bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
New Insight into the ATRP of Monovinyl and Divinyl Monomers
Authors: Xue Xiaoqiang , Wang Yonglei , Huang Wenyang , Yang Hongjun , Chen Jianhai , Fang Jianbo , Yang Yang , Kong Lizhi , Jiang Bibiao 
Published: June 2015

New insights are provided into the atom transfer radical polymerizations of styrene with 1,6‐bismaleimidohexane, tri‐ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (tri‐EGDMA), and divinyl benzene (DVB) as branching agents. Gas chromatography, proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, and triple detection size exclusion chromatography are used to analyze the polymerizations and the polymers. The polymerizations and molecular weights of polymers differ because of the different levels of intramolecular cyclization and initiator efficiencies (IEs) among the three polymerization systems. High IE increases polymerization rate and restrains gelation, thereby facilitating preparation of branched polymers with high molecular weights. Polymers in the tri‐EGDMA system exhibit the lowest molecular weight and the broadest polydispersity because of some evident primary chain residues, whereas polymers in the DVB system show the highest molecular weight because of the low amount of the primary chain residues and high IE. The absence of branching monomer units in the primary chain residue of all these polymerizations is confirmed.
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Termination of Living Anionic Polymerization of Butyl Acrylate with α‐(Chloromethyl)acrylate for End‐Functionalization and Application to the Evaluation of Monomer Reactivity
Authors: Kohsaka Yasuhiro , Ishihara Shoya , Kitayama Tatsuki 
Published: June 2015

Anionic polymerization of n‐butyl acrylate (nBA) in toluene initiated with a binary initiator, isopropyl α‐lithioisobutyrate/ethylaluminum bis(2,6‐di‐tert‐butylphenoxide) at −60 °C, is terminated with ethyl α‐(chloromethyl)acrylate (ECMA) to afford a poly(nBA) possessing an acryloyl group at the terminal with 80% of termination efficiency. The reactivity of nBA against a polymer anion of methyl methacrylate formed under identical conditions is estimated relative to the termination with ECMA by reacting a mixture of nBA and ECMA followed by 1H NMR spectroscopic chain‐end analysis; the relative reactivity of nBA is found 80 times or more higher than ECMA.
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Proposing a Parkinson's disease–specific tremor scale from the MDS‐UPDRS
Authors: Forjaz Maria João , Ayala Alba , Testa Claudia M. , Bain Peter G. , Elble Rodger , Haubenberger Dietrich , Rodriguez‐Blazquez Carmen , Deuschl Günther , Martinez‐Martin Pablo ,   for the International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society Tremor Rating Scale Task Force
Published: June 2015

ABSTRACTBackgroundThis article proposes an International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society (MDS)‐UPDRS tremor‐based scale and describes its measurement properties, with a view to developing an improved scale for assessing tremor in Parkinson's disease (PD).MethodsThis was a cross‐sectional, multicenter study of 435 PD patients. Rasch analysis was performed on the 11 MDS‐UPDRS tremor items. Construct validity, precision, and test‐retest reliability were also analyzed.ResultsAfter some modifications, which included removal of an item owing to redundancy, the obtained MDS‐UPDRS tremor scale showed moderate reliability, unidimensionality, absence of differential item functioning, satisfactory convergent validity with medication, and better precision than the raw sum score. However, the scale displayed a floor effect and a need for more items measuring lower levels of tremor.ConclusionsThe MDS‐UPDRS tremor scale provides linear scores that can be used to assess tremor in PD in a valid, reliable way. The scale might benefit from modifications and studies that analyze its responsiveness. © 2015 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society
No evidence for substrate accumulation in Parkinson brains with GBA mutations
Authors: Gegg Matthew E. , Sweet Lindsay , Wang Bing H. , Shihabuddin Lamya S. , Sardi Sergio Pablo , Schapira Anthony H.V. 
Published: June 2015

AbstractBackgroundTo establish whether Parkinson's disease (PD) brains previously described to have decreased glucocerebrosidase activity exhibit accumulation of the lysosomal enzyme's substrate, glucosylceramide, or other changes in lipid composition.MethodsLipidomic analyses and cholesterol measurements were performed on the putamen (n = 5‐7) and cerebellum (n = 7‐14) of controls, Parkinson's disease brains with heterozygote GBA1 mutations (PD+GBA), or sporadic PD.ResultsTotal glucosylceramide levels were unchanged in both PD+GBA and sporadic PD brains when compared with controls. No changes in glucosylsphingosine (deacetylated glucosylceramide), sphingomyelin, gangliosides (GM2, GM3), or total cholesterol were observed in either putamen or cerebellum.ConclusionsThis study did not demonstrate glucocerebrosidase substrate accumulation in PD brains with heterozygote GBA1 mutations in areas of the brain with low α‐synuclein pathology. © 2015 The Authors. Movement Disorders published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.
Integrative Modeling Strategies for Predicting Drug Toxicities at the eTOX Project
Authors: Sanz Ferran , Carrió Pau , López Oriol , Capoferri Luigi , Kooi Derk P. , Vermeulen Nico P. E. , Geerke Daan P. , Montanari Floriane , Ecker Gerhard F. , Schwab Christof H. , Kleinöder Thomas , Magdziarz Tomasz , Pastor Manuel 
Published: June 2015

AbstractEarly prediction of safety issues in drug development is at the same time highly desirable and highly challenging. Recent advances emphasize the importance of understanding the whole chain of causal events leading to observable toxic outcomes. Here we describe an integrative modeling strategy based on these ideas that guided the design of eTOXsys, the prediction system used by the eTOX project. Essentially, eTOXsys consists of a central server that marshals requests to a collection of independent prediction models and offers a single user interface to the whole system. Every of such model lives in a self‐contained virtual machine easy to maintain and install. All models produce toxicity‐relevant predictions on their own but the results of some can be further integrated and upgrade its scale, yielding in vivo toxicity predictions. Technical aspects related with model implementation, maintenance and documentation are also discussed here. Finally, the kind of models currently implemented in eTOXsys is illustrated presenting three example models making use of diverse methodology (3D‐QSAR and decision trees, Molecular Dynamics simulations and Linear Interaction Energy theory, and fingerprint‐based QSAR).
Effect of thermal processing on mealworm allergenicity
Authors: Broekman Henrike , Knulst André , den Hartog Jager Stans , Monteleone Francesca , Gaspari Marco , de Jong Govardus , Houben Geert , Verhoeckx Kitty 
Published: June 2015

ScopeThe growing world population requires the exploration of new sustainable protein sources to ensure food security. Insects such as mealworm are promising candidates. For safety reasons, a risk assessment, including allergy risks, is needed. Since allergenicity can be influenced by thermal processing, it is highly important to take this into account.Methods and resultsFresh mealworm was heat processed and extracted by a sequential extraction method using in succession Tris, urea, and a combined SDS/DTT buffer. Extracts were tested using immunoblot, basophil activation test and skin prick test in 15 shrimp allergic patients, previously indicated as population at risk for mealworm allergy. Immunoblots showed a difference in IgE binding between processed and unprocessed mealworm extracts. However, this was due to change in solubility. Some allergens were soluble in urea buffer, but became more soluble in Tris buffer and vice versa. IgE binding was seen for all extracts in blot and basophil activation test. The results from 13 skin prick tests showed a skin reaction similar between processed and unprocessed mealworm.ConclusionThermal processing did not lower allergenicity but clearly changed solubility of mealworm allergens. A sequential extraction method allowed for assessment of a broader protein panel.
A visco‐elasto‐plastic model for granular materials under simple shear conditions
Authors: Redaelli I. , di Prisco C. , Vescovi D. 
Published: June 2015

SummaryThe numerical simulation of rapid landslides is quite complex mainly because constitutive models capable of simulating the mechanical behaviour of granular materials in the pre‐collapse and post‐collapse regimes are still missing. The goal of this paper is to introduce a constitutive model capable of capturing the response of dry granular flows from quasi‐static to dynamic conditions, in particular when the material experiences a sort of solid‐to‐fluid phase transition. An ideal assembly of identical spheres under simple shear conditions is considered. In the constitutive model, void ratio and granular temperature have been chosen as state variables, and both shear and normal stresses are computed as the sum of two contributions: the quasi‐static one and the collisional one. The former is determined by using a perfect elasto‐plastic model including the critical state concept, while the latter is derived from the kinetic theory of granular gases. The evolution of the granular temperature, fundamentally governing the material phase transition, is obtained by imposing the kinetic fluctuating energy balance. The constitutive relationship has been integrated, under both constant pressure and constant volume conditions, and the influence of shear strain rate, initial void ratio and normal pressure on the mechanical response has been investigated. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
State update algorithm for isotropic elastoplasticity by incremental energy minimization
Authors: Nodargi Nicola A. , Bisegna Paolo 
Published: June 2015

SummaryAn original state update algorithm for the numerical integration of rate independent small strain elastoplastic constitutive models, treating in a unified manner a wide class of yield functions depending on all three stress invariants, is proposed. The algorithm is based on an incremental energy minimization approach, in the framework of generalized standard materials with convex free‐energy and dissipation potential. Under the assumption of isotropic material behavior, implying coaxiality of trial stress, increment of plastic strain, and updated stress, the problem is reduced from dimension six to three. Then, exploiting the cylindrical tensor basis associated with Haigh–Westergaard coordinates, the problem is recast in terms of two nested scalar equations. The proposed algorithm (i) exhibits global convergence even for yield functions with difficult features, such as not being defined on the whole stress space, or implying high‐curvature points of the yield domain, and (ii) requires no matrix inversion. After the tensor reconstruction of the unknowns, a simple expression for the algorithmic consistent material tangent is derived. The algorithm is validated by comparison with benchmark semi‐analytic solutions. Numerical results on single material points and finite element simulations are reported for assessing its accuracy, robustness, and efficiency. A Matlab implementation is provided as supplementary material. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A new approach for Next Generation Sequencing in prenatal diagnosis applied to a case of Charcot–Marie–Tooth syndrome
Authors: Dello Russo Claudio , Padula Francesco , Di Giacomo Gianluca , Mesoraca Alvaro , Gabrielli Ivan , Bizzoco Domenico , Giorlandino Claudio 
Published: June 2015

What's already known about this topic?

To date, a great effort has been made to introduce NGS prenatal diagnosis, both in noninvasive prenatal testing for the detection of aneuploidy associated to chromosomes 21, 18 and 13 and, in the latest studies, for single gene disorder analysis, and in invasive prenatal diagnosis for single gene disorder and whole exome or whole genome studies.
What does this study add?

We have introduced a new target resequencing NGS approach in prenatal diagnosis for the screening of a wide range of genetic disorders.
Our method is applicable to high‐risk pregnancies when an ultrasound screening fails to show a definite clinical phenotype, when ultrasound indications must be supported by a molecular genetic diagnosis or in cases where one or both parents are carriers of a genetic disorder.
Influence of diffusion on the kinetics of multisite phosphorylation
Authors: Gopich Irina V. , Szabo Attila 
Published: June 2015

AbstractWhen an enzyme modifies multiple sites on a substrate, the influence of the relative diffusive motion of the reactants cannot be described by simply altering the rate constants in the rate equations of chemical kinetics. We have recently shown that, even as a first approximation, new transitions between the appropriate species must also be introduced. The physical reason for this is that a kinase, after phosphorylating one site, can rebind and modify another site instead of diffusing away. The corresponding new rate constants depend on the capture or rebinding probabilities that an enzyme‐substrate pair, which is formed after dissociation from one site, reacts at the other site rather than diffusing apart. Here we generalize our previous work to describe both random and sequential phosphorylation by considering inequivalent modification sites. In addition, anisotropic reactive sites (instead of uniformly reactive spheres) are explicitly treated by using localized sink and source terms in the reaction‐diffusion equations for the enzyme‐substrate pair distribution function. Finally, we show that our results can be rederived using a phenomenological approach based on introducing transient encounter complexes into the standard kinetic scheme and then eliminating them using the steady‐state approximation.
Learning a new robotic surgical device: Telelap Alf X in gynaecological surgery
Authors: Rossitto Cristiano , Gueli Alletti Salvatore , Fanfani Francesco , Fagotti Anna , Costantini Barbara , Gallotta Valerio , Selvaggi Luigi , Monterossi Giorgia , Restaino Stefano , Gidaro Stefano , Scambia Giovanni 
Published: June 2015

AbstractBackgroundTo assess the learning curve associated with tele‐assisted surgery.MethodsWe performed a training box‐based study, describing speed and accuracy in volunteers performing basic and complex laparoscopic tasks, to assess performance and in the skill acquisition of inexperienced users, using the Telelap Alf X system. Ten surgeons in gynaecology who had never received formal instruction on this new surgical device, completed four modules during a consecutive 3 day training programme.ResultsAll the participants completed the training programme with a good learning curve.ConclusionsUse of the TELELAP Alf X advanced surgical robotic system is associated with a rapid learning curve among experienced surgeons. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Microstructural Characterization and Hardening Mechanism of Steel for Large Size Bearing Ring Under Fast Heating and Short Soaking Time Condition
Authors: Jiang Bo , Dong Zhengqiang , Zhou Leyu , Zhang Chaolei , Liu Yazheng 
Published: June 2015

AbstractThe microstructure changes of steel for large size bearing ring with different Ni contents at different cooling rates under fast heating and short soaking time condition are analyzed by using thermal simulation test, scanning electron microscope (SEM), field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM), electron‐backscattering diffraction (EBSD), and transmission electron microscope (TEM). The hardness is evaluated by Rockwell hardness test and the hardening mechanism is discussed. Full martensite cooling rate can be lowered from 10 to 3 °C s−1 by the addition of 0.59% Ni. At full martensite cooling rate range, the martensitic lath structures are refined by adding 0.59% Ni or increasing the cooling rate. The hardness increases progressively with the cooling rate due to the refinement of martensitic lath structures and the precipitation strengthening of M23C6‐type carbides. But the grain boundary strengthening has predominance. The highest hardness values of steel No. 2 with higher Ni is 60 and 2.5 HRC higher than that of steel No. 1 at the cooling rate of 100 °C s−1. This increase of hardness in steel No. 2 can be attributed to the finer martensitic lath structures and the solid solution strengthening. The grain boundary strengthening is the main influencing factor.
Optimising PET approaches to measuring 5‐HT release in human brain
Authors: Tyacke Robin J. , Nutt David J. 
Published: June 2015

ABSTRACTA major goal in neuroscience is the measurement of neurotransmitters in living human brain. To date this has only been done reliably with dopamine using certain PET and SPECT radiotracers. The use of this technique has greatly advanced our understanding of dopamine and the dopaminergic system in normal and abnormal brain function. Transferring this technology to other neurotransmitter systems has proved less fruitful. The serotonergic system (5‐HT) is one such system. 5‐HT has been implicated in a wide range of brain functions and their disorders. The ability to measure 5‐HT using this technique would be invaluable. In this article, we explore the key pharmacological features of current radiotracers for 5‐HT receptors that might be sensitive to endogenous 5‐HT. We also estimate the likely brain concentrations of the current available tranche of agents that might be used to enhance synaptic 5‐HT concentration, so taking into account the potential for these to interact with the receptors directly and produce a spurious displacement signal. Synapse 69:505–511, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Analysis of additive and epistatic quantitative trait loci underlying fatty acid concentrations in soybean seeds across multiple environments
Authors: Fan Shengxu , Li Bin , Yu Fukuan , Han Fenxia , Yan Shurong , Wang Lianzheng , Sun Junming 
Published: June 2015

AbstractSoybean is one of the most important oilseed crops in the world. The soybean oil contains various fatty acids. Their concentrations determine the quality and nutritional value of soybean oil. On the other hand, quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping for the concentrations of soybean predominant fatty acids could provide the genetic basis for soybean fatty acid composition. In this study, a soybean genetic linkage map was constructed based on 161 polymorphic SSR markers in recombinant inbred lines (RILs) derived from a cross of cv. Luheidou2 × Nanhuizao. By using this map, 35 additive QTLs underlying individual fatty acid concentrations were identified in single environment, while 17 additive QTLs were identified underlying specific fatty acids across multiple environments or underlying multiple fatty acids. Fifteen of the 52 loci were found to be novel loci, explaining 5–24 % of phenotypic variation. Moreover, 25 epistatic QTLs were identified and explained a high phenotypic variation for the fatty acid concentrations, suggesting an essential role of epistatic effect for fatty acid concentrations. The identification of additive and epistatic QTLs suggested a complex network for soybean fatty acid concentrations, and will facilitate the understanding for fatty acid accumulation.
Response to S1 recurrent selection for resistance to two stem borers, Busseola fusca and Chilo
partellus, in two tropical maize populations
Authors: Mwimali Murenga , Derera John , Mugo S. , Tongoona P. 
Published: June 2015

AbstractStem borers, Busseola fusca and Chilo partellus, are among the key devastating lepidopteran insect pests of maize causing grain yield losses. Recurrent selection studies for stem borer resistance in maize are limited. However, maize populations carrying resistance genes to these stem borers have not been exploited fully in breeding programmes. The objective of the study was to separately improve resistance to B.fusca and C.partellus stem borers for two maize populations CML395/MBR C5 Bc and CML444/MBR/MDR C3Bc and therefore grain yield after two cycles of S1 progeny recurrent selection. Cycle 0 and the advanced generations (cycle 1-susceptible, cycle 1-resistant and cycle 2-resistant) were evaluated at three locations in Kenya using a 35 × 12 α-lattice design with 2 replications. The net reductions in cumulative tunneling, number of exit holes and leaf feeding damage scores ranged from 0 to 69 % for both populations after two cycles of selection. In the two populations, each cycle of selection for borer resistance improved grain yield by 0.5–0.8 t ha−1. Actual net gains in grain yield with reference to cycle 0 were 43 % for population CML395/MBRC5 Bc under B. fusca infestation and 70 % under C. partellus infestation. For population CML444/MBR/MDR C3Bc, the actual net gains in grain yield were 25 % under B. fusca infestation and 36 % under C. partellus infestation. The reductions in the injurious effects attributable to leaf feeding damage, cumulative stem tunneling and number of exit holes contributed towards the 43 and 70 % net genetic gain in grain yield under B. fusca and C. partellus infestation respectively, for both populations. Broad sense heritability (H2) for grain yield ranged from 2 to 98 % in both maize populations. The study showed that two cycles of S1 progeny recurrent selection was effective in accumulating favourable alleles for B. fusca and C. partellus stem borer resistance.
Oxidative Stability of Pistachio (Pistacia vera L.) Paste and Spreads
Authors: Shakerardekani Ahmad , Karim Roselina , Ghazali Hasanah M. , Chin Nyuk L. 
Published: June 2015

AbstractIn this study, pistachio (Pistacia vera L.) spread was prepared using pistachio paste, icing sugar, and red palm oil. Pistachio paste, pistachio spread without emulsifier, and pistachio spread with 1.5 % monoglycerides (Dimodan HP‐M, Danisco, Malaysia) were investigated to determine their oxidative stability by subjecting them to accelerated autoxidation conditions (60 °C). Pistachio paste and pistachio spread exhibit a great susceptibility to lipid oxidation due to their high‐fat content. However, it was found that the high oleic and palmitic contents of the oil increase its stability. In all the pistachio products examined, Totox values were higher than 10 (the maximum permitted level) after 25 days of storage. In none of the products was (E,E)‐2,4‐decadienal detected on day 0. After 25 days of storage, however, the peak area percentages rose to 0.13, 0.19, and 0.18 in pistachio paste, pistachio spread without emulsifier, and pistachio spread with emulsifier, respectively. Based on color investigations, the a value (i.e., less greenish) was increased in all the pistachio samples at the end of the storage period. Based on the results obtained from sensory evaluations as well as GC–MS, free fatty acid (FFA), and color measurements, it may be concluded that the shelf life of pistachio products is 20 days at 60 °C.