bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A collaborative educational intervention on procedural sedation and analgesia across the Pacific
Authors: Norii Tatsuya , Kimura Nobuhiko , Homma Yosuke , Funakoshi Hiraku , Crandall Cameron
Published: December 2018

Aim

Worldwide, health‐care providers carry out procedural sedation and analgesia (PSA) in the emergency department. However, training opportunities are limited in many Asian countries, including Japan. We formed an educational group consisting of board‐certified emergency physicians in the USA and Japanese physicians and developed a PSA training module. The aims of our study were to demonstrate the effectiveness of training and to describe PSA practice in Japan.

Methods

We undertook a pretest of PSA knowledge questions and a retest immediately after the training intervention. We also carried out a survey and asked about participants' PSA practice. The training module consisted of four didactic hours and three simulation and skills laboratory hours. Results of all pre‐ and post‐intervention knowledge questions were analyzed with McNemar's test, and overall scores were analyzed with a paired t‐test.

Results

One hundred and forty‐four health‐care providers including 123 physicians, 16 nurses, two pharmacists, and three medical students participated in the training. A total of 119 (83%) completed both the pre‐ and post‐intervention knowledge questions. Before the training, participants scored an average 66% (63%–69%) on the written knowledge test. After the intervention, participants showed significant improvement on the knowledge test (improvement 17%; 14%–20%). Among participants who answered the practice survey, 121 (88%) have undertaken PSA. Only 14 (12%) participants always or often use a continuous capnography for PSA. Only 32 (26.4%) participants undertook pre‐PSA systematic evaluation.

Conclusion

Our educational intervention successfully increased participants' knowledge. Only the minority of health‐care providers use capnography routinely for PSA, and pre‐PSA evaluation is not commonly carried out.
Purcell Effect and Nonlinear Behavior of the Emission in a Periodic Structure Composed of InAs Monolayers Embedded in a GaAs Matrix
Authors: Pozina Galia , Girshova Elizaveta I. , Morozov Konstantin M. , Ivanov Konstantin A. , Egorov Anton Yu. , Kaliteevski Mikhail A.
Published: December 2018

Enhancement of spontaneous emission in a resonant Bragg quantum well (QW) structure with 60 periods of triple InAs monolayers embedded in a GaAs matrix is studied experimentally and theoretically. From measurements of the time‐resolved photoluminescence, besides the QW exciton at 1.47 eV, a specific super‐radiant (SR) emission demonstrating nonlinear properties is found. The SR mode shows a near‐quadratic dependence of intensity on excitation power, while its energy position follows the Bragg condition. It is revealed that the SR mode shows a peculiar non‐monotonic dependence of intensity on direction, with a maximum observed at approximately 40°. The enhancement in the SR emission at a specific direction is correlated well with suggested theoretical consideration of the modal Purcell factor for periodic quantum well structures.
Gold nanoparticles stabilized by modified halloysite nanotubes for catalytic applications
Authors: Massaro Marina , Colletti Carmelo G. , Fiore Bruno , La Parola Valeria , Lazzara Giuseppe , Guernelli Susanna , Zaccheroni Nelsi , Riela Serena
Published: December 2018

A highly sustainable prototype of a flow system based on gold nanoparticles (4.2 nm) supported on thiol‐functionalized halloysite nanotubes (HNTs) was developed for catalytic applications. The catalytic performances were evaluated using the reduction of 4‐nitrophenol to 4‐aminophenol as a model system. Under the best experimental conditions (0.0001 mol%, 1.97 × 10−8 mg of Au nanoparticles), an impressive apparent turnover frequency value up to 2 204 530 h−1 was achieved and the halloysite‐based catalyst showed full recyclability even after ten cycles. The high catalytic activity confirms the importance of the use of HNTs as support for Au nanoparticles that can exert a synergistic effect both as medium for transfer of electrons from borohydride ions to 4‐nitrophenol and by modulating interfacial electron transfer dynamics. With the application of flow technology, the obtained heterogeneous HNT@Au catalyst was fully recovered and reused for at least one month.
Back to Basics: Mass Casualty Incidents
Authors: Spruce Lisa
Published: December 2018

Terrorist attacks, mass shootings, violent crimes, and other disasters may leave those affected feeling afraid and overwhelmed with emotion. It has been more than 17 years since the attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City killed almost 3,000 people. Since that time, the world has experienced a profuse number of mass casualty events; they are becoming commonplace and a risk that everyone recognizes as part of daily life. When disasters occur, health care providers may be required to mobilize and should be prepared for anything. Regardless of the size of the facility or the trauma level designation, perioperative nurses need to be aware of how they may be affected by traumatic events. This Back to Basics article reviews some significant mass casualty incidents and explores strategies for perioperative staff members to execute a successful response.
The Effect of a Perioperative Nursing Elective on Nursing Career Paths
Authors: Schmidt Nola A. , Brown Janet M.
Published: December 2018

Nurse educators play a role in addressing the growing perioperative nurse shortage in the United States by implementing strategies to entice new graduates to this specialty. The purpose of our study was to determine if an undergraduate perioperative nursing elective influenced the career choices of nurses four to nine years after they graduated from a baccalaureate nursing program in the midwestern United States. Using a descriptive study design, 23 of 50 nurses responded to a survey about positions they have held since graduating and the influence of a perioperative nursing elective on their career choices. Twenty‐six percent of nurses in this sample went on to work in the perioperative specialty, and the majority indicated they continued to consider perioperative nursing as a career choice. Considering the potential long‐term effects of this strategy, incorporating a perioperative nursing elective into nursing school curricula could be helpful to address the shortage of perioperative nurses.
Perioperative Hyperglycemia: A Literature Review
Authors: Peacock Tammy S.
Published: December 2018

The purpose of this literature review is to examine current evidence and determine the effects of stress hyperglycemia on patient outcomes during the perioperative period. This review summarizes the pathophysiology of stress hyperglycemia, the population it affects, and strategies for optimal treatment to reduce the potential for postoperative complications. A literature search produced 16 of the most current studies on the effect of stress hyperglycemia in both the diabetic and nondiabetic populations. The evidence presented indicates the need to maintain tight glucose control in the perioperative patient. Although there are varying approaches to managing stress hyperglycemia, there is compelling agreement that stress hyperglycemia should be treated in all surgical patients.
Perioperative Strategies for Surgical Site Infection Prevention
Authors: Bashaw Marie A. , Keister Kathy J.
Published: December 2018

Surgical site infections (SSIs) are some of the most common and costly health care–associated infections. Although the rate of SSIs has declined significantly in the past decade, patient safety remains at risk. Perioperative nurses employ a variety of evidence‐based best practices to prevent SSIs and facilitate a safe surgical experience for their patients, including hand hygiene, preoperative patient skin antisepsis, and antimicrobial irrigation. This article explores the causes of SSIs, such as modifiable and nonmodifiable patient factors and preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative procedural factors, and discusses some of the specific recommended strategies related to the prevention of SSIs that perioperative nurses can initiate in their workplace.
Native and introduced fish community structure in a freshwater swamp forest: Implications for conservation and management
Authors: Ho Jonathan K.I. , Ramchunder Sorain J. , Memory Andrew , Tan Heok Hui , Yeo Darren C.J.
Published: December 2018

Freshwater swamp forests are poorly studied but highly threatened freshwater habitats, especially in Southeast Asia. Very little is known about the environmental factors associated with the assembly and spatial distribution of fish communities in these acid‐water habitats, although such knowledge is of immense importance for conservation and management.

Fish assemblages in 40 stream sites throughout the Nee Soon Swamp Forest, Singapore, were surveyed using push nets from October 2013 to November 2014. The Nee Soon Swamp Forest is the last substantial remnant of freshwater swamp forest habitat in Singapore, and today it is the only refuge for many of the native forest‐specialist freshwater fish species.

The overall diversity and richness of the fish community are positively correlated with depth, stream order, and canopy cover, and are negatively correlated with distance to a connected reservoir, mean velocity, and silt substrate. Observed patterns indicate that three main communities exist, each with distinct associated species and environmental parameters. One is a novel community of introduced species and non‐forest specialist native species found only at the outskirts (downstream portion) of the swamp forest, close to a reservoir connection that drains the swamp, whereas the other two communities are found in the interior of the swamp forest and harbour mostly forest‐specialist native species of restricted distribution and high conservation value.

The community on the outskirts may be a potential route for introduced species to spread and establish populations deeper within the swamp forest. At present the native community within the swamp forest appears to be healthy, but constant monitoring is needed to ensure that the native community is not threatened by loss of habitat or introduced species.
Accelerated Knee Osteoarthritis Is Characterized by Destabilizing Meniscal Tears and Preradiographic Structural Disease Burden
Authors: Driban Jeffrey B. , Davis Julie E. , Lu Bing , Price Lori Lyn , Ward Robert J. , MacKay James W. , Eaton Charles B. , Lo Grace H. , Barbe Mary F. , Zhang Ming , Pang Jincheng , Stout Alina C. , Harkey Matthew S. , McAlindon Timothy E.
Published: December 2018

Objective

To determine whether accelerated knee osteoarthritis (KOA) is preceded by, and characterized over time by, destabilizing meniscal tears or other pathologic changes.

Methods

We selected 3 sex‐matched groups of subjects from the first 48 months of the Osteoarthritis Initiative, comprising adults who had a knee without KOA (Kellgren/Lawrence [K/L] radiographic grade <2) at baseline. Subjects in the accelerated KOA group developed KOA of K/L grade ≥3, those with typical KOA showed increased K/L radiographic scores, and those with no KOA had the same K/L grade over time. An index visit was the visit when the radiographic criteria for accelerated KOA and typical KOA were met (the no KOA group was matched to the accelerated KOA group). The observation period was up to 2 years before and after an index visit. Radiologists reviewed magnetic resonance (MR) images of the index knee and identified destabilizing meniscal tears (root tears, radial tears, complex tears), miscellaneous pathologic features (acute ligamentous or tendinous injuries, attrition, subchondral insufficiency fractures, other incidental findings), and meniscal damage in >2 of 6 regions (3 regions per meniscus: anterior horn, body, posterior horn). In addition, bone marrow lesions (BMLs) and cartilage damage on MR images were quantified. Linear mixed regression models were performed to analyze the results.

Results

At 1 year before the index visit, >75% of adults with accelerated KOA had meniscal damage in ≥2 regions (odds ratio 3.19 [95% confidence interval 1.70–5.97] versus adults with typical KOA). By the index visit, meniscal damage in ≥2 regions was ubiquitous in adults with accelerated KOA, including 42% of subjects having evidence of a destabilizing meniscal tear (versus 14% of subjects with typical KOA). These changes corresponded to findings of larger BMLs and greater cartilage loss in the accelerated KOA group.

Conclusion

Accelerated KOA is characterized by destabilizing meniscal tears in a knee compromised by meniscal damage in >2 regions, and also characterized by the presence of large BMLs and greater cartilage loss.
Microbiome Analytics of the Gut Microbiota in Patients With Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis: A Longitudinal Observational Cohort Study
Authors: van Dijkhuizen E. H. Pieter , Del Chierico Federica , Malattia Clara , Russo Alessandra , Pires Marafon Denise , ter Haar Nienke M. , Magni‐Manzoni Silvia , Vastert Sebastiaan J. , Dallapiccola Bruno , Prakken Berent , Martini Alberto , De Benedetti Fabrizio , Putignani Lorenza ,   the Model Driven Paediatric European Digital Repository Consortium
Published: December 2018

Objective

To assess the composition of gut microbiota in Italian and Dutch patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) at baseline, with inactive disease, and with persistent activity compared to healthy controls.

Methods

In a multicenter, prospective, observational cohort study, fecal samples were collected at baseline from 78 Italian and 21 Dutch treatment‐naive JIA patients with <6 months of disease duration and compared to 107 geographically matched samples from healthy children. Forty‐four follow‐up samples from patients with inactive disease and 25 follow‐up samples from patients with persistent activity were analyzed. Gut microbiota composition was determined by 16S ribosomal RNA–based metagenomics. Alpha‐ and β‐diversity were computed, and log ratios of relative abundance were compared between patients and healthy controls using random forest models and logistic regression.

Results

Baseline samples from Italian patients showed reduced richness compared to healthy controls (P < 0.001). Random forest models distinguished between Italian patient baseline samples and healthy controls and suggested differences between Dutch patient samples and healthy controls (areas under the curve >0.99 and 0.71, respectively). The operational taxonomic units (OTUs) of Erysipelotrichaceae (increased in patients), Allobaculum (decreased in patients), and Faecalibacterium prausnitzii (increased in patients) showed different relative abundance in Italian patient baseline samples compared to controls after controlling for multiple comparisons. Some OTUs differed between Dutch patient samples and healthy controls, but no evidence remained after controlling for multiple comparisons. No differences were found in paired analysis between Italian patient baseline and inactive disease samples.

Conclusion

Our findings show evidence for dysbiosis in JIA patients. Only patient/control status, age, and geographic origin appear to be drivers of the microbiota profiles, regardless of disease activity stage, inflammation, and markers of autoimmunity.
Re‐evaluating the variation in trend of haze days in the urban areas of Beijing during a recent 36‐year period
Authors: Zheng Zuofang , Li Yingxin , Wang Hong , Ding Haiyan , Li Yubin , Gao Zhiqiu , Yang Yuanjian
Published: December 2018

By using meteorological station data, the inter‐annual variability of haze days and its trends are re‐evaluated in the urban areas of Beijing during a recent 36‐year period. Observations from station 54,511, which is a national reference climatological station in the urban area of Beijing, are not suitable for representing the whole urban area, since it trends oppositely to the surrounding stations. Instead, averaged haze days according to five stations in the urban area of Beijing were selected representatively, illustrating that haze days have a positive trend during the period 1980–2015, and haze occurs more often in autumn and winter than in spring and summer. Notably, the number of haze days has increased more rapidly in summer than in the other three seasons. Severe and persistent haze days exhibit positive trends of 4.1 and 13 days/decade, respectively, during the investigation period, while the corresponding ratios to the total haze days have also increased gradually. The haze in Beijing has also become more severe and drier. Under the weakening East Asian monsoon in winter, there has been a reduction in days of locally strong wind speeds and rain, and an increase in days of weak wind speeds. This has directly contributed to the weakening of the diffusion of pollutants, which would otherwise act to maintain the haze, thus prolonging the duration of haze pollution days in urban areas of Beijing.
Psychometric properties of the chinese version of autism spectrum quotient‐children's version: A sex‐specific analysis
Authors: Sun Fan , Dai Meixia , Lin Lizi , Sun Xiang , Murray Aja Louise , Auyeung Bonnie , Jing Jin
Published: December 2018

A Simplified Chinese translation of the Autism Spectrum Quotient‐Children's Version (AQ‐C) is needed for research in mainland China. Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a condition that differs in presentation and prevalence by sex. Thus, evaluating the psychometric validity of the AQ‐C in males and females is an important step in its validation. The present study aims to develop a Chinese translation of the parent‐report AQ‐C, and test its psychometric properties among Mandarin Chinese speaking boys and girls. A total of 1,020 non‐clinical children and 134 children with ASD were assessed. Factor analyses were performed for the whole sample, as well as for girls and boys separately. A 30‐item, 5‐factor model (the Chinese AQ‐C) showed adequate goodness of fit (root mean square error of approximation [RMSEA] = 0.037; comparative fit index [CFI] = 0.907; Tucker‐Lewis index [TLI] = 0.901) for the whole sample. According to parents' reports, non‐clinical boys had significantly higher scores than non‐clinical girls on the Chinese AQ‐C. Sex‐specific factor structures were identified resulting in a 4‐factor model with 32 items for girls (the Chinese AQ‐Girls), and a 4‐factor model with 34 items for boys (the Chinese AQ‐Boys). The cut‐off scores of the Chinese AQ‐C, AQ‐Girls, and AQ‐Boys were 44.5, 42.5, and 46.5, respectively. These three Chinese versions of the AQ‐C all showed satisfactory internal consistency (α = 0.786–0.840) and concurrent validity with the Social Responsiveness Scale (r = 0.789–0.814) for the total scale. Differences have been found in the sex‐specific factor structures of the AQ‐C which would be more reliable to use for future research when measuring autistic traits in the general population. Autism Res 2019, 12: 303–315 © 2018 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Lay Summary

This study developed Chinese versions of the Autism Spectrum Quotient‐Children's Version (AQ‐C) in Chinese boys and girls together and separately. The AQ‐C showed good psychometric properties in boys and girls together and separately. There were differences in sex‐specific factor structures of the AQ‐C. These results suggest that the sex‐specific Chinese versions of the AQ‐C provide reliable and valid measurement of autistic traits.
Humins in the environment: early stage insights on ecotoxicological aspects
Authors: Muralidhara Anitha , Bado‐Nilles Anne , Marlair Guy , Engelen Victor , Len Christophe , Pandard Pascal
Published: December 2018

With a growing interest in the concept of a circular economy, the use of lignocellulosic residues, such as lignins and humins, as potential renewable feedstock for biorefining processes looks increasingly promising. Many challenges remain for the sustainable use of humins, starting from the need to provide reference data reflecting actual usable feedstocks of such materials. This paper offers the first study, from this perspective, of the potential environmental fate of those materials and components, all related to furanics, a family of compounds the toxicity of which is still a matter of debate.

Conventional ecotoxicity and biodegradability tests required by European regulation on the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) for the primary evaluation of environmental hazards were conducted in combination with fish immunomarker tests to study possible long‐term effects on aquatic ecosystems. These first results are promising as humins did not give rise to any immediate ecotoxicological concerns, and hence their use could be considered in environment‐friendly applications. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd
Strukturdynamisches Verhalten von Stahlbetonplatten unter Impakteinwirkung bei variablen Geschwindigkeiten
Authors: Schmitt Daniel , Kühn Tino , Millon Oliver , Stolz Alexander , Nau Siegfried , Curbach Manfred , Thoma † Klaus
Published: December 2018

Der vorliegende Beitrag stellt die wesentlichen Ergebnisse umfangreicher experimenteller Untersuchungen zur Analyse von Stahlbetonplatten unter Impaktbelastung dar. Die vorgestellten Arbeiten erfolgten in Zusammenarbeit zwischen dem Fraunhofer Institut für Kurzzeitdynamik – Ernst‐Mach‐Institut (EMI) und der Technischen Universität Dresden (TUD), innerhalb des durch die DFG geförderten nationalen Forschungsprojekts „Impakt auf Betonstrukturen – Experiment und Simulation“. In den durchgeführten Experimenten wurde die Einwirkung eines sogenannten harten Stoßes, bei dem die kinetische Energie nahezu vollends in die Struktur eingeleitet wird, für unterschiedliche Geschwindigkeitsbereiche (4,2–6,0 m/s; 44–67 m/s und 200–274 m/s) studiert. Die hervorgerufenen Versagensphänomene und die dynamische Strukturantwort wurden über entsprechend umfangreiche Messtechnik (Dehnungsmessstreifen, Drucksensoren, Lasermesstechnik und Hochgeschwindigkeitskameras) erfasst. Die somit gewonnene Datengrundlage für Bereiche niedriger wie auch hoher Verzerrungsraten dient sowohl dem Verständnis der Zusammenhänge zwischen lokaler Schädigung und globaler Strukturantwort, als auch zur Adaption bestehender Materialmodelle, der Entwicklung von Ingenieurmodellen und der Validierung numerischer Berechnungen.
Copula directional dependence for inference and statistical analysis of whole‐brain connectivity from fMRI data
Authors: Lee Namgil , Kim Jong‐Min
Published: December 2018

Introduction

Inferring connectivity between brain regions has been raising a lot of attention in recent decades. Copula directional dependence (CDD) is a statistical measure of directed connectivity, which does not require strict assumptions on probability distributions and linearity.

Methods

In this work, CDDs between pairs of local brain areas were estimated based on the fMRI responses of human participants watching a Pixar animation movie. A directed connectivity map of fourteen predefined local areas was obtained for each participant, where the network structure was determined by the strengths of the CDDs. A resampling technique was further applied to determine the statistical significance of the connectivity directions in the networks. In order to demonstrate the effectiveness of the suggested method using CDDs, statistical group analysis was conducted based on graph theoretic measures of the inferred directed networks and CDD intensities. When the 129 fMRI participants were grouped by their age (3–5 year‐old, 7–12 year‐old, adult) and gender (F, M), nonparametric two‐way analysis of variance (ANOVA) results could identify which cortical regions and connectivity structures correlated with the two physiological factors.

Results

Especially, we could identify that (a) graph centrality measures of the frontal eye fields (FEF), the inferior temporal gyrus (ITG), and the temporopolar area (TP) were significantly affected by aging, (b) CDD intensities between FEF and the primary motor cortex (M1) and between ITG and TP were highly significantly affected by aging, and (c) CDDs between M1 and the anterior prefrontal cortex (aPFC) were highly significantly affected by gender.

Software

The R source code for fMRI data preprocessing, estimation of directional dependences, network visualization, and statistical analyses are available at https://github.com/namgillee/CDDforFMRI.
Nutrient modulation based process engineering strategy for improved butanol production from Clostridium acetobutylicum
Authors: Ahlawat Saumya , Kaushal Mehak , Palabhanvi Basavaraj , Muthuraj Muthusivaramapandian , Goswami Gargi , Das Debasish
Published: December 2018

The present study demonstrates a process engineering strategy to achieve high butanol titer and productivity from wild type Clostridium acetobutylicum MTCC 11274. In the first step, two different media were optimized with the objectives of maximizing the biomass and butanol productivity, respectively. In the next step, attributes of these two media compositions were integrated to design a two‐stage fed‐batch process which resulted in maximal butanol productivity of 0.55 g L−1 h−1 with titer of 13.1 g L−1. Further, two‐stage fed‐batch process along with combinatorial use of magnesium limitation and calcium supplementation resulted in the highest butanol titer and productivity of 16.5 g L−1 and 0.59 g L−1 h−1, respectively. Finally, integration of the process with gas stripping and modulation of feeding duration resulted in a cumulative butanol titer of 54.3 g L−1 and productivity of 0.58 g L−1 h−1. The strategy opens up possibility of developing a viable butanol bioprocess. © 2019 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 35: e2771, 2019.
Genetic and in silico analysis of plantaricin EFI locus in indigenous isolates of lactobacillus plantarum
Authors: Gholamzadeh Malihatosadat , Hosseinzadeh Gharajeh Nahid , Hejazi Mohammad A.
Published: December 2018

Genetic investigation and in silico analysis of plantaricin EFI (plnEFI) locus was performed in three indigenous isolates of Lactobacillus plantarum EL3, L28 and BL1. Amplification with plnEFI specific primers and production of ~ 10 KDa size protein suggested the existence of class II bacteriocins. The analysis demonstrated that the studied fragment included structural bacteriocin, immunity, partial transporter and potential regulatory encoding regions. Based on the results, there was one DNA polymorphic site in plnE as well as plnF of the studied sequences. One nucleotide substitution in plnE of BL1 isolate lead to replacement of Glycin with Valine. These two are of non‐polar type which did not affect instability index of plnE protein. The only nucleotide variation in plnF of EL3 isolate did not change the amino acid sequence since the modified nucleotide constituted alternative codon of the original amino acid. The highest DNA polymorphism occurred in the region with immunity function which in BL1 resulted in the conversion of start codon to amino acid codon. In the partial transporter sequence, one variable nucleotide site caused amino acid replacement in all the isolates which elevated stability of N‐terminal domain in the transporter protein compared to nominated reference isolate L. plantarum C11. The region with possible regulatory function was identical in all three isolates. © 2018 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol Progress, 35: e2773, 2019.
Mid‐term outcomes (up to 5 years) of percutaneous edge‐to‐edge mitral repair in the real‐world according to regurgitation mechanism: A single‐center experience
Authors: Buzzatti Nicola , Denti Paolo , Scarfò Iside Stella , Giambuzzi Ilaria , Schiavi Davide , Ruggeri Stefania , Castiglioni Alessandro , De Bonis Michele , La Canna Giovanni , Alfieri Ottavio
Published: December 2018

Objectives

To report mid‐term results after MitraClip repair, according to mitral regurgitation (MR) mechanism, in a real‐world single‐center experience.

Background

Mid‐term outcomes of percutaneous edge‐to‐edge mitral repair in the real world are still limited.

Methods

We assessed the follow‐up results of patients treated with MitraClip at a single high‐volume mitral center from 2008 to 2016. All patients underwent Heart‐Team discussion, prospective data collection and enrolment in a dedicated outpatient clinic. Functional (FMR, n = 242, 68.6%) and degenerative (DMR, n = 97, 27.5%) MR patients were separately analyzed.

Results

5‐Year survival was 53.5 ± 4.5% in FMR vs 57.1 ± 7.5% in DMR (P = 0.087). Reduced survival was strongly associated with worse left ventricle remodeling (ESV HR 1.01, CI 1.01–1.02, P < 0.001) in FMR, and with worse symptoms (New York Heart Association IV HR 6.72, CI 1.78–25.45, P = 0.005) in DMR. 5‐Year cumulative incidence function for MR ≥ 3 was 23.7 ± 3.4% in FMR vs 27.9 ± 5.9% in DMR (P = 0.39), being associated with residual MR = 2 both in FMR (HR 4.67, CI 2.49–8.74, P < 0.001) and DMR (HR 7.15, CI 2.72–18.75, P < 0.001). At 5‐year, patients in NYHA class I‐II increased from 17.9% to 45.3% in FMR (P < 0.001) and from 33.3% to 51.3% in DMR (P < 0.001).

Conclusions

In this single‐center real‐world experience, 5‐year after MitraClip, half of the patients were alive and 3/4 were free from MR, both in FMR and DMR. Symptoms benefit was sustained in both groups. Advanced ventricular remodeling, advanced symptoms, and suboptimal MR reduction were associated with worse results. Refined patient selection, improved efficacy and more data will be all required to improve long‐term outcomes.
Percutaneous treatment of a massive saphenous vein graft aneurysm
Authors: Knoery Charles , Ashcroft Michael , Smith Jamie AL , Leslie Stephen J
Published: December 2018

Saphenous vein graft (SVG) aneurysms are a rare, frequently late presenting, potentially fatal complication of coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery. They are often discovered incidentally during radiological tasks such as chest x‐ray or CT but can present clinically with symptoms such as worsening angina and breathlessness as well as complications such as rupture or myocardial infarction. Given the risks if left untreated, consideration should be given to treatment either through percutaneous routes or open surgery. However, because of a lack of strong evidence, there are no definitive guidelines on the treatment of SVG aneurysms. We describe a patient with an extensive cardiac surgical history who presented with angina and breathlessness and was found to have a large SVG aneurysm, subsequently successfully treated with percutaneous coronary intervention with covered stents.
Are Business Students Prepared for the World of Business? Self‐interest, Conformity and Conflict Styles
Authors: Petersen Bui K. , Ford Dianne P.
Published: December 2018

Abstract

While conflict management is a central capability in the business world, it gets relatively little attention in most business schools. In a study of undergraduate and graduate students at a Canadian university, we investigate the roles personal values play in the relationship between majoring in business and students' conflict management propensities. We find that business students hold more narrowly self‐interested, as well as more conformist and traditionalist, values than students in other disciplines, with the implication that business students may be more prone to conflict avoidance and less likely than other students to engage with conflict collaboratively. We discuss both self‐selection and socialization as possible explanations, and the implication this has for business education and curriculum development.
Titanium‐promoted Intramolecular Photoenolization/Diels–Alder Reaction to Construct Polycyclic Terpenoids: Formal Synthesis of Mycoleptodiscin A
Authors: Xue Dongsheng , Xu Mengmeng , Zheng Chaoying , Yang Baochao , Hou Min , He Haibing , Gao Shuanhu
Published: December 2018

Summary of main observation and conclusion

A titanium‐promoted intramolecular photoenolization/Diels–Alder (PEDA) reaction was developed to construct the core skeleton of aromatic polycyclic terpenoids bearing an all‐carbon quaternary center on the benzylic position. Titanium(IV) isopropoxide [Ti(Oi‐Pr)4] plays a key role during the photo cycloaddition, which may help to accelerate the interaction between dienophile and the stereo‐hindered diene species as well as control the diastereoselectivity. This photolysis provides a new solution for the stereospecific formation core structures of aromatic abietane diterpenoids and sesquiterpenoids, which have multiple functional groups for the further transformations. As a synthetic application, it was successfully used in the synthesis of indolosesquiterpenoid mycoleptodiscin A.
Optimization of a parallel‐plate RF probe for high resolution thin film imaging
Authors: Ramírez Aguilera Andrés , MacMillan Bryce , Goward Gillian R. , Balcom Bruce J.
Published: December 2018

Choosing an MR probe with the correct dimensions and high sensitivity is critical for magnetic resonance imaging, especially high resolution thin film imaging. In this work, a parallel‐plate resonator has been optimized for strength and uniformity of the B1 magnetic field. The parallel‐plate resonator is designed for high resolution imaging in the direction perpendicular to the plates. The optimization process was undertaken through simulation with CST Micro Wave Studio, followed by experiment. A 400 μm capillary tube, filled with doped water, was used for testing the optimized probe in a 2.4 T magnet. It is shown that increasing the width of the copper leads connected to the plates increases the homogeneity of the B1 magnetic field by almost 90%. The best approach to increase the sensitivity and the homogeneity of the probe was to maintain the dimensions of the plates and copper leads but to add additional capacitors at the corners to distribute the current. This approach produces a 40% stronger B1 magnetic field and increases the homogeneity by almost 85%. The experimental B1 magnetic field of the parallel‐plate prototype agrees within 20% of the value found through simulation, for specified power. The experimental MRI results show that it is possible to achieve a nominal resolution of 10 μm between the plates for suitable samples using the optimized probe. The optimized parallel‐plate resonator, combined with a phase encode SE SPI method, may be used for high resolution studies of lithium‐ion transport in the electrolyte solution of lithium‐ion batteries.
Differential investment in brain regions for a diurnal and nocturnal lifestyle in Australian Myrmecia ants
Authors: Sheehan Zachary B. V. , Kamhi J. Frances , Seid Marc A. , Narendra Ajay
Published: December 2018

Animals are active at different times of the day. Each temporal niche offers a unique light environment, which affects the quality of the available visual information. To access reliable visual signals in dim‐light environments, insects have evolved several visual adaptations to enhance their optical sensitivity. The extent to which these adaptations reflect on the sensory processing and integration capabilities within the brain of a nocturnal insect is unknown. To address this, we analyzed brain organization in congeneric species of the Australian bull ant, Myrmecia, that rely predominantly on visual information and range from being strictly diurnal to strictly nocturnal. Weighing brains and optic lobes of seven Myrmecia species, showed that after controlling for body mass, the brain mass was not significantly different between diurnal and nocturnal ants. However, the optic lobe mass, after controlling for central brain mass, differed between day‐ and night‐active ants. Detailed volumetric analyses showed that the nocturnal ants invested relatively less in the primary visual processing regions but relatively more in both the primary olfactory processing regions and in the integration centers of visual and olfactory sensory information. We discuss how the temporal niche occupied by each species may affect cognitive demands, thus shaping brain organization among insects active in dim‐light conditions.
Characterization of perinatally born glutamatergic neurons of the mouse olfactory bulb based on NeuroD6 expression reveals their resistance to sensory deprivation
Authors: Angelova Alexandra , Platel Jean‐Claude , Béclin Christophe , Cremer Harold , Coré Nathalie
Published: December 2018

During postnatal olfactory bulb (OB) neurogenesis, predetermined stem cells residing in the ventricular–subventricular zone continuously generate progenitors that migrate in the rostral migratory stream and integrate into the OB. Although the vast majority of these postnatally generated interneurons are inhibitory, a sub‐fraction represents glutamatergic neurons that integrate into the superficial glomerular layer. In the present work, we demonstrate that the bHLH transcription factor NeuroD6 is specifically and transitorily expressed in the dorsal neurogenic lineage that generates glutamatergic juxtaglomerular cells (JGCs) for the OB. Using lineage tracing combined with whole brain clearing, we provide new insight into timing of generation, morphology, and connectivity of glutamatergic JGCs. Specifically, we show that all glutamatergic JGCs send complex axons with varying projection patterns into different layers of the OB. Moreover, we find that, contrary to GABAergic OB interneurons, glutamatergic JGCs survive under sensory deprivation, indicating that inhibitory and excitatory populations are differentially susceptible to environmental stimulation.
Sparse data encoder and decoder to improve security in video steganography
Authors: Perumal Kaliram , Muthusamy Suganthi , Gengavel Gowrison
Published: December 2018

Steganography is a technological art to hide text, audio, digital image,s and videos in secret communication, and in the past decade, much research has been carried out the respective field. Currently, secret communications through video steganography are focused on numerous applications due to emerge of social communication networks such as whatsApp, twitter, and Facebook. In video‐based steganography, the video with any format have been separated into number of frames associated to the dividing speed and select few frames for embedding purpose. The existing video steganography techniques have some advantages and limitations in information hiding and so to design a well‐intentioned steganography algorithm for improving security and robustness are significant task. The experimental results show that the proposed block‐based transform domain sparse data encoder and decoder video steganography method provide high security with improved PSNR.
The new Multicast Repair (M‐REP) IP fast reroute mechanism
Authors: Papan Jozef , Segec Pavel , Paluch Peter , Uramova Jana , Moravcik Marek
Published: December 2018

The network convergence time may take hundreds of milliseconds or more. Since this repair performance may be unsatisfactory, IP fast reroute (IPFRR) approaches have been developed to decrease the network convergence time and minimize traffic loss. These IPFRR mechanisms are usually based on the proactive precomputation of a backup path before a failure occurs. Once a failure is detected, the router running IPFRR will immediately use this backup path in response to the failure, rather than computing a replacement path only after a failure has occurred. The computation of an alternative path in many IPFRR mechanisms requires that the computing node (router) knows the exact network topology. In this paper, we present a new IPFRR mechanism called the multicast repair (M‐REP) IPFRR mechanism, which provides an advanced fast reroute technique for Internet service providers‘ (ISP‘s) core networks. The M‐REP IPFRR mechanism is based on IP multicast and utilizes Protocol Independent Multicast – Dense Mode (PIM‐DM) with the modification of an internal reverse path forwarding (RPF) check. The M‐REP IPFRR mechanism does not depend on any particular routing protocol type (distance‐vector or link‐state) and requires less system resources because of its precomputation‐less character but still provides immediate reaction to failure.
The optimization of virtual resource allocation in cloud computing based on RBPSO
Authors: Wang Xiaohui , Gu Haoran , Yue YuXian
Published: December 2018

The virtual resource allocation in cloud computing is becoming a critical issue. In order to meet the task requirements of different users, virtual machines need to be placed on physical machines through virtualization technology in the data center. However, in this process, the total load balance, energy consumption, and resource utilization of physical machines should be considered. Therefore, two models are established for two different optimization targets, respectively. The first model is built to minimize the degree of load imbalance. The second model is built to maximize the resource utilization and minimize the energy consumption. To gain better results of virtual machines placement, we propose a new algorithm called resampled binary particle swarm optimization (RBPSO). To enhance the global search ability of BPSO, we add the re‐sampling, mutation and small vibration process to it, named RBPSO, for the purpose of maintaining the diversity of the population, reducing redundant calculation and thereby improving the ability and efficiency of the algorithm. Then, the RBPSO is used to solve the deployment problem of virtual machines in cloud computing. The experiments show that the proposed model is reasonable and RBPSO performs better than BPSO and genetic algorithm (GA).
Query expansion using named entity disambiguation for a question‐answering system
Authors: Kandasamy Saravanakumar , Cherukuri Aswani Kumar
Published: December 2018

Due to the exponential growth in the size of available data, people often prefer direct answers in many cases, instead of a set of ranked documents while searching using a search engine. Furthermore, people often do not provide enough information regarding their search. Query expansion would help in such cases so that queries would be best understood by search engines. Although the queries are expanded, many a times, they end up with wrong results due to the entity mentions in the questions. Hence, we need to disambiguate named entities properly so as to choose the right mention. In this paper, a method is proposed for named entity disambiguation in order to help in query expansion. An adapted Lesk similarity measure is used to find the similarity between questions and the target Wikipedia disambiguation pages. The proposed approach has shown very good results in disambiguating organization‐ and miscellaneous‐type entity mentions.
Bidirectional compressive sensing for classification of gene expression data
Authors: Xu Xiaohua , Fan Baichuan , He Ping , Liang Yali , Ding Jie , Lou Yuan , Zhang Zhijun , Chang Xincheng
Published: December 2018

The classification of gene expression data is significantly important for medical diagnosis. In recent years, compressive sensing emerges as a popular sparse learning method and has been applied in different areas. It is featured with the sparse representation of data with a few atoms in the dictionary. However, the traditional compressive sensing model only focuses on the relationship among different samples but neglects the relationship among different genes. In order to take into account of the both kinds of correlation, we propose a novel bidirectional compressive sensing model for the classification of gene expression data. Under this model, we develop a novel Bi‐ADMM algorithm with three different variants to solve the optimization problem. The promising experimental results on the real‐world gene expression datasets demonstrate both the effectiveness and efficiency of our proposed approach.
Do corporate social responsibility ratings affect credit default swap spreads?
Authors: Drago Danilo , Carnevale Concetta , Gallo Raffaele
Published: December 2018

We examine the impact of a corporate social responsibility (CSR) rating announcement on the credit default swap (CDS) spreads of European firms. Our results indicate that a CSR rating upgrade leads to an immediate and significant decrease in CDS spreads of rated firms. In contrast, CSR rating downgrades do not have a significant immediate impact on the CDS market. Additionally, better CSR ratings, in terms of both the overall score and the scores for the three main CSR pillars (economic, environmental, and social), lead to lower CDS spreads. Therefore, we document that the CSR rating is a measure of CSR performance that affects market CDS prices. Our findings are consistent with the risk mitigation view, highlighting the benefits derived from CSR commitment. Consequently, CSR engagement can function as a tool for improving firm's creditworthiness. This result may provide an incentive to pay more attention to CSR in managerial, regulatory, and investment decisions.
Refining the Limits of Borderline Lymphoproliferative Disorders
Authors: Sorigue Marc , Raya Minerva , Vergara Sara , Sarrate Edurne , Orna Elisa , Juncà Jordi
Published: December 2018

Background

The concept of borderline lymphoproliferative disorder (LPD) has not been clearly defined.

Methods

This study aimed to classify patients with leukemic LPD (n = 597, excluding hairy cell leukemia, mantle cell lymphomas, and CD10‐positive LPDs) into CLL or non‐CLL applying three diagnostic strategies (the D'Arena and CLLflow scores and CD43 expression) and to better characterize unclassified patients.

Results

Patients with concurring CLL‐like (n = 441) or non‐CLL like (n = 99) results with the three diagnostic strategies were determined to have CLL and non‐CLL, respectively. Patients with discordant results (n = 57) were analyzed taking into consideration each individual cytometric marker and cytogenetic data: 41 were classified (11 CLL, 30 non‐CLL) and 16 (2.7% of the entire series) could not and were considered borderline LPD. Excluding borderline LPD, the CLLflow score had the highest accuracy of the three strategies. With the addition of CD43 no patient was misclassified. With the aid of hierarchical clustering, 12 of the 16 borderline patients seemed to fall into two well‐defined antigenic groups. None of the diagnostic strategies could reliably pick out borderline LPD.

Conclusion

The combination of the CLLflow score and CD43 generally has a high diagnostic accuracy for leukemic LPD but it is not reliable to identify or diagnose borderline LPD. This latter group needs further study to determine its underlying biology. © 2018 International Clinical Cytometry Society
Combining capture–recapture data and known ages allows estimation of age‐dependent survival rates
Authors: Bird Tomas , Lyon Jarod , Wotherspoon Simon , Todd Charles , Tonkin Zeb , McCarthy Michael
Published: December 2018

In many animal populations, demographic parameters such as survival and recruitment vary markedly with age, as do parameters related to sampling, such as capture probability. Failing to account for such variation can result in biased estimates of population‐level rates. However, estimating age‐dependent survival rates can be challenging because ages of individuals are rarely known unless tagging is done at birth. For many species, it is possible to infer age based on size. In capture–recapture studies of such species, it is possible to use a growth model to infer the age at first capture of individuals. We show how to build estimates of age‐dependent survival into a capture–mark–recapture model based on data obtained in a capture–recapture study. We first show how estimates of age based on length increments closely match those based on definitive aging methods. In simulated analyses, we show that both individual ages and age‐dependent survival rates estimated from simulated data closely match true values. With our approach, we are able to estimate the age‐specific apparent survival rates of Murray and trout cod in the Murray River, Australia. Our model structure provides a flexible framework within which to investigate various aspects of how survival varies with age and will have extensions within a wide range of ecological studies of animals where age can be estimated based on size.