bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Telomere length and outcomes in ischaemic heart failure: data from the COntrolled ROsuvastatin multiNAtional Trial in Heart Failure (CORONA)
Authors: Haver Vincent G. , Mateo Leach Irene , Kjekshus John , Fox Jayne C. , Wedel Hans , Wikstrand John , de Boer Rudolf A. , van Gilst Wiek H. , McMurray John J.V. , van Veldhuisen Dirk J. , van der Harst Pim 
Published: February 2015

AimsLeucocyte telomere length is considered a marker of biological ageing and has been suggested to be shorter in patients with CAD and heart failure compared with healthy controls. The aim of this study was to determine whether telomere length is associated with clinical outcomes in patients with ischaemic heart failure and whether this association is superior to chronological age as defined by date of birth.Methods and resultsWe measured leucocyte telomere length in 3275 patients with chronic ischaemic systolic heart failure participating in the COntrolled ROsuvastatin multiNAtional Trial in Heart Failure (CORONA) study. The primary composite endpoint was cardiovascular death, non‐fatal myocardial infarction, and non‐fatal stroke, which occurred in 575 patients during follow‐up. We observed a significant association of leucocyte telomere lengths with the primary endpoint (hazard ratio 1.10; 95% confidence interval 1.01–1.20; P = 0.03). However, this observation was not superior to age as defined by date of birth. The neutral effect of rosuvastatin treatment on clinical outcomes was not modified by baseline telomere length.ConclusionBiological age as defined by leucocyte telomere length was associated with clinical outcomes in patients with ischaemic heart failure, but this association did not add prognostic information above age as defined by date of birth.
An entrainment model for non‐uniform sediment
Authors: Elhakeem Mohamed , Sattar Ahmed M. A. 
Published: February 2015

AbstractA model was developed for the prediction of the entrainment rate of non‐uniform sediment considering the movement of bedforms. Laboratory experiments were conducted to advance the formulations of the proposed model and to validate and estimate the model parameters. The model parameters were related to the hydraulic conditions of the flow and the properties of the sediment mixtures using dimensional analysis and gene expression programming. The model incorporated four parameters on its formulation, namely the Shields stress and critical Shields stress to describe the hydraulic and sediment conditions of the flow, the Kramer coefficient of uniformity to describe the grain size distribution of a particular sediment mixture, and the relative position of a particular grain size fraction to the geometric mean to describe the entrainment rate of that fraction within the sediment mixture. The proposed model provided satisfactorily predictions with a deviation less than 25% between the measured and predicted values for most of the fractions, which confirms the validity of the proposed approach and model in predicting of the entrainment rates of various fractions. The model predictions were also compared with other models available for the prediction of the entrainment rate of non‐uniform sediment. The model predictions were within the same order of magnitude of the other models’ predictions. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Increase in mercury in Pacific yellowfin tuna
Authors: Drevnick Paul E. , Lamborg Carl H. , Horgan Martin J. 
Published: February 2015

Abstract

Mercury is a toxic trace metal that can accumulate to levels that threaten human and environmental health. Models and empirical data suggest that humans are responsible for a great deal of the mercury actively cycling in the environment at present. Thus, one might predict that the concentration of mercury in fish should have increased dramatically since the Industrial Revolution. Evidence in support of this hypothesis has been hard to find, however, and some studies have suggested that analyses of fish show no change in mercury concentration. By compiling and re-analyzing published reports on yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares) caught near Hawaii (USA) over the past half century, the authors found that the concentration of mercury in these fish currently is increasing at a rate of at least 3.8% per year. This rate of increase is consistent with a model of anthropogenic forcing on the mercury cycle in the North Pacific Ocean and suggests that fish mercury concentrations are keeping pace with current loading increases to the ocean. Future increases in mercury in yellowfin tuna and other fishes can be avoided by reductions in atmospheric mercury emissions from point sources. Environ Toxicol Chem 2015;34:931–934. © 2015 SETAC
High‐frequency water quality monitoring in an urban catchment: hydrochemical dynamics, primary production and implications for the Water Framework Directive
Authors: Halliday Sarah J. , Skeffington Richard A. , Wade Andrew J. , Bowes Michael J. , Gozzard Emma , Newman Jonathan R. , Loewenthal Matthew , Palmer‐Felgate Elizabeth J. , Jarvie Helen P. 
Published: February 2015

AbstractThis paper describes the hydrochemistry of a lowland, urbanised river‐system, The Cut in England, using in situ sub‐daily sampling. The Cut receives effluent discharges from four major sewage treatment works serving around 190 000 people. These discharges consist largely of treated water, originally abstracted from the River Thames and returned via the water supply network, substantially increasing the natural flow. The hourly water quality data were supplemented by weekly manual sampling with laboratory analysis to check the hourly data and measure further determinands. Mean phosphorus and nitrate concentrations were very high, breaching standards set by EU legislation. Although 56% of the catchment area is agricultural, the hydrochemical dynamics were significantly impacted by effluent discharges which accounted for approximately 50% of the annual P catchment input loads and, on average, 59% of river flow at the monitoring point. Diurnal dissolved oxygen data demonstrated high in‐stream productivity. From a comparison of high frequency and conventional monitoring data, it is inferred that much of the primary production was dominated by benthic algae, largely diatoms. Despite the high productivity and nutrient concentrations, the river water did not become anoxic, and major phytoplankton blooms were not observed. The strong diurnal and annual variation observed showed that assessments of water quality made under the Water Framework Directive (WFD) are sensitive to the time and season of sampling. It is recommended that specific sampling time windows be specified for each determinand, and that WFD targets should be applied in combination to help identify periods of greatest ecological risk. © 2015 The Authors. Hydrological Processes published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Osteoderm histology of Proterochampsia and Doswelliidae (Reptilia: Archosauriformes) and their evolutionary and paleobiological implications
Authors: Cerda Ignacio A. , Desojo Julia B. , Trotteyn María J. , Scheyer Torsten M. 
Published: February 2015

ABSTRACTPostcranial osteoderms are commonly developed in the major lineages of Archosauriformes, including forms such as proterochampsids and doswelliids. Here, we survey the histology of osteoderms of the doswelliids Archeopelta arborensis and Tarjadia ruthae, and the proterochampsids Chanaresuchus bonapartei and Pseudochampsa ischigualastensis to understand better the morphogenesis of these skeletal elements. Whereas, the Doswelliid osteoderms possess a trilaminar organization, in which two cortices (external and basal) can be differentiated from an internal core of cancellous bone, these elements are compact structures in proterochampsids. The osteoderms of P. ischigualastensis are avascular and they consist entirely of parallel‐fibered bone. Conversely, the osteoderms of C. bonapartei are well vascularized structures composed of zones of woven‐fibered bone and annuli of parallel‐fibered bone. The rather simple microstructure observed in P. ischigualastensis osteoderms suggests that these elements grew at a constant, low rate. Compared with proterochampsids, doswelliid osteoderms possess a more complex histology, which appears to be linked to variations in the growth rate during the osteoderm formation and also to the development of the external ornamentation. A comparison of our findings with the results of earlier studies on other archosauriforms (phytosaurs and pseudosuchians) reveals that the general osteoderm histology of doswelliids bears a closer resemblance to that of phytosaurs and pseudosuchians than the proterochampsid osteoderm microstructure. If all archosauriform osteoderms are homologous structures, the closer resemblance of doswellid osteoderm microstructures to that of phytosaurs and pseudosuchians is in agreement with the hypothesis that doswellids are more closely related to archosaurs than proterochampsids. J. Morphol. 276:385–402, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Assessment of whole spine vertebral bone marrow fat using chemical shift‐encoding based water‐fat MRI
Authors: Baum Thomas , Yap Samuel P. , Dieckmeyer Michael , Ruschke Stefan , Eggers Holger , Kooijman Hendrik , Rummeny Ernst J. , Bauer Jan S. , Karampinos Dimitrios C. 
Published: February 2015

BackgroundThe assessment of bone marrow composition has recently gained significant attention due to its association with bone loss pathophysiology and cancer therapy‐induced bone marrow damage. The purpose of our study was to investigate the anatomical variation of the vertebral bone marrow fat using chemical shift‐encoding based water‐fat MRI and to assess the repeatability of these measurements.MethodsChemical shift‐encoding based water‐fat MRI of the whole spine was performed in 28 young, healthy subjects (17 males, 11 females, 26 ± 4 years). Six subjects were scanned three times with repositioning to assess the repeatability of these measurements. Proton density fat fraction (PDFF) maps were computed and manually segmented to obtain PDFF of C3–L5.ResultsMean PDFF of all subjects significantly increased from C3 to L5 (P < 0.05) with r = 0.88 (P < 0.05). PDFF averaged over C3–7, T1–6, T7–12, and L1–5 of males and females amounted to 31.7 ± 7.9% and 23.0 ± 7.8% (P = 0.002), 33.8 ± 6.8% and 24.6 ± 8.8% (P = 0.005), 33.8 ± 6.4% and 26.1 ± 6.4% (P = 0.023), and 38.8 ± 7.6% and 31.5 ± 12.4% (P = 0.063), respectively. The repeatability for PDFF measurements expressed as absolute precision error was 1.7% averaged over C3–L5.ConclusionWhole spine vertebral bone marrow fat could be reproducibly assessed by using chemical shift‐encoding based water‐fat MRI and showed anatomical variations. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2015;42:1018–1023.
Posttraumatic Stress Symptom Trajectories Among Children Exposed to Violence
Authors: Miller‐Graff Laura E. , Howell Kathryn H. 
Published: February 2015

AbstractLittle research has examined the developmental course of posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) in children. The current study aimed to identify developmental trajectories of PTSS in childhood and to examine predictors of symptom presentation in 1,178 children from the Longitudinal Studies of Child Abuse and Neglect (LONGSCAN) studies, a consortium of studies focusing on the causes and effects of child maltreatment. Most children had a history of documented reports with Child Protective Services (CPS) and all were identified as living in high‐risk environments. Using group‐based trajectory modeling, 3 unique developmental trajectories were identified: Resilient, Clinical‐Improving (PTSS in the clinical range at baseline then declining over time), and Borderline‐Stable (chronically subclinical PTSS). Children in the Clinical‐Improving group were more likely than children in the Resilient group to have reports of physical abuse (RRR = 1.76), emotional abuse (RRR = 2.55), neglect (RRR = 1.57), and exposure to violence at home and in the community (RRR = 1.04). Children in the Borderline‐Stable group were more likely than children in the Resilient group to have a CPS history of neglect (RRR = 2.44) and exposure to violence at home and in the community (RRR = 1.04). Many children living in high‐risk environments exhibit resilience to PTSS, but exposure to witnessed violence and neglect appear to put children at chronic risk for poor adjustment. These children may require more intensive, integrated clinical services that attend to multiple adverse experiences.
Current Concepts in the Treatment of Multiple System Atrophy
Authors: Perez‐Lloret Santiago , Flabeau Olivier , Fernagut Pierre‐Olivier , Pavy‐Le Traon Anne , Rey María Verónica , Foubert‐Samier Alexandra , Tison Francois , Rascol Olivier , Meissner Wassilios G. 
Published: February 2015

AbstractMSA is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by autonomic failure and a variable combination of poor levodopa‐responsive parkinsonism and cerebellar ataxia (CA). Current therapeutic management is based on symptomatic treatment. Almost one third of MSA patients may benefit from l‐dopa for the symptomatic treatment of parkinsonism, whereas physiotherapy remains the best therapeutic option for CA. Only midodrine and droxidopa were found to be efficient for neurogenic hypotension in double‐blind, controlled studies, whereas other symptoms of autonomic failure may be managed with off‐label treatments. To date, no curative treatment is available for MSA. Recent results of neuroprotective and ‐restorative trials have provided some hope for future advances. Considerations for future clinical trials are also discussed in this review.
Photocurrent enhancement in thin‐film silicon solar cells by combination of anti‐reflective sub‐wavelength structures and light‐trapping textures
Authors: Sai Hitoshi , Matsui Takuya , Saito Kimihiko , Kondo Michio , Yoshida Isao 
Published: February 2015

AbstractDielectric films with anti‐reflective sub‐wavelength structures are applied to thin‐film silicon solar cells to improve the light incoupling at the front surface. It is verified that modification of the refractive index of the incident medium using dielectric films with sub‐wavelength structures is beneficial to reduce the average reflectivity of Si solar cells with an anti‐reflective coating based on optical interference. It is also shown that the sub‐wavelength structure must be combined with a proper light‐trapping texture to enhance the absorption within thin‐film silicon solar cells. The effectiveness of dielectric films with sub‐wavelength structures is demonstrated by an increase of the short‐circuit current density of a microcrystalline silicon cell from 29.1 to 30.4 mA/cm2 in a designated area of 1 cm2. The optical interplay between the dielectric films and the light‐trapping textures is also discussed. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Iodonium‐polyoxometalate and thianthrenium‐polyoxometalate as new one‐component UV photoinitiators for radical and cationic polymerization
Authors: Mokbel Haifaa , Xiao Pu , Simonnet‐Jégat Corine , Dumur Frederic , Gigmes Didier , Toufaily Joumana , Hamieh Tayssir , Fouassier Jean Pierre , Lalevée Jacques 
Published: February 2015

ABSTRACTFour novel onium salts (onium‐polyoxometalate) have been synthesized and characterized. They contain a diphenyliodonium or a thianthrenium (TH) moiety and a polyoxomolybdate or a polyoxotungstate as new counter anions. Outstandingly, these counter anions are photochemically active and can sensitize the decomposition of the iodonium or TH moiety through an intramolecular electron transfer. The phenyl radicals generated upon UV light irradiation (Xe–Hg lamp) are very efficient to initiate the radical polymerization of acrylates. Cations are also generated for the cationic polymerization of epoxides. Remarkably, these novel iodonium and TH salts are characterized by a higher reactivity compared with that of the diphenyliodonium hexafluorophosphate and the commercial TH salt, respectively. Interpenetrating polymer networks can also be obtained under air through a concomitant cationic/radical photopolymerization of an epoxy/acrylate blend (monomer conversions > 65%). The photochemical mechanisms are studied by steady‐state photolysis, cyclic voltammetry, and electron spin resonance techniques. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2015, 53, 981–989
Synthesis, characterization, and properties of vinyl‐terminated copolysiloxanes containing trifluoropropyl and 4‐trifluoromethylphenyl groups
Authors: Fei Hua‐Feng , Gao Xiyin , Han Xiaojie , Wang Qian , Hu Tao , Zhang Zhijie , Xie Zemin 
Published: February 2015

ABSTRACTNovel fluorine containing siloxane monomer, namely, 4‐trifluoromethylphenylmethyl cyclosiloxane (PF3) and mixed cyclosiloxane including both 4‐trifluoromethylphenylmethyl siloxane (P) unit and trifluoropropyl siloxane (F) unit were successfully synthesized in this study. Furthermore, their series including vinyl‐terminated copolymers with different compositions were synthesized. The microstructures of copolymers were investigated by1H NMR,29Si NMR,19F NMR, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The results of characterizations confirmed that the copolymers exhibited random microstructure. Moreover, the analysis of the result of DSC also revealed that the copolymers had a low glass transition temperature. The thermogravimetric analysis indicated that poly(4‐trifluoromethylphenylmethyl)siloxane (PPF3) exhibited higher thermal stability than conventional fluorosilicones rubber (FSR). The dynamic mechanical analysis showed that the damping factors of these copolymers were greater than 0.3 in a wide range of temperature. The mass swelling ratios were less than 5.5% when the samples were immersed in No. 3 jet fuel for a month. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem.2015,53, 1023–1031
Thermodynamic binding analysis of Notch transcription complexes from Drosophila melanogaster
Authors: Contreras Ashley N. , Yuan Zhenyu , Kovall Rhett A. 
Published: February 2015

AbstractNotch is an intercellular signaling pathway that is highly conserved in metazoans and is essential for proper cellular specification during development and in the adult organism. Misregulated Notch signaling underlies or contributes to the pathogenesis of many human diseases, most notably cancer. Signaling through the Notch pathway ultimately results in changes in gene expression, which is regulated by the transcription factor CSL. Upon pathway activation, CSL forms a ternary complex with the intracellular domain of the Notch receptor (NICD) and the transcriptional coactivator Mastermind (MAM) that activates transcription from Notch target genes. While detailed in vitro studies have been conducted with mammalian and worm orthologous proteins, less is known regarding the molecular details of the Notch ternary complex in Drosophila. Here we thermodynamically characterize the assembly of the fly ternary complex using isothermal titration calorimetry. Our data reveal striking differences in the way the RAM (RBP‐J associated molecule) and ANK (ankyrin) domains of NICD interact with CSL that is specific to the fly. Additional analysis using cross‐species experiments suggest that these differences are primarily due to fly CSL, while experiments using point mutants show that the interface between fly CSL and ANK is likely similar to the mammalian and worm interface. Finally, we show that the binding of the fly RAM domain to CSL does not affect interactions of the corepressor Hairless with CSL. Taken together, our data suggest species‐specific differences in ternary complex assembly that may be significant in understanding how CSL regulates transcription in different organisms.
Density of α4β2* nAChR on the surface of neurons is modulated by chronic antagonist exposure
Authors: Zambrano Cristian A. , Short Caitlin A. , Salamander Rakel M. , Grady Sharon R. , Marks Michael J. 
Published: February 2015

AbstractThe expression of high‐affinity α4β2* nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChR) increases following chronic exposure to nicotinic agonists. While, nAChR antagonists can also produce upregulation, these changes are often less pronounced than achieved with agonists. It is unknown if nAChR agonists and antagonists induce receptor upregulation by the same mechanisms. In this study, primary neuronal cultures prepared from cerebral cortex, hippocampus, diencephalon, and midbrain/hindbrain of C57BL/6J mouse embryos were treated chronically with nicotine (agonist), mecamylamine (noncompetitive antagonist) or dihydro‐β‐erythroidine (competitive antagonist) or the combination of nicotine with each antagonist. The distribution of intracellular and surface [125I]epibatidine‐binding sites were subsequently measured. Treatment with 1 μmol/L nicotine upregulated intracellular and cell surface [125I]epibatidine binding after 96 h. Chronic dihydro‐β‐erythroidine (10 μmol/L) treatment also increased [125I]epibatidine binding on the cell surface; however, mecamylamine was ineffective in upregulating receptors by itself. The combination of 1 μmol/L nicotine plus 10 μmol/L mecamylamine elicited a significantly higher upregulation than that achieved by treatment with nicotine alone due to an increase of [125I]epibatidine binding on the cell surface. This synergistic effect of mecamylamine and nicotine was found in neuronal cultures from all four brain regions. Chronic treatment with nicotine concentrations as low as 10 nmol/L produced upregulation of [125I]epibatidine binding. However, the effect of mecamylamine was observed only after coincubation with nicotine concentrations equal to or greater than 100 nmol/L. Vesicular trafficking was required for both nicotine and nicotine plus mecamylamine‐induced upregulation. Results presented here support the idea of multiple mechanisms for nAChR upregulation.
A single‐dose mass balance and metabolite‐profiling study of vemurafenib in patients with metastatic melanoma
Authors: Goldinger Simone M. , Rinderknecht Jeannine , Dummer Reinhard , Kuhn Felix Pierre , Yang Kuo‐Hsiung , Lee Lucy , Ayala Ruben C. , Racha Jagdish , Geng Wanping , Moore David , Liu Mei , Joe Andrew K. , Bazan Selby Patricia Gil , Grippo Joseph F. 
Published: February 2015

AbstractVemurafenib, a selective inhibitor of oncogenic BRAF kinase carrying the V600 mutation, is approved for treatment of advanced BRAF mutation–positive melanoma. This study characterized mass balance, metabolism, rates/routes of elimination, and disposition of 14C‐labeled vemurafenib in patients with metastatic melanoma. Seven patients with metastatic BRAF‐mutated melanoma received unlabeled vemurafenib 960 mg twice daily for 14 days. On the morning of day 15, patients received 14C‐labeled vemurafenib 960 mg (maximum 2.56 MBq [69.2 μCi]). Thereafter, patients resumed unlabeled vemurafenib (960 mg twice daily). Blood, urine, and feces were collected for metabolism, pharmacokinetic, and dose recovery analysis. Within 18 days after dose, ~95% of 14C‐vemurafenib–related material was recovered from feces (94.1%) and urine (<1%). The parent compound was the predominant component (95%) in plasma. The mean plasma elimination half‐life of 14C‐vemurafenib–related material was 71.1 h. Each metabolite accounted for <0.5% and ≤6% of the total administered dose in urine and feces, respectively (0–96 h postdose). No new metabolites were detected. Vemurafenib was well‐tolerated. Excretion of vemurafenib via bile into feces is considered the predominant elimination route from plasma with minor renal elimination (<1%).