bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Contribution of Inflammation and Bone Destruction to Pain in Arthritis: A Study in Murine Glucose‐6‐Phosphate Isomerase–Induced Arthritis
Authors: Ebbinghaus Matthias , Müller Sylvia , Segond von Banchet Gisela , Eitner Annett , Wank Isabel , Hess Andreas , Hilger Ingrid , Kamradt Thomas , Schaible Hans‐Georg
Published: July 2019

Objective

Arthritis is often characterized by inflammation and bone destruction. This study was undertaken to investigate the contribution of inflammation and bone destruction to pain.

Methods

Inflammation, bone resorption, pain‐related behaviors, and molecular markers (activating transcription factor 3 [ATF‐3], p‐CREB, and transient receptor potential vanilloid channel 1) in sensory neurons were measured in murine glucose‐6‐phosphate isomerase (G6PI)–induced arthritis, a model of rheumatoid arthritis. Depletion of Treg cells before immunization changed self‐limiting arthritis into nonremitting arthritis with pronounced bone destruction. Zoledronic acid (ZA) was administered to reduce bone resorption.

Results

Compared to nondepleted mice, Treg cell–depleted mice exhibited arthritis with more severe bone destruction and higher guarding scores (P < 0.05; n = 10 mice per group) as well as more persistent thermal hyperalgesia (P < 0.05), but displayed similar mechanical hyperalgesia at the hindpaws (n = 18–26 mice per group). These pain‐related behaviors, as well as an up‐regulation of the neuronal injury marker ATF‐3 in sensory neurons (studied in 39 mice), appeared before the clinical score (inflammation) became positive and persisted in Treg cell–depleted and nondepleted mice. In the late stage of arthritis, Treg cell–depleted mice treated with ZA showed less bone resorption (<50%; P < 0.01) and less thermal hyperalgesia (P < 0.01) than Treg cell–depleted mice without ZA treatment (n = 15 mice per group), but ZA treatment did not reduce the clinical score and local mechanical hyperalgesia.

Conclusion

Pain‐related behaviors precede and outlast self‐limiting arthritis. In nonremitting arthritis with enhanced bone destruction, mainly local thermal, but not local mechanical, hyperalgesia was aggravated. The up‐regulation of ATF‐3 indicates an early and persisting affection of sensory neurons by G6PI‐induced arthritis.
Understanding and Information in the Work of Visual Artists
Authors: Gorichanaz Tim
Published: July 2019

To better account for information behavior in everyday life, the field must more fully explore information phenomena in the lifeworld, that is, information experience. This article shows that one way to do this is through the concept of understanding. Visual art is identified as an illuminating domain for an initial foray into such research. This article presents findings from a phenomenology‐of‐practice study of the information behavior of visual artists. Seven local artists documented their experiences creating self‐portraits, and semistructured follow‐up interviews were conducted. The findings show how these participants built understanding with information in their work of creating individual self‐portraits. These understandings fall into two categories: of the self and of the artistic process. Many forms of information, traditional and novel, contribute to these understandings; examples of the latter include memories, the lived environment, profound experiences, and online browsing. These findings extend the literature on artists' information behavior, connect everyday information behavior to information experience, and illustrate a method for studying understanding empirically in information science. The article closes by discussing the meaning of these findings for the future of information science, suggesting that the kinds of information employed by artists might be recognized and appreciated more widely throughout society.
Maternal exposure to ambient cadmium levels, maternal smoking during pregnancy, and congenital diaphragmatic hernia
Authors: Ramakrishnan Rema , Stuart Amy L. , Salemi Jason L. , Chen Henian , O'Rourke Kathleen , Kirby Russell S.
Published: July 2019

Background

Congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) is a rare musculoskeletal birth defect with a prevalence of 2.61 per 10,000 in the United States. There is limited evidence for ambient air pollutants in the etiology of CDH in humans.

Objectives

We investigated the role of maternal exposure to ambient cadmium as a risk factor for CDH (overall and stratified by isolated and non‐isolated subtypes) in Florida and whether maternal smoking during pregnancy was an effect modifier of this association.

Methods

We conducted a population‐based, retrospective cohort study using data from the 1999–2012 Florida Birth Defects Registry linked to the National Air Toxic Assessment database. Analyses included chi–square tests; multilevel Poisson regression models to calculate measures of association between cadmium and CDH; and stratified analyses to examine effect modification by maternal smoking status.

Results

The study population consisted of 2,591,395 live births including 840 CDH cases. We did not find evidence for an association between maternal exposure to ambient cadmium concentration and CDH. We observed a 24% increased risk of CDH among isolated cases in the highest quartile of cadmium exposure (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.00, 1.55). Although we were limited by small sample size for CDH cases, we found that among mothers who smoked during pregnancy, exposure to the highest quartile of cadmium was associated with more than two times higher risk for CDH among overall (95%CI: 1.04, 4.39) and isolated (95%CI: 1.07, 5.57) cases.

Conclusions

Additional research is needed to elucidate the mechanism by which maternal ambient cadmium exposure may increase the risk of CDH in offspring, and the extent to which maternal smoking during pregnancy modifies this association.
Effect of preferential solvation and bimolecular quenching reactions on 3OCE in acetonitrile and 1,4‐dioxane binary mixtures by optical absorption and fluorescence studies
Authors: Muttannavar V.T. , Melavanki Raveendra , Sharma Kalpana , Vaijayanthimala S. , Shelar Vikas M. , Patil S.S. , Naik L.R.
Published: July 2019

Fluorescence quenching and preferential solvation of a coumarin derivative, namely 3‐[2‐oxo‐2‐(2‐oxo‐2H‐chromen‐3‐yl)‐ethylidene]‐1,3‐dihydro‐indol‐2‐one (3OCE), with aniline used as a quencher in solvent mixtures of acetonitrile (AN) and 1,4‐dioxane (DX) was carried out at steady state. Suppan's theory of dielectric enrichment was used to understand the nonideality and dielectric enrichment in AN–DX solvent mixtures. The effect of viscosity and dielectric constant variation at room temperature were analyzed. Quenching was characterized using Stern–Volmer plots with an upward curvature. It was found that 3OCE underwent combined static and dynamic quenching that was evident from the quenching rate parameters.
Combination of metformin and luteolin synergistically protects carbon tetrachloride‐induced hepatotoxicity: Mechanism involves antioxidant, anti‐inflammatory, antiapoptotic, and Nrf2/HO‐1 signaling pathway
Authors: Yan Yang , Jun Chen , Lu Yang , Jiangmei Song
Published: July 2019

Liver diseases are one of the fatal disorders due to the vital role of the liver. Carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) is the most perceived chemical substance utilized in developing models of hepatic damage. Metformin (Met) is a potent antidiabetic and redox modulatory agent that has shown anticancer and protective effects on various organs. Therefore, addition of therapy with natural antioxidative agents or herbal extracts shows defensive impacts against different injuries inside the body. Luteolin (Lut) can be found in several customary Chinese remedies. It has been reported for various pharmacological actions such as antitumor, antioxidative, and anti‐inflammatory impacts. Here, the liver injury rat model was established using CCl4 (1.00 mL/kg body weight) in vivo. The protective roles of Met and Lut separately or in combination were observed in hepatotoxicity induced by CCl4. The result was shown that both Met and Lut, while individually used, were normally active in diminishing CCl4‐caused hepatotoxicity. The combination of two drugs performed synergistically to improve liver damage caused by CCl4, as shown by the considerably improved liver dysfunction. Met and Lut showed highly antioxidative effects on CCl4‐treated rats moderately by increasing the activities and expression of the antioxidant enzymes. Along with this, a combination of Met and Lut significantly suppressed inflammatory responses, which is evidenced by the reduced level of inflammatory cytokines together with interleukin 1 beta (IL‐1β), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF‐α), and interleukin 6 (IL‐6). Additionally, CCl4‐agitated apoptosis was intensely reduced by Met and Lut through reducing cleaved caspase‐3 and Bax (pro‐apoptotic factor) while increasing Bcl‐2 (antiapoptotic factor) signaling pathways. Cotreatments of Met and Lut upregulated nuclear factor erythroid 2‐related factor 2 (NRF2) and heme oxygenase‐1 (HO‐1) expression in the CCl4‐intoxicated rat's liver. The above result recommended that combination of Met and Lut may have a substantial potential and synergizing impact against CCl4‐induced hepatotoxicity.
Withaferin A reverses bile duct ligation‐induced liver fibrosis by modulating extracellular matrix deposition: Role of LOXL2/Snail1, vimentin, and NFκB signaling
Authors: Sayed Nilofer , Khurana Amit , Saifi Mohd Aslam , Singh Mandip , Godugu Chandraiah
Published: July 2019

Herein, we studied the effect of Withaferin A (WFA) in reversing bile duct ligation (BDL)‐induced liver fibrosis. BDL was performed on C57BL/6J mice and 2 days later, WFA (1 and 3 mg/kg) was administered for 12 days. Estimation of liver enzymes and assays for lipid peroxidation, reduced glutathione, and nitrite levels were performed. Picrosirius red, Masson's trichrome, and H&E staining were performed to study histological changes. WFA proved to be a holistic intervention for the attenuation and reversal of liver fibrosis. Reduction in inflammatory stimulus and oxidative stress restored the levels of stress‐related chaperone Hsp70 (p < .001 vs. BDL) in WFA treated groups. We found 3.59‐fold (p < .001) and 1.37‐fold (p < .01) reduction in the expression of lysyl oxidase like2 (LOXL2) and Snail1, respectively, in WFA‐treated animals as compared with BDL animals. These reductions led to 1.9‐fold (p < .001) elevation in levels of E‐cadherin signifying the reversal of epithelial to mesenchymal transition by WFA. Further, the reduction in LOXL2 levels enhanced the susceptibility of fibrotic scar toward degradation. The picrosirius red and Masson's trichrome staining done on liver tissue sections supported the above results. We, for the first time, report the role of WFA in modulating the expression of LOXL2 and Snail1 in addition to vimentin inhibition and regulation of NFκB signaling for the treatment of liver fibrosis.
Qualitative and quantitative evaluation of Oroxylum indicum (L.) Kurz by HPLC and LC‐qTOF‐MS/MS
Authors: Peng Qian , Shang Xueying , Zhu Chenchen , Qin Shengying , Zhou Yuan , Liao Qiongfeng , Zhang Ren , Zhao Zhongxiang , Zhang Lei
Published: July 2019

Oroxylum indicum, as a popular functional Chinese herbal medicine for reducing hyperactivity, relieving sore throat, smoothing the liver and adjusting stomach, mainly contains flavonoids. In this study, we aimed to establish a fast and sensitive method that enables to analyze the chemical components in O. indicum qualitatively and quantitatively. First, a total of 42 components were characterized by LC‐quadrupole time‐of‐flight (qTOF)‐tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS), including 23 flavonoid glycosides, 13 flavonoids and six other types of compounds. Then, 17 characteristic components of the 19 common peaks in the chromatographic fingerprints of O. indicum were confirmed. Fifty samples were classified into two groups by hierarchical clustering analysis and orthogonal partial least squares‐discriminant analysis, which also identified the 10 main chemical markers responsible for differences between samples. Last, the quantitative analysis of multiple components with a single marker method was established for simultaneous determination of six main active components in O. indicum by LC‐UV with oroxin B was chosen as internal reference substance. Finally, a rapid and efficient method integrating HPLC with LC‐electrospray ionization‐qTOF‐MS/MS analysis was established to comprehensively discriminate and assess the quality of O. indicum samples.
Solvothermal Synthesis of Mesoporous 3D‐CuCo2O4 Hollow Tubes as Efficient Electrocatalysts for Methanol Electro‐Oxidation
Authors: Tiongco Diane Clare M. , Jadhav Harsharaj S. , Roy Animesh , Seo Jeong Gil
Published: July 2019

Transition metal oxides have attracted attention as promising electrode materials for energy storage and conversion devices with high electrochemical activity and stability. In this study, a simple and cost‐effective solvothermal synthesis of rectangular 3D CuCo2O4 hollow tubes have been developed for methanol electro‐oxidation application. Electrochemical analysis shows that CuCo2O4 hollow tubes exhibit superior electrochemical performance in terms of current density and cycling stability, with 75 mA cm−2 and 90 % retention rate after 1000 cycles, respectively. The high electrochemical performances are mainly due to the morphological structure of CuCo2O4 hollow tubes, which possess high surface area and porosity, resulting to a faster electron‐ion transfer, enhanced reactivity and stability. Given that the synthesis of CuCo2O4 hollow tubes involve a facile and cost‐effective technique, the present approach, thus, opens a new era to novel materials for large‐scale processes in different electrochemical applications.
Sustainability Index to Assess the Environmental Impact of Heat Supply Systems
Authors: Hehenberger-Risse Diana , Straub Julia , Niechoj Diana , Lutzenberger Alexa
Published: July 2019

A sustainable heat supply is studied by defining indicators to evaluate local heat supply systems based on renewable energies compared to fossil energy reference scenarios. Besides the energy production, the evaluation considers the heat distribution network and long‐term storage. The indicators include ecological, economic, and social aspects.
Electronic Properties, Phase Transformation, and Anionic Redox of Monoclinic Na2MnO3 Cathode Material for Sodium‐Ion Batteries: First‐Principle Calculations
Authors: Gao Xinying , Wang Dashuai , Lian Ruqian , Kan Dongxiao , Mamoor Muhammad , Wang Chunzhong , Chen Gang , Gao Chunge , Wei Yingjin
Published: July 2019

The high electrochemical performance of Li2MnO3‐derived Li‐rich layered oxides suggests that Na2MnO3 might be a promising cathode material for sodium‐ion batteries for its effective anionic oxygen redox. However, experimental and theoretical evidence for anionic redox and enhanced Na+ capacity of Na2MnO3 has not been established. In the present work, the structural and thermal stability, and the anionic oxygen redox mechanism of Na2MnO3 were studied by using first‐principle calculations based on density functional theory. About 1.75 Na+ per formula unit were extracted from Na2‐xMnO3 through partial O2− oxidation while the local structure remained intact, resulting in a large theoretical capacity of 315 mA h g−1. Surface Na+ was extracted before bulk Na+, which might have led to oxygen loss and structural transformation from the surface to the material bulk. Given the importance of high capacity in practical applications, Na2MnO3 and its derived Na‐rich layered oxides might be considered promising cathode materials for sodium ion batteries.
The personality disorders and money beliefs and behaviors
Authors: Furnham Adrian
Published: July 2019

Just over 400 participants completed a measure of the personality disorders (PDs) (the Coolidge Axis‐II Inventory – Short Form measuring 14 dimensions) and one of money beliefs (The New Money Attitudes Test measuring five factors). Correlational analysis showed few significant age, gender, and educational relationships to the five money factors but that the PDs were consistently related to many of the factors. Regressions revealed that the PDs were most strongly related to two factors: Power and Prestige and Financial Literacy Worries factors. The regressions accounted for almost a quarter of the variance in the outcome variables. Implications of the findings are discussed in terms of the origin of money beliefs. Limitations are noted.
Enantioselectivity Induced by Stereoselective Interlocking: A Novel Core Motif for Tropos Ligands
Authors: Scholtes Jan Felix , Trapp Oliver
Published: July 2019

Well‐defined supramolecular interactions are a powerful tool to control the stereochemistry of a catalytic reaction. In this paper, we report a novel core motif for fluxional 2,2′‐biphenyl ligands carrying (S)‐amino acid‐derived interaction sites in 5,5′‐position that cause spontaneous enrichment of the Rax rotamer. The process is based on strong non‐covalent interlocking between interaction sites, which causes diastereoselective formation of a supramolecular ligand dimer, in which the axial chirality of the two subunits is dictated by the stereochemical information in the amino acid residues. The detailed structure of the dimer was elucidated by NMR spectroscopy and single‐crystal X‐ray analysis. Three different phosphorus‐based ligand types, namely a bisphosphine, a bisphosphinite and a phosphoramidite were synthesized and characterized. Whereas the first one was found to exist in a strongly weighted equilibrium, the two others each exhibited stereoconvergent behavior transforming into the diastereopure Rax rotamer. Enriched ligands were used in rhodium‐mediated asymmetric hydrogenation reactions of prochiral olefins in which very high enantioselectivities of up to 96:4 were achieved.
Tuning the Electron Storage Potential of a Charge‐Photoaccumulating RuII Complex by a DFT‐Guided Approach
Authors: Randell Nicholas M. , Rendon Julia , Demeunynck Martine , Bayle Pierre‐Alain , Gambarelli Serge , Artero Vincent , Mouesca Jean‐Marie , Chavarot‐Kerlidou Murielle
Published: July 2019

Molecular photosensitizers that are able to store multiple reducing equivalents are of great interest in the field of solar fuel production, where most reactions involve multielectronic reduction processes. In order to increase the reducing power of a ruthenium tris‐diimine charge‐photoaccumulating complex, two structural modifications on its fused dipyridophenazine‐pyridoquinolinone ligand were computationally investigated. Addition of an electron‐donating oxime group was calculated to substantially decrease the reduction potentials of the complex, thus guiding the synthesis of a pyridoquinolinone‐oxime derivative. Its spectroscopic and (spectro)electrochemical characterization experimentally confirmed the DFT predictions, with the first and second reduction processes cathodically shifted by −0.24 and −0.14 V, respectively, compared to the parent complex. Moreover, the ability of this novel artificial photosynthetic system to store two photogenerated electrons at a more reducing potential, via a proton‐coupled electron‐transfer mechanism, was demonstrated.
Five‐Membered Ruthenacycles: Ligand‐Assisted Alkyne Insertion into 1,3‐N,S‐Chelated Ruthenium Borate Species
Authors: Zafar Mohammad , Ramalakshmi Rongala , Pathak Kriti , Ahmad Asif , Roisnel Thierry , Ghosh Sundargopal
Published: July 2019

Building upon previous work, the chemistry of [(η6‐p‐cymene)Ru{P(OMe)2OR}Cl2], (R=H or Me) has been extended with [H2B(mbz)2]−(mbz=2‐mercaptobenzothiazolyl) using different Ru precursors and borate ligands. As a result, a series of 1,3‐N,S‐chelated ruthenium borate complexes, for example, [(κ2‐N,S‐L)PR3Ru{κ3‐H,S,S’−H2B(L)2}], (2 a–dand2 a’–d’; R=Ph, Cy, OMe or OPh and L=C5H4NS or C7H4NS2) and [Ru{κ3‐H,S,S’‐H2B(L)2}2], (3: L=C5H4NS,3’: L=C7H4NS2) were isolated upon treatment of [(η6‐p‐cymene)RuCl2PR3],1 a–d(R=Ph, Cy, OMe or OPh) with [H2B(mp)2]−or [H2B(mbz)2]−ligands (mp=2‐mercaptopyridyl). All the Ru borate complexes,2 a–dand2 a’–d’are stabilized by phosphine/phosphite and hemilabile N,S‐chelating ligands. Treatment of these Ru borate species,2 a’–c’with various terminal alkynes yielded two different types of five‐membered ruthenacycle species, namely [PR3{C7H4S2‐(E)‐N‐C=CH(R’)}Ru{κ3‐H,S,S’−H2B(L)2}], (4–4’; R=Ph and R’=CO2Me or C6H4NO2; L=C7H4NS2) and [PR3{C7H4NS‐(E)‐S‐C=CH(R’)}Ru{κ3‐H,S,S’−H2B(L)2}], (5–5’,6and7; R=Ph, Cy or OMe and R’=CO2Me or C6H4NO2; L=C7H4NS2). All these five‐membered ruthenacycle species contain an exocyclic C=C moiety, presumably formed by the insertion of a terminal alkyne into the Ru−N and Ru−S bonds. The new species have been characterized spectroscopically and the structures were further confirmed by single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction analysis. Theoretical studies and chemical‐bonding analyses established that charge transfer occurs from phosphorus to ruthenium center following the trend PCy3<PPh3<P(OPh)3<P(OMe)3.
The Rise of Phosphaethynolate Chemistry in Early Transition Metals, Actinides, and Rare‐Earth Complexes
Authors: Grant Lauren N. , Mindiola Daniel J.
Published: July 2019

In the last seven years, chemistry of the phosphaethynolate reagent, Na(OCP)(1,4‐dioxane)2.5, has seen a surge in organic and inorganic chemistry—A renaissance to cyanate chemistry in a new guise. Whereas there have been many reports of main group reactivity with [OCP]−, largely from group 14, in more recent times the use of electropositive metals has garnered significant interest given their ability to disguise in various oxidation states. Herein, we report and discuss advances in such studies of [OCP]− with early transition metal and f‐block metal scaffolds.
Carbocatalytic Oxidative Dehydrogenative Couplings of (Hetero)Aryls by Oxidized Multi‐Walled Carbon Nanotubes in Liquid Phase
Authors: Wirtanen Tom , Aikonen Santeri , Muuronen Mikko , Melchionna Michele , Kemell Marianna , Davodi Fatemeh , Kallio Tanja , Hu Tao , Helaja Juho
Published: July 2019

HNO3‐oxidized carbon nanotubes catalyze oxidative dehydrogenative (ODH) carbon–carbon bond formation between electron‐rich (hetero)aryls with O2 as a terminal oxidant. The recyclable carbocatalytic method provides a convenient and an operationally easy synthetic protocol for accessing various benzofused homodimers, biaryls, triphenylenes, and related benzofused heteroaryls that are highly useful frameworks for material chemistry applications. Carbonyls/quinones are the catalytically active site of the carbocatalyst as indicated by model compounds and titration experiments. Further investigations of the reaction mechanism with a combination of experimental and DFT methods support the competing nature of acid‐catalyzed and radical cationic ODHs, and indicate that both mechanisms operate with the current material.
Beneficial effect of adding γ‐AlOOH to the γ‐Al2O3 washcoat of a PdO catalyst for methane oxidation
Authors: Almohamadi Hamad , Smith Kevin J.
Published: July 2019

The beneficial effect of adding γ‐AlOOH to the γ‐Al2O3 washcoat of a ceramic cordierite (2MgO · 2Al2O3 · 5SiO2) monolith, used to support a PdO catalyst, is reported for methane oxidation in the presence of water at low temperature (<500°C). The mini‐monolith (400 cells per square inch (CPI), 1 cm diameter × 2.54 cm length; ~52 cells) was washcoated using a suspension of γ‐Al2O3 plus boehmite (γ‐AlOOH), followed by calcination and then deposition of Pd by wet impregnation. An optimum solid content of 25 wt% in the washcoat suspension was used to obtain a ~25 wt% washcoat on the monolith. The presence of γ‐AlOOH enhanced the thermal and mechanical stability of the washcoat, provided that the γ‐AlOOH content was <8 wt%. Temperature‐programmed methane oxidation (TPO) showed that the addition of γ‐AlOOH to the γ‐Al2O3 washcoat decreased the catalyst activity. However, when H2O (2 vol% and 5 vol%) was present in the feed gas, the γ‐AlOOH improved the catalyst activity and stability. A γ‐AlOOH content of ~5 wt% in the washcoat was determined to provide the highest catalyst activity and stability for CH4 oxidation in the presence of water.
Elevation of high‐sensitivity cardiac troponin T at admission is associated with increased 3‐month mortality in acute ischemic stroke patients treated with thrombolysis
Authors: Sui Yi , Liu Ting , Luo Jianfeng , Xu Bing , Zheng Liqiang , Zhao Weijin , Guan Qi , Ren Li , Dong Chunyao , Xiao Ying , Qin Xue , Zhang Yao
Published: July 2019

Background

Elevated levels of cardiac troponin T (cTnT) have been associated with unfavorable outcomes in cardiac patients. However, no studies, to date, have discussed the prognostic value of high‐sensitivity cTnT (hs‐cTnT) in thrombolyzed patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS).

Hypothesis

We hypothesized that elevated levels of hs‐cTnT would be associated with poorer clinical outcomes in AIS patients treated with intravenous tissue‐type plasminogen activator (IV tPA).

Methods

From January 2017 to February 2018, a total of 241 AIS patients treated with IV tPA within 4.5 hours of onset were recruited. On admission, patients were stratified into either normal or elevated hs‐cTnT groups according to a cutoff value of 14 ng/L. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were conducted to identify determinants of hs‐cTnT elevation and to detect whether elevated hs‐cTnT was associated with disability and/or mortality.

Results

In multivariable regression analysis, older age (P < .001) and stroke etiology (P = .024) were significantly associated with elevated hs‐cTnT levels. After adjusting for demographic and clinical characteristics, hs‐cTnT elevation was still significantly associated with 14‐day major disability (modified Rankin Scale (mRS) 3‐5, model 1, P = .019, odds ratio [OR] 2.677; model 2, P = .015, OR 2.834), 14‐day composite unfavorable outcome (mRS 3‐6, model 1, P = .005, OR 3.525; model 2, P = .003, OR 3.976), 30‐day mortality (P = .049, OR 4.545) and 90‐day mortality (P = .049, OR 3.835).

Conclusions

Elevation of hs‐cTnT at admission is associated with an increased risk of 90‐day mortality in AIS patients treated with IV tPA.
Clostridium difficile infection in fever patients with gynecological malignancies
Authors: Yanazume Shintaro , Tokudome Akio , Fukuda Mika , Togami Shinichi , Kamio Masaki , Ota Shunichiro , Kobayashi Hiroaki
Published: July 2019

Background

Although Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) often results in severe manifestations due to toxin‐producing clostridium, the correlation between CDI and having a fever in gynecological malignancies is not completely understood.

Aims

The incidence, and clinical features, and clinical management of CDI in patients with gynecological malignancies who have fevers were investigated, and the clinical managements of this complication are discussed.

Methods and results

We retrospectively reviewed 485 patients newly diagnosed with invasive gynecological cancers who underwent anticancer treatment between July 2012 and December 2016. The diagnosis of CDI was performed using enzyme immunoassays for C difficile glutamate dehydrogenase and toxin A/B enzyme immunoassay. The cumulative risk of CDI was 9.5% (six of 63) in overall fever patients and 6.3% (six of 95) in patients with fever episodes. Two CDI patients (33.3%) did not show diarrheal symptoms, with the fever of unknown origin criteria prompting their CDI testing and diagnosis. CDI patients were treated using vancomycin or metronidazole without suffering from fatal clinical course. Overall, eight patients with gynecological malignancies were diagnosed with CDI, including two patients with fever lower than 38.5°C. The cumulative risk of CDI was 0.48% (eight of 1652) for all admitted patients and 1.6% (eight of 485) in those with gynecological malignancies. Of all the patients with confirmed CDI, only one had a history of administration of antibiotics prior to onset of CDI symptoms.

Conclusion

CDI does not always present with typical manifestations in malignancy patients. Investigation of CDI, regardless of gastrointestinal symptoms or history of antibiotic use, is warranted in cases of fever of unknown origin in gynecological malignancy.
Streptococcus mutans isolated from a 4‐year‐old girl diagnosed with infective endocarditis
Authors: Kondo Yoshio , Hoshino Tomonori , Ogawa Midori , Hidaka Kiyoshi , Hasuwa Tomoyuki , Moriuchi Hiroyuki , Fujiwara Taku
Published: July 2019

Objectives

Infective endocarditis (IE) has an extremely high fatality rate. In this study, we isolated a strain of Streptococcus mutans, which we called HM, from the blood drawn from a 4‐year‐old girl diagnosed with IE. We aimed to fully type the HM strain and investigate its biological properties, including its virulence with respect to IE.

Material and methods

A 16S rRNA phylogenetic tree and glucosyltransferase gene sequences were used to type HM. Serotyping was performed using the Ouchterlony method. Morphological observations were made using phase contrast and electron microscopy. Fibrinogen adhesion and biofilm formation were investigated to examine the tissue colonization properties of HM, whereas its bodily origin was determined from its fingerprinting pattern.

Results

The isolated strain was S. mutans serotype e. However, its morphology was observed to be short chains, unlike that of the NCTC 10449 reference strain. Fibrinogen adhesion and biofilm formation were more apparent than in NCTC 10449. The fingerprinting pattern showed that HM came from the patient's saliva.

Conclusions

HM differs from NCTC 10449 in its higher fibrinogen affinity. HM was also found to be derived from the oral cavity. These results highlight the importance of good oral hygiene for the prevention of IE in children.
An efficient voltage to delay conversion method for DCVSL cells and its application in high speed all‐digital time‐based quantization
Authors: Valiollahi Sepideh , Ardeshir Gholamreza
Published: July 2019

Translating the analog input voltage to delay of delay cells is a necessity for realizing digital time‐based quantization. Usually, this conversion is done through additional elements, imposing extra power and area. This paper proposes a voltage to delay conversion method for cross‐coupled differential cascode voltage switch logic (DCVSL) cells, without adding any extra elements to their basic structures. Cross‐coupled delay cells are superior to conventional CMOS inverters in terms of lower power consumption, propagation delay, and area. However, controlling their delay is a demanding task due to their asynchronous charging and discharging. The key features of the proposed method are (a) controlling the delay of DCVSL cells just by see‐saw changing of PMOS transistors source voltages; (b) reducing the propagation delays of DCVSL cells by simultaneously accelerating the charging and discharging processes; (c) reducing the power consumption by decreasing both the switching time and short‐circuit current; (d) employing the proposed voltage to delay conversion method to develop a low power, small area, all‐digital time‐based analog to digital converter (ADC). The proposed 4‐bit ADC, implemented in TSMC 65‐nm CMOS technology, consumes 0.37 mW at conversion speed of 2 GHz with SNDR 20.9 dB and SFDR 30.2 dB, and occupies an active area of 0.0029 mm2.
LARPA: A learning automata‐based resource provisioning approach for massively multiplayer online games in cloud environments
Authors: Aslanpour Mohammad Sadegh , Ghobaei‐Arani Mostafa , Heydari Morteza , Mahmoudi Nader
Published: July 2019

Nowadays, with the development of communication systems, massively multiplayer online games (MMOGs) have become very popular. In these games, the players all over the world dynamically interact with each other by sending play actions such as shootings, movements, or chatting in the form of MMOG sessions in real time through a large‐scale distributed environment. Leveraging affordable cloud computing to host such services is a widely investigated issue. It is because the arrival rate of players to the game environment has to make fluctuations, and the players expect services to be always available with an acceptable quality of service (QoS), especially in terms of the response time. Therefore, the dynamic provisioning of resources in order to deal with fluctuating demands due to variability in the arrival rate of players of the MMOG services is highly recommended. In this paper, we propose a learning‐based resource provisioning approach for MMOG services that is based on the combination of the autonomic computing paradigm and learning automata (LA). The remarkable performance of the proposed approach in terms of response time, cost, and allocated virtual machines (VMs) is assessed through simulation and comparison with the existing approaches.
Lateral facies variations in the Triassic Dachstein platform: A challenge for cyclostratigraphy
Authors: Samankassou Elias , Enos Paul
Published: July 2019

The Triassic Dachstein platform limestone at Steinernes Meer, Salzburg, Austria, includes 611 m of limestone with 222 peritidal cycles overlain by 273 m of subtidal, non‐cyclic and weakly cyclic limestone. Cycle patterns include both shoaling and deepening upward, symmetrical, truncated, and couplets without a depth vector. Beds are laterally discontinuous, and cycle bounding surfaces are laterally variable in the studied strata. Of 558 subtidal and intertidal beds measured, 121 (21.7%) disappear laterally. An additional 73 beds (13.1%) show significant (>10%) lateral variations in thickness. Mean thickness variation is 49%. Both lateral variations and terminations appear to lack a spatial vector. Disappearances toward the inferred platform interior (west) total 10% of the beds. East, toward the platform margin, 11.6% of the beds disappear. Thickness changes occur in 6.5% of beds in each direction. The lack of lateral continuity of beds precludes a simple allocyclic forcing model and is consistent with a non‐eustatic component to stratification. Erosion of intertidal intervals is the process that can be most readily documented. Non‐uniform rates of production, transport and distribution of sediments, superposed on stratigraphic sequences driven by eustasy, probably also contributed to the complex cycle patterns recorded in the Dachstein. Such composites of autocyclic and extrabasinal factors should not be uncritically interpreted as exclusive records of orbital forcing. Lateral discontinuities and thickness variations would also produce inaccuracies in spectral analysis of thickness patterns, typically conducted in search of ‘Milankovich frequencies’, as well as in construction of Fischer plots to analyse long‐period oscillations in accommodation. Any section subjected to cycle analysis should be examined for lateral changes, to the extent permitted by the exposures, in order to produce the most complete (composite) section possible.
Significance of fluid chemistry throughout diagenesis of aragonitic Porites corals – An experimental approach
Authors: Pederson Chelsea L. , Weiss Leonie , Mavromatis Vasileios , Rollion‐Bard Claire , Dietzel Martin , Neuser Rolf , Immenhauser Adrian
Published: July 2019

Marine carbonates are among the most important archives of environmental information in both modern and past environments. Widely used but particularly sensitive archives are the aragonitic skeletons of scleractinian corals. However, due to the metastable nature of aragonite, a multitude of chemical, mineralogical, and (micro)biological processes can lead to diagenetic alteration of these archives and their proxy information can be altered or lost. Here, hydrothermal alteration experiments were performed to create a better understanding of the diagenesis of an often‐utilized genus, Porites. Same‐specimen subsamples were heated in two fluid types and at two temperatures and durations, and their resulting alteration features were assessed to allow insight to the mechanisms and drivers of diagenetic modification. Experiments with fluid temperatures of 130°C induced remobilization and darkening of organic matrices, with no other evidence for alteration observed. In contrast, specimens exposed to a temperature of 160°C underwent significant diagenetic alteration dependent on fluid type. Fluid chemistry, particularly Mg/Ca ratios, was found to regulate the type of alteration (e.g. neomorphism or reprecipitation). Reaction with meteoric water resulted in almost complete neomorphism of the aragonite skeleton to blocky calcite, as well as significant exchange with the experimental fluid. In comparison, samples altered in the experimental burial fluids record no mineralogic or significant isotopic change, but instead, small‐scale dissolution–reprecipitation of the primary skeleton, along with the precipitation of pore‐filling aragonitic needle cements was observed. The δ18Ocarbonate data indicate transformation via dissolution–reprecipitation mechanisms depending on the degree and mechanism of diagenesis, and are strongly dependent on fluid chemistry. The main outcome of this work is that a multi‐proxy approach has the best potential to shed light on the interpretation of processes and pathways of aragonitic coral alteration. This study has implications for early alteration of carbonate archives within varying diagenetic fluids, with results aiding in the identification of past burial conditions.
Teachers' knowledge about language constructs related to literacy skills and student achievement in low socio‐economic status schools
Authors: Pittman Ramona T. , Zhang Shuai , Binks‐Cantrell Emily , Hudson Alida , Joshi R. Malatesha
Published: July 2019

Teachers' knowledge is a critical component to students learning to read proficiently. The present research sought to determine the literacy knowledge of 150 urban, elementary school teachers from 11 low socio‐economic schools in one of nation's largest cities. Teachers' ability to understand concepts relating to phonological awareness, phonemic awareness, alphabetic principle/phonics, and morphology as well as their knowledge about teaching these fundamental skills were assessed through a standardized measure. Using exploratory factor analysis to understand the latent constructs underlying the survey scores and hierarchical linear modelling on factor scores of each construct, the results revealed that teachers located in low socio‐economic status schools did not have explicit knowledge needed to effectively teach struggling readers. Although the teachers possessed a high level of knowledge regarding syllable counting skills, they lacked knowledge related to morphology. Practical implications are provided to assist teachers in increasing their literacy knowledge.
Should the Decisions of Institutional Review Boards Be Consistent?
Authors: Friesen Phoebe , Yusof Aimi Nadia Mohd , Sheehan Mark
Published: July 2019

In response to increasing concerns regarding inconsistency in the decision‐making of institutional review boards (IRBs), we introduce the decision‐maker's dilemma, which arises when complex, normative decisions must be made regularly. Those faced with such decisions can either develop a process of algorithmic decision‐making, in which consistency is ensured but many morally relevant factors are excluded from the process, or embrace discretionary decision‐making, which makes space for morally relevant factors to shape decisions but leads to decisions that are inconsistent. Based on an exploration of similarities between systems of criminal sentencing and of research ethics review, we argue for a discretionary system of decision‐making, even though it leads to more inconsistency than does an algorithmic system. We conclude with a discussion of some safeguards that could improve consistency while still making space for discretion to enter IRBs’ decision‐making processes.
How Do We Really Communicate?Challenging the Assumptions behind Informed Consent Interventions
Authors: Cargill Stephanie Solomon
Published: July 2019

It is generally accepted that ethical research requires valid informed consent and that current informed consent practice frequently fails to attain it. Interventions concerning the content and methods of communication in informed consent have met with limited success. One explanation is that they reflect an outdated and limited model of how communication functions, thetransmission model of communication. This model assumes that communication is linear, is limited in time, and succeeds when the content of a message is passed from one person to another without distortion. Later communication models have challenged the limitations and inaccuracies of this model, emphasizing the continuous, contextual, and relational nature of communication. Looking beyond these assumptions behind current interventions can open multiple paths of research and intervention that have the potential to affect and improve the informed consent process in much greater ways than have been achieved previously.
“Closer‐to‐home” strategy benefits juvenile survival in a long‐distance migratory bird
Authors: Cheng Yachang , Fiedler Wolfgang , Wikelski Martin , Flack Andrea
Published: July 2019

Human‐induced changes in the climate and environment that occur at an unprecedented speed are challenging the existence of migratory species. Faced with these new challenges, species with diverse and flexible migratory behaviors may suffer less from population decline, as they may be better at responding to these changes by altering their migratory behavior. At the individual level, variations in migratory behavior may lead to differences in fitness and subsequently influence the population's demographic dynamics. Using lifetime GPS bio‐logging data from 169 white storks (Ciconia ciconia), we explore whether the recently shortened migration distance of storks affects their survival during different stages of their juvenile life. We also explore how other variations in migratory decisions (i.e., time, destination), movement activity (measured using overall body dynamic acceleration), and early life conditions influence juvenile survival. We observed that their first autumn migration was the riskiest period for juvenile white storks. Individuals that migrated shorter distances and fledged earlier experienced lower mortality risks. In addition, higher movement activity and overwintering “closer‐to‐home” (with 84.21% of the tracked individuals stayed Europe or North Africa) were associated with higher survival. Our study shows how avian migrants can change life history decisions over only a few decades, and thus it helps us to understand and predict how migrants respond to the rapidly changing world.
Demographic and population responses of an apex predator to climate and its prey: a long‐term study of South Polar Skuas
Authors: Pacoureau Nathan , Delord Karine , Jenouvrier Stéphanie , Barbraud Christophe
Published: July 2019

Ecologists widely acknowledge that a complex interplay of endogenous (density‐dependent) and exogenous (density‐independent) factors impact demographic processes. Individuals respond differently to those forces, ultimately shaping the dynamics of wild populations. Most comprehensive studies disentangling simultaneously the effects of density dependence, climate, and prey abundance while taking into account age structure were conducted in terrestrial ecosystems. However, studies on marine populations are lacking. Here we provide insight into the mechanisms affecting four vital rates of an apex Antarctic marine predator population, the South Polar SkuaCatharacta maccormicki, by combining a nearly half‐century longitudinal time series of individual life histories and abundance data, with climatic and prey abundance covariates. Using multistate capture–mark–recapture models, we estimated age classes effects on survival, breeding, successful breeding with one or two chicks and successful breeding with two chicks probabilities, and assessed the different effects of population size, climate, and prey abundance on each age‐specific demographic parameter. We found evidence for strong age effects in the four vital rates studied. Vital rates at younger ages were lower than those of older age classes for all parameters. Results clearly evidenced direct and indirect influences of local climate (summer sea ice concentration), of available prey resources (penguins), and of intrinsic factors (size of the breeding population). More covariate effects were found on reproductive rates than on survival, and younger age classes were more sensitive than the older ones. Results from a deterministic age‐structured density‐dependent matrix population model indicated greater effects of prey abundance and sea ice concentration on the total population size than on the breeding population size. Both total population size and the number of breeders were strongly affected by low values of sea ice concentration. Overall, our results highlight the greater sensitivity of reproductive traits and of younger age classes to prey abundance, climate variability, and density dependence in a marine apex predator, with important consequences on the total population size but with limited effects on the breeding population size. We discuss the mechanisms by which climate variability, prey abundance, and population size may affect differentially age‐specific vital rates, and the potential population consequences of future environmental changes.
Do plant–microbe interactions and aluminum tolerance influence alpine sedge species’ responses to nitrogen deposition?
Authors: Potter Teal S. , Owens William M. , Bowman William D.
Published: July 2019

A common response of plant communities to increased nitrogen (N) deposition is a shift in species’ abundances. Multiple factors have been proposed to explain the changes in abundance, notably competition and soil acidification. We hypothesized that a plant species that decreased in abundance with elevated N would have lower ectomycorrhizal fungi, altered root‐associated bacteria communities, and/or greater susceptibility to Al toxicity than a species that increased in abundance with increasing N deposition. We examined changes in plant–microbe associations and Al toxicity in two dominant species from an alpine dry meadow community subjected to long‐term low‐level N addition. Carex rupestris has increased in cover over time with N addition and Kobresia myosuroides has decreased. We conducted field sampling of soil microbes from treatment plots and tested whether field levels of Al have toxic effects on sedge species in a greenhouse study. Declines in ectomycorrhizal infection of Cenococcum geophilum occurred on Kobresia with increasing N treatment. In contrast, neither Al level nor changes in bacteria community composition corresponded with the change in cover of sedge species. Decreased ectomycorrhizal infection may have contributed to the decrease in abundance of Kobresia. This study contributes to an understanding of the types of plant–soil interactions that may influence how plant species respond to N deposition and rejects Al toxicity and changes in bacteria composition as factors that likely play a role in changes in sedge abundance.