bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A laboratory spectrometer for high throughput X-ray emission spectroscopy in catalysis research
Authors: Malzer Wolfgang , Grötzsch Daniel , Gnewkow Richard , Schlesiger Christopher , Kowalewski Fabian , Van Kuiken Benjamin , DeBeer Serena , Kanngießer Birgit
Published: November 2018

We have built a laboratory spectrometer for X-ray emission spectroscopy. The instrument is employed in catalysis research. The key component is a von Hamos full cylinder optic with Highly Annealed Pyrolytic Graphite (HAPG) as a dispersive element. With this very efficient optic, the spectrometer subtends an effective solid angle of detection of around 1 msr, allowing for the analysis of dilute samples. The resolving power of the spectrometer is approximately E/ΔE = 4000, with an energy range of ∼2.3 keV–10 keV. The instrument and its characteristics are described herein. Further, a comparison with a prototype spectrometer, based on the same principle, shows the substantial improvement in the spectral resolution and energy range for the present setup. The paper concludes with a discussion of sample handling. A compilation of HAPG fundamentals and related publications are given in a brief Appendix.
Review: Synthetic scaffolds to control the biochemical, mechanical, and geometrical environment of stem cell-derived brain organoids
Authors: Oksdath Mariana , Perrin Sally L. , Bardy Cedric , Hilder Emily F. , DeForest Cole A. , Arrua R. Dario , Gomez Guillermo A.
Published: November 2018

Stem cell-derived brain organoids provide a powerful platform for systematic studies of tissue functional architecture and the development of personalized therapies. Here, we review key advances at the interface of soft matter and stem cell biology on synthetic alternatives to extracellular matrices. We emphasize recent biomaterial-based strategies that have been proven advantageous towards optimizing organoid growth and controlling the geometrical, biomechanical, and biochemical properties of the organoid's three-dimensional environment. We highlight systems that have the potential to increase the translational value of region-specific brain organoid models suitable for different types of manipulations and high-throughput applications.
Angle dependent magnetoresistance in heterostructures with antiferromagnetic and non-magnetic metals
Authors: DuttaGupta S. , Itoh R. , Fukami S. , Ohno H.
Published: November 2018

We report on the magnetoresistive effects in a metallic antiferromagnet (AFM)/nonmagnet (NM) PtMn/Pt heterostructure with varying thickness of PtMn (1 nm ≤ tPtMn ≤ 10 nm). Longitudinal magnetoresistive effects are measured for magnetic field rotations along three mutually perpendicular directions. The results show a transformation in the functional dependencies with the increase in tPtMn and are attributed to the spin Hall magnetoresistive effects arising from the interaction of spin currents generated by Pt with the antiferromagnetic PtMn. The present findings with appreciable magnetoresistive effects in an AFM/NM metallic heterostructure add yet another option of the material system for antiferromagnetic spintronics.
Thermal hysteresis measurement of the VO2 dielectric function for its metal-insulator transition by visible-IR ellipsometry
Authors: Ramirez-Rincon J. A. , Gomez-Heredia C. L. , Corvisier A. , Ordonez-Miranda J. , Girardeau T. , Paumier F. , Champeaux C. , Dumas-Bouchiat F. , Ezzahri Y. , Joulain K. , Ares O. , Alvarado-Gil J. J.
Published: November 2018

The real and imaginary parts of the dielectric function of VO2 thin films, deposited on r-plane sapphire via pulsed laser deposition, are measured by means of visible-infrared ellipsometry for wavelengths ranging from 0.4 to 15 μm and temperatures within its phase transition. For both the insulator-to-metal (heating) and metal-to-insulator (cooling) transitions, it is shown that the two ellipsometric signals exhibit three temperature-driven behaviors, which are well described by appropriate combinations of the Tauc-Lorentz, Gaussian, and Drude oscillator models. By fitting Bruggeman's effective medium model for the dielectric function to the corresponding measured experimental values, using the volumetric fraction of the VO2 metallic domains as a fitting parameter for different temperatures within the VO2 phase transition, we have found that this model is suitable for describing the dielectric function in visible and near-infrared wavelengths (∼0.4 to ∼3.0 μm), but it generally fails for longer infrared ones. Furthermore, the hysteresis loop of the VO2 emissivity averaged over a relevant interval of wavelengths is determined and shown to vary from ∼0.49, in the insulator phase, to ∼0.16, in the metallic one. These values, based on the VO2 dielectric function, are consistent with previous measurements reported in the literature, and therefore, our measured data are expected to be useful for describing the behavior of VO2 films involved in optical and radiative applications.
Enhanced broadband optical limiting and switching of nonlinear absorption in functionalized solar exfoliated reduced graphene oxide–Ag-Fe2O3 nanocomposites
Authors: Sabari Girisun T. C. , Saravanan M. , Venugopal Rao S.
Published: November 2018

Wavelength dependent nonlinear absorption (NLA) studies of Ag-Fe2O3–reduced graphene oxide (rGO) hybrids were performed using high-repetition rate (80 MHz), femtosecond (150 fs), and near-infrared (NIR) (700-900 nm) laser pulses. Tunable nonlinear absorption properties and broadband optical limiting performance of the pure and Ag-Fe2O3–(15, 25, and 40 wt. %) rGO nanocomposites were achieved by varying the parameters such as composition, defect states, and morphology. Detailed Z-scan experiments revealed that the NLA coefficient increases with an increase in the excitation wavelength. A switching behavior in the NLA mechanism for Ag-Fe2O3 and Ag-Fe2O3–(15 wt. %)rGO from saturable absorption (700 nm) to reverse saturable absorption (800 nm and 900 nm) was witnessed, while rGO and Ag-Fe2O3–(25 wt. % and 40 wt. %)rGO exhibited reverse saturable absorption, which is ascribed to be the 2-photon absorption (2PA) process. The origin of 2PA involves the electronic states of irregular conjugate carbon bonds based on sp2 domains of rGO for 700 nm and 800 nm excitations and surface plasmon resonance of Ag metals for 900 nm excitations. Ag-Fe2O3–(25 wt. %)rGO hybrid possesses a stronger NLA coefficient and a lower onset optical limiting threshold at all the wavelengths studied and, therefore, can be considered as a favorable candidate for broadband ultrafast optical limiters toward protection from NIR ultrashort pulse laser damages.
Identification of the shallow donor state in Sb doped ZnO by photoluminescence excitation spectroscopy
Authors: Watkins S. P. , Mohammadbeigi F. , Stirling K. , Kumar E. Senthil
Published: November 2018

Photoluminescence excitation (PLE) spectroscopy was used to investigate the optical properties of the recently discovered 3364.3 meV antimony-related donor bound exciton (D0X) in zinc oxide. By suitable control of the growth conditions, we achieved samples in which the Sb-related donor emission was the dominant near-bandgap luminescence feature. Resonant excitation using a tunable UV source enabled the observation of the two electron transitions of the donor bound exciton, enabling the direct determination of the binding energy of the Sb donor at 42.2±0.5 meV, the lowest value yet reported for a donor in this material. The two electron transitions exhibit an unusual blue shift with increasing temperature, which is explained in terms of thermalization of excited states of the D0X initial state. The D0X excited states were probed by PLE and follow the trends of conventional shallow group III donors such as Al, Ga, and In.
A novel stable nanopositioner based on a single piezoelectric stack: PistolDrive
Authors: Pang Zongqiang , Zhou Zeqing , Gong Yutao , Yuan Ming
Published: November 2018

We describe a novel stable piezoelectric nanopositioner which just use one piezoelectric stack and one simple driving signal, in which the central shaft is clamped by one BeCu spring and four SiN balls that bonded to the inner wall of the cylindrical tube. The cylindrical tube is fixed on the free end of the piezoelectric stack. Applying one increasing voltage signal on the piezoelectric stack, according to the principle of piezoelectricity, the piezoelectric stack will extend smoothly. When canceling this voltage signal suddenly, the piezoelectric will recover to its original length while the central shaft will keep stationary for its inertance. So, the central shaft will be sliding a small distance relative to the piezoelectric stack. Normally, the heavier of the central shaft, the better moving stability, resulting in a high output force of the nanopositioner. Because of the simple structure, simple working principle and good mechanical stability, our novel nanopositioner can be easily used in Scanning Probe Microscopy system and Active Optical mirror adjustment system in large scale astronomical telescope.
Anomalous Hall effect in thin films of the Weyl antiferromagnet Mn3Sn
Authors: Higo Tomoya , Qu Danru , Li Yufan , Chien C. L. , Otani Yoshichika , Nakatsuji Satoru
Published: November 2018

The Weyl antiferromagnet Mn3Sn has been recently attracting significant attention as it exhibits various useful functions such as a large anomalous Hall effect that is normally absent in antiferromagnets. Here, we report the thin film fabrication of the single phase of Mn3Sn and the observation of the large anomalous Hall effect at room temperature despite its vanishingly small magnetization. Our work on the high-quality thin film growth of the Weyl antiferromagnet paves the path for developing antiferromagnetic spintronics.
Straining bismuth ferrite thin films provides current for mass data storage applications
Authors: Agner Mary Alexandra
Published: November 2018

Bismuth ferrite thin films can be tuned using substrate strain to produce an on/off current ratio large enough for application to ultrahigh density memory.
Temperature-dependent larval survival and growth differences among populations of Murray cod (Maccullochella peelii)
Authors: Svozil D. P. , Kopf R. K. , Watts R. J. , Nicholls A.O.
Published: November 2018

Different populations of organisms can vary widely in their responses to environmental conditions and this variation is fundamental to the persistence of species. Using a common garden experiment, we examined temperature-specific growth and survival responses of larvae among populations of Murray cod (Maccullochella peelii) from four regions of the Murray–Darling Basin (MDB), Australia. Fish larvae from the four regions differed significantly in their growth and survival responses at high water temperatures ≥26°C. At 30°C, survival rates of larvae by Day 20 ranged from 0% in the Lachlan region to 82% in the southern region. Opposite to the geographical differences in survival, growth of larvae was highest in the Lachlan (14.8–15.4-mm standard length 95% CI) and lowest in the southern region (13.4–13.9-mm standard length 95% CI) at 26°C where sufficient numbers survived for comparison. Geographical differences in growth and survival responses did not follow a consistent latitudinal gradient as observed for other species, but were closely linked with previously described genetic structure. Our results suggest that the upper thermal limit of M. peelii larvae is near common river temperatures in the MDB and that maintaining functional response diversity and underlying genetic diversity will be important for ensuring the resilience of this apex predator under future climate change.
Receptor selectivity from minimal backbone modification of a polypeptide agonist
Authors: Liu Shi , Cheloha Ross W. , Watanabe Tomoyuki , Gardella Thomas J. , Gellman Samuel H.
Published: November 2018

Significance

G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) mediate diverse physiological processes and are targets of many therapeutic agents. GPCR subfamilies comprise related receptors that can be activated by the same or similar agonists but manifest distinct functions. Subtype-selective agonists are valuable as tools for fundamental research and as drug candidates with minimal side effects. It is challenging, however, to develop agonists with differentiated activities at structurally related receptors. We started from a human parathyroid hormone fragment that is used to treat osteoporosis, and developed subtype-selective variants by modifying the peptide backbone while maintaining the natural side chains. Our findings suggest that backbone modification, which has received little prior attention in terms of tailoring polypeptide hormone specificity, may represent a general source of receptor-selective agonists.
The Reception of American Cinema in Japan
Authors: Kitamura Hiroshi , Sasagawa Keiko
Published: November 2018

Since the 1890s, Japanese movie-goers have engaged American cinema in a wide consumer marketplace shaped by intense media competition. Early fandom grew around educated urban audiences, who avidly patronized action-packed serials and Universal’s freshly imported films in the 1910s. During the 1920s and 1930s, U.S. cinema continued to attract metropolitan consumers but struggled in the face of Japan’s soaring narrative output. In the years following World War II, movie-goers encountered American films in big cities as well as provincial communities through the Occupation-backed Central Motion Picture Exchange. After the Occupation, U.S. film consumption began to slow down in theaters because of Japanese cinematic competition, but the sites of reception extended into television. The momentum of American cinema revived on the big screen with the rise of the blockbuster, though the years after the 1970s witnessed an intense segmentation of consumer taste. While U.S. cinema culture has become widely available via television, amusement parks, consumer merchandise, and the Internet, the contemporary era has seen renewed challenges mounted by domestic productions and alternative sources of popular entertainment.
TaARF4 genes are linked to root growth and plant height in wheat
Authors: Wang Jingyi , Wang Ruitong , Mao Xinguo , Li Long , Chang Xiaoping , Zhang Xueyong , Jing Ruilian
Published: November 2018

Background and Aims

Auxin response factors (ARFs) as transcription activators or repressors have important roles in plant growth and development, but knowledge about the functions of wheat ARF members is limited. A novel ARF member in wheat (Triticum aestivum), TaARF4, was identified, and its protein function, haplotype geographic distribution and allelic frequencies were investigated.

Methods

Tissue expression of TaARF4 was analysed by real-time PCR. Sub-cellular localization was performed using green fluorescent protein (GFP)-tagged TaARF4. Ectopic expression of TaARF4-A in arabidopsis was used to study its functions. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays (EMSAs), chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) analyses and gene expression were performed to detect TaARF4 target genes. A dCAPS (derived cleaved amplified polymorphic sequence) marker developed from TaARF4-B was used to identify haplotypes and association analysis between haplotypes and agronomic traits.

Key Results

TaARF4-A was constitutively expressed and its protein was localized in the nucleus. Ectopic expression of TaARF4-A in arabidopsis caused abscisic acid (ABA) insensitivity, shorter primary root length and reduced plant height (PH). Through expression studies and ChIP assays, TaARF4-A was shown to regulate HB33 expression which negatively responded to ABA, and reduced root length and plant height by repressing expression of Gretchen Hagen 3 (GH3) genes that in turn upregulated indole-3-acetic acid content in arabidopsis. Association analysis showed that TaARF4-B was strongly associated with PH and root depth at the tillering, jointing and grain fill stages. Geographic distribution and allelic frequencies suggested that TaARF4-B haplotypes were selected in Chinese wheat breeding programmes. An amino acid change (threonine to alanine) at position 158 might be the cause of phenotype variation in accessions possessing different haplotypes.

Conclusions

Ectopic expression and association analysis indicate that TaARF4 may be involved in root length and plant height determination in wheat. This work is helpful for selection of wheat genotypes with optimal root and plant architecture.
Node diversification in complex networks by decentralized colouring
Authors: Garcia-Lebron Richard , Myers David J , Xu Shouhuai , Sun Jie
Published: November 2018

We develop a decentralized colouring approach to diversify the nodes in a complex network. The key is the introduction of a local conflict index (LCI) that measures the colour conflicts arising at each node which can be efficiently computed using only local information. We demonstrate via both synthetic and real-world networks that the proposed approach significantly outperforms random colouring as measured by the size of the largest colour-induced connected component. Interestingly, for scale-free networks further improvement of diversity can be achieved by tuning a degree-biasing weighting parameter in the LCI.
Prospective evaluation and long-term follow-up of patients referred to secondary care based upon natriuretic peptide levels in primary care
Authors: Gierula John , Cubbon Richard M , Paton Maria F , Byrom Rowenna , Lowry Judith E , Winsor Sarah F , McGinlay Melanie , Sunley Emma , Pickles Emma , Kearney Lorraine C , Koshy Aaron , Slater Thomas A , Chumun Hemant K , Jamil Haqeel A , Bailey Kristian M , Barth Julian H , Kearney Mark T , Witte Klaus K
Published: November 2018

Aims

The UK National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (UK-NICE) and European Society of Cardiology (ESC) guidelines advise natriuretic peptide (NP) assessment in patients presenting to primary care with symptoms possibly due to chronic heart failure (HF), to determine need for specialist involvement. This prospective service evaluation aimed to describe the diagnostic and prognostic utility of these guidelines.

Methods and results

We prospectively collected clinical, echocardiography and outcomes data (minimum 5 years) from all patients referred to the Leeds HF Service for 12 months of following the initiation of the NP-guideline-directed pathway. Between 1 May 2012 and 1 August 2013, 1020 people with symptoms possibly due to HF attended either with a raised NT-pro-BNP or a previous myocardial infarction (MI) with an overall rate of left ventricular systolic dysfunction (LVSD) of 33%. Of these, 991 satisfied the ESC criteria (NT-pro-BNP ≥125 pg/mL) in whom the rate of LVSD was 32%, and 821 the UK-NICE criteria in whom the rate of LVSD was 49% in those with a previous MI, 25% in those with NT-pro-BNP concentration 400–2000 pg/mL, and 54% in those with NT-pro-BNP concentration of >2000 pg/mL. An NT-pro-BNP concentration 125–400 pg/mL had a 12% risk of LVSD. Specificity was poor in women >70 years, who made up the largest proportion of attendees. Elevated NT-pro-BNP levels were associated with lower survival even in the absence of LVSD.

Conclusion

In people referred through the ESC and UK-NICE guidelines, elevated NT-pro-BNP is a marker of increased mortality risk, but there is wide variation in specificity for LVSD. Age- and sex-adjusted criteria might improve performance.
Self-reported Fitness and Objectively Measured Physical Activity Profile Among Older Adults: A Twin Study
Authors: Waller Katja , Vähä-Ypyä Henri , Lindgren Noora , Kaprio Jaakko , Sievänen Harri , Kujala Urho M
Published: November 2018

Background

Maintaining good fitness and good level of physical activity are important factors for maintaining physical independence later in life. The aim was to investigate the relationship between self-reported fitness and objectively measured physical activity and sedentary behavior in the elderly.

Methods

Same-sex twin pairs born 1940–1944 in Finland were invited to the study. Altogether 787 individuals (mean age 72.9 years), of whom 404 were female, used a hip-worn triaxial accelerometer for at least 4 days and answered a question on perceived fitness. First, individual differences were studied between four fitness categories. Second, pairwise differences were examined among twin pairs discordant for fitness.

Results

Self-reported fitness explained moderately the variation in objectively measured physical activity parameters: R2 for daily steps 26%, for daily mean metabolic equivalent 31%, for daily moderate-to-vigorous activity time 31%, and lower for sedentary behavior time 14% (all p < .001). Better self-reported fitness was associated with more steps taken on average (8,558 daily steps [very good fitness] vs 2,797 steps [poor fitness], p < .001) and with a higher amount of moderate-to-vigorous activity (61 min vs 12 min p < .001, respectively) in the adjusted multivariable model. Among 156 twin pairs discordant for self-reported fitness, co-twins with better fitness took more steps, did more moderate-to-vigorous activity, and had less sedentary behavior (all, p < .05) compared to their less fit co-twins; however, difference was smaller among monozygotic than dizygotic pairs.

Conclusion

One simple question on self-reported fitness is associated with daily activity profile among community-dwelling older people. However, genetic factors modulate this association to some extent.
UDP-N-acetylglucosamine-dolichyl-phosphate N-acetylglucosaminephosphotransferase is indispensable for oogenesis, oocyte-to-embryo transition, and larval development of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans
Authors: Kanaki Nanako , Matsuda Ayako , Dejima Katsufumi , Murata Daisuke , Nomura Kazuko H , Ohkura Takashi , Gengyo-Ando Keiko , Yoshina Sawako , Mitani Shohei , Nomura Kazuya
Published: November 2018

N-linked glycosylation of proteins is the most common post-translational modification of proteins. The enzyme UDP-N-acetylglucosamine-dolichyl-phosphate N-acetylglucosaminephosphotransferase (DPAGT1) catalyses the first step of N-glycosylation, and DPAGT1 knockout is embryonic lethal in mice. In this study, we identified the sole orthologue (algn-7) of the human DPAGT1 in the nematode C. elegans. The gene activity was disrupted by RNAi and deletion mutagenesis, which resulted in larval lethality, defects in oogenesis and oocyte-to-embryo transition. Endomitotic oocytes, abnormal fusion of pronuclei, abnormal AB cell rotation, disruption of permeation barriers of eggs, and abnormal expression of chitin and chitin synthase in oocytes and eggs were the typical phenotypes observed. The results indicate that N-glycosylation is indispensable for these processes. We further screened an N-glycosylated protein database of C. elegans, and identified 456 germline-expressed genes coding N-glycosylated proteins. By examining RNAi phenotypes, we identified five germline-expressed genes showing similar phenotypes to the algn-7 (RNAi) animals. They were ribo-1, stt-3, ptc-1, ptc-2, and vha-19. We identified known congenital disorders of glycosylation (CDG) genes (ribo-1 and stt-3) and a recently found CDG gene (vha-19). The results show that phenotype analyses using the nematode could be a powerful tool to detect new CDG candidate genes and their associated gene networks.
A State-of-the-Art Review of New and Emerging Therapies for the Treatment of IBD
Authors: Chudy-Onwugaje Kenechukwu O , Christian Kaci E , Farraye Francis A , Cross Raymond K
Published: November 2018

Over the last 2 decades, novel therapies targeting several immune pathways have been developed for the treatment of patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Although anti–tumor necrosis factor (anti-TNF) agents remain the firstline treatment for moderate to severe Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, many patients will require alternative agents, due to nonresponse, loss of response, or intolerance of anti-TNFs. Furthermore, patients may request newer therapies due to improved safety profiles or improved administration (ie, less frequent injection, oral therapy). This review will focus on new and emerging therapies for the treatment of IBD, with a special focus on their adverse effects. Although many of the agents included in this paper have been approved for use in IBD, a few are still in development but have been shown to be effective in phase II clinical trials.
The prognostic impact of obstructive lung disease on survival of never smokers with resected non-small-cell lung cancer: a comparison with smokers
Authors: Akamine Takaki , Tagawa Tetsuzo , Shimokawa Mototsugu , Matsubara Taichi , Kozuma Yuka , Haratake Naoki , Takamori Shinkichi , Toyokawa Gouji , Maehara Yoshihiko
Published: November 2018

OBJECTIVES

The proportion of never smokers among non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients has steadily increased in recent decades, suggesting an urgent need to identify the major underlying causes of disease in this cohort. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is a risk factor for lung cancer in both smokers and never smokers. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between obstructive lung disease and survival in never smokers and smokers with NSCLC after complete resection.

METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed data from 548 NSCLC patients treated at our institution. The effects of obstructive lung disease on recurrence-free survival and cancer-specific survival following the resection of NSCLC were determined by univariable and multivariable Cox regression analyses.

RESULTS

Among the 548 patients analysed, 244 patients (44.5%) were never smokers and 304 patients (55.4%) were current or former smokers. In the never-smoker group, 48 patients (19.7%) had obstructive lung disease, 185 patients (75.8%) were women and 226 patients (92.6%) had adenocarcinoma. Obstructive lung disease was significantly associated with shorter recurrence-free survival (P = 0.006) and cancer-specific survival (P = 0.022) in the never smokers, but not the smokers, on both univariable and multivariable analyses. The associations between obstructive lung disease and prognosis in never smokers remained significant after propensity score matching.

CONCLUSIONS

Obstructive lung disease is an independent prognostic factor for recurrence-free survival and cancer-specific survival in never smokers, but not in smokers, with NSCLC. Based on this finding, further examination is warranted to advance our understanding of the mechanisms associated with NSCLC in never smokers.
Orbital Degeneracy Loci II: Gorenstein Orbits
Authors: Benedetti Vladimiro , Filippini Sara Angela , Manivel Laurent , Tanturri Fabio
Published: November 2018

In [3] we introduced orbital degeneracy loci as generalizations of degeneracy loci of morphisms between vector bundles. Orbital degeneracy loci can be constructed from any stable subvariety of a representation of an algebraic group. In this paper we show that their canonical bundles can be conveniently controlled in the case where the affine coordinate ring of the subvariety is Gorenstein. We then study in a systematic way the subvarieties obtained as orbit closures in representations with finitely many orbits, and we determine the canonical bundles of the corresponding orbital degeneracy loci in the Gorenstein cases. Applications are given to the construction of low-dimensional varieties with negative or trivial canonical bundle.
Twenty-five years of national health IT: exploring strategy, structure, and systems in the English NHS
Authors: Price Colin , Green William , Suhomlinova Olga
Published: November 2018

Objective

There is global interest in implementing national information systems to support healthcare, and the National Health Service in England (NHS) has a troubled 25-year history in this sphere. Our objective was to chronicle structural reorganizations within the NHS from 1973 to 2017, alongside concurrent national information technology (IT) strategies, as the basis for developing a conceptual model to aid understanding of the organizational factors involved.

Materials and Methods

We undertook an exploratory, retrospective longitudinal case study by reviewing strategic plans, legislation, and health policy documents, and constructed schemata for evolving structure and strategy. Literature on multi-organizational forms, complexity, national-level health IT implementations, and mega-projects was reviewed to identify factors that mapped to the schemata. Guided by strong structuration theory, these factors were superimposed on a simplified structural schema to create the conceptual model.

Results

Against a background of frequent NHS reorganizations, there has been a logical and emergent NHS IT strategy focusing progressively on technical and data standards, connectivity, applications, and consolidation. The NHS has a complex and hierarchical multi-organization form in which restructuring may impact a range of intra- and inter-organizational factors.

Discussion

NHS-wide IT programs have generally failed to meet expectations, though evaluations have usually overlooked longer-term progress. Realizing a long-term health IT strategy may be impeded by volatility of the implementation environment as organizational structures and relationships change. Key factors influencing the strategy–structure dyad can be superimposed on the tiered NHS structure to facilitate analysis of their impact.

Conclusion

Alignment between incremental health IT strategy and dynamic structure is an under-researched area. Lessons from organizational studies and the management of mega-projects may help in understanding some of the ongoing challenges.
Multi-perspective predictive modeling for acute kidney injury in general hospital populations using electronic medical records
Authors: He Jianqin , Hu Yong , Zhang Xiangzhou , Wu Lijuan , Waitman Lemuel R , Liu Mei
Published: November 2018

Objectives

Acute kidney injury (AKI) in hospitalized patients puts them at much higher risk for developing future health problems such as chronic kidney disease, stroke, and heart disease. Accurate AKI prediction would allow timely prevention and intervention. However, current AKI prediction researches pay less attention to model building strategies that meet complex clinical application scenario. This study aims to build and evaluate AKI prediction models from multiple perspectives that reflect different clinical applications.

Materials and Methods

A retrospective cohort of 76 957 encounters and relevant clinical variables were extracted from a tertiary care, academic hospital electronic medical record (EMR) system between November 2007 and December 2016. Five machine learning methods were used to build prediction models. Prediction tasks from 4 clinical perspectives with different modeling and evaluation strategies were designed to build and evaluate the models.

Results

Experimental analysis of the AKI prediction models built from 4 different clinical perspectives suggest a realistic prediction performance in cross-validated area under the curve ranging from 0.720 to 0.764.

Discussion

Results show that models built at admission is effective for predicting AKI events in the next day; models built using data with a fixed lead time to AKI onset is still effective in the dynamic clinical application scenario in which each patient’s lead time to AKI onset is different.

Conclusion

To our best knowledge, this is the first systematic study to explore multiple clinical perspectives in building predictive models for AKI in the general inpatient population to reflect real performance in clinical application.
Developing a Career in Pediatric Infectious Diseases
Authors: Snowden Jessica , James Scott H
Published: November 2018

This article presents an overview of the Career Development session at the 17th Annual St. Jude/PIDS Pediatric Infectious Diseases Research Conference. This annual conference discusses key academic skills, such as grant writing and negotiating for protected time for research and academic endeavors, as well as highlighting the many career options available in infectious disease. This year’s session included discussions about basic science, public health, health outcomes research, and private practice pediatric infectious disease careers. The combination of practical career advice, mentoring, and inspiration offered in the career-development track talks at the St. Jude/PIDS Pediatric Infectious Diseases Research Conference this and every year helps trainees to faculty navigate the path to building a satisfying career in pediatric infectious disease.
Reporting and Categorization of Blood Culture Contaminants in Infants and Young Children: A Scoping Review
Authors: Chappell-Campbell Laura , Schwenk Hayden T , Capdarest-Arest Nicole , Schroeder Alan R
Published: November 2018

Background

Blood cultures are obtained routinely for infants and young children for the evaluation for serious bacterial infection. Isolation of organisms that represent possible contaminants poses a management challenge. The prevalence of bacteremia reported in this population is potentially biased by inconsistent contaminant categorization reported in the literature. Our aim was to systematically review the definition and reporting of contaminants within the literature regarding infant bacteremia.

Methods

A search of studies published between 1986 and mid-September 2016 was conducted using Medline/PubMed. Included studies examined children aged 0 to 36 months for whom blood culture was performed as part of a serious bacterial infection evaluation. Studies that involved children in an intensive care unit, prematurely born children, and immunocompromised children or those with an indwelling catheter/device were excluded. Data extracted included contaminant designation methodology, organisms classified as contaminants and pathogens, and contamination and bacteremia rates.

Discussion

Our search yielded 1335 articles, and 69 of them met our inclusion criteria. The methodology used to define contaminants was described in 37 (54%) study reports, and 16 (23%) reported contamination rates, which ranged from 0.5% to 22.8%. Studies defined contaminants according to organism species (n = 22), according to the patient’s clinical management (n = 4), and using multifactorial approaches (n = 11). Many common organisms, particularly Gram-positive cocci, were inconsistently categorized as pathogens or contaminants.

Conclusions

Reporting and categorization of blood culture contamination are inconsistent within the pediatric bacteremia literature, which limits our ability to estimate the prevalence of bacteremia. Although contaminants are characterized most frequently according to organism, we found inconsistency regarding the classification of certain common organisms. A standardized approach to contaminant reporting is needed.
Evaluation of Discharge Antibiotic Prescribing at a Freestanding Children’s Hospital: Opportunities for Stewardship
Authors: Olson Jared , Thorell Emily A , Hersh Adam L
Published: November 2018

We conducted a retrospective study to evaluate suboptimal discharge antibiotic prescribing at a children’s hospital and found that 27% of the prescriptions were suboptimal. Thirty-three percent of the patients who might have qualified for solid dosage forms received liquid dosages instead. Our findings suggest that opportunities exist for discharge antibiotic-stewardship and pill-swallowing programs.
Paracoccidioides brasiliensis 14-3-3 protein is important for virulence in a murine model
Authors: Marcos Caroline Maria , de Oliveira Haroldo Cesar , Assato Patricia Akemi , de Andrade Cleverton Roberto , Fusco-Almeida Ana Marisa , Mendes-Giannini Maria José Soares
Published: November 2018

The Paracoccidioides brasiliensis strain downregulated the expression of adhesin Pb14-3-3 (Pb14-3-3 aRNA) was evaluated in a murine model of paracoccidioidomycosis (PCM). Pb14-3-3 aRNA displays attenuated virulence and triggered the formation of fewer granulomas by lowering the fungal burden in the lungs. Additionally, the Pb14-3-3 aRNA showed more elongated yeast cells and less ability to induce pneumocytes apoptosis in vitro. Our results show that 14-3-3 is an important virulence factor in P. brasiliensis-induced pulmonary infection.
Dynamics of wind and the dusty environments in the accreting T Tauri stars RY Tauri and SU Aurigae
Authors: Petrov P P , Grankin K N , Gameiro J F , Artemenko S A , Babina E V , de Albuquerque R M G , Djupvik A A , Gahm G F , Shenavrin V I , Irsmambetova T R , Fernandez M , Mkrtichian D E , Gorda S Yu
Published: November 2018

Classical T Tauri stars with ages of less than 10 Myr possess accretion discs. Magnetohydrodynamic processes at the boundary between the disc and the stellar magnetosphere control the accretion and ejections gas flows. We carried out a long series of simultaneous spectroscopic and photometric observations of the classical T Tauri stars, RY Tauri and SU Aurigae, with the aim to quantify the accretion and outflow dynamics at time-scales from days to years. It is shown that dust in the disc wind is the main source of photometric variability of these stars. In RY Tau, we observed a new effect: during events of enhanced outflow, the circumstellar extinction becomes lower. The characteristic time of changes in outflow velocity and stellar brightness indicates that the obscuring dust is near the star. The outflow activity in both stars is changing on a time-scale of years. Periods of quiescence in the variability of the Hα profile were observed during the 2015–2016 period in RY Tau and during the 2016–2017 period in SU Aur. We interpret these findings in the framework of the magnetospheric accretion model, and we discuss how the global stellar magnetic field can influence the long-term variations of the outflow activity.
Risks and benefits of consuming edible seaweeds
Authors: Cherry Paul , O’Hara Cathal , Magee Pamela J , McSorley Emeir M , Allsopp Philip J
Published: November 2018

Recent interest in seaweeds as a source of macronutrients, micronutrients, and bioactive components has highlighted prospective applications within the functional food and nutraceutical industries, with impetus toward the alleviation of risk factors associated with noncommunicable diseases such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. This narrative review summarizes the nutritional composition of edible seaweeds; evaluates the evidence regarding the health benefits of whole seaweeds, extracted bioactive components, and seaweed-based food products in humans; and assesses the potential adverse effects of edible seaweeds, including those related to ingestion of excess iodine and arsenic. If the potential functional food and nutraceutical applications of seaweeds are to be realized, more evidence from human intervention studies is needed to evaluate the nutritional benefits of seaweeds and the efficacy of their purported bioactive components. Mechanistic evidence, in particular, is imperative to substantiate health claims.
Universal detection of high-temperature emission in X-ray isolated neutron stars
Authors: Yoneyama Tomokage , Hayashida Kiyoshi , Nakajima Hiroshi , Matsumoto Hironori
Published: November 2018

Strongly magnetized isolated neutron stars (NSs) are categorized into two families, according mainly to their magnetic field strength. Those with a higher magnetic field of 1014–1015 G are called magnetars, characterized by repeated short bursts, and the others are X-ray isolated neutron stars (XINSs) with 1013 G. Both magnetars and XINSs show thermal emission in X-rays, but it has been considered that the thermal spectrum of magnetars can be reproduced with a two-temperature blackbody (2BB), while that of XINSs shows only a single-temperature blackbody (1BB) and the temperature is lower than that of magnetars. On the basis of the magnetic field and temperature, it is often speculated that XINSs may be old and cooled magnetars. Here we report that all seven known XINSs show a high-energy component in addition to the 1BB model. Analyzing all the XMM-Newton data for the XINSs with the highest statistics ever achieved, we find that their X-ray spectra are all reproduced with a 2BB model, similar to magnetars. Their emission radii and temperature ratios are also similar to those of magnetars except for two XINSs, which show significantly smaller radii than the others. The remarkable similarity in the X-ray spectra between XINSs and magnetars suggests that the origins of their emissions are the same. The lower temperature in XINSs can be explained if XINSs are older than magnetars. Therefore, these results are an observational indication that supports the standard hypothesis on the classification of highly magnetized NSs.
ASPRE Trial: Incidence of Preterm Preeclampsia in Patients Fulfilling ACOG and NICE Criteria According to Risk by FMF Algorithm
Authors: Poon L. C. , Rolnik D. L. , Tan M. Y. , Delgado J. L. , Tsokaki T. , Akolekar R. , Singh M. , Andrade W. , Edeturk T. , Jani J. C. , Plasencia W. , Papaioannou G. , Blazquez A. R. , Carbone I. F. , Wright D. , Nicolaides K. H.
Published: November 2018

(Abstracted from Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol 2018;51:738–742)

The current approach to screening for preeclampsia (PE) is to identify risk factors from maternal demographic characteristics and medical history (maternal factors). According to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), in the United Kingdom, women are considered to be at high risk of developing PE if they have any one high-risk factor (hypertensive disease in previous pregnancy, chronic hypertension, chronic renal disease, diabetes mellitus, or autoimmune disease) or any 2 moderate-risk factors (nulliparity, age ≥40 years, body mass index [BMI] ≥35 kg/m2, family history of PE, or interpregnancy interval >10 years).
Metformin Exposure in the First Trimester of Pregnancy and Risk of All or Specific Congenital Anomalies: Exploratory Case-Control Study
Authors: Given Joanne E. , Loane Maria , Garne Ester , Addor Marie-Claude , Bakker Marian , Bertaut-Nativel Bénédicte , Gatt Miriam , Klungsoyr Kari , Lelong Nathalie , Morgan Margery , Neville Amanda J. , Pierini Anna , Rissmann Anke , Dolk Helen
Published: November 2018

(Abstracted from BMJ 2018;361:k2477)

Metformin affects stem cell function and has been shown to cross the human placenta at term, exposing the fetus to concentrations approaching those in the maternal circulation. Limited evidence from 3 meta-analyses and a cohort study suggests that the rate of all major congenital anomalies combined is not significantly increased after exposure to metformin.
Monoacylglycerol Lipase Inactivation by Using URB602 Mitigates Myocardial Damage in a Rat Model of Cardiac Arrest
Authors: Hai Kerong , Chen Guo , Gou Xueyan , Jang Haixia , Gong Deying , Cheng Yan , Gong Chansheng , Li Xinghuan , Liu Yuqi , Li Huan , Zhang Gang , Yang Linghui , Ke Bowen , Liu Jin
Published: November 2018

Objectives:

Monoacylglycerol lipase participates in organ protection by regulating the hydrolysis of the endocannabinoid 2-arachidonoylglycerol. This study investigated whether blocking monoacylglycerol lipase protects against postresuscitation myocardial injury and improves survival in a rat model of cardiac arrest and cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

Design:

Prospective randomized laboratory study.

Setting:

University research laboratory.

Subjects:

Male Sprague-Dawley rat (n = 96).

Interventions:

Rats underwent 8-minute asphyxia-based cardiac arrest and resuscitation. Surviving rats were randomly divided into cardiopulmonary resuscitation + URB602 group, cardiopulmonary resuscitation group, and sham group. One minute after successful resuscitation, rats in the cardiopulmonary resuscitation + URB602 group received a single dose of URB602 (5 mg/kg), a small-molecule monoacylglycerol lipase inhibitor, whereas rats in the cardiopulmonary resuscitation group received an equivalent volume of vehicle solution. The sham rats underwent all of the procedures performed on rats in the cardiopulmonary resuscitation and cardiopulmonary resuscitation + URB602 groups minus cardiac arrest and asphyxia.

Measurements and Main Results:

Survival was recorded 168 hours after the return of spontaneous circulation (n = 22 in each group). Compared with vehicle treatment (31.8%), URB602 treatment markedly improved survival (63.6%) 168 hours after cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Next, we used additional surviving rats to evaluate myocardial and mitochondrial injury 6 hours after return of spontaneous circulation, and we found that URB602 significantly reduced myocardial injury and prevented myocardial mitochondrial damage. In addition, URB602 attenuated the dysregulation of endocannabinoid and eicosanoid metabolism 6 hours after return of spontaneous circulation and prevented the acceleration of mitochondrial permeability transition 15 minutes after return of spontaneous circulation.

Conclusions:

Monoacylglycerol lipase blockade may reduce myocardial and mitochondrial injury and significantly improve the resuscitation effect after cardiac arrest and cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
Variation in Identifying Sepsis and Organ Dysfunction Using Administrative Versus Electronic Clinical Data and Impact on Hospital Outcome Comparisons*
Authors: Rhee Chanu , Jentzsch Maximilian S. , Kadri Sameer S. , Seymour Christopher W. , Angus Derek C. , Murphy David J. , Martin Greg S. , Dantes Raymund B. , Epstein Lauren , Fiore Anthony E. , Jernigan John A. , Danner Robert L. , Warren David K. , Septimus Edward J. , Hickok Jason , Poland Russell E. , Jin Robert , Fram David , Schaaf Richard , Wang Rui , Klompas Michael
Published: November 2018

Objectives:

Administrative claims data are commonly used for sepsis surveillance, research, and quality improvement. However, variations in diagnosis, documentation, and coding practices for sepsis and organ dysfunction may confound efforts to estimate sepsis rates, compare outcomes, and perform risk adjustment. We evaluated hospital variation in the sensitivity of claims data relative to clinical data from electronic health records and its impact on outcome comparisons.

Design, Setting, and Patients:

Retrospective cohort study of 4.3 million adult encounters at 193 U.S. hospitals in 2013–2014.

Interventions:

None.

Measurements and Main Results:

Sepsis was defined using electronic health record–derived clinical indicators of presumed infection (blood culture draws and antibiotic administrations) and concurrent organ dysfunction (vasopressors, mechanical ventilation, doubling in creatinine, doubling in bilirubin to ≥ 2.0 mg/dL, decrease in platelets to < 100 cells/µL, or lactate ≥ 2.0 mmol/L). We compared claims for sepsis prevalence and mortality rates between both methods. All estimates were reliability adjusted to account for random variation using hierarchical logistic regression modeling. The sensitivity of hospitals’ claims data was low and variable: median 30% (range, 5–54%) for sepsis, 66% (range, 26–84%) for acute kidney injury, 39% (range, 16–60%) for thrombocytopenia, 36% (range, 29–44%) for hepatic injury, and 66% (range, 29–84%) for shock. Correlation between claims and clinical data was moderate for sepsis prevalence (Pearson coefficient, 0.64) and mortality (0.61). Among hospitals in the lowest sepsis mortality quartile by claims, 46% shifted to higher mortality quartiles using clinical data. Using implicit sepsis criteria based on infection and organ dysfunction codes also yielded major differences versus clinical data.

Conclusions:

Variation in the accuracy of claims data for identifying sepsis and organ dysfunction limits their use for comparing hospitals’ sepsis rates and outcomes. Using objective clinical data may facilitate more meaningful hospital comparisons.
Heterotrophic Ossification in Patient With Prosthetic Leg
Authors: Milburn Nate , Yap Lori , Raval Gargi
Published: November 2018

Heterotrophic ossification (HO) is a well-described phenomenon in patients with spinal cord injury, head injury, burns, hip replacement, and general trauma. However, it has also been described through a relative paucity of case reports that repeated microtrauma from the use of weight-bearing leg prostheses is an additional possible cause of HO. In our case, we examine a patient who developed an extreme case of HO after he began an exercise regimen with assistance from a running limb. This abnormal formation was actually advantageous because it created a more snug fit of the prosthetic device and improved the patient's ability to run.