bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Synthesis of Naphthofurans by tBuOK‐Catalyzed Intramolecular Anionic Cycloaddition of Unsymmetrical Bis‐propargyl Ethers
Authors: Grimaldi Tamíris B. , Back Davi F. , Zeni Gilson 
Published: September 2015

AbstractThe tBuOK‐catalyzed intramolecular anionic cycloaddition of unsymmetrical bis‐propargyl ethers has been applied to the synthesis of naphthofurans. A systematic study of the cyclization system revealed that the amount of base and solvent played an essential role in this reaction. The results showed that the cyclization preceded cleanly and smoothly under mild reaction conditions, employing a catalytic amount of tBuOK as base, THF as solvent, at room temperature in a short reaction time (15 min). The reaction was regioselective, giving only naphthofurans as the unique regioisomer through an initial intramolecular 5‐endo‐dig process followed by an intramolecular 6‐endo‐dig process. The method tolerates the presence of neutral, electron‐donating and ‐withdrawing as well as heteroaryl groups in any part of the substrates. More importantly, this methodology requires only one synthetic step to prepare the conjugated polycyclic compounds.
Preparation of 6‐Difluoromethylphosphonated Phenanthridines by Visible‐Light‐Driven Radical Cyclization of 2‐Isocyanobiphenyls
Authors: Wang Shuang , Jia Wen‐Liang , Wang Lin , Liu Qiang 
Published: September 2015

AbstractA protocol to obtain a variety of 6‐difluoromethylenephosphonated phenanthridines through a radical cyclization process was explored. These reactions, performed with the use of diethyl bromodifluoromethylphosphonate as a radical resource and 2‐isocyanobiphenyls as radical acceptors, were smoothly triggered by visible‐light photocatalysis. Electron‐withdrawing and electron‐donating groups were well tolerated, and the target molecules were obtained in excellent to moderate yields.
D–A–A‐Type Organic Dyes for NiO‐Based Dye‐Sensitized Solar Cells
Authors: Wu Fei , Liu Jianlin , Li Xi , Song Qunliang , Wang Min , Zhong Cheng , Zhu Linna 
Published: September 2015

AbstractThree new D–A–A‐type organic sensitizers – W1, W2, and W3 – have been synthesized and applied for p‐type dye‐sensitized solar cells. For the first time, the electron‐withdrawing 2,1,3‐benzothiadiazole (BT) unit has been applied as the π‐bridge between the triphenylamine donor and different acceptors in these dye molecules. It turns out that these dyes all exhibit power conversion efficiencies exceeding 0.1 %, and that the best performance is achieved by the dye W2, with an octyl 2‐cyanoacrylate acceptor. It shows a power conversion efficiency of 0.166 %, with a short circuit current of 4.16 mA cm–2 and an open circuit voltage of 0.121 V. The higher light‐harvesting efficiency leads to a higher photocurrent in W2. In addition, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) studies suggest slower charge recombination at the metal oxide/electrolyte interface and a faster hole‐transporting ability of W2. The factors together may account for the higher power conversion efficiency of W2. This work demonstrates rational design of these dye molecules for the construction of efficient p‐type sensitizers.
Acute and chronic toxicity of neonicotinoids to nymphs of a mayfly species and some notes on seasonal differences
Authors: Van den Brink Paul J. , Van Smeden Jasper M. , Bekele Robel S. , Dierick Wiebe , De Gelder Daphne M. , Noteboom Maarten , Roessink Ivo 
Published: September 2015

Abstract

Mayfly nymphs are among the most sensitive taxa to neonicotinoids. The present study presents the acute and chronic toxicity of 3 neonicotinoids (imidacloprid, thiacloprid, and thiamethoxam) to a mayfly species (Cloeon dipterum) and some notes on the seasonality of the toxicity of imidacloprid to C. dipterum and 5 other invertebrate species. Imidacloprid and thiamethoxam showed equal acute and chronic toxicity to a winter generation of C. dipterum, whereas thiacloprid was approximately twice as toxic. The acute and chronic toxicity of imidacloprid was much higher for the C. dipterum summer generation than for the winter one. The acute toxicity differs by a factor of 20 for the 96-h 50% effective concentration (EC50) and by a factor of 5.4 for the chronic 28-d EC50. Temperature had only a slight effect on the sensitivity of C. dipterum to imidacloprid because we only found a factor of 1.7 difference in the 96-h EC50 between tests performed at 10 °C and 18 °C. The difference in sensitivity between summer and overwintering generations was also found for 3 other insect species. The results indicate that if the use and environmental fate of the 3 neonicotinoids are comparable, replacing imidacloprid by another neonicotinoid might not reduce the environmental impact on the mayfly nymph C. dipterum. The results also show the importance of reporting which generation is tested because sensitivity values of insects in the summer might be underestimated by the experiments performed with neonicotinoids and an overwintering population. Environ Toxicol Chem 2016;35:128–133. © 2015 SETAC
The cost‐effectiveness of grip on challenging behaviour: an economic evaluation of a care programme for managing challenging behaviour
Authors: Zwijsen S. A. , Bosmans J. E. , Gerritsen D. L. , Pot A. M. , Hertogh C. M. P. M. , Smalbrugge M. 
Published: September 2015

ObjectiveThe objective of the study was to evaluate the cost‐effectiveness of implementing the Grip on Challenging Behaviour care programme (GRIP) on dementia special care units in comparison with usual care.MethodsA stepped wedge design was used. Challenging behaviour and quality of life were measured using the Cohen Mansfield Agitation Inventory (CMAI) and the QUALIDEM. Quality‐adjusted life years (QALYs) were calculated using the EuroQol‐5D. Psychoactive medication use (range 0–5 per measurement) and sick leave were registered. Costs included medication, time spent on challenging behaviour and education. Costs and effects were analysed using linear multilevel regression. Incremental cost‐effectiveness ratios were calculated. Statistical uncertainty was estimated using bootstrapping.ResultsSeventeen dementia special care units participated. GRIP led to improvement on the QUALIDEM subscale social relations (1.6; 95% CI 0.18 to 3.4) and on the use of psychoactive medication (−0.73; 95% CI −1.1 to −0.46) and to a decrease in QALYs (−0.02; 95% CI −0.06 to −0.003). No significant effects on CMAI, sick leave and other QUALIDEM subscales were found. The intervention was not cost‐effective in comparison with usual care with regard to CMAI score, QALYs and sick leave. The willingness to pay should be 320€/point improvement on the QUALIDEM subscale social relations and 370€/psychoactive medication less to reach a 0.95 probability of cost‐effectiveness.ConclusionIt depends on how much society is willing to pay whether GRIP can be considered cost‐effective. Because the appropriateness of the current methods for analysing cost‐effectiveness in this specific population is uncertain, the positive effects on behaviour, medication and job satisfactions should also be taken in account in the decision making. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Deficits in hippocampal‐dependent transfer generalization learning accompany synaptic dysfunction in a mouse model of amyloidosis
Authors: Montgomery Karienn S. , Edwards George , Levites Yona , Kumar Ashok , Myers Catherine E. , Gluck Mark A. , Setlow Barry , Bizon Jennifer L. 
Published: September 2015

ABSTRACTElevated β‐amyloid and impaired synaptic function in hippocampus are among the earliest manifestations of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Most cognitive assessments employed in both humans and animal models, however, are insensitive to this early disease pathology. One critical aspect of hippocampal function is its role in episodic memory, which involves the binding of temporally coincident sensory information (e.g., sights, smells, and sounds) to create a representation of a specific learning epoch. Flexible associations can be formed among these distinct sensory stimuli that enable the “transfer” of new learning across a wide variety of contexts. The current studies employed a mouse analog of an associative “transfer learning” task that has previously been used to identify risk for prodromal AD in humans. The rodent version of the task assesses the transfer of learning about stimulus features relevant to a food reward across a series of compound discrimination problems. The relevant feature that predicts the food reward is unchanged across problems, but an irrelevant feature (i.e., the context) is altered. Experiment 1 demonstrated that C57BL6/J mice with bilateral ibotenic acid lesions of hippocampus were able to discriminate between two stimuli on par with control mice; however, lesioned mice were unable to transfer or apply this learning to new problem configurations. Experiment 2 used the APPswePS1 mouse model of amyloidosis to show that robust impairments in transfer learning are evident in mice with subtle β‐amyloid‐induced synaptic deficits in the hippocampus. Finally, Experiment 3 confirmed that the same transfer learning impairments observed in APPswePS1 mice were also evident in the Tg‐SwDI mouse, a second model of amyloidosis. Together, these data show that the ability to generalize learned associations to new contexts is disrupted even in the presence of subtle hippocampal dysfunction and suggest that, across species, this aspect of hippocampal‐dependent learning may be useful for early identification of AD‐like pathology. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Retrieval flexibility and reinstatement in the developing hippocampus
Authors: DeMaster Dana , Coughlin Christine , Ghetti Simona 
Published: September 2015

ABSTRACTEpisodic memory improves during childhood and this improvement has been associated with age differences in hippocampal function, but previous research has not manipulated the possible underlying mechanisms. We tested the hypothesis that age‐related differences in hippocampal activation may reflect changes in retrieval flexibility. We expected these activation differences to be observed most prominently in the anterior hippocampus. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data were collected from children ages 8 and 10, and adults (N = 63) during an associative recognition task that required participants to recognize pairs of pictures which either appeared in the same location as during encoding (Same location), or in a flipped location, such that each picture switched their location with the other member of the pair (Flipped location). Recognition of same‐location pairs placed lower demands on flexible retrieval compared to recognition of flipped‐location pairs. Behaviorally, 8‐year‐olds exhibited the strongest correct recognition gains for same‐location compared to flipped‐location pairs, and females unexpectedly outperformed males across all ages. When we examined correct recognition, adults recruited the hippocampal head more strongly for flipped‐ versus same‐location pairs compared to both groups of children; in contrast both adults and 10‐year‐olds recruited the hippocampal tail more strongly for flipped‐ versus same‐location pairs compared to 8‐year‐olds. This pattern was stronger in the left hippocampus and for females. Moreover hippocampal discrimination between recognized and forgotten items in the same‐location condition was stronger in 8‐year‐olds compared to adults, and was stronger in the flipped‐location condition in adults compared to 8‐year‐olds; this pattern was stronger in the left hippocampus. Individual differences in this discrimination contrast for flipped‐location trials in the head and body predicted performance on an index of creative thinking. Overall, these results lend new support to the idea that hippocampal development may reflect change in retrieval flexibility with implications for additional forms of flexible cognition. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Adoption of Small‐Scale Irrigation and Its Livelihood Impacts in Northern Ethiopia
Authors: Zeweld Woldegebrial , Huylenbroeck Guido Van , Hidgot Assefa , Chandrakanth M. G. , Speelman Stijn 
Published: September 2015

AbstractThe potential of smallholder‐irrigated agriculture to enhance food security and improve livelihoods has led the government of Ethiopia to invest significantly in irrigation establishment. This article aims to investigate the impact of small‐scale irrigation on households' livelihood. To deal with the problems of purposive targeting and self‐selection which are likely to occur for this type of intervention, we use a sophisticated econometric technique called ‘propensity score matching’ to study this impact. Our findings confirm the presence of a statistically significant difference in income, overall expenditure, asset accumulation and expenditures on agricultural inputs between the treated and control households. In contrast, no statistically significant differences in livestock resources, food consumption, and expenditure on education and health were found. Furthermore, the proportion of poor is respectively 20 and 30% for the treated and control households. So, overall it can be concluded that participation in the small‐scale irrigation has robust and positive effect on most of the livelihood indices and that an expansion of irrigation schemes is a good strategy in the water‐stressed and drought‐prone areas of Ethiopia. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Soil‐Hydrological Responses to Rainfall Variation in a Subtropical Australian Landscape
Authors: Kodur S. , Robinson J. B. , Foley J. L. , Silburn D. M. 
Published: September 2015

AbstractReliable water supply for farming is a global concern, including the Lockyer Valley region, Australia. Knowledge of rainfall variation and resulting irrigation demand and deep drainage can improve crop water use and minimize salinity. Therefore, we modelled irrigation demand and deep drainage for different land‐use types of the Lockyer Valley and classified them according to rainfall. During the periods of extremely low rainfall (mean = 468 mm yr‐1), deep drainage fell by 35–239 mm yr‐1, whereas irrigation demand rose by 160–310 mm yr‐1, relative to extremely high rainfall (1138 mm yr‐1). With all land‐use types, deep drainage rose with water input, but it was consistent in the order (mean, mm yr‐1): lucerne (8–11), native grass (13), sorghum–wheat sequence (37–64), bare fallow (169) and sweetcorn–broccoli–bean sequence (225). Decadal trends in irrigation demand and deep drainage signalled a raising future irrigation demand; and in turn potential deep drainage risks if irrigation is not managed wisely. These findings will have broader implications for crop and environment management under rainfall variation. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Lethal bacterial trap: Cationic surface for endodontic sealing
Authors: Kesler Shvero Dana , Zaltsman Nathan , Weiss Ervin I. , Polak David , Hazan Ronen , Beyth Nurit 
Published: September 2015

AbstractInsoluble antibacterial cationic nanoparticles have been previously shown to have potent and long‐lasting antibacterial properties. Our tested hypothesis was that root canal pathogens will be attracted to and eliminated when exposed to epoxy resin‐based surfaces incorporating cationic nanoparticles. In our research, an epoxy resin‐based surface incorporating quaternary ammonium polyethyleneimine (QPEI) nanoparticles was evaluated. Surface characterization was performed using atomic force microscopy and X‐ray photoelectron spectra. The surface anti‐Enterococcus faecalis effect was evaluated in an anti‐gravitational model. Cell membrane potential, viability, biofilm thickness, and biomass were tested using flow cytometry and confocal laser scanning microscopy. Additionally, the antibiofilm activity of the bacterial supernatant was assessed. The surface characterization showed QPEI nanoparticle embedment on the modified sealer. The epoxy resin‐based surface incorporating the QPEI nanoparticles actively attracted bacteria, causing membrane destabilization, and bacterial death. The supernatant of bacteria pre‐exposed to QPEI showed an antibacterial effect. In conclusion, the tested epoxy resin‐based surface incorporating QPEI nanoparticles traps and kills bacteria. The nanoparticles attracted bacteria, reducing their viability, and promoting cell death. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A: 104A: 427–434, 2016.
Ethanol Enhances TGF‐β Activity by Recruiting TGF‐β Receptors From Intracellular Vesicles/Lipid Rafts/Caveolae to Non‐Lipid Raft Microdomains
Authors: Huang Shuan Shian , Chen Chun‐Lin , Huang Franklin W. , Johnson Frank E. , Huang Jung San 
Published: September 2015

ABSTRACTRegular consumption of moderate amounts of ethanol has important health benefits on atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). Overindulgence can cause many diseases, particularly alcoholic liver disease (ALD). The mechanisms by which ethanol causes both beneficial and harmful effects on human health are poorly understood. Here we demonstrate that ethanol enhances TGF‐β‐stimulated luciferase activity with a maximum of 0.5–1% (v/v) in Mv1Lu cells stably expressing a luciferase reporter gene containing Smad2‐dependent elements. In Mv1Lu cells, 0.5% ethanol increases the level of P‐Smad2, a canonical TGF‐β signaling sensor, by ∼2‐3‐fold. Ethanol (0.5%) increases cell‐surface expression of the type II TGF‐β receptor (TβR‐II) by ∼2‐3‐fold from its intracellular pool, as determined by I125‐TGF‐β‐cross‐linking/Western blot analysis. Sucrose density gradient ultracentrifugation and indirect immunofluorescence staining analyses reveal that ethanol (0.5% and 1%) also displaces cell‐surface TβR‐I and TβR‐II from lipid rafts/caveolae and facilitates translocation of these receptors to non‐lipid raft microdomains where canonical signaling occurs. These results suggest that ethanol enhances canonical TGF‐β signaling by increasing non‐lipid raft microdomain localization of the TGF‐β receptors. Since TGF‐β plays a protective role in ASCVD but can also cause ALD, the TGF‐β enhancer activity of ethanol at low and high doses appears to be responsible for both beneficial and harmful effects. Ethanol also disrupts the location of lipid raft/caveolae of other membrane proteins (e.g., neurotransmitter, growth factor/cytokine, and G protein‐coupled receptors) which utilize lipid rafts/caveolae as signaling platforms. Displacement of these membrane proteins induced by ethanol may result in a variety of pathologies in nerve, heart and other tissues. J. Cell. Biochem. 117: 860–871, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Optimal visualization of the fetal four‐chamber and outflow tract views with transabdominal ultrasound in the morbidly obese: Are we there yet?
Authors: Adekola Henry , Soto Eleazar , Dai Jing , Lam‐Rachlin Jennifer , Gill Navleen , Leon‐Peters Jocelyn , Puder Karoline , Abramowicz Jacques S. 
Published: September 2015

ABSTRACTBackgroundTo compare optimal visualization of the four‐chamber and outflow‐tract views of the fetal heart on sonographic examination between morbidly obese (body mass index [BMI] ≥ 40 kg/m2) and nonobese (BMI < 25 kg/m2) pregnant women.MethodsIn this retrospective cohort study, we included records and images from 509 pregnant women who had first undergone sonographic examination between 18 and 36 weeks' fetal gestational age.ResultsCompared with the nonobese women, morbidly obese women had lower optimal visualization of the four‐chamber and outflow‐tract heart views: four‐chamber view, morbidly obese, 83/186 (44.6%), versus nonobese, 283/323 (87.6%), and outflow‐tract view, morbidly obese, 80/186 (43%) versus nonobese, 258/290 (89%); p < 0.0001 for each comparison. Similar outcomes were observed when the results from each subcategory of morbidly obese women (ie, BMI 40–49.9, 50–59.9, and ≥60 kg/m2) were compared with that from nonobese women; p < 0.0001 for each comparison. These outcomes remained the same regardless of whether this comparison was made among those who had their examination before or at 19 weeks' or more gestational age. Among the morbidly obese women, there was no difference in optimal visualization of the four‐chamber or outflow‐tract views regardless of whether the examination was performed at <23 weeks' or at ≥23 weeks' gestational age: four‐chamber view <23 weeks, 44.8% (78/174), versus four‐chamber view ≥23 weeks, 41.7% (5/12); p = 0.8, and outflow‐tract view <23 weeks, 43.1% (75/174), versus outflow‐tract view ≥23 weeks, 41.7% (5/12); p = 0.9. After controlling for maternal age and race, the odds of visualizing the four‐chamber and outflow‐tract views in the morbidly obese were reduced compared with those in their nonobese counterparts: odds ratio (OR) for four‐chamber, 0.13; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.08–0.21, and OR for outflow‐tract, 0.11; 95% CI, 0.07–0.17.ConclusionsOptimal visualization of the fetal four‐chamber and outflow‐tract views was achieved in less than 50% of morbidly obese women, compared with almost 90% in nonobese women. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Ultrasound 43:548–555, 2015
Variability and trends in England and Wales precipitation
Authors: de Leeuw Johannes , Methven John , Blackburn Mike 
Published: September 2015

ABSTRACTThe England and Wales precipitation (EWP) dataset is a homogeneous time series of daily accumulations from 1931 to 2014, composed from rain gauge observations spanning the region. The daily regional‐average precipitation statistics are shown to be well described by a Weibull distribution, which is used to define extremes in terms of percentiles. Computed trends in annual and seasonal precipitation are sensitive to the period chosen, due to large variability on interannual and decadal timescales. Atmospheric circulation patterns associated with seasonal precipitation variability are identified. These patterns project onto known leading modes of variability, all of which involve displacements of the jet stream and storm‐track over the eastern Atlantic. The intensity of daily precipitation for each calendar season is investigated by partitioning all observations into eight intensity categories contributing equally to the total precipitation in the dataset. Contrary to previous results based on shorter periods, no significant trends of the most intense categories are found between 1931 and 2014. The regional‐average precipitation is found to share statistical properties common to the majority of individual stations across England and Wales used in previous studies. Statistics of the EWP data are examined for multi‐day accumulations up to 10 days, which are more relevant for river flooding. Four recent years (2000, 2007, 2008 and 2012) have a greater number of extreme events in the 3‐ and 5‐day accumulations than any previous year in the record. It is the duration of precipitation events in these years that is remarkable, rather than the magnitude of the daily accumulations.