bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Longitudinal changes of right ventricular deformation mechanics during trastuzumab therapy in breast cancer patients
Authors: Keramida Kalliopi , Farmakis Dimitrios , Bingcang Jose , Sulemane Samir , Sutherland Stephanie , Bingcang Roma A. , Ramachandran Kanchana , Tzavara Chara , Charalampopoulos Georgios , Filippiadis Dimitrios , Kouris Nikolaos , Nihoyannopoulos Petros
Published: February 2019

Background

Trastuzumab improves dramatically the prognosis of HER2‐positive breast cancer patients, but it may lead to cardiotoxicity with left ventricular (LV) systolic dysfunction. Its effects on right ventricular (RV) function have not however been elucidated. We sought to assess LV and RV deformation mechanics during treatment with trastuzumab in breast cancer patients.

Methods and results

We studied 101 consecutive women (mean age 54.3 ± 11.4 years) receiving trastuzumab for 12 months; 62 of them (61.4%) had previously received anthracyclines and 26 (25.7%) were receiving taxanes concurrently with trastuzumab. Comprehensive two‐dimensional echocardiography with speckle tracking imaging of LV and RV global longitudinal strain (GLS) and RV free wall longitudinal strain (FWLS) analyses were performed at baseline and every 3 months up to treatment completion. Cardiotoxicity was defined as a decrease of baseline LV ejection fraction > 10 percentage units to a value < 50%. At 3 months, only LV GLS was significantly reduced (−19.5 ± 2.7 to −18.7 ± 2.8, P = 0.0410), while at 6 months, LV GLS, RV GLS and RV FWLS had significantly declined reaching their lowest values (−17.9 ± 6.1, P = 0.002, −19.6 ± 5.2, P = 0.003 and −19.7 ± 5.6, P = 0.004, respectively). Ten women (9.9%) developed cardiotoxicity. A RV GLS percent change of −14.8% predicted cardiotoxicity with 66.7% sensitivity and 70.8% specificity (area under the curve 0.68, 95% confidence interval 0.54–0.81), classifying correctly 90% of women with cardiotoxicity. This cut‐off is quite similar to the 15% change of LV GLS previously suggested as predictive of cardiotoxicity.

Conclusions

Deformation mechanics of both the left and right ventricle follow similar temporal pattern and degree of impairment during trastuzumab therapy, confirming the global and uniform effect of trastuzumab on myocardial function.
Unprecedented Asymmetric Epoxidation of Isolated Carbon–Carbon Double Bonds by a Chiral Fluorous Fe(III) Salen Complex: Exploiting Fluorophilic Effect for Catalyst Design
Authors: Kobayashi Yuki , Obayashi Riho , Watanabe Yuki , Miyazaki Hiroki , Miyata Issei , Suzuki Yuta , Yoshida Yukihiro , Shioiri Takayuki , Matsugi Masato
Published: February 2019

The first asymmetric epoxidation of isolated carbon–carbon double bonds by a chiral salen complex using ubiquitous Fe(III) as a center‐metal is described. By simultaneously introducing fluorous tags and tert‐butyl groups into the ligand of the salen complex, asymmetric epoxidation is achieved. The fluorous tags act as both the electron‐withdrawing groups, to improve the catalytic activity for oxidation, and the driving force to form a unique asymmetric stereo environment. Crystallographic analysis of the complex revealed that the catalyst has a distinctive umbrella structure based on intramolecular fluorophilic effect. This is the first example of asymmetric catalytic space construction that exploits fluorous space‐interaction of neighboring fluorous tags.
Unique Thermal Properties of Clothing Materials
Authors: Pan Ning
Published: February 2019

Cloth wearing seems so natural that everyone is self‐deemed knowledgeable and has some expert opinions about it. However, to clearly explain the physics involved, and hence to make predictions for clothing design or selection, it turns out to be quite challenging even for experts. Cloth is a multiphased, porous, and anisotropic material system and usually in multilayers. The human body acts as an internal heat source in a clothing situation, thus forming a temperature gradient between body and ambient. But unlike ordinary engineering heat transfer problems, the sign of this gradient often changes as the ambient temperature varies. The human body also perspires and the sweat evaporates, an effective body cooling process via phase change. To bring all the variables into analysis quickly escalates into a formidable task. This work attempts to unravel the problem from a physics perspective, focusing on a few rarely noticed yet critically important mechanisms involved so as to offer a clearer and more accurate depiction of the principles in clothing thermal comfort.
Contrastive analysis of gravity and magnetic anomalies between North China Craton and Indian Shield
Authors: Cao Wei , Jiang Suhua , Li Sanzhong , Zhang Wen , Wang Gang , Chen Hongyan , Zhao Feiyu , Lu Leilei , Jiang Yan
Published: February 2019

The evolution correlation between the North China Craton (NCC) and the Indian Shield (IND) is very important for plate reconstruction. Recently, more and more research results show that the NCC and IND had been pieced together in the Paleoproterozoic. In order to analyse the correlation between the NCC and IND, we use the latest gravity and magnetic data to study deep geophysical characteristics of the NCC and IND respectively, and we also use a two‐dimensional discrete wavelet transform method to discuss the division scheme of the basement tectonic unit in the Paleoproterozoic at the point of gravity and magnetic field. On the basis of gravity and magnetic anomalies, the NCC is divided into the Eastern Block, Western Block, and the Trans‐North China Orogen, which are further divided into the secondary tectonic zones and blocks. The IND is divided into the Southern Block, the Northern Block, and the Central Indian Tectonic Zone, and they also are further divided into secondary tectonic zones and ancient cratons. On the basis of that, according to the four Paleoproterozoic plate assemblage schemes proposed by predecessors, we compared the geophysical characteristics and the correlation through the regional gravity and magnetic anomalies between the two continents. The results show that the faults and tectonic boundaries in the Trans‐North China Orogen of the NCC correspond well to those in the Central Indian Tectonic Zone of IND. Moreover, the gravitational and magnetic anomalies in the Eastern Block of the NCC are quite similar to those in the Southern Block of IND, which shows that the NCC and IND might have been pieced together during the Paleoproterozoic. The geophysical result that verifies the correlation between the NCC and IND based on gravity and magnetic fields provides the evidence for Paleoproterozoic plate reconstruction and constrains the assembling patterns between the NCC and the IND.
Disparity level identification using the voxel‐wise Gabor model of fMRI data
Authors: Li Yuan , Hou Chunping , Yao Li , Zhang Chuncheng , Zheng Hongna , Zhang Jiacai , Long Zhiying
Published: February 2019

Perceiving disparities is the intuitive basis for our understanding of the physical world. Although many electrophysiology studies have revealed the disparity‐tuning characteristics of the neurons in the visual areas of the macaque brain, neuron population responses to disparity processing have seldom been investigated. Many disparity studies using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) have revealed the disparity‐selective visual areas in the human brain. However, it is unclear how to characterize neuron population disparity‐tuning responses using fMRI technique. In the present study, we constructed three voxel‐wise encoding Gabor models to predict the voxel responses to novel disparity levels and used a decoding method to identify the new disparity levels from population responses in the cortex. Among the three encoding models, the fine‐coarse model (FCM) that used fine/coarse disparities to fit the voxel responses to disparities outperformed the single model and uncrossed‐crossed model. Moreover, the FCM demonstrated high accuracy in predicting voxel responses in V3A complex and high accuracy in identifying novel disparities from responses in V3A complex. Our results suggest that the FCM can better characterize the voxel responses to disparities than the other two models and V3A complex is a critical visual area for representing disparity information.
Patients with minor diseases who access high‐tier medical care facilities: New evidence from classification and regression trees
Authors: Yang Chung Jen , Tsai Ying Che , Tien Joseph J.
Published: February 2019

Objectives

Patients in Taiwan's National Health Insurance (NHI) program can choose a medical care facility of any tier for outpatient visits, without a referral. However, this system results in high medical expenditures and costs of outpatient visits. In this study, patients who had only minor diseases but who accessed high‐tier medical care facilities were investigated using classification and regression trees.

Methods

For this study, data were obtained from the Taiwan NHI Research Database. First, 280 diseases, coded according to the Clinical Classification Software (CCS), were examined to determine whether patients chose the most appropriate facility when seeking medical care. After controlling for the CCS codes, an investigation into the types of patients who visit high‐tier medical care facilities was conducted.

Results

Chronic disease status and CCS code were critical for constructing the classification trees. Male patients living in urban areas and earning a higher income were more likely to access high‐tier medical care facilities. However, changes to the NHI copayment policies have significantly reduced the probability of utilizing high‐tier medical care facilities.

Conclusions

Factors relevant to patients' selection of high‐tier medical care facilities were identified. Overall, increasing patients' out‐of‐pocket payments significantly reduced the probability of accessing high‐tier medical facilities.
Vertical groundwater flux estimation from borehole temperature profiles by a numerical model, RFLUX
Authors: Li Shaoheng , Dong Linyao , Chen Jianyao , Li Rui , Yang Zhigang , Liang Zuobing
Published: February 2019

We developed a numerical model, RFLUX, which uses the heat tracer method for vertical groundwater flux estimation, and applied it to the Leizhou Peninsula, South China, to provide information to inform local groundwater resource utilization and management. The temperature–depth (TD) profiles of 24 boreholes, along with the observed ground surface temperature (GST) and surface air temperature (SAT) series in recent decades, were collected in this area. Underground TD data demonstrated the capacity to identify groundwater flow patterns, and local GST and SAT data demonstrated a strong correlation with each other over monthly, seasonal, and annual scales. In the RFLUX model, the average GST and SAT series were applied as an upper boundary condition, and a nonlinear initial condition was set using an analytical solution from the literature. The model results of selected TD profiles demonstrated that the annual vertical groundwater flux was about 0.15 m a−1, which tended to be overestimated if a linear initial condition was used. This model can be easily applied with minor modifications, considering its clear purpose and simplicity.
Knockdown of the long noncoding RNA HOTTIP inhibits cell proliferation and enhances cell sensitivity to cisplatin by suppressing the Wnt/β‐catenin pathway in prostate cancer
Authors: Jiang Huichuan , Xiong Wei , Chen Lingxiao , Lv Zhengtong , Yang Changzhao , Li Yuan
Published: February 2019

Background

Prostate cancer (PCa) is a prevalent and deadly cancer worldwide. Considering the malignant progression and therapeutic resistance of PCa, further dissection of the underlying mechanisms and exploration of novel therapeutic targets for PCa are urgently needed. The long noncoding RNA HOTTIP has recently been revealed as an oncogenic regulator in different cancers; however, whether HOTTIP is involved in PCa remains poorly understood. Here, we examined the crucial roles of HOTTIP in the proliferation and chemoresistance of PCa.

Methods

Quantitative real‐time PCR (qRT‐PCR) was performed to detect the HOTTIP messenger RNA (mRNA) levels in PCa samples from patients and PCa cells. Then, 3‐(4,5‐dimethylthiazol‐2‐yl)‐2,5‐diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT), colony formation, and cell cycle and flow cytometry assays were performed to investigate the proliferation and cisplatin‐resistance of PCa cells with silenced HOTTIP compared with a negative control. We applied Western blotting, qRT‐PCR and a TOP/FOP assay to explore the relevant mechanisms.

Results

In this study, we found that the HOTTIP mRNA levels were increased in the PCa patient samples and PCa cell lines compared with the controls. The knockdown of HOTTIP not only inhibited the proliferation of PCa cells but also facilitated cell cycle arrest and chemosensitivity to cisplatin. Furthermore, the qRT‐PCR, Western blotting, TOP/FOP assays, MTT assay, and flow cytometry revealed that Wnt/β‐catenin signaling was related to the regulation of HOTTIP in cell proliferation, cell cycle arrest, and chemoresistance to cisplatin in PCa.

Conclusion

Taken together, our findings suggest that HOTTIP may be a potent therapeutic target for PCa, and HOTTIP inhibitors might be regarded as effective strategies for PCa therapy.
Working with clients at the intersection of depression and personality dysfunction: Scientific and clinical findings regarding complex depression
Authors: Behn Alex
Published: February 2019

Depression is often complicated by concurrent personality dysfunction, which poses significant challenges for clinicians and researchers. Complicated depression is thus broadly presented as a useful clinical and scientific entity, describing clients presenting with depressive symptoms that are further complicated by personality dysfunction or personality pathology. The article introduces a collection of research‐based papers addressing the clinical management of patients with complicated depression. The articles in the issue provide an up‐to‐date framework for understanding different forms of complicated depression and provide useful clinical information to illuminate the treatment of clients presenting with difficulties at the intersection of depression and personality dysfunction.
Stem cell therapy: A novel approach for myocardial infarction
Authors: Parizadeh Seyed Mostafa , Jafarzadeh‐Esfehani Reza , Ghandehari Maryam , Parizadeh Mohammad Reza , Ferns Gordon A. , Avan Amir , Hassanian Seyed Mahdi
Published: February 2019

Myocardial infarction (MI) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Until recently, it was thought that myocardium was not able to repair itself, but studies have now shown that resident cardiac stem cells have regenerative capacity, and stem cell therapy may be a novel approach for cardiac muscle repair and regeneration. Stem cell‐derived paracrine factors have been shown to regulate ventricular remodeling, inflammation, apoptosis, cardiomyocytes regeneration, and neovascularization in regions of infarcted cardiac tissue. In this review, we summarize the evidence from cellular, animal, and clinical studies supporting the potential clinical significance of stem cell therapy as a novel therapeutic approach for the treatment of MI.
The liquid–liquid homogeneity of a four‐phase simulated hydrocarbon‐based bioprocess in a bubble column reactor
Authors: Abufalgha Ayman A , Clarke Kim G , Pott Robert WM
Published: February 2019

BACKGROUND

Bubble column reactors (BCRs) can be used for upgrading hydrocarbons to high‐value products via biological oxidation mediated by hydrocarbon‐metabolizing organisms. However, spatial phase dispersion homogeneity becomes a critical parameter which is needed for scale‐up calculations, especially in BCRs, where fluid mixing is only enacted through sparging.

RESULTS

In this study, the homogeneity of a multiphase hydrocarbon‐based bioprocess system was measured in a large bench‐scale BCR, with inner diameter of 15 cm and height of 90 cm. Multiphase dispersion measurement was done under a range of operational conditions such as hydrocarbon concentrations (HC), solids (deactivated yeast) loading (SL) and superficial gas velocities (UG). It was found that in a three‐phase system (air–water–hydrocarbon), high UG (2 cm s−1) was required to achieve homogeneity. However, in a four‐phase system (air–water–hydrocarbon–yeast), the addition of yeast changed the fluid properties (mainly the surface tension) and therefore enhanced the homogeneity at the minimum UG (1 cm s−1).

CONCLUSIONS

This article firstly illustrates multiphase homogeneity in multiphase systems, which needs to be examined when dispersion systems are being used, and secondly proposes a method for evaluating this parameter. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry
Linearly χ‐bounding (P6, C4)‐free graphs*
Authors: Gaspers Serge , Huang Shenwei
Published: February 2019

Given two graphs and , a graph is ‐free if it contains no induced subgraph isomorphic to or . Let and be the path on vertices and the cycle on vertices, respectively. In this paper we show that for any ‐free graph it holds that , where and are the chromatic number and clique number of , respectively. Our bound is attained by several graphs, for instance, the 5‐cycle, the Petersen graph, the Petersen graph with an additional universal vertex, and all ‐critical ‐free graphs other than (see Hell and Huang [Discrete Appl. Math. 216 (2017), pp. 211–232]). The new result unifies previously known results on the existence of linear ‐binding functions for several graph classes. Our proof is based on a novel structure theorem on ‐free graphs that do not contain clique cutsets. Using this structure theorem we also design a polynomial time ‐approximation algorithm for coloring ‐free graphs. Our algorithm computes a coloring with colors for any ‐free graph in time.
Dendritic cell-targeted CD40 DNA vaccine suppresses Th17 and ameliorates progression of experimental autoimmune glomerulonephritis
Authors: Li Qing , Cao Qi , Wang Chengshi , Nguyen Hanh , Wang Xin Maggie , Zheng Guoping , Wang Yuan Min , Hu Shilian , Alexander Stephen I , Harris David C H , Wang Yiping
Published: February 2019

The CD40-CD40L costimulatory pathway is critical for T cell activation in autoimmune disease. We have previously found that blocking the CD40-CD40L pathway using a dendritic cell-targeted CD40 DNA (DEC-CD40) vaccine prevented the development of Heymann nephritis. In this study, we explored the effect of a DEC-CD40 vaccine in the treatment of experimental autoimmune glomerulonephritis (EAG), an animal model of human Goodpasture’s disease induced by antigen α3IV-NC1. DEC-CD40 vaccine given at week 3 and week 6 after 3IV-NC1 injection reduced kidney structural and functional injury significantly in EAG. DEC-CD40 vaccination suppressed Th17 cell numbers and Th17 immune responses in kidney and spleen, but did not alter Th1 cells number and responses. Serum derived from rats with DEC-CD40 vaccination suppressed Th17 differentiation, but not Th1 differentiation in vitro. Furthermore, B cell activation, driven by Th17 cytokines, was suppressed by serum from rats vaccinated with DEC-CD40. A DNA vaccine encoding CD40 and targeting dendritic cell, ameliorates kidney injury in both early and late stages in EAG rats, indicating DEC-CD40 vaccination has a therapeutic role in EAG. Its effect is associated with the reduction of Th17 differentiation and Th17-mediated B cell activation.
Automated image quality evaluation of structural brain MRI using an ensemble of deep learning networks
Authors: Sujit Sheeba J. , Coronado Ivan , Kamali Arash , Narayana Ponnada A. , Gabr Refaat E.
Published: February 2019

Background

Deep learning (DL) is a promising methodology for automatic detection of abnormalities in brain MRI.

Purpose

To automatically evaluate the quality of multicenter structural brain MRI images using an ensemble DL model based on deep convolutional neural networks (DCNNs).

Study Type

Retrospective.

Population

The study included 1064 brain images of autism patients and healthy controls from the Autism Brain Imaging Data Exchange (ABIDE) database. MRI data from 110 multiple sclerosis patients from the CombiRx study were included for independent testing.

Sequence

T1‐weighted MR brain images acquired at 3T.

Assessment

The ABIDE data were separated into training (60%), validation (20%), and testing (20%) sets. The ensemble DL model combined the results from three cascaded networks trained separately on the three MRI image planes (axial, coronal, and sagittal). Each cascaded network consists of a DCNN followed by a fully connected network. The quality of image slices from each plane was evaluated by the DCNN and the resultant image scores were combined into a volumewise quality rating using the fully connected network. The DL predicted ratings were compared with manual quality evaluation by two experts.

Statistical Tests

Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, area under ROC curve (AUC), sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, and positive (PPV) and negative (NPV) predictive values.

Results

The AUC, sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, PPV, and NPV for image quality evaluation of the ABIDE test set using the ensemble model were 0.90, 0.77, 0.85, 0.84, 0.42, and 0.96, respectively. On the CombiRx set the same model achieved performance of 0.71, 0.41, 0.84, 0.73, 0.48, and 0.80.

Data Conclusion

This study demonstrated the high accuracy of DL in evaluating image quality of structural brain MRI in multicenter studies.

Level of Evidence: 3

Technical Efficacy: Stage 2

J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2019;50:1260–1267.
An evaluation of an advanced practice role in palliative radiation therapy
Authors: Job Mary , Holt Tanya , Bernard Anne
Published: February 2019

Introduction

The purpose of the study was to evaluate the palliative advanced practice radiation therapy (APRT) role with respect to the impact on waiting times for patients from referral to radiation treatment delivery, the ability of the APRT to define palliative radiation therapy fields and patient satisfaction. The evaluation of the impact of the APRT role and referral pathway on patient waiting times has been previously published.

Methods

Patients were allocated to two different pathways; APRT and standard. Patients in the APRT pathway had their radiotherapy treatment managed by the APRT including defining their palliative fields blinded to the radiation oncologist (RO).

Results

Of the 150 palliative patients, 94 had their radiation therapy managed by the APRT and 56 were managed through the standard pathway. 82/92 APRT defined fields were accepted by the RO.

Conclusions

Inter‐observer variability between the APRT and the RO in defining palliative radiation therapy fields is similar to that reported in the literature between clinicians. With previously published reduced wait times from referral to treatment for palliative patients, the establishment of the APRT role is justified.
Isotope‐like effect in YVO4:Eu3+ nanopowders: Raman spectroscopy
Authors: Mitrić Jelena , Ralević Uroš , Mitrić Miodrag , Ćirković Jovana , Križan Gregor , Romčević Maja , Gilić Martina , Romčević Nebojsa
Published: February 2019

In this paper, we describe synthesis and characterization of YVO4 and Eu3+‐doped YVO4 nanopowders. Two methods of preparation were used—solution combustion synthesis (SCS) and classical ceramic method (CCM)—and compared. Morphology and structure of all samples were characterized with atomic‐force microscopy (AFM), X‐ray diffraction (XRD), and field‐emission scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Raman spectroscopy was used to discuss the isotope‐like effect. It is confirmed that doping with Eu ions results in a change of Raman spectra of doped samples—new modes arise, and intensity of existing ones change. Influence of different preparation methods on isotope‐like effect is presented with detailed calculations of shifted modes.
Protein A chromatography: Challenges and progress in the purification of monoclonal antibodies
Authors: Ramos‐de‐la‐Peña Ana Mayela , González‐Valdez José , Aguilar Oscar
Published: February 2019

Antibodies for therapeutic use are being continuously approved and their demand has been steadily growing. As known, the golden standard for monoclonal antibody (mAb) purification is Protein A affinity chromatography, a technology that has gained high interest because of its great performance and capabilities. The main concerns are the elevated resins costs and their limited lifetime compared to other resins (e.g. ion exchange chromatography). Great efforts have been carried out to improve purification conditions, such as resin characterization and designing alkali/acid stable resins with a longer lifetime. Modification of Protein A ligands and alternative formats such as monoliths membranes and microshperes have been tested to increase the purification performance. New technology has been proposed to improve the large‐scale separation; in addition, alternative ligands have been suggested to capture mAbs instead of Protein A ligand; however, most of the information is locked by pharmaceutical companies. This mini review summarizes and describes the advances, results, and impact on the Protein A chromatography purification processing.
Multiconformer transition state theory rate constants for the reaction between OH and ‐dimethoxyfluoropolyethers
Authors: Viegas Luís P.
Published: February 2019

In this work, we have calculated rate constants for the tropospheric reaction between the OH radical and ‐dimethoxyfluoropolyethers. The latter are a specific class of the hydrofluoropolyethers family with the general formula , from which we have selected three case studies: , , and . The calculations were performed by applying a cost‐effective protocol developed for bimolecular hydrogen‐abstraction reactions and based on multiconformer transition state theory relying on computationally accessible M08‐HX/apcseg‐2//M08‐HX/pcseg‐1 calculations. Within the protocol's uncertainties and approximations, the results show that (1) the calculated rate constants have the same order of magnitude and (2) if observed together with previous experimental and theoretical investigations, the chain length (that varies with q and p) is seen to have a small effect on the rate constant, which is consistent with the “no discernible effect” reported in the experimental work.
The Parkinson's Disease Sleep Scale–2 (PDSS‐2): Validation of the Spanish Version and Its Relationship With a Roommate‐Based Version
Authors: Martinez‐Martin Pablo , Wetmore John B. , Rodríguez‐Blázquez Carmen , Arakaki Tomoko , Bernal Oscar , Campos‐Arillo Victor , Cerda Christopher , Estrada‐Bellmann Ingrid , Garretto Nélida , Ginsburg Letty , Máñez‐Miró Jorge Uriel , Martínez‐Castrillo Juan Carlos , Pedroso Ivonne , Serrano‐Dueñas Marcos , Singer Carlos , Rodríguez‐Violante Mayela , Vivancos Francisco
Published: February 2019

Background

Because of the prevalence and impact of sleep disorders in Parkinson's disease (PD), valid instruments for their evaluation and monitoring are necessary. However, some nocturnal sleep disorders may go unnoticed by patients themselves.

Objectives

To validate a pan‐Spanish version of the Parkinson's Disease Sleep Scale Version 2 (PDSS‐2) and to test the relationships between the PDSS‐2 and a PDSS‐2 roommate version.

Methods

PD patients (n = 399) from seven Spanish‐speaking countries were included. In addition to the tested PDSS‐2 scales, valid measures for sleep disorders and both motor and nonmotor manifestations were applied. Acceptability, dimensionality, reliability, precision, and construct validity were explored, as well as discrepancies and agreement between the PDSS‐2 and the roommate version.

Results

PDSS‐2 showed negligible floor and ceiling effects. Four factors (57% of the variance) were identified. Reliability parameters were satisfactory: alpha = 0.84; item homogeneity coefficient = 0.27; corrected item total correlation = 0.28 to 0.61; and test‐retest reliability (average kappa = 0.70; intraclass correlation coefficient [ICC] = 0.83). The standard error of measurement was 5.84, and correlations with other scales assessing nocturnal sleep were high (rS = 0.62–0.56). In comparison to the patient‐based total score, the by proxy total score showed no significant difference, high correlation (rS = 0.70), and acceptable agreement (ICC = 0.69), but there were discrepancies in two or more points in 18% of item scores.

Conclusions

The Spanish version of the PDSS‐2 has shown satisfactory clinimetric attributes. Acceptability and precision data are presented for the first time. The PDSS‐2 roommate version could be useful to complement the patient‐based evaluation, but additional studies are needed.
Some existence results for an elliptic equation of Kirchhoff‐type with changing sign data and a logarithmic nonlinearity
Authors: Bouizem Youcef , Boulaaras Salah , Djebbar Bachir
Published: February 2019

The paper deals with some existence results for an elliptic equation of Kirchhoff‐type with changing sign data and a logarithmic nonlinearity by direct variational method, Galerkin approach, and sub‐super solutions method. Our results are natural extension of Boulaaras' work in (Math Methods Appl Sci; 41(13):5203‐5210).
A new miniaturized ultra‐wideband planar equiangular spiral antenna
Authors: Hu Diwei , Zhai Huiqing , Liu Longhua , Shi Junhao , Nie Zhenghang , Li Sucheng , Shang Yuanfang
Published: February 2019

In this research letter, a new type of miniaturized ultra‐wideband planer equiangular spiral antenna is designed. This present antenna can cover an operating bandwidth of 0.8‐6 GHz. In the new design, the original antenna is effectively miniaturized by introducing three special branches to extend the electrical length in the working band. This present method expands the bandwidth of the antenna, and finally realizes miniaturization, and ultra‐wideband of the antenna. Compared with the original antenna, the antenna can reduce the size about 37.5% at low frequencies. Finally, the new antenna has good performances, which are verified by simulation and measurement results.
The compensation of long‐term temperature induced error in the all fiber current transformer through optimizing initial phase delay in λ/4 wave plate
Authors: Hu Haoliang , Huang Junchang , Xia Li , Yan Zhenlin , Peng Shen
Published: February 2019

The long‐term temperature induced errors caused by fiber λ/4 wave plate and the Verdet constant of sensing fiber in the all fiber current transformer (FOCT) are theoretically analyzed. A temperature related response of fiber λ/4 wave plate is adopted to compensate for the change caused by temperature related Verdet constant through choosing appropriate initial phase retardation of the λ/4 wave plate. The experimental results show high temperature‐cycle accuracy in this kind of FOCT with relative error within 0.6%.
Study on Ge/GeSn double heterojunction vertical cavity surface emitting laser enabled by ultra‐injection technique
Authors: Lifeng Zhang , Bin Shu , Huiyong Hu , Liming Wang , Yvlong Gao , Zehua Wang , Litao Zhang
Published: February 2019

A Ge/GeSn/Ge double heterojunction p‐i‐n vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) is designed in this paper. According to the principle of distributed Bragg reflection (DBR), 6 and 12 pairs of SiO2/Si layers as the DBR are prepared on the upper and lower sides of the p‐i‐n structure. The upper and lower DBRs, as the resonant cavity of the laser, replace the Fabry Perot (FP) cavity of the conventional laser. The effects of Sn component and the ultra‐injection technique on the performance of the device are introduced at the same time to realize the direct bandgap luminescence of GeSn in the case of lower Sn component. The level of ultra‐injection is adjusted by changing the thickness of the i‐layer. The relationship between the thickness of the i‐layer and the carrier distribution after energization, the illuminating power, and the threshold current density are analyzed, and the best photoelectric performance is obtained.
Broadband and high gain stacked microstrip antenna array
Authors: Wadkar Suman , Hogade Balaji , Chopra Rinkee , Kumar Girish
Published: February 2019

In this article, broadband and high gain antennas are designed for bandwidth from 1.7 to 2.5 GHz which covers GSM 1800, 3G, 4G, and Wi‐Fi applications. The antennas are designed using 1 bottom and 2 top patches (1B2T) stacked microstrip antenna configuration and its array. The antenna structures consist of copper metallic plate as the bottom patch and low‐cost FR4 substrate for the top patches in air suspended mode. The antennas are enclosed in a metallic cavity which supports top substrate and increases gain and front‐to‐back ratio. The bandwidth for |S11|  ≤ −10 dB and peak gain for this configuration are 41.5% and 11.9 dBi, respectively. A broadband 2 × 2 array of 1B2T configuration is designed using tapered feed network to provide impedance matching for broad bandwidth. The structures are designed, fabricated, and tested. A bandwidth of 44% and peak gain of 16.6 dBi has been achieved using 2 × 2 array. The simulated and measured results are in good agreement. The proposed antennas are good candidates for wireless communication systems.
A K‐band self‐biased sextupler with enhanced harmonic suppression using quasi‐lumped bandpass filters
Authors: Tian Yaoling , Chen Fengjun , Jiang Jun , Huang Kun , He Yue
Published: February 2019

A K‐band harmonic suppression enhanced sextupler with a chip dimension of 3 × 1 mm2 using the 0.13 μm GaAs MHEMT process is presented. The configuration of the sextupler consists of two transistors and two quasi‐lumped bandpass filters. From the measured results, the conversion loss of the sextupler is 3‐7 dB from the frequency range of 20.6‐26.3 GHz without any additional amplifier. The fourth harmonic, fifth harmonic, seventh harmonic, eighth harmonic, and ninth harmonic show rejection over 28‐60, 34‐43, 12‐41, 25‐65, and 20‐49 dBc, respectively.
A study comparing current and voltage combining techniques for CMOS power amplifiers for WLAN applications
Authors: Park Jonghoon , Lee Changhyun , Park Changkun
Published: February 2019

This article presents CMOS power amplifiers for WLAN applications. These power amplifiers use current and voltage combining techniques for simultaneous improvement of the output power and efficiency, respectively, and are analyzed to determine which technique is more suitable for WLAN applications. The power amplifiers are fabricated with a 180 nm CMOS process. Their performance is verified using an 802.11 g modulated signal with 64 QAM, 20 MHz of bandwidth, and 54‐Mbps at 2.7 GHz. The measurements of the current and voltage combining power amplifiers show about 21.9 and 21.8 dBm of average output power, respectively, at −25 dB error vector magnitude (EVM), and about 20.2 and 18 dBm of average output power, respectively, at −30 dB EVM for a commercial specification. In addition, the current combining PA is operated in a multi‐mode manner, which saves the power stage current about 225 mA of the power stage current at low power mode. No pre‐distortion technique is required and all components are integrated on the chip.
Observation of type‐II kind of correlated photon generation from a classical circularly polarized slot antenna
Authors: Gudibandi Bharath Reddy , Damodaran Sriram Kumar
Published: February 2019

In this communication, an important observation on the generation of the Type II kind of correlated photons at the macroscopic regime is presented. In the optical regime, the entangled photon generation is well established. But, in the microwave (macroscopic) regime there is no any radiator which can radiate two photons of entangled spin states is reported. Accidentally, it is observed that a fundamental circularly polarized slot antenna could radiate photons with correlated spin states in the opposite spatial directions. It is simulated and experimentally observed. The dimensions of the same design could be scaled up or down to use this principle to be implemented at the other frequencies of the electromagnetic spectrum like millimeter waves, Tera Hertz waves, etc. also.
Methodological limitations in the measurement and statistical modeling of violence among adults with mental illness
Authors: Johnson Kiersten L. , Desmarais Sarah L. , Tueller Stephen J. , Van Dorn Richard A.
Published: February 2019

Objectives

Methodological limitations of extant research hinder the development of effective violence risk screening, assessment, and management strategies for adults with mental illness. This study quantifies the effects of three common limitations: (a) insensitive measurement of violence that results in violence classification with high levels of information bias, (b) use of cross‐sectional data, and (c) use of data lacking spatiotemporal contiguity.

Methods

We utilize secondary data (N = 3,000 participants;N = 10,017 observations) and parametric and nonparametric bootstrap simulation methodologies.

Results

Not utilizing self‐reported violence data increases information bias. Furthermore, cross‐sectional data that exclude self‐reported violence produce biased associations between substance use and psychiatric symptoms and violence. Associations between baseline variables and subsequent violence attenuate over longer time lags and, when paired with high levels of violence information bias, result in fewer significant effects than should be present. Moreover, the true direction of the simulated relationship of some significant effects is reversed.

Conclusions

Our findings suggest that the validity of conclusions from some extant research on violence among adults with mental illness should be questioned. Efforts are needed to improve both the measurement of violence, through inclusion of self‐report, and the statistical modeling of violence, using lagged rather than nonlagged models with improved spatiotemporal contiguity.
Optimal flip angle for robust practical quantitative NMR measurement using a fixed pulse length
Authors: Gao Jinhai , Tsao Jeffrey , Rajan Srinivasan , Wang Bing
Published: February 2019

NMR quantification has been traditionally performed by using internal standards. Although methods using external reference in NMR quantification have been developed, the major obstacles in using external referencing method are the measurement deviations associated with changing sample conditions and the requirement of pulse width calibration for every sample in order to compensate these errors. The calibration process is time consuming and in some cases impossible. We developed a quantitative NMR method fixed pulse length (FIXPUL) for all measurements without sample‐by‐sample calibration. The method is based on the use of an optimal flip angle calibrated for an external standard so that the quantitative errors associated with the pulse width variations are minimized. FIXPUL can be implemented on most basic NMR spectrometers and is robust and easily automated. The method is applicable to a wide range of solution NMR samples in chemistry, biology, and drug research and discovery.
The evolution and possible role of two Sox8 genes during sex differentiation in Japanese flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus)
Authors: Yu Haiyang , Wang Yujue , Li Xiaojing , Ni Feifei , Sun Minmin , Zhang Quanqi , Yu Haiyang , Wang Xubo
Published: February 2019

Sox8 genes, as members of the Sox family, have been studied widely in mammals. However, regulation of sox8 genes in teleosts has rarely been studied, and functional analysis of these genes in teleosts has rarely been performed. Here, two duplicates of sox8 genes were identified in Japanese flounder, Posox8a and Posox8b. The analysis of expression showed that Posox8a and Posox8b were expressed in Sertoli cells of the testis, indicating that they play important roles in development and functional maintenance of the testis. Positive selection and phylogenetic analysis found that both Posox8a and Posox8b underwent the purification selection during evolutionary and that sox8 was most likely to be the ancestor sox8a. These results suggested that both Posox8a and Posox8b had important biological functions after generation from three rounds of whole‐genome duplication in Japanese flounder. The functional differentiation of Posox8a and Posox8b was verified using cell transfection and dual‐luciferase reporter assays; Posox8a overexpression‐promoted 3β‐hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase expression and Posox8b overexpression‐promoted cytochrome P450 aromatase (cyp19a1; P450arom) expression. Finally, combined with Posox8a and Posox8b expression analysis from 30 to 100 days after hatch, we speculated that Posox8a and Posox8b might participate in the process of sex differentiation and gonadogenesis by regulating sex hormone biosynthesis in the Japanese flounder. Our study is the first to demonstrate the possible mechanism of Posox8a and Posox8b in Japanese flounder sex differentiation and gonadogenesis, laying a solid foundation for functional studies of sox8 genes in teleosts.
Simulating damage evolution and fracture propagation in sandstone containing a preexisting 3‐D surface flaw under uniaxial compression
Authors: Mondal Sanjib , Olsen‐Kettle Louise , Gross Lutz
Published: February 2019

Preexisting flaws and rock heterogeneity have important ramifications on the process of rock fracturing and on rock stability in many applications. Therefore, there is great interest in numerical modelling of rock fracture and the underlying mechanisms. We simulated damage evolution and fracture propagation in sandstone specimens containing a preexisting 3‐D surface flaw under uniaxial compression. We applied the linear elastic damage model based on the unified strength theory following the rock failure process analysis code. However, in contrast to the rock failure process analysis code, we used the finite element method with tetrahedron elements on unstructured meshes. It provided higher geometrical flexibility and allowed for a more accurate representation of the disk‐shaped flaw with various flaw depths, angles, and lengths through locally adapted meshes. The rock heterogeneity was modelled by sampling the initial local Young's modulus from a Weibull distribution over a cubic grid. The values were then interpolated to the computational finite element method mesh. This method introduced an additional length scale for the rock heterogeneity represented by the cell size in the sampling grid. The generation of three typical surface cracking patterns, called wing cracks, anti‐wing cracks, and far‐field cracks, were identified in the simulation results. These depend on the geometry of the preexisting surface flaw. The simulated fracture propagation, coalescence types, and failure modes for the specimens with preexisting surface flaw show good agreement with recent experimental studies.
A multiethnic genetic approach for the minimum conflict weighted spanning tree problem
Authors: Carrabs Francesco , Cerrone Carmine , Pentangelo Rosa
Published: February 2019

This paper addresses a variant of the minimum spanning tree problem in which, given a list of conflicting edges, the primary goal is to find a spanning tree with the minimum number of conflicting edge pairs and the secondary goal is to minimize the weight of spanning trees without conflicts. The problem is NP‐hard and it finds applications in the design of offshore wind farm networks. We propose a multiethnic genetic algorithm for the problem in which the fitness function is designed to simultaneously manage the two goals of the problem. Moreover, we introduce three local search procedures to improve the solutions inside the population during the computation. Computational results performed on benchmark instances reveal that our algorithm outperforms the other heuristic approach, proposed in the literature, for this problem.
Bounds on the effective response for gradient crystal inelasticity based on homogenization and virtual testing
Authors: Carlsson Kristoffer , Larsson Fredrik , Runesson Kenneth
Published: February 2019

This paper presents the application of variationally consistent selective homogenization applied to a polycrystal with a subscale model of gradient‐enhanced crystal inelasticity. Although the full gradient problem is solved on Statistical Volume Elements (SVEs), the resulting macroscale problem has the formal character of a standard local continuum. A semi‐dual format of gradient inelasticity is exploited, whereby the unknown global variables are the displacements and the energetic micro‐stresses on each slip‐system. The corresponding time‐discrete variational formulation of the SVE‐problem defines a saddle point of an associated incremental potential. Focus is placed on the computation of statistical bounds on the effective energy, based on virtual testing on SVEs and an argument of ergodicity. As it turns out, suitable combinations of Dirichlet and Neumann conditions pertinent to the standard equilibrium and the micro‐force balance, respectively, will have to be imposed. Whereas arguments leading to the upper bound are quite straightforward, those leading to the lower bound are significantly more involved; hence, a viable approximation of the lower bound is computed in this paper. Numerical evaluations of the effective strain energy confirm the theoretical predictions. Furthermore, heuristic arguments for the resulting macroscale stress‐strain relations are numerically confirmed.
Privacy concerns, internal political efficacy, intrusiveness, and voter resistance to the acceptance of political mobile marketing campaigns
Authors: Maduku Daniel K.
Published: February 2019

Political parties increasingly rely on information systems‐based approaches to present their messages, engender voter participation, and solicit voter support. Although research is being conducted on how mobile devices, mobile Internet, and social media are used to galvanize voters' participation in the political process, there is an observable dearth of research on how the use of these approaches by politicians might be resisted by voters. This study examines the antecedents of voter resistance to political mobile marketing campaigns with a conceptual model, and it employs reactance and internal political efficacy theories. Data for the empirical testing of the conceptual model were obtained through a survey of 971 South African voters. The findings of the study suggest that the proposed model provides a reasonable explanation of voter resistance to political mobile marketing campaigns and identifies privacy concerns, intrusiveness, and internal political efficacy as salient factors underlying voter resistance to political mobile marketing. The findings further suggest that internal political efficacy significantly moderates and reinforces the positive impact of privacy concerns on resistance. These findings provide important guidelines for reducing voters' resistance to political mobile marketing campaigns. They also provide a point of departure for future research into this relatively unexplored but potentially fertile domain.