bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A diffuse‐interface immersed boundary method for simulation of compressible viscous flows with stationary and moving boundaries
Authors: Sun Yu , Yang Liming , Shu Chang , Chen You
Published: October 2019

In this paper, a diffuse‐interface immersed boundary method (IBM) is proposed for simulation of compressible viscous flows with stationary and moving boundaries. In the method, the solution of flow field and the implementation of boundary conditions are decoupled into two steps by applying the fractional step technique, ie, the predictor step and the corrector step. Firstly, in the predictor step, the intermediate flow field is resolved by a recently developed gas kinetic flux solver (GKFS) without consideration of the solid boundary. The GKFS is a finite volume approach that solves the Navier‐Stokes equations for the flow variables at cell centers. In GKFS, the inviscid and viscous fluxes are evaluated as a single entity by reconstructing the local solution of continuous Boltzmann equation. Secondly, in the corrector step, the intermediate flow field is corrected by the present diffuse‐interface IBM. During this process, the velocity field is firstly corrected by the implicit boundary condition–enforced IBM so that the no‐slip boundary condition can be accurately satisfied. After that, the density correction is made by an iterative approach with the help of the continuity equation. Finally, the correction of the temperature field is made in the same way as that of the velocity field. Good agreements between the present simulations and the reference data in literature demonstrate the reliability of the proposed method.
Ultraviolet light (365 nm) transmission properties of articular cartilage as a function of depth, extracellular matrix, and swelling
Authors: Torzilli Peter A. , Azimulla Abidally
Published: October 2019

Current tissue engineering approaches for treatment of injured or diseased articular cartilage use ultraviolet light (UV) for in situ photopolymerization of biomaterials to fill chondral and osteochondral defects as well as resurfacing, stiffening and bonding the extracellular matrix and tissue interfaces. The most commonly used UV light wavelength is UVA 365 nm, the least cytotoxic and deepest penetrating. However, little information is available on the transmission of UVA 365 nm light through the cartilage matrix. In the present study, 365 nm UV light transmission was measured as a function of depth through 100 μm thick slices of healthy articular cartilage removed from mature bovine knees. Transmission properties were measured in normal (Native) cartilage and after swelling equilibration in phosphate‐buffered saline (Swollen). Single‐factor and multiple linear regression analyses were performed to determine depth‐dependencies between the effective attenuation coefficients and proteoglycan, collagen and water contents. For both cartilages, a significant depth‐dependency was found for the effective attenuation coefficients, being highest at the articular surface (superficial zone) and decreasing with depth. The effective attenuation coefficients for full‐thickness cartilages were approximately a third lower than the total attenuation coefficients calculated from the individual slices. Analysis of absorption and scattering effects due to the ECM and chondrocytes found that UV light scatter coefficients were ∼10 times greater than absorption coefficients. The greater transmittance of UV light through the thicker cartilage was attributed to the collagen within the ECM causing significant backscatter forward reflectance.
Efficacy of transdiagnostic behavior therapy on transdiagnostic avoidance in veterans with emotional disorders
Authors: Gros Daniel F. , Shapiro Mary Oglesby , Allan Nicholas P.
Published: October 2019

Objective

To date, transdiagnostic treatments have primarily investigated treatment outcomes of general psychiatric symptomatology, rather than the specific transdiagnostic symptoms implicated in their protocols. The present study sought to address this significant gap in the literature by investigating the effect of transdiagnostic behavior therapy (TBT) on transdiagnostic avoidance.

Method

Forty‐four veterans diagnosed with various emotional disorders initiated TBT, and completed diagnostic and self‐report measures at pre‐ and posttreatment.

Results

Participants demonstrated reliable treatment improvements in measures of situational, thought, and positive emotional avoidance, with moderate‐to‐large effect sizes, and in measures of physical/interoceptive avoidance with small‐to‐medium effect sizes.

Conclusions

The findings support the hypothesized effect of TBT in self‐report measures of four types of transdiagnostic avoidance in participants diagnosed with various emotional disorders. These findings contribute to the growing literature on the potential benefits of the transdiagnostic approaches to address symptomatology across diagnoses.
Identification of lncRNA NEAT1/miR‐21/RRM2 axis as a novel biomarker in breast cancer
Authors: Quan Dongling , Chen Kai , Zhang Jingru , Guan Yiqing , Yang Danni , Wu Huanxian , Wu Shaoyu , Lv Lin
Published: October 2019

As a major disease that threatens the health of women worldwide, breast cancer (BC) lacks effective molecular markers in the clinic at the same time. We aim at finding a new biomarker of BC. In our study, through the Gene Expression Omnibus database chip, a total of 1393 pairs of microRNA‐messenger RNA (miRNA‐mRNA) networks and 35754 pairs of long noncoding RNA‐miRNA networks were obtained. We found out that NEAT1/miR‐21/RRM2 axis may play a role in BC diagnosis and prognosis. The real‐time quantitative reverse transcription‐polymerase chain reaction test was used to analyze the mRNA level of NEAT1, miR‐21, and RRM2. Western blot was used to detect the protein level of RRM2. Through the 5‐ethynyl‐2′‐deoxyuridine assay, the proliferation of MDA‐MB‐231 cells was detected. Through wound healing and transwell assay, the migration of MDA‐MB‐231 cells was detected. Altogether, our data indicated that NEAT1, miR‐21, and RRM2 were upregulated in several BC cell lines. Overexpressed of miR‐21 in MDA‐MB‐231 cells promote proliferation and migration. Besides, our results demonstrated that overexpressed of miR‐21 upregulated the level of RRM2. Accordingly, miR‐21/RRM2 might be a new diagnosis and treatment target of BC.
Kp‐10 promotes bovine mammary epithelial cell proliferation by activating GPR54 and its downstream signaling pathways
Authors: Li Yanwei , Cao Yu , Wang Jiaxin , Fu Shoupeng , Cheng Ji , Ma Lijun , Zhang Qing , Guo Wenjin , Kan Xingchi , Liu Juxiong
Published: October 2019

It has been reported that the proliferation and apoptosis of mammary epithelial cells affect milk production. Therefore, ensuring adequate mammary epithelial cells is expected to enhance milk production. This study is devoted to studying the effects of kisspeptin‐10 (Kp‐10), a peptide hormone composed of 10 amino acids, on bovine mammary epithelial cell (bMEC) proliferation and exploring the underlying mechanism of its action. bMECs were treated with various concentrations of Kp‐10 (1, 10, 100, and 1,000 nM), and 100 nM Kp‐10 promoted the proliferation of the bMECs. Kp‐10 promoted the cell cycle transition from G1 to the S and G2 phases, increased the protein levels of Cyclin D1 and Cyclin D3, and reduced the expression levels of the p21 gene. This study also showed that inhibition of G protein‐coupled receptor 54 (GPR54), AKT, mTOR, and ERK1/2 reduced the proliferation of the bMECs that had been induced by Kp‐10. In addition, Kp‐10 decreased the complexes formed by Rb and E2F1 and increased the expression levels of the E2F1 target genes. These results indicate that Kp‐10 promotes bMEC proliferation by activating GPR54 and its downstream signaling pathways.
Novel LRAP‐binding partner revealing the plasminogen activation system as a regulator of cementoblast differentiation and mineral nodule formation in vitro
Authors: Martins Luciane , Amorim Bruna Rabelo , Salmon Cristiane Ribeiro , Leme Adriana Franco Paes , Kantovitz Kamila Rosamilia , Nociti Francisco Humberto
Published: October 2019

Amelogenin isoforms, including full‐length amelogenin (AMEL) and leucine‐rich amelogenin peptide (LRAP), are major components of the enamel matrix, and are considered as signaling molecules in epithelial–mesenchymal interactions regulating tooth development and periodontal regeneration. Nevertheless, the molecular mechanisms involved are still poorly understood. The aim of the present study was to identify novel binding partners for amelogenin isoforms in the cementoblast (OCCM‐30), using an affinity purification assay (GST pull‐down) followed by mass spectrometry and immunoblotting. Protein‐protein interaction analysis for AMEL and LRAP evidenced the plasminogen activation system (PAS) as a potential player regulating OCCM‐30 response to amelogenin isoforms. For functional assays, PAS was either activated (plasmin) or inhibited (ε‐aminocaproic acid [aminocaproic]) in OCCM‐30 cells and the cell morphology, mineral nodule formation, and gene expression were assessed. PAS inhibition (EACA 100 mM) dramatically decreased mineral nodule formation and expression of OCCM‐30 differentiation markers, including osteocalcin (Bglap), bone sialoprotein (Ibsp), osteopontin (Spp1), tissue‐nonspecific alkaline phosphatase (Alpl) and collagen type I (Col1a1), and had no effect on runt‐related transcription factor 2 (Runx2) and Osterix (Osx) mRNA levels. PAS activation (plasmin 5 µg/µl) significantly increased Col1a1 and decreased Bglap mRNA levels (p < .05). Together, our findings shed new light on the potential role of plasminogen signaling pathway in the control of the amelogenin isoform‐mediated response in cementoblasts and provide new insights into the development of targeted therapies.
The Characteristics of Transformative Consumer Research and How it Can Contribute to and Enhance Consumer Psychology
Authors: Davis Brennan , Pechmann Cornelia (Connie)
Published: October 2019

This article is part of the issue “Transformative Consumer Research”:
Stornelli et al. (2019): https://doi.org/10.1002/jcpy.1100 Mende et al. (2019): https://doi.org/10.1002/jcpy.1103 Haws et al. (2019): https://doi.org/10.1002/jcpy.1129
Response to Commentaries on the Exerting Self‐Control ≠ Sacrificing Pleasure Research Dialogue
Authors: Scopelliti Irene , Vosgerau Joachim , Huh Young Eun
Published: October 2019

INTRODUCTION: “It should not take a funeral: An Introduction to the Dialogue on the Self‐Control Construct” by Aradhna Krishna

TARGET ARTICLE: “Exerting Self‐Control ≠ Sacrificing Pleasure” by Joachim Vosgerau, Irene Scopelliti, and Young‐Eun Huh

COMMENTARY #1: “Reflective Self‐Control in Self‐Control Scholarship: A Peircean Analysis” by Cait Lamberton

COMMENTARY #2: “The importance of construct validity in consumer research” by Daniel Mochon and Janet Schwartz
Design, synthesis, and in vitro antimycobacterial activities of butylene tethered 7‐fluoroisatin‐isatin scaffolds
Authors: Liu Bi , Wang Gang‐Qiang , Peng Yan‐Hong , Tang Xiu‐Qin , Hu Guo‐Wen
Published: October 2019

In this work, a series of butylene tethered heteronuclear 7‐fluoroisatin‐isatin scaffolds 4a to 4h were designed and synthesized, and the antimycobacterial activity profiles, cytotoxicity together with inhibitory activity against MTB DNA gyrase, were also investigated. All the synthesized heteronuclear scaffolds were active against MTB H37Rv and MDR‐MTB strains, and some of them were more potent than isoniazid (INH), rifampicin (RIF), ethambutol (EMB) against MDR‐MTB strain. The structure‐activity relationship demonstrated that the substituents on C‐3 position of 7‐fluoroisatin and isatin moieties were closely related with the activity, and hydrogen bond donors were favorable to the activity. Scaffolds with different substituents showed higher activity than the analogs with the same substituents at this position of the two isatin motifs, which may be attributed to the synergistic effect. Among them, the most active scaffold 4e (MIC: 1 and 4 μg/mL) was comparable with the first‐line anti‐TB agent EMB against MTB H37Rv, and ≥16‐fold more potent than INH, RIF, and EMB against MDR‐MTB strain, demonstrating its potential for fighting against infections caused by both drug‐sensitive and MDR MTB strains. Moreover, scaffold 4e also possessed excellent toxicological profiles and promising inhibitory activity against MTB DNA gyrase. Thus, scaffold 4e could act as an ideal platform for further optimization.
A study on a cohort of 301 Chinese patients with isolated methylmalonic acidemia
Authors: Kang Lulu , Liu Yupeng , Shen Ming , Liu Yi , He Ruxuan , Song Jinqing , Jin Ying , Li Mengqiu , Zhang Yao , Dong Hui , Liu Xueqin , Yan Hui , Qin Jiong , Zheng Hong , Chen Yongxing , Li Dongxiao , Wei Haiyan , Zhang Huifeng , Sun Liying , Zhu Zhijun , Liang Desheng , Yang Yanling
Published: October 2019

Methylmalonic acidemia (MMA) is the most common organic acidemia in China. This study aimed to characterise the genotypic and phenotypic variabilities, and the molecular epidemiology of Chinese patients with isolated MMA. Patients (n = 301) with isolated MMA were diagnosed by clinical examination, biochemical assays, and genetic analysis. Fifty‐eight patients (19.3%) were detected by newborn screening and 243 patients (80.7%) were clinically diagnosed after onset. Clinical onset ranged from the age of 3 days to 23 years (mean age = 1.01 ± 0.15 years). Among 234 MMA patients whose detailed clinical data were available, 170 (72.6%) had early onset disease (before the age of 1 year), and 64 (27.4%) had late‐onset disease. The 234 MMA patients manifested with neuropsychiatric impairment (65.4%), haematological abnormality (31.6%), renal damage (8.5%), and metabolic crises (67.1%). Haematological abnormality was significantly more common in early‐onset patients than that in late‐onset patients. The incidence of metabolic crises was significantly high (P < 0.001) in patients with mut type than those with other types of isolated MMA. Variations (n = 122) were identified in MMUT, MMAA, MMAB, MMADHC, SUCLG1, and SUCLA2, of which 45 were novel. c.729_730insTT was the most frequent MMUT mutation, with a significantly higher frequency in our patients than that in 151 reported European patients. The frequency of c.914T>C in MMUT in our cohort was also higher than that in 151 European patients. MMUT mutations c.729_730insTT and c.914T>C are specific for the Chinese population. Our study expanded the spectrum of phenotypes and genotypes in isolated MMA.
A geometric morphometric approach to the analysis of skull shape in Triassic dicynodonts (Therapsida, Anomodontia) from South America
Authors: Ordonez Maria de los Angeles , Cassini Guillermo H. , Vizcaíno Sergio F. , Marsicano Claudia A.
Published: October 2019

Dicynodont therapsids were a major component of the Permo‐Triassic terrestrial ecosystems across Pangea and have been regarded as specialized herbivores. In South America, the group was represented by several taxa of the clade Kannemeyeriiformes spanning from the Middle to the Late Triassic. In order to evaluate if cranial differences among taxa are potentially related to differences in feeding function, we performed a geometric morphometric analysis on 28 South American dicynodont crania. We digitized 19 cranial landmarks and conducted generalized Procrustes analysis, principal component analysis (PCA), principal component analysis between groups (bg‐PCA), and a branch weighted squared‐change parsimony approach. Phylogenetic inertia was not a significant driver of cranial shape evolution in the group, whereas PCA and bg‐PCA support that major morphological shape differences are concentrated in the preorbital region (relative length of the snout and width of the caniniform process), in the position of quadrate condyle in relation to the caniniform process, and in the increase in the intertemporal surface area. In this context, tusked Dinodontosaurus, “Kannemeyeria,” and Vinceria have relatively smaller adductor attachment areas and input moment arm than younger taxa lacking tusks, such as Ischigualastia, Stahleckeria, and Jachaleria. Differences in cranial morphology in later dicynodonts reflect modifications in feeding mechanics, probably due to changes in food resources (vegetation) in their habitats toward the end of the Triassic.
Ethnicity and response to primary three‐dose hepatitis B vaccination in employees in the Netherlands, 1983 through 2017
Authors: Koc Özgür M. , Menart Charlotte , Theodore Jemimah , Kremer Cécile , Hens Niel , Koek Ger H , Oude Lashof Astrid M. L.
Published: October 2019

Background and Aims

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) vaccination is recommended to all employees who have an occupational risk in the Netherlands. This study assessed the determinants of the immune response to primary standard three‐dose HBV vaccination (0, 1, 6 months), with the main focus on ethnicity.

Methods

Out of 76 239 individuals who received HBV vaccination between April 1983 and December 2017, 11 567 persons with a known country of birth and complete vaccination schedule were included in this study. Weighted multiple logistic regression with Firth's bias adjustment was used to assess the determinants of nonresponse (anti‐HBs < 10 mIU/mL) and low response (anti‐HBs 10‐99 mIU/mL).

Results

Baseline characteristics of the study population (n = 11 567) were as follows: mean age 27.5 years (95% confidence interval [CI], 27.23‐27.72), 99.4% born in the Netherlands and 93.5% of Western European origin. Of all identified subjects, 180 (1.6%) were HBV vaccine nonresponders and 549 (4.8%) were low responders. When compared with individuals aged <40 years, the rate of nonresponse (4.3% vs 0.8%; P < .001) and low response (11.9% vs 2.9%; P < .001) was higher in those aged 40 years or older. The height of anti‐HBs levels were lower in those subjects aged >40 years in comparison with those younger than 40 years, P < .001. All nonresponders were born in the Netherlands. Although no significant association was found between nonresponse and individuals of Western European origin (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 1.20; 95% CI, 0.66‐2.44; P = .163), low response to HBV vaccination was significantly associated with Western European origin (aOR = 2.21; 95% CI, 1.41‐3.86; P = .001). Significant determinants for nonresponse were older age at vaccination (aOR = 1.06; 95% CI, 1.06‐1.07; P < .001) and male gender (aOR = 2.51; 95% CI, 1.97‐3.22; P < .001).

Conclusions

The nonresponse rate was low in our study population. Our findings suggest that the vaccines being used for the primary vaccination are probably less immunogenic for older individuals, males, and persons of Western European origin.
Oxidative stress differentially induces tau dissociation from neuronal microtubules in neurites of neurons cultured from different regions of the embryonic Gallus domesticus brain
Authors: Beyrent Erika , Gomez George
Published: October 2019

Abnormal phosphorylation of microtubule‐associated proteins such as tau has been shown to play a role in neurodegenerative disorders. It is hypothesized that oxidative stress‐induced aggregates of hyperphosphorylated tau could lead to the microtubule network degradation commonly associated with neurodegeneration. We investigated whether oxidative stress induced tau hyperphosphorylation and focused on neurite degradation using cultured neurons isolated from the embryonic chick brain as a model system. Cells were isolated from the cerebrum, cerebellum, and tectum of 14‐day‐old chicks, grown separately in culture, and treated with tert‐Butyl hydroperoxide (to simulate oxidative stress) for 48 hr. Relative expression and localization of tau or phospho‐tau and β‐tubulin III in neurites were determined using quantitative immunocytochemistry and confocal microscopy. In untreated cells, tau was tightly colocalized with β‐tubulin III. Increasing levels of oxidative stress induced an increase in overall tau expression in neurites of cerebral and tectal but not the cerebellar neurons, coupled with a decrease in phospho‐tau expression in tectal but not the cerebral or cerebellar neurons. In addition, oxidative stress induced the degeneration of the distal ends of the neurites and redistribution of phospho‐tau toward the neuronal soma in the cerebral but not the tectal and cerebellar neurons. These results suggest that oxidative stress induces changes in tau protein that precede cytoskeletal degradation and neurite retraction. Additionally, there is a differential susceptibility of neuronal subpopulations to oxidative stress, which may offer potential avenues for investigation of the cellular mechanisms underlying the differential manifestations of neurodegenerative disorders in different regions of the brain.
Diversity of esterase and lipase producing haloalkaliphilic bacteria from Lake Magadi in Kenya
Authors: Kiplimo Denis , Mugweru Julius , Kituyi Sarah , Kipnyargis Alex , Mwirichia Romano
Published: October 2019

Lipids are hydrocarbons comprised of long‐chain fatty acids and are found in all living things. In the environment, microorganisms degrade them to obtain energy using esterases and lipases. These enzymes are nowadays used in different industrial applications. We report isolation of 24 bacteria with esteresic and lipolytic activity from Lake Magadi, Kenya. The isolates were characterised using morphological, biochemical, and molecular methods. Isolates grew at an optimum salt concentration of 5–8% (w/v), pH range of 8.0–9.0, and temperature range of 35–40°C. The isolates were positive for esterase and lipase assay as well as other extracellular enzymes. Phylogenetic analysis of the 16S ribosomal RNA gene showed that the isolates were affiliated to the genus Bacillus, Alkalibacterium, Staphylococcus, Micrococcus, Halomonas, and Alkalilimnicola. None of the bacterial isolates produced antimicrobial agents, and all of them were resistant to trimethoprim and nalidixic acid but susceptible to streptomycin, amoxillin, chloramphenicol, and cefotaxime. Growth at elevated pH, salt, and temperature is an indicator that the enzymes from these organisms could function well under haloalkaline conditions. Therefore, Lake Magadi could be a good source of isolates with the potential to produce unique biocatalysts for the biotechnology industry.
Impact of moderate pump–Stokes chirp on femtosecond coherent anti‐Stokes Raman scattering spectra
Authors: Gu Mingming , Satija Aman , Lucht Robert P.
Published: October 2019

The effects of inducing moderate chirp in the pump and Stokes beams in chirped‐probe‐pulse femtosecond coherent anti‐Stokes Raman scattering (CARS) spectroscopy are discussed. This is an important issue for measurements in high‐pressure systems where the CARS beams must be transmitted through glass of significant thickness to reach the probe volume of interest. The effects were investigated both experimentally, by inserting disks of SF‐11 glass into the pump and Stokes beam paths, and theoretically, by incorporating pulse chirp into our time‐dependent density matrix (TDDM) simulations. Experimentally, we found that inducing moderate pump and Stokes chirp produced significant spectral narrowing of the nonresonant four‐wave mixing contribution to the CARS signal, and this allowed us to control the resonant excitation bandwidth to eliminate interferences from neighboring species. The temperature measurement accuracy and precision were essentially unchanged with respect to the unchirped pump and Stokes case. The effect of moderate pump and Stokes chirp on the narrowing of the Raman excitation efficiency envelope was investigated by solving the full set of TDDM through direct numerical integration. The numerical efficiency of the solutions was enhanced dramatically by developing a parallel version of the TDDM code. The calculated Raman excitation efficiency profile was incorporated in our phenomenological spectral fitting codes.
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Among Low‐Income Adolescents Experiencing Family–Neighborhood Income Disparities
Authors: Carbone Jason T. , Holzer Katherine J. , Vaughn Michael G.
Published: October 2019

Certain neighborhood factors may increase the risk of exposure to trauma, therefore increasing the risk of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Other aspects of neighborhoods can be protective, such as neighborhood‐based social relationships, which provide social support that buffers the risk of developing PTSD. The strength of these social relationships may not be as dependent on neighborhood conditions as much as they are contingent on socioeconomic similarities between neighborhood residents. Using a nationally representative sample of hospital emergency department admissions in the United States (N = 13,669,251), this study hypothesized that an interaction between family‐level income and neighborhood‐level income would be associated with adolescent PTSD. The results show that female adolescents who resided in the highest income areas were 1.39 times more likely, 95% CI [1.09, 1.77], to be diagnosed with PTSD than those who lived in the lowest income areas. This association was not statistically significant for male adolescents. Additionally, low‐income female youth were nearly one‐third more likely than their non–low‐income counterparts to be diagnosed, odds ratio (OR) = 1.29, 95% CI [1.12, 1.48], whereas low‐income male youth were nearly twice as likely than their non–low‐income counterparts to be diagnosed, OR = 1.95, 95% CI [1.62, 2.34]. Furthermore, there was an interaction among both male and female adolescents such that lower‐income adolescents living in higher‐income areas had higher odds of a PTSD diagnosis compared to their higher‐income peers in areas that were in the same median household income quartile.
Laser Therapy of Traumatic and Surgical Scars and an Algorithm for Their Treatment
Authors: Kauvar Arielle N.B. , Kubicki Shelby L. , Suggs Amanda K. , Friedman Paul M.
Published: October 2019

Background and Objectives

This paper describes the laser techniques available for the treatment of surgical and trauma scars and develops recommendations for an algorithmic‐based treatment approach based on extensive clinical experience and published data.

Study Design/Materials and Methods

We reviewed the literature regarding laser treatment of surgical and traumatic scars and incorporated the clinical experience of the authors to develop an algorithm for the treatment of surgical and trauma scars.

Results

In order to develop treatment recommendations, scars were differentiated based on their clinical characteristics. Specific scar characteristics aid in determining the appropriate treatment strategy for different types of complex surgical and trauma scars.

Conclusion

Laser therapy is first‐line therapy for traumatic and surgical scars. The treatment approach should be guided by scar characteristics (e.g., anatomic location, type of injury, color, thickness, tension, scar age, and activity) and involves choosing the appropriate laser type and determining the benefit of combination therapy with surgical and nonsurgical treatment modalities to optimize treatment responses. Lasers Surg. Med. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Dielectric Properties of γ‐Iirradiated, Stretched, and Poled PVDF Thin Films
Authors: Madivalappa Shivaraj , Jali Vivekanand M. , Jain Anjana
Published: October 2019

The effects of γ‐irradiation on the dielectric properties of stretched and poled polyvinylidene fluoride thin films synthesized by solvent cast method are reported. The films are subjected to γ‐irradiation with different doses (25, 50, and 75 kGy). XRD pattern is obtained to identify the presence of α/β phases. Dielectric constant and loss values of the stretched and poled films have been measured, before and after irradiation, and their nature of variation has been studied. β phase is retained even after the irradiation thereby confirming that the radiation damage is not significant. The dielectric loss is minimum in the frequency range 102 to104 Hz, giving the preferable frequency range of operation for devices
AC Impedance Study of PMMA‐LiNO3 Electrolyte
Authors: Shamrao Patil Vilas , Vithya K. , Premalatha M. , Sundaresan Balakrishnan
Published: October 2019

Solid polymer electrolyte (SPE) film, based on poly(methyl methacrylate)‐PMMA complexed with lithium nitrate (LiNO3), has been developed by solution casting method. AC impedance spectroscopy technique has been employed to study the ionic conductivity of the complex. Also, the effect of addition of nano Al2O3 particles on the ionic conductivity of the complex is studied.
An Efficient Protocol for the Synthesis of Pyrido[2,3‐d]pyrimidines in Glycerol–Water Medium: Assessment by Green Chemistry Metrics
Authors: Jamale Dattatraya K. , Gurame Vashishtha M. , Valekar Navanath J. , Hangirgekar Shankar P. , Kolekar Govind B. , Anbhule Prashant V.
Published: October 2019

A clean and ecofriendly approach for the catalyst‐free synthesis of pyrido[2,3‐d]pyrimidine derivatives by one‐pot three‐component condensation of aromatic aldehyde, malononitrile and 6‐aminouracil or 6‐amino‐1,3‐dimethyluracil using glycerol–water (3:1) as green reaction media has been developed. Catalyst‐free synthesis with high to excellent yields and use of glycerol–water system as an environmentally benign reaction condition are the prominent features of this strategy. Moreover, excellent outcomes from the calculations of green chemistry metrics reveal the greenness of the protocol.
An Investigation of Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer between Tryptophan and Quinine Sulphate
Authors: Mahanwar Sunanda T. , Patil Shilpa R. , Naik Vaibhav M. , Wakshe Saubai B. , Anbhule Prashant V. , Kolekar Govind B.
Published: October 2019

Fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) between tryptophan (Trp) and quinine sulphate (QS) has been investigated in aqueous medium at room temperature by absorption, emission, and time resolved fluorescence spectroscopy. Absorbance spectral characteristics rule out the possibility of ground state complex formation between them. Time resolved decay indicates dynamic type of quenching. Saturation of efficiency of energy transfer reveals the existence of FRET. Efficiency of energy transfer and distance between donor and acceptor pair were determined according to Förster's non radiative energy transfer theory.
Thermal and Frequency Variation of Permeability for Samarium–Dysprosium–Magnesium Ferrite
Authors: Kumbhar R. N. , Shinde T. J. , Ghodake Jeevan S.
Published: October 2019

Samarium–dysprosium–magnesium ferrite materials have been prepared by chemical combustion method. The effect of samarium–dysprosium rare earth ions on loss factor, real and imaginary part of permeability has been studied for Mg[(Sm)0.6(Dy)0.4]xFe2−xO4 (x = 0.01 and x = 0.03) ferrite materials with temperature and frequency by using a Hioki LCR‐Q meter. From thermal variation of loss factor of prepared ferrite materials, it is revealed that ferrite must be used below Curie temperature for low loss factor. The real part of initial permeability initially increases with frequency and for higher frequency its value almost remains constant. The loss factor and an imaginary part of permeability of the ferrite materials decreases with increasing frequency.
Automatic classification of lung nodule candidates based on a novel 3D convolution network and knowledge transferred from a 2D network
Authors: Zuo Wangxia , Zhou Fuqiang , He Yuzhu , Li Xiaosong
Published: October 2019

Objective

In the automatic lung nodule detection system, the authenticity of a large number of nodule candidates needs to be judged, which is a classification task. However, the variable shapes and sizes of the lung nodules have posed a great challenge to the classification of candidates. To solve this problem, we propose a method for classifying nodule candidates through three‐dimensional (3D) convolution neural network (ConvNet) model which is trained by transferring knowledge from a multiresolution two‐dimensional (2D) ConvNet model.

Methods

In this scheme, a novel 3D ConvNet model is preweighted with the weights of the trained 2D ConvNet model, and then the 3D ConvNet model is trained with 3D image volumes. In this way, the knowledge transfer method can make 3D network easier to converge and make full use of the spatial information of nodules with different sizes and shapes to improve the classification accuracy.

Results

The experimental results on 551 065 pulmonary nodule candidates in the LUNA16 dataset show that our method gains a competitive average score in the false‐positive reduction track in lung nodule detection, with the sensitivities of 0.619 and 0.642 at 0.125 and 0.25 FPs per scan, respectively.

Conclusions

The proposed method can maintain satisfactory classification accuracy even when the false‐positive rate is extremely small in the face of nodules of different sizes and shapes. Moreover, as a transfer learning idea, the method to transfer knowledge from 2D ConvNet to 3D ConvNet is the first attempt to carry out full migration of parameters of various layers including convolution layers, full connection layers, and classifier between different dimensional models, which is more conducive to utilizing the existing 2D ConvNet resources and generalizing transfer learning schemes.
Predicting high‐intensity focused ultrasound thalamotomy lesions using 2D magnetic resonance thermometry and 3D Gaussian modeling
Authors: Seasons Graham M. , Mazerolle Erin L. , Sankar Tejas , Martino Davide , Kiss Zelma H. T. , Pichardo Samuel , Pike G. Bruce
Published: October 2019

Purpose

To develop a method of using two‐dimensional (2D) magnetic resonance thermometry, and three‐dimensional (3D) Gaussian modeling to predict the volume, shape, and location of 1 day postoperative T1w high‐intensity focused ultrasound lesions in medication refractory tremor patients; thereby facilitating a better comprehension of thermal damage thresholds, which can be utilized to reduce adverse events, and improve patient outcome.

Methods

Fifteen patients underwent magnetic resonance‐guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) thalamotomy, which was performed at our center using an InSightec ExAblate 4000 system (Haifa, Israel), and guided by magnetic resonance imaging using a 3 T Discovery 750 (General Electric Healthcare, Waukesha, WI, USA). For treatment monitoring, 2D MR thermometry (temperature sensitivity: −0.00909 ppm/°C, bandwidth: 279 Hz/pixel) was performed in multiple orthogonal planes (sagittal, coronal, and axial) intraoperatively. These images were temporally filtered using a general linear model approach to reduce noise. Temporal volumes of filtered temperature maps with a peak temperature 47°C were aligned and fitted with a 3D Gaussian to create a canonical heating model. We then fitted the filtered 2D temperature maps with a 3D Gaussian, and used the relationships derived from the 3D heating model to estimate the 3D temperature distribution. These temperature distributions were converted into thermal dose distributions and accumulated across time to create an accumulated thermal dose (ATD) profile. Thresholded ATD profiles were then correlated with manually traced T1‐weighted 1 day postoperative lesion volumes across patients, and linear regression slopes were plotted against varying ATD thresholds. Additionally, the Dice–Sørensen coefficient (DSC) was calculated to quantify the volumetric overlap between predicted, and actual lesions.

Results

On average, 18.1 (standard deviation (SD): ±4.6, range: 10–29) sonications were performed with an average peak temperature achieved of 62.4°C (SD: ±2.4, range: 58.2–67.7). An ATD threshold of 35.8 CEM43 was found to give a unity linear regression slope; this corresponded to an average DSC of 0.689 (SD: ±0.090, range: 0.476–0.815).

Conclusions

Using multiplanar 2D MR thermometry and 3D Gaussian modeling, we were able to achieve very good (DSC = 0.689) predictions of T1w 1 day postoperative lesion volume, shape and location at an ATD threshold of approximately 36 CEM43. Furthermore, this method has the potential to be used in clinical evaluations to further elucidate the relationship between thermal damage and clinical outcome. Accurate 3D lesion prediction will facilitate improved clinical decision making in future MRgFUS thalamotomies.
Verification of a method to detect glass microspheres via micro‐CT
Authors: Crookston Nathan R. , Pasciak Alexander S. , Abiola Godwin , Donahue Danielle , Weiss Clifford R. , Frey Eric C.
Published: October 2019

Introduction

The ability to determine the microscopic distribution of glass microspheres in 90Y radioembolization has important applications in post‐treatment microdosimetry and cluster analysis. Current methods are time‐intensive and labor‐intensive and thus are typically only applied to small samples.

Materials and methods

A high‐resolution micro‐CT image with a voxel size of 8.74 µm was acquired of phantoms containing ~25 µm‐diameter glass microspheres embedded in tissue‐equivalent materials that were optically transparent, which allowed true microsphere locations to be determined using transmission light microscopy. A 3‐stage algorithm was developed to estimate the number and locations of microspheres in tissue regions. The stages are thresholding the CT image and discarding regions with insufficient voxels, estimating the number of microspheres in each region using the values of the detected and neighboring region voxels and estimating locations for each microsphere using the outputs of the previous two stages. Two different methods for estimating the number of microspheres in each region were derived, as were five methods for localizing microspheres. Metrics for each stage were computed, and the mean absolute error (MAE) between the dose to 72 µm voxels of the true and estimated dose maps created from the microsphere locations was used as the figure of merit for overall algorithm performance. Microsphere locations identified in the optical micrograph were used as the gold standard for the metrics of all stages. The method’s utility was then demonstrated using a specimen from a human neuroendocrine tumor (NET) treated with glass 90Y microspheres.

Results

The stage detecting regions containing microspheres found 100% of microspheres inside regions. The number of incorrectly detected regions without microspheres was 1.5% of the total number of regions. In stage 2, with these parameters, nearly 94% of the actual number of spheres in each region was correctly counted, and only 5% of the estimated sphere quantities in each region were false positives. The MAE between the true dose maps and dose maps estimated using the full algorithm with optimal parameter and method choices was 4.2%. A total of 5,713 glass microspheres were identified as being distributed heterogeneously in the NET specimen with a maximum tumor dose of >2500 Gy and 46% of the specimen receiving <20 Gy.

Conclusions

This work developed and evaluated a method to detect and estimate the three‐dimensional locations of glass microspheres in whole tissue samples that require less manual effort than traditional methods. This method could be used to gain important insights into the heterogeneity of microsphere distributions that would be useful for improving radioembolization treatment planning.
Long‐term edaravone efficacy in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: Post‐hoc analyses of Study 19 (MCI186‐19)
Authors: Shefner Jeremy , Heiman‐Patterson Terry , Pioro Erik P. , Wiedau‐Pazos Martina , Liu Shawn , Zhang Jeffrey , Agnese Wendy , Apple Stephen
Published: October 2019

Background

In a Phase 3 study, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients experienced significantly less physical functional decline with 24‐week edaravone vs placebo, followed by open‐label treatment for an additional 24 weeks.

Methods

Outcome (the change in ALS Functional Rating Scale–Revised, ALSFRS‐R, from baseline) was projected for placebo patients through 48 weeks and compared with 48‐week edaravone or 24‐week edaravone after switching from placebo.

Results

A total of 123 patients received open‐label treatment (65 edaravone‐edaravone; 58 placebo‐edaravone). The projected ALSFRS‐R decline for placebo from baseline through week 48 was greater than for 48‐week edaravone (P < .0001). For patients switching from placebo to edaravone, ALSFRS‐R slope approached that of continued edaravone for 48 weeks. ALSFRS‐R decline did not differ between actual and projected edaravone through week 48.

Conclusions

Compared with placebo, these analyses suggest that edaravone is beneficial in ALS patients even after 6 mo of receiving placebo, and efficacy is maintained for up to 1 year.
Acceptability assessment of school psychology interventions from 2005 to 2017
Authors: Silva Meghan R. , Collier‐Meek Melissa A. , Codding Robin S. , DeFouw Emily R.
Published: October 2019

Recommendations from multiple professional organizations (e.g., American Psychological Association, Council for Exceptional Children, National Association of School Psychologists) suggest that collection of data on the social validity in practice and research is necessary. The purpose of this study was to systematically review the inclusion of acceptability measurement, which has been one of the most common way to measure social validity, within the intervention literature published across five school psychology journals between 2005 and 2017. Findings suggested just over one third of intervention studies included acceptability assessment. Intervention studies that were delivered individually, targeted behavior skills, and included treatment integrity data were significantly more likely to include acceptability assessment. When acceptability was measured it was typically evaluated one‐time following treatment completion using self‐report tools completed by teachers. Nearly half of studies employed one of seven published tools and the remaining half used researcher‐created measures. The published tools were adapted in a variety of ways and inconsistently reported either item or total scores making it difficult to summarize these data according to intervention target or delivery format. Implications of findings are described.
Susceptibility to peer influence during middle school: Links with social support, peer harassment, and gender
Authors: Goldstein Sara E. , Lee Chih‐Yuan Steven , Gunn John F. , Bradley Shaniqua , Lummer Shannon , Boxer Paul
Published: October 2019

The present study explores concurrent relations between social support, gender, susceptibility to peer influence, and peer‐based aggression and harassment in a socioeconomically and racially diverse sample of 774 seventh and eighth grade students. Results indicate that students perceiving lower support from their family or school were relatively more likely to be highly susceptible to peer influence, and to have friends who they believed were also highly susceptible to peer influence. Further, higher susceptibility to peer influence was associated with increased involvement in relational aggression and sexual harassment, both as a perpetrator and as a victim. Gender moderation effects were also found. The negative association of school support and susceptibility to peer influence was found greater in girls than boys. Girls who were highly susceptible to peer influence, or who had friends who were highly susceptible, had a relatively greater risk for involvement in relational aggression and sexual harassment, as compared with boys. Implications of these results for educators and school‐based mental health professionals are discussed, and suggestions for future research are offered.
Beyond “what works”: A mixed‐methods study of intervention effect modifiers in the Good Behavior Game
Authors: Ashworth Emma , Humphrey Neil , Lendrum Ann , Hennessey Alexandra
Published: October 2019

This mixed‐methods study examines two moderators of the impact of the Good Behavior Game—implementation variability, participant risk status, and the interaction between them—as predictors of behavioral and academic outcomes. Quantitative data from 38 primary schools were utilized, with outcome data collected at baseline and 2‐year follow‐up. Behavior (disruptive behavior, prosocial behavior, and concentration problems) was assessed via the Teacher Observation of Classroom Adaptation Checklist. Reading attainment was assessed via national teacher assessment scores, and the Hodder Group Reading Test. Implementation fidelity/quality data were collected via independent observations. Participant risk status was modeled using a cumulative risk index. Multilevel modeling revealed that higher levels of fidelity/quality were associated with improved overall reading scores (d = 0.203–225), but worsening disruptive behavior among high‐risk students (d = 0.560). Thematic analysis of qualitative interview data collected from 20 teachers identified six groups of at‐risk students who were perceived to experience differential effects, and five key mechanisms underpinning these.
Postsecondary attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder and deliberate practice: Study time, study quality, and self‐perceptions
Authors: Lindstrom Will , Nelson Jason M. , Foels Patricia
Published: October 2019

The current study examined study habits of postsecondary students with attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) through the theoretical context of deliberate practice. The responses of participants with and without ADHD were compared on a survey of study time, study quality, and self‐perceptions of study habits, as well as a measure of test anxiety. Groups were equivalent on reports of study time and time spent in other activities, percentage of classes they attend, use of conducive study environments, and planning of studying. Despite similar study behaviors, ADHD participants were more likely to feel unprepared for tests, reported significantly higher test anxiety, and had lower grade point averages. Regardless of ADHD status, the majority of study participants were not implementing deliberate practice behaviors, with the exception of class attendance, and study times fell far below recommended levels. Findings provided evidence that emulating the study behaviors of peers is not sufficient for students with ADHD to experience similar outcomes.
Spanning trees in randomly perturbed graphs
Authors: Joos Felix , Kim Jaehoon
Published: October 2019

A classical result of Komlós, Sárközy, and Szemerédi states that every n‐vertex graph with minimum degree at least (1/2 + o(1))n contains every n‐vertex tree with maximum degree . Krivelevich, Kwan, and Sudakov proved that for every n‐vertex graph Gα with minimum degree at least αn for any fixed α > 0 and every n‐vertex tree T with bounded maximum degree, one can still find a copy of T in Gα with high probability after adding O(n) randomly chosen edges to Gα. We extend the latter results to trees with (essentially) unbounded maximum degree; for a given and α > 0, we determine up to a constant factor the number of random edges that we need to add to an arbitrary n‐vertex graph with minimum degree αn in order to guarantee with high probability a copy of any fixed n‐vertex tree with maximum degree at most Δ.
Simultaneous confidence intervals for ratios with application to the gold standard design with more than one experimental treatment
Authors: Schmidt Sylvia , Brannath Werner
Published: October 2019

Considering a study design with two experimental treatments, a reference treatment and a placebo, we extend a previous approach considering the ratios of effects to a procedure for analyzing multiple ratios. The technical framework for constructing tests and compatible simultaneous confidence intervals is set in a general manner. Besides a single step procedure and its extension to a stepdown procedure, also, an informative stepwise procedure in the spirit of our previous work is developed. The latter is especially interesting, because noninferiority studies require informative confidence intervals to infer more information than just noninferiority at the prespecified margin. Results from a simulation study for the three methods are shown. We also argue that an extension to more than two experimental treatments is straightforward.