends in future and in other populations. Birth Defects Research (Part A) 103:610–616, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Reflections on the etiology of structural birth defects: Established teratogens and risk factors
Authors: Feldkamp Marcia L. , Botto Lorenzo D. , Carey John C. 
Published: June 2015

BackgroundVarious experts in clinical teratology have proposed what they consider to be well‐established teratogens. With the recent growth in the number of resources and investigations, there has been a notable proliferation of proposed risk factors as potential causes of human congenital structural defects. The purpose of this Commentary is to provide a concise summary of the current state of knowledge regarding known causes and environmental risk factors of structural defects.MethodsWe performed a comprehensive search of PubMed for papers in English and in humans only, 2010 to 2014, that included birth defects, risk factors, and teratogens as key terms.ResultsOur search led to over 9000 papers dealing with these categories. From this, we were able to construct a timetable documenting the recognition of human teratogens and list several proposed environmental risk factors. Three relevant current trends were noticed: An increase of prescription and nonprescription medication use by women during pregnancy; the rise in obesity and its association with structural defects; and a growing body of work regarding outcomes associated with assisted reproductive technology.ConclusionThere are numerous risk factors, some modifiable, that have been proposed in recent years. These factors (associations) are only at the preliminary level in the causal chain and require replication. There is a need for more work on protective factors. The phenotypic characterization of cases with congenital defects has improved remarkably in recent years. However, there remains considerable concern with the precise characterization of exposures and the documentation of timing during embryologic development. Birth Defects Research (Part A) 103:652–655, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Microwave‐assisted extraction in combination with HPLC‐UV for quantitative analysis of six bioactive oxoisoaporphine alkaloids in Menispermum dauricum DC
Authors: Wei Jinxia , Chen Jing , Liang Xinlei , Guo Xingjie 
Published: June 2015

AbstractA novel and reliable method based on microwave‐assisted extraction (MAE) followed by HPLC‐UV was developed and validated for the simultaneous quantification of six pharmacologically important oxoisoaporphine alkaloids in the total plants of Menispermum dauricum DC. The optimal MAE extraction condition was performed at 60°C for 11 min with ethanol–water (70:30, v/v) as the extracting solvent, and the solvent to solid ratio was 20:1. Chromatographic separation was achieved on a reversed‐phase YMC C18 column (250 × 4.6 mm, i.d., 5 µm) with a gradient mobile phase consisting of A (1% aqueous formic acid) and B (acetonitrile containing 1% formic acid) at a flow rate of 1.5 mL/min. The detection wavelength was set at 422 nm. Excellent linearity over the investigated concentration ranges was observed with values of r >0.999 for all analytes. The method developed was validated with acceptable sensitivity, intra‐ and inter‐day precision and extraction recoveries. It was successfully applied to the determination of six alkaloids in Menispermum dauricum DC from different sources and different parts of Menispermum dauricum DC. The results obtained indicated that the method is suitable for the quality control of Menispermum dauricum DC. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Novel LC‐ ESI‐MS/MS method for desvenlafaxine estimation human plasma: application to pharmacokinetic study
Authors: Kancharla Pushpa Kumari , Kondru Venu Gopal Raju , Dannana Gowri Sankar 
Published: June 2015

AbstractA simple, sensitive and specific liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC‐ESI‐MS/MS) method was developed for the quantification of desvenlafaxine in human plasma using desvenlafaxine d6 as an internal standard (IS). Chromatographic separation was performed using a Thermo‐BDS hypersil C8 column (50 × 4.6 mm, 3 µm) with an isocratic mobile phase composed of 5 mM ammonium acetate buffer: methanol (20:80, v/v), at a flow rate of 0.80 mL/min. Desvenlafaxine and desvenlafaxine d6 were detected with proton adducts at m/z 264.2/58.1 and 270.2/ 64.1 in multiple reaction monitoring positive mode, respectively. Liquid–liquid extraction was used to extract the drug and the IS. The method was linear over the concentration range 1.001–400.352 ng/mL with a correlation coefficient of ≥0.9994. This method demonstrated intra and inter‐day precision within 0.7–5.5 and 1.9–6.8%, and accuracy within 95.3–107.4 and 93.4–99.5%. Desvenlafaxine was found to be stable throughout the freeze–thaw cycles, bench‐top and long‐term matrix stability studies. The developed and validated method can be successfully applied for the bioequivalence/pharmacokinetic studies of desvenlafaxine in pharmaceutical dosage forms. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Computer‐based experiments for learning seismic signal processing concepts
Authors: Khan Khalid Amin , Akhter Gulraiz 
Published: June 2015

ABSTRACTA good understanding of digital signal processing concepts is essential for students of geophysical engineering, electrical engineering, and image processing. This paper presents a computer‐based training software, which uses signal processing libraries to perform a number of interesting seismic experiments. Each experiment is focused towards a specific concept and presents a parameters input interface. The results are instantly generated in the form of a graphical display. This facilitates the student to play with parameters and observe their effects on the output. Some selected experiments have been discussed along with their parameters input interfaces and sample outputs. Such experiments provide a better understand and visualization of various seismic concepts. Studies on student groups indicate that these experiments motivate students and expedite self‐learning, thus reducing the teaching load. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Comput Appl Eng Educ 23:959–966, 2015; View this article online at wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/cae; DOI 10.1002/cae.21669
Graph‐cut based interactive image segmentation with randomized texton searching
Authors: Ma Wei , Zhang Yu , Yang Luwei , Duan Lijuan 
Published: June 2015

AbstractIn the paper, we present an interactive image‐segmentation method in the framework of graph cut, which incorporates not only traditional color and gradient constraints, but also a new type of texture constraint. Given an image with user‐input strokes, we first establish the color and texture prior models of the foreground/background. The texture prior model, which is key to establish the texture constraints, is represented by local binary patterns (LBP) histograms. Then, an energy function composed of color, gradient, and texture terms is formulated. At last, by using graph cut, we minimize the energy function to obtain the foreground. In the energy function, the color and gradient terms have similar forms with traditional methods. The texture term in the function is generated using a proposed randomized texton‐searching algorithm. First, the algorithm locates an approximately best representative texton for every unknown pixel as foreground and an approximately best one as background, through randomized searching. Second, it computes the LBP histograms of the two textons as the pixel's foreground/background texture descriptors, respectively. Finally, the distances between the descriptors and the foreground/background prior models are used to formulate the texture term. Experimental results demonstrate that our method outperforms traditional ones. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Preparation, Characterization, and Oxygenase Activity of a Photocatalytic Artificial Enzyme
Authors: Gu Yifan , Ellis‐Guardiola Ken , Srivastava Poonam , Lewis Jared C. 
Published: June 2015

AbstractA bicyclo[6,1,0]nonyne‐substituted 9‐mesityl‐10‐methyl‐acridinium cofactor was prepared and covalently linked to a prolyl oligopeptidase scaffold containing a genetically encoded 4‐azido‐L‐phenylalanine residue in its active site. The resulting artificial enzyme catalyzed sulfoxidation when irradiated with visible light in the presence of air. This reaction proceeds by initial electron abstraction from the sulfide within the enzyme active site, and the protein scaffold extended the fluorescence lifetime of the acridium cofactor. The mode of sulfide activation and placement of the acridinium cofactor (5) in POP‐ZA4‐5 make this artificial enzyme a promising platform for developing selective photocatalytic transformations.
Detection of Human α‐L‐Fucosidases by a Quinone Methide‐Generating Probe: Enhanced Activities in Response to Helicobacter pylori Infection
Authors: Nandakumar Manjula , Hsu Yu‐Ling , Lin Jason C.‐Y , Lo Chun , Lo Lee‐Chiang , Lin Chun‐Hung 
Published: June 2015

Abstractα‐L‐Fucosidase activity is associated with several diseases. To study the enzymatic activity change under pathological conditions, we developed a quinone methide‐generating activity‐based probe useful for examining the presence, activity, and localization of human α‐L‐fucosidase in vivo in the context of Helicobacter pylori infection. In particular, an increase in intracellular fucosidase (Fuca1) activity was found in gastric epithelial cells upon bacterial infection. We further studied the effect of several bacterial stimulants on this enhanced Fuca1 activity and identified lipopolysaccharides to be a major contributing factor.
Handicap‐Recover Evolution Leads to a Chemically Versatile, Nucleophile‐Permissive Protease
Authors: Shafee Thomas , Gatti‐Lafranconi Pietro , Minter Ralph , Hollfelder Florian 
Published: June 2015

AbstractMutation of the tobacco etch virus (TEV) protease nucleophile from cysteine to serine causes an approximately ∼104‐fold loss in activity. Ten rounds of directed evolution of the mutant, TEVSer, overcame the detrimental effects of nucleophile exchange to recover near‐wild‐type activity in the mutant TEVSerX. Rather than respecialising TEV to the new nucleophile, all the enzymes along the evolutionary trajectory also retained the ability to use the original cysteine nucleophile. Therefore the adaptive evolution of TEVSer is paralleled by a neutral trajectory for TEVCys, in which mutations that increase serine nucleophile reactivity hardly affect the reactivity of cysteine. This apparent nucleophile permissiveness explains how nucleophile switches can occur in the phylogeny of the chymotrypsin‐like protease PA superfamily. Despite the changed key component of their chemical mechanisms, the evolved variants TEVSerX and TEVCysX have similar activities; this could potentially facilitate escape from adaptive conflict to enable active‐site evolution.
Sphere‐forming cells from peripheral cornea demonstrate a wound‐healing response to injury
Authors: Huang Stephanie U. , Yoon Jinny J. , Ismail Salim , McGhee Jennifer J. , Sherwin Trevor 
Published: June 2015

AbstractThe cornea is the initial refractive interface of the eye. Its transparency is critical for clear vision and is maintained by stem cells which also act to repair injury inflicted by external insults, such as chemical and thermal burns. Damage to the epithelium compromises its clarity and can reduce or eliminate the stem cell population, diminishing the ability for self‐repair. This condition has been termed “limbal stem cell deficiency”; severe cases can lead to corneal blindness. Sphere‐forming cells isolated from peripheral cornea are a potential source of stem and progenitor cells for corneal repair. When provided with appropriate substrate, these spheres have the ability to adhere and for cells to migrate outwards akin to that of their natural environment. Direct compression injury and remote scratch injury experiments were conducted on the sphere cells to gauge their wound healing capacity. Measures of proliferation, differentiation, and migration were assessed by immunohistochemical detection of EdU incorporation, α‐smooth muscle actin expression and confocal image analysis, respectively. Both modes of injury were observed to draw responses from the spheres indicating wound healing processes. Direct wounding induced a rapid, but transient increase in expression of α‐SMA, a marker of corneal myofibroblasts, followed by a proliferative and increasing migratory response. The spheres were observed to respond to remote injury as entire units, with no directional response seen for targeted repair over the scratch injury area. These results give strength to the future use of these peripheral corneal spheres as transplantable units for the regeneration of corneal tissue.