bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Multiphoton Tomography for in Vivo Skin Age Determination
Authors: Schindele Andreas , Breunig Hans Georg , König Karsten
Published: February 2018

Nothing represents our age better than our most outer layer: the skin. But the age of the skin may differ from the person's chronological age due to a complex interplay of external and internal factors. A non‐invasive method to determine the skin age on a microscopic level in vivo is clinical multiphoton tomography which allows for direct non‐invasive imaging of biological tissue with subcellular resolution. By directly detecting signals from the major structural proteins of the skin, elastin and collagen, a skin‐age parameter, the so‐called SAAID, can be derived. This elastin‐collagen‐based skin age is exclusively provided by multiphoton tomography. The parameter allows assessing the dermatological skin status and evaluating the effects of cosmetic products like anti‐ageing creams or physical procedures such as laser treatments on a microscopic scale in vivo. Furthermore, the skin‐age parameter provides information on the influence of UV exposure and other skin‐damaging processes and helps NASA and ESA to understand skin‐ageing effects and wound healing related problems due to extended stays in space.
Special Education Financing and ADHD Medications: A Bitter Pill to Swallow
Authors: Morrill Melinda Sandler
Published: February 2018

Accurate diagnosis of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children is difficult because the major symptoms, inattentiveness and hyperactivity, can be exhibited by any child. This study finds evidence of systematic differences in diagnosis and treatment of ADHD due to third party financial incentives. In some states, due to the financing mechanism for special education, schools face a financial incentive to facilitate the identification of children with ADHD. Using variation in special education funding policies across states, we find that children living in states with financial incentives are about 15 percent more likely to report having ADHD and are about 22 percent more likely to be taking medication for ADHD. We provide support that these findings are causal by leveraging variation from two states that implemented policy changes during the time period studied.
Self‐assembly morphology evolution of the polyamide 6 (PA6) component in the PA6/polyethylene glycol system by in situ polymerization of ϵ‐caprolactam monomer
Authors: Liu Yan , Fu Xubing , Duan Jianping , Yang Guisheng
Published: February 2018

This paper describes the morphology evolution of polyamide 6 (PA6) components in the presence of polyethylene glycol (PEG) by self‐assembly via in situ anionic ring‐opening polymerization of ϵ‐caprolactam (CL) monomer and expands the study of morphology changes of PA6 in the PA6/PEG system. With a fixed mass ratio of [CL]/[PEG], it was found that by simply changing the reaction conditions the morphology of PA6 components could be changed from nano‐sized microspheres to regular 3D microsphere structured polyhedrons to 3D nano‐sized particle clusters to micro‐scale microspheres. The morphologies of the PA6 components were investigated by SEM and TEM analyses. The diameter range of the PA6 nano‐sized microspheres was controlled within 400 nm. The side length of an individual polyhedron could be effectively tuned from 10 µm to 100 µm. The diameter range of micrometer microspheres was about 5–8 µm. The results suggest that this strategy for self‐assembly can be applied to design materials with complex geometric structures. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry
Proteomic Adaptation of Australian Epidemic Bordetella pertussis
Authors: Luu Laurence Don Wai , Octavia Sophie , Zhong Ling , Raftery Mark J. , Sintchenko Vitali , Lan Ruiting
Published: February 2018

Bordetella pertussis causes whooping cough. The predominant strains in Australia changed to single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) cluster I (pertussis toxin promoter allele ptxP3/pertactin gene allele prn2) from cluster II (non‐ptxP3/non‐prn2). Cluster I was mostly responsible for the 2008–2012 Australian epidemic and was found to have higher fitness compared to cluster II using an in vivo mouse competition assay, regardless of host's immunization status. This study aimed to identify proteomic differences that explain higher fitness in cluster I using isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantification (iTRAQ), and high‐resolution multiple reaction monitoring (MRM‐hr). A few key differences in the whole cell and secretome were identified between the cluster I and II strains tested. In the whole cell, nine proteins were upregulated (>1.2 fold change, q < 0.05) and three were downregulated (<0.8 fold change, q < 0.05) in cluster I. One downregulated protein was BP1569, a TLR2 agonist for Th1 immunity. In the secretome, 12 proteins were upregulated and 1 was downregulated which was Bsp22, a type III secretion system (T3SS) protein. Furthermore, there was a trend of downregulation in three T3SS effectors and other virulence factors. Three proteins were upregulated in both whole cell and supernatant: BP0200, molybdate ABC transporter (ModB), and tracheal colonization factor A (TcfA). Important expression differences in lipoprotein, T3SS, and transport proteins between the cluster I and II strains were identified. These differences may affect immune evasion, virulence and metabolism, and play a role in increased fitness of cluster I.
Drug‐like dietary vanilloids induce anticancer activity through proliferation inhibition and regulation of bcl‐related apoptotic proteins
Authors: Mai Chun‐Wai , Kang Yew‐Beng , Nadarajah Vishna Devi , Hamzah Ahmad Sazali , Pichika Mallikarjuna Rao
Published: February 2018

In this study, a series of 20 structurally similar vanilloids (Vn) were tested for their antiproliferative effects against 12 human cancer cells: human breast (MCF‐7 and MDA‐MB‐231), cervical (HeLa), ovarian (Caov‐3), lung (A549), liver (HepG2), colorectal (HT‐29 and HCT116), nasopharyngeal (CNE‐1 and HK‐1), and leukemic (K562 and CEM‐SS) cancer cells. Among all the tested vanilloids, Vn16 (6‐shogaol) exhibited the most potent cytotoxic effects against human colorectal cancer cells (HT‐29). The apoptotic induction effects exhibited by Vn16 on HT‐29 cells were confirmed using dual staining fluorescence microscopy and enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay. The effects of Vn16 on regulation of 43 apoptotic‐related markers were determined in HT‐29. The results suggested that 8 apoptotic markers (caspase 8, BAD, BAX, second mitochondrial‐derived activator, caspase 3, survivin, bcl‐2, and cIAP‐2) were either upregulated or downregulated. These results further support the chemopreventive properties of foods that contain vanilloids.
Luteoloside attenuates anoxia/reoxygenation‐induced cardiomyocytes injury via mitochondrial pathway mediated by 14‐3‐3η protein
Authors: Liu Zhantu , Yang Lili , Huang Jiyi , Xu Ping , Zhang Zeyu , Yin Dong , Liu Jichun , He Huan , He Ming
Published: February 2018

Ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury is the major cause of acute cardiovascular disease worldwide. 14‐3‐3η protein has been demonstrated to protect myocardium against I/R injury. Luteoloside (Lut), a flavonoid found in many Chinese herbs, exerts myocardial protection effects. However, the mechanism remains unclear. We hypothesize that the cardioprotective role of Lut is exerted by regulating the 14‐3‐3η signal pathway. To investigate our hypothesis, an in vitro I/R model was generated in H9C2 cardiomyocytes by anoxia/reoxygenation (A/R) treatment. The effects of Lut on cardiomyocytes with A/R injury were assessed by determining the cell viability, lactate dehydrogenase levels, intracellular reactive oxygen species levels, mitochondrial permeability transition pores (mPTP) openness, caspase‐3 activity, and apoptosis rate. The effects on protein expression were tested using western blot analysis. Lut attenuated A/R‐induced injury to cardiomyocytes by increasing the expression of 14‐3‐3η protein and cell viability; decreasing levels of lactate dehydrogenase, reactive oxygen species, mPTP openness, caspase‐3 activity, and low apoptosis rate were observed. However, the cardioprotective effects of Lut were blocked by AD14‐3‐3ηRNAi, an adenovirus knocking down the intracellular 14‐3‐3η expression. In conclusion, to our knowledge, this is the first study to demonstrate that Lut protected cardiomyocytes from A/R‐induced injury via the regulation of 14‐3‐3η signaling pathway.
Examining the role of unusually warm Indo‐Pacific sea‐surface temperatures in recent African droughts
Authors: Funk Chris , Harrison Laura , Shukla Shraddhanand , Pomposi Catherine , Galu Gideon , Korecha Diriba , Husak Gregory , Magadzire Tamuka , Davenport Frank , Hillbruner Chris , Eilerts Gary , Zaitchik Benjamin , Verdin James
Published: February 2018

Southern Africa (SA) and eastern Africa (EA) experienced a sequence of severe droughts in December–February (SA DJF) 2015–2016, October–December (EA OND) 2016 and March–April–May 2017 (EA MAM). This sequence contributed to severe food insecurity. While climate variability in these regions is very complex, the goal of this study is to analyse the role played by unusually warm Indo–Pacific SSTs, where unusual is defined as a 1‐in‐6 year event. We use observed sea‐surface temperatures (SST) and satellite–gauge rainfall observations, a 20‐member ensemble of Community Atmospheric Model version 5.1 simulations (CAM5), and a 40‐member ensemble of climate change simulations from the Community Earth Systems Model version 1 (CESM1) Large Ensemble Community Project (LENS) to explore climate conditions associated with warm events identified based on eastern and western Pacific SSTs. Our analysis suggests that strong El Niño's may be followed by warm western Pacific SST conditions, which can lead to conditions conducive to successive and potentially predictable droughts in SA DJF, EA OND and EA MAM. We show that different regions of warm SST are related to recent droughts—SA DJF: Niño 3.4; EA OND: western equatorial Pacific (WEP); and EA MAM: western North Pacific (WNP). For DJF and MAM, respectively, the CAM5 model driven with observed SST and the same model driven within a climate change experiment indicate that warmer El Niño's and WNP events produce more intense atmospheric responses, potentially associated with more severe droughts. OND climate seems to be strongly influenced by the Indian Ocean Dipole, which corresponds with some WEP events. Given global warming, we suggest that the extreme Niño 3.4 and west Pacific SST events responsible for 2015–2017 droughts are likely to reoccur, thus humanitarian agencies should prepare to predict and respond to multi‐year drought and substantial food insecurity in SA and EA.
Failure mode and effects analysis based on D numbers and TOPSIS
Authors: Bian Tian , Zheng Haoyang , Yin Likang , Deng Yong
Published: February 2018

Failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA) is a widely used technique for assessing the risk of potential failure modes in designs, products, processes, system, and services. One of the main problems with FMEA is the need to address a variety of assessments given by FMEA team members and the sequence of the failure modes according to the degree of risk factors. Many different methods have been proposed to improve the traditional FMEA, which is impractical when the risk assessments given by multiple experts to one failure mode are imprecise, incomplete, or inconsistent. However, the existing methods cannot adequately handle these types of uncertainties. In this paper, a new risk priority model based on D numbers and technique for the order of preference by similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS) is proposed to evaluate the risk in FMEA. In the proposed model, the assessments given by the FMEA team members are represented by D numbers, where a new feasible and effective method can effectively represent the uncertain information. The TOPSIS method, a multicriteria decision‐making method is presented to rank the preference of failure modes with respect to risk factors. Finally, an application of the failure modes of the rotor blades of an aircraft turbine is provided to illustrate the efficiency of the proposed method.
An efficient adaptive EWMA control chart for monitoring the process mean
Authors: Haq Abdul , Gulzar Rabia , Khoo Michael B. C.
Published: February 2018

In recent years, the memory‐type control charts—exponentially weighted moving average (EWMA) and cumulative sum (CUSUM)—along with the adaptive and dual control‐charting structures have received considerable attention because of their excellent ability in providing an overall good detection over a range of mean‐shift sizes. These adaptive memory‐type control charts include the adaptive exponentially weighted moving average (AEWMA), dual CUSUM, and adaptive CUSUM charts. In this paper, we propose a new AEWMA chart for efficiently monitoring the process mean. The idea is to first design an unbiased estimator of the mean shift using the EWMA statistic and then adaptively update the smoothing constant of the EWMA chart. The run length profiles of the proposed AEWMA chart are computed using extensive Monte Carlo simulations. Based on a comprehensive comparative study, it turns out that the proposed AEWMA chart performs better than the existing AEWMA, adaptive CUSUM, dual CUSUM, and Shewhart‐CUSUM charts, in terms of offering more balanced protection against mean shifts of different sizes. An example is also used to explain the working of the existing and proposed control charts.
Modified particle filter and Gaussian filter with packet dropouts
Authors: Yang Chen , Fang Huajing
Published: February 2018

This technical note is concerned with the nonlinear filtering for networked control systems. First, the modified particle filter algorithm with intermittent observations is proposed and the conditional Cramér‐Rao lower (CRL) bound with packet dropouts for nonlinear non‐Gaussian system is derived. Second, an upper bound for the CRL bound of the Gaussian filter with packet losses is obtained by constructing a linear Gaussian‐Markovian networked system because of the complexity in direct analysis and computation. Third, a sufficient condition is given for the bounded expectation of the CRL bound, which is the necessary condition for bounded mean‐square error covariance. Finally, an example illustrates the effectiveness of the proposed filter.
Fault‐tolerant reference generation for model predictive control with active diagnosis of elevator jamming faults
Authors: Ferranti L. , Wan Y. , Keviczky T.
Published: February 2018

This paper focuses on the longitudinal control of an Airbus passenger aircraft in the presence of elevator jamming faults. In particular, in this paper, we address permanent and temporary actuator jamming faults using a novel reconfigurable fault‐tolerant predictive control design. Due to their different consequences on the available control authority and fault duration, the above 2 actuator jamming faults need to be distinguished so that appropriate control reconfigurations can be adopted accordingly. Their similarity in symptoms, however, prevents an effective discrimination of the root cause of the jamming when using only a passive fault‐diagnosis approach. Hence, we propose the use of model predictive control (MPC) as a fault‐tolerant controller to actively help the fault‐detection (FD) unit discriminate between a permanent and a temporary jamming fault, while ensuring the performance of the aircraft. The MPC controller and the FD unit closely interact during the detection and diagnosis phases. In particular, every time a fault is detected, the FD module commands the MPC controller to perform a predefined sequence of reconfigurations to diagnose the root cause of the fault. An artificial reference signal that accounts for changes in the actuator operative ranges is used to guide the system through this sequence of reconfigurations. Our strategy is demonstrated on an Airbus passenger aircraft simulator.
A distributed command governor based on graph colorability theory
Authors: Casavola Alessandro , Garone Emanuele , Tedesco Francesco
Published: February 2018

In this paper, a distributed command governor (CG) strategy is introduced that, by the use of graph colorability theory, improves the scalability property and the performance of recently introduced distributed noncooperative sequential CG strategies. The latter are characterized by the fact that only 1 agent at a decision time is allowed to update its command, whereas all the others keep applying their previously computed commands. The scalability of these early CG distributed schemes and their performance are limited because the structure of the constraints is not taken into account in their implementation. Here, by exploiting the idea that agents that are not directly coupled by the constraints can simultaneously update their control actions, the agents in the network are grouped into particular subsets (turns). At each time instant, on the basis of a round‐robin policy, all agents belonging to a turn are allowed to update simultaneously their commands, whereas agents in other turns keep applying their previous commands. Then, a turn‐based distributed CG strategy is proposed and its main properties are analyzed. Graph colorability theory is used to determine the minimal number of turns and to distribute each agent in at least a turn. A novel graph colorability problem that allows one to maximize the frequency at which agents can update their commands is proposed and discussed. A final example is presented to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed strategy.
Sequential parallel comparison design with binary and time‐to‐event outcomes
Authors: Silverman Rachel Kloss , Ivanova Anastasia , Fine Jason
Published: February 2018

Sequential parallel comparison design (SPCD) has been proposed to increase the likelihood of success of clinical trials especially trials with possibly high placebo effect. Sequential parallel comparison design is conducted with 2 stages. Participants are randomized between active therapy and placebo in stage 1. Then, stage 1 placebo nonresponders are rerandomized between active therapy and placebo. Data from the 2 stages are pooled to yield a singlePvalue. We consider SPCD with binary and with time‐to‐event outcomes. For time‐to‐event outcomes, response is defined as a favorable event prior to the end of follow‐up for a given stage of SPCD. We show that for these cases, the usual test statistics from stages 1 and 2 are asymptotically normal and uncorrelated under the null hypothesis, leading to a straightforward combined testing procedure. In addition, we show that the estimators of the treatment effects from the 2 stages are asymptotically normal and uncorrelated under the null and alternative hypothesis, yielding confidence interval procedures with correct coverage. Simulations and real data analysis demonstrate the utility of the binary and time‐to‐event SPCD.
Reactivating Catalytic Surface: Insights into the Role of Hot Holes in Plasmonic Catalysis
Authors: Peng Tianhuan , Miao Junjian , Gao Zhaoshuai , Zhang Linjuan , Gao Yi , Fan Chunhai , Li Di
Published: February 2018

Surface plasmon resonance of coinage metal nanoparticles is extensively exploited to promote catalytic reactions via harvesting solar energy. Previous efforts on elucidating the mechanisms of enhanced catalysis are devoted to hot electron‐induced photothermal conversion and direct charge transfer to the adsorbed reactants. However, little attention is paid to roles of hot holes that are generated concomitantly with hot electrons. In this work, 13 nm spherical Au nanoparticles with small absorption cross‐section are employed to catalyze a well‐studied glucose oxidation reaction. Density functional theory calculation and X‐ray absorption spectrum analysis reveal that hot holes energetically favor transferring catalytic intermediates to product molecules and then desorbing from the surface of plasmonic catalysts, resulting in the recovery of their catalytic activities. The studies shed new light on the use of the synergy of hot holes and hot electrons for plasmon‐promoted catalysis.
Nitrogen‐Enriched Carbon/CNT Composites Based on Schiff‐Base Networks: Ultrahigh N Content and Enhanced Lithium Storage Properties
Authors: Xiao Zhichang , Song Qi , Guo Ruiying , Kong Debin , Zhou Shanke , Huang Xiaoxiong , Iqbal Rashid , Zhi Linjie
Published: February 2018

To improve the electrochemical performance of carbonaceous anodes for lithium ion batteries (LIBs), the incorporation of both well‐defined heteroatom species and the controllable 3D porous networks are urgently required. In this work, a novel N‐enriched carbon/carbon nanotube composite (NEC/CNT) through a chemically induced precursor‐controlled pyrolysis approach is developed. Instead of conventional N‐containing sources or precursors, Schiff‐base network (SNW‐1) enables the desirable combination of a 3D polymer with intrinsic microporosity and ultrahigh N‐content, which can significantly promote the fast transport of both Li+ and electron. Significantly, the strong interaction between carbon skeleton and nitrogen atoms enables the retention of ultrahigh N‐content up to 21 wt% in the resultant NEC/CNT, which exhibits a super‐high capacity (1050 mAh g−1) for 1000 cycles and excellent rate performance (500 mAh g−1 at a current density of 5 A g−1) as the anode material for LIBs. The NEC/CNT composite affords a new model system as well as a totally different insight for deeply understanding the relationship between chemical structures and lithium ion storage properties, in which chemistry may play a more important role than previously expected.
Key Role of TFEB Nucleus Translocation for Silver Nanoparticle‐Induced Cytoprotective Autophagy
Authors: Lin Jun , Liu Yiming , Wu Hao , Huang Zhihai , Ma Jingfan , Guo Chang , Gao Feng , Jin Peipei , Wei Pengfei , Zhang Yunjiao , Liu Liu , Zhang Rui , Qiu Longxin , Gu Ning , Wen Longping
Published: February 2018

Transcription factor EB (TFEB) is a master regulator of autophagy and lysosomal biogenesis. Here, silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs)‐induced cytoprotective autophagy required TFEB is shown. Ag NPs‐induced nucleus translocation of TFEB through a well‐established mechanism involving dephosphorylation of TFEB at serine‐142 and serine‐211 but independent of both the mTORC1 and ERK1/2 pathways. TFEB nucleus translocation precedes autophagy induced by Ag NPs and leads to enhanced expression of autophagy‐essential genes. Knocking down the expression of TFEB attenuates the autophagy induction is demonstrated, and in the meantime, enhanced cell killing in HeLa cells treats with Ag NPs, indicating that TFEB is the key mediator for Ag NPs‐induced cytoprotective autophagy. The results pinpoint TFEB as a potential target for developing more effective Ag NPs‐based cancer therapeutics.
High Performance Silicon/Organic Hybrid Solar Cells with Dual Localized Surface Plasmonic Effects of Ag and Au Nanoparticles
Authors: Li Qingduan , Chen Shuangshuang , Yang Jianwei , Zou Jizhao , Xie Weiguang , Zeng Xierong
Published: February 2018

Effective light trapping induced by a dual localized plasmonic effect of Au and Ag nanoparticles (NPs) is adopted in poly‐(3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene):poly (styrenesulfonic acid) (PEDOT:PSS) hybrid solar cells. Superior performance on light absorption is obtained after incorporating mixed Au and Ag NPs incorporating into PEDOT:PSS layer. Compared to devices with single NPs that only shows very limited plasmonic enhancement, dual NPs doped devices benefit from the dual plasmonic enhancement in visible light region. Therefore, power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 11.98 % has been achieved, which is about 18% higher than that of with the pristine one, exhibiting a PCE of 9.72%. The PCE enhancement is largely ascribed to the short‐circuit current (JSC) enhancement, which can be observed through the external quantum efficiency (EQE) curves. In addition, transient photovoltage (TPV) results show that the charge carrier lifetime is improved by the incorporation of dual nanoparticles, indicating a suppressed charge recombination during the physical process in the devices.
Graphene‐grafted silica‐coated Fe3O4 nanoparticles as a magnetic solid‐phase extraction material coupled with inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy for the separation and analysis of heavy metal ions
Authors: Gu Weixi , Zhu Xiashi
Published: February 2018

A novel method using graphene‐grafted silica‐coated Fe3O4 nanoparticles (Fe3O4‐SiO2‐G) as a magnetic solid adsorbent coupled with inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry for the separation and analysis of Mn(II), Cr(III), Pb(II) was developed. The introduction of graphene into Fe3O4‐SiO2 increased the selectivity and adsorption capacity of the developed material. The successful immobilization of graphene on the Fe3O4‐SiO2 was confirmed by X‐ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, size distribution and magnetic analysis and isoelectric point analysis. It was found that Mn(II), Cr(III), and Pb(II) could be determined with very good adsorption efficiencies (96.8, 100.0, 100.0%) on Fe3O4‐SiO2‐G. The limits of detection for the three metal ions were in the range of 0.076–0.922 ng ·L−1, and the linear range was 5.0–90.0 μg L−1 for Mn(II), 4.0–90.0 μg ·L−1 for Cr(III) and 5.0–90.0 μg ·L−1 for Pb(II). The enrichment factors of Mn(II), Cr(III), and Pb(II) were 80, 20, and 35, respectively. The developed method was successfully applied to the determination of Mn(II), Cr(III), and Pb(II) in real samples.
Flour − Cooked or uncooked?: A Healthy Food Component
Authors: Qi Xin , Al‐Ghazzewi Farage H. , Tester Richard
Published: February 2018

Flours are highly nutritious food sources and are generated from a range of crops − especially cereals. General wisdom is that flours should be cooked before consumption to make the components more digestible, have an enhanced sensory profile and destroy microorganisms and toxins. This brief review (based on reviewing databases such as PubMed, Science Direct, Web of Science, Wiley Online Library, etc.) challenges this point of view and explores the potential detriment associated with cooking flour on the nutritional characteristics. Examples relevant to different nutritional classes are presented.
Experimental and numerical assessment of deflections in circular reinforced concrete beams
Authors: Geevar Indu , Balakrishnan Bijily , Habeeb Fayaz , Menon Devdas
Published: February 2018

Methods for calculating deflections (at service loads) prescribed in codes such as EC2 and ACI 318 are largely based on semi‐empirical methods validated for beams with rectangular cross sections. The applicability of these methods to beams with circular cross section is validated in this paper using experimental studies on eight circular beams with different grades of concrete and different percentages of reinforcing steel. Similar beams with square cross section have also been studied for comparison and it is found that the code estimates have more‐or‐less the same degree of conservatism for square and circular beams. The complete load‐deflection behavior generated by the test specimens could also be simulated numerically using a layered approach, considering material nonlinearity in concrete and steel rebar. Using the proposed procedure, the influences of percentage of reinforcing steel and axial compression on the load‐deflection behavior have also been studied. This study shows that the postcracking stiffness increases and ductility decreases with increase percentage of reinforcing steel. The circular beams are found to have less strength and ductility when compared to square beams (with the same area of cross section) owing to differences in distribution of steel rebar.
Halloysite nanotubes‐induced Al accumulation and oxidative damage in liver of mice after 30‐day repeated oral administration
Authors: Wang Xue , Gong Jiachun , Gui Zongxiang , Hu Tingting , Xu Xiaolong
Published: February 2018

Halloysite (Al2Si2O5(OH)4·nH2O) nanotubes (HNTs) are natural clay materials and widely applied in many fields due to their natural hollow tubular structures. Many in vitro studies indicate that HNTs exhibit a high level of biocompatibility, however the in vivo toxicity of HNTs remains unclear. The objective of this study was to assess the hepatic toxicity of the purified HNTs in mice via oral route. The purified HNTs were orally administered to mice at 5, 50, and 300 mg/kg body weight (BW) every day for 30 days. Oral administration of HNTs stimulated the growth of the mice at the low dose (5 mg/kg BW) with no liver toxicity, but inhibited the growth of the mice at the middle (50 mg/kg BW) and high (300 mg/kg BW) doses. In addition, oral administration of HNTs at the high dose caused Al accumulation in the liver but had no marked effect on the Si content in the organ. The Al accumulation caused significant oxidative stress in the liver, which induced hepatic dysfunction and histopathologic changes. These findings demonstrated that Al accumulation‐induced oxidative stress played an important role in the oral HNTs‐caused liver injury.
Tantalum Components in Difficult Acetabular Revisions Have Good Survival at 5 to 10 Years: Longer Term Followup of a Previous Report
Authors: Lachiewicz Paul F. , O’Dell Jane Anne
Published: February 2018

Background

The best method for acetabular revisions in patients with severe bone loss remains controversial; typical approaches include jumbo cups, cages, cup-cages, and custom components. Tantalum (TM) components have good results at midterm followup, but the longer term survival and complications are not available. We previously reported on a series of such reconstructions; here we provide additional followup on that group along with a larger study cohort.

Questions/purposes

(1) What is the survival at a minimum followup of 5 years of these components implanted in difficult revisions and what is the mechanism of failure? (2) What is the most common complication of these reconstructions, and what hip scores did these patients achieve?

Methods

Between 2001 and 2010, one surgeon performed 150 acetabular revisions, of which 74 (49%) were done using TM components. The general indication for use of these devices was the surgeon’s perception that there was sufficient bone loss to place the reconstruction at a high risk of mechanical failure (generally Paprosky Type 3 or 4 or lower Paprosky type with < 50% host bone coverage or morbid obesity). No cages were used during this time. Fifteen patients died and 11 were lost or did not return, leaving 48 hips (46 patients) with a mean followup of 8 years (range, 5-14 years). Of these, 39 were reported on in our previous series, and nine are new in the present series; the overall group here has an additional median of 5 years followup (range, 3-7 years). Five hips had six augments placed to obtain stability. Patients were evaluated by the Harris hip score and standard radiographs; survivorship was estimated using the cumulative incidence competing risks survival analysis. The primary outcome was fixation and survival of the TM component and the secondary outcome was complications.

Results

Cumulative incidence competing risks estimate survival free from aseptic loosening was 92% at 10 years (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.81-0.98). Dislocation, the most common complication, occurred in seven of 48 (15%) patients, and five of 48 (10%) had a reoperation for it. Survival free from any reoperation was 84% at 10 years (95% CI, 0.72-0.92). The Harris hip score improved from a mean of 50 points (SD 17) before surgery to 85 points (SD 10; p < 0.001) at latest followup.

Conclusions

Given the findings of this study, TM components appear to provide durable fixation at midterm followup in complex acetabular revisions. Steps to minimize dislocation, the most frequent complication of these revisions, may include the routine use of larger femoral heads. Future studies likely will need to be multisurgeon or multicenter and should evaluate different techniques and components for long-term fixation and the prevention of dislocation.

Level of Evidence:

Level IV, therapeutic study.
Can Dislocation of a Constrained Liner Be Salvaged With Dual-mobility Constructs in Revision THA?
Authors: Chalmers Brian P. , Pallante Graham D. , Taunton Michael J. , Sierra Rafael J. , Trousdale Robert T.
Published: February 2018

Background

Revision THA to treat recurrent instability can itself be complicated by recurrent instability, and when this occurs, this problem is difficult to treat. Some patients’ THAs will continue to dislocate despite use of a constrained liner. One option in this difficult-to-treat group is conversion to a dual-mobility (DM) construct, but there are few data on this approach.

Questions/purposes

(1) What were the Harris hip scores in a small group of patients whose constrained liners were converted to DM constructs to treat recurrent dislocation? (2) What were the redislocation, rerevision, and DM construct retention rates in these patients?

Methods

We conducted a retrospective analysis of a longitudinally maintained institutional database maintained by individuals other than the treating surgeons to identify patients undergoing conversion of constrained liners to DM constructs in revision THA from 2011 to 2014. We identified 16 patients who underwent revision of dislocated constrained liners to DM constructs. Two patients died before 2-year followup, leaving 14 patients available for followup at a minimum of 24 months and a median of 37 months (range, 24–71 months). Indications for conversion to DM constructs included patients with dislocation of multiple prior constrained liners, patients with at least partial abductor functioning and soft tissue tensioning, and patients at very high risk for recurrent instability as an alternative to resection arthroplasty. Ten patients (10 of 14) underwent DM conversion at the time of cup revision, whereas four patients (four of 14) had a DM construct cemented into a preexisting cup. Median age was 65 years (range, 53–93 years). Median number of prior hip surgeries was five (range, three to 10) and seven patients (seven of 14) had dislocated more than one constrained liner.

Results

Harris hip score improved from a median of 57 (range, 55–67) to 84 (range, 68–96) postoperatively (p < 0.001). Three patients (three of 14) experienced a redislocation. Two (two of 14) of these patients were closed reduced and treated successfully nonoperatively; one (one of 14) patient experienced an intraprosthetic dislocation and underwent modular exchange. One patient (one of 14) underwent early resection arthroplasty for acetabular loosening after complex acetabular reconstruction. Overall, all other patients (13 of 14) retained a DM construct at final followup.

Conclusions

Conversion to a DM construct shows promise as a salvage option in high-risk, multiply operated on patients with dislocated constrained liners undergoing revision THA for recurrent instability. The ability to close reduce a dislocated DM construct is a distinct advantage over constrained liners. However, longer followup is required given that three of 14 redislocated, and one of those underwent revision for persistent instability at short-term followup.

Level of Evidence:

Level IV, therapeutic study.
Polyethylene Wear Increases in Liners Articulating With Scratched Oxidized Zirconium Femoral Heads
Authors: Carli Alberto , Koch Chelsea N. , Esposito Christina I. , Wright Timothy M. , Padgett Douglas E.
Published: February 2018

Background

Oxidized zirconium (OxZr) femoral heads were introduced in hip arthroplasty to reduce wear of the polyethylene compared with metallic heads and to reduce fracture risk compared with ceramic heads. Severe scratches have been reported on OxZr heads in patients undergoing revision for instability, but whether these scratches contribute to increased acetabular polyethylene wear remains unclear.

Questions/purposes

(1) How is the polyethylene of the acetabular liner affected by damage on the opposing OxZr head? (2) How does damage to the head affect the degree of polyethylene wear?

Methods

We assessed damage and deformation on all retrieved highly crosslinked liners that had articulated against OxZr heads collected at one institution between 2006 and 2013. Two observers used a visual subjective scoring system to assess polyethylene damage on the surface of the 42 retrieved liners. Polyethylene components were also laser scanned to measure dimensional changes to the liner. These outcomes were compared with the severity of scratching on the surface of the articulating OxZr head. We also used a 12-station hip simulator to measure wear over five million cycles (MCs) of pristine liners articulating against nine retrieved OxZr heads with varying degrees of scratching representing a spectrum of little to severe damage and three retrieved ceramic heads with severe metal transfer.

Results

Seventeen of the OxZr heads showed severe damage, of which 14 heads had been revised for dislocation. The retrieved liners that had articulated with these heads had greater damage scores for abrasion (mean score 0.4 versus 1.6; p = 0.008) and embedded debris (mean score 0.4 versus 1.4; p = 0.006) compared with liners that had articulated with less damaged heads. Four severely damaged OxZr heads wore at a higher rate than the others in the study with weight loss of 37.7 mg, 30.0 mg, 14.4 mg, and 2.6 mg after the first MC and a steady increase through testing to 5 MCs. Conversely, neither OxZr heads with less damage nor ceramic heads with severe metal transfer produced appreciable wear.

Conclusions

Surface scratching of OxZr heads from recurrent dislocation and reduction maneuvers leads to increased wear of the crosslinked polyethylene used as a bearing surface.

Clinical Relevance

Patients in whom such instability occurs in the presence of an OxZr head should be followed closely for the possibility of more severe wear.
Maintaining the balance between knowledge and the lexicon in terminology
Authors: L’Homme Marie-Claude
Published: February 2018

This paper argues for an approach to terms—based on Frame Semantics (Fillmore in Ann N Y Acad Sci Conf Origin Dev Lang Speech 280:20–32, 1976; Fillmore and Baker in A Frames Approach to Semantic Analysis, 313–339, 2010)— that takes into account their linguistic properties and shows how terms and their properties are connected formally to the expression of knowledge in specialized fields. I briefly present the theoretical assumptions underlying this proposal. The main part of the article describes the methodology devised to implement the proposal in two terminological resources that are under development at the Observatoire de linguistique Sens-Texte (OLST). The methodology that comprises seven main steps is based on that of FrameNet (https://framenet.icsi.berkeley.edu/fndrupal/, 2017. Accessed 20 January 2017) (Ruppenhofer et al. in FrameNet II: extended theory and practice. https://framenet.icsi.berkeley.edu/fndrupal/index.21php?q=the_book, 2016. Accessed 27 January 2017), the lexical implementation of Frame Semantics. I illustrate the methodology by applying it to terms that belong to the field of endangered species, a subfield of the environment.
Visualization of potential sink marks using thickness analysis of finely tessellated solid model
Authors: Inui Masatomo , Onishi Shunsuke , Umezu Nobuyuki
Published: February 2018

Sink marks are unwanted shallow depressions on the molded plastic surface caused by localized shrinkage during the hardening process of injection molding. Sink marks appearing in the exterior impair the aesthetic quality of the product. In this study, a novel method for extracting potential sink marks that can occur on the part surface is proposed. The thicker portion of the part shrinks with a greater amount than that of the thinner portion. This difference in the shrinkage amount is the main cause of the sink mark. In the plastic part design practice, engineers often check the thickness distribution to predict potential sink marks in the part surface. Our method can be considered as an automated technique of such manual inspection task. A polyhedral solid model of the part with sufficiently small triangles of nearly the same size is prepared. The amount of shrinkage at each polygon is estimated based on its thickness and the shrinkage ratio of the part. The developed algorithm extracts the potential sink marks by analyzing the shrinkage distribution on the part surface.

Highlights A novel method for extracting potential sink marks on part surface is proposed. Polygons of input model are tessellated into a set of sufficiently small triangles. The shrinkage of each model polygon is estimated by using the thickness. Potential sink marks are extracted by analyzing the shrinkage distribution.
Origem da artéria cerebelar inferoposterior sobre o arco posterior de C1
Authors: Demartini Júnior Zeferino , Guimarães Ricardo Munhoz da Rocha , Vialle Emiliano Neves , Koppe Gelson Luis , Francisco Alexandre Novicki , Gatto Luana Antunes Maranha
Published: February 2018

A artéria cerebelar inferoposterior geralmente nasce do segmento intracraniano (V4) da artéria vertebral. Apesar de ter diâmetro médio de 2 mm, usualmente irriga áreas eloquentes do encéfalo. Quando ocluída, seja por trauma ou cirurgia, pode causar infarto no tronco encefálico e no cerebelo. Apresentamos um caso de artéria cerebelar inferoposterior com origem anômala no segmento cervical (V3) da artéria vertebral, demonstrado por angiograﬁa. Os resultados foram registrados e comparados com os de publicações anteriores. Foram fornecidas breves explicações sobre a anatomia, anomalias vasculares e embriologia. A revisão da literatura mostrou que os ramos anômalos do segmento cervical da artéria vertebral são infrequentes e devem ser conhecidos. Uma melhor compreensão da anatomia e suas variações permite fazer um diagnóstico topográﬁco preciso, bem como planejar a abordagem e a terapia cirúrgicas ideais. O conhecimento dessa variação anatômica é essencial, pois, se confundida com um ramo muscular e coagulada, pode causar isquemia com sequelas incapacitantes.
Phylogeny of dermatophytes with genomic character evaluation of clinically distinct Trichophyton rubrum and T. violaceum
Authors: Zhan P. , Dukik K. , Li D. , Sun J. , Stielow J.B. , Gerrits van den Ende B. , Brankovics B. , Menken S.B.J. , Mei H. , Bao W. , Lv G. , Liu W. , de Hoog G.S.
Published: February 2018

Trichophyton rubrum and T. violaceum are prevalent agents of human dermatophyte infections, the former being found on glabrous skin and nail, while the latter is confined to the scalp. The two species are phenotypically different but are highly similar phylogenetically.
The taxonomy of dermatophytes is currently being reconsidered on the basis of molecular phylogeny. Molecular species definitions do not always coincide with existing concepts which are guided by ecological and clinical principles. In this article, we aim to bring phylogenetic and ecological
data together in an attempt to develop new species concepts for anthropophilic dermatophytes. Focus is on the T. rubrum complex with analysis of rDNA ITS supplemented with LSU, TUB2, TEF3 and ribosomal protein L10 gene sequences. In order to explore genomic differences between
T. rubrum and T. violaceum, one representative for both species was whole genome sequenced. Draft sequences were compared with currently available dermatophyte genomes. Potential virulence factors of adhesins and secreted proteases were predicted and compared phylogenetically.
General phylogeny showed clear gaps between geophilic species of Arthroderma, but multilocus distances between species were often very small in the derived anthropophilic and zoophilic genus Trichophyton. Significant genome conservation between T. rubrum and T. violaceum
was observed, with a high similarity at the nucleic acid level of 99.38 % identity. Trichophyton violaceum contains more paralogs than T. rubrum. About 30 adhesion genes were predicted among dermatophytes. Seventeen adhesins were common between T. rubrum
and T. violaceum, while four were specific for the former and eight for the latter. Phylogenetic analysis of secreted proteases reveals considerable expansion and conservation among the analyzed species. Multilocus phylogeny and genome comparison of T. rubrum and T. violaceum
underlined their close affinity. The possibility that they represent a single species exhibiting different phenotypes due to different localizations on the human body is discussed.
Optimal control of thrust-vectored VTOL UAV in high-manoeuvering transition flight
Authors: Liu Z. , Tang S. , Li M. , Guo J.
Published: February 2018

In this paper, a new type of fixed-wing vertical take-off and landing, unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) has been designed. Thrust-vector direct force control has been introduced in three axes to make UAV exhibit superior manoeuverability in transition flight. Considering the characteristics of UAV's dynamic model, which are non-linear, non-affine, and have redundant input, a two-stage progressive optimal control allocation method is developed, which can optimise position and attitude control in synthetical, and motivate effectors to generates desired force and moments. A task-oriented weight selection scheme is proposed to make objective function suitable for different tasks and flight conditions. In addition, a general constraint strategy is designed to guarantee the feasibility of optimal allocation results, which can largely reduce the onboard computation time. Simulations show that UAV can adjust flight attitude and use control effectors in an optimal way, and demonstrating satisfactory tracking of low-speed high-manoeuver flight paths.
Remembering Jay S. Birnbrauer
Authors: Jones B. Max , Ralph Alan , Mazzucchelli Trevor G.
Published: February 2018

Professor Jay Spencer Birnbrauer peacefully passed away on November 1, 2017, aged 83, in Perth, Western Australia. Known to his friends and colleagues in Australia as ‘Birny’, he was a pioneer of applied behaviour analysis on both the Australian and world stage. He contributed to the development of behaviour-analytic technology for children with intellectual and developmental disabilities in the 1960s and played a central part in the formation of the Australian Behaviour Modification Association (known today as the Australian Association for Cognitive and Behaviour Therapy) in the 1970s. He was a purist in the field of applied behaviour analysis (ABA) and was relentless in his efforts to see ABA being provided to children with a developmental disability and their families. Birny's influence in Australia, and particularly Western Australia, was mainly imparted through his role with the Master of Applied Psychology program at Murdoch University. His most widely known piece of work, the Murdoch Early Intervention Program, was an early and important replication of Lovaas's evaluation of early intensive behavioural intervention for children with autism. Birny contributed significantly to our field and to many people's lives. He is remembered often and fondly by his many friends and colleagues.