bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Pathway-based approaches for assessment of real-time exposure to an estrogenic wastewater treatment plant effluent on fathead minnow reproduction
Authors: Cavallin Jenna E. , Jensen Kathleen M. , Kahl Michael D. , Villeneuve Daniel L. , Lee Kathy E. , Schroeder Anthony L. , Mayasich Joe , Eid Evan P. , Nelson Krysta R. , Milsk Rebecca Y. , Blackwell Brett R. , Berninger Jason P. , LaLone Carlie A. , Blanksma Chad , Jicha Terri , Elonen Colleen , Johnson Rodney , Ankley Gerald T. 
Published: September 2015

Abstract

Wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluents are known contributors of chemical mixtures into the environment. Of particular concern are endocrine-disrupting compounds, such as estrogens, which can affect the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis function in exposed organisms. The present study examined reproductive effects in fathead minnows exposed for 21 d to a historically estrogenic WWTP effluent. Fathead minnow breeding pairs were held in control water or 1 of 3 effluent concentrations (5%, 20%, and 100%) in a novel onsite, flow-through system providing real-time exposure. The authors examined molecular and biochemical endpoints representing key events along adverse outcome pathways linking estrogen receptor activation and other molecular initiating events to reproductive impairment. In addition, the authors used chemical analysis of the effluent to construct a chemical-gene interaction network to aid in targeted gene expression analyses and identifying potentially impacted biological pathways. Cumulative fecundity was significantly reduced in fish exposed to 100% effluent but increased in those exposed to 20% effluent, the approximate dilution factor in the receiving waters. Plasma vitellogenin concentrations in males increased in a dose-dependent manner with effluent concentration; however, male fertility was not impacted. Although in vitro analyses, analytical chemistry, and biomarker responses confirmed the effluent was estrogenic, estrogen receptor agonists were unlikely the primary driver of impaired reproduction. The results provide insights into the significance of pathway-based effects with regard to predicting adverse reproductive outcomes. Environ Toxicol Chem 2016;35:702–716. Published 2015 by Wiley Periodicals Inc. on behalf of SETAC. This article is a US Government work, and as such, is in the public domain in the United States of America.
Probing the debromination of the flame retardant decabromodiphenyl ether in sediments of a boreal lake
Authors: Orihel Diane M. , Bisbicos Tommy , Darling Colin T.R. , Dupuis Alain P. , Williamson Mary , Muir Derek C.G. 
Published: September 2015

Abstract

After decades of use of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) as flame retardants, a large reservoir of these toxins has accumulated in ecosystems worldwide. The present study used an innovative approach to examine whether the fully brominated PBDE decabromodiphenyl ether (decaBDE) degrades to more toxic congeners in aquatic environments. The authors incubated intact sediment microcosms with high-purity [13C]decaBDE in a remote boreal lake to assess its debromination under ambient conditions. Although the addition of [13C]decaBDE increased total PBDE concentrations in sediment more than 10-fold, the relative amount of [13C]decaBDE in sediment did not change significantly over a 1-mo incubation. However, observation of small quantities of lower-brominated [13C]BDEs lent support to the hypothesis that decaBDE is slowly debrominated. The authors observed a significant increase in octaBDEs and nonaBDEs in profundal, but not littoral, sediment over 30 d. A second experiment in which sediment was incubated under different light and oxygen regimes yielded a surprising result—oxygen significantly stimulated the formation of octaBDEs and nonaBDEs. The authors also conducted a large-scale in situ enclosure experiment in which they followed the fate of experimentally added decaBDE in sediment over 26 mo, but that study yielded little evidence of decaBDE debromination. Overall, the authors suggest that the debromination of decaBDE occurs very slowly, if at all, in natural sediment of boreal lakes, in contrast to the rapid degradation kinetics reported by most laboratory-based studies, which are usually conducted by dissolving decaBDE in organic solvents. The findings reinforce the need for field studies on contaminant fate to inform environmental policy decisions. Environ Toxicol Chem 2016;35:573–583. © 2015 SETAC
Field-scale examination of neonicotinoid insecticide persistence in soil as a result of seed treatment use in commercial maize (corn) fields in southwestern Ontario
Authors: Schaafsma Arthur , Limay-Rios Victor , Xue Yingen , Smith Jocelyn , Baute Tracey 
Published: September 2015

Abstract

Neonicotinoid insecticides, especially as seed treatments, have raised concerns about environmental loading and impacts on pollinators, biodiversity, and ecosystems. The authors measured concentrations of neonicotinoid residues in the top 5 cm of soil before planting of maize (corn) in 18 commercial fields with a history of neonicotinoid seed treatment use in southwestern Ontario in 2013 and 2014 using liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry with electrospray ionization. A simple calculator based on first-order kinetics, incorporating crop rotation, planting date, and seed treatment history from the subject fields, was used to estimate dissipation rate from the seed zone. The estimated half-life (the time taken for 50% of the insecticide to have dissipated by all mechanisms) based on 8 yr of crop history was 0.64 (range, 0.25–1.59) yr and 0.57 (range, 0.24–2.12) yr for 2013 and 2014, respectively. In fields where neonicotinoid residues were measured in both years, the estimated mean half-life between 2013 and 2014 was 0.4 (range, 0.27–0.6) yr. If clothianidin and thiamethoxam were used annually as a seed treatment in a typical crop rotation of maize, soybean, and winter wheat over several years, residues would plateau rather than continue to accumulate. Residues of neonicotinoid insecticides after 3 yr to 4 yr of repeated annual use tend to plateau to a mean concentration of less than 6 ng/g in agricultural soils in southwestern Ontario. Environ Toxicol Chem 2016;35:295–302. © 2015 SETAC
Evaluation of the deflated preconditioned CG method to solve bubbly and porous media flow problems on GPU and CPU
Authors: Gupta R. , Lukarski D. , van Gijzen M. B. , Vuik C. 
Published: September 2015

SummaryIn both bubbly and porous media flow, the jumps in coefficients may yield an ill‐conditioned linear system. The solution of this system using an iterative technique like the conjugate gradient (CG) is delayed because of the presence of small eigenvalues in the spectrum of the coefficient matrix. To accelerate the convergence, we use two levels of preconditioning. For the first level, we choose between out‐of‐the‐box incomplete LU decomposition, sparse approximate inverse, and truncated Neumann series‐based preconditioner. For the second level, we use deflation. Through our experiments, we show that it is possible to achieve a computationally fast solver on a graphics processing unit. The preconditioners discussed in this work exhibit fine‐grained parallelism. We show that the graphics processing unit version of the two‐level preconditioned CG can be up to two times faster than a dual quad core CPU implementation. John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The non‐reflective interface: an innovative forcing technique for computational acoustic hybrid methods
Authors: Redonnet Stephane , Lockard David P. , Khorrami Mehdi R. , Choudhari Meelan. M. 
Published: September 2015

SummaryThe present article concerns a commonly used methodology for the numerical simulation of acoustic emission and propagation phenomena. We consider the so‐called multi‐stage hybrid acoustic approach, in which a given noise problem is simulated via a sequence of weakly coupled computations of noise generation and acoustic propagation stages, wherein the simulation of the propagation stage is based on advanced Computational AeroAcoustics (CAA) techniques. The paper introduces an original forcing technique, namely, the Non‐Reflective Interface (NRI), to enable the transfer of an acoustic signal from an a priori noise generation stage into a CAA‐based acoustic propagation phase. Unlike most existing forcing techniques, the NRI is non‐reflective (or anechoic) in nature and, therefore, can properly handle the backscattering effects arising during the noise propagation stage. This attribute makes the NRI‐based weak‐coupling procedure and the associated CAA‐based hybrid approach compatible with a larger variety of realistic noise problems (such as those involving installed configurations in wind tunnel experiments, for instance). The NRI technique is first validated via several test cases of increasing complexity and is then applied to two aerodynamic noise problems. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Influence of extraction methods on antioxidant and antimicrobial properties of essential oil from Thymua danesis subsp. Lancifolius
Authors: Tavakolpour Yousef , Moosavi‐Nasab Marzieh , Niakousari Mehrdad , Haghighi‐Manesh Soroush 
Published: September 2015

AbstractThe essential oil (EO) from dried ground powder leaves and stems of Thymua danesis was extracted using hydrodistillation (HD), ohmic extraction (OE), ultrasound‐assisted HD and ultrasound‐assisted OE methods. Then, the antioxidant, antimicrobial, and sensory properties of the EO were investigated both in vitro and in food systems. Thyme EO extracted by ultrasound‐assisted HD method had promising antibacterial activities against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus and had the best antioxidant properties when tested in vitro. In food systems, higher concentrations of the EO were needed to exert similar antibacterial and antioxidant effects. Furthermore, thyme EO added yogurt and drink yogurt revealed better sensory properties than the control and fresh samples. Essential oil from Thymua danesis has a good potential to be used as an antioxidant, antimicrobial, and flavoring agent in food systems and the extraction method effects on the antioxidant and antimicrobial properties of the thyme extract.
Development and experimental validation of an arbitrary Lagrangian‐Eulerian (ALE) method for soil mechanics
Authors: Aubram Daniel 
Published: September 2015

AbstractLarge deformation problems in soil mechanics and geotechnical engineering can hardly be addressed by the traditional Lagrangian finite element method because the material and mesh motions coincide. This paper presents an arbitrary Lagrangian‐Eulerian (ALE) method in which the computational mesh is regarded as an independent reference domain to keep mesh quality acceptable throughout the calculation. The relative velocity between the material and the mesh introduces additional complexity which is treated by a Lagrange‐plus‐remap strategy in conjunction with efficient algorithms. Because thorough validation plays a crucial role, experimental model testing concerned with penetration into sand have been carried out and back‐analyzed by using the ALE method.Entwicklung und experimentelle Validierung einer allgemeinen Lagrange‐Euler (ALE) Methode für Bodenmechanik. Bodenmechanische und geotechnische Problemstellungen mit großen Verformungen können mit der traditionellen Lagrange'schen Finite Elemente Methode kaum gelöst werden, weil hierbei die Bewegung des Netzes der des Materials entspricht. Dieser Beitrag präsentiert eine allgemeine Lagrange‐Euler (ALE) Methode, bei der das Netz als unabhängiges Referenzgebiet betrachtet wird, um die Qualität des Netzes während der gesamten Berechnung aufrecht zu erhalten. Der sich aus der Relativgeschwindigkeit zwischen Material und Netz ergebende Zuwachs an Komplexität wird mittels einer Lagrange‐plus‐Remap Strategie und effizienten Algorithmen behandelt. Weil die sorgfältige Validierung eine wichtige Rolle spielt, wurden experimentelle Modellversuche zur Penetration in Sand durchgeführt und mit Hilfe der ALE Methode nachgerechnet.
The impact of experienced stress on aged spatial discrimination: Cortical overreliance as a result of hippocampal impairment
Authors: Marshall Amanda C. , Cooper Nicholas R. , Geeraert Nicolas 
Published: September 2015

ABSTRACTA large body of neuroscientific work indicates that exposure to experienced stress causes damage to both cortical and hippocampal cells and results in impairments to cognitive abilities associated with these structures. Similarly, work within the domain of cognitive aging demonstrates that elderly participants who report experiencing greater amounts of stress show reduced levels of cognitive functioning. The present article attempted to combine both findings by collecting data from elderly and young participants who completed a spatial discrimination paradigm developed by Reagh and colleagues [Reagh et al. () Hippocampus 24:303–314] to measure hippocampal‐mediated cognitive processes. In order to investigate the effect of stress on the cortex and, indirectly, the hippocampus, it paired the paradigm with electroencephalographic recordings of the theta frequency band, which is thought to reflect cortical/hippocampal interactions. Findings revealed that elderly participants with high levels of experienced stress performed significantly worse on target recognition and lure discrimination and demonstrated heightened levels of cortical theta synchronization compared with young and elderly low stress counterparts. Results therefore provided further evidence for the adverse effect of stress on cognitive aging and indicate that impaired behavioral performance among high stress elderly may coincide with an overreliance on cortical cognitive processing strategies as a result of early damage to the hippocampus. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
A versatile index to characterize hysteresis between hydrological variables at the runoff event timescale
Authors: Zuecco G. , Penna D. , Borga M. , van Meerveld H. J. 
Published: September 2015

AbstractThis study presents a versatile index for the quantification of hysteretic loops between hydrological variables at the runoff event timescale. The conceptual development of the index is based on a normalization of the input data and the computation of definite integrals at fixed intervals of the independent variable. The sum, the minimum and the maximum of the differences between integrals computed for the rising and the falling curves provide information on the direction, the shape and the extent of the loop. The index was tested with synthetic data and field data from experimental catchments in Northern Italy. Hysteretic relations between streamflow (the independent variable) and soil moisture, depth to water table, isotopic composition and electrical conductivity of stream water (dependent variables) were correctly identified and quantified by the index. The objective quantification of hysteresis by the index allows for the automatic classification of hysteretic loops and thus the determination of differences in hydrological responses during different events. The index was also used to examine the seasonal dynamics in the relation between streamflow and soil moisture and captured the switch in the direction of the loop with changes in event size and antecedent wetness conditions. The sensitivity of the index to the temporal resolution of the measurements and measurement errors was also tested. The index can successfully quantify hysteresis, except for very noisy data or when the temporal resolution of the measurements is not well suited to study hysteresis between the variables. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Design and Properties of Porphyrin‐based Singlet Oxygen Generator
Authors: Jeong Hyo‐Geun , Choi Myung‐Seok 
Published: September 2015

AbstractIn this review, we address recent studies of porphyrin‐based molecular systems for efficient singlet oxygen (1O2) generation. Porphyrins have a highly conjugated, delocalized 18‐π electron system (for the shortest cyclic path) that is responsible for the strong absorption and emission characteristics in the visible region. Singlet oxygen is useful for applications in photodynamic cancer therapy (PDT), photooxidation of toxic molecules, and photoproduction of important intermediates for various chemicals owing to its high oxidation ability. Porphyrin and its analogues have been investigated as photosensitizers for 1O2 generation. The production of 1O2 is successfully regulated by photophysical parameters, such as intersystem crossing, triplet state (T1) lifetime, and photosensitizer to 3O2 energy transfer in molecular systems. Introduction of substituents with heavy atoms (halogen, metal) and radicals onto the photosensitizer (PS) exerts a strongly positive impact on intersystem crossing of the singlet excited state of the PS, promoting generation of the triplet excited state. Environmental conditions, such as solvent and pH, may also influence 1O2 generation. As a means to limit cellular photodamage, two‐photon absorption and DNA switches for 1O2 generation have been proposed and developed. Achieving control of singlet oxygen generation is pertinent to many arenas at the cutting edge of modern science, ranging from the chemical industry to biomedical applications.
Determinants of Lower Saving Rates in the USA: Prospects and Implications
Authors: Kandil Magda 
Published: September 2015

AbstractThe recent episode of the financial meltdown has drawn attention to global imbalances, raising concerns about inability to sustain low saving rates in the USA. The objective of this paper is to shed light on the downward trend in household savings in the USA starting in the mid‐1990s. In addition to the theoretical determinants of household savings, the paper's innovation is in tracing the effect of the widely tracked consumer sentiment index on savings. Applying the dynamic autoregressive distributed lag model with bounds testing approach, the evidence confirms the relevance of the consumer sentiment index as an important factor that affects household savings, both in the short‐run and long‐run.
International Risk Sharing in the Short and in the long run under Country Heterogeneity
Authors: Fuleky Peter , Ventura Luigi , Zhao Qianxue 
Published: September 2015

AbstractEmpirical tests of international risk sharing usually focus on the short run and impose homogeneity across countries. We extend the existing literature by analysing both the short run and the long run aspects of risk sharing and by using novel econometric tools that properly account for heterogeneity across a large set of countries. The results confirm that international risk sharing is only partial and quite variable across economies. However, there appears to be no trade‐off between the short run and long run: countries better insured in the long run also tend to perform better in the short run, with the strength of domestic credit markets being crucial in shaping this relationship. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Biomarker exposure–response relationships as the basis for rational dose selection: Lessons from a simulation exercise using a selective COX‐2 inhibitor
Authors: Taneja Amit , Oosterholt Sean P. , Danhof Meindert , Della Pasqua Oscar 
Published: September 2015

AbstractAn exposure–response model was used to characterize the pharmacokinetic‐pharmacodynamic relationship of GW406381, a COX‐2 inhibitor, based on data from ex vivo prostaglandin E2 inhibition collected in a phase 1 study in healthy subjects. The final model was then used to simulate a proof‐of‐concept study and to explore suitable dosing ranges in case of hepatic dysfunction or metabolic induction. Trough concentrations in the range of IC80 to IC95 were used as target therapeutic concentrations. Symptom relief in a subsequent phase 2b study in 400 patients with rheumatoid arthritis receiving GW406381 was then analysed to support the design of a phase 3 study in which doses in the range between 10 to 400 mg were explored. The exercise also allowed the evaluation of correlations between the biomarker and clinical end point. A 2‐compartment model described the pharmacokinetics of GW406381, whereas the pharmacodynamics was described by an Imax model. In patients with normal organ function, the predicted median therapeutic dose was between 100 and 150 mg. The time course of symptom relief was fitted by a Weibull model, with an Imax model describing the drug effect. Simulations showed that dose‐response discrimination occurred at doses higher than 150 mg, with predicted 60%–80% target engagement in the dose range of 150–400 mg.
Pharmacokinetics of venlafaxine enantiomers and their metabolites in psoriasis patients
Authors: Godoy Ana Leonor Pardo Campos , Rocha Adriana , da Silva Souza Cacilda , Lanchote Vera Lucia 
Published: September 2015

AbstractPsoriasis is a chronic inflammatory disease associated with several comorbidities, including depression. Previous studies have shown that inflammatory diseases downregulate the expression and suppress activity of CYP isoforms. Venlafaxine (VLX) is an antidepressant metabolized mainly by CYP2D6 to O‐desmethylvenlafaxine (ODV), CYP3A to N‐desmethylvenlafaxine (NDV), and CYP2D6 and CYP3A to N,O‐didesmethylvenlafaxine (DDV). This study evaluated the influence of psoriasis on the enantioselective pharmacokinetics of VLX. Psoriasis patients (n = 13) and healthy volunteers (n = 11) phenotyped as CYP2D6 extensive (EM) or poor metabolizers (n = 1) received a single oral dose of 150 mg racemic VLX. Plasma concentrations of TNF‐α, IFN‐γ, IL‐6, IL‐8, and IL‐17 cytokines were higher in EM psoriasis patients when compared with healthy volunteers. IL‐6 plasma concentrations varied from 0.4 to 12.9 pg/mL (mean, 2.1 pg/mL) in healthy volunteers and from 0.4 to 29.3 pg/mL (mean, 4.2 pg/mL) in psoriatic patients. VLX pharmacokinetics are enantioselective in healthy volunteers and psoriasis patients phenotyped as EM. Higher AUC values for the (S)‐VLX, (S)‐NDV, and (S)‐DDV enantiomers were observed in healthy volunteers, whereas higher AUC values for (S)‐VLX and (R)‐ODV were found in psoriasis patients phenotyped as EM. Psoriasis does not alter the pharmacokinetics of the VLX enantiomers probably because of the low levels of IL‐6 plasma concentrations.
A benchmarking and comparative analysis of emotional intelligence in student and qualified radiographers: an international study
Authors: Mackay Stuart James , White Peter , McNulty Jonathan P. , Lane Steven , Lewis Sarah Jayne 
Published: September 2015

AbstractIntroductionEmotional intelligence (EI) has been identified as an important trait for healthcare students and healthcare professionals alike and is a predictor of improved work performance and patient satisfaction. In this paper, we benchmark an international cohort of radiography students and compare their scores to those of known qualified practitioner and normative data.MethodsEI scores were at commencement from radiography degree programmes at four universities in Australia, Hong Kong, Republic of Ireland and the United Kingdom using the short form of the trait EI questionnaire (TEIQue‐SF), which yields a Global score and four sub‐factors. In total 293 students chose to participate.ResultsFor the Australian combined Irish and UK groups, there were significant differences in Global EI and three of the four sub‐factors between students and qualified radiographers (Australia: students = 5.01, qualified = 5.27; P ≤ 0.01) (Irish/UK students = 5.04, qualified = 5.28; P ≤ 0.01). When compared to the UK normative data, there was a significant difference for Global EI between the UK students and the UK norm data set (students = 4.71, normative = 4.99; P ≤ 0.01).ConclusionThis study provides benchmarking data for an international radiography student group. The clear differences of higher EI scores for qualified practicing radiographers when compared to student score opens discussion of the impact of academic and clinical practicum as a contributing factor in EI skills development.